Two-thousand Fifteen

It's here. We're in it.

Note to self: Do not bring moonshine to a new years party with expectations to avoid it. I made it, we all survived. Anticlimactic much like the 2012 end of the world scare, or Y2K toasters going crazy.

I think it's very interesting that the world celebrates a single finite moment so relentlessly.  There IS no physical change.  Normally we discuss time in such a general way. "We'll go later". "See you in an hour or so". "See you in a few minutes". For new years eve though, we focus on individual seconds.

In what other moment will you see an entire group of people gather together and anxiously wait for such an arbitrary moment. I wouldn't be able to gather 5 people together to watch me juggle flaming swords, let alone gather them for a moment that has zero actual benifit or gain to anyone. Purely a mentally perpetuated and emotionally driven moment throughout the entire crowd.  That right there describes the entire celebration. Everyone is directly in tune, using their imaginations to visualize what this minute changover might signify for themselves. It's an emotional connection between the masses, and who doesn't want to be a part of an event? It's a simple event to join, and costs nothing to make happen.  At the one moment before the hand strikes 12, everyone is in tune, in sync, and awaiting that sole moment of release.

Funny to realize the the moment is actually rather deceitful too. Such a finite moment, reinacted each hour around the world for an entire 24 hour period. I altered the technique I use to chase the sunrise on Instagram by searching for the #happynewyear tag and repeatedly refreshing. There, were all of the worlds posts as they happened.  Everyone feeling as if their moment was the finite moment to make a change.

None the less, I took part in a celebration and suffered some of the physical consequences.  Our host requested all cell phones to be locked in his safe. An excellent idea, but prevented many photos being taken. So, you will have to do as you likely did last night, and use your imagination for my photo.

How was your step into 2015?

2015 & How to deal with expectations

I'm sitting beside an open window puffing on my wooden e-cigar blowing patterned whisps of menthol about the room.  Louis Armstrong's scratchy "Thanks a Million" is playing in the background serenading my crisp Sunday afternoon.

Candid summer photo. A moment fondly remembered.

We all look back to the year that has freshly passed and contemplate whether we've accomplished what we hoped to.  I've been looking back recently and what I find myself focusing on, is the wonderful events that took place.  There have been new additions to my close circle of friends, hilarious comedic moments and even unexpected warm snuggles from a new special person in my life.  Trying to predict or control these moments has always been a mental struggle for me.  I want to control my surroundings at all times. I want to know what will happen later in my day, and it can easily bring anxiety to the forefront of my thoughts.

Here's the punchline. It's impossible.  You can't control every variable in a day.  Let's set the bar at a classy 50% split of control. Fair? There's traffic, other peoples' opinions, wants and needs, weather, finances and a trillion other possible factors. Like that silly patch of ice you didn't see while you were balancing 9 grocery bags in an attempt to do one trip from the car.

Accepting the natural variances in your day is key to releasing a little tension.  Let it go. Tomorrow is another day, and yesterday is unchangeable. Tomorrow, by the way, will always be tomorrow. You can discuss the future all you want, but it doesn't make you more productive and there will always be another "tomorrow".  There is only one version of "now". It just happened, and is happening again while you're reading this.  If we can all enjoy the moment we're currently in, I think our day will begin to iron itself out over time.  That being said, thank you for reading this right now and taking the time to spend a little downtime on my blog.  I hope there is something to be taken from my future posts that will enrich your life.

Happy 2014, and to a happier 2015.