I've brought my so-called "November Challenge" to an early close and will give myself a final grade of B-.
I had no idea it would be so much harder than last May to enforce this challenge. It quickly became clear that the presence of my back to back retreats (in May) was the key motivating factor in maintaining my focus. This time, there was no such motivating factor. In fact, it now seems in retrospect that I had a reverse effect from May, where I started the month with no regular work schedule and a certain loose schedule that enabled daily yoga practice and more flexibility.
By November 10th, the commitments started to come in like dominoes. Suddenly I was hired for a one-day film job, and then I was hired for a new full time job and slotted in to an intense fifty hours of training.
This new development meant that the Challenge had to put on the back burner, as my schedule quickly filled up at times when yoga classes are regularly offered. At the same time, I found myself walking in to the height of commercialism in the holiday festive season and spending too much time at a near to work coffee shop. This did provide opportunities for the power of restraint, as I declined opportunities to partake in caffeinated beverages, but definitely consumed a large amount of hot chocoloate... which does have a little caffeine in it.
The process of journaling also went to the shadows as my daily work schedule continued at a full pace. I was embarrassed to notice today that it had been a week since I last wrote in my personal journal, and hope to correct that today.
Finally, last night brought a visit to a local bar - and I'm sure I will go there again, as I appreciated the ambiance and small scale of the place. I didn't want to let an opportunity go by to not indulge in their plentiful, unusual beer list, and proceeded to enjoy a CALIFORNIA crafted, Belgian inspired dark brew with distinct pleasure.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Not completely off track
Acquiring a 9-5 job schedule has made me put some aspects of the Challenge on the back burner. I had already downgraded the yoga work to every other day. Mostly for physical reasons. Now it is on pause until the end of this week. As far as the other stuff:
Journaling is also on every other day, and the rest... sorts itself out.
I do not feel like I am getting a failing grade here. I knew this would be more of a Real World Test than before, and now I know that is correct.
In December, I will run a tally.
Journaling is also on every other day, and the rest... sorts itself out.
I do not feel like I am getting a failing grade here. I knew this would be more of a Real World Test than before, and now I know that is correct.
In December, I will run a tally.
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
November Challenge, Week 1
I'll be chronicling my November Challenge of daily yoga and journaling combined with no caffeine or alcohol. It sounds simple, right? Not quite. These weekly posts will give a summary or commentary of how things are going...
Six months ago I did a variation on this challenge - cutting out caffeine and alcohol - in anticipation of my Mojave Desert Vision Quest, which took place during that month of May. I see now that the quest, and my subsequent Buddhist retreat that same month, was a helpful motivating factor. This time, I have no particular ulterior motive or final goal, and I find that to be more of a challenge!
Daily yoga practice is bringing it into perspective. It feels like a job to be going to the studio every day. But that same job is creating rewards to work with a variety of teachers and also gain more flexibility of the "Stationary Sequence". I'll be curious to see if my comfort level continues to improve!
Daily journaling has felt like more of an effort than it should. I also missed one day due to ___ (I don't remember) but made up for it with several pages on the next day. I'm intending to write more in the present tense to keep the energy high.
Even writing this entry seems to take a lot of effort. Whatever happened to the days when blogging was thoughtful and consistent and detailed, with no competition from micro-blogging? I miss those days.
Six months ago I did a variation on this challenge - cutting out caffeine and alcohol - in anticipation of my Mojave Desert Vision Quest, which took place during that month of May. I see now that the quest, and my subsequent Buddhist retreat that same month, was a helpful motivating factor. This time, I have no particular ulterior motive or final goal, and I find that to be more of a challenge!
Daily yoga practice is bringing it into perspective. It feels like a job to be going to the studio every day. But that same job is creating rewards to work with a variety of teachers and also gain more flexibility of the "Stationary Sequence". I'll be curious to see if my comfort level continues to improve!
Daily journaling has felt like more of an effort than it should. I also missed one day due to ___ (I don't remember) but made up for it with several pages on the next day. I'm intending to write more in the present tense to keep the energy high.
Even writing this entry seems to take a lot of effort. Whatever happened to the days when blogging was thoughtful and consistent and detailed, with no competition from micro-blogging? I miss those days.
