Fairy Dust

 Thanks, thanks, thanks, to all the beautiful people in the world that ride that golden wave of goodness... Your ability to spread the love, share the laughs and participate in the fun is more than appreciated, it is fully needed!! In a society that mirrors dissatisfaction and evokes judgment, a safe haven of good times and good vibes is a carnival of gratefulness that washes away the weight of pressures. I thank the universe for all you crazy, bright eyed, adventurous, buzz seeking individuals that litter the paths for the masses to enjoy...(a special thanks to my ever entertaining other half)
 I don't know about you but whenever I hear people express loneliness I cant help but consider the following: We came into this world alone, we leave this world alone, we all experience loneliness at some point or another.... which says to me in loneliness is a sense of community, a universal understanding. 
 A bigger dilemma I see is the constant need to compare - "if you thinks that's bad listen to this" - which really only seems to create a resistant bubble of sadness, heart ache and misery.... almost like the NEWS. I understand there is disgusting, irreversible and indescribable events taking place all over the world. And it sucks, it sucks a lot.... but the constant feed of all the shitty shit that people do is perpetuating the fear that we seem to be comfortable living in and separating us from real life! "As long as I am understandably afraid I don't need to question because the answer is right there.... on the TV."
 Even though I don't agree with everything I see on the media surge I am reminded that those are people on the screen... human beings who struggle, resist, laugh and love and who are most likely just as lost as the rest of us. It is up to us, as individuals, to inquire. We are the only ones that can explore our own cleverness, question what doesn't sit right and live our lives. The goal: be able to maneuver around the trap of "wanting" to be someone else. If I had to watch the same show day in and day out I would probably just turn off the T.V. So thanks to all you odd balls out there... you add a little hiccup and a lot of spice to the daily program.

Hone in to the Tea

 Honesty is a strong word, full of foundation, strength, integrity and intimidation. To be completely honest with who you are and where you come from can be an intense journey. It is not easy remembering to check in with yourself to be clear on the position in which you really stand for. I don't know about everyone else but I know for myself sometimes I get so excited that I get caught up with whatever is going on around me that all of a sudden I am floating out somewhere I never knew existed... kicking myself, because I never really wanted to be there and now I am stuck. Lesson, I guess. Damn, constant lessons coming up when I least expect them. A reminder from the outside saying "There is lots to learn." And to be fair, there is a lot to learn, so much so, that I look forward to the years and the teachings that will come of it. 
 I am perplexed by the moments of an absolute thought that says "Yes, I get this" to all of a sudden a few years later the "conviction" is overturned to a "Hmmmmmmm.. Oh, okay.... now I see." Pretty humbling being awaken to the honesty of the situation, thought, dilemma or perception. We never really know what can come of the future and what will be retold of the past. Memories are a subjective and colourful view on a skew of situations; hopefully, creating more understanding of the variety and complexity of an event, sensation or idea. 
 What I love about an individual world snap shot is that it premises a well rounded overall picture granting an "Aha" moment where people can conceptualize and identify with (somewhat)... and if an agreement can not be made a discussion can follow suit which may allow for an compromise to come to play. I feel that if everyone agreed with everything that everyone said all the time there has to be some massive ego stroking going on... Seriously who agrees with everyone all the time? Differences are what makes us grow.           
 Differences can inspire us in either direction: cultivating what is desirable in a specific trait or creating an aversion to facilitate reason and motivation to be something different. To come to any of these places we as individuals have to be honest to ourselves about who we are and what we really want. 
 Sometimes, that inner voice of honesty is a quiet and shy place that is overpowered by the need to fit in... but if you give that little voice the opportunity of space, and provide it the fuel it needs to grow, it will knock down the "self deprecating-need to keep up-need to be better" persona that lives somewhere on most of our shoulders. The key is being honest in who we are and being okay with what we have to say about ourselves; because, if we already know what we got to do to be where we want to be nothing anyone else can say will falter our mysterious ways!

