Jardins et Musées

I have become somewhat convinced the primary reason I continue to pick up these stories after long durations having gone without an apparent hint of interest, is simply because I can only escape the desire I have to return to Paris for so long. It is something that will haunt you in the best imaginable way. It's something you never forget. Like an old Edith Piaf song bursting forth from a phonograph. Much like the thought of a woman you are convinced is absolutely the most gorgeous thing you've ever had the privilege of seeing with your own two eyes. Or the itching feeling within your soul that you may receive when you are on the verge of greatness in any way conceivable.

I recently had the pleasure of watching a fantastic foreign film the other day again entitled "Amélie". It is a film about a shy waitress who, after an surprisingly pleasant discovery in her life, dedicates her life to helping others find happiness in clever ways. She seems to have trouble going after it for herself however, and the story takes place primarily in Paris. Fantastic shots of Montmartre and the lifestyle flow throughout the film like the very water in the River Seine. It is definitely a feel-good movie and entirely in French, so it is subtitled as all good foreign films should be. Then again, gotta love those voice-overs in Kung-Fu flicks like "Inman" (another amazing one). Watch the trailer to the film here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sECzJY07oK4 Anyroad, this movie had brought me back yet again to the feelings and visions of France I once held in person, leading me to find some outlet in which I can attempt to express it!

I suppose I'll pick up where I left off...where were we.. ah yes! Walking down l'Av. des Champs Elysees towards the Jardin and the Musee Louvre. The Jardin du Luxembourg was incredible, and it had an incredible array of things to witness; an ancient Egyptian obelisk and a holiday fair Ferris wheel among them. It was a Wednesday night from what I remember, and that is good news if you're planning on visiting the Louvre (which any self-respecting art-lover, or self-respecting human being, should fit in when going to Paris.) then because admission is free. Not that I wouldn't have given quite a LOT to visit it, but c'mon when you're on a budget... Truth of the matter is, it will be very difficult to describe to you what happened within those three hours that seemed to fly by too quickly while walking amidst the ancient Greek and Roman sculptures and countless priceless works of art amongst the myriad corridors and rooms of the Musée.


I was pleasantly surprised to find my favorite sculpture of all time at the Louvre, "Cupid and Psyche" by Antonio Canova. I honestly could have, and probably would have, spent all three hours just looking at that sculpture in particular had I not been aware of the immense collection still awaiting to be seen in the museum. It was literally awesome to be in the same rooms with the works of art I had only previously seen in films, pictures and history books. To know the history and struggle and the victory behind the works was intense. When you look at the works themselves, you can see the world through the artist's eyes. What was beautiful; what was chaos. The faces of the very sculptures were themselves the faces of the creator, the people of that time and place. Each stroke of the brushes centuries ago made with the same hands that touched those very scenes physically. One must truly witness it for themselves. Upon leaving the museum, my mind felt intellectually violated, to be honest. It was reeling from the massive intake of an entire face of humanity I had never before witnessed to that extent. It left an impression in such a way that I can never go back to that previous, forgotten way of thinking. My mind and heart was expanded in a way to a growth point one can only experience by being subjected to it. You will see.

Message received: "We, ART, will speak for ourselves."

Quite An Eggsperience

Upon descending le tour’s archaic elevators, I proceeded to walk across the Parc Du Champ de Mars, past the countless autumn leaves that spoke amongst themselves in many inexplicable tongues of color, and looked back to the Eiffel Tower as though the experience of reaching the top had yet to happen. It was all so surreal and beautiful. A fantastic aspect of travel is upon visiting a place that is particularly memorable or impactful, one can almost travel there, back to those same places within the heart, mind and soul. Almost. While the unique sounds and extraordinary sights can only be fully experienced when physically present, the mere remnant of that is significant enough to last until I can create more recollections to add to my mental memoir on the next adventure... I can still faintly hear that familiar accordion playing those old tunes echoing throughout the Paris Metro.

I then proceeded down L’Avenue de La Motte Piquet and across several busy streets to a corner café where my girlfriend at the time and I decided to stop for some lunch. Now something I learned on this day was that French food has l’œufs, or eggs, in… well just about everything. This doesn’t trouble me a bit, as I am a fan; however my ex-girlfriend is really quite allergic. So basically everything on the menu turned out to, quite literally, be a recipe for disaster. Of all the experiences I had attempting to speak French, I would say I had the most difficulty in restaurants and patisseries. Perhaps more vocabulary would have been useful. Be prepared for understanding terminology for those environments! But I digress. After asking if what we had ordered contained eggs, and the waiter promptly replied “non”, he randomly reappeared minutes later with the biggest egg you’ve ever seen sunny side up smiling at us from the plate. I apologized for the mistake and although he said our applicable plates had no eggs, soon after we departed (and left a rather large tip), I soon found myself travelling with a nauseous wreck. Had it not been for the fact that I was fascinated from exploring Paris, I probably would have felt much worse about the situation, especially seeing as how each picture I took had a shot of her about to throw up over every bridge and landmark along the river Seine.

