Something to smile about...

I was walking home from my neighborhood coffee shop today playing my harmonica and I came up behind 8 little preschoolers and their teacher out for a walk. The kids were taken by my music and each of them danced their way down the sidewalk as I followed slowly behind. It was hilarious and adorable to watch them all shake their little bums and rock their heads back and forth as they skip-walked to the rhythm. It's not much, but it made my day. Then, as they turned a corner to head back to their school, the whole group of them gave me a cute group "thank you" as I went on my way.

There's always the simple things.

The passing of a legend

I learned this morning that yesterday, Helio Gracie, the founder of Brazilian jiu jitsu, passed away in his sleep at his ranch in Itaipava, Brazil. He was 95 years old.

Helio learned traditional Japanese jiu jitsu by watching his brother as a young boy. Helio was too small to execute many of the moves and so he came up with his own variation that gave the smaller man the advantage by using physics and leverage over power. Helio passed his art onto his four sons and the Gracie name spread across the World. His son, Rorion (pronounced Horion), is credited with the idea for having the first Ultimate Fighting Championship and his son, Royce (pronounced Hoyce) won the first two UFC tournaments, among a long chain of other accolades. His other two sons, Rickson and Royler (yes, pronounced Hickson and Hoyler), have also competed in mixed martial arts and are founders of their own Gracie schools.

Helio Gracie's fighting art has changed the world, both in the fighting world and out. Many people owe their self-esteem, their health, their passion and sometimes even their life to this remarkable art. I am sad that he has passed, but I am given hope that he died in his sleep the way he wanted to. He lived a long and full life. If we could all be so lucky...

Rest in peace, Helio. You will forever be remembered.

A Shel Silverstein moment...

I've been playing a tune on my harmonica that I couldn't quite place. Then it hit me. I sang it in a third or fourth grade production (Mom?). It's a tune put to this poem by Shel Silverstein...

If you are a dreamer,come in.
If you are a dreamer,
a wisher, a liar,
a hoper, a prayer,
a magic-bean-buyer.
If you're a pretender,
come sit by my fire,
for we have some
flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!

THere's always Mars...

Check this out!Astronomers have found out the surface of Mars is covered with buried glaciers. Not the whole thing, obviously, but one is three times the size of Los Angeles and a half mile thick. I dunno... I think that's pretty cool.

Glaciers on Mars

(BTW, that's the closest thing to a job opportunity I've found today)

I don't really hate my life...

I was just cooking dinner and got rice all over my hands. As I washed the grains of rice down the drain, I remembered just how much worse it can be.

I'll be okay.

This is my life now...

Got this email this morning from my most recent job hope...

Hi Michael Thank you for applying for the position of Visual Coordinator. Although you interviewed very well, I believe you are over-qualified for the position and therefore; I have chosen another applicant. I wish you luck in your job hunt, I am sure with your work ethic you will find something suitable. Take care,
XXXXXXX

I hate my life.