So, German artist team extraordinaire Herakut made a stop at Coachella 2013 to bring some life to an enormous snail (by Poetic Kinetics). And all of their talent brought it to life as a chapter from their now-evolving Giant Storybook. This short clip they put up on Vimeo shows the awe-inspiring duo doing what they do best: Creating dreams. Just looking at the details of this new project has me imagining how each chapter will emerge into being. Do yourself a favor and follow this amazing team as they start on another project that will leave your eyes filled with stardust and your jaw on the floor. One of these days I’m going to see them do their magic live. They are truly filled with everything magical captured in children’s storybooks.

This gorgeous rendition by an incredibly talented Egyptian group, Haggar and the Band,  just popped up on Reddit, and it really is worth the listen. Every member brings that uniquely rich Middle Eastern sound to a song that we all know well… Crazy. And can you believe that one of the singers (Layla Mostafa) is only 13?! It’s going to be hard to imagine her getting better, and you know she will being accompanied by some amazing talent. There is something about the sounds that come from the land of  the mysterious sands that resonates deep within you whenever you hear them. Beautiful!

Sometimes, fighting what exists won’t get you as far as building something new so that others can understand what you’re dreaming about. There will be some people who believe that we have to live with what we are given. You can believe that if you choose, but you may find your world being buffeted by the thoughts of those with grander dreams than what’s around them. We have done some amazing things in modern times, but they mean very little when compared to the changes that have occurred over our time in existence, or even the time in context with our universe’s existence. Time doesn’t mark a constant, because it isn’t constant. It’s an ever-changing flowing river on which we ride, living our individual lives as part of the grander universal time piece.

We all fight to be the individual that we want to be, sometimes sacrificing ourselves at the alter of perfection. But perfection lies in the eyes of the beholder, and therefore cannot be held as a constant model in which we all have to fit into. So, when you find yourself not fitting into the cookie-cutter mold that is held to high standards by a majority, don’t question yourself but do question the mold. Status quo doesn’t like to rock the boat. But if you find that there is even one thing wrong with that mold, then  you are doing yourself a disservice by changing yourself to fit with expectations. Change doesn’t happen because people do as they’re told. Change happens when people change (or even break) the mold.

If you find that you can’t affect the change that you want within what already exists, then perhaps it’s up to you to build an alternative that just might fit into another’s dreams. It will feel a whole lot better than trying to overcome your frustrations because the walls confine a dream much grander than what we already know. There’s more than one solution to any problem. Frankly, there’s as many solutions as there are of us. Just think of how many alternatives could lead to a more perfect solution than the one we have now.

Think about it: Over 78,000 “regular” people showed an interest to go to Mars with the Mars One mission when the call went out. And they were told that they will not return to our little blue marble. If this many people can dream beyond the boundaries of Earth, then something as simple as changing the way we live with one another should be equally possible.

So, don’t take those naysayers to heart. Maybe their dreams aren’t as big as yours, and you just need to show them just what you imagine. That’s how we reached the stars after so many millenia of our ancestors just gazing up at them. Never-ending IMAGINATION.

Will opportunity’s light outshine that of the unknown darkness? When it threatens to derail your enthusiasm for new possibilities, then you need to list out all of the reasons why you’re making the change. Just remember that any difficulty will only be overcome when you are completely engaged in the belief that you will come out better on the other side. Don’t look at the closed doors, but imagine what could be on the other side and then make the idea come alive. And if you have someone who walks beside you on this trip, then you are all the more richer in true treasures. Share your fears and your hopes with one another, so that you each can ehlp set the shape of your new dreams. Limitations are only in your mind. And if your mind is set free, then there can be no limitations.

Besides, you heard it from one of the greatest minds of our times. And look at what he accomplished!

Have you ever looked at the people around you and wondered what the world looked like through their eyes? Just how different is the view from yours? I often wonder about it considering how so many of us fight from one side or the other with little need of finding commonality. And yet perhaps the only way we will see the potential of today is to look at the world through the eyes of those who have seen it torn apart in those multitude of yesterdays. Perhaps then we will learn the lesson that life truly is fragile and that it will take very little to unravel what so many take for granted.

