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Tonight they burn. You are invited the the 3rd Fire in the Hole competition, with the burning of the unicorns as the finale.
The spirit listens only when the speaker speaks in gestures. And gestures do not mean signs or body movements, but acts of true abandon, acts of largesse, of humor. As a gesture for the spirit, warriors bring out the best of themselves and silently offer it to the abstract.
- CC
Time will show, what will rise from the unicorn flames. This is my Offret.
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It comes down to the basics. We don't always remember that when the basics are taken care of.
Several years ago, I went on a solo motorcycle trip from Berkeley to LA to Joshua Tree to Mono Lake and back to Berkeley. It took me 5 days. It was my first taste of the desert and traveling alone. I got my bike stuck in the desert pea gravel and somehow managed to get it back on pavement with all my gear still packed on it.
The day I remember was when I awoke in Joshua Tree after a sleepless night. Dreaming of shamans while coyotes ran though my camp. I drove through Amboy, I drank in the desert heat. It was over 120 most of the day. I ran out of gas outside of Barstow on my way to the 395. I was almost blown down as I skimmed the pavement east of the Sierras. The only things on my mind: gas for my horse, water for my body, food for energy and shelter against the elements.
I arrived at Yosemite at dusk. Determined to push on, I started to enter the pack and was greeted with black sleets of rain soaking through my desert gear and slick pavement peppered with fallen rocks. I was exhausted from 12 hours of desert riding. I spied a light on the road and pulled into Tioga Pass Lodge. It was packed. I looked like a drowned rat. I prepared to beg to sleep on the store floor, but there was still a room.
When I went back to my corporate job after that trip, certain things just didn't seem important. Compared to what I had just experienced, I couldn't get worked up over due dates and product features. My worldview was reset.
It's exactly this reset I go to get in the desert. Most of the time, I visit my desert - the empty, barren mojave. I don't go with huge groups of people. I prefer to go alone or with one companion. You see more things that way.
In the desert, you can't remember you name, cause there ain't no worldview to give you no pain.
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Just a quick reminder about the Community Builders Mtg tomorrow. Details:
When:
Thursday August 30th, 2007Where:
Rich Media Institute
525 Venezia Avenue
Venice, California 90291
Map & Contact InfoAgenda:
6:30 - 7:00 Arrive, Greet, Chat
7:00 - 8:30 Meeting on topics TBD
8:30 - 9:00 Individual DiscussionsI'm really looking forward to this meeting and building on the momentum as a group from the first one! I've got some thoughts on discussion topics for this meeting. Here they are:
1) What is the single most effective means of building participation that each of us has found so far?
2) How much damage (if any) do monetization efforts cause the spirit of a community?
3) Can we as a group produce a "Quick Start Guide to Community Building" to share with others?
I will not be able to make it because I have been on the playa for about a week now, but you should go and post the recap in the comments. Thanks to Kirk for hosting/organizing.
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Yesterday I was inspired by telling you about my bookshelf, so I'm going to quote to you my favorite poem - mantra - for many years - edited the way I think about it! I hope you like T.S. Eliot. ;)
V. What the Thunder said
by T.S. Eliot, edited by heathervescent
After the torchlight red on sweaty faces
After the frosty silence in the gardens
After the agony in stony places
The shouting and the crying
Of thunder of spring over distant mountains
He who was living is now dead
We who were living are now dying
... with a little patience
Here is no water but only rock
Rock and no water and the sandy road
The road winding above among the mountains
Which are mountains of rock without water
If there were water
And no rock
If there were rock
And also water
A spring
A pool among the rock
or the sound of water only
the sound of water over a rock
---
Who is the third who walk always beside you?
When I count, ther are only you and I together
But when I look ahead up the white road
There is always another one walking beside you
---
In the faint moonlight, the grass is singing
There is the empty chapel, only the wind's home
In a flash of lightning. Then a damp gust
Bringing Rain
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There are things we believe today - things that science has taught us are true - that are not actually true at all. Big things. Things that make us believe the world is the way it is - but it is not. Things that will change the way we see the world.
