To give credit where credit is due

I've received yet another anonymous comment that I think should be shared.  I didn't come up with these, but I think they're fantastic and although they're presented as date ideas, any group of friends can do them too.  To whoever shared these with me, thank you :)


1.  Go on a search for as many good climbing trees as possible, climb as high as you both can in all of them, compile photo evidence.

2.  Go to a major chain bookstore and leave notes to future readers in copies of your favorite books.

3.  Have her dressed up as a ghost and you dress up as Pacman.  Walk around downtown holding hands, and whenever someone sees you two, pretend to be embarrassed and run off screaming "WOCKA WOCKA WOCKA."

4.  Create photo evidence suggesting that you went on an adventure that didn't really happen.

5.  Dress up as superheroes and stop at least one petty crime like littering.

6.  Build forts out of furniture and blankets, and wage war with paper airplanes.

7.  Try and visit as many people as you can in one night and turn as many things inside their apartment upside down as soon as you can without them noticing.

8.  Go to the airport, get the cheapest and soonest departing flight to anywhere, and stay there for a weekend.

9.  Write a piece of fiction together outside at a cafe.  Ask a stranger when you get stuck.

10.  Dress to the nines and test drive very expensive vehicles at an auto dealership.

11.  Do the lamest tourist thing in your area that you have both secretly wanted to do forever.

12.  In the middle of the night, drive to the beach so that you arrive just as the sun is rising.  Have a breakfast picnic and then fall asleep together.

13.  Drive somewhere unknown and have dinner in a city you've never been to.  Use fake names.

14.  Go to a minor league baseball game under the stars and randomly cheer for both teams.

15.  Go around the city with sidewalk chalk and draw hearts with equations inside on random things.

16.  Walk around a city and perform short silent plays in front of security cameras.

17.  With a camera and a pair of boots, make a photolog of a day in the life of the invisible man.

18.  Walk around the city all night and find a place to eat breakfast at dawn.

19.  Go to a restaurant and convince the cook to create something completely new for you.

20.  Rent a movie you've never seen before.  Set it on mute and improvise the dialogue.


Play like you're not a grownup!  :)

The original document can be found at http://9gag.com/gag/3619

Shoving my taste in music down your throat.

Who: Portishead

What: Trip-hop with twinges of alternative pseudo-cabaret.  Two particularly popular albums - their debut album 'Dummy' and the later self-titled 'Portishead'.

When: 1991-present

Where: Formed in Bristol, England

Why: Why?  They're incredible.  My personal favorite song, Glory Box, exemplifies what I feel to be the signature Portishead sound - hypnotic and chaotically seductive rhythms and instrumentals, hauntingly beautiful vocals, and a wildly ridiculous level of enjoyability.  I would say more, but I don't think there's a better way for me to demonstrate how great they are than by letting you see for yourself!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF-GvT8Clnk  Glory Box
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-TqR7ZzaZQ  Sour Times

Tell me what you think!  Stay tuned for our next installment of shoving my taste in music down your throat.

What it means to love and live

From the minute I got out of bed on Sunday morning I knew it was going to be a beautiful day.  The sky was that perfect shade of blue, the sun was a delicate wash of light, the grass looked extra green under the dew...

My experience with An Introduction To A New View Of Love matched the aesthetic perfection of that particular Sunday, and then some.  There's nothing more beautiful than total abject honesty and unconditional love and acceptance.  16 wonderful people met that morning in a comfortable living room, some of them meeting everyone around them for the first time, and those 16 people left as friends who really are joined at the heart.  16 people left with a new understanding of what it means to love and what it means to live.  The best part is that my experience isn't over.  My experience began yesterday, and now it's my job to make sure that everything I gained and accomplished continues and grows for the rest of my life.

To Mathew, who told me about this event and who took me to LA with him.  To Erin and Jon, who hosted this workshop and who were so loving and generous to share this experience.  To the rest of the incredible people I was surrounded by that day.

Thank you.

Anyone who wants to know more should click here (all about the workshop) or here (Erin Ross's blog, Getting That You Matter) or here (Erin's website).  These are incredible people doing incredible things!

PHEW!  This is the end of the post.  So stop reading and go make somebody's life a little bit better.  It's not that hard to do :)

Also, SNACK!  Yum.  Peacing out in 3...2...1...

BYE B- //#error/=already_peaced_out//>

Let it rock

I'm in!

I will be dancing in a Graham piece during the Martha Graham Company residency at Pomona, both in March and later for the Pomona Dance Spring Concert.

I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to know that I will be dedicating myself to dance again.  I won't lie and say that I'm not nervous about throwing myself into a style that I have next to no training with (my audition was essentially a test of my mimicry skills), but I can't wait to learn!  And hey, being a part of this project means I can officially call myself a dancer again.

And now, I leave you with Uliana Lopatkina. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtsrOJcAAYk&feature=related

Damn her.

Won't stop 'til it's over

After beasting through a cog psych test and generally being a productive member of society, I'm proud to say that I'm having a wonderful day.

What's new in my life?  I'm currently working on a collection of short stories that I hope to be semi-finished with by the end of the semester.  My goal is to complete ten 600-1200 word stories and be sufficiently happy with each one to allow others to read them.  Ultimately I'd like to get them published, and I have great, vague, looming plans as for what will happen after that, but for now it's all about taking it one step at a time.

As of today, I have completed one and there are two more dans le progrès.  I would give a summary of the first one to be finished, but I'm not even particularly sure what it's about and I know I'd just screw it up trying to explain. 

The last class of the day awaits me.  Make somebody laugh today, and stay classy!