As we passed l’Hotel des Invalides, the captivating gold dome reflecting the light of the sky, and with my feet shuffling through the fallen leaves, I truly felt I was in an entirely new world. We turned down Boulevard des Invalides and walked past the Museé Rodin, which was incredible to simply know what lay within it’s walls. Rodin’s most famous work, with which people most often associate him, was his sculpture “The Thinker”. It was actually originally to be part of a very large contract for an art museum entitled “Hell’s Gates” that was never completed. The site of the Museé can be found here: www.musee-rodin.fr

Traversing Esplanade des Invalides, the view of Paris is one of the most interesting. The Eiffel Tower can be seen above nearby apartments, the expansive Assemblée Nationale building and l’Hotel des Invalides is directly to the left, and across the river can be seen les Grands et Petit Palais. I kid you not, had I not gone inside myself, I would say the front gates to Le Petit Palais could possibly be a portal into heaven. See for yourself! Inside was an art exhibit (likely a cover to disguise the real portal), and after taking a good look we then carried on down the famous Av. des Champs Elysees towards La Jardin du Luxembourg and Museé Louvre. And this, dear readers, is where I must leave you for now. Until next time!

A View From The Top

Je suis vraiment desole, je ne parle pas français tres bien, mais..." (followed with random vocabulary words in French) was the phrase I used most while exploring Paris. And you know what? It worked rather well. It means, "I'm sorry, I don't speak French very well but...", and I found that as I made an honest effort to communicate in the language of that particular country, almost everyone was willing to help me or kindly make sympathetic attempts at friendly conversation. Which really, who could ask for much more?

For some reason, many Americans assume the French are extremely rude and dislike any form of interaction involving them. I suppose I can imagine if one goes to France, acting like a tourist rather than a traveller, and expects everyone to speak English and automatically conform to customs and habits one has picked up in their own country, the ensuing encounters could be a bit unpleasant. Living in Southern California, it would best be compared to an individual of Mexican descent approaching you and rattling off their concerns in Spanish, expecting you to communicate effectively with him or her and becoming irritated you cannot. Make sense? I hope so.

Moving on! As the morning began, and the sounds of Parisian activity rose from the street outside my window, I quickly set out on the path that was planned out the previous evening before I reluctantly went to bed. Of course the true art of travel is diverting from one's plans, so I wasn't counting on sticking to it. Walking to the nearest Metro station, I breathed a sigh of satisfaction from merely being in Europe on my own time, with such a feeling of detachment from all I left behind in the States. That is one of the many sacred characteristics of travel: the ability to completely escape all you’ve known as ordinary and replace it with what others know- their culture, their world. There is something spiritual in nature about becoming immersed in a different culture; a sort of connection with people that cannot be attained by sitting at home or in your hometown all of your life. Not to say that is the incorrect thing to do, but it is something you will never experience unless you get out into the world and be a part of others’ lives and let them become a part of yours. Seeing things from a completely new perspective in that way is something that the cost of a plane ticket and hotel can never cover; it truly is priceless. I think at some point or another a part of each of us has thought of how incredible it would be to drop everything and take a plane out of one’s own world and into a totally new one. Dropping everything and leaving, just walking right out the door and boarding a plane. Of course apart from being a fugitive, that could be a very good thing. Perhaps one could ask themselves why they “can’t do that” and look for solutions to remedy the problem?

Anyroad, I left the Metro once it arrived at L’av des Champs-Élysées, and proceeded above ground to L’Arc de Triomphe, which turned out to be quite a bit larger than I had previously anticipated it would be. It was also a great deal more epic a sight to behold, with an immense French flag waving amidst the four pillars of the infamous landmark. After walking around it for a time and seeing The Tomb of the Unkown Soldier, I proceeded down L’av Kléber to the Palais de Chaillot. Now, this was one of the most incredible sights of the entire trip. Not the Palais itself, but in fact what I saw once crossing the open plaza to survey the city. I had seen bits and pieces of Le Tour Eiffel (the Eiffel Tower for you English speaking folk) between the beautiful buildings along the avenues, but when you walk into plain view of all that Paris has to offer, your breath can’t help but escape you. The amount of sky when in harmony with the environment of the low level buildings, and contrasted by the tower against it all is something pictures really cannot capture in depth, both physically and mentally. It really took a while to soak it all up (that’s me in the center of the picture there), but once I recovered and got back on my feet, I walked across the bridge, or Pont d’léna, to the tower and purchased tickets to the very top. It was about €14, but the price was actually much higher than those Euros to get to the top. I never thought the words “this is a nightmare” would come out of my mouth when on the Eiffel Tower, but there was the absolute coldest, highest-speed wind I’ve ever experienced bombarding all of us when moving up the three levels of the tower, I just couldn’t help it… so make sure you dress warmly for the occasion. A young child was crying and trying to hide it was that bad! But keep in mind, it was well worth it to see what there is to see from the top. It seems for many things in life, the price you pay to get to the top turns out to be nothing for what you really get in results and rewards of finally reaching it.

The interior of the tower itself can best be described by the following: A small, rambunctious young lad was running around and misbehaving when he suddenly runs to a support beam and yells loudly, “Ces’t comme le chocolat! NOMNOMNOM!” All of which basically means, “It looks like chocolate!” shortly followed by the charming sounds of the boy pretending to eat the Eiffel Tower. I suppose it was the brown paint covering the metal, but either way it apparently looked delicious. The structure really was a remarkable sight and the views it offered were spectacular. The best view of the rest of Paris is where I will leave you for now, but needless to say, the day held much, much more.