When I was in grammar school I remembered learning about the solar system. How the sun is the center of our system - but the crazy thing is - it was not always believed to be this way. Before science discovered that it is really the sun that is the center, people believed the earth was the center of the universe. People also believed that the earth was flat and not a sphere.
It wasn't that science had failed those early humans that obsessed me - it was how the new knowledge changed their worldview. The Shift. What was life like when they thought the world was flat, what about after? Did they even know they believed the wrong thing?
And then, in a horror of horrors, it dawned on me, that there are most likely huge beliefs that I believe (and everyone else living along with me) believe as well - in some far far future time, will be shown to be false and incorrect. I could not bear the burden of believing a falsity - being unable to seek out the truth - my 7 year old brain could not bear it. But there was nothing to be done about it, so I went outside and played in the hot humid Iowa air.
But still this idea haunts me. I know that big idea is out there. That big paradigm shift is nearby. The one that will rip the fabric and when the light bleeds out we won't be able to ignore it anymore.
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When I was reorganizing my bookshelves I used a new method. Instead of organizing by genre or style, I organized by how I categorized them. Thus my unread books went on my unread bookshelf, my favorite books went on my favorite bookshelf, my portuguese, chinese, latin and strunk and white went on my language shelf. I love to create stories with the books on my book shelves. Before parties I always spend some time organizing my books to make funny jokes (to me) with the titles. This shelf isn't particularly funny. (Two books in the bedroom right next to each other are; How to Be, and How to be Good.) I particularly like that pairing.
Anyway, here's a virtual glimpse of my favorite books bookshelf.
Some of these are more favorites than others. (I love love love More than Human, Last Call, Dune, Ficciones and Goblin Market.) While others are bibles (Art of the Start, Fire from Within). But you can probably get a pretty good idea my styles run science fiction, technology and esoterrorism.
Actually recently I've been reading a lot of war books. I've probably just finished one about Los Alamos and the Atomic Bomb project. And I'm about to get a bunch of Pressfields books (under the guise of getting them for my dad) but yeah - war books are interesting!
So, based on these books, do you have any suggestions for me?
ps. good reads anyone?
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I am not an atheist. But I don't believe in a god that has been defined by any religion. From before I can remember, I've believed in this force, energy, that moves and is part of everything in the universe. I'm part of it - or rather it makes up part of me. I am a tool of the divine. Just as nature is and this computer as well. Everything we interact with - came from this earth - from a RAW form.
I've always felt this connection. I'm a tool. I've been used by it. And others have been used to show me something, communicate with me.
There are more things in heaven and earth, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
- Shakespeare
I don't want to know everything in the world - I mean, I do, but I want to discover it. Be delighted by it. And enjoy the surprise. I will not live a bored life.
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If your practice is good, you may become proud of it. What you do is good, but something more is added to it. Pride is extra. Right effort is to get rid of something extra.
- Shunryu Suzuki
It's also about impeccability.
A warrior know that he cannot change, and yet he makes it his business to try to change, nevertheless. The warrior is never disappointed when he fails to change. that the only advantage a warrior has over the average man.
- CC
Well, that means I still have a long way on the warrior's path. I still get mad when I don't change, when I don't know what going to happen before it happens, when I'm not superhuman limited to this body. The good news in this, is that I still have a lot of time to work on myself.
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I left LA yesterday, and with a song stuck in my head. My friend Jane wrote it to me and the tune is one of my favorite America songs. Sing along with me. (And yes, none of my unicorns had names - all 4 of them). I am sure they will get named on playa - before I feed them to the flames.
On the first part of the journey
I was packing up my shit
I had scrimped and saved
And still was broke
But was going in spite of it
I went for a drive up the 395
In a car that would barely start
Went to Bishop and Reno and Gerlach
And then Black Rock City and all the art
You see I've been to the desert on a unicorn with no name
It felt good to be out of L.A.
On the playa you can't remember your name
So you make one up for to give you no shame
La la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la
After three days the unicorn ran free
'Cause there was so much else to see
There were naked guys on bikes and girls
Without shirts riding Critically
There were art cars and dirty Santas and raves
Way out to the orange MOOP fence
Dr. Megavolt, hippies, explosions, massage
and the rangers to protest against
You see I've been to the desert on a unicorn with no name
It felt good to be out of L.A.
