A sample of what I was eating

Just recently I again finished a 21 Day Raw Food Cleanse with Jinjee at the Garden Diet. If you’ve been a regular reader, you know I had also done it last year as well. While challenging in different ways each time, I’ve equally enjoyed it each time. Last year, I felt I lost too much weight, so this time I allowed myself a little more freedom, using the recipes as a general guide but supplementing where I saw fit.

I also decided to not be as strict about it this year, so there were probably 2 or 3 meals during the 3 weeks where I did eat cooked food. But I’m not so into the extremes of it where everything entering my body has to be raw, and I believe that similar benefits can and will still be realized while not being limited to eating 100% raw fruits, vegetables and nuts. The two most pronounced changes this year were a quick drop of about 10 pounds, same as last year (but because I supplemented more I never went below this, unlike last time), and a short, temporary increased craving for all sorts of cooked food, but then a balancing out where my body was responding well to the raw recipes and feeling satisfied by them.

And what was different this year is that I’ve continued eating mostly raw since I completed the cleanse. And I think by doing so, I’m continuing to realize more benefit, evne though I haven’t been as strict. I just mentioned how my body started becoming more satisfied by the raw meals, and now any need or insatiable desire to eat has pretty much disappeared. Cravings are mostly gone, and I just make juices, smoothies, or my meals when I feel like eating. Somewhat counterintuitively, I think it’s been easier for me to continue down this path because I haven’t been being as strict. I’m trying to stay healthy, fresh and raw, but not feeling guilty or let down if I decide to indulge.

Also interestingly, especially in the last week, I’ve found myself going until 3 or 4 in the afternoon without eating any solid food. I make sure to load up my nutrients by making fresh juices and smoothies, but it’s incredible to get up in the morning and not have a hunger pang until 4 in the afternoon. There’s just no real desire or craving to eat a huge breakfast. And even by afternoon it’s not like I’m starving, it’s just my body saying “Hey man, let’s eat something a little more exciting, let’s have a meal.”

So what does a typical day of eating for me look like in this past week since the cleanse has ended?

One or two glasses of filtered water upon waking up. Between 10 and 12 either a big glass of fresh watermelon or apple juice, or some version of a green smoothie or a bowl of fruit. Early afternoon I might have another fruit juice, or maybe a glass of green juice, or even some almond milk which I make fresh with almonds and water and actually add some young coconut meat or banana to for a little more fun. Mid afternoon I usually go to the greens; something like a sprout salad with avocado, kale salad, or one of the killer fresh slaws my fiance makes in bulk. Evenings have been usually more greens, similar to lunch but maybe in more quantity, and then if craving desert maybe some fruit or something nut based, like raw brownies (YUM).

We’ve added steamed veggies and quinoa into the rotation lately, and last night I have to admit we indulged with homemade burritos. Fresh cooked organic pinto beans, organic white rice with saffron, and a healthy dose of avo and homemade salsa, wrapped in a sprouted whole grain tortilla. That is probably the most gluttonous meal we’ve eaten and damn was it good, without any of the post meal slump or tiredness.

Truthfully, while I like the idea of raw eating and I believe in it as a healing, detoxifying diet, it’s not my goal to be 100% raw, I just love all food too much. And for me, I think that I am actually able to eat better and stick to eating raw, fresh foods a higher percentage of the time by allowing cheats like last night. I also just recently learned that Ani Phyo, who is the well known author of many raw food “cookbooks”, actually does drink alcohol. Well, she didn’t outright say it, but her recipe book I’m reading has cocktail recipes that include wine, so I assume she indulges.

So, as I’m learning, it’s not about being needing to go to extremes, it’s about moderation and being comfortable and doing what works for you. Every thing you do as a positive step is one step in the right direction.

Related posts:

1. Organic whole foods diet and reduced hunger pangs
2. Thoughts on Day 21 of raw food cleanse
3. 21 Day Raw Food Cleanse

It was a long journey to get there, but in the end was a great success. I first wrote about my barefoot quest a couple years ago after reading the book Born to Run, and posted a few updates along the way.

The first 6 months or so of minimalist running showed significant progress, at which point I sort of tapered off. When I started pushing myself, I think I went too hard and injured my calf, which kept my distance low for a while. After over a year of just sticking to low miles, I decided that if I really wanted to up my distance I needed a goal, so I signed up for the Carlsbad Half Marathon.

