Posted via web from plain.living

It’s been pretty good with the runs. I’ve been building up mileage slowly, and there is realistic hope of finishing the 25km in decent time! I’m gonna keep working it, and i hope you will too, whatever that endeavour/project/dream is.

Bestest.

It’s like that 5km run that i’ve always been striving to hit effortlessly. I envisioned clearing 5km with nary a breakout of perspiration. The feeling of doing it was pretty close actually, and it was something i managed to do over the long weekend.

I started out much slower than i usually did, and slowly picked up pace along the way, not being too concerned about how fast i was going, and just enjoying the run. By the time i hit the usual fatigue point (about 3km), i was still feeling my legs and my lungs were able to take me all the way.

It’s not a big deal for most people to finish a 5km run, but it was for me. It wasn’t something that came overnight though. Behind the achievement of this personal goal, was countless other runs; early morning ones, late night ones, long ones, short ones, slow ones, fast ones.  What i’m trying to say is that getting to where you want to takes work. Behind that successful business that someone runs, is many many hours of figuring out how things work, handling tough circumstances, mad customers that enabled them to get to where they are today.

Sure, there will be times when you feel like throwing in the towel. It’s the same with running. I did think at points that i’ll never be able to do it. The magical thing is, we’re capable of more than we know. I think that’s what most successful people will tell you. They had a vision, and just stuck to their guns. It might take awhile, but just keep on keeping on.

I was hesitant to consider even the possibility of running a half-marathon, but it suddenly seems possible now. That’s the thing with getting to one goal. It enables you to see further down the horizon to see possibilities you’ve never imagined possible.

I’ll say it again. Keep on keeping on. You’ll get there.

A little over-enthusiasm ensured that slight blisters on both feetdeveloped due to the distance clocked, and that left me unable to walk properly for the rest of the day. Nonetheless, the run itself was a joyous event, and helped me to understand why there’s a growing movement of people who have decided to risk being seen as strange or weird (“Eeee, isn’t it dangerous to run without cushioning from shoes?”). I’m definitely sold.

While the blisters will go away in a matter of days, the experience remains. The soles will toughen, and the distance comfortably clocked will also increase. What was important though, was the crucial moment where the though “Let’s heck this and take off those shoes (albeit minimalist) to run barefoot!”.

Taking the leap is the hard part. Discovering the joy that comes after, happens only after you’ve taken the leap. So whatever that leap is for you, just do it! You’ll most probably bash yourself for not doing so sooner.

When you take the same outlook towards new challenges, and see these ingredients as absolutely critical, you’ve already taken the first step. It’s another matter to sustain that strength and courage combo though. This depends on  the level of honesty that you’re going into this thing.So are you owning it? There’s no other way.

I used to perform an India Arie song “Strength, Courage & Wisdom” when i gigged. I added this into my repertoire because of how cool it sounded, and how cool i can make it sound. It’s only today when i listened to it again after so long  that i hear the song speak, for the first time.

Strength, Courage and Wisdom – India Arie

“Inside my head there lives a dream that I want to see in the sun
Behind my eyes there lives a me that I’ve been hiding for much too long
‘Cause I’ve been, too afraid to let it show
‘Cause I’m scared of the judgment that may follow
Always putting off my living for tomorrow
It’s time to step out on faith, I’ve gotta show my faith
It’s been illusive for so long, but freedom is mine today
I’ve gotta step out on faith, It’s time to show my faith
Procrastination had me down but look what I have found, I found

[Chorus]
Strength, courage, and wisdom
And it’s been inside of me all along,
Strength, courage, and wisdom
Inside of me

Behind my pride there lives a me, that knows humility
Inside my voice there is a soul, and in my soul there is a voice
But I’ve been, too afraid to make a choice
‘Cause I’m scared of the things that I might be missing
Running too fast to stop and listen

It’s time to step out on faith, I’ve gotta show my faith
It’s been illusive for so long but freedom is mine today
I’ve gotta step out on faith it’s time to show my faith
Procrastination had me down but look what I have found, I found

[Chorus]
Strength, courage, and wisdom
And it’s been inside of me all along,
Strength, courage, and wisdom
Inside of me

[Bridge]
I close my eyes and I think of all the things that I want to see
‘Cause I know, now that I’ve opened up my heart I know that
Anything I want can be, so let it be, so let it be.”

I came across a copy of The Resident Tourist sitting on my colleague’s desk yesterday. I was rather intrigued by the green covered volume, and asked to thumb through it. The premise was interesting enough that i went to visit the artist’s website. I liked what he was doing so much that i  read through 2 volumes out of 3 in one sitting for this particular series, all of which are freely available on his website.

I came  home last night after a movie and a dinner, and finished off the 3rd part in one sitting as well.

I don’t think i’ve been so enthralled by a comic like that in a long time. It made me want to find out more about the author, to understand where he was coming from.

That made the start of my weekend.

So i thought about it. What was so alluring about this artist? He had heart. He had honesty and took the time to hone his craft at communicating his story. These things count as brilliant in my book. I loved it. So what’s with the mixtape title you might ask? Without giving away too much of the story, it was a reference from the comic about each of us finding our own bit of life, and doing what we’re given/gifted/called to do.

i’m real inspired once more to do my own mixtape. What about you?

Somewhere along the way, something happened. Changes were made, and in the course of these 5 years, i’ve somehow found less reason to visit it. Doesn’t help when you don’t want to have a conversation with your customers i.e i sent a few emails inquiring on various issues, and none were replied to.

So how much is your subscription worth? How much would people pay for music these days? Next to nothing it seems. Radiohead turned the music industry upside down when it released In Rainbows online, and you could technically get it for free (you paid a discretionary amount).

Strange thing is, people actually paid (including yours truly). People paid what they think it was worth. You could be a real cheapskate and download it for free, but i would think that most people saw behind the mechanism and read the sub-text that the band had put out, and it read: We’re willing to take a bet that you’ll reward us accordingly, and we’ll come out (still) as the coolest band in the world.

By all accounts, the crowd decided to do just that.

They took a risk by initiating a conversation with their fans, and they still are (in the books of most people) the coolest band in the world.

Here’s something that you really don’t have to pay for. It’s a pretty damn good selection of stuff too.

I’m just staggered by the amount of conversations going on (by way of Twitter, just see the trending topics), and even hardcore folks streaming live from WWDC.

3205 Tweets on WWDC in 5 minutes??

It’s incredible that one company is able to generate such conversations between fanboys, haters in the Internet-sphere. Long live the Cult of Mac.

So what conversations are going on about your organization/products today? Or are they even talking about it?

Me and ton of people worldwide not at the WWDC watching it live. Incredible.

Fanzines have come a long way from the old gritty photostated DIY stacks of paper put together. Check out the Web 2.0 equivalent:

One of the featured mags on Magcloud.com