Paris, je t'aime (Pt. 1)

Ah oui, the charming sounds of an accordion playing in the distance. The birds flutter past ze Eiffel Tower in unison and there are artists (emphasis on the “i”) painting amongst the many parks. Ah, Paris. You can pretty much bet that any and all thoughts you may have about how spectacular Paris is will be blown away and far surpassed. While I only spent two days in Paris, it was not nearly enough time in the city to fully get all I could out of the experience. Don’t get me wrong now; I definitely was out seeing all I could practically nonstop. So buckle down and prepare for the rapid unfolding of events!

My travel partner and I began the journey by taking a Eurostar train from London’s Kind’s Cross/St. Pancras Train Station to the Gare du Nord Station in Paris, France. And no, unfortunately I did not take platform 9 ¾. I am convinced the Chunnel is the easiest way to get from London to Paris, being affordable and much less of a hassle than airlines. The trip went smoothly and I had the great pleasure of being in the car with a host of drunk Irishmen who were on the way to Paris for a big football match. To give you an idea of the crew, upon nearing the station in France, one merrily shouted in regards to the Eiffel Tower, “It’s just a big f---ing pylon!”. Charming.

First tip on visiting a foreign country: Go with a map in hand of where you will be. This seems like common sense to most people, me included, however I was talked into purchasing one at the train station when I arrived at the Gare du Nord station. Bad idea. There was so much happening upon arriving, I soon found myself distracted by patrolling French military carrying FAMAS assault rifles and trying to read signs in French. Fortunately, I had been taking French that semester and it paid off to no end. My travel partner and I soon found ourselves on the boulevard looking at public maps in an attempt to find our hostel, the Montmartre Clignancourt Hotel. We eventually found it after asking for directions in French a couple times. This place worked out fantastically. It was extremely affordable (about forty American dollars a night) and I scored a room on the third floor above a quiet Parisian street. Well quiet aside from rioting Algerians; but I’ll get to that later. It even had a view of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica lit up in the evening over the neighboring rooftops. Speaking of rooftops, one of the best things about Paris was the open feel to it. There was just so much sky! The buildings in the main circle of the old city are not allowed to be over a certain number of stories. The one building they let go beyond the limit was a complete eyesore and an obvious mistake. I personally think they should demolish Le Tour Montparnasse, but that’s not up to me.

Anyroad, the first night I arrived at the hostel, I was not about to just stay there, even if it was late into the night. I soon came to find that Paris is alive and active well into the early morning and actually on into the following day. As I walked the many streets (or “rues”), I found that every neighborhood or street appeared to have its own café in a way, at which the residents of said establishments would spend time together on into all hours of the night. I decided to check out the nearby Sacré-Coeur Basilica and ran into numerous charming streets and market squares.

I also got a chance to see the famous Moulin Rouge cabaret after walking past the Café des deux Moulins (from “Amelie”).

This was an interesting point because a group of Irish football fanatics were literally stopping traffic and jumping on everything they could find in celebration of beating the French and moving a step closer to the World Cup. I managed to leave by the time the local police finally gained the courage to begin breaking it up.

As the night wore on into the early morning, I made my way back to the hostel and made preparations for the next day. I decided I would catch the metro to L'Arc de Triomphe and head from there to the rest of the areas I wanted to hit. I knew the day ahead was going to involve a lot of walking, and could not have been more excited for the things I would soon see and experience. And with that, I bid Paris bonsoir.

London Calling

Ladies and gents, I'll be frank. While I have not forgotten anything about Europe, there remain things I will have to leave out in order to keep to the main points. I went to London for two reasons. I wanted a good ‘ol fashioned European vacation since I had never been to the continent before, and I wanted to visit someone I was in a relationship with at the time. Since things have changed since then, I will do my best to recall only the relevant information.

London was an incredible beginning to the trip! I had never been so happy to see a beautiful, rainy landscape before my plane descended through the clouds over London. I have been on a plane many times before, but this particular decent was spectacular. It was difficult to comprehend I was finally in Europe even as the pure green pastures quickly turned into the busy streets of London below me. I even made an audible, nonsensical noise of excitement when I saw the vehicles on the lanes of the road reverse to those of the Unites States.

The transit from Heathrow Airport to my hostel was an easy one. If you have to stay in a hostel, I recommend St. Christopher’s Village near downtown London. Of course, I didn’t spend a ton of time there because I greatly took advantage of exploring the city. That first night I went out on the town and instead of eating traditional English food, went for an Italian ristorante near Trafalgar Square. Don’t scold me just yet, I got my fill of fish and chips, bubble, beer and all that jazz! The days at this point all kind of blend because it has unfortunately been a while since the trip. I know I was in London for five and a half straight days, went to Paris for two, and returned for another three days.

Those eight days in London were incredibly memorable. Museums, plazas, cathedrals, landmarks and pubs, you name it; I saw it. Public transportation was amazing, and it was easy to get from one place to another by use of the Underground or the classic red double-decker buses. If and when you go to London, make sure you bring an umbrella. You will need it. It rained a good majority of the time, and while some entire days were rainy, many times it was only the mornings that were overcast. Even when sunny, it was quite cold in November, and I had to buy a scarf before walking along the Thames River. My pea coat helped in unimaginable ways between the material and collar. Oh, and how could I forget about CCTV? Basically the government had cameras everywhere. Like Big Brother. In one case, I even witnessed two rather large men crammed in a Smart Car sitting on a side street for hours with a CCTV camera attached to the top. Strange to say the least.