For the 3 or 4 months leading up to the race, I actually only ran 2-3 days per week. During the week I did one or two 3-5 mile runs, and each Sunday I did my long run, with 11 miles being the most miles I actually ran prior to the race. (4 weeks prior, for the remainder of the time I was out of the country and only ran once, but that’s another story!)

On race day I went slow and steady the entire time, and finished with a time of 2:03 which was better than the time of my only other race 5 years prior. The amazing thing is I ran the 2nd half of the race 10 minutes faster than the 1st half, which means I had too much reserve at the end and probably didn’t push enough the entire time. During the final few miles the bottoms of my feet were quite sore after all the pounding on the pavement, but in the end all was well. No blisters, no pain, just some good old fashioned tiredness.

People are always curious about running in Vibram Five Fingers, and I won’t say it’s been life changing for me, but it’s definitely improved my running. Running is more fun now, I have less pain and soreness, better recovery, better form, more awareness and connection to the ground and the surface I run on, and of course it’s been a fun challenge! My advice is that if you already run fine, don’t change anything, but if you need a change, give Vibrams or barefooting a shot. Just start out slow and easy, and of course have fun!

Related posts:

1. This weeks barefoot running update
2. NPR Segment – Humans Were Born To Run Barefoot
3. Barefoot running progress report

Smather’s Beach, Key West

It’s starting to seem like visits to the tropics are becoming regular occurrences, and I certainly can’t complain about that! After 3 weeks in Costa Rica over the holidays, we recently returned from a week in South Florida. A cousin got married in Miami, and while normally these wedding jaunts back East are whirlwind travels, this time we decided to take our time and spend 6 nights there; 3 in the Keys, and 3 in Fort Lauderdale. [Note: weddings or other family gatherings are perfect events to turn into mini vacations!]

We flew into Miami on a red eye, picked up our rental car, and headed south to the Florida Keys, destination Key West, southernmost point in the Continental US. This drive through the Keys is one that I’ve been looking forward to for years, so having an excuse to head to south Florida made this side trip a no-brainer. The drive ended up taking close to four hours, but with the breathtaking tropical blue water visible on both sides for most of the ride, there were no complaints. (If renting a car beware of the cashless tolls in and around Miami.) Some highlights of the drive were the 7 mile bridge (really, I checked the odometer) and a quick detour through No Name Key near Big Pine to see the Key Deer.

The weather in the Keys this time of year is perfect, it was in the low to mid 80s every day in Key West, and I doubt it ever went below 75, even at night. We stayed in shorts and t-shirts the entire time. A nice spring getaway, even from San Diego! While there, we didn’t do a whole lot other than eat and relax. Each day we spent a few hours napping and reading on Smathers Beach, one of the few places around Key West where there is actually decent sand. Side note: A lot of people picture beaches everywhere in the Keys. Not true, since the Keys are mostly reef, there are actually very few beaches for sunbathing and swimming.

On a previous trip I had been to the Ernest Hemingway house, so we passed on that, but we did go the the Ripley’s Believe it or Not! museum on Duval Street. Though we didn’t end up touring the Hemingway House, we did check out the drinking establishments which he made famous, Sloppy Joes and Captain Tony’s (the original Sloppy Joes). We spent one evening at Mallory Square for the sunset celebration and to watch the performers; definitely a must do if you visit. Most of the other highlights revolved around eating: El Siboney for Cuban food (per recommendation of a local at Sloppy Joes), Blue Heaven for a very nice (and expensive!) dinner, and Havana 1 for more Cuban food. Cough, cough, a trip to the real Havana may have to go onto our list…

So after three days in Key West it was time to head north towards Miami and Ft Lauderdale for the wedding; the main reason we were in Florida. I ambitiously thought we’d be able to do the drive back to Lauderdale and still be able to hit Miami for lunch and a few hours at South Beach, but a late start and traffic through the Keys and into Miami gave me a quick reality check. We still detoured through Miami for more Cuban food, this time to Cafe Versailles which came to us yet again by recommendation. Unfortunately we never made it to South Beach, so that will have to wait for another time.