Let It Walk

 Standing up is not the easiest thing to do. Imagine being a baby.. it is not like we all of a sudden rose straight legged with a bolstering power that enabled a strong stride to wherever our little baby feet wanted to go... No, no, no, no!!! We started off small. We rocked ourselves back and forth, we observed our surroundings, we sat up tall, crawled or scooted our little baby butts about... possibly holding our parents hand and then over time we started one step at a time; moving ourselves in a direction that our body gravitated too. I have always wondered about baby shoes and what they are honestly needed for? If they are all about keeping little wee toes warm, I would suggest doubling up on baby socks. It would bring the costs down. However, that is a side thought. 
 What I am really trying to get at is: Standing up for something that a person believes in, needs to say or is driven to do takes time. There may be moments of anxiety, fear, anticipation, frustration, hope, joy, exhaustion and finally peace. Peace that the time has come to do what you need to do that makes you, you! Sometimes, I hear people say, "I have no idea where that came from!" but I am under the assumption that movement has always been in motion. The steps may have been inconsistent, irrational, quiet or shuffled but they were there non-the-less... making way for "The Moment!"
 I find it amazing that as beings in this existence there is this unshakable "knowing-ness". It can be difficult to explain and sadly it can be exploited; however, when the true "knowing" presents itself there is a confidence and understanding that walk hand in hand. There is a look in a person's eye that says "this is important" and for that life to move on while being a better person in anothers "this" has to be dealt with. My dad calls this the "it" that binds, and when the "it" is gone freedom is found. Every persons 'thing' may be completely counter to the next persons, but I feel that we understand what surrounds it and  can sense the lightness that proceeds after it's weight has been expelled. 
 Feelings are feelings but, holy shit balls, can they ever weigh a ton. Thankfully, we live in a reality where free will exists and there are so many options that we can become extremely creative in the way that we release and deal with our issues.............. The more we overcome ourselves the more we understand others can overcome themselves. 
 I keep noticing statements like "we need to believe in ourselves"... My question is... what if someone believes that they are utter shit? Do we want them to believe that? or do we want people to believe in the greatness that lives within all of us? Some days the goodness may feel dormant, but the more we dig, the deeper we go, the more we know there is a little bit of stardust in all of us! Which explains why we can be a little spacey from time to time.

Ying Yang Highway

 Reflecting on characters, qualities and feedback a major theme that comes to mind is: Intense. The intensity of presence, the intensity of thought and the intensity of speed. Zoom zoom goes the race car. I have been told that certain people can take up a lot of space while others bear witness as the wallflowers of their surroundings. One is sensing their environment from an observational standpoint while the other jumps in, wading in, the experience that already is. Whose to say which experience is more beneficial. 
 I feel that if you had too much of one and not enough of the other balance would be lost and the appreciation of either quality could turn into resentment and possibly boredom. In boredom we are naturally driven towards some sort of creative expression to move forward and explore the differences that are so essential to external and internal discovery. 
 The more we grasp about ourselves the more the world makes sense. The more we know about intention the more we can understand motivation and the more that motivates us our purpose is identified. I wonder if discovering a place of silence and solitude premises a space of elevated internal conflict; whereas the desire to experience chaos may forcefully quiet the internal chatter. How backwards and strange the manifestations of reality can be. 
 Maybe those who say nothing have a continuous rambling in their mind and have not decided where or how to expel the thoughts that linger; while those that babble on are lost in the rhythm and vibration of sound seeking an extreme escape from the mouth... forever questioning which way is the "right" way.
 For those that want to dance in the land of intensity.. who want to experience the build up of the groove only to get thrown with the beat of madness... take out those glow sticks and fist pump to the air like there is no tomorrow. Sweat the bullshit away and remember that all the distinctly different and beautiful worlds can live together thriving in the opposite of the other. Life is an interesting array of wonder; No two stories are the same and whatever magic you lay down someone out there will pick up, stoked that they have found the winning ticket!