Friday, November 04, 2011
My ideal Wilmington morning
6am: Yoga class at Empowered Yoga
730am: Walk around Rockford Park
830am: Pancake Breakfast at Angelos or Fresh Thymes
It can happen, and it will!
730am: Walk around Rockford Park
830am: Pancake Breakfast at Angelos or Fresh Thymes
It can happen, and it will!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
When Do You Feel the Most Californian?
I'm cutting and pasting an assignment from my Research class. Please note that this a mock-up and not a real research study.
Abstract
To survey and study results of the following question: “WHEN DO YOU FEEL THE MOST CALIFORNIAN?” within a focus group of 100 randomly selected Californian residents. 50 participants were interviewed through a telephone survey of chosen phone numbers outside the metropolitan areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco. The remaining 50 were split into two groups of 25 participants equally divided between the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas. Both groups were invited to in-person focus groups where their responses were solicited by a research team.The study sought to measure the social pulse of California at a time of social upheaval and political change. The relatively small initial focus group was chosen as a test run. If the results were successful and varied enough, the study is slated to be expanded to a wider group of 1000 or 2000 state residents. The study also sought to develop further personal/social awareness of what individual California residents hold to be key state values and qualities of life.
Keywords
California, geography, San Francisco, Los Angeles, individual, Golden State
Introduction
Californians are often sampled on their opinions of in-state quality of life, especially when an election year comes around. However, the question of going deeper into those characteristics is rarely examined. There are many surveys that take a geographic look at what the pros and cons of living in the state are, but they will often stop at that detail. This survey proposes to take a specific look at what Californians truly value about their lives. If there are common responses that arise in the study, such as “driving on the freeway”, “spending time at the beach”, or “cooking a fresh meal”, those will be incorporated into later studies.
Method
100 individuals participated in the initial study, compensated with a $25 gift certificate to Whole Foods Market. As a group, the individuals were 70% Caucasian, 5% African American, 10% Hispanic, 5% Asian American, 5% Native American, and 5% “other ethnicity.” All participants were residents in California, though not all had been born in the state. In the telephone survey section of the group, participants received a brief introduction to the study and were given the option to opt-out or participate. They were encouraged to keep their answers succinct within a maximum of two minutes response time. If the participant chose not to engage in the study, a different phone number was randomly selected by the facilitators. In the live segment of the study, participants were invited to a neutral setting and taken in for interviews one by one. Upon arriving at the interview site, participants were given a fact sheet of information about the study. This sheet also included some highlights from the phone study, which was completed prior to the second segment.
Data Results
As expected, data results were highly subjective, but proved worthy of further investigation and presentation to additional focus or governance groups. There was some correlation in answers from the metropolitan areas, with multiple responses of “driving a long distance” or “spending time at the coast.” However, the responses were distinct in inland and rural areas, offering little connection to their coastal neighbors. At least five participants within the inland groups expressed disdain for the idea of “feeling Californian” and remarked on their feelings of geographic-induced cultural distance.
Discussion
This study could be a launching pad for future, more specified, cultural research within the state of California. There is high potential for crossover with media or journalism, as it is a topic that could attract commercial interest or co-sponsorship. The range of responses could lead to a wider, national discussion about quality of life and what it means for individuals in 2011. The topic as a whole fits right in with the growing “Back to the Land” movement of which California is an epicenter, looking at locally grown food, organic products, sustainability, and further components of living. The research brought forth from this study could benefit the role of state government, seeking to understand connections between the wide geographic area of the state and the perceived cultural divides between North and South, and Coastal and Inland communities.
Abstract
To survey and study results of the following question: “WHEN DO YOU FEEL THE MOST CALIFORNIAN?” within a focus group of 100 randomly selected Californian residents. 50 participants were interviewed through a telephone survey of chosen phone numbers outside the metropolitan areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco. The remaining 50 were split into two groups of 25 participants equally divided between the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas. Both groups were invited to in-person focus groups where their responses were solicited by a research team.The study sought to measure the social pulse of California at a time of social upheaval and political change. The relatively small initial focus group was chosen as a test run. If the results were successful and varied enough, the study is slated to be expanded to a wider group of 1000 or 2000 state residents. The study also sought to develop further personal/social awareness of what individual California residents hold to be key state values and qualities of life.