There really is a lot to see from the Thames, and while I did not spend a lot of time alongside it, most places of significance I visited had a clear view of the river. The Houses of Parliament (Big Ben and all) was an amazing sight at night, with the London Eye directly across the Thames. The London Eye is similar to a large Ferris wheel with large capsules in which people can move freely and take pictures. It was difficult to get clear shots with a camera at night, so try to figure out your settings before excursions. Big Ben was a lot smaller than I thought it actually was, but I suppose you could blame “The Great Mouse Detective” on making it seem gigantic. The architecture was amazing, and the detail that went into even the most basic surfaces of the towers and walls is clearly visible. Buckingham Palace was no exception and was quite a sight to stumble upon coming out of Green Park (I know, such an original name). The skyline of London was filled with cranes and construction rigs because the city seemed to be growing constantly. It was also interesting to see the many types of bridges across the Thames as well, including London Bridge, Millennium Bridge and the famous Tower Bridge.

Now I am very interested in art, and if you are too you can relate to this next bit quite well. Coming out of the London National Gallery, I felt as though my mind and soul had expanded exponentially every few minutes I was inside. Full of original Van Gogh’s and Monet’s among Flemish era paintings and Renaissance portraits from around Europe was awesome in the true meaning of the word. As astounding as that was, I was literally speechless when it came to St. Paul’s Cathedral. I feel confident in saying St. Paul’s was my favorite sight in London. It looks amazing from the outside, towering above the neighboring buildings and lit up by night. But the inside is just mind-numbing. I took no pictures because it is something you just have to see for yourself. The dome is surprisingly high and I wondered to myself how the artists actually did work on the seemingly impossible places to reach. Traversing the steps to the very top is a chore (you may actually die, there are so many), but the view is so worth it. Here is a view from one of the outer levels.

Before I left on the trip, someone had told me that food in England is virtually none and they serve you nothing but cucumber sandwiches and tea at every meal. I was pretty sure those in the UK were human and needed food just as much as anyone, so that idea was out. Sure enough, I was able to partake of many kinds of food including, but not limited to, pasta and white wine, pork burgers with mustard that will clear your sinuses, fish and chips with a pint of Guinness, two pound meal deals, and a traditional English breakfast. Yes, I was serious about the mustard, that stuff will rid you of sinus problems forever it’s so spicy. Two pound meal deals are the way to go if on a tight budget. Two pounds you get a sandwich (or pasta), chips and drink of your choice- available at most grocers. The English breakfast was a far shot from cucumber sandwiches and consisted of [inhale] eggs, mushrooms, a couple cooked tomoatoes, four pieces of toast, beans (for the toast), a sausage or two, bacon if ordered, and bubble, which consists of potatoes, carrots, cabbage, corn and other vegetables mashed up and cooked like hash browns [deep breath]. As you can see by the picture to the right, some items in the market were not particularly appealing. Not repulsive enough to make me skip the pork sandwich though. I also had the opportunity to try some seasonal ale at a pub: Doomsbar and Broadside. The former was delicious while the latter was a little too much to handle on the tongue. There are so many options when it comes to food and dessert if you go to a market. I had the most delicious steak burger EVER at the local market by the hostel. The markets at Brick Lane also have a lot of food, candies and cool clothes if you’re in the shopping/walking aimlessly mood. You’re bound to run into something or someone interesting.

Speaking of interesting people, I’m going to be completely honest in my observations here, okay? I know people say the British are, for the most part, some of the most unattractive bunch you’ll ever cross paths with. And well, it’s … mostly true. I’m sorry, I mean everyone has a different taste I suppose, but really attractive people must have been very few and really far between. However, they all had amazing style. They will completely blow you away when it comes to style, I don’t care if you’re Tim Gunn. Well, maybe not, but you take the most nerdy, most underdressed clown in London and compare him or her to the best dressed American and you still may have a hard time calling it even. Stylish though they were, most people in London seemed closed off and rather cold to interaction. It’s almost as if most people had business to attend to, and didn’t want you to be any part of it. That mostly was apparent on public transportation and other areas by the financial districts. But I guarantee you, if you go for a good time, you will find it. The nightlife seemed pretty active and most cafes and landmark areas seemed friendly as well. I will undoubtedly be making a trip back there, and have added surrounding areas to the list of must-go places. I am definitely going to be planning trips to Ireland, Scotland, and other cities in the United Kingdom over the next couple years. I’m actually already thinking about Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day 2011, so if that sounds like something you may want to take part in, contact me!

In the meantime, feel free to discuss London further with me, as I’m sure I didn’t cover all the ground in this post like I did while actually there. Feel free to check out more pictures at www.flickr.com/zachstracks. Coming soon will be more on the beautiful city of Paris, so stick around and be amused! If you are not amused, suck it up and go there yourself! You’ll have a great time, trust me.

