Your Life Is Under Construction - Expect Delays

Man, there's been so many times where I've been walking around Venice and I see just what I need to see in that moment. There's been a lot of frustration and delays for me lately, and sometimes you have to wonder what you're even doing where you are ... and then you get a little encouragement from the streets/the Universe to hang in there. Your life is under construction at all times - and you should expect delays.

No matter what is going on in your life, negativity never helps, so the flip side of this utility box adorned by that prolific street artist, Wrdsmth, tells you that "I'm pretty positiveno good will come from focusing on the negative." - and that is exactly what I needed to hear right then. If you're dealing with some lameness at the moment (and who isn't?), I hope this little pep talk will help you too.

Thank you to Wrdsmth, and to Venice, for setting me straight, and for the good vibes that are always here if you are looking for them. Chins up!

One For The Mermaids

 I've been having a lot of talks lately with lady friends that are extremely disappointed in our generation of men ... myself included. From wage gaps to cheating spouses,  the real, true, good man is increasingly rare. It's just true. So women are settling all over the place. But we shouldn't, as this piece of street art from Wrdsmth reminds us. The world IS our oyster!

We all love mermaids, and every little girl has imagined herself as one at one point. It's a dreamy notion, of swimming along, happy and freely in an underwater kingdom, where maybe things are easier. I remember watching The Little Mermaid in my college Cinema class, and our Professor being outraged at Disney that they would promote such an anti-feminist message as a Mermaid giving up her beautiful singing voice to get legs to go on land and hook up with a Prince. What a terrible notion to put in a little girl's head, right? But I see it happening all the time. Women giving up their dreams and special talents in order to make her man happy, but growing less and less happy herself with every day that goes by. Don't.

The flip side of this utility box has a mermaid vending machine painted by Megzany. It's great. It made me think of the awesome Anais Nin quote, "I must be a Mermaid. I have no fear of depths, and a great fear of shallow living."

Then I too must be a Mermaid.

Happy Weekend, Mermaids! Go get it.

Face It

It's always a nice shot in the arm to be cruising along and run into one of Wrdsmth's messages to humanity along the way.

It's also nice to know that other people in this town - and in this world - believe that the beauty of someone really does have almost nothing to do with what's going on externally. We learn that lesson more and more every day, but it never hurts to be reminded.

Word, Wrdsmth!

You Shine!

It's the last full day of Summer, and what a seriously beautiful Summer 2015 it was! Sunsets like maybe never before ... music filling the starry nights ... warm waters to swim in ... stories told around backyard fires ... wearing way less clothing ... this Summer was fully great.

I was walking along thinking about all that when I saw this new piece by Wrdsmth up in Venice, and it made me feel like the whole Summer did. Shiny.

As if on cue, the overcast skies of Autumn have just now descended upon us here, but who cares, because the sun shines IN us, as this wonderful bit of street art reminds.

You shine! No need to blush (but it's pretty cute).

Happy Fall, Friends!

Smile

I noticed this great shirt by street artist Wrdsmth at the In Heroes We Trust party last week.

It's great because it's so true, and because it's so easy to do.

In a time when social media is making us all more anti-social. Seriously, People. Take a look around you at a show or restaurant or anywhere really, and look at all the droids smiling at their phones instead of the people around them. It's turning into Wall-E around here.

When you're pouring your heart out to someone and realize they haven't heard a word because they're so caught up in their phone, you realize just how detached from real life and real people we're all becoming. When you're at the show of a lifetime and you look around and see that almost everyone there is watching it through their screens instead of soaking up the feeling of rock and roll and freedom and gathering with like-minded cool people ... it's just sad.

I realize it's all here to stay - and most likely get worse - but just try to tear your eyes away from the screen a few times a day, and genuinely look into someone else's. Let's all try our best to stay human.

Smile!