On the playa you can't remember your name
So you make one up for to give you no shame
La la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la
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Just because I will be away from my computer for over a week - with no hook-up that I'll leave you hanging. It's my longest disconnect from electric juice in at least 2 years. Instead, for every day I am gone, I'll leave a poem, a quote, an introspection or revelation. I'll leave you a reminder of geek events I won't attend. And I'll warn you about parties I'm throwing.
I leave this morning, driving up the 395, gazing on the ragged Sierras and bringing with me The Purple Tornado. Some, I will see you there. For others, I will see you soon.
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I'll be back online September 4th. Until then, have some fun!
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OK, so it's not really my panel. Ian Muir put it together, but he asked me to be on it and talk about the kicking ass geek dinners and what's worked to create the LA tech community. I think we have an awesome community here and I'd love to share what's worked for us to help others create vibrate tech communities outside of "the valley."
Description:
BarCamps, Geek Dinners and other events are changing the face of the
web community. Rather than relying on blogs and forums, these events
provide communities with an opportunity to share and learn in person.
The panel will be provided by several BarCamp organizers and will focus
on the organization process and the effect on the community afterwards.
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Two tech/geek/blogger events are happening tonight.
I'm going to try to stop by, if my truck is mostly packed.
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This weeks UseIt post is interesting. It's filled with interesting usability insights as always, but there's a moral component.
I've [Jakob Nielson] been reluctant to discuss one of the findings from our eyetracking research because the conclusion is that unethical design pays off.
....
A specific ad may or may not be ethical, depending on how closely it masquerades as content. I caution against going too far, because it can backfire and mislead users. Unethical ads will get you more fixations, but ethical business practices will attract more loyal customers in the long run.
Now the truth is out. As far as I'm concerned, speaking the truth is my highest ethical calling, and it's better that the facts be known to everyone than that they remain a secret abused by a few.
Ultimately, the fact that online ads get viewed more when they match surrounding content is a strike against the tendency to build advertising networks. If advertising spots are simply auctioned off, then you can't design an optimized ad for each placement.
Very interesting. Going after ad networks while supporting contextual ad placement. Sounds a lot like Google to me... Read the article.
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I'm off to my sacred pilgrimage this week and you should send me care packages and postcards of delight. If you send a self address stamped envelope, I'll write you back. Please no mail arrival before Aug 27th. I will forever be embedded to you and you will hold a special place in my inner circle.
heathervescent
Gigsville
Rainbow Unicorn Camp or Red Mailbox off Van-B-Que Circle
4:00/3:30 and Coral Reef
c/o BRCPO
Burning Man
Gerlach, NV 89412
As to what to send? Home baked cookies, brownies, chocolate that won't melt, a new toothbrush, mascara, AA batteries, glow sticks, ammo (jk!), poetry, a newspaper, scotch, wet wipes - anything you think you would want after being in a desert for a week. Or some joke.
Also, if you want anything to be taken as an offering to the Temple for the burn, I will willing transport it for you.
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A snippet from Steven Pressfield:
A military leader's duty to his subordinates, Pressfield writes, is "to fire their valor when it flags and rein in their fury when it threatens to take them out of hand." He is "just a man doing a job. A job whose primary attribute is self-restraint and self-composure, not for his own sake, but for those he leads by his example. A job ... of 'performing the commonplace under uncommonplace conditions.'"
Take out the word "military" in the first line, and you can apply it to any leader. A leader's duty, is to those he leads. I take this seriously. A good leader is not ego-driven. My own personal example is what I'm trying to do with the LA Tech community. I am constantly asking for commentary and feedback on what people are experience, what they like, don't like, and always always observing. Call it primary market research. I'm also watching the larger marketplace - what's happening in and around LA re: tech community building.
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What happened to hobbies? My impression is that it used to be that people had a day job and on the weekends or after work, they would work on their hobby. The John Deere Tractor engineer would build wooden hand-made games. There was a distinct line between the hobby and work. Let's see what wikipedia says about this activity.
Hobbies are practiced for interest and enjoyment, rather than financial reward. Examples include collecting, creative and artistic pursuits, making, tinkering, sports and adult education. Engaging in a hobby can lead to acquiring substantial skill, knowledge, and experience. However, personal fulfillment is the aim.
