Monday, May 31, 2010

space!

going along with our space theme, i wanted to recommend some movies:

1. the right stuff. this is one of the best movies about the american space program and definitely one of the classics from the 80s. while the cast is phenomenal, keep an eye out for jeff goldblum and harry shearer.



2. moon. i absolutely loved this movie. it has a minimalist quality that isn't pretentious which is also reflected in the lead, sam rockwell. it moves quickly without being rushed and is enough of a brain fuck, to keep you entertained. it is great sci-fi, in that it's not too far fetched.



3. when we left earth. great documentary series. it's like a tasty riesling, because all the information is familiar, but is skillfully delivered in a dry/logical but entertaining way, with little gems hidden throughout. nicely narrated by gary sinise.

4. when we left earth. again. i don't think this is related to the discovery channel and i actually think it's better. no narrator, just footage and audio clips, a little music.



enjoy!

Sunday, May 30, 2010

when we left earth.

i've been on a "space" kick lately but honestly, i don't think i ever got out of it since who knows when. i think it's safe to say, i have an addiction. i gotta get my fix in some form or another, maybe, on a daily basis. besides the star wars trilogy or the star trek universe, here are some great alternatives:

my friend frank steered me towards this UHmazing video (FULL SCREEN IT!):



also, the space shuttle endeavor will go on its and the shuttle program's final mission. the best part is, i get to go and watch the launch! my friend joe is the man!

some other galactical options:

the hubble satellite. go to the gallery page, put on some spacey music, smoke some herb, and put those pics on a slideshow. your imagination will thank you.

space. this site is chock full of outer space brain fodder.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

primal.

during this month, i've been shifting my life towards a more primal existence. no, i haven't been searching for a cave or hunting razorback hogs with sharpened stone. what i have been doing is blending my modern digital life with a life my genes are more familiar with. it all started with these shoes: vibram.

which led me to this guy: ted.
which led me to this guy: mark.
which led me to this book: primal blueprint.

i've been out of work for the past few months and spending a lot of time on my ass, which in turn, has gained a bit more plump. in fact, i can't fit into my clothes without sucking it in and when i'm in, i can't move, and look like a poor imitation of an out of work rodeo dood (aka ass clown). i'm 5'11" and at 190 lbs, the heaviest i've ever been. it's uncomfortable, unhealthy, and unattractive. you can say that it's a natural process of growing older but i have to disagree. it's me sitting on my ass feeling sorry for myself.

in primal blueprint, the author breaks it down to 10 simple, flexible rules.

1. eat lots of plants and animals. bugs too, if you want.
2. move around a lot at a slow pace.
3. life heavy things.
4. run really fast every once in a while.
5. get lots of sleep. (siesta!)
6. play.
7. get some sunlight every day.
8. avoid trauma. (don't be an idiot.)
9. avoid poisonous things. (don't be an idiot.)
10. use your mind. (don't become an idiot.)

for more detail, go: primal 10.



pretty simple yeah? for most of my life, i've gotten so much contradicting information on diet and exercise that i was starting to feel guilty about EVERYTHING i ate and did. i tried vegetarian and raw but that left me extremely on edge, fucked with my sleep pattern, and at times in muscular pain. and exercising ALL the time was ridiculous. the point is, before agriculture, our ancestors ate what they could and occasionally went hungry. they also didn't have baked goods, hot rice, or heavily processed foods loaded with salt + sugar.

in the first week of eating just veggies and meat, i lost eight pounds. i didn't move all that much either. i biked around as usual, played beached whale, and watched a bunch of movies. but i cut out everything with added sugar and grains, like wheat. SO simple. i'm shooting for 165 lbs.

this whole concept is what i've "known" to be a proper lifestyle. i've always believed our beautifully evolved bodies are capable of amazing daily feats, and our current world of air conditioned interiors and over sanitized hands is bad news.

