Author:

brett

Coachella Artists to Catch

Posted by brett – April 13, 2011

As Coachella unleashes its new music and old on us in a few days, we are looking forward to a few of the acts.  Here are a few of those that I’m getting excited to see. Enjoy!

// CUTCOPY // Sweet 80s synth to delight your little ears

// ELLIEGOULDING // This strong Brit-Pop vocalist has been a big part of the soundtrack to my life this past year and I’m personally excited to get some face time with Miss Goulding :)

// WARPAINT // These ladies have a tasty sound that is undoubtedly full of rock and an indie roll

// EMPIREOFTHESUN // This band gives a tip of the hat to everyones favorite season, Summer

// RATATAT // Ratatat is my pump of the jamz (with a “z”, yes) artist whom lays the beats while I dance awkwardly in busy public places

I’m a sucker for new music, so let me know what you’re diggin’!

- Brett

Present > Future

Posted by brett – November 23, 2010

Morning shadow of Mt. Baker on the skyline – Mt. Baker, WA

The desire to climb a mountain is a bit silly if you think about it; You exhaust your muscles entirely, suffer through biting cold temperatures, and accept the risk that if something goes wrong you may not come down the mountain alive. In theory it sounds entirely irrational to put yourself up to such an endeavor.  However, I see it as an insatiable challenge and opportunity to absorb myself into the beauty of the wilderness.

Group photo of the team at the top: (from left – Me, Matt, & Mark) – Mt. Baker, WA

This summer when I spent a week in Washington training in alpine climbing I had time to learn, time to channel and contest my desire to someday take on Everest.  As an avid adventure aficionado, one of my goals for this past year was to learn the essentials of mountaineering which led me on a week long trip to N. Washington in the Cascade Mountains (the pic below sums this range up pretty nicely).

Summit of Mt. Baker (3,286 M) – Mt. Baker, WA

Over the course of my time in the mountains I endured a personal paradigm shift. The beginning of the climb I meditated on the American philosophy of efficiency climbing with little care or awareness of the beauty that was around. As the sun rose a remarkable thing happened, I saw the beauty of the sun gleaning in the crevasses, beautifully strong rock formations chiseled by centuries of harsh winds, and most importantly, the determination and joy in the faces of my fellow climbers.  It was at that point in time when I realized why I was there.

Alpine Flowers – Mt. Baker, WA

Rather than focusing on defeating one of earths most intimidating natural formations or efficiently navigating the mountain terrain, I wanted to simply be; exist and observe the beauty found in the outdoors.  Over the past few months, it has led me to think about how I chose to live my life shifting my focus on the future to the present.  Thank you mountains for your continual lessons and beauty. Below is a quote by John Muir, whom I look up to, who had a zest for the outdoors more than any other of the 20th century.

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks” – John Muir

Sexy beard isn’t it ladies?!

Laura’s Story – “Whenever my passport is stamped, I’ll think of her.”

Posted by brett – November 18, 2010

I met Laura when I was a freshman in college. I was a student worker and her dad worked in the office I assisted. She walked in the office with a glowing smile, spiky blonde hair and a bounce in her step. However, the one thing I couldn’t help but notice was her size. She was small—very small.

The first time we were introduced, she leaned in for a hug. Everyone loves a good hug and it is one I will always remember. She had her dad’s smile. After this meeting, I looked forward to Laura visiting the office. We talked about travel, which we both had a passion for and the things we wanted to do.

I knew Laura was sick. Her dad, one of my mentors, talked to me about the struggles she was facing and how serious the situation had become. A seasoned athlete in high school, her workouts soon took the place of eating. At her worst she weighed 58 pounds, compared to her normal weight of 95 pounds.

There were times when it would seem things were getting better. She would bound in the office to see her dad. His jolly laugh boomed from down the hall as they talked. Then there were times when I wouldn’t see her. It was a constant worry for a lot of people, especially her family. I worried about them all, short in stature but big in heart.

Things changed when Laura became engaged. She was ecstatic, as were her loved ones. He grin was ever present as she talked about her wedding and the exciting move to Paris, France where her fiancé was lived.

Her wedding day came. It was wonderful, performed in both English and French. I sat among friends as I pushed positive and hopeful energy her way. We all wanted her to be happy. The reception was a blast. We danced to English songs, we danced to French songs, we danced to everything. It was such a memorable evening and one that I will always be honored to have been a part of. Before the close of the evening, I was able to get this quick photo with Laura after she had changed out of her wedding gown. This was the last time I would ever see her.