These Days

Well a lot has happened recently. Potentially upsetting but mostly exciting things.
I do believe things happen for a reason, and although my recent plans seemed to have been cut away, I am left at present with immense potential for progress and improvement in many areas. While much of this, I imagine, will be realized upon stumbling upon it, I have a lot to begin work on immediately. This is what excites me.
It is the many daily decisions, both easy to do and yet so easy not to do, that make a huge difference when compounded over time. It is what in the end makes us or breaks us. A decision to read certain things over others, to exercise or watch TV, to eat healthily or unhealthily, to lie or be honest, the list goes on. But these build one's character and ultimately one's destiny, leading me to examine where I really want to be in the future. Who I want to be. It's decisions; little adjustments on the way to the goals. Keeping it simple and being consistent seem to be the most helpful factors through the decisions.
What I have learned is I will indeed face adversity. We all will and do on a semi-regular basis. Adversity that challenges our belief in ourselves and what we truly desire. There are forces that oppose even the grandest dreams imaginable. President John Adams once said, "People are forged in the fires of adversity." A friend recently pointed out to me that the quote should insert the word "successful" at the beginning. He was right. So many are not willing to face opposition to their beliefs and dreams and run at even the slightest smell of smoke, much less the heat of the fire. But you look at anyone in history who overcame, who fought, who went through hell and back, and you will find a person who left a legacy because they accomplished what they dreamed possible for themselves or for others. Isn't what you desire worth fighting for?! Don't listen to "them", listen to you.
I'll catch up Europe soon, so stay tuned. I suppose it's taken me this long partially because it just feels like so much to attempt to convey! Until next time.

A Tale from Colorado Springs

I found myself getting off a plane in Colorado Springs, Colorado on a sunny Friday afternoon, but was rather behind schedule due to every single flight I had being delayed by a good hour at least. This being a trip to a private, invitation-only conference on trends in the e-Commerce industry, I was obviously aiming to make it on time and was literally running to get where I needed to go.
Not long after the delayed flight landed, I was lost in my massive hotel. You should have seen the intricate maze of hallways and walkways that made up the Crowne Plaza hotel! It had halls shooting off every which angle and I went to the wrong room twice before I finally made it to my own. The size was really rather deceiving from the outside since the hotel covered more ground square footage than it had in height. Don't get me wrong, just because it was a little difficult to navigate the halls doesn't mean it was not a very nice hotel. When you have plasma TV's in every room and a huge indoor pool that looks like it's outside, it can't be that bad a deal.
The town itself did not seem very interesting to me, quite honestly. Pike's Peak seemed the highlight of the town and probably would have been neat to check out given more time. I am sure there was perhaps a more active area or at least a more busy part of town nearby, but I never saw it. Just looking over the city from the plane, there appears no distinguishable landmarks (other than the previously mentioned mountain) or interesting downtown areas.
Despite the town not necessarily being the most interesting thing on the planet, I was fascinated by the event I was attending in many ways. Of course, the speakers had incredible things to say, both about our economy and success principles everyone can practice in their lives. Now trends in the economy and trends in the e-Commerce industry may sound a bit dull, but truthfully, there is so much going on today with business the main thing to see is the profit potential and the opportunity anyone can capitalize on. Great wealth has always been created in times both during and after recessionary and depression periods in the economy. Forecasters like Harry S. Dent have been saying that we will see the greatest shift of wealth the country has ever seen coming with the Internet and all the commercial traffic going on as we speak (http://www.hsdent.com/).
Can you imagine never having to trade hours for dollars for the rest of your life? Never having to set the alarm clock for 5:00 am to get to am shift at work? You would be free with both time and money to do the things you want to do, with the people you want to do things with, when you want to do it! No 40-40; 40 hours a week 40 years of your life. Actually now, it is more like the 40-50. We as a country can not rely on others to make a financial difference in our lives and the lives of the one's we care about. I know I need to take responsibility for my future and my future family's as well. I would much rather work hard for a few years of my life, than work average for 60 years of my life. So sue me.
I think it is incredible how many people do not understand that. I mean, do what you want- that's more than okay with me, but to look down on what I am doing and the positive choices I am making because I have allocated my time elsewhere and my priorities on other things is unacceptable to me. It is true, I have been spending less and less time hanging out and reading comics or just passing the time. Frankly, I am done passing the time and playing games because time is too valuable a thing to waste. There is too much at stake in what I want for my own future to let things pull me away from where I really want to go. I work hard now and read books that apply to what I need to learn and spend time with people who are living how I want to live, and I will play so much harder... later. Delayed gratification, ladies and gentlemen.
I'll be honest with you: I am just now practicing this. I had been treating my goals and efforts in business just like I had been many other areas in life. I had invested such minimal effort in education, relationships and many other important areas of my life, that I had become comfortable with simply getting by. I have realized not that there is too much at stake now, but there has always been and I am just waking up to it. I have seen the progress I have made, or lack thereof, and know now that my previous way of going about things will not cut it. The knowledge I have gained, the research I have done and the advice I have been given over that period of time has now clicked and is being put to use; much like a factory coming to life in times of war and producing more than it was able to before. I must remember this, and consistently do what I know I need to do for my future. For this has become a war; a war against myself every day, every decision and every thought a battle for my future.

