Blog: Life

I just got back from a weekend in LA. My Dad and family live down there, and I'm fortunate to visit them a few times a year. We've started to develop some traditions on these quick trips.

On Friday night, my family gets together at my Uncle's house for Shabbot dinner. He and his immediate family are Orthodox Jewish, so we partake in the ritual and inevitable food feast with them. It's always a wonderful time.

On Saturday morning, my Dad and I usually head out for a motorcycle ride across the canyon and to the beach. We stop at the Rock Store and this time, Neptune's Net, both popular biker-stops.

Besides the great feeling of the wind on my face, my favorite part of these trips is the people watching. It's fun to see the different kinds of people who show up at these biker-hangouts – weekend warriors, serious hogsters, young, old, men, women. Bikers come in all shapes and sizes. To see what they look like and how they interact is always a treat.

Sunday is golf day at the Country Club. I play with my Dad, Uncle and Aunt. I'm no good, but enjoy spending time with my family on a beautiful course and in a different setting. Today, I parred and out-drove the foursome on two holes. That's a good golf day for me and will keep me coming back for more.

Often, we'll get together with my stepsister and her family, but not on this trip. They have a beautiful house in Manhattan Beach, so in addition to more family time, I get to relax and take in the sun and sand.

Honestly, one of the best parts of these trips is coming home. Every time I get in my car at the Eugene Airport and head home, I get this overwhelming feeling of thankfulness and peace. I love living and working in Eugene. It's wonderful to visit friends and family in LA, but my home and heart are in Eugene.

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What inspires you to get up every day? What do you dream about doing? Do you act on those passions?

Too many people don’t. How sad! Can there be anything more authentic than a person who rises every day ready to delight in the day ahead because it's filled with things that are inspiring – things that are part of realizing a dream?

So, why don’t more people set aside whatever holds them back and take charge of their lives? Say, today I do the things I want to do. I will follow my passion and my dream.

One reason. They’re afraid. Afraid that maybe they won’t succeed; maybe they will fail. Yet, they probably know that life’s best lessons come from our failures. Often success is just a result of what we’ve learned from our mistakes.

So, get out there, live your passion and be open to experiencing how great it feels to be doing what you love.

Do it despite this economy!

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Habits develop gradually. And everyone wants to do what's right for the environment. Here's what Martha Stewart says:

"It's more important than ever to do all that we can right now. I recycle, compost, use long-lasting light bulbs. And I encourage everyone to take baby steps. Image what kind of world we'd have if we each did just one little good thing as often as we could. We could really make a difference."

What can you do? Read on:

• Turn off the lights when you leave a room
• Walk instead of driving
• Line dry your clothes
• Print on both sides of a piece of paper
• Bring your own cup to your favorite coffee stop, don't use paper cups
• Buy fair traded items
• Bank online
• Reuse Ziploc bags
• Use rags and napkins that can be washed; skip the paper kind
• Pick up litter

It's that easy!

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