Keywords
California, geography, San Francisco, Los Angeles, individual, Golden State
Introduction
Californians are often sampled on their opinions of in-state quality of life, especially when an election year comes around. However, the question of going deeper into those characteristics is rarely examined. There are many surveys that take a geographic look at what the pros and cons of living in the state are, but they will often stop at that detail. This survey proposes to take a specific look at what Californians truly value about their lives. If there are common responses that arise in the study, such as “driving on the freeway”, “spending time at the beach”, or “cooking a fresh meal”, those will be incorporated into later studies.
Method
100 individuals participated in the initial study, compensated with a $25 gift certificate to Whole Foods Market. As a group, the individuals were 70% Caucasian, 5% African American, 10% Hispanic, 5% Asian American, 5% Native American, and 5% “other ethnicity.” All participants were residents in California, though not all had been born in the state. In the telephone survey section of the group, participants received a brief introduction to the study and were given the option to opt-out or participate. They were encouraged to keep their answers succinct within a maximum of two minutes response time. If the participant chose not to engage in the study, a different phone number was randomly selected by the facilitators. In the live segment of the study, participants were invited to a neutral setting and taken in for interviews one by one. Upon arriving at the interview site, participants were given a fact sheet of information about the study. This sheet also included some highlights from the phone study, which was completed prior to the second segment.
Data Results
As expected, data results were highly subjective, but proved worthy of further investigation and presentation to additional focus or governance groups. There was some correlation in answers from the metropolitan areas, with multiple responses of “driving a long distance” or “spending time at the coast.” However, the responses were distinct in inland and rural areas, offering little connection to their coastal neighbors. At least five participants within the inland groups expressed disdain for the idea of “feeling Californian” and remarked on their feelings of geographic-induced cultural distance.
Discussion
This study could be a launching pad for future, more specified, cultural research within the state of California. There is high potential for crossover with media or journalism, as it is a topic that could attract commercial interest or co-sponsorship. The range of responses could lead to a wider, national discussion about quality of life and what it means for individuals in 2011. The topic as a whole fits right in with the growing “Back to the Land” movement of which California is an epicenter, looking at locally grown food, organic products, sustainability, and further components of living. The research brought forth from this study could benefit the role of state government, seeking to understand connections between the wide geographic area of the state and the perceived cultural divides between North and South, and Coastal and Inland communities.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Shopping Trips should not be Guilt Trips
In my tight budgeting of the past few years, I have become accustomed to not spending much to any time in shopping areas. This means that when I do go to a shopping center, it feels almost otherworldly. In a store or in a collection of stores, I feel out of place and overly conscious about how much $$$ I am $pending.
This doesn't have to be this way! It's all relative!
Yesterday I bit the bullet and bought two books at Marin's best bookstore Book Passage for $45. While that is not cheap, again, it is all relative. $45 is also 5 1/2 Marin-SF commuting trips (and 4 if it is on the ferry), several trips to the coffee shop, a certain amount of food purchases... all of which I have done and continue to do.
And though it may seem that I am spending alot of money in the moment, it evens out, ultimately, and I stay grounded.
This doesn't have to be this way! It's all relative!
Yesterday I bit the bullet and bought two books at Marin's best bookstore Book Passage for $45. While that is not cheap, again, it is all relative. $45 is also 5 1/2 Marin-SF commuting trips (and 4 if it is on the ferry), several trips to the coffee shop, a certain amount of food purchases... all of which I have done and continue to do.
And though it may seem that I am spending alot of money in the moment, it evens out, ultimately, and I stay grounded.
Friday, May 06, 2011
Effortless or Effort Filled
I am perplexed by the increased effort that long form blogging (as I like to call it) seems to generate these days. It seems that I, or others, have become accustomed to quick little instantaneous updates on people's lives, and may have lost the patience for composing or recounting additional details. Clearly this is a casualty of the Twitter era, and it is an unfortunate one.
Even on this blog, which I hadn't realized that I had treated with a level of depth and precision, it is evident that I used detail and emphasis in the past. In fact, I was surprised by the level of detail, especially with my first Cross Country trip in 2006. It suddenly came back to me that this blog had been a chronicle of that experience. Interesting how I had forgotten that.
