"Yes And"

Tina Fey knows how it is. Am I the only one that feels like her rules for improv are totally applicable to LIFE?! And to making it a good life!

Have a look-see and tell me what you think:

Improv Lessons by Tina Fey

That first rule triggered the epiphany. In her book she goes on to explain that agreeing with your partner (ahem... life) means accepting that what is IS, and you can't just say, "Umm, no. That's not real." or "I don't think so." In improv, what your partner (again... life) says and does IS! It's real and it's there. Floating around in existence. Floating in your face in existence! 

And then comes your turn. It is your turn to SAY YES. That means accept it! When life throws stuff at you, it is super easy to say "Yes!" to the good. We must remember to SAY YES to everything. Because what is, is. You cannot change it.

BUT! Never fear! 

                     The second rule!! 

The second rule is to "not only say yes, but..." 

                     BUT! There's a but! (Have you noticed a lot of but's? Totally. Good but's!) 

BUT SAY YES, AND!

"Yes, and" means you "add something of your own." This is where you can change what you don't like! This is where you can make it YOURS! Your life is your own. You cannot control anyone or anything else but you. But you CAN ALWAYS control YOU. If we say "YES, AND" to life, we are making it our own shindig!

And then if you check out rule three... It's so obvious. No need for more explaining. Maybe I should have shown you the illustration after all my excited rambling... Of course the last box is also quite brilliant. I sure hope you're looking at the picture again and re-reading them! I bet Tina Fey knew exactly what she was doing when she wrote these rules. She knew she would blow minds of people like me by making it so simple.

Simple as improv.

I highly recommend listening to Bossypants to hear 

all the wisdom and hilarity from Tina herself!

If anyone is out there...

...Anyone more than those super-fan aliens that follow my blog religiously... (They're real. I have photos.)
I hopefully will get to writing a little bit more soon.

But for now, I just have to say that the world is awesome and still has some beautiful-souled people, and I have been lucky enough to meet quite a few more of them recently. I am so thankful for those that still value: life_connections_understanding and growth_art and creativity_loving abundantly_and PEOPLE.

I am people.
They are people.
We are people.
YOU are people.

I'll put a pause on that sappy heart explosion for now and let you catch up... ;)

Meditation Mondays

After talking to my wild hermano (and I mean wild as in the "of an animal or plant" sense of the word: "living or growing in the natural environment; not domesticated or cultivated"), I was inspired to start trying weekly meditation. I thought, Meditation Mondays. There's no way I will forget if I call it something like that. And hey, what a fun name!

But it's Wednesday. And I didn't stop to meditate Monday... Or even Tuesday...

Instead, on Monday, I talked to my lovely Becks for three too-short hours. She spilled her heart out. I spilled mine. We had a giant pot of mixed molten heart juice overflowing with love. (Can I get an "Awwww"?)

PEACE.

Today, I spent time with my family. It is a time of loss. We cried together. We hugged. We ate froyo and cookies. Remembered the heart of our Anders.

PEACE.

I realize that if through meditation you are to find peace and enlightenment, that sometimes that sort of meditation includes others. It's just not in the traditional sense of solitary meditation. I do plan on finding some serenity, awareness, and understanding through some traditional meditation, but who can argue with finding peace with people you love?

Tranquility.
"Moss Hole" in Yosemite National Park, August 2014

So, it really was a successful Meditation Monday.
Found some peace.
And I wasn't alone.

Feel like gold.

Inscriptions

Found this post that I had written a while back and didn't post it for some reason. I think I thought it was incomplete. But after reading it again now, I see that it really says it all.


From some time in February:

Upon finding the books my sestra and a couple other of my soul sisters wrote me, my heart warmed, my face smiled, and I laughed like a crazy person all alone in the quiet.

The best kind of laughing, really.

Even though some of the pages are old, the words are not and they still hold true.
The authors still believe in every word that they wrote.
And I know that's a fact.

It's so wonderful being so sure in these friends of mine.

