Life is where you go, dear friends, to temporarily believe in death, fleetingly forget your power, and briefly have the Dickens scared out of you, voluntarily. All in the name of adventure. - The Universe

(e>v says: Kinda sounds like sitting in the theatre watching a horror film, eh?! But don't forget, it's not so scary when you remember that it's all just make believe and that the monster is just a nice person in a mean costume and that, at any time at all, you can turn off your "lens" and see the world through a new perspective immediately. Who wants popcorn?)

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars..." -Jack Kerouac

A great thought from a great artist ...

This is a quote from a birthday card I got this year. And, after recently attending a performance by the amazing youth performing arts center, Circus Juventas, I realize more and more how this is true. And how our attitude makes all the difference.

As I watched these performers fly through the air, I sat with anticipation and anxiety. Will they catch each other? Will they make it? I was tense. Probably an OK state for me to be in as I was on the ground ... but the daredevils? High, high above the popcorn-littered floor? Tense was not an option. They all hung, swung and flew in complete ease and trust ... loose and languid ... focused and free. They knew, if they tensed up or held back, a disaster could happen. (Or at least a semi-embarrassing fall to the safety net.)

They all knew that life truly was happening right that very moment ... and they dove in. Literally. And that's what made all the difference.

Happy summer, friends! We at e>v have been so busy traveling that we've seriously neglected this blog. So sorry ... and, at the same time, not really as we've been having a blast. Camping. Road trips. Concerts. Oh my. And, there's so much more to come. The days are long, the sun is bright and our spirits are up. And you?

Sorry to be MIA lately ... time flies when you're having fun.

And speaking of fun: Gretchen and I are heading into an upcoming weekend e>v getaway. And I'm in serious "Prep" mode .... You know that feeling: That excited, yet, holy shi# how am I going to get everything done in time to catch my flight? I'm in that space now, surrounded by papers and file on my desk. And it's only Tuesday. At least the birds are chirping a song to keep me on the move. I feel like a tech-happy Snow White.
More later.

The gem I found in my inbox today from a favorite source: "Your emotion does not create. Emotion is your indicator of what you are already creating." I've posted this on Twitter, I've scribbled it on my notebook, I've sent it to my fella, I'm tattooing it on my hand so I remember, remember, remember: Emotion is our gauge of how we are BEING. Emotion lets us know if we're on course or off. Emotion informs us of what is or what is about to happen in our lives. Emotion is our crystal ball, our tuning fork, our own personal soothsayer. Emotion is our BFF who tells us we have broccoli in our teeth, who nudges us to act, who offers up her frank opinion on everything in our lives -- good and bad. Emotion rocks.

(How are you feeling -- or should I say BEING -- today as you travel through life?)

Hello travelers ... Elissa here. My friend Tim just sent me this link and I had to share it: ethicaltraveler.org. It's a cool site that helps adventurers of all kinds explore our world with a clean conscience and a pure heart. Sounds very evolutionary to me. A quote from their site sums up our kindred spirits and moves me to ... move! Check it out: Nice.

On this theme of remembering (Elissa here) ... Remember your beauty. Remember your brilliance. Remember your importance. Remember your light. Remember that only you can do what you do ... and that the world is perfect because of it. Thanks to the daily note from The Universe to help bring this all home:
"Some people just have big hearts. And with this gift they're very often able to feel, offer, and show far more love than they receive from those around them. Which, at times, is a heavy load to bear. So today I'd like to remind them, and especially you, that the sun asks not that the moon and planets help brighten each day, but relishes her role as a keeper of the light and a bringer of the dawn. A role much like your own." Daaaang. Let that light shine, people.

Hello Evolutionistas!

Elissa here ... Last night, Gretchen and I had a great meeting with a fun, new friend named Dana. (keep an eye out for her on this site ... you'll definitely be seeing more of her!)

Over our respective cocktails and gorgonzola/pear pizzas, we shared tales of travel, thoughts on the self and our respective opinions on the idea of Aliveness. And for me, I shared how, lately, this feeling of Aliveness has been seriously escaping me as I've traveled through my everyday life.

I shared how I've been feeling -- even in the midst of a brand new year and new intentions -- in a big, deep, frustrated-at-the-world rut. How I have recently gotten so into the grind and focused on the weeds and addicted to "working hard" that even I have seemed to miss out on the bigger picture, the e>vness of life, the essence of ALIVENESS.

And I was reminded again of how this ... all of life ... is a journey that ebbs and flows, starts and stops. And I was reminded again that the entire world is a projection of myself. And, I was reminded of how feeling alive -- when you're out of practice -- doesn't just come 'naturally' all the time. And I was reminded that I might actually need to REMEMBER to stay connected to my Aliveness...

And so, to you, to the world, to the universe, I make a declaration ... a New Year's Reclamation (as Gretchen calls it) to re-own my freedom, to reclaim my possibilities, to remember my purpose. So:

Today, I choose Aliveness. Today, I choose to feel good. Today, I choose to be brave. Today, I choose to let go. Today, I choose to be free. Like a parachute cord, Aliveness is always there, just waiting for me to grab it and pull. A reliable, never-lets-you-down, old friend...Aliveness is just waiting for me to grab its hand and fly through life, leaving my stories and excuses behind, trusting that I'm going to land in the right place, more exhilarated and empowered than ever. No matter where I am today, no matter what comes my way, I choose ALIVENESS.

(and how have you been feeling lately?)