What are hobbies for some people are professions for others: a game tester may enjoy cooking as a hobby, while a professional chef might enjoy playing (and helping to debug) computer games. Generally speaking, the person who does something for fun, not remuneration, is called an amateur (or hobbyist), as distinct from a professional.
An important determinant of what is considered a hobby, as distinct from a profession (beyond the lack of remuneration), is probably how easy it is to make a living at the activity. Almost no one can make a living at cigarette card or stamp collecting, but many people find it enjoyable; so it is commonly regarded as a hobby.
That made me wonder - do I have any hobbies? In one view you could see most of my activities as a hobby: passion about LA, enlightenment, desert camping/survivalist skills, spy/superhero skills, art or LA technology community. The difference btwn a hobbyist (ie amateur) and a professional is the ability to make money doing the work. According to Steven Pressfield, the different between the amateur and professional is your decision to be professional. However making that decision is not the biggest battle - it's consistentally sitting down to do it. (Allow me to tangent on Pressfield - he is one of the top 3 heathervescent gurus)
Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.
Have you ever brought home a treadmill and let it gather dust in the attic? Ever resolved on a diet, a course of yoga, a meditation practice? Have you ever felt a call to embark upon a spiritual practice, dedicate yourself to a humanitarian calling, commit your life to the service of others? Have you ever wanted to be a mother, a doctor, an advocate for the weak and helpless; to run for office, crusade for the planet, campaign for world peace or to preserve the environment? Late at night have you experienced a vision of the person you might become, the work you could accomplish, the realized being you were meant to be? Are you a writer who doesn't write, a painter who doesn't paint, an entrepreneur who never starts a venture? Then you know what Resistance is. (Read more)
What is it about the hobbiest? Is it they are following their passion while they keep their day job? I remember my own turning point from putting my dreams on hold to living the life. In doing that, I was energized, em-powered, and more fulfilled. (Pss. that's why I wrote how to get your heart's desire.)
Have you heard this story: woman learns she has cancer, six months to live. Within days she quits her job, resumes the dream of writing Tex-Mex songs she gave up to raise a family (or starts studying Classical Greek, or moves to the inner city and devotes herself to tending babies with AIDS.) Woman's friends think she's crazy; she herself has never been happier. There's a postscript. Woman's cancer goes into remission. (From Mr. Pressfield again.)
Of course, I also got addicted to following my dreams and making them happen - a game I played with myself. (I tend to not be very competitive with other people, however I am extremely competitive with myself. I am my own worthy opponent.)
But back to hobbies, and the work life that I used to think was the norm. It's not any more. The work world is all bets off too. The 9 to 5 day job is going the way of the factory - being performed by machines. What is left of our humanity? What is left of our livelihood? What can never be replicated by machines (or any other human for that matter)? Our passion. Our passion for the things we love. The things we do regardless of renumeration. Work no longer includes the "=$$$". (Ok, let's be serious Heather, well yes, work does = $$$, it has too.) Well the passion does = $$$ too.
Don't expect to change careers and make the same amount you've always made. (Then again, you might!) Ask yourself "how long have I been following my passion?" Are you a black belt in it? (Ask yourself via Steve Pavlina.) If you're a black belt in anything, you will kick ass. And if you kick ass in your hobby, is it really your hobby anymore?
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I just found out that one of my influential motorcycle heros was killed last week. Craig Hightower was killed in Oakland commuting to work.
Craig ran the awesome site: Backroads Boogie.
I've always said riding a motorcycle is like dancing. Toss in a twisty road or ten and you really start to boogie! Thus the Backroads Boogie is primarily about me riding motorcycles around the wonderful paved and not so paved roads of the world.
Dear Friends of Craig,
Your kind and wonderful words about our very special son are much appreciated. He was our only child, so that makes it even harder to lose him. While we cry and reminisce, Max and I feel fortunate that we had such a wonderful son and very special human being with us for 46 years, short as that time has been. He told us many times, that life wasn’t worth living if it wasn’t on the edge. It is ironic, that he did so many things that were on the edge, and that his life ended in this way…going to work, doing what he always did on a Tuesday morning.
