Raw food diet and detox cleanse
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Amtrak cross country from San Diego to New York
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Day Hike of Mt Whitney, 14500 feet
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Bicycle trip from San Diego to Phoenix
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Full Moon Party in Thailand
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Thoughts about Occupy Wall Street
posted by Russ | October 25 | Add a CommentThe Occupy Wall Street movement has been going on for over a month, and has since spread to cities across the country (and world) and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. That being the case, I thinks it’s time for to weight in.
Right off, I will say that I agree with the general concept behind the protests, and certainly feel that the level of economic inequality and corporate greed in the world is reaching a point that does not bode well for the future of the economy, the United States, or any other country for that matter. Now, I’m not advocating for Socialism or Communism any other extreme system that right wing crazies like to assume all liberals want. I am not naive to the free market and how it works, and I don’t think more government is the answer. In a free market there is nothing wrong with making [...]
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Afternoon Tea
posted by Russ | October 18 | Add a Comment
Photo credit: mpieracci
I step in the door, see 3 people sitting around a tea kettle.
“Hi, how are you? I bought some of your tea at the market the other night, so I figured I’d stop by and check your shop out.”
“Would you like to sit down for some tea?”
Of course I would. It seems very inviting, and though the shop is extremely small, it’s comfortable. In walks another guy who is apparently a friend of those already sitting.
“Sure…” I say, “Do you work here?”
“No, I just pour tea.”
“This place sure is cozy, huh?”
“Yea, it is.”
“I like it in here, it’s quiet and nice.”
“It is, isn’t it? It has a really good vibe doesn’t it?”
This scene is not one from a remote Himalayan or Indian village filled with vagabonding Americans. It is one that took place five blocks away from my old apartment [...]
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The Scientification of Food
posted by Russ | October 11 | Add a CommentI have been unbelievably thrilled over the past few years to see people start paying attention to what they are eating again. I know obesity rates are still rising, but I am also seeing more organic products on shelves, more places carrying sustainably raised and cruelty free meats, and in general am starting to feel that people are getting more interested in going back to nature when it comes to eating.
And while I think it’s great for people to be learning what is in their food and learning about carbs, proteins, vitamins, and super foods, I still can’t help but feeling like people approach eating and being healthy a little bit too scientifically. Certainly it’s great to know how much Vitamin C is in an orange, that tomatoes are high in lycopene, and the benefits associated with eating garlic, ginger, or turmeric. But none of these things on their own [...]
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What Most Business Owners Don’t Understand (But Should Learn)
posted by Russ | October 4 | 4 CommentsI’ve been pretty forthcoming here on Idealist Cafe when I’ve talked about my desire to free myself from the corporate world. I have also been fairly open about this in “real life” and even at work when talk to co-workers. I don’t see that there is any harm in letting people know that I have goals and aspirations that are different from the place I am currently in. I don’t think this makes where I am today or the capacity that I work in any less significant or meaningful, it just means that there are other things waiting for me down the line. To me life is an evolution and what may work for us one day may not work the next, and there is not anything wrong with that.
Well, (un)fortunately for me, the other day this information made it to my boss, but was delivered a bit differently than [...]
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Work, produce, consume … repeat – loving Kerouac right now
posted by Russ | September 27 | 1 CommentI dug up this Dharma Bums Jack Kerouac quote from an old blog of mine, and wanted to share it. I think it’s high time I read that book again. What are some of your favorite quotes?
…Dharma Bums refusing to subscribe to the general demand that they consume production and therefore have to work for the privilege of consuming, all that crap they didn’t really want anyways such as refrigerators, TV Sets, cars, at least new fancy cars, certain hair oils and deodorants and general junk you finally always see a week later in the garbage anyway, all of them imprisoned in a system of work, produce, consume, work, produce, consume…
Fluffy Cloud Blanket or Harsh Beauty?
posted by Russ | September 22 | Add a Comment
Fluffy Cloud Blanket or Harsh Beauty?
I’ve been going through some old website archives recently, and have pulled a few things of interest out. This photo is one of them. Unfortunately it’s circa 2004 (give or take) and is a pretty crappy resolution. But I still love it.
I love the contrast between the fluffy, pink, soothing clouds and the harshness of the buildings and the utility lines. In case you’re wondering, I took this when I lived down in Pacific Beach ages ago. It was behind the Henry’s on Garnet looking west towards the beach.
What title would you give this photo?
Time flies when you’re having fun
posted by Russ | September 16 | Add a CommentIt’s been an incredibly busy past month and a half.
Six states, three trips, two weddings. One website to add to my portfolio. Two new consulting gigs. And still working my full time job.
I’m ready for some down time. Unfortunately, I don’t know that I’ll have too much of it. The traveling has been fun but tiring, and the extra working has been sort of fun, sort of stressful, and sort of exciting. I’m working on saving a FYF (F*** You Fund), building a portfolio, and creating work that will enable me to transition away from my full time job and get me closer to living my dream of working when, where, and how I want to work.
It started with my trip to Cleveland, where I rented a car and drove two hours to Pennsylvania for my cousin’s wedding. It was a quick three day trip, I drove too many miles, [...]
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A world of possibility awaits
posted by Russ | August 30 | 2 Comments
While driving home from a concert the other night I looked up at the overhead freeway sign that said “Los Angeles” and was hit with an overwhelming moment of nostalgia. Being that we live in San Diego it seems about right that if you keep heading north, you will eventually end up in LA, but the mere presence of this overhead sign takes me back to my childhood.
I grew up in a small town of 15,000 people in Connecticut, and we were lucky enough that one of the interstate highways actually went through our town. I remember we’d get on the highway and if we headed east the signs starting saying “Boston” and if we went west they said “New York”.
We always got on the highway, and sometimes we would head east, sometimes west, but we never arrived in Boston or [...]
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