Technopornography

http://www.yankodesign.com/2010/05/25/in-2020-we-can-wear-sony-computers-on-our-wrist/

BEAST.  Now keep in mind that this is purely my gadget lust talking, and I still need to think about durability, practicality, etc. etc.  But all the important things aside, it's damn cool.

So, you're a stranger

To whoever left this for me,

So you're a stranger.  Part of me wants to ask why you left this anonymously; now I'm left here wishing I could thank you personally.  But the other part of me understands.

I'm re-posting what you gave to me because it will make somebody's day better, and I hope that eventually you'll feel comfortable enough to show your face as you perform your renegade acts of kindness.  Thank you.

Much love,
Kira

If you're having trouble reading the teeny tiny print, just double click the image and it'll re-open as a larger picture.

No one belongs here more than you

I got this book today from a classmate in my FHS class.  He said I reminded him of the author.  Maybe it's because we have the same hair?

Regardless of the rational behind it, what I've read of this book so far is wonderful, and I will vainly admit that I do see a bit of myself in Miranda July's writing.

These are stories about love, about dreams, about what it means to hurt, about strength, about sex, about intimacy and joy and surprise.  These are stories about life and our lives on earth.

http://mirandajuly.com/
Visit the site and see what you think.  And the secret password is always correct.

Happy Monday!

War Zone

War zone.  That is what Harvey Mudd College looks like right now (although to be fair, it almost always looks a bit like a war zone around the dorm areas)

The general consensus is that the foam party was a huge success.  I got sudsy and slippery and major-time got my dance on.  HMC knows how to have a good time.

I also went to the gym yesterday (pre-foam, not post) for my first weight training session in about forever.  I am sore.  That's about it.

I have work to do for the rest of the day, but for those of you who are looking for more things to fill your day with, try frolicking.  Do something silly.  Eat like a kid.  Laugh so hard that people think you're having a seizure.  Go forth and be merry!  This gorgeous day is too short to do otherwise.

Rules of Engagement

1.  Remember that you leave a mark on every person you meet.
2.  Don't be afraid to ask for help sometimes.
3.  Enjoy your food.  Low-fat ice cream and full-fat ice cream are not the same.
4.  Spend your time with the people who make you feel good to be you.
5.  Failure is an option if you learn from it.
6.  Take the time each day to appreciate something beautiful.
7.  Fools are seldom right, but they are often happy.
8.  Take the chance; never regret something that you didn't do.
9.  Smile like you mean it, until you really do mean it.
10.  "I don't know" is a perfectly good answer.

Bright and early

There's nothing quite like waking up at 7:45 in the morning after a Thursday night in Claremont.  But to 9 am class I must go!

In recent news, the auditions for "Panorama" are next Friday at 5 pm.  If you dance and you go to one of the Claremont Colleges, you should come!  Pendleton Dance Center at Pomona.  Be there.

If I make it into the ensemble, I'm going to be doing this across the quad. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyqUj3PGHv4

To Write Love

Yesterday was To Write Love on Her Arms Day.  I know a lot of my friends at home participated, and I hope my college-bound comrades will continue to spread the Sharpie love and support in their new cities!

The link to the official website is under the "Things I Like" tab.  Check it out, it's an awesome group.  Troubled or suicidal teens should make use of every resource they have available to them, which may include professional psychiatric help, support group meetings, and medications, but what I particularly love so much about TWLOHA is that they advocate daily doses of personal, caring support from family and friends, which I believe is one of the most effective medicines we have: its supply is absolutely unlimited and it's completely free!  All you have to do is ask for it, and I promise it will come to you in truckloads.

It's looking like another gorgeous day in Claremont.  Time to get outside and play!  And remember that anytime you need an extra dose of Loveandhappinessivotral, my pharmacy is always, ALWAYS open.  My Facebook page is linked from my blog profile.  Send me a message, comment on my wall, poke me (hur hur hur) and your prescription will be filled as soon as possible.

Now go live like it's Shark Week!  <3

PS: To Write Love on Her Arms isn't just for teens, so even if you're an old fogey over the age of 18, check out the site!  That is all GOOD DAY

My challenge

I dare you to really, really, really accept a compliment.  That means no saying "oh, but you're so much MORE [insert given compliment]", no arguing, and no feeling guilty about having somebody tell you that you're amazing!  Listen to the words and think about what they mean.  Think about why somebody felt compelled to say them.  Then, once you're done, smile, let the warm fuzzies take you to a nice happy place, say thank you and pay it forward.  That's it.  That simple.  Your only other job is to be wonderful.  So get to it!

It's a beautiful day in Claremont.  I'm going to continue sitting outside on the lawn in a bathing suit with friends and a root beer. 

Much love!

F&$% Yeah

Thanks to F$&% Yeah, Sharks for today's doubleshot of awesome.

THAT IS ALL!  Good day.

Come away with me

I am in a wildly different place.

"Wildly different?  Claremont's not even 200 miles away from San Diego."  Geographically, I am comparatively close to home, that is true.  But I think about the person I was a year ago and it's difficult to believe that it really has only been a year since I began my senior year of high school, my most difficult year for a multitude of reasons.   Over the past year and over the past several years, I have grown and listened and experienced.  I have laughed and I have cried and I have been terrified of both the past and the future.  Finally, as I begin college and as I start an entirely new chapter of my life, the previous 18 years come to a culmination and I am something that everyone deserves to be.

I am happy, and because I am happy, I'm going to write again.  Oh public introspection, I've missed you dearly.

Nothing is as wonderful as being excited for the unknown.  So, come away with me!