There will be no funeral, but we want to celebrate his life in some way. Perhaps in October we can have a gathering for friends and relatives. We will ask his friends to help us organize it and to announce the gathering when it occurs.
Sincerely,
Irene and Max Hightower
Craig taught me all my basic motorcycle maintenance - complete with a great smile, lots of energy and all the tools and know-how I would ever need. He opened his garage to me. He was one of the friendliest guys I have ever met. Down to earth, heart of gold, a true friend with no strings attached. I haven't been involved with Motogirlies for a long time - and I've since sold my bike here in LA - so I'm a far cry from the motochick I used to be - but craig was always a star in my book. I've always remembered your stories of motorcycling to awesome hot springs - death valley and twisties up in Marin - especially on the way to Tomales Bakery.
xx Craig. I'll burn some rubber on the road for you, and breathe deep the open crisp air of adventure.
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I was just checking up on the streetwars site, to see if they were going to do another LA Game (nothing is planned so far) and I found this video, where I cameo. You can hear me giggle!
FUN!
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The upcoming Exectech asks this very question and gives a darn good answer, so good, I'm posting it in entirety. Sounds like a great discussion and I might just have to go, if I'm not too networked out.
I think Out of the Box is a reverse excuse for a failure to innovate or to even try. Lets face it, it is far easier to not innovate then it is to really think Out Side the Box.
Literally the original term "outside the box" refers to the work of 1970's era business consultants who referred their clients to a puzzle in Sam Loyd's 1914 Cyclopedia of Puzzles, where when 9 nine dots arrange in a square the challenge is to connect the dots by drawing four straight, continuous lines while never lifting the pencil from the paper. As everyone knows you can not complete the task without drawing a line outside the confines of the square.
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Lunch 2.0 is coming to LA and the awesome people at ThisNext are hosting it. Details:
When: Wednesday, September 7th, 12:05PM-
Where: ThisNext, 1409 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica
RSVP on Mixergy
See you there!
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LAVA isn't what you think it is. It's not boiling hot magma from a volcano bursting in LA threatening to destroy the city. Nope - LAVA is Los Angeles Venture Association and it's doing anything but destructive. I joined their yearly VC panel presentation at 7AM!!! yesterday (Tuesday the 14th) to get the scoop.
It had been some time since I was in a room of such professionally dressed individuals. I was the only one with purple hair and I enjoyed being back in executive black. Teacups of coffee, milling about - networking - taking my seat as the panel began. On it was Ted Alexander of Mission Ventures, David Dennis of Pacific Venture Group, Greg Martin of Redpoint, Phil Ressler of Clearstone, Dana Settle of Greycroft and Brody Stout of Maveron. The panel was co-moderated by Douglas Burke and Ric Kern.
For a recap including VC Characteristics, Pitch turnoffs, VC Distortions and the VC view of SV vs SoCal - click through.
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Last night's geek dinner (of over 50 people) rocked the house. The was swag to be had, hot garlic knots, pasta, pasta, pasta, new faces, familiar faces, great conversation and Tiramisu from our anonymous sponsor. (Thanks Anon!)
We're back at our original location - The Electric Lotus for our September g33k d1nner on September 18th. RSVP here (on Upcoming) and add your name (if you like) to the participants list on the wiki. Sorry about the multiple RSVP lists last time - I've learned from that confusion and you only need to RSVP on upcoming - not the wiki. The wiki is our collaborative document of the evening.
Here are the dinner details
See you there!
<3,
heathervescent
ps. where are the photos?
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Whoo-hoo. It looks like another awesome geek dinner is gonna happen tomorrow night. 69 people have RSVPed. Check it out - geek dinner is one of the top events on upcoming in LA for tomorrow. geeks <3 LA!
I'm gonna bring a box or two of swag and we have an anonymous sponsor for the Tiramisu! See you there!
ps. Barcamp LA 4 is also rocking it. Go Barcamp LA!