Of the remaining 3 days, we spent much of it visiting with family around the hotel. We got to have the rehearsal dinner right on the beach in Ft Lauderdale, and the wedding was on Jungle Island in Miami, which we shared with the exotic animals that lived there, including monkeys, baboons, parrots, macaws, crocodiles, flamingos, tigers, and even several ligers!

As expected, it was a great trip with a good mix of fun and family. And remember, next time you attend a wedding, be sure to turn it into a mini vacation!

>> See all photos from Florida and Key West <<

Related posts:

1. Tis the Season … to be Busy
2. Saying goodbye Koh Phangan and heading west to Krabi and the island of Koh Phi Phi
3. Time flies when you’re having fun

Making yogurt from raw milk

If you’re vegan or don’t eat dairy, this article may not be of interest to you. But if you’re a yogurt lover or want to try making a tasty, simple food at home, read on. You will be amazed at how easy it is to make fresh yogurt on your own. I made my first batch two weeks ago, and just finished making my second batch earlier today.

Typically I don’t eat much dairy, but when I found out how easy it could be to make yogurt at home, I became interested. And since I’ve learned about raw foods and the power of enzymes, I try to make sure that the milk and cheese I consume is raw, so it makes sense for me to make raw yogurt. Probiotics and enzymes! Luckily I have a food coop that I shop at from which I can buy good raw whole milk.

Though I’ve thought for a long time how fun it would be to make yogurt, this article from Liz Clark and the Voyage of Swell is what made me realize how easy it is! (Btw, if you want to read some good stuff, check out her website. She is a surfer and environmentalist from north San Diego who left California in 2006 to sail around the world in her 40-foot sailboat … and is still going). So anyway, I thought if she can do it while spending a few weeks in port, so can I.

I won’t bother posting the exact process since you can find it anywhere online, but in addition to Liz’s site check out here and here. Trust me though, it’s easy. All it takes is fresh milk and then yogurt for the starter bacteria. Keep in mind that I am using raw milk and not typical pasturized milk, so maybe do a little research about the difference.

A few other notes: I used a 1 quart glass jar that I sterizlied prior to putting the warm milk into, just to be sure it didn’t have any nasty bacteria. I also used the good ol’ natural sun. First time around I was lucky that we were having a nice 80 degree winter day here in San Diego, but today it was only 65. Both times I set the jar on the concrete in the front of my house wrapped in a dark towel and it seemed to stay quite warm while in the sun. Lastly, because I was using raw milk I made sure not to heat over 110 degrees so I wouldn’t kill the enzymes.

If you have the time, I’d definitely recommend that you give yogurt making a shot. It’s straightforward, easy, and as long as you have 30 minutes and can wait a day for the final product, you will have a tasty treat that is also cheaper and less wasteful than the store bought equivalent.

Do you make any other foods at home? Let me know in the comments!

And stay tuned for my upcoming article where I talk about making raw chocolate.

Related posts:

1. The raw milk controversy
2. Curing acne with a healthy diet

Life is Good in Costa Rica

It’s somewhat sad to say, but I’m officially back at home and back to the grind again after an awesome three weeks in Costa Rica. But as with all trips, there are always lessons learned while traveling that can be remembered after returning to normal life at home.

One of the best things about traveling, aside from the obvious excitement of experiencing new places and cultures, is the simple act of taking a breather from life. It’s always eye opening to be able to simply walk away from the chaos and the routine of life at home, and to get back to simply living, if only even for a few days. To be able to wake up and have nothing more to do for the day than to relax, to eat good food, to enjoy good company, and to wander around without an agenda. Even though it is impractical for most people to try to live this way after returning home, for me it’s always a good reminder about how so few of the stresses of life at home are really important, and how much we get wrapped up with being busy with mostly trivial activities.

Every time I arrive home, I try to hold onto those realizations, and when I start getting stressed out with work or bills or finances I remind myself that none of those things are truly important. My focus after this trip in particular is to work on that one simple thing, to try to simplify more and more, to be able to get my home life to contain only those truly important things that really matter at the end of the day. And in particular, to tackle distractions as they arise so they don’t continue to weigh in my mind.

