Magic is a Bunch of Hocus Pocus

Last night I was flipping through the channels and nothing was really on, until I came across a magic show. Magic truely captivates me. It just makes no sense. And this guy was INCREDIBLE. If you have never seen David Blaine's Street Magic (or any of David Blaine's magic shows in general) you must. I was blown away. I know it all has to do with illusions and a whole lot of practice, but some of this stuff just blows the mind. In one of his stunts, he levitated. Yes, LEVITATED. What the?? At first I was like this is just a bunch of nonsense, but it was done just on the street in front of random people and their reactions were so so genuine that I had to believe it. Again, I don't believe this man actually levitated, but how do you fake that?!

I don't know how you can beat freaking levitation, but he just might with his card tricks. He is SUPERB. Just his shuffling amazes me. He can throw cards through the air and flip them and do basically anything with them. You MUST watch him. He flawlessly does common card tricks and adds his own flair. For one trick, he had a little girl pick a card out of the deck, sign it, and put it back in the middle of the deck. Then he shuffled it and started messing with her and asking her if different cards were her card even though he knew they weren't. Then he asked her if she took it. The little girl shook her head and started laughing, and he said: "No, you must've! Check your back pocket." The little girl looked in her back pocket and wouldn't you know it, there was her card. How the heck?! It just makes no sense to me and really confuses me. Maybe magic is real...

P.S. Check out this link to see some of his tricks...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdgKLrx_HXI&feature=related....and look at other ones while you're there!

Nighttime Madness

What is it about night time? I feel like a different person at night. Maybe it's because I'm a teenager (last year I can say that!) and I'm just more attuned to the later hours, but I am just full of energy and ideas at night. I make plans, I'm more adventurous, I'm willing to take risks (not life threatening risks, do you know me?), and want to go out and explore the world. I go to bed thrilled with the wonderful experiences I will have the next day. But something happens when I sleep. Because when I wake up in the morning, all of my plans go away. I have no motivation to carry through with my plans or explore the world or really get out of bed in general. Last night I planned on going on a 5 mile run through the hills to enjoy the sunshine, hear the birds chirping, and bask in the peaceful morning atmosphere. What happened? I heard my alarm go off, slapped it, and woke up two hours later. Last night I planned on having a really productive day where I would take the initiative and go out searching for jobs by going into different places and talking to the owners to see if they had any positions open. What happened the next day? I watched an hour of Sportscenter, laid on the floor watching a show about making over a home, chased my dog around the house, and wasted time surfing the internet until mid-afternoon. Last night I was super excited about going to a camp and was imagining how sociable and outgoing I'd be. That happened right? Wrong. I had to will myself out of bed and couldn't find anything to say at the early hour (Disclosure: I am very sociable once you get to know me and not a hermit by any means, but when I'm tired, hungry, or disgruntled and you're a stranger, be weary (:).

If I had the same mindset I have at night all the time, I would change the world. Let me tell you it would be awesome. I would be so much more productive, creative, and all around better. I'm getting better at spreading the wealth throughout the whole day rather than just at night, but it is definitely an effort. Maybe I should just take advantage of my increased brainpower at night time. As Catherine O'Hara said: "Night time is really the best time to work. All the ideas are there to be yours because everyone else is asleep." Well said, Ms. O'Hara, well said.

Transcendentalist Geniuses

Junior year of high school I was first introduced to a movement called the Transcendentalist movement. If you've never heard of it, look it up. It's amazing. Emerson, Thoreau, Dickinson, and Fuller were all Transcendentalists and man did they have good ideas. I'm a little bit of a dork (I have no problem admitting it), and I sometimes like to just ponder about life and talk about, think about, or write about deep things. It's really fun and soothing. Whenever I come across big concepts that make you think and where deeper meaning lies, I soak it up. Hence, my love for the transcendentalists. These people stepped outside the materialist lifestyle they found around them in the mid 1800s, and looked for deeper meaning and purpose in life. They were indeed spiritual, but didn't associate with particular religious groups or organized religions. Instead, they went out into nature and away from the hustle and bustle of the common world, and used the quiet bliss that surrounded them to just listen. Listen for something more. Listen for a deeper spirit that connects the world and all the things in it. In doing so, transcendentalists were looking to find themselves. They believed that within each of us is a soul that is close to a Deity and that the ideal spiritual state is realized only through one's own intuition; how we feel and think within ourselves without being influenced by outside forces. God gave humans the gifts of intuition, insight, and inspiration, so we should use them for ourselves to find truth in the world. All humans have access to this vast cove of spiritual enlightenment because it lies within their own soul. That is why many of the transcendentalists tried to completely escape society and plunge into nature alone or create utopias conducive to allowing for this type of isolation and ability to tap into their inner soul.

It all sounds maybe a little too deep, but I think these people were really getting at something. Humans all have the a certain sense of right and wrong and a compassion for one another (even if this fails from time to time) no matter what culture or area of the world they live in. There seems to be something connecting us all and I think it lies within us and that once we tap into that little soul within us we can discover who we truly are, what we are to do in this life, and really do good in the world. Although you may believe a different Deity provides this soul to us all than I do, I think if we all strive to find out more about this spirit if you will we will arrive at the same end. Even if we use different means to get there. Self-actualization is the first step, and, if this were to occur with us all, as Emerson writes: "We will walk on our own feet; we will work with our own hands; we will speak our own minds...A nation of men will for the first time exist, because each believes himself inspired by the Divine Soul which also inspires all men." So ladies and gentlemen, run out into nature and get to thinking!