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Ravenchase is pleased to announce its first event in L.A! Stop watching reality TV and get in the game! If you've been waiting to run your own amazing race, to find your own grail and to crack your own code, this is the chase for you! Our staff personally greets each group at the start of the race, explains the rules of the game and gives each team a hand made treasure map, clues on parchment scrolls and a bag of cool gadgets (like black lights to see clues written in invisible ink). Teams can travel in any direction they like around the city. Actors are also planted along the course, to interact with and help the teams. All the answers and puzzle pieces along the course will lead them to a secret end location, where prizes are awarded to the top three teams.
It's August 25th and if I was in town - I would totally do it. So, someone else, go do it for me and tell me how it it. ;)
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It's always strange to have a weekend at home. I'm most productive with a task list and this is one of the last weekends before burning man, so my focus was on pre-playa prep. I initially had a costume freak out, thinking that I didn't have any costumes and would be stuck wearing some regular clothes. You see, the domestic life is very good to the heathervescent and she's put on some weight! My slinky BM clothes from 3 years ago will not fit. But then I remembered my banana costume. And then the zombie cheerleader costume. And then my nurse costume (that I got for the Art of Bleeding show last October) and then I opened my closet and costume drawers, and it was like a cornucopia of possibilities! Really, there was no reason I should have ever worried, but I like to freak out sometimes.
I found my old Aeon Flux costume (which needs a new zipper) several sets of playa boots, evening gowns bought for the desert (what can I say, I do love the excessiveness of glamor in unusual places), capes, cloaks, wigs, gloves, stockings, knee highs - everything you could possibly want for the playa. But then in a fit of anger, I went to Melrose to try to fix my cell phone (which is an unlocked european phone that cingular has no clue how to deal with and I get horrible cell service since the iphone launched (me hate you apple!) and I walked by Aardvarks. Why I went in there, when I was feeling good about my costumes is beyond me. I picked up a lab coat, a couple flight suits, an ice purple cloak and wig to match, and too many other things. I think I now have costumes for a month on the playa. But wait! Don't stop there Heather, you're too good at being excessive. So how do we continue the excessiveness? Go to Hollywood Blvd! I picked up a new pair of boots, a police costume and some other spandex loveliness before headed into to the Costume shop - where I put my excessiveness on hold. I mean, do I really need to own a mascot costume? Well, not this year, unless you happen to have one sitting in your closet that I can borrow...
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It might not seem that a pickle, a camera crew, an orange wig and Bono have much in common, but if you think that, then you weren't at Twiistup 2 in Venice last week. As host of the evening I swapped my purple locks with a bright orange bob straight off Hollywood Blvd!
I've always been a bit camera shy. Sure I'll mug for the lens, but I prefer to be behind the scenes, making things work. Well, that got twiisted up Twiistup night when I roamed around the club with a camera crew in tow. Then I was pulled off for my "interviews". I tried hard to keep a straight face when I heard "we're ready for your interview, heather" and sat down and did my thing.
All in all it was a great evening. I saw tons of friends, learned about awesome companies, even came up with a new tag line for Elephant Drive "back those assets up!" Because of my visibility I was able to pimp my vision of organizing the LA Tech community that plays on a local, industry, national and global level. We've got a long way to go, but we're making fast progress and we have some awesome organizers here in our city of Angels.
Later in the evening Bono 2.0 appeared with a drink for me. He then proceeded to teach me how to head butt the camera. I must admit, I was not a very good student. For one thing, I'm not used to using my head as a weapon. The photos are being uploaded to flickr and it's just a matter of time before the videos surface on YouTube.
If you missed out on the fun, I've got some insane ideas for Twiistup3 in LA - happening in blustery LA wintertime. ;) See you there, or at the geek dinner or at barcamp or at . . .
Updated: See NoodleScar's Video Review of Twiistup and learn about my new stealth start-up making pockets for towels! Sponsored by the awesome Ruby on Rails Development Company ELC Tech in Santa Barbara!
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Twiistup 2 - Venice Beach
Originally uploaded by mikemacadaan.
Carmen and I throw Purple Tornado Gang Signs, because we kick ass!
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Wow - the geek dinner is almost sold out. RSVP on Upcoming if you haven't already.
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You think whipping a car around was all I learned this weekend? Oh no. I'm enlightened by clouds of burning rubber. First off, Bobby Orr is the bomb! If you have any desire to learn some serious driving skills (and I'm not talking speed racing - I'm talking moving your car around skills - then go to him.)