One of the first places we stayed at during our trip was in Puerto Viejo and was run by a lovely French Canadian couple, Pierre and Marice. We enjoyed our stay with them so much that two weeks later, after having dropped friends at the airport in San Jose and with another five days to left of our own trip, we decided to return back to Puerto Viejo and stay at the same hotel again with them. When the time came again for us to part ways, Pierre said something to us that was so simple, but something worth remembering always. In his french accent he looked us in the eyes and and with the utmost sincerity said

Enjoy the rest of your time here, enjoy the rest of your trip, but most importantly, enjoy life. That is the most important.

With those words sinking into my head, we took our leave, and we certainly did enjoy the rest of our trip. And I plan to continue enjoying the trip — the trip of life, and I challenge you to do the same.

Related posts:

1. Life has changed
2. The Struggle of Modern Life
3. Colorado Beer Road Trip – Boulder, Fort Collins, and Denver

And when did it get to be mid December, with less than two weeks to go until Christmas?

I posted my last “update post” in mid September after having a whirlwind end to the summer, and since then I can’t even remember where the time has gone. I’m pretty sure the unaccounted for time can be attributed to being passed either at work, my consulting gig, getting projects done left and right around the house, or to my half marathon training!

It’s a good thing that I don’t go big doing presents and shopping, I don’t think I could handle the holidays if I had to spend them driving around and fighting for parking at the mall.

One new thing of note is that I’ve negotiated some working from home privileges which really works out nicely. Typically I’m home 2-3 days a week, which really adds some flexibility to my schedule.

For the most part since summer has wound down I’ve been sticking close to home, but that is about to change. We leave for Costa Rica in a couple weeks, and we’ll be there for close to 3 weeks. Then the week after returning home is my half marathon. And the following month we’ll be heading to Florida for a wedding, which we’ll turn into a bit of a vacation. For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to drive from Miami to Key West, through the Keys and over all those bridges, so that’s what we’ll do! Arrive in Miami then driving to Key West for three days, then another three days in Fort Lauderdale for the wedding!

And the half marathon I mentioned should be fun. I’m still running only in my Vibram FiveFingers, and I’ve been able to add some distance which feels nice. I’ve found a nice, easy training rhythm which doesn’t consume me or cause burnout, consisting of one short-ish run during the week of 3-5 miles, then a long one on Sunday, increasing distance every other weekend or so. Doing this I’ve been able to work up to 10 miles, so I suppose it’s working. And the good news is the 1/2 marathon is still over a month away, so I should be ready to go when hte time comes.

I apologize that I’ve been pretty scarce here, and will probably continue to be so until after returning from Costa Rica, at which point I should have some fun updates, so stick around!

How about you? How is your holiday season going? What fun things are you doing?

Related posts:

1. Ultra marathons and barefoot trail running
2. Being too busy and how to unwind in 24 hours
3. Some accomplishments … and things still to be done

Krabi Town Night Market

JANUARY – From the Haad Tian resort on the island of Koh Phangan it’s just a 15 or 20 minute drive along the southwest coast to get to the Thongsala pier. After a great five nights on Koh Phangan, we had an early wake up so we could catch our ride down to the pier. Our goal was to head across the mainland to Krabi on the west side of Thailand, from where we would then hopefully travel on to Koh Phi Phi and perhaps Railey, depending how our time in Krabi and Phi Phi went. Knowing that after New Year’s there would probably be a mass exodus off the island, we decided to go ahead and buy our boat/bus tickets all the way through to Krabi from our hotel the night prior. I don’t recall the cost, but I remember figuring it after the fact, and we only paid a small surcharge to get them from the hotel as opposed to having to wait at the ticket counters, so definately worth it.

The boat ride back to Surat Thani seemed to go much quicker than on the way out to the island five days prior, and before we knew it we were back at the terminal where we quickly boarded a bus en route to Krabi. I still never really figured out how their bus system worked, it seemed every bus trip we took had an unplanned stop halfway through where everyone would deboard and then wait indefinately for another bus to finish the journey. Also, during the stops there were people trying to book you into hotels at your destiation, so I suspect it’s some tourist rip off thing. On the other hand though, it is helpful if you’re travelling during high season since you can secure your hotel without having to stress upon arrival. If you already have a hotel booked, it also seemed that once you arrive in the destination city’s bus terminal that you then get some sort of transport into town as well at no extra charge. From what I could gather, when booking hotels this way the prices seemed to still be on par with the ones presented at the destinations, so I guess it just depends on your style.

