September 0925

what I’ve created –

• for memory and summer

what I’ve watched – 

• Happy Gilmore – such an excellent palate cleanser and all time classic. The good ones are just so good.
• Fast and Furious 1 & 2 – somehow worse than expected and somehow the second was better?
• Here – really looked forward to watching this and had high hopes but felt so bored. watched at 2x speed.
• Anora – A rollercoaster. Not what I thought it was and kept it that way. Hard at the beginning but sucked me in around the second act. Phenomenal ending.
• Argylle – flimsy fluff rainbow cartoon shiny death.
• Kingsman: The Secret Service – big budget shiny candy pop
• Kocked Up – crazy cast lineup but also played this at 2x speed. felt predictable and meh?

what I’ve listened to –

• God Did II – RUA YOUNG, KB
• Feeling Fine – Ocie Elliot
• If you know me – Hudson Freeman
• Close – Grace Johnson
• Beware – Deftones

travel hack –

Don’t do it. stay at home. enjoy your mortgage / rent.

If you do travel- try to find some unique experience or food you’d like to try wherever you go, it helps bring energy and excitement to something you might not want to do.

quote I liked –

If you find yourself not liking what you’re doing for a long period of time, seriously consider a major job change.  Short-term burnout happens, but if it isn’t resolved with some time off, maybe it’s time to do something you’re more interested in. – Sam Altman

I make sure to leave enough time in my schedule to think about what to work on.  The best ways for me to do this are reading books, hanging out with interesting people, and spending time in nature. – Sam Altman 

“Change before you have to.” – Jack Welch

“No matter how bleak or menacing a situation may appear, it does not entirely own us. It can’t take away our freedom to respond, our power to take action.” – Ryder Carroll

what I’ve learned –

• Instead of asking someone “how are you?” or “what’s new?” I’ve been asking “what’s been something that’s taking up a lot of mental space lately?” and the answer is always more personal and leads to more authentic conversation. I’ve had friends confess a love for dancing this way. I’ve met strangers who shared about their upcoming divorce and feelings of uncertainty. Everyone always has something on their mind, big or small, and most want to talk about it.
• Buried in a declassified CIA report is something that sounds less like a spy movie and more like a yoga retreat. It suggests that you can accelerate healing by visualizing colors, particularly blue. The reason it works is that it induces a deep state of relaxation. This is where the brain gets extra focused and suggestible. The report suggests imagining a specific color, say bright blue, in the part of your body that needs help. The color is thought to tune your body’s electromagnetic field and boost recovery. Example: Picture your sore knee glowing with a cool blue light. The CIA claimed this could help restore balance, reduce pain, and speed healing. Think of it as shining a mental flashlight on the spot that hurts. Now, is this bulletproof science? Not exactly. It’s based on the idea that the body is electrical and thoughts can influence energy fields. The evidence is thin, but the practice is safe, simple, and at the very least deeply calming, which can help you improve the healing process. The worst-case scenario is that you’ve just meditated and given your brain a spa day.

what I wouldn’t try again –

While one’s tolerance for alcohol may be high, the bodies ability to let two glasses of wine dehydrate you is much higher than anticipated. Turns out if you have two glasses of wine on a Saturday night then try to run 7 miles on the beach in the sun your body can get pretty dehydrated. the conclusion- wine is not worth dehydrating, the run is.

how life is beautiful –

Starting the month in Texas at sunrise being picked up by my girl and seeing the broad horizon and Texas sky reminded me to go slower.

Spending a quick weekend with my sister and laughing like old times and connecting on the transition into new life and adulthood was rich and much needed.

Joining in worship with 800 people all squeezed into a small warehouse pressed together was etherial, worship is truly the living water I’m always thirsty for.