I actually got to work with the guy, his name was Bobby Orr, and he was a Nascar driver, he teaches a lot of stunt guys, he has like five world records for stunts," Scott said. "He also teaches the Department of Defense. He works for the Department of Defense teaching soldiers how to maneuver their cars before they go to Iraq. (Source)
We pulled into the Camarillo Airport at 7:30 Saturday morning. I'm bleary because I haven't had any coffee yet and hoping there is coffee there. We arrive to a classroom in a trailer. There is no coffee. I salvage some sparkling water from my car.
After about an hour discussion about tire pressure we're given directions to get out on the tarmac and start the hands on section. I'm the only woman in the class, other than an instructor's assistant. First things first, we each get in a car and proceed to drive the slalom course - to observe our bad habits to break! Bad habits like arms flying, palming the wheel and looking at the cones.
Over the next two days, Bobby took us 4 street drives and turned us into possible professional stunters. I say possible because you can't possible become a profession stunt driver after 2 days of learning, you must practice a lot more to be able to put a car in the box. But I learned more than the core skills of flipping a 180 or sliding into a parking space at 90 degrees or doing a reverse 180 (totally cool, squealing tires and all!). He taught/reminded me
Hardcore Enlightenment. I left the weekend exhausted, covered in sweat, dirt and rubber. I left knowing awesome skills. I left remembering lessons applicable to every facet of my life. I left with pain and burst blisters and a little more enlightened and the ability to kick ass in novel and exciting ways.
Thank you guru stunt driver Bobby Orr!
ps. Sorry about blowing the three tires. xo
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OMG! I can't believe I'm watching these. But they are so fun. I guess we know my guilty pleasure is cheesy 80s music videos.
and
ok, now I am really going to do some work.
ps. you heard it here first - rat-tails are gonna be back, I tell ya!
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photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by mikemacadaan.
Hanging with the show-offs at the Viceroy last night. Should be an AWESOME time @ Twiistup 2 (now SOLD OUT!), with an exciting special guest!!!
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In the past few days, two of my good friends have played or sung Magic by Olivia Newton John. Of course I knew the song. It was popular in the 80s, the 80s, but I hadn't heard it recently. I finally listened to the words and wow! It's an awesome inspiration and has been stuck in my head for the past 3 days. The music is easy like a Sunday morning - so easy listening! A new music mantra.
And the two people who re-introduced me to it are equally awesome and inspiring. Thanks to you both, you know who you are!
Here are the lyrics. Click to listen to free (via Napster)
Come take my hand
You should know me
I've always been in your mind
You know that I'll be kind
I'll be guiding you
Building your dream
Has to start now
There's no other road to take
You won't make a mistake
I'll be guiding you
You have to believe we are magic
Nothin' can stand in our way
You have to believe we are magic
Don't let your aim ever stray
And if all your hopes survive
Your destiny will arrive
I'll bring all your dreams alive
For you
From where I stand
You are home free
The planets align so rare
There's promise in the air
And I'm guiding you
Through every turn I'll be near you
I'll come anytime you call
I'll catch you when you fall
I'll be guiding you
You have to believe we are magic
Nothin' can stand in our way
You have to believe we are magic
Don't let your aim ever stray
And if all your hopes survive
Your destiny will arrive
I'll bring all your dreams alive
For you
It's a whole new game with different stakes, when you dream on a global level. Personal ego has no place when you are a tool of the divine unknown.
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It's time again for some craziness. Take technology peeps and mix them in LA and what do you get? Twiistup. Put a "tornado" in the special code box to knock off $5. See you there.
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This is a quick update from Frank Zappa's Camarillo (Brillo). Am I getting old or did I just spend all day driving, getting nowhere except covered in rubber. Really, black streams of rubber just washed down my body into the shower drain.
I.am.exhausted.
Like never before. Class was a.w.e.s.o.m.e. A true dream come true.
It feels so good to have dreams come true. They are not so far out of reach. And when you start tasting them - what they taste like - there is no going back. There is no more soul selling and putting off for tomorrow. There is only the present. Living.
