Devastation in Haiti

What will he discover when your extensions are out, your tattooed makeup wares off and your padding pops out? What does the vanity mean if you are mean? Looks will only take you so far, as I’m sure you have all heard, yet have you taken it to heart. In a society where headlines are dominated by a reality star’s new fake hair, are you personally concentrating on you? The stripped down you? I am trying to live with intention, not be default. Not defaulted on what entertainment media advises, and not settled on the easy way out.

Thousands have died in a devastating earthquake in Haiti, I’m sure their hypothetical wealthy threads did no service in the end. Tragedies put reality in perspective. Is your reality splattered on a magazine, or is it centered in being kind and whole? Just some thoughts on a somber day.

Highland goats and gyros

Following hours of discussions with my favorite people, I realize that most of us are in the depths of our quarter life crisis. The prognosis is positive, yet the battle is grim. Uncovering true friends, true intentions and true selves, the quarter life crisis is when you actually think about what to do with your life. College may be closely coming to an end, or your first amazing job turns out to be grunt work from hell. Either way, approaching 25 cosmically forces us to examine our path.
I have taken on painting again, attempting my first stab in chairoscuro featuring a highland goat. I anticipate it to be glorious....or at least a reflection of where my mind is right now. Grappling to finish my degree to start my real career while faking enjoyment at a job that people actually make their career, my thoughts are a little out of sorts. I found myself writing an enthusiastic ode to my sister about a delicious gyro I had for lunch. Really?!! Is that where I must channel my stress? Into Greek lunch sandwiches? I will keep you posted.
P.S.
I thought of an amazing band name. I cannot disclose it, but I am putting it's excellence out into the universe. Self fulfilling prophecy.

Villages

I have been thinking a lot about social networking sites, their use in society, and where they may lead us. I like to take the approach that people, in general, very much enjoy the sense of small community. The mindless chatter that accompanies the daily gossip. The ability to keep an eye on every sudden move of the town fool. Thus the inception and success of sites such as MySpace and Facebook. It is no secret that we have a fascination with everyone but ourselves. I feel that a large part of that is due to the need to stay in a sort of pack....much like the chihuahua, husky and apparently all of America.
We stay in tune with every one around us, and do not feel ashamed of being in the know. If we were just an anonymous face in the growing disconnect of physical interaction, where would we feel the love? As the great John Lennon and Paul McCartney stated, "all we need is love". A love that allows us to worry about everyone else, since we are often so unsatisfied with our own lives. But hey, it's alright, those people we are worrying about are our neighbors.....or friends.....or tally rather in a virtual world.

Countdown to Success

As is apparent in the lapse since my last entry, I have been experiencing a lack of inspiration. I think things were going really well in my life, and joy is no often inspiring for the soul licking sarcasm that is usually accompanied in times of stress and confusion. Not to say that I am not grateful for my life right now, yet no one has ever said life is easy. If someone chooses to make the mistake in stating that life is easy, it is probably because they have never had to work a day in their life, and have therefore not really lived.
Forks, crossroads, sporks....they all have distinct decisions revolving around them. When is it exactly appropriate to use a spork? And why are they only available in a dispensable variety? The decisions we must face are never easy, and are seldom settling. Thoughts for a currently uneasy mind I suppose.

Fall in Colorado

I have felt a complete lack of words lately, a sort of bloggers block if you will. Although my life has been nothing but a bundle of change, the small events that have unraveled in the last two months are hard to put into one confined story. So, instead of updating with small anecdotes of life back in Colorado, I am going to profess my deep adoration for fall time in the Rocky Mountains.
Last Tuesday I woke to find that the leaves all changed color overnight. I knew the day was coming....the building of the cool evenings, the crisp fresh fall air, yet without warning, my neighborhood was flooded with drifting squash yellow leaves, and red tipped branches. Frost is settling on the browning grass in the early morning, yet the air is thawing to a perfect 65 degrees with perfect blue skies by midday.
I challenge anyone to find a more perfect place than Colorado in the fall. Sighing with complete content, I don't think anyone could find more perfection than this state, and this exact moment.

Today, as my final day in Los Angeles, I can't help but feel a little bit of nostalgia as I say goodbye. I will no longer be able to weigh in on the cloudy air, trying to figure out if it is a smoggy day, or perhaps just a marine layer. I will no longer be able to analyze life while going 10 mph on the 405, and I will no longer be forced to collect every small belonging from my car in fear that it will be stolen. Ahhh, Los Angeles. Such great times we've shared. Nights at the pub, nights on the Sunset Strip, and more recently, nights at home because I can barely afford a gallon of gas. I will truly miss the palm trees, and some of the amazing people who, bless them, will continue fighting the good battle here in LA.
For those keeping track, Phoenix was the original plan, yet unforeseeable circumstances, fate, and empty pockets have led me back to Colorado. Tomorrow as I leave, with a sigh of relief, I will take with me some incredible memories. I look forward to this crazy journey, and can't wait to see where I'll end up.

Taking the Offensive Position

There has been quite a lot going on these past couple of weeks, oh where do I begin.....
I was able to visit Colorado and Phoenix courtesy of HURT about a week and a half ago. They were so kind to allow me to ride their bus from the Springs back to LA as they had a few shows in between. I had a few interviews, looked at a place to live, lost my mind in Coachella Valley....alright so I didn't quite loose my mind, yet I am fairly certain I was on the brink.
The bus broke down in the middle of what can only be described as the entrance to hell with no air conditioning, limited cold water and a lovely 125 degrees of unfiltered solar heat. It was cooler outside, so to get a break from the baking bus we would step out into a 1 MPH breeze of dust filled sun. Once we began moving, our only solution was to essentially hang out the window and pour water over ourselves. This inspired singing and dancing among us girls, and for the guys witnessing the frail edges of our minds, they certainly must have thought they already lost theirs. The six hour-ish drive from Phoenix to LA took a reasonable 13 hours.
Packing for the move has since commenced, and I am living in a fort of boxes. While this situation may seem titillating for those who have spent hours perfecting their box forts in imaginative youth, I have realized that living in the perfected fort is not quite as fun when your legs are obscenely long. The tender area surrounding my knee caps seems to be perpetually bruised as I swim through the battle field that is my living room before I even make it to the safe haven of my heavily armed fort. I have stock piled DVD's, small knick-knacks, and I am starting to suspect that the co-inhabitants of my fortress have stowed away a perishable item or two as a soft odor has been wafting through the walls these past couple of days. I assume they are hording the items until a complete famish has set in.
This evening I am to assault the infamous wax incident. I have prepared myself with numerous minutes of research, and am confident that I can remedy the situation without having to replace the carpet at the scene.
In another set of circumstances that have no relation to the previous events, a few projects that I have been working on have just released:
www.mitfleisan.com
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PvGkz6hsolo