Reading the Guardian UK comments section yesterday, a potent commentary came from one Harry Leslie Smith that spoke of the foundations that we all take for granted: Is Cameron’s Britain What We Fought For In the War.  I know that I listen to stories such as these from those who fought in or were affected by wars (including my own parents) with only a shallow understanding of what that world must have been like. And yet, every society around the world is indeed fighting just such a repetition today because of false ideologies. Not false as in not true, but false as in the sense of a veil shadowing our shared truths of the real world in all of its shades. Perhaps if we lived in a country such as any of the Middle East or Eastern Europe, then we would understand the words that our “teachers” are trying to convey to us all, because they have been living it through their lifetime. Circumstances do affect actions, but they also highlight what is deep within our soul. Souls can be both dark and light, as we see in so many of those who ask (or demand) that we allow them to lead us.

“To me, this brave new world feels all wrong, out of tune with what the men and women of World War Two accomplished with our “blood, sweat and tears”. It just seems too flippant, too easy, too profane in this present world;“

These words of Mr. Smith strike deeply as we all understand exactly how he feels. Indeed, there is so much that feels out of tune with the natural harmony of tranquility..of a life in balance. And we all have to take a part in this blame game that tries to force us to take sides. We fail to get the real message: Taking a side will not solve the problem, because nothing changes until we all see the same thing, no matter through whose eyes they appear, and share in the solutions. We’ve got so many problems that won’t be eradicated until we all combine our resources, our knowledge, and our passions. Because one person’s sight is like a small piece of a very large, global puzzle. And that sight not only involves the actual view, but it also requires the internal feel that accompanies the images, so that they become meaningful to the heart as well as to the mind.

We don’t pay enough attention to those who have a past. And that would be each and every one of us. But some of those pasts are more vital because they can inform us about the hazards of a repetitive future. One on which we are standing on the doorstep. And this new vision encompasses so many separators: race, religion, philosophy, and so many individualized perceptions that seek to become a single superior foundation. Those who follow just one of these separators forget one important thought, and that is that there is always more than one side to everything. And those sides which seem so different, all make up one powerful group share which we call our collective reality.

Share the story told by Harry Leslie Smith for it’s an important one that is glossed over too much with flowery words. We need to quit celebrating the past as being “glorious” and pay more attention to it as a lesson for a future that awaits our final collective decision on its course.

I just stumbled onto this video on Reddit and it’s an impromptu acoustic play by Florian Gilbon, who was serenading Paramore in Paris and ended up playing with a really happy Hayley. This is a wickedly gorgeous song with some awesome lyrics. Enjoy your Saturday now after hearing this perfect exchange of talent and love.

If you haven’t read her post on how she’s dealing with her depression, then you should if you want to understand what it “feels” like to be depressed. Take it from someone who’s also suffered from it  for a really long time, it’s so accurate that you could just point to it when people ask you how you’re feeling. And it proves that there really is no tailor made answer that fits everyone’s circumstances. Be prepared to cry because it’s familiar.

I totally related to the feeling of nothingness. Waking up to yet another day of feeling nothing. Of looking at people who love you and you love back, but not being able to feel what you’re supposed to feel. It was years of being scared but not really realizing it because you…felt…nothing. When you finally lose those things that make you YOU, then you really wonder if you’ll ever get you back. Just like those around you wonder if you’ll ever be the same person they love.

But when the feelings finally do return, you realize that you’re on an unstoppable roller-coaster ride full of UPs and downs that just won’t quit. My return came through martial arts. I have no clue if it was the cure because I was scared to try anything else for a while in case my depression returned. I clung to martial arts like a life jacket. And then I fell in love with how it made me stronger. Strong enough that I could return to my other loves like writing (which I was afraid I would never get back). Well, I think that I can get over THAT fear now, huh?

If you’re struggling with depression (who isn’t nowadays???), then check out Allie’s latest outpouring. You’ll totally feel at home because you understand what she’s going through. You’re not one of those rays of sunshine that are trying to brighten you to death. You’re probably feeling like the fish right now. But then, someday, out of the blue you will start to feel like the corn. Embrace the silliness that ensues. Hug the overload of emotions you’ll feel. Power through the bursts of activity that will inevitably cause many, many ripples. And then grab hold as you start life anew, probably with too many feelings swirling around you. Pick a target…focus on a new wonder…and live! Because it will be less about the emotional wonders of whether everything really is BS.

