"Sometimes you have to watch someone love something before you love it yourself." 

             - Blue Like Jazz

What Sign are you?

Isn't it always an interesting question when someone asks this? And, it usually doesn't matter if you believe it or not, whether you're Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Atheist, Jehovah's Witness, Justin Bieber-ist .... because chances are that you know what you "are" anyways. MY favorite part of this conversation is after I give my deep, dark secret of yes, "I'm a Sagittarius.".... The person that asks will 99.9% of the time do the following: Raise eyebrows slightly, nod slowly up and down a couple times and do something funny with their mouth like smirk or scrunch their lips...... Whether this is the way the universe is organized or not, I always wonder after they give me <<the look>>....

"Did this answer your question?"....

              "Am I cooler now?".....

                        "What were you wondering about me to ask this?"

True, we cannot help be who we are. But, I've learned from the times I've escaped my little corner of the world that influence is a strong air to breath; its fumes can be utterly intoxicating, and at times, life-alterning. So it's all about how we inhale changes and new-ness to measure the true person we want to be.... and maybe more than what 1-800-WhatsMySign tells us who we already are. 

When you stumble upon people, things, music, feelings, ideas, smells, or photos.....

..... like this for me... that make you not only want to conquer the world but probably for once make you believe you CAN - Voila! You have found your "sign" of inspiration. The kicker, though of finding inspiration is the intention of being open to it as well. SCARY STUFF. Be open and aware of other peoples' passions, dive a little deeper to see why and how they have developed such a love or devotion. Passion is contagious. For me, I've seen enough epic change in others simply through inspiration to think otherwise. Let it be true for you too, happy hunting.

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Still lost?

Start here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8hHgmLL-XI&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQvnXM1hVnI&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e484ANyR10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f28GNT9xqXk&feature=plcp

My mid-twenties have shown that the child's dream of never being afraid again  << something we thought we would grow out of, like streamers on our bikes or ninja turtle underwear >> is just a dream. In fact, being an adult is scarier at times than anything I remember in childhood.

So the question is now, how do we live with all the

       FEAR...

                 UNCERTAINTY.....

                                         UNKNOWN......... now that we're all grown up?

I was tipped off by my brilliant, genius brother about a contemporary artist that lives in fear of failure FOR A CAREER. His story blew my mind and gave me an amazing feeling of peace. Andy Goldsworthy works with everything nature has to offer... rocks, air, water, ash, dirt, trees, leaves, branches, sticks, weeds, flowers, other plants. Doesn't seem like much to work with, right?

rocks

tree branches

leaves, rocks

sticks, water

ice, water

All materials found in the local vicinity of where they are created. This man literally walks around the wilderness to find bits of earth around him. He uses the state, color or shape they have formed naturally to create a visual masterpiece. My FAVORITE parts about his works are: He mostly only works on location, AND he leaves his works out in the open when completed.  If they break, fall, melt, sink, crumble..... then that's what the earth's energy turned it out to be, so he lets it be. All of this man's works WILL FAIL and be "destroyed" at some point by the movements and  state of nature. This is the beauty that gives such purpose and resolution to me about his work.

"I cannot explain the importance to me of being part of the place, its seasons and changes. Fourteen years ago I made a line of stones in Morecambe Bay. It is still there, buried under the sand, unseen. All my work still exists in some form." - Andy Goldworthy

Even in nature, in the purest form that the earth can be, it shows the absence of fear. There is no Unknown or Uncertainty (yes, with capital U's). There is nothing to be afraid of because everything is as it should be. This is just another visual miracle that shows me how silly it is to worry or fear anything in the unknown future. Everything will turn out as it should as well.

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished" -Lao Tzu