In the present day, I want to continue to re-engage with this blog. I found that some of my most engaging posts appeared when I wrote about something in the present tense, as if it was happening while I was writing it, and you were reading it. I want to keep that in mind for future chronicles, especially when I travel to the Mojave Desert one week from today.
What could appear from recent events (within this past week) that is worth chronicling. Let me look at my calendar... Oh, yes, now I remember.
In San Francisco, I generally keep a fairly tight routine centered around my school in the SOMA district of the City. On Wednesday, I varied that up a bit, visiting the offices of Theatre Bay Area (TBA), where I worked in a long-term internship two years ago. Since my stint there, TBA has moved to another office just two blocks from my school. I don't visit them extremely often, but I am struck by the "parallel worlds" when I do go there. It's fascinating that my two (dual?) worlds in the city are so close together, and yet far apart. I can always feel the noticeable transition when I do that walk up or down Mission Street.
Even on this blog, which I hadn't realized that I had treated with a level of depth and precision, it is evident that I used detail and emphasis in the past. In fact, I was surprised by the level of detail, especially with my first Cross Country trip in 2006. It suddenly came back to me that this blog had been a chronicle of that experience. Interesting how I had forgotten that.
In the present day, I want to continue to re-engage with this blog. I found that some of my most engaging posts appeared when I wrote about something in the present tense, as if it was happening while I was writing it, and you were reading it. I want to keep that in mind for future chronicles, especially when I travel to the Mojave Desert one week from today.
What could appear from recent events (within this past week) that is worth chronicling. Let me look at my calendar... Oh, yes, now I remember.
In San Francisco, I generally keep a fairly tight routine centered around my school in the SOMA district of the City. On Wednesday, I varied that up a bit, visiting the offices of Theatre Bay Area (TBA), where I worked in a long-term internship two years ago. Since my stint there, TBA has moved to another office just two blocks from my school. I don't visit them extremely often, but I am struck by the "parallel worlds" when I do go there. It's fascinating that my two (dual?) worlds in the city are so close together, and yet far apart. I can always feel the noticeable transition when I do that walk up or down Mission Street.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
JP in May
Looking back through older journal entries gave me a sudden idea to post a photo of myself from May of the past five years. Narcissistic for sure, but actually an intriguing exercise.
2006: I clearly recall lying down on the grass outside my Hampshire mod to take this picture. Just a few days shy of Graduation, I had recently shaved off my goatee, which I had sported for the previous three months, originally as a beard. I had no conception of the complete tonal shift that post graduation life would bring.
2007: Leaving my apartment home base of three months in St. John's Wood, London. Attempting to grow (hair) back out of the preppy look I had been carefully groomed in for working on THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM.
2008: Sporting a floppy and relaxed California look while touring Hearst Castle.
2009: A similar relaxed California look while visiting the Point Reyes Lighthouse area for the first time.
2010: Hanging out in Santa Barbara on a weekend return visit to the Central Coast. Sporting my slightly spikey look that I realize I tended to favor off and on over the past few years.
2011: Back to the buzzz in Point Reyes again. Recently purchased an at-home clipper kit and making use of it. Realizing that I prefer the buzzz look for here and now. Noticing with surprise that I acquired a mole of sorts above my right eyebrow sometime within the past year.
2006: I clearly recall lying down on the grass outside my Hampshire mod to take this picture. Just a few days shy of Graduation, I had recently shaved off my goatee, which I had sported for the previous three months, originally as a beard. I had no conception of the complete tonal shift that post graduation life would bring.
2007: Leaving my apartment home base of three months in St. John's Wood, London. Attempting to grow (hair) back out of the preppy look I had been carefully groomed in for working on THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM.
2008: Sporting a floppy and relaxed California look while touring Hearst Castle.
2009: A similar relaxed California look while visiting the Point Reyes Lighthouse area for the first time.
2010: Hanging out in Santa Barbara on a weekend return visit to the Central Coast. Sporting my slightly spikey look that I realize I tended to favor off and on over the past few years.