I’m sure that everyone is happy to hear from Allie, thankful that someone can finally describe depression in a relatable way, and wishing that she gets past the BS…no pressure intended. It happens on your own time table, which means that it’s unpredictable. That part sucks, too.

just saying…

So, I stumbled into Starbucks last month, saw the latest by Depeche Mode, Delta Machine, and bought it simply because it’s the DM. Put it into my player and have not taken it out yet. Seriously, it’s like hearing the DM of old that I’ve always loved. Especially this song right here…Welcome to my world. It’s a phrase I (and many others) use often when we are in an situation that is waaaaay too common to us. Cue the sarcasm!

But THIS song is way beyond special. It feels like that moment when you smash into wakefulness after a really long sleep.

Leave your tranquilizers at home….You don’t need them anymore – Welcome to my World lyrics

DM is back in a serious way with Delta Machine. There isn’t a single song on their new album that does not bring back that feeling I had when I first listened to them back in the 80s. I can honestly say that this is fast becoming my favorite of theirs, and I’ve loved them all (some more than others, but I especially adored their 80′s era of angst) so that says a lot. The album grows on you with each listening as the layers embed into your DNA with each listening until it becomes one with your heart beat. Whatever you do, keep listening. Repeat often. Because that’s how this music crawls insidiously by winding its melodious tentacles into your ears and into your soul.

Brilliant, brilliant song. And stupendous album that makes me say that DM is indeed back. It’s been a while guys. I’m back in love with you again (though never really fell out). And thanks for accompanying me on another long trip and keeping me smiling the entire way! The beats were so churningly great that I simply need more. Maybe a concert is now in my future? How about you?

Cruising through Reddit once again, I found a really great video from Russia that has a beautifully awesome and truthful sentiment:

“Any act is capable of becoming the best, if there is no self-interest in it. Accomplish good deeds!” – translation from YouTuber elmer2flp

The video comes from ArkadiTM93 whose channel seems to have a lot of dash cam videos, but this particular one is a timely reminder that good deeds translate across any language and to every person. This is literally five minutes of beautiful acts and gorgeous music that leaves you in tears because there really are a lot of good people out there who are willing to help at a moment’s notice. Whether those in needs are old, young, injured, or furry, someone is always looking out to ensure their safety during tense moments. So, no matter how much difference we see between nations, perhaps we need to think that underneath it all, we are ALL the same.

We have the same dreams, hopes, and needs that don’t change because someone is standing in a different land with different upbringing. How about we start to rid ourselves of those ideas that keep us separated, and start to embrace the idea that there are basic needs that we all share and can feel the same about. Bad expectations can be overcome by simply getting to know and caring about one another. It’s a simple concept and yet so hard to pursue in life. Why is that?

And another reminder that cameras also capture good and it really is happening everywhere around the world. We just need to spread it more evenly across the planet! And stop believing that the world only contains bad, no matter how much the evidence points to it. There is always more than just the presented evidence. Just like there is a lot more good that takes place from where this video leaves off.

-thanks to Reddit for a share that needs to make a circuit around the world!!!

So, a mom wanted someone to explain to her newly arrived daughter what it means to be a Nerd. Now, anyone who loves that list of things that most people find geeky (sorry, meant nerdy – it confuses me too) are usually lumped into the category of Nerd. Namely, anything that doesn’t seem cool. But then, what you consider to be cool might be radically different from what others deem cool. Leather jackets – cool (actually, really hot, as in my skin can’t breathe even when I tell myself I look cool). Comics – nerdy. Sports stars – cool to the “real world”. Sci Fi stars – NERDY to the “real” world.

Neil deGrasse Tyson – just plain cool (I’m so not worthy)!

So, who better to tell this little girl what it’s like to be a Nerd than Wil Wheaton of Wesley Crusher fame (amongst many other cool things). Listen to the short convo that Wil has with the future her who will understand what Wil’s trying to tell her. It’ll actually leaves you a bit teary. And it will allow you to embrace being a nerd. Because being a nerd is about being interested in the world around you in all of its forms, even if they are animated or computerized. Or scientific. Or awkward. Just as long as it keeps you loving the awesomeness that comes with the details…the many, many details that build that awesome holodeck called your mind.