I Never Want to Grow Up...

In the spirit of my birthday and all, I thought I'd blog about growing up. Doesn't it kind of stink? I totally know why Peter Pan decided to stay in Neverland forever and spend his days aimlessly flying around. Don't get me wrong there are a bunch of positives, but it's kind of sad to leave your childhood. Senior year of high school was probably the best year of my life thus far and now it's all over. Hanging out with your friends every day in school, seeing people you've grown up with in class every day, feeling a deep bond with your school through sports or whatever you were involved in, hanging out on weekends and throwing parties, prom, homecoming...it was all so fun! Then all of a sudden you're thrown into college where nobody knows your name, professors and classmates rarely know who you are, it takes a while to find friends and a place where you belong and it's just not the same as high school, you move out of the house and to a foreign place where you have to live on your own and find your way...what a shocker! I mean heck, I go from having my laundry done for me and lunches packed and ready for me every morning (thanks mom) to living on my own! Although those luxuries are missed, it's really just being away from my family and friends that stinks the most. Even though I still get to go home for summers (no other breaks really-stupid basketball), it just isn't the same because I'll never get to see these people every day really in the same intimate setting. Even living in my house is a little different because I'm living out of a suitcase now. What the heck??

All of that said (I like to focus on the positives, I swear, even when I rant about negatives like that), growing up has also been pretty cool. Being independent, having to find your own way, choose who you want to be and become, picking your path in life, and gaining new experiences and friends along the way has been an amazing time. Also having new perspective on things and seeing things outside the little realm of a high schooler. The world just opens up and it's cool to experience and think about things that are bigger than yourself. The world is filled with billions of other people in places and situations that you can't even imagine, and to be selfish or think you know a lot is just foolish. I'm still working on both of those things and have a ways to go, but just recognizing that fact is a huge step in itself. Although high school is behind me and it's time for me to learn how to be an adult, I'm really excited for the ride; my whole LIFE is ahead of me! I wonder what will happen...

Today I turn 19 years old! Very cool I know; it sounds so much older than 18 (so much younger than 20 though!). I had an amazing day filled with presents (thank you mom, dad and sister), exercise, meals with wonderful people, and a hilarious play; all of my favorite things and a wonderful day! Low-key birthdays with fun people are always amazing. So, thank you everyone for making today great!

Although I love birthdays, there are some things that maybe aren't the best. One thing is being sung happy birthday to. Does anyone actually like this tradition? For me, I never know really what to do: do I smile, do I laugh, do I look at everyone? It's just an uncomfortable time for the person who is supposed to enjoy the act. Next is opening presents in front of others. Another uncomfortable thing for me, the birthday girl. I usually love the presents and even if I didn't necessarily want/need them, I love the thought just as much, but my reactions never give my emotions justice and I just feel like my present givers are cheated. I promise everyone though, I love your present and the thought and just don't squeal and jump like others do. Just not my personality. Other things that aren't too kind to birthday boys or girls: punches for however many years you are turning, throwing birthday parties (for the younger generations, but nonetheless an event where you must spend tons of money to entertain people on YOUR birthday), turning another year older (bad for most people but luckily not too bad for my age group), and others. Thankfully I have been treated to wonderful birthdays by my loved ones and usually get spoiled, pampered, and made to feel like a queen, but for other unlucky souls it may be different. So, spare birthday boys and girls and give them a break on their one day of the year. They might return the favor when you're birthday rolls around.

A friendly reminder for us all...

...to be grateful for what we have!

Tasty Possibilities

I was really trying to avoid blogging about cooking - yes, Julie Powell you are DEFINITELY to blame - but I just love food so much I couldn't resist. Lately I've been watching a lot of the Food Network/Travel Channel (I take after my dad), and I just love the shows like Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives; Man vs. Food; and Food Wars. All of these shows travel around the country to little restaurants, bakeries, or cafes that are famous for their food. Today I watched an episode that featured Voodoo Donuts owned and operated by two guys who started off with a little bit of money and a dream. Now their little shop is thriving and people love their donuts that have an absurd amount of combinations like Triple Chocolate Penetration: a chocolate cake donut dipped in chocolate frosting and sprinkled with Cocoa Puffs, or the Memphis Mafia: a huge glazed donut covered with chocolate chips, banana, and peanut butter. How cool would it be to come up with creative combinations like that with delicious ingredients??

I think it would be the coolest thing ever to open my own restaurant, and, after I make my millions with a few sound investments (a sound life plan if I do say so myself), I am going to open a restaurant and be perfectly content. That's the plan at least. Opening a restaurant is a ton of work (so I've heard), but the people who do it just seem so happy and take pride in who and what they serve. It would be so cool to become famous in the neighborhood as the "best this" or "best that." Because a bakery is on the top of my list, I've secretly been saving good recipes that I've come across the past few years, and I have quite the collection. So, you're hearing it here first folks, my future bakery is going to be famous. If I find out how to cook, find wealthy investors, a perfect location, and a big customer base. Shouldn't be too hard right?