The Ewok Experience

Yes, you're seeing what you think you're seeing! This is indeed a full-on dining experience situated not on the patio of a famous city bistro, nay, but among the numerous branches and leaves of trees! What's that you say? You've always wanted to experience what Ewok life is like on Endor? Well then, these are some top choice eateries with which you can live out that experience! Check out the night pictures in the link below for more than the Wok Experience... this is the Ewok Experience.

This first picture in particular reminds me of an elven establishment in the highest reaches of Lothlorien Forest in Middle Earth. It reminds you of The Lord of the Rings as well, does it not? You know what, that's probably because "The Yellow Treehouse Restaurant" here is located in New Zealand, where much of the filming for the epic trilogy took place!

The Treehouse Restaurant, Bar and Grill in Costa Rica sounds like a neat place to hang out and grab some fresh South American coffee. If you want to ditch the authenticity and go for the free internet access, that's always an option too.

On the other hand, in the UK is found a warm and cozy tree house restaruant by the name of the Alnwick Garden Treehouse Restaurant; basically a wooden castle in the trees. Don't believe me? Well you should, because I'm just telling you what I know. That and this picture proves it. Seems like a pretty neat place to stay and have a nice country meal does it not? I'll bet the veal stew is nice. Speaking of the United Kingdom, I'm planning a little trip up there in November. I wouldn't call it little, come to think of it, because I have been waiting to go to Europe for a long, long time... Anyway, another post perhaps.

The Bushwick Ridge Treehouse Restaurant looks like something of an outpost one might find at Jurassic Park. Found in South Africa and surrounded by the topography of yellowwood trees, it would feel completely natural to me if I looked to the side and found I was eating my Kudu dish alongside a brontosaurus chowing down on some scrumptious foilage. That's just how I feel. Looking at pictures, one might feel the same way. Look for yourself below! Very interesting spin on dining, I must say. With that, I tip my hat and say au revior!

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/greenpicks/254/eating-in-a-tree-six-wild-treehouse-restaurants.html

Destination: Jade Mountain

Sounds pretty exotic right? Jade Mountain is a resort on the island of St. Lucia in the Caribbean, not far from the British and U.S. Virgin Islands. The rooms at the resort are open on one wall to the beautiful view of the island and the ocean surrounding it. They have different levels of room types ranging from 'star suites' to 'sun suites'. The rooms have what are called "infinity pools" which are flat-edge pure water pools ranging in size depending on room type. Take a look at this infinity pool:

The suites available range in price from $850-$1450 per night. It increases as the type of suite increases in square footage and style.


This is an example of a sun suite with an infinity pool view. Not bad at all, huh? I could definitely spend a nice portion of a day lounging around in a spacious, open area with this scenery. My favorite of the suites is actually one of the less expensive ones, but in my opinion looks a lot more comfortable than the rest- the Star Suite:
The island of St. Lucia itself is interesting in that other than the beaches and resorts such as this one, the island is mostly untouched by modern technology and the noise and frustrations that often come with industrialization. While it does rely heavily on tourism for its economy, it always seems to maintain a balance with fun. You can still go to the markets and haggle for bananas only to minutes later fight off monkeys trying to get their share. It is a volcanic island and has a lot more distinct terrain features to offer than most other Caribbean islands.
Whether for a honeymoon or just a getaway, St. Lucia and Jade Mountain in particular is a nice choice to consider indeed.

http://www.jademountainstlucia.com/

Effection

Yes, the title is spelled the way I want it. No, I don't know where I'm going with this.
It has taken me way longer than expected to retrieve the pictures from my friend Sonder, but it's all good. I finished up Portland with Voodoo Donuts, a popular donut shop where you can get Captain Crunch and Froot Loop donuts along with maple bars with bacon on them. As nutritious as that sounds, it was quite tasty to be honest. I also stumbled upon a pretty cool Saturday market thing downtown where I had myself a delicious omlette at one of the many food stands in the area. There was a lot of Indian and Greek food too.
I am having a surprisingly hard time focusing right now, frankly. I actually don't feel very well. I am convinced it's self-induced and my mind is doing this to me. I'm doing this to myself. I need to snap out of it so I can go to sleep and not get sick to my stomach. Isn't it odd how the things that you thought wouldn't affect you again or as much as they had in the past tend to jump out and startle you? It makes you sick sometimes. Things you thought were simple parts of the scenes back in a past act resurface with such acridity it seems impossible to simply shrug off.
Things change constantly as life goes on. Fact. I am aware of this. I also know that we grow and improve by embracing change and doing the best we can to take things as they come, knowing full well our reactions are all we have the ability to control. It's just a little staggering sometimes when things change very rapidly in a short time. Stepping back, I believe I can see now the different paths things and people have taken to lead them all here at this moment to combine into a wave I wasn't really ready for. It is amazing to me the way people change. The way they can convince themselves (or try so hard to convice others) they are so happy when they seem to forget they have given up their dreams, character and true friends. For what? Security? The easy way out; the risk-free way? That's one basic path I have identified and there are many others converging here as I write.
Life is a series of intersections.
I should have listened to myself when I had the chance before. I suppose I am now... so that's out. How could I have seen it coming though? I should have shouldn't I? I mean words spoken were real enough. They didn't just seem sincere, they were. Actions don't always line up with words, however sincere they are. But other people have to go about their business too. No one waits around forever, especially if it's for something so dubious.
Yellow light.
Why does it still knock me down? How come there are so many things I pretend don't mean a thing and don't remind me of anything when I know, I KNOW that's not true? I have to do that now don't I? As much as I hate running from things, surely if I stay I would be defeated. Maybe that approach is all wrong here.
Red light.
Maybe I should fight it. Face it painfully and just get rid of it all. I'll turn that energy into what I need in other areas at this point too. I can't wait around either. I can't just sit here.I guess it's what I have to keep doing now. I thought I was moving forward with such focus, but I think I knew better. I have to stop kidding myself. The ol' handcuffs between the ears trick isn't going to cut it anymore. What am I sitting around for anyway? There are things to be done, I can't keep going back to what I know isn't going to happen and focus on what I know I can make happen now. Well here goes. As soon as I wake up.
Green light.