2011: Back to the buzzz in Point Reyes again. Recently purchased an at-home clipper kit and making use of it. Realizing that I prefer the buzzz look for here and now. Noticing with surprise that I acquired a mole of sorts above my right eyebrow sometime within the past year.Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Tomales Point Trail
Yesterday I ventured back out the Point Reyes Peninsula to the Tomales Po
int Trail, a 9.5 mile long round trip hike to the extreme northern tip of Point Reyes. I had a teaser visit to this area of Point Reyes in mid-March, when I chose to visit nearby McClure's Beach. I knew that tackling Tomales Point would be more of an epic affair. I also felt embarrassed as I struggled to make the time to visit the trail. Suddenly, an opportunity arose when I received an assignment for my "Wilderness Rites of Passage" course with its upcoming trip to the Mojave Desert. What better location would there be to take a solo hike than going back out to Tomales Point?
I was certainly not disappointed, though I may have not realized the epic scope of the trip. In fact, one of the more surprising elements of my hike was how the "out" and "back" segments felt like two different trips. The culprit was ostensibly the heavy fog that enveloped the point on m
y way out. Whereas when I returned, the fog had vanished and the surroundings took on a completely different feel and flavoring. I quickly realized that I had taken little to no notice of certain features of the landscape. The return trip also played with my expectations, where I anticipated the return trip would feel shorter... but it did not. Ultimately both segments of the walk took exactly the same length of time: two hours. I felt that time ceased to matter out there at the tip of Tomales Point. I was shocked to find that my cellphone had service, and expressed the sentiment in a brief perfect 140 character text tweet:
Cant believe I have cellphone service here on the northern tip of Point Reyes (Tomales Point) after hiking for 2 hours.
I actually came to regret pulling out the cellphone, which I had carefully kept off on the way out. It made me rely on it much more for the time and to see what was going on as I returned to the parking area. In an odd though probably symbolic coincidence, the professor of the Wilderness course called me while I was driving away from the Point.
The focus of the hike was encouraged to be about noticing one's own personal process, and seeing how that affected a physical activity while one also chose to fast during the hike. I found fasting to be surprisingly easy and all about the INTENTION. Being comfortable with my own thought process and place in the world is another matter, and a worthy focus for the vision quest.
int Trail, a 9.5 mile long round trip hike to the extreme northern tip of Point Reyes. I had a teaser visit to this area of Point Reyes in mid-March, when I chose to visit nearby McClure's Beach. I knew that tackling Tomales Point would be more of an epic affair. I also felt embarrassed as I struggled to make the time to visit the trail. Suddenly, an opportunity arose when I received an assignment for my "Wilderness Rites of Passage" course with its upcoming trip to the Mojave Desert. What better location would there be to take a solo hike than going back out to Tomales Point?I was certainly not disappointed, though I may have not realized the epic scope of the trip. In fact, one of the more surprising elements of my hike was how the "out" and "back" segments felt like two different trips. The culprit was ostensibly the heavy fog that enveloped the point on m
y way out. Whereas when I returned, the fog had vanished and the surroundings took on a completely different feel and flavoring. I quickly realized that I had taken little to no notice of certain features of the landscape. The return trip also played with my expectations, where I anticipated the return trip would feel shorter... but it did not. Ultimately both segments of the walk took exactly the same length of time: two hours. I felt that time ceased to matter out there at the tip of Tomales Point. I was shocked to find that my cellphone had service, and expressed the sentiment in a brief perfect 140 character text tweet:Cant believe I have cellphone service here on the northern tip of Point Reyes (Tomales Point) after hiking for 2 hours.
I actually came to regret pulling out the cellphone, which I had carefully kept off on the way out. It made me rely on it much more for the time and to see what was going on as I returned to the parking area. In an odd though probably symbolic coincidence, the professor of the Wilderness course called me while I was driving away from the Point.
The focus of the hike was encouraged to be about noticing one's own personal process, and seeing how that affected a physical activity while one also chose to fast during the hike. I found fasting to be surprisingly easy and all about the INTENTION. Being comfortable with my own thought process and place in the world is another matter, and a worthy focus for the vision quest.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Scream Again
I'm having some giddy enthusiasm over the prospect of seeing SCREAM 4 today at the movies. I'm sure this is due to the memory of the SCREAM series being a big deal "back in the day" and the curiosity of seeing if this film lives up to its predecessors. I'm deliberately holding off reading any reviews of the film and will do so after seeing it. In a few other recent film-going experiences (BLACK SWAN comes to mind) I regretted taking a close look at the publicity before seeing the film.
