Recently my path crossed with people, specifically 3 people, who reminded me of what it's like to dream. It's something I hadn't asked myself in a while, and the event that kicked it back into my memory was something called One Life No Regrets. It was an event of sorts, that my company had the honor to work on. Patrick Stark asked the question-why when we become adults, do we forget what our dreams were as a child?
He set out to make his dream come true. He wanted to be a rock star. He worked for 2 years perfecting his musical craft, holding concerts, fund raisers, press events, all to get on stage and sing one song with U2. He's also a documentary film maker, so in the process I imagine one great film was made. The point of this story is not what Patrick was doing, but why he did it. I was so inspired by his drive, and his pure goal of making his childhood dreams come true.
The second person that inspired me was an 18 year old Senior in High School, actually he graduated the day before we met. His name was Alex Kummert and he's a stand up comedian. He found through the art of comedy, that he learned more about himself in that year than he had his entire High School career. It's like he got up one day and said to himself, "I want to be a comedian, and I'm going to make it happen." Alex has a smart, dry sense of humor that so stuck with me, and most of all I just loved that he was doing something that he loved, because it felt good!
On the same weekend, I met Adora Svitak, a 13 year old who was a speaker last year at the TED conference. She's brilliant, funny, and I was so moved by the fact that she had zero fear. She got up in front of thousands of Adults, and told them that if they want to learn a little bit about the world, maybe they should consider listening to kids. Her talk was witty, and she had 40 year old highly educated attendees hanging on every word. She talked about how she woke up one day when she was 6, and told her Mom that she wanted to be a published writer. Instead of just thinking it was cute, her parents supported her dream and her desire to think big. Today she's running her own TEDx Redmond event for the 2nd year running. She's so inspiring and just a fun kid to boot.
I guess the purpose of putting my thoughts down here is that we all have dreams, big or small, and why as adults do we lose sight of those dreams we had as a child? Since I met Patrick, Alex, and Adora I've been questioning myself. What were those big dreams, am I living them now? What can I do that these individuals did, how can I have the same courage to go for it.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Bird Nerd!
Recently I built a "bird sanctuary" of sorts, just a little feeder really. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
I had no idea how much birds ate, how much they pooped, or how loud they would become. If I had to do it over, or had a bit of free time I'd make it a little different.
Here is what I've learned, and if I get a bit of free time what I'd like to change:
1. Birds eat a TON. I've spent a fortune on food. I go through 10-15 pounds of seed per week on average. I now know what they like, and luckily it's black oiled seed which isn't terrible expensive. If I had to do it again, I'd buy in bulk, and online.
2. I love watching the birds out the window, however they poop all over the deck. I'd like to build something that extends off the deck so they poop on the giant, monster juniper bush instead.
3. I'd buy a couple different feeders. Our current feeder is better for smaller birds. Sparrows, Chickadee's, Finches etc. love our feeder. We do have a brave Northern Flicker that comes and feeds a few times a day but he's WAY to big for the feeder.
4. I'd separate the hummingbird feeder. We have a ton in our neighborhood, but they don't stay long because we have at least 10 loud little birds on the feeder at any given time and I think they get scared :(
All in all it's been a great learning experience and I've really enjoyed it!
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