This trip was no different in this regard, so from Surat Thani the bus took us part of the way and then stopped. Even though I do admit it seemed like a fair enough process, personally I didn’t feel comfortable booking this way. I’d rather be able to choose a place on sight upon arrival, or research the destination and secure ahead of time. So knowing it was still peak travel time a couple days after New Years, we booked a night in Krabi while we were still in Koh Phangan. And it seems that once you tell the hotel hawkers that you have a reservation, they leave you alone. The other way to do it is to not book anything, and then just lie. You can be sure they’ll ask you at some point, so just tell them you’ve got arrangements and be firm if you don’t want to deal with them. Though having a hotel name for backup will make it easier when you get into town, as you can probably grab a free ride from the bus terminal into town that way.

So as expected upon arrival in Krabi Town, they shuttled us straight over to the Baan Andamaan Hotel, where we were happy to chcek in and have some down time for the rest of the day. Even though most people know Krabi as simply a stopping point on the way to Railey or Koh Phi Phi, we had decided that a night spent in town would break up the travel, and give us time to explore Krabi Town itself, while still catching a good sleep to be ready for the early ferry to Koh Phi Phi in the morning.

Fried bugs and crickets at Krabi night market

Though Krabi Town itself small, there was a great night market right on the main street where we stayed which is definitely worth checking out. It seemed to be a locals market, and there were few other Westerners there. We spent the evening at the market walking around, trying the local treats, and even trying some fried crickets. If you’ve got the time, I think Krabi Town is definitely worthwhile for at least an overnight. Even if you don’t find it very stimulating, it at least gives you a break from the tourist hordes you’ll likely encounter when you travel on.

Getting around in Krabi Town, to and from the stations and such, seemed pretty easy. Much of what you need is walking distance, but it also seemed as though there was always a shuttle roaming around town, and a simple request at any hotel can get you set up if you don’t see one. For local transport in the main area, there are songthaews that drive up and down the street and will pick up up or drop you off where ever you need to go. The next morning was no exception; we got up, had our complimentary breakfast, then grabbed the shuttle to the boat terminal where we purchased our tickets to Koh Phi Phi and just barely made it onto the boat before it left.

Koh Phi Phi was definitely a place we were looking forward to going to, and since it the guidebook gave the impression of plenty of places to stay, we didn’t make any reservations since we knew everything was walking disatance from the pier. The boat ride out from Krabi offers scenery that I’d have to say is pretty much unmatched anywhere, and arriving in Phi Phi was equally stunning. With sweeping cliffs rising up on each side of the island, the pier is located right in the center, at essentially the only flat part of the island. The island is well known as one of the islands that suffered the brunt of the 2004 tsunami, but the development at the pier didn’t give any indication as such.

Even though hotels are plentiful, we actually did have a bit of a tough time finding a room, especially with the horde of people who arrived on the same boat with us quickly filling the town. Evntually we found a cheap place located rightin the center of town, but behind a nightclub. We were apprehensive, but with the lack of rooms and the town filling up, we went with it. It turned out to be fine, truly not a very nice room, but not too noisy, which was our biggest concern.

After checking in, we had the rest of the day free, so we decided to hit the beach. The main beach is located directly across the island from the pier on the other side of the thin strip of land that makes up most of the town, probably just a 10 or 15 minute walk, and only 5 from our hotel. Though way overcrowded, the beach is stunning. It sweeps out to each side for maybe a quarter mile or so, and then rises up and extends out into the Andamaan Sea, creating a nearly fully protected beach and lagoon.

Between our initial walk around looking for a room, and our jaunt over to the beach, we quickly learned that although extremely beautiful, Phi Phi is definitely a tourist trap. Even sitting under an umbrella on the beach cost us. But it turned out that it was a worth the few baht, since without an umbrella the midday sun would have promtly knocked me out.

After a day of destressing at the beach, it was back to the room to clean up, and then time to head out to find dinner. Next up, our second day in Phi Phi, and then heading back to Krabi Town for an attempt at visiting Railey.