So, don’t just Live Love and Prosper. Live Long and Accumulate (knowledge, ideas…anything that inspires creativity and is easy to carry within) to your heart’s content. The world’s a very big place and there’s just so much awesomeness to discover.

- thanks to Salon for this adorable moment

In a nutshell: Whatever way you can.

Look back on every rough time that you managed to somehow make it through. Find a common thread. That thread will usually lead to a hidden strength that holds the key to your perseverance. I came across another Peale quote that opened my heart to my own truth: enthusiasm. It’s so second nature to me that I don’t even notice it anymore. And yet, when a colleague of mine mentioned how cheerful I am whenever he sees me, I had to think about that statement as I don’t consider myself to be an overly happy person. I look at the world through a BIG microscope, and that tends to stifle the cheerfulness. And yet, somehow, I’ve managed to retain my own brand of happy that has carried me through life.

Yep, enthusiasm is a big part of the fuel that keeps my fire going. It’s the reason why I started to keep this blog, and also how I pursue every project that I become deeply involved in.

What causes the fire to warm your soul? Is it colors? Sounds? Ideas? Feelings? Connections? Challenges? I can keep this list going on forever because for me it’s all of them and more. But then, it’s my list and it will continue to grow as long as I want it to.

So what would be on your list? Make a map of these connections and it just might lead you to the common link. Or you might already know the link and need to define what makes up your strength. Whatever you do, FIND YOUR STRENGTH. Embrace it. Know it so that it becomes a part of the definition of YOU. Trust me, your definition will never be simple. But you just might find out that you’re a whole lot stronger than you thought.

And here’s my new motto that will get me through my new set of challenges as I open up to a new road:

Kind of fits in with my goal of staying a misfit.

And a wonderful reminder to those who are misfits (I can never hear this enough):

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.” - Steve Jobs

I was watching Defiance on SyFy when I heard a song that really sums it all up. Wow, it’s been a long time since I heard it. This gorgeous rendition is by the amazing Beth Orton. Sotero Trinidad did an emotional video reminding us that even children have it tough. And sometimes we can feel like one of those children.

A reminder of what we need to be pushing ourselves for: A new and better world so that these faces will change to happy ones. As will ours.

Things will get brighter…but only if we want it bad enough.

Hyperlinks allowed us to connect the many disparate pages that already existed, but could not be easily connected to unless you knew the direct address. And Tim Berners-Lee gave us this gift which then CERN gifted to us all when they turned the whole project over to the public domain. The whole story is much more in-depth and exciting  than I could describe, so go check out a much better story told on ExtremeTech as well as the whole story as told by CERN itself. I really need to read more about its history as the Web really is a home for so many of us, and one that we cherish with all of our hearts and minds!

If you want to check it out, then click on this link to stroll down a little path in history that opened up the whole wide world to us all – or the ones who connected to it anyways.

HAPPY B-day WWW! 20 years and still going strong. May you always continue to grow, share, and inspire without the barriers that so many are trying to put into place.

ALLIE’S BACK!!!! If you’ve visited the site Hyperbole and a Half then you know who Allie Brosh is. If you haven’t, well, go visit Hyperbole and a Half. Allies’s a very whimsical girl who’s been through her share of rough times, and it looks like she’s back in control again (I hope). If you want to see some great news, well, look at the image above from Touchstone. YEP, Allie’s book is finally finished and it’s available for pre-sale on Amazon. Wouldn’t it be awesome if Allie woke up to find out that her book sold at insane quantities. I found the news on Reddit, and they are as excited as I am.

There are just some people that you root for, and Allie definitely has a lot of fans who want her to win the fight against her depression. Maybe this is a sign that she’s over the worst? Depression isn’t something that is cured overnight (trust me, there are a lot of people who suffer for YEARS), and it seems like the only way to gain the upper hand is to do something that fills you from the inside out. Here’s to hoping that Allie’s dreams finally come true. It’s been so quiet that I’ve been worried until this news came out. Hope you’re feeling better, Allie! No pressure.