Our Story Thus Far

I will begin by simply saying Portland, Oregon is astonishing. I love it, quite frankly. I flew in around 4pm today and the adventure never stopped from there! Actually it started before with many enjoyable conversations with many different people. A gentleman by the name of Ramon (his son wants to be a pilot and gets good grades) and Marcus (shoe-shiner in the Seattle airport) were a few among them.
You will be proud of the amount of pictures I took today... because I sure am! Those who follow this know I am not very adept at taking pictures. I'm just not usually that kind of guy. However, aside from the touristy look of it and catching myself walking around Portland with my mouth wide open more times than I can count, they turned out great. I'll post some when I get home.
I realized something again today though. People need to take more chances. We can't settle for what we're handed if it's not really what we want or if we're simply 'comfortable' with it. Get out there! Make mistakes and learn from them. Don't stay comfortable. Nothing great was ever accomplished by those who settled for something less than what was achieved with their best. I left an expo at the Memorial Colesium with some friends I had made on the way over there, when one informed me since he had been in Portland before, we should go to the food court in the mall down the street. It was one of the only places he had been to and known.
But I am in Portland. I have never been here before. Why would I simply walk a block when honestly everywhere I look across the river, there are huge buildings, tall pine covered hills with houses, and awesome architecture you just know is harboring a great hole-in-the-wall place to eat!? No Subway for me, thanks. I actually ate at a random fish taco stand which turned out to be delectable in every sense. The owner is a fisherman and catches fresh fish for it all the time, with varieties of tacos ranging from cod to Pacific Red Snapper (I had that).
I simply took the MAX transportation system down to Old Town and winged it, if you will. Best thing I have done here yet. Get kind of lost on purpose. I saw so much stuff I couldn't put all of it here. At night, in this big city square, they were showing Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade on a huge screen with hundreds of people watching! There was so much going on wherever I looked. It was similar to San Francisco in the sense of activity level, transportation, certain areas, and even the characters. It's beautiful here, and I will continue to update you as I progress. Good night and good luck.

Sleep With The Fishes

Check this out! This is an underwater hotel scheduled to open in 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey. Apparently, Istanbul will be the place to be as the opening will be around the same time it will be nominated as the Culture Capital of Europe and become a top player in the tourism industry globally. It is said to be at a 7-star rating!


Sounds like it will definitely be something of an experience. Dubai also has one in the works named Hydropolis, as well as the Poseidon Underwater Resort in Fiji. Hydropolis seems to be a possible setting for an old James Bond flick to me haha. I'll definitely be looking into booking a stay there when I can afford it haha. You can bet rates will be a little steep...

Hydropolis

http://www.designbuild-network.com/projects/Hydropolis/

And for Fiji:
http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2006-12/1200-square-feet-under-sea

Sounds like a good time and looks great to me. Who's on board?

Next Step

The beautiful city of Portland, Oregon. Or so I'm told! This will be my first trip to Portland and Oregon in general, but from what I hear, it is not only a sight pleasing to the eyes. I have heard tales of a famous doughnut shop that puts bacon on maple bars, and has parks and gardens rivaling those of the most famous. I know the music scene there is something to discuss with great fervor. You could say it sounds like a modern day promised land haha.

I will be there for business, but will take some down time and go explore as much as I can while I'm there. Most of the conducted business will take place from midday Saturday to Sunday evening intermittently. I will be flying in Friday and leaving Monday morning. When not at my headquarters (hotel room), I'll be out and about seeing what I can see. You know the drill, I share what I see as best I can, as well as what I learn and experience. Has anyone else been to Portland? Any input? What was your experience?

Destination: Seychelles

This place looks amazing. I definitely want to experience it firsthand. Seeing pictures of places like this makes me think of all the places in the world I have never even heard of yet, but are just waiting for me to discover.


Man how cool would it be just to relax on the beach and know everything's working out and you don't have to worry about things when you get back home? You can just lay back in the soft, warm sand looking at the clouds and listen to the waves methodically hitting the beach.



I want that vacation. I want that life.

