Reasonably Great Expectations

It seems like New Years last year went by without any notice for me. I made no resolutions and thanks to all the fun I had at the Rich’s, I don’t really remember much of the celebration haha.

To be honest I’ve never really been someone that relied on New Years resolutions in order to make good changes in my life. In my mind it’s really just an opportunity to set yourself up for failure that’s so expected, when it happens there is no consequence. With a failure rate of 92%, it should come as no surprise that I don’t put much credence in them.

That being said, I am making a conscious effort to do a few things different in 2016 that I failed miserably in accomplishing in 2015. Continue reading

Au Revoir San Francisco, I’m Moving to San Diego

So right now I’m vacationing with my family in the Florida Keys. The following week I fly to New York City to go to WeWork Summer Camp and visit Keith and the Girl. I then fly directly to Texas for work meetings and get this, on August 31 I move to San Diego.

San Diego California Embarcadero Marina ParkThat’s right. I’m giving up the cold blanket of fog for the warm sunshine of America’s Finest City. Starting September 1, all things going as planned, I’ll be moved into my new home and starting work a couple of days later.

If you feel taken aback by this news rest assured you’re not alone. Three weeks ago I’d never have even thought twice about moving to San Diego. I’d never even been to San Diego! Then, seemingly out of nowhere, an incredible job opportunity opened up. I jokingly responded something like, “Oh if only I lived in San Diego!” and then boom, two weeks later I’m in San Diego on interview six or eleven (depending on how we’re counting). Continue reading

I’m 28 and Going to Summer Camp

WeWork-Summer-Camp-2013I swear this isn’t a call for help. I’m not trying to relive my childhood. I’m actually going to the WeWork Summer Camp at the Raquette Lake Camp located in the center of the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. Sounds pretty amazing doesn’t it?

I’ve never been anywhere near the Adirondack Mountains but the images that popped up on Google and Flickr look amazing! I’m as excited about getting to camp as I am getting a change to take pictures of the 6.1 million acres of stunning scenery!

I’m even tempted to rent some video equipment but I’ll just have to deal with whatever I can get from my iPhone 4S. At this point you’d think I’d either have the Nikon D800 or some other camera capable of recording HD video. I need to start seriously raising money for a new camera huh?

I’ll be flying into New York City August 14th and heading to Camp the next morning. I cannot wait to experience this amazing event with hundreds of other WeWorkers. An extended weekend in the mountains of New York with hundreds of strangers is something I could really use right now.

haven’t put myself into an adventure like this in long time; going somewhere I’ve never been, and basically with total strangers. In fact the only people I’ll know are a handful of WeWork employees and I’m pretty sure they’ll be busy making this all go smoothly. Continue reading

Learn How to Make a Perfect Negroni

A lot of you know that I’m obsessed with wine. A handful of you know that my love of wine extends into my love of craft beers. A tiny number of you know of my love for old world cocktails. Recently I discovered a cocktail called a “Negroni” and I’ve been obsessed ever since.

How to Make a Negroni

Not just with this cocktail but with cocktails in general. I’m thinking about starting a YouTube channel where I teach people how to make amazing, old world cocktails and complete each one in under 60 seconds. There isn’t really anyone on YouTube doing something like this. There really aren’t any people doing reliably decent and regular cocktail videos which boggles my mind.

I decided to give this a go and make a pilot video. This was built from start to finish in Adobe Photoshop CS6. That’s a first for me, never thought about doing a video in Photoshop but since this was an experiment and since I only shot photos I figured why not? Any who, here goes!

The Perfect Negroni

  • 1.5 ounces Carpano Antica vermouth
  • 1.5 ounces Tanqueray gin
  • 1.5 ounces Campari
  • 1 orange

Fill an Old Fashioned glass with cracked ice. Pour on top of it each of the liquors. Zest an orange over the glass. Express the orange peel (inverted pinch to release the orange oils across the glass) and drop into the glass. Do a gentle stir and enjoy!

Continue reading

Mary Lambert is an Incredible Artist who Must be Heard

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis The HeistLast October a video hit YouTube and absolutely exploded. I intended to do a writeup about it back then but life was busy at the time and I just didn’t get around to it. The video was a single from the debut of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis‘s first full-length album, The Heist. It’s one of the best albums I’ve heard in a good while.

The video is titled, “Same Love,” and is about the experiences Macklemore, Ben Haggerty, encountered in his life in regards to homosexuality and how it has shaped his beliefs on equality. The song is amazing, giving me chills running across my arms as I remember back to scenes in the video.

Macklemore explained that the song also came out of his own frustration with hip hop’s positions on homosexuality. “Misogyny and homophobia are the two acceptable means of oppression in hip hop culture. It’s 2012. There needs to be some accountability. I think that as a society we’re evolving and I think that hip hop has always been a representation of what’s going on in the world right now.” Wiki

In the song you hear an incredible female vocalist named Mary Lambert. She is to me the Adele of America. Not just because they have a similar look but because their lyrics and voice are magnificently emotive and powerful. They sing from the heart, from their real-life experiences. They are each beautiful in their own right but it’s their powerful storytelling that stole my attention.

Portrait of Mary Lambert by Seattle photographer Lauren Colton

Portrait of Mary Lambert by Seattle photographer Lauren Colton.

Mary Lambert is a Seattle local, singer-songwriter and spoken-word artist. Her songs are known to tackle women’s issues and speak to a level of honesty and depth that few of her contemporaries have ever explored. Her songs remind me of those by Antony and the Johnsons without the orchestral flourishes. Go check them out as well. Continue reading

David Foster Wallace Commencement Speech

Today’s inspirational and profound video was shared on Twitter by my good friend Samantha Ogborn. In a world where all we hear about is IRS scandals, Oklahomans losing everything due to massively destructive tornados and something called the Real Housewives of New Jersey, this sort of commentary is a relief. It’s inspirational, applicable to all of our lives and probably the funniest thing I’ve seen all day.

This is Water: Some Thoughts Delivered on a Significant Occasion about Living a Compassionate Life

In 2005, author David Foster Wallace was asked to give the commencement address to the 2005 graduating class of Kenyon College. However, the resulting speech didn’t become widely known until 3 years later, after his tragic death. It is, without a doubt, some of the best life advice we’ve ever come across, and perhaps the most simple and elegant explanation of the real value of education. Continue reading

The Refreshing May Bespoke Post Has Arrived

I’ve been a member of Birchbox for quite some time now. For $20 a month they ship to my doorstep a box full of products marketed to men. Generally speaking I get one physical product (sunglasses, tie, socks, whiskey stones, leather coasters) that meet or exceed the cost of the entire box. Along with that you might get one full-sized health or beauty product followed by sample sizes of three to five more products.

All in all it’s a decent deal, especially if you’re looking to discover new products. These shipments typically come in at a $30-60 value. However, recently I discovered a heavyweight contender in this space by the name of Bespoke Post. At $45 a month it costs more than twice the price of Birchbox but is it worth it? Why yes it is.

The May Bespoke Post Refresh shipment is a stuffed bag of swag!

The May Bespoke Post Refresh shipment is a stuffed bag of swag!

My first shipment came today and boy was I surprised. Where Birchbox gave me sample sized items, Bespoke Post had full size and travel size items. On top of the fact that the items were so plentiful and large, the bag they came in was worth the cost. The entire box was worth the price of two three nearly four shipments! Let’s break this down. Continue reading