standing on the youthhold

It's a Small World After All

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:55:38 -0400

It always amazes me how in a world as big as ours, it is not hard to find a familiar face. The world is not a small place, not by any means, in fact it is such a large place that one could spend endless lifetimes exploring it’s every nook and cranny. Yet, it doesn’t always feel that way and I’m saying so because, throughout all my travels, I can always find someone who I know, whether across the country or around the globe.

Take, for instance, a weekend trip to Ireland for St Patrick’s Day. In college, I had the good fortune to find myself studying abroad in Versailles my junior year. A life-changing experience. Come March, I made travel plans with some classmates to celebrate St Patty’s day in, where else but, Dublin. So we hopped on a plane, flew across the channel, and found ourselves in the heart of the Irish country.

We did the touristy things, touring parks and sightseeing around the city, but mainly we drank. It was St Patty’s day afterall, and that’s what you do. My friend Josh and I bought Tin whistles from a shop and stood on a street corner with an upturned hat playing screeching notes that would cause the hair of cats to stand on end. We didn’t need the money-we just thought it would be fun. And it was.

On our last full day in the beautiful green country, the group of us decided to take a bus tour out to Powerscourt Gardens, where much of the film ‘Braveheart’ was shot. Nevermind you that Braveheart was based in Scotland, it was much cheaper, we were told, to film in Ireland. Besides, who could tell the difference.

So we jumped on the bus and the bus driver was a hoot and a holler, and all sorts of ridiculous fun. At one point he maneuvered the heavy vehicle around and around a suicide circle, in what must have been five or six loops before pulling off onto the the correct side street. To say that it was less a bus ride and more like being on a roller-coaster would be a tremendous understatement. But eventually we arrived at Powerscourt.

The grounds were magnificent, beautiful and green, even in the late winter month. We spent the day tromping through the woods on trails in the English-style gardens which are wild compared to their finely-manicured French counterparts. There was no shortage of things to do.

We found a grand tree in the center of it all with thick spidery branches, twisting and turning, looping in bizarre skyward reaching braids-a perfect tree for climbing. We weren’t the only tour group to think this as we found some other college-age kids scattered among its leafy limbs. And within the web of branches, hidden from view was Amy, a girl from my high school class.

I can’t claim to have recognized her at first as it had been a few years since I had last seen her, and why would she be here, of all places and at the same time as me? But after a couple moments, I called out her name and she responded in kind. It turns out she was studying abroad in Spain. We spent a few minutes catching up, both amazed that we had found each other across the sea.

And that is not a stand alone incident. I have run into the parents of friends in Dallas, both of us awaiting connecting flights. I’ve stumbled into friends on busy Chicago streets and have crossed paths with friends of friends on long walks at Mardi-Gras celebrations in St Louis. The world is not as big as one may think. And it’s moments like that the make the world easier to live in-because no matter where you are, no matter how lost and alone you may feel sometimes, there is always a familiar face right around the corner.

April 16th. GA>ME. Can Not Wait.

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 22:47:20 -0500

April 16th. GA>ME. Can Not Wait.

Photo

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:55:46 -0500

indieless: untitled | the head and the heart [I remember days...

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:55:48 -0500

indieless:

untitled | the head and the heart

[I remember days when money didn’t matter….it’s getting harder these days]

youbroketheinternet: “If I’m an advocate for anything, it’s to...

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 02:45:22 -0500

youbroketheinternet:

“If I’m an advocate for anything, it’s to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. The extent to which you can walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food, it’s a plus for everybody. Open your mind, get up off the couch, move.” - Anthony Bourdain

-WORD.

growing-up-indie: turn off this song and go outside | the...

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 12:29:28 -0500

growing-up-indie:

turn off this song and go outside | the lonely forest

Appalachian Trail Only seems appropriate to reblog as I just...

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:01:00 -0500

Appalachian Trail

Only seems appropriate to reblog as I just bought my sleeping bag(quilt) to hike this bad boy and have been obsessing over gear research for the past week.

Photo

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 09:55:15 -0500

skeletales: Atelierworkshop Architects created the Port-a-Bach...

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 09:44:26 -0500

skeletales:

Atelierworkshop Architects created the Port-a-Bach container home. The up-cycling containers can be an effective answer for large scale projects if portability, site access, robustness and security are required. They also developed prototypes that use the existing container connections to attached solar and wind equipment. The Port-a-Bach container is not in production yet, they are looking for commercial partners in order to mass produce it.

Just got this in the mail today. I cannot begin to say how...

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 14:32:27 -0500

Just got this in the mail today. I cannot begin to say how excited this makes me.

musicilikeforyou: Hide and Seek (Imogen Heap Cover) -...

