Folk Tunes

I've been in my folk phase far too long to call it a phase anymore. I think I'm in love for life.

Note: The song "Sherpa" takes a while to start but wait it out. It's the jam.

"Look for God. Look for God like a man with his head on fire looks for water." -Elizabeth Gilbert: Eat, Pray, Love

Exploration

Wonder is one of the greatest gifts any of us has from this life. The ability to be breath taken, awed, speechless.It is a magical treasure and something that can only happen with curiosity. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it sure as heck won't bring me down. I wanna see things, and experience the world in ways our parents said were impossible. To do the unexpected, the unthinkable, and to live fully. It is as though we are kept in a box. We poke a few holes through the top, so the we can breathe and exist, then that's it. Only a small amount of light gets inside; our visibility to see whats outside is limited. Then we're stuck there, trapped, in the cold and the dark, and no matter how many holes we poke, we can't seem to escape. I don't want to just survive, I want to thrive. I must stop poking at what I want, and push the top of the box wide open! Fear is a false emotion, it deceives and misleads. It is never on your side and to finally escape, is to escape fear. Then we can do anything. And breath in the universe. Cause once you finally get out of that box, nature immerses itself around you and calls you to follow it. You realize how tiny you are and how good that is, and let everything gorgeously create itself around you. To discover how easy it is to do this thing called living. It is all simple if we just ponder it. The box is not indestructible, it is merely you that must be brave enough to explore outside of it.

Plastic Bag Ban

Starting August 1st, my city will put in place a ban on plastic bags in major retail stores. Reusable bags will be given out and a 10 cent charge will be placed on paper bags. City officials were apprehensive that businesses would be on board and wanted to postpone the date, but retailers have shown that they are prepared and ready. This is a huge change for my town. We are over congested beyond belief, and trash flies freely through the streets.I can't even imagine how much this will help our pollution and recycling movements. It is long overdue, but well worth the wait. I can already feel the frontier moving and this humble law, becoming the opened door that led my city into a renaissance of Green. The ball is rolling and I can't wait to see what change is yet to come.

Russian Tea Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration (My note: Probably only need around 1/4 cup)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar. I also like to roll mine in the sugar a second time

My Review: Truly delectable! Light, delicate, and sweet. The most prominent thing about them is there texture. Smooth and pasty. The perfect compliment to my green tea.

Denim

So versatile and authentic. The perfect material for summer. I've been dying for a denim button up, so I'm on the prowl right now. The durability and cowboy-like ruggedness of it is so attractive to me. And thank God for those assets, because knowing me, once I get it; I'll wear it to the bone.

What Will Be, Will Be

 When we get lost and let go and not know. The future illuminates itself and the past becomes fond understanding, but it doesn't touch you anymore. And then you find yourself LIVING, and becoming delirious and obsessed and in love and happy. Everything is bold and influential and I've found myself believing in things I haven't believed in since I was a child. And it feels so good to be free and to have my heart live, and to believe in my bones, what will be, will be.  

Homemade Ice Cream

Upon acquiring an ice cream maker recently, I have discovered the joys and incomparable deliciousness of homemade ice cream. There is really nothing that tastes as good. Which bears the question, "Why does anyone buy store bought ice cream anymore?"
Here's a fail proof recipe for Vanilla Ice Cream:

Ingredients

4 cups half-and-half or light cream

1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. In large bowl, combine ingredients; mix well. Pour into ice cream freezer container. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Freeze leftovers

So incredibly simplistic and easy! It's pretty scrumptious as well; rich but not too sweet. And I love how with this recipe, one can always substitute ingredients to make it more natural or perhaps create a whole new flavor! Next task...Green Tea Ice Cream!

My Music

I've been writing songs since I was twelve and have grown invested in it. It envelops my soul and keeps me thinking in those last moments before I fall asleep. Music is, by far, the language I like to abide by. Last night I had the open mike of my life. In a cozy, warmly lit coffee shop, I mustered up the courage to be the second one up. It was my third time playing and the nerves had not yet been shaken. But I sang and played and felt it. And when I played my last note, there were cheers, and I grinned shyly. The light was fading outside and getting pulled from the city by the sunset. I cooled off and walked through the hum drum, lucid streets surrounding that little dive, with content in my belly. And I felt peaceful and happy with my place in the world at that time in my life, and laughed. The night roared on and did so with tenderness and intimacy and God given capacity. I felt inspired and savvy and walked on to the sidewalk when the shop closed and the street lights glowed down on us; knowing that everyone will know everything if they just listen.

Majestic

My Favorite Animals in the Whole Wide World

But there was a wisdom in it all, as you'll see if you take a walk some night on a suburban street and pass house after house on both sides of the street each with the lamplight of the living room, shining golden, and the little blue square of the television, each living family riveting its attention to one show; nobody talking; silence in the yards; dogs barking at you because you pass on human feet instead of on wheels. You'll see what I mean, when it begins to appear like everybody in the world is soon going to be thinking the same way and the Zen Lunatics have long joined dust, laughter on their dust lips. Only one thing I'll say for the people watching television, the millions and millions of the One Eye: they're not hurting anyone while they're sitting in front of that Eye.  But neither was Japhy...I see him in the future years stalking along with full rucksack, in suburban streets, passing the blue television windows of homes, alone, his thoughts the only thoughts not electrified to the Master Switch.
- Jack Kerouac, Dharma Bums

Let's Take a Trip

This past weekend to beat the infamous Carmageddon plaguing LA, my sister and I decided to have a little staycation and spend some time together. We biked all around the city, with our backpacks strapped on and faces filled with smiles. It was a fantastic, sunny day. Oh the beaches, city folk, and ice cream cones that can be experienced in a single day.  Now that it's Monday, I'm dreaming of taking a real trip, and somewhere in the wild. Campfires and Tents are calling me!