On Saturday, May 2, 2009, Laura passed away in Paris France. She was 31. Her 13-year battle with anorexia nervosa had ended. When I learned the news, my heart sank. Tears filled my eyes as I thought about her mother and father and the family she left behind. I thought about all the places she wanted to visit and the passport that would no longer be stamped.

I began to evaluate my own body image. I’ve always been on the “husky” side as my grandmother calls it. I’ve tried fad diets, but have always gained the weight back. Laura’s battle made me consider the reasons for my ambitions of weight loss. It made me look in the mirror and consider my reflection. What I saw was a person that was attempting to sculpt their body to please others. On that day, I realized I was doing everything for the wrong reasons. If I wanted to lose weight I needed to do it for myself.

I think about Laura often, her smile mostly. It’s a pleasant memory that I pull from time to time. I would like to think I’m on a positive path towards a healthy lifestyle. These things take time. I know that dreaming of the physique on a magazine cover is unrealistic. If Laura has taught me anything it is to be grateful for the time you have and to grasp life by the horns and never let go. I hope she knows how beautiful she was, inside and out.

An excerpt from the poem, “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver reads:

Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?

Today I promise, I’m trying to live my one wild and precious life with a whole heart and a smile, just as Laura would have wanted me to and whenever my passport is stamped, I’ll think of her.

By Ryan Murray

http://ryconic.blogspot.com


Each of us holds a powerful story

Posted by brett – April 12, 2010

I’ve been thinking a lot recently on the power of stories.

Every one of us is living out our own story.  We are putting pen to paper as we live the day to day, make decisions, set forth on adventures, find love, lose love, and find love once again in something unexpected.  Every now and then, I’ll look back on the chapters in my life story and reminisce of fond memories, remind myself of lessons learned, and plot the high points and lows.  This is all done so that I can ensure that when my life story is complete it can be looked upon as something rich with meaning, adventure, joy, and fulfilling relationships.

This story would be no fairytale, however, it would be real and raw, exposing the low points where poor decisions were made, pain was felt, and experiences of self-doubt, inadequacy, and vulnerability overcame myself.  When I think about sharing my story with others, these are always the chapters that I want to keep to myself because of the pain and shame that is evoked during those times.  However, as hard as these memories may be to share with others, these are where I allow others to peer into the caverns of my soul, helping people to learn through my own experience.  That makes my story powerful.

We all have a story.  It may not be like the tale of Frodo Baggins of Lord of the Rings or Jake Sully in Avatar but it doesn’t mean our story isn’t any less important to relay to others.  Each of us holds a powerful story and it is when we communicate this that we see this power our life story can exhibit.

We are all storytellers. Let us all be storytellers and change lives through sharing the stories that are written inside our hearts.

Content On Your Own

Posted by brett – February 8, 2010


Oh, the beloved fourteenth of February,

So many eagerly await your arrival after fond memories from years past.  How can we forget the way you effortlessly bring so many couples closer together, how you help out friendly card companies, florists, and chocolatiers during an economic downturn, and, of course, how you so kindly remind the majority of us that we are without a special someone.  Thank you for the reminder.  This year shall be another without a formal date and you know what? I am totally fine with the situation.

I’ve seen something recently in many relationships, that I am certainly not immune to, which is our desire to validate our own worth in the soul of another.  Simply, we feel content and complete when we are in a relationship but the minute that it is over we freak out and feel incomplete.  Now, I can’t necessarily hypothesize or diagnose why this is, but I believe it comes down to idea of self-love.  If you don’t truly love yourself and feel content being single, it will be difficult to facilitate a healthy and functional relationship with another person.  In relationships, we can often find ourselves unsettled or unhappy, attempting to fill a void that is far deeper than another person could possibly fill.

So, my friends, if you feel alone, incomplete, or inadequate because you may not have a significant other, take time to reflect upon your life.  Inquire within as to why those feelings arise and make necessary steps to address the deeper issues that exist. For each of us this will appear differently.  Learn to love yourself.  Feel content with your present situation, resolving that you don’t need to validate your worth through another person.  When that happens, you will be able to approach relationships that come your way with a healthy frame of mind, finding a deeper sense of joy and contentment that may never previously unveiled itself.

With Contentment,

Brett

Limited edition designs available soon!

Posted by brett – September 7, 2009

As you may know by now I’ve been on hiatus surviving this summer, but I’m back and ready to rock and roll. TMOOH is currently in production on limited edition items and they will be available online in the coming weeks. Keep checking back for updates and we’ll be in touch as soon as they are ready! 

-Brett