The Title

 The world of Labels. From ketchup bottles and maple syrup to yuppie's and drifters. I see why there is a need to label some things; for instance, if hot sauce had no label it may be confused for something else and that could be an intense surprise. I can even understand the sectioning of different kinds of music, as it can be very overwhelming, especially if you don't have an idea of what you are looking for. Creating a glossary of categories can allow the convenience to find an idea of what you may be looking for... A nudge in the right direction.
 I am not so committed to the idea of labeling individuals as that box may be a frustrating place to get out of... and what if the box does not coincide with all facets of a persons beliefs, qualities and goals? What if that box segregates a person to a carved out path that does not jive with their own personal truth? And what if that stereotype diminishes their hope convincing them they could never be more? Will they ever be allowed out of that box? If change is constant how is it possible to conclude with a definite classification?
 I had personally enjoyed the convenience of a label when it came to understanding the world around me... a quick fix of a generalization allowed me the opportunity to research, enabling a further understanding, of what we are all involved in.
 For instance, if I want a good pair of shoes... I may run with a well known brand as it may represent high quality... but where does the status of high quality come from? Does it come from those that are marketing it, the one that have designed it, the image that it represents or from the actuality of the product? Who knows. I wonder if we take the time to decide for ourselves if we like what we like or if we say we like what we do because we feel we have too.... or if it is just too much bother to argue?
 So needless to say, I am looking at labels as opinions. I refuse to believe that an entire person can be understood by a "logo". I feel that a label may provide a bit of insight on what a person has potentially gone through, what is needed and how to better accommodate them, but to be categorized into a particular box and dismiss a person based on a "tag" that has been assumed is just too simple... and I have no doubt that we are more creative than that.

Life Saver

 When sitting here trying to decide what to write about I draw blanks. I start thinking about what would read well, what is interesting, have I written about this before? does it matter if I wrote this concept previously? who am I trying to impress??? Oh yeah, I write it because I like it. It feels nice to have my thoughts down in some form of text. It creates a form of alphabetical disposal to somewhere else alleviating the constant thought bubble from my mind. I wonder if all the thoughts that live in my imagination that are swimming to all corners of my consciousness are ever forgotten or lost? I kind of think that they like to hide in some weird ass crevasse of my head only to explode out at the most undesirable time... potentially translating into frenzied images while I sleep. Either way, I sense that when "it" is expressed, in whatever means, I have expelled the 'space' allowing opportunity for new ideas to  warrant exploration.

 I love thinking. I feel like thinking exercises the neuron-transmitters and oils up the pathways of the chaotic highway (we call the brain) allowing for the opportunity to understand a variety of situations in an array of possibilities. The problem is getting lost in thought. And I don't mean getting lost in 'a thought', I mean truly getting consumed by thought... it can be such a disorientating place. To be neither here nor there but thinking you are in both is frustrating... almost like when you are dreaming and everything around you is familiar but when you wake up confusion sets in. "I must have been dreaming seeing as I am in my bed... but hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm what if?" then the thinking happens all over again. 

 Which leads me to ponder the glamorized life of a philosopher... sitting up on that hill, wearing a cloak, laying underneath the sun and the stars discussing thoughts, theories and ideas while engrossing yourself with conclusions, hypothesis and hypotheticals.... It could be an interesting form of employment... Knowing me I would probably daydream the entire day away. Just imagine what your days off would look like: there is no way you could 'normally relax'. Relaxation would most likely consist of intensely energized infused activity, in hopes to tire you out in preparation for the 'sit and think' for the upcoming work week ahead. What if it were possible to get thinkers block? Would that create peace of the mind? I don't know about you but I could go on forever. The way I look at it is : To wonder is wander and I am constantly getting lost! So, thank goodness for my backpack and my partner in crime; without these two things life would be messy and not nearly as fun!