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 11:41:26 -0500

musicilikeforyou:

Hide and Seek (Imogen Heap Cover) - Amber

Written by George Bates

In a music scene where Teen Bop and X-factor contestants dominate the airwaves, you’d be forgiven for losing faith. However, if you dig deep enough and filter out the bad, you might just find diamonds and Amber could just be one of those diamonds. There version of Hide and Seek is one of the most beautiful things I’ve heard in a long time. Though it is a cover, the vocals and arrangement show enough creativity and talent within the band for me to pay attention and look forward to their EP. If you get the chance I’d highly recommend checking out their original “Little Ghost” on their youtube channel as well.

Band Details:

https://twitter.com/amberbanduk

https://soundcloud.com/amberofficial

http://amberuk.tumblr.com/

http://facebook.com/amberofficialuk

In keeping up with my book a week resolution for the year, I...

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 00:32:00 -0500

In keeping up with my book a week resolution for the year, I just finished reading “World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War.” All in all, I would say that it was a worthwhile read. The novel is a collection of first-person anecdotes detailing the rise of the zombies, the turning point in the fight against them, and post-war measures taken. It takes a global perspective on the war and serves as a platform from which a social commentary on our world can be examined. Themes centering on politics, survivalism, morality, and fear keep this post-apocalyptic tale interesting and moving forward.

I appreciate the different views that his interview-style writing provides but feel that the characters sometimes seem to carry the same voice, rather than a uniqueness that is more realistic. This wasn’t a turn-off though as the examination of society through many sets of eyes and POVs was enthralling despite the sameness in tone.

The stories some characters told were well, exciting. Everybody expects some action in a zombie book and it was provided in several detailed accounts. Overall, I’d say that this novel carried the right balance of action and societal examination, and I would definitely recommend giving it a read.

growing-up-indie: caroline | noah gundersen

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 23:06:25 -0500

growing-up-indie:

caroline | noah gundersen

urhajos: Your Own Wood

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 11:39:56 -0500

urhajos:

Your Own Wood

New Year: New Goals

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 17:18:31 -0500

I have a few goals for this year. Some are one-fell-swoop goals, others are more long-term. All in all it’s pretty basic and very attainable.

-Read a book a week

-Eat 85% Paleo

-Become less connected (disengage from social media)

-Snowboard in Colorado

-Hike the Appalachian Trail

I created this list last year and didn’t always stick with it. I figure it’s a good...

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 17:12:35 -0500

I created this list last year and didn’t always stick with it. I figure it’s a good reminder and worth revisiting.

No Day is Too Short….

Do one thing from each list EVERYDAY

Physical:

-Workout

-Run

-Hike

-Snowboard

-Bike

-Nordic Ski

-Yoga

Mental:

-Read

-Write

-Do an Architecture Contest

-Learn a new song on guitar

-Learn and be able to tell a new joke

-Memorize an inspirational quote

Growing Up:

-Apply to jobs

-Improve knowledge of current job

-Review EMS/Fire skills

Financially:

-A Dollar a day

Social:

-Compliment someone

-Thank someone

-Write a letter to someone

-Make plans to hang out with someone

-Hang out with friends

(The photo is of a tattoo I had inked last August: 86400 seconds in a day. Make them count)

On Wisdom

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 13:52:00 -0500

I just got back from a 2-day Midwest snowboarding adventure. It was fun for what it was-groomed runs on a hill-and I ultimately had a good time. I went with a couple of friends and stayed at my camp friend TBear’s parent’s place up there. His grandparents lived up that way too and so yesterday, before we took off on the 5 hour drive home, we stopped in to say hello.

His grandparents were those typical grandparents you have no trouble picturing, brimming with stories, and bubbling with a wealth of knowledge about everything. As we sat there talking in the early morning sunshine, I found myself wondering how two people could stay together, through thick and thin, for all those years. My question was soon answered as Grandma went about searching for a map. After asking Grandpa where it was(he said in the backseat of the car), she disappeared for a couple minutes and returned with the spiralbound map.

“It wasn’t in the back of the car,” she proclaimed.

“No, I told you it was in the backseat.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“You must be right honey, I didn’t. I’m sorry,” he replied.

No fighting. No bickering. Just acknowledgement that this was not a battle worth pursuing. It was pure wisdom that only comes with years of learning. That’s something to aspire to.

growing-up-indie: you’re the one that I want | the lennings...

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 00:18:32 -0500

growing-up-indie:

you’re the one that I want | the lennings [originally john travolta & olivia newton john]

this is giving angus & julia stone a run for their money

rcruzniemiec: Stormy waters Massimiliano Ramuschi “My eye was...

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 23:42:08 -0500

rcruzniemiec:

Stormy waters Massimiliano Ramuschi

“My eye was captured by the intense red of these fishing cabins contrasting with the colourless stormy enviroment.”

Feeling like death

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 11:57:07 -0500

is not a good way to start the new year.