Here’s one of my fav images from her story about moving with dogs. This is about to come true for us as we prepare for our own change. Hopefully, with a lot less flames since we don’t have a dog…

…Also having family there ensures to tie those strings pretty securely.

But back to cicadas: We’ve been getting a multitude of updates from the genius behind the film concept, Mauricio Baiocchi, and it has been really tremendous news for a group of extremely talented film makers (like a Special Jury Recognition at Aspen). Talk about exciting! So, when I opened my mail and saw a box with “Cicada Princess” inked on it, I couldn’t believe that I finally received a bridge bug from that extraordinary film.

Unlike the brief lives cicadas live, these cicadas have been immortalized forever by a loving heart. And now many of them have new homes with others who share in that love. So, let me introduce you to mine (isn’t his traveling cocoon lovely?):

Looking into that face, I see all of the inquisitiveness of a lovely bug who is curious about where he’s landed. I wonder where all of his other friends are now? Hope they’re happy! Thanks Mauricio and team for such a lovely memory to treasure, as well as for an extraordinary movie that left me in tears. I hope that Cicada Princess achieves so many accolades as it was truly a wondrous experience. It’s one that I will always hold close to my heart.

We are so used to rocket launches that we rarely comment on them, but this launch of SpaceX’s Grasshopper is unlike any I’ve ever seen because it’s intentional. Seriously, this feat of control of a rocket is mind-boggling to witness. Yes, it’s a reusable rocket, and this is the 4th test which hovered to its highest height to date of 24-stories (80.1m or 262.8 ft). There’s another video going around Reddit with Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire, but somehow just hearing the rocket sounds in conjunction with this controlled ascent/descent brings you closer to the action. SpaceX has been claiming one victory after another in the commercial space program, proving that people driven by a passion are indeed capable of amazing feats. It’s like the rebirth of a space program that we can all touch. Wow!

I got a question that got me thinking: How long does it take for your website to get productive?

That question can’t be answered simply until I know what you mean by productivity. Is it the same as how a company would look at productivity? And what is the criteria? If we all had the same goal, then productivity would be simple to determine. But it’s obviously not, in this world where things can change faster than the speed of light. This connected world of ours never sleeps and we’re inundated with…everything.

Whether it’s blogging or technical communications, my productivity is never constant. The one constant that exists in both is this:

Researching. Mining. Thinking. Writing. Revising. Learning. Growing. Repeating the process endlessly.

There is simply no way that I can judge whether my site is productive, because this site was never intended to be measured. This site is my way of diving into the world around me so that I can become more well-rounded (no, not my weight…though I am working on that) by learning from others so that I can better express who I am. Does that make me productive? I really don’t know because I’m not actively following the rules of SEO so that I can be found. I’m just putting it out there so that others can also do what I’m doing. It’s how I’ve always been, whether it’s at work or just creating. For me, like many others, it’s about the creativity that fulfills the depths in me.

This is why I’ve become more focused on what’s happening on the Internet because so many others, including politicians, financiers, economists, and those who are seeking to impact the way that we can use this digital domain of ours. And it’s why I write about what I do.

I don’t know about you, but it’s tiring to think of productivity as the way to raise my own boat. I want all of our boats to rise equally. That’s what my skills have always meant to me: a way for me to create for the betterment of us all.

So, is there a magical formula to make it big? Depends on what you’re planning and what your goals are. If you’re only after numbers that grow, then follow the standards actions that have proven to be successful (check out the many names floating at the top of conversations). But be aware that the Internet is not as predictable as the “real” world simply because it moves so fast and has a much larger group who is observing you and judging you by a multitude of individual standards. That can be intimidating.

And nothing lasts forever, especially success.

But if you’re creating (whether it’s through a blog or through any other inspirational medium) for the sheer pleasure of developing more depth in yourself, then simply check within yourself. How does each creation make you feel? Is it making you excited to keep doing what you’re doing? Because if it is, then keep doing it. Sooner or later, others who feel like you do will gravitate towards you in interest. And you’ll be able to share in a way that gives way to more creativity that makes the world around us better for everyone.

I’m not in it to become a big name. That kind of pressure will affect your process. I’m in it because I don’t plan to ever stop learning and experiencing. Because that moment when you find a new (or well-loved) something that makes me FEEL is unlike anything I’ve ever felt.

