Lunch in Tecate, Mexico

posted by Russ | August 16 | 2 Comments
Main plaza in Tecate Mexico

Main plaza in Tecate Mexico

Today we decided to take a day trip down to Tecate, Mexico. Though it is a border city, it is a much smaller and better representation of Mexico than Tijuana. It’s also within an hour of San Diego. I had been once before, but today I went down with my girlfriend. We drove to the border, parked, walked across, and within 15 minutes we were sitting in the central plaza sipping beers and eating chips.

Prior to my first trip there, I had heard that it was a nice place to visit, but I wanted to check it out for myself. At the time I couldn’t find much consistent information about it online, but if you’re interested in visiting, it’s a simple day trip. No border lines, no stress, and […]

Read More…
[links and styling have been removed in the excerpt, read more to see complete content]

2 Comments

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in: mexico, travel

What I’ve learned about running by reading about running

posted by Russ | August 14 | 1 Comment

There are a few things that I’ve recently learned about running that have me excited. I’ve always been a casual jogger, but have never been all that thrilled about it. Really it has been more of an activity to stay active than something that really intrested me. But after reading the book Born to Run, I have a renewed interest in it. I have been taking tips and drawing inspiration from where ever I can, including the book, a DVD called Chi Running, and some of the Superatheletes that were written about in the book Born to Run.

And so far, I’m happy to report that it seems to be working. My issue is still with my conditioning, but my runs — short though […]

Read More…
[links and styling have been removed in the excerpt, read more to see complete content]

1 Comment

Tags: , ,
Posted in: outside

How to Climb Mt Whitney in One Day – eBook

posted by Russ | August 11 | 2 Comments

How to Successfully Summit Mount Whitney in One Day – eBook

Interested in purchasing? Click here

The e-book describes in full detail how to successfully day hike Mt Whitney, the highest mountain in the continental United States. I have attempted the hike twice, and completed it once, so I know what makes the difference between a successful trip and an unsuccessful one. I also spent quite a bit of time researching for this trip, so I have wealth of knowledge to share.

Mount Whitney

Mount Whitney – The tallest mountain the the Lower 48 states, climbed in one day

For those of you who don’t know, I am just an average guy and I’m not an extreme athlete, but I learned from the first year’s mistakes and successfully trained to complete the hike the second time […]

Read More…
[links and styling have been removed in the excerpt, read more to see complete content]

2 Comments

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in: outside

It’s not that I don’t like people

posted by Russ | August 10 | 1 Comment

The other day Chris Guillebeau at The Art of Noncomformity posted a really interesting article about social networking for introverts. It really struck me because I tend toward being introverted myself. And in one of the comments, someone said something that really resonated with me. Nicole from Just Make It Better noted that someone she knew would say

It’s not that I don’t like being around people, it’s just that I prefer to be around the ones that I like.

And that pretty much explains me.

I am good at conversation and I enjoy being around people, the catch is I have to like them to have a good time. In the past I have been told that I can be a bit standoff-ish or unfriendly, to which I say, I am neither, it’s just that I have to know you first. Chris says in his article that […]

Read More…
[links and styling have been removed in the excerpt, read more to see complete content]

1 Comment

Tags: , , ,
Posted in: uncategorized

It’s how you do it

posted by Russ | August 7 | Add a Comment

I’ve found another blog I like, so I figured I’d share it. I’ll give another little shout out on Monday regarding what led me to Nicole’s blog, Just Make It Better, but for now I want to pass this article along.

I won’t waste my time paraphrasing what she wrote, but I will say she’s right on regarding what she says about being yourself and doing what makes you happy. And she also points out a couple of the traps that we (myself included) fall into when it comes to following the rules even if it doesn’t benefit us.

It’s not how it’s done, it’s how you do it.

Add a Comment

Tags: ,
Posted in: lifestyle design

Shantaram – Gregory David Roberts – Book Review

posted by Russ | August 6 | Add a Comment
Shantaram - Gregory David RobertsShantaramGregory David Roberts

As promised last week, here is my review for one of my favorite books of all time, Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.

The book is very long, over 900 pages (!), but because it is so action packed it can be a quick read if you have the time to let yourself get involved. In brief, the book is about a man who escapes prison in New Zealand and ends up in Bombay working as a slum doctor. Thus the book is about the life he build in Bombay, and follows him over several years, first as a slum doctor, then moving on to mafia man and then mujahadeen fighter. The twists and turns […]

Read More…
[links and styling have been removed in the excerpt, read more to see complete content]

Add a Comment

Tags: , , ,
Posted in: reading

Some accomplishments … and things still to be done

posted by Russ | August 5 | 1 Comment
Mount Whitney Summit

Mt Whitney Summit — August 2008

There are days when I feel accomplished, and there are days when I feel down. Sometimes life seems to get a little boring, and the days begin to pass in the blink of an eye. So I’ve decided to write this post in an effort to keep myself inspired and to remind myself not to let my life get too boring as I quickly approach my 31st year. There are some things that I’ve accomplished that I can look back upon to remind myself that I am living, and there things I want to do to make sure I keep living. On days when life gets frustrating and starts to seem pretty boring, I remind myself of these things that I’ve done and can continue to be proud of. And along […]

Read More…
[links and styling have been removed in the excerpt, read more to see complete content]

1 Comment

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in: lifestyle design

Photos of American Mass Consumption

posted by Russ | August 3 | Add a Comment
Cell phones, Atlanta 2005 44 x 90
Cell phones, Atlanta 2005 44 x 90, Chris Jordan

Thanks to Matador for pointing me to this series of photos, “Intolerable Beauty, Portraits of American Mass Consumption” by Chris Jordan. It definitely makes you think about how much we as a society use, and more importantly, waste. In addition to this photo of cell phones, there are photos of enormous piles of cigarette butts, old hard drives, old cars, sawdust, bottles, and more. Go over and check them out.

Add a Comment

Tags: , ,
Posted in: sustainability

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »