Remabulous

happy 4th of july!

have a wonderful 4th and enjoy a day of fun today! try something remabulous perhaps...

image: timothy k hamilton via flickr.

adventure of the week: t.a.m.i. show @ cinespia this past sunday

i have long been a fan of cinespia. getting to sit outside and watch a movie on the side of a mausoleum after a picnic dinner with friends is certainly my idea of a good time.

this year, cinespia has added films on sunday nights as well as the usual saturdays between memorial day and labor day. my frist sunday sampling: the t.a.m.i. show, a concert film showed in conjunction with the don't knock the rock fest, now showing at the no longer silent silent movie theater on fairfax.

this film is a sweet and often hilarious journey back into the concert world of the 60s- an extremely rare offering, it shows james brown at his dancing best, the rolling stones when they were young and mick jagger looks pretty tasty, the supremes, lesley gore, the beach boys, jan and dean, smokey robinson, and more...

the funny thing about watching this is to see that the dancing is outrageous and, in many ways, much racier than what we'd see now. watching a buxom bikini-clad lady jump up and down in a go go seizure with bosoms everywhere was shocking to almost everyone in my party. and the athletic ability and need for chiropractic on perhaps a daily basis by these back-up dancers was nearly breath-taking.

if you go on an adventure for yourself this week, try dipping into another era... how are the values of this era different than the ones you hold now? what can you learn from this (i learned that i can't begin to call myself energetic in the pursuit of my own creative work in comparison to these people)? i am trying to inject a bit of go-go level enthusiasm into my work life and see how much more i can get done. let me know if you're able to do the same.

image: caroline donahue for remabulous via flickr.

real simple on the same page: live with a goal to find joy

it seems that real simple magazine, one of my favorites, is on the same page about trying to use difficult times as an opportunity for growth and new insight. i was very touched by the article written in the july issue by life coach gail blanke, entitled "how to thrive in tough times" she describes an excellent system to explore what you might have to give up when times are tough and money might be a bit short as well as ways to find the same joy in a new way. i highly recommend it.

if you're unable to find the issue or don't have access to it where you are, their recent blog post entitled "how to live for today" in their simply stated section is another great read.

thanks, real simple, for being much more than a basic lifestyle magazine. keep up the great work!

shifting attitude and intention during the recession

for most of us at the moment, money isn't growing on trees like in this image. every time i turn on npr, i often cringe in terror in the car as we hear about possible future wars, the rising price of oil, and how the middle class cannot sustain itself on the current national median income. thirty years ago, most families could easily afford a home on a two salary income, while now, especially in southern california, renting is the only option.

listening to these reports can be extremely demoralizing to a new business owner, or someone looking to make a change into something more unusual or creative. with the bar set so high, it is difficult to imagine success, or even living a comfortable and enjoyable life.

you needn't give up on your dreams, just because the stock market ticker isn't going your way just now. a down market is actually an excellent time to build and evaluate your business structure and goals. here are some tips about how to spend nervous moments to get a good result from your working time:

image: "money tree" by andydoro via flickr.

found on cragislist a few weeks ago... a dedication that we all might try to emulate

possibly one of the best things i have read online recently(plus i love that it is from poughkeepsie):

Look here, Hudson Valley. I'm tired of answering ads on these pages only to find poseurs, geeks and acoustic folk acts who want me to change my unique playing style to match their style. It's time for a band that is as unique and forceful as I am, and I'm taking no prisoners.
This monumental effort will require the cooperation of a thunderous bass player with the mind and skills to keep this beast of a freight train on its tracks while a talented drummer will unleash an unrelenting hailstorm of destruction down upon his kingdom of percussion. The band will need to be as focused and driven as I am, willing to meet two, perhaps three times a week. When I host a practice session, I treat it like an Ultimate Fighter match, where nobody leaves until someone taps out. If you think you've got the endurance and fire to keep up, then bring your best, but be warned... I don't let up, and I don't want to share a stage with anyone who will.
As you can see from my picture, I wear chain mail to protect my body from the rigors of extreme playing. When you step up on stage with a true performer like myself, it's like stepping into battle, only instead of swords and arrows, we fight with 32nd notes and pinch harmonics. So in a way, the chain mail is largely symbolic, but my legions of fans have come to appreciate and expect it. You may don similar armor, but only if it fits the theme (no hockey masks or umpire's vests).
You are expected to have suitable gear. If you can see the top of your amplifier, don't bother answering this ad. It is expected that you will have a commitment to tone that approaches mine. (would be impossible to exceed, to be quite honest) I have a pedalboard that is ten feet long and would not dare sacrifice a single effect for the sake of portability. My pedals are alphabetized so that I can easily find them in the middle of "battle". Behringer up front, Zoom at the end. When you've been in the business as long as I have, you tend to come up with little time-saving tricks like that.
So that is my decree. I know that many of you will mock my demands and continue posting your offers and requests for lesser musicians. You may continue to carry on at your own leisurely pace, hoping for a shot at a coffee house or open mic night. I will not rest until we have our own stadium on the moon, with amplifiers pointed towards the sky's infinite expanses, so that we may truly rock the galaxy. I wish for you to join me on this epic quest.
Yours in rock
-^v-Riley-v^-

• Location: Poughkeepsie

my did do list- installment 1

i was quite delighted by a post of kristen havens' "did do" list idea back in march. it has been kicking around in my head ever since, and i have finally decided to do the did do list. for those of you who don't know, a did do list is a list of things you are pleased and proud to have done in your life.

i shall start with the first 10 of 100:

the ideal working relationship

some people work from home. some couples have one person who works from home. but what about both? i have talked about this before, but when working styles collide, this can be a real challenge.

here are the seven questions you need to ask yourself, and each other, if you plan to live and work from home:

image: "off to work" by picaday via flickr

the ideal working space

as i am starting to gear up for a move this fall (only within the los angeles area, not to worry!), my thoughts naturally turn to what kind of space i hope to create in my new, and hopefully long-term home.

to the rescue is decor8, the wonderful design blog i've been hooked on for eons. holly becker has been clever enough to create a flickr group called "rooms i heart," culled from all her adventures in design land. the room above is my favorite of the lot.

sometimes all it takes is a fantasy of a new office to breathe life into your work...

image: c/o rooms i *heart*, curated by holly becker on flickr.

sometimes, pesto is best

this past weekend was a hot one in los angeles. i spent most of it reading the bedroom, curled up by my ancient roaring air conditioner. when it's hot, i can't even bear to watch movies. i finished the mysteries of udolpho at last, read through what you wear can change your life, got through much of style statement, and picked among several others.

eventually, when on a reading bender, one gets hungry. but what to do when heating up the kitchen is a nightmare or sweat and misery? get out the blender!

image: helenabraga via flickr.

swimming in muck: learning to overcome obstacles.

sometimes, moving ahead into a new landscape feels like walking in the one above. for me, and for may clients i have worked with, making a break from the usual feels scary, rather than like a romp through the flowers. here are some thoughts about how to navigate in the world when you want to do it differently...

image: james good via flickr.