Black pavement. Airplanes overhead. Sun blinding your eyes (because doh - you left your sunglasses back at the hotel). Blowing tires, burning rubber. I was the first to knock down a cone (I gave myself permission to knock down cones because I wanted to do the course faster and tighter. And I did. And then I didn't knock any cones down.) I blew a tire practicing ebraking (pre-180 slides or were they sliding 90s?). My eyes hurt like never before. I have blisters on my hands, thumbs from practicing the shuffle and pulling up on the ebrake.
It took me 20 tried to do my first slide. I practiced Zen Mind - even when berated and taunted. As I increased speed, my calmness stood, although my hands were flying. I kept hearing the voice of my yoga teacher who says "palmy hands up" saying "no palmy hands" as I kept them below the center line.
I am learning (remembering) more than skills, the importance of tires. I am remembering to look to the horizon, to pause before pulling the trigger. Timing. The feel of the cars, the road, the manuevars. I am remembering to live with a wide smile across my face.
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Oh wait, oh wait, before I go. Here is a picture of me and phoenix. He is milk drunk in this photo and I am mimicking his body language. Wait - for some reason the word milk drunk reminds me of A Clockwork Orange and little Alex and how much I loved that movie (and messed up soundtrack)! Anyway, here's to milk drunk!
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Well, this week has been extremely busy, exciting, filled with lots of yumminess... so much so, that I have forgotten to mention (well this week at least) that tomorrow I AM GOING TO STUNT CAR SCHOOL!!!!!!!!
Can you tell how excited I am? I have been planning, dreaming of this weekend for 5 years. Five years! FIVE YEARS!!!
Will the weekend live up to my anticipation? I sure hope so. Maybe this is the beginning of a career in moovies. Or as a member of a secret subversive society. I'll be sure to share my feelings over the weekend. Squeeling tires and spinning wheels - here I come!
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This is totally HOT!!!! It's a Wii being used to live mash up a mashup! And it's at Bootie LA this Saturday night! Check out the video and if you are not impressed, well then, I don't know what to say.
and here a clip of them live in SF:
It's taking interactive music mixing to a whole new level. I might just have to come back from Stunt Car School to shake mah bootie. More info on Wiijing here and Bootie LA here.
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My friend Kathryn asked me how to create/organize a GTD notebook, so I created this little video for her. I realize that I didn't go into the explicit organizing of the notebook. I have my tabs in this order
1. Goals: My general big goals
2. Projects: More or less my active project list
3. Someday: Projects I want to do ... someday
4. Lists: My general catch-all tab for listy things. (Note: I used to have separate tabs for music, book recommendations, but I found it was easier for me to put it all on one list tab.)
5. @ASAP: My first @ (at) tab. Things I need to do RIGHT NOW
6. @wait: stuff I am waiting to hear back from people
7. @home: stuff I need to do at home
8. @brain: stuff I need to think about (half thoughts I want to flesh out more)
9. @laptop: stuff I do at my computer (which is a laptop)
10. @phone: people I have to call
11. @email: emails I have to send (or respond to) Note: I also manage my email in my email client. These are emails that I think of sending when I am not near my computer.
12. @car: stuff I have to do in my car, errands, etc
13. Agenda: My notes, fleshing out tasks, section of my notebook
Other tabs I have had in my notebooks
- Contacts: phone numbers, emails, etc
- Travel: travel schedule
- Inbox: I used to have a tab for inbox items, but I tend to process those on my desk and not in my notebook
- 2Blog: blog post ideas
- KickAss: Specific projects, ideas that kick ass
And then I have had project specific tabs for my clients, website or work.
The beauty of GTD is that you can completely customize it to work with your style - whatever that might be.
Now you can watch the video and learn how to create your own GTD notebook.
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I woke up this morning with the story of the Pied Piper at the front of my consciousness. And a question for me to ponder about leaders and followers. I wish I could remember my favorite book of 14 and 15 - it was something about individuals in society and actions change in mass society or mass gatherings. Individuals and groups. Leaders and followers. Long ago, I knew which I was. How to harness the energy of the mass to a direction. Post-modern advertising will be viewed as crude work in retrospect.
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