Step Out

Trying to get through today and finish my first assignment for my Finance class...  Jose Gonzalez is trying his best to help... Thanks bud. You da man.

Do yourself a favor and see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty if you haven't yet.

P.S. This song (/title/cool time-lapses) reminds me of my recent adventure. Hopefully I can share some musings about it soon. But for now, I gotta keep them bottled up until my educational matters are taken care of. Why did I think this was a good idea??

Keep warm. Stay frosty.

LAYERS from Nina Vallado on Vimeo.

Song: "Million Dollar Bills" by Lorde.

With love from the wide ocean.

I have been lacking in the inspiration department lately. Hence, the lack of any new posts that would possibly be worth your time. (Not guaranteeing anything with this one either, but here goes. If anything, hopefully it will help you procrastinate on whatever it is you should be doing instead for just a little bit longer.)

HOWEVER, it seems that the Crystal Fighters are bringing it back. (My inspiration, that is. They never lost their thang.) Well, it's like a rolling stone. Nothing spectacular yet, but I think I can hear the gears s t a r t i n g to turn. Crossing my fingers that it's about to get going.  Much needed.

Anywho, last weekend I joined one of my dear friends in the wilderness (also known as Joshua Tree) for a little world exploration and mind relaxation. There were many notable conversations (from bizarre to profound), lots of spontaneous dancing, native american rock pile contests, and more.  All special in their own way. But to the point >> He showed me a song that was a side of the Crystal Fighters that I hadn't seen heard before. And it really resonated with me. This might lead to a whole post on my music blog about 'em, so keep the ojos peeled.





And if that doesn't get you, then "Love Is All I Got" never fails. Unless you hate love, puppies, dancing, chocolate, and all things good in this world.





[Fill in your own transition here. Forgive me. Like I said... I'm running on limited inspiration.]

Also, Mumford & Sons never fails when it comes to having a song that hits me in the heart strings whenever necessary. Right now, "Roll Away Your Stone" is getting it done: filling the soul with comfort and wisdom.

It seems that all my bridges have been burned

But you say that's exactly how this grace thing works.

It's not the long walk home that will change this heart

But the welcome I receive with a restart.

Whaaaaaat? A lovely reminder?? Hey Mumf, I didn't sign up for that!
Oh wait... yes I did! Because you guys are brilliant. And go-to motivators.

Mental Medicine

For when you really need a heavy pick me up, here are a few of the weird things that work for me:

1. Fight Club
     Rejects. Crazies. Maybe some fighting...
     Tyler Durden
     The Narrator
     I am Jack's inflamed sense of rejection.
     I am Jack's broken heart.
     I am Jack's smirking revenge.

2. The Walking Dead
     People killing zombies killing people killing zombies.
     You must survive.
     That is all.

3. Inglourious Basterds
     Notice a theme? Neither do I!
       (I'm really not a violent person. REALLY.)

4. New Underwear
     All the colors, patterns, and designs!
     New clothes, but nobody knows.
     It just makes you feel so good!

5. Driving alone with music (and lungs) blasting.
     You're not doing it right until your voice cracks or it's gone. Long gone.

6. Doing something that terrifies you.
     What are your fears? Look them in the eye... or at least one... even for a second. Because hey, that's a step. And we aren't all racers, am I right?!
     Whatever gets your heart beating, babe.

Hopeless Wanderer

          So when your hope's on fire
          But you know your desire
          Don't hold a glass over the flame

          Don't let your heart grow cold
          I will call you by name
          I will share your road

          But hold me fast, Hold me fast
          Cause I'm a hopeless wanderer
          And hold me fast, Hold me fast
          Cause I'm a hopeless wanderer
          And I will learn, I will learn to love the skies I'm under
          And I will learn, I will learn to love the skies I'm under 

 - Mumford & Sons

I will wander until I am found.

To be lost and to be wandering are not always the same thing.

But sometimes, when you are lost, the only answer is to wander.