I never saw the original SCREAM in the cinemas .... in fact, I don't think it was originally released to the North Shore. This was before the Danvers 20 screen megaplex opened, and screening options were limited. I do remember the runaway success of the film, and watching with interest as it continued to be shown well into mid 1997. I do miss those days of long running movie hits, as the screen to DVD window is so tight now, it's almost better to wait for the video. I did find out recently that the original film was shot in my area of California. A friend of a friend had a small supporting role. The climax of the film was shot at a house which I have driven by a few times, without realizing its so-called historical significance.
SCREAM 2 was another story. This time, it was a big deal to see the film as soon as it came out, and I eagerly compared impressions with my classmates. My dad and I were regular visitors to the Solomon Pond Mall cinema in Marlborough, MA. This complex had achieved local acclaim as "New England's first stadium seating megaplex" and was virtually unique for the first 6 months to 1 year of operations. Hoyts quickly opened similar complexes in nearby Westborough and Bellingham, but there was something special about the first space. Or it could have been "never as good as the first time" for film goers. I think I actually saw the film again a few weeks later in Vermont, either sneaking in to the R-rated movie or going with an accompanying adult. The "live" nature of seeing it on opening weekend, with a full sold out audience also looking at it for the first time, stands out very clearly in my memory. It also helped that it was on an enormous cinema screen with stadium seating and perfect presentation.
SCREAM 3 was also a unique experience. This time, we traveled to the Showcase Cinemas in Randolph for my first (and still only) visit to that South Shore megaplex. I could tell from the start that the enthusiasm wasn't there for the production team in this installment. Neve Campbell's virtual absence from the story, and the overly tongue in cheek Hollywood nature of the script, suggested to me that there was not a lot of excitement in the tale.
What will SCREAM 4 bring? I'm looking forward to going over to the Larkspur Landing Cinema this afternoon to find out.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
The Allure of West Marin
Yes, I think I will use this as a personal writing space again!I'm highly enjoying my current (temporary) routine of making a visit to West Marin County at least once per week. This mini-region of Marin (it does feel like a character of its own) has been my favorite part of the County since I began to get to know it better in early 2009. (Hmm, that is a very long s
entence.)I am going to West Marin regularly to ride at Halleck Creek Ranch in Nicasio, a local stable specializing in offering opportunities for individuals with varying physical abilities. The farm is at the end of a 2.5 mile long dirt/gravel road, so getting there is an adventure in itself. Last week I got a flat tire soon after my visit there. This week I was more cautious about staying under the speed limit. The hills of Halleck Creek were an addictive shade of green that day, as you can see in the image on the right side of the text.
I've been extending each visit to West Marin with a stop in Point Reyes Station, an artsy one-horse, yet character filled town that is the center of the region. It's also home to the Bovine Bakery, the best bakery in all of Marin County, where I am often tempted by a cookie or other treat they will offer.
Yesterday I took the trip one step further and headed south to Bolinas, a remote town that is so far out, it's on another geologic plate. (No, really - the San Andreas Fault separates Bolinas and the Point Reyes Peninsula from the rest of California.) As Wikipedia says, "The community is perhaps best known for its reclusive residents. Historically, it is only accessible via unmarked roads; any road sign along nearby Highway One that points the way into town has been torn down by residents." The town is very difficult to access, with just one road in and out, and two curvaceous roads giving connections to that aforementioned one road.
I've found the place to be highly intriguing ever since my first visit there in March of 2009. In fact, I have toyed with the idea of spending some time as a resident there, even going so far (last fall) as to apply for a live-in childcare position. But nothing came of that job, and I ultimately decided that the town is a little too far out for it to work for me. Not to mention that with the current high gas prices, I would be spending a lot of time and money at the pump.
It's clear when I am in Bolinas that the people who are there WANT to be there, and value their local privacy. The town is so distinct that it stands out from anywhere else, with the ocean surrounding it on three sides and a high area ("The Mesa") just a short distance away. It would be interesting to stay out there... just for a night ... sometime, so I hope to get that opportunity.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)