CBrajkovich Ramblings

Mark Applebaum was suffering from boredom as he played music that we’re all familiar with. As a matter of fact, you can say that we’ve all been in his position while pursuing a labor of love. But he decided to take his boredom head on, and see what would happen when he engages beyond the ordinary. Well, take a look at some of the instruments that he’s made, because they’re made from discarded items that we take for granted. And then see what inspires him to go beyond the familiar, like he does in his score writing. Honestly, his adaptations of watches and train maps are pretty amazing to see. It would be incredible to browse his notebooks, wouldn’t it?

Creativity always takes us along unknown paths when we keep our mind open to the extraordinary. It becomes that way because we become so fully engaged in the experience that we are changed during the process. Growth. Brilliance. And a bit of Bravery. Until boredom inspires us towards freedom.

– check out more of Mark’s talk on Ted

Matt Harding seems to be a man on a mission to bring the world together with dancing. This man is a man after my own heart. Taking his “silly dancing” skills and turning it into a global group hug (and definitely even a jiggle), while hopefully teaching people (and business) about the right way to create PR. Not PR as in public relations, but PR as in People’s Reaction to a potential friend.

Seriously, read his About page (click on the link above) because his whimsical motivation is pretty inspiring. Maybe I’ve been stuck in one place for way too long, and I’m ready to immerse myself in the world again. A world that is so full of incredible people who aren’t afraid of embracing a stranger, because they understand what a potential friendship can lead to. A lot of people are tired of the barriers erected by those who see openness as a threat. It’s not. It’s the shiny bright colors of possibility. Isn’t Matt inspiring you to go out there? My feet are already tapping in delight.

If you were free to do anything, what would you do? Yup, you guessed my dream: learning about the world through complete and total immersion. Seeing the rolling sands of a desert that stretches to infinity in front of my very eyes. Laying on a field in a faraway countryside with remnants of the past all around. Touching a monument or walking on a road that history has traveled. Opening up my horizons. And reaching out a friendly hand to whomever would want to receive it, so that we can create one more friendly link that will bring the world closer together. Seems possible, right?

And while you’re at it, try to support Matt as he continues to dance with the world. He’s got a pretty incredible dream, if you ask me.

– thanks for this moment of happiness, Reddit

**Here’s another mind-blowing story that I found on Reddit about a guy who’s traveling across the US on foot to get his life back. Seriously amazing story: worldinstrides Bravo to @hobo_nick for being brave enough to take back his life, and bring meaning back! Best of luck, Nick, and stay safe.

So, the thought for the day is: What will you do now that you’re a grown up?

It’s been a while since I visited xkcd, but Reddit managed to find another appropriate comic strip describing what it means to be a grown up. Yes, we do have the power in our own hands now to make the decisions that we want. Sometimes, they might be an attempt to recapture our youth as we want to experience it.

And sometimes, it’s about changing the way things are done so that your own dreams can be made into reality. There’s no one telling you what to do (well, there always is someone else involved, but the final decision’s yours), so make your actions and words count. They just might affect the world around you, and that’s where opportunity lies.

And if all else fails, you can relive your perfect childhood moment without hearing the word “NO!!!”

– thanks for asking the question, Reddit