Circumstance

It's been awhile, I know, and for that I am sorry. But I have not forgotten! I have been so busy lately it is unreal... but so very good. By staying busy and focused on what I am doing now, I will reach my goals by the time I want, if not before, and then I can take some time to relax a little bit. I was raised with the concept of "get your work done, then you can have fun", so needless to say, I'm doing just that. Plus, there's your charming rhyme of the day!
It's so very true though, that idea. I have learned that a little delayed gratification and self-discipline can go a long way in the end. It may not always be the easiest or most comfortable choice, but the rewards are priceless. I get what I want in better or greater quantities of enjoyment, plus benefit from personal growth. Not to say I've got things all figured out or am better than anyone in the slightest. I'm learning just like everyone else. I am smart enough to know I know nothing and that I can learn from the experiences of those who have gone before me and are where I want to be or from those who know what I want to learn. It just takes an adaptable attitude of being coachable and an open mind with which to improve oneself.
I would share more right now, but it's Father's Day and I'm going to go take care of the lunch business! Burgers with avocado and bacon sounds SO good right now. Have a great week! I'll do my best to take more time next time and not just a couple minutes!

Getting Down to Business

Alright ladies and gentlemen, I have been doing a lot of thinking and planning lately and have decided to completely rearrange my plans to match with my goals. What do I mean, you ask? Well, have a seat and I'll explain everything.
Obviously, I haven't written anything for a while this month. That is because I have been remarkably busy between finishing school, going to work and mostly because I have been building the e-Commerce business on the side. Quite frankly, it's been paying off. This brings me to the next point on the list: I am staying here next semester. London will have to wait for now. And it will, as far as I know it's not going anywhere. I gave it a lot of thought and sought counsel from many respected people in my life, and have come to the conclusion that this coming semester would not be the best to leave behind. Realistically, the e-Commerce industry is exploding right now and is going the economic phase we call critical mass. Once any technology or innovative process hits 10% market penetration (10% population is using it and finally everyone starts asking "Now how does this work?"), it goes through critical mass and forms an S-curve, where it goes up, explodes and then levels out.
Having this in mind, seeing how well my business is growing, and knowing that all the business I create from here til the end of summer when I would be leaving would mostly die down in my absence, I have come up with another plan to make things work best for me! By staying and working this business solid all the time I would be away, I'll be right on target to even be able to go to London for two weeks of pure vacation time by winter break! I would be able to quit my job by September, having replaced and exceeded my present monthly income. It's the practice of delayed gratification. I still can not wait to go to Europe. I can't wait to go anywhere really! The streets of Egypt, the mountains in Nepal, the adventure in Brazil, the canals of Italy. It's all going to be so good. SO good! You may say "possibly...", I will say "watch". Progress I make will be so enjoyable I will not be able to help from recording it, so stay tuned. I will quite possibly take a trip to San Diego soon, so keep reading!

A Helpful Equation (Not Just for Mathematicians)

Good day! I hope that as you are reading this, you are coming to the realization that today is, in fact a great day! If today wasn't so hot, then at least you know you have brand new one tomorrow, yeah?
Something I was taught from a young age is the simple equation of E + R = O. Event plus Reaction equals the Outcome. Now events (the "E") happen to us in life that no matter what we do, we cannot change. You can't blame yourself for something out of your control, nor can you change it once it happens. Simple enough so far. The important thing to realize is that the outcome ("O") can vary greatly, and is solely dependent on... you! The variable that we control is our reaction (the "R") to events that occur in our lives.
Depending on our reaction, whether positive or negative, we determine if the outcome of said event is positive or negative as well. The best thing we can do is to react positively as much as we can to events that happen to us, so the majority of the outcomes we experience are positive and better our wisdom and understanding of life as we come to know it. Obviously, it is incredibly simple, but I have found that thinking of it in simple terms often increases the chances of success.
An example of how simplicity can often pay off, I have a short story for you. Andrew Carnegie once had a man come in and meet with him because he was very excited to show Mr. Carnegie a process that would make him money. Being the man of business he was, Mr. Carnegie did not hesitate to take his offer and meet. The man very clearly explained to him the simple organizational process of categorizing priorities in an "A", "B" and "C" fashion. As simple as it was, it made all the difference in the world to Mr. Carnegie and his financial exploits, and he promptly paid the man $100,000 for showing that to him! I believe that's the equivalent today of around $1.5 million.
This shows that often the most simple forms of organization can make the biggest differences. This example in particular also shows the true importance of organizing priorities to accomplish goals you want to accomplish. However, that is perhaps for a different day. So make today a great day; a day of growth!


Special thanks to my dad, Glen Andrews for teaching me this valuable equation from a young age.

Envision

A few days ago I was able to spend some quality time with most of my family at the beach. After the sun went down, I walked to the end of the pier at Newport Beach and leaned against the wood railings and thought of something interesting. It was nightfall by this time, and the lights amidst the black mountainous shapes were clearly visible farther off in the distance. Leaning against the railings, I slowly began to drown out all other sounds. The laughing, coughing, yelling of children; all of it. I focused intensely only on the moonlight on the waves separating me from those lights.
From that vantage point I was able to envision myself out in the ocean on a boat with the lights of the land far away and the lights of the boat behind me. It is one of my dreams to someday have a house on the Mediterranean Sea and a sailboat that goes right along with it. This sailboat, when out for nightly excursions, will have lights strung along the lines of the sails overhanging a covered table with a white tablecloth on which to eat and drink. Slowly, the music I imagine playing on the boat replaces the various voices of others that would not be there.
And the night got even better.