rain

I'm not usually that big of a fan of rainy days. They are best when you can curl up and watch a movie, but in reality they typically interfere with other happenings it seems.

Today, I was a fan of the rain though. Everyone moves so fast in L.A. But today, it seemed the rain created a sort of slow down. On the road, people realized they couldn't fly past or drive quite as recklessly as they generally tend to around here. And, I personally wasn't in a huge hurry when I was out and about, so the rain proved less stressful and almost, dare I say, calming. Plus, I had a little Greg Laswell to keep me company as I drove. Perfect rainy day music.

In any event, I enjoyed the gentle reminder to relax and slow down. If only I had consumed a big bowl of butternut squash soup or my mom's homemade chili - that would have been the perfect rainy day.

from scratch

I have a number of interests and passions, but I've come to realize a common vein running through them all - I love making things from scratch. Making music is all about generating melodies where there once was silence. Baking is about combing separate ingredients to form something entirely new.

At CHLA yesterday, I was designing a donor follow-up piece, thanking individuals for their contributions to a recent event. Basically, they told me they needed this piece, but the rest was up to me. (Working at a non-profit is awesome because they are generally understaffed, so you really get to get your hands dirty.) So, I had the opportunity to use my creativity to come up with the whole concept of the piece and design it - essentially make it from scratch. Though it's not done yet, it's the whole process of making something from scratch that I love.

the sold project

As you may or may not already be aware, I am intern this semester for The Sold Project, a grassroots organization committed to fighting child prostitution. Part of the reason I am so excited about this internship is that I get to learn more about child prostitution and human trafficking.

It may seem odd to desire to learn more about these issues, but I've found how easy it is for me to be apathetic. I don't understand why it can be so tempting at times to stream some mindless tv show online or read the blogs of my favorite musicians, yet it can be so hard to take the time to read about issues that really matter. I know that I need to do something to care about others more than myself and stand up against rampant injustice in the world.

It's amazing to have the opportunity to be part of something way bigger than myself. In the midst of this, I'm challenging myself to release some of the apathy in my life. And, I'm challenging you to do the same. Latch onto an issue of meaning to you and dig deeper. Demand more of yourself. I do think it's possible for each of us to make a real difference in our communities and the world at large.

Check these out:
www.thesoldproject.com
www.ijm.org
www.one.org
www.streetlightphx.com

multi-tasking

I multi-task constantly. I think we all do. Right now, for instance, I'm typing this entry, listening to music and perusing a magazine all at once. Two different e-mail inboxes are open in the background. And that's minimal multi-tasking in my mind.

Technology in all its glory continues to push multi-tasking to the forefront of how society operates. Within this societal context, I always thought the ability to multi-task was some kind of virtue. For instance, many companies desire this trait and look for employees who are able to handle many things all at once.

Recently, however, I have come across a number of articles and ideas that have forced me to approach multitasking differently. These streams of thought have called for a lessening of time spent multi-tasking. Why? By multi-tasking we lose full appreciation for the task at hand, simply jumping from one thing to the next. Our mind never truly focuses on a single subject and our attention spans are diminished.

So, I'm trying to reduce my time spent multi-tasking and approach each task with greater appreciation for its inherent self. I know it's going to be a major challenge, but I truly do think it's worth it.

blossoming

small seeds gracefully do grow
into beautiful things that spring from these rows
- eisley

black and white

I'm in the midst of designing a black and white flyer right now. There is something awesome about designing in black and white. Maybe it all routes back to my obsession with the combination of black and white and the sense of striking contrast between them.

At times, it's easy to feel that black and white is restrictive and consequently wish to use color. Yet, I often find that color can be super distracting, weakening my sense of structure. For me, it's easy to get hung up on color combinations and lose sight of the foundation of the composition at hand.

quotations

Collecting quotes is something I have grown to enjoy in the midst of my journaling and blogging. Carefully selected words carry such an unbelievable sense of power. For me, it is amazing and comforting to see how individuals centuries before experienced the same sense of wondering and feelings I experience now. In some way, I think the resonance one may feel when reflecting upon a single quote cultivates a greater attachment to humanity at large. All that being said, here is a quote I came across today that really resonated with me.

"It is not work that kills men, it is worry. Work is healthy; you can hardly put more on a man than he can bear. But worry is rust upon the blade. It is not movement that destroys the machinery, but friction."

- Henry Ward Beecher