>> See all photos from Krabi and Koh Phi Phi <<

>> See all photos from Krabi and Koh Phi Phi <<

Related posts:

1. Koh Phangan after New Years
2. Getting to Koh Phangan from Bangkok, thru Surat Thani
3. New Year’s Eve Full Moon Party, Koh Phangan

Now that I have that off my chest, I need your help. All this Occupy Wall Street stuff has really got me thinking. I’ve been hearing quite a bit of criticism of the Occupiers, and aside from the ridiculous, trivial accusations which usually seem to assume that all of the protesters are homeless, jobless losers, there are some aspects that warrant real consideration.

I’ve been hearing accusations that all those who agree with the Occupy movement are basically contradicting all that they are protesting with with their actions. Meaning: The Occupiers rail against Corporate America, demonizing all that it stands for, but then turn around and support Corporate America with their actions and their dollars by using Facebook, owning cell phones, drinking Starbucks, on and on.

Now, I didn’t say this is an accurate accusation, I said it warrants some real consideration. But here’s the catch: just because you disagree with how Corporate America conducts its’ business, question its’ ethics, and are against corporate greed does not mean that you can’t be a supporter of any big business. While I may not agree with how corporate America works, that doesn’t mean I have to live as a caveman, nor does it mean that I can’t patronize a large business that exists in Corporate America (which is pretty much all of them).

I’m sure there are plenty of those who support the protests who are diligent about where they spend their money, who really take great pains to ensure that they only support moral and ethical companies. Much respect to them. There are also plenty who (perhaps unintentionally, unknowingly, or ignorantly) support the very same corporations whose ethics they disagree with. So clearly, there is a contradiction, but I have to say, it’s not an easy thing to avoid and is likely not practical for the average Joe. But the point here is:

Being a part of modern the world, using modern conveniences, and having your dollars support big business doesn’t mean you explicitly agree with how they conduct their business. The good news is that even if you are part of the system you can still take active steps to try to fix it. There’s no rule anywhere that says otherwise.

The point is that for all of us who are not perfect, we’re not doomed to sit around and accept the world that these companies are creating. Simply speaking out, supporting the Occupy movement, or even changing some of your every day actions and behaviors is doing something, and that is what all those who criticize OWS don’t seem to realize.

I, as one person trying my best, do what I can to vote with my money and support what I believe is right. I shop for most of my food at Farmers’ Markets and the local food coop. I try to buy clothes that are second hand or made of organic materials. I drink fair trade, organic coffee. I try to shop at local businesses and restaurants more often than not. I have a bamboo cutting board and use almost exclusively environmentally friendly cleaning products and soaps, and I even stopped using shampoo. I use organic cotton bed sheets and am in the process of shopping for a natural rubber, organic mattress.

But of course, the good news must come to an end, so I’m sorry to say that I do have a cell phone with Verizon (which is one of the companies which paid no taxes from the years 2008-2010). I have my money in Chase and Capital One banks. I have a retirement account (with socially responsible investments) held with Vanguard. I drive a foreign car that likely burns foreign oil. And I love to travel. Tsk tsk.

So yea, I’m not perfect. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care.

So now we’re to the point where I need you help: Assuming you, like me, want a better world for all of us, but also want to make sure to lay the proper foundation for your older years, where do you invest your money? With Wall Street being at the center of so much negativity, I truly do feel like a hypocrite knowing that I may be contradicting my values with my investments, however insignificant or trivial they may be.

I’ve already put my IRA investments into socially responsible investments. But what about my 401K? None of the options I have available meet my “social” criteria, do I forgo the 401K and just put my money into socially responsible investments through my IRA? Or is there an option totally outside of the scope I have thought of?

What about for banking? I’ve looked into the local credit union, but I do have a savings that I’d like to at least get a small amount of interest on, and my Capital One savings offers interest rates that the credit unions can’t match.

Am I missing the point? Am I being greedy? I want your feedback. How do I make sure to support my beliefs while taking care of my future?