Just think of how the world would change if we all just simply created.

So, I got a friendly note from Urban Times regarding a new post. I was curious to see what it would be since it was addressed to a group of writers who are known to be “passionate”. I can only speak for myself when I say that losing it over certain topics because of this passion comes with the territory of being a writer. It’s not the words that we write that we defend (usually verbosely), it’s the idea behind them. Yes, I can be protective of ideas.

So, I turned on the video titled Weathergirl Goes Rogue, and lo and behold I find that I AM NOT ALONE (sniff). Alex must have really been feeling our pain when he posted these awesome videos of Pippa Mackie (here’s more about her on Huff Po). But the icing on this meltdown came in the form of her anchor counterpart who was played by none other than Kai Nagata. Kai has been in the spotlight before with his eloquent post on quitting his job that went viral. Needless to say, this video now means more than I originally thought. Now I have a new hero in a weathergirl who gives us all a reality report with an epic ending. OMG, do I understand how she feels!

I felt guilty for laughing, but the scene is just too familiar. And others who know me have been on the receiving end. Sorry guys. But there’s always love behind my “AAAAUUUGGGHH!!!!”

When the world’s problems keep getting addressed with the same tone as the anchor (or any anchor, politician, leader, etc.), you really just need to figure out how to deal with (stomp on) the stagnancy. Talk about it, write about, come up with some brilliant concept that no one has ever entertained. Or you just get your own segment:

Deep Rogue Ram brought us these videos and it looks like they have a whole lot more to comment on. Go check them out! And as always, go check out the latest on the Urban Times. Thanks again, Alex, for letting me know that I’m not the only one who does this.

…Did you just cut my mike????

Honestly, this is getting old. The US Congress has got to be the single biggest threat to the safety and security of the US.

If you disagree with your representative, then it’s up to you to vote them out! How many times have you heard this statement? And how many times have you gone to vote, and well, everything is exactly as it was the very next day, month, and year. Perhaps this should be our ultimate wake up call. Because if you’re like me, well, you’re sick and tired of people telling you that you shouldn’t get your panties in a twist since nothing will ever change. You think? Maybe it’s because we keep doing the same stupid actions waiting for something different to happen.

Which leads us back to this: Again, we have to protest the dangerous and narrow-minded reactions of another Congressman who is determined to get CISPA back through…with no changes from the first time that we protested it. As a matter of fact, all of the good amendments that could have provided protection and privacy for the people were refused during the House Committee session.

People want transparency, but CISPA will do nothing to protect them as it will be busy protecting those organizations that assist in data collection.  Here’s just a few of the gems that the House voted as appropriate:

• Information gathered can be used for a broad and unclear “cybersecurity purpose”
• Companies can use countermeasures against perceived security threats (and you think hackers are dangerous?)
• But companies will be sharing your private information with impunity and little oversight
• The information collection can be done without a warrant and without you knowing about it

Learn more about the CISPA bill from one of the voices for the Internet that steps into the fray for the People: EFF

Contact your Congress today. The House has already overwhelmingly passed this bill (after a visit from IBM lobbyists), so we need to contact the Senate. They are planning to debate on Thursday (4/26) and vote on Friday. And don’t assume that the White House will veto this bill just because they said so. That track record has not been too stellar. We’ve had too many outrageous legislations chip away at the foundations of our civil liberties.

Here are a few links to use:

• Learn how House members voted through GovTrack (voting chart here) and the House clerk
• EFF - contact Congress through EFF’s app
• Free Press Action Fund – contact Congress through Free Press’ app
• Fight For The Future – great info and app in one place
• Read about the voices who oppose CISPA (EFF)
• Join the international community’s petition, Save the Internet from the US, on Avaaz

And BTW, the opposition isn’t just a bunch of 14 year olds in their parent’s basements!

We need to do more than re-actively protest every time a dangerous piece of legislation passes. Our representatives aren’t listening to us, partly because they have too many people talking at them. It’s time to start being proactive and get involved, not in campaigning (talk about wasted money that could go for better uses), but actual governing. If this country really is By The People, For The People, then we need to take this phrase more seriously.