more than anything, i've regained a middle ground with myself. i just feel better knowing that i knew what i was doing. the real revelation has to be the knowledge about grains and sugars which spikes our insulin levels which makes us "feel" hungry. on the second day i started this change, i was completely satisfied on an avocado and a hard boiled egg. without my insulin spiking, i didn't feel the need to keep eating until i felt full. i just ate and realized i was content.

i feel good.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

and then, bing.

i don't want to get ahead of myself here....but. i am pretty fucking excited. for weeks now, i've been thinking about going after another subject of interest. i've studied engineering, architecture, interior design, drawing, painting, sculpting, biology, physics, great western literature, oceanography, sewing, and anthropology. i'm missing a few subjects from that rundown but the point is, i've studied a LOT. but, as of last post, i was at a complete loss.

anthro isn't for me. i don't know if i could study a people without getting involved in SOME way. they could be the most "savage" people in the middle of a recent jungle clearing but i know i would get accustomed, some how. to analyze culture in a scientific way seems intuitively oxymoron-ic.

so, we're back at zero with another subject gone' fishin. after a few days of cigs and beer and top gear and sighing, it dawned on me: i can't be too creative because it starves the practical and vice versa, which leaves me feeling incomplete and tired. mind + body + soul, folks. mindbodysoul. you think it's too ideal? i still do but i'm glad i haven't stopped looking for it because i may have found something: sustainable construction technologies.

it looks like a mix of architecture and construction (plumbing, carpentry, wiring), with a healthy dose of practicality. it's a logical choice and i feel good about it too. so, yay!

i initially found a program called green building systems, taught in santa fe, new mexico, but i've lived there before and while i love santa fe, and miss my friends, i've also fallen in love with oahu. the world's best beaches, at my doorstep. see my problem? but it WAS a problem until i found a more hands-on program on maui. so, yay!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

he chose....wisely.

sometimes, comes a great urge to write but when i do, i find it is of nothing in particular. i don't lack topics nor subjects but like constipated thoughts, i got nothing but brain farts. and sometimes, of course, i can't find a toilet to save my life.

i don't consider myself a writer in the least, but i would like to be a good one. i don't consider myself to be a photographer, but i've been told i take good pictures. i do however, consider myself easily bored. a subject, an activity will grab my interest but sooner than later, my interest rejects it. this is a massive inconvenience. earlier, this short lived and repetitive process had charm and freedom. funny that. that short lived and repetitive process turns out to be the longest theme running....

now though, i'm sick of it. curiosity is a lovely endeavor but it is an expensive one. how much has it cost me? where would i be if i hadn't been so curious and so easily bored? i speak strictly in financial terms....i would have more useless things (from goodwill) and pay my bills a bit more easily. i would probably have a few fuzzy pals named something nerdy like bones, spock, or scotty.

before, money had no place in my life. i'd rough it during travel and give the proverbial bird to any new bill in the mail. but i've got plans now. plans that require gobs of money. it is frustrating to realize that i haven't got a clue as to what i am going to do to finance these plans to fruition.

i am approaching this subject in a rather negative tone. it has not been bad. honestly, i cherish my experiences/memories and thus feel confident in many aspects of this modern creative life. or at least, i trust myself to be successful on a daily basis.

but enough of that emotional balancing.

my curiosity has run out of fodder. yesyes, there are plenty of other topics to explore but i no longer have the motivation to pursue them. that's it really: no motivation, no tenacity. maybe that's not true, maybe i just haven't found the holy grail of topics. maybe my curiosity is tenacious in trying to find the one subject that will feed it to the bitter end. is it foolish? because maybe that holy grail is exactly that: the stuff of legend.

dr. jones?

i consider it suicide to settle for something less than ideal. i don't even want to consider the idea of settling for a career, for anything of that magnitude....that is a voluntary nightmare. i hate seeing it and hate experiencing it. at what price though....what is this pursuit going to cost me/my family emotionally? do i stay foolish/selfish or give in?