Related posts:

1. Thoughts about Occupy Wall Street
2. Organic Valentine’s Day Flowers
3. On the Somali Pirates’ side

Right off, I will say that I agree with the general concept behind the protests, and certainly feel that the level of economic inequality and corporate greed in the world is reaching a point that does not bode well for the future of the economy, the United States, or any other country for that matter. Now, I’m not advocating for Socialism or Communism any other extreme system that right wing crazies like to assume all liberals want. I am not naive to the free market and how it works, and I don’t think more government is the answer. In a free market there is nothing wrong with making money, but what about those hard workers with strong work ethics who were fed a bullshit vision of the American Dream and are now paying the price? Greed is a nasty thing, and when the middle class keeps shrinking and the space between the haves and the have nots grows like it is, it’s not a good thing. Not for anyone.

Truth be told, I am happy to see protesting of any sort. It’s about time that my generation of political lazy asses has found something worth speaking up for. And so I support that. We live in a country where we have a right to speak freely when we don’t agree with things, and we should not be prosecuted for doing so regardless of the side of the fence on which we sit. There are too many people who accept blindly without thinking or making real decisions about what they think is best for themselves, so anything that provokes a little thought and discussion is a good thing. And back to the point, I think it’s high time people start questioning the direction that our consumer culture is taking us, as well as the the widespread implications of our excessive addiction to spending money we don’t have.

That all said, I understand people’s frustration with the protests, and I can see why people are sick of hearing about it. I understand the criticisms about lack of focus. And I agree that it doesn’t make sense to be out protesting and ranting about an unfair system if you’re jobless and living in your parent’s basement by choice. Laziness, irresponsibility and bad work ethic are not reasons to blame big corporations or our government, no matter how much they are in bed with each other.

I was lucky to be given an education and I was instilled with a solid work ethic. When I graduated college I moved across the country and found a job within a month of arriving. I’ve worked hard since then and have made a good life for myself. My money is managed responsibly, payments are always made on time, and I have a savings account to back me up if the economy decides to dump on me. My point is telling you this is that even in a bad economy and job market, I have managed to take care of myself.

However, there are definitely those who are have worked equally hard, and for reasons out of their control have been shit on. And in many cases, those reasons are unethical or immoral reasons at that. There are plenty of people out there who probably work much harder than me but haven’t managed to be as fortunate, who get up every morning and come home every night, upholding their end of the deal, and still continue to struggle. And so I stand with them, and we are the 99%.

Related posts:

1. Justifying Occupy Wall Street contradictions, and just doing what you can do
2. Thoughts one month after completing 21 day raw food cleanse
3. Thoughts on manifesting the things I want

Photo credit: mpieracci

I step in the door, see 3 people sitting around a tea kettle.

“Hi, how are you? I bought some of your tea at the market the other night, so I figured I’d stop by and check your shop out.”

“Would you like to sit down for some tea?”

Of course I would. It seems very inviting, and though the shop is extremely small, it’s comfortable. In walks another guy who is apparently a friend of those already sitting.

“Sure…” I say, “Do you work here?”

“No, I just pour tea.”

“This place sure is cozy, huh?”

“Yea, it is.”

“I like it in here, it’s quiet and nice.”

“It is, isn’t it? It has a really good vibe doesn’t it?”

This scene is not one from a remote Himalayan or Indian village filled with vagabonding Americans. It is one that took place five blocks away from my old apartment in Ocean Beach, San Diego.

After the initial chit chat, more random conversation ensues, and probably half an hour passes. The energy in this tiny, hidden tea shop is extremely positive, like one would rarely find in a traditional coffee shop or bar. Four people sitting around drinking tea at four in the afternoon. Just sitting, relaxing, and being, and I was not once made to feel like I shouldn’t have wandered in.

“Do many people stop in here?” I ask.

“Some, a lot of people come to the window and look in then walk away. Some come in, they either sit for tea then get up right away to leave, or offer us money. We tell them, no, it’s free. But some come in and stay … like you … I think people who are supposed to find this place find it.”

An hour goes by. Another guy who actually does work there enters. He sits. Talks about a vision he had of speaking with a cockroach. I think to myself that perhaps he has been taking more than tea. After about 40 minutes he finally realizes that he doesn’t know me. We exchange introductions. Another 15 minutes later they begin an impromptu music jam session, using a long tubular instrument and bongo drum.

Two hours later, I leave. What an interesting experience.

Regretfully this happened five years ago and I never found my way back. Perhaps it’s time for another visit next time I head own that way.

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