What Do You Do?

Sam and I were just talking, what would we do if we didn't play music? What would we say we did? What do you say you do? Back in high school it was sports. That was what took up the majority of our time. But once college, and real life started, what was it that we did? Nothing, was the answer. I remember my freshman year, spending hours in bed, staring at the ceiling thinking, what do I do? Whats my thing? I find school, given the appropriate topic, interesting. But can you really hang your hat on that? When someone asks you what you do in your free time, can you honestly say, study? You and I both know you don't spend an average saturday afternoon studying. It's not a realistic hobby to have honestly. I'm a big believer in the saying "To much free time breeds trouble." I think a worth while trade is incredibly beneficiary to someone. It just so happens that playing music, a childhood dream of mine, clicked with me. And I've been blessed with the fact that it also clicked with my best friends. It creates and unmatched feeling of self worth. Richard and I mulled over the idea, the other night, that theres something that everyone is the best at. Whether it's underwater basket weaving, or playing the piano, you are great at something. The trick is finding that something, and sticking with it. I think that finding a hobby and becoming immersed in it let's someone broaden their horizon and becoming a much more productive member of society, even if your hobby isn't necessarily beneficiary to society, it creates a mindset of productivity that easily translates into things that are productive and do benefit you and others. For instance, I've almost completely abandoned watching cable television. Although that seems trivial, I spend my free time studying music theory, styles of play and other things music related. Whether its actually sitting with my banjo or guitar, or just plugging in to a new album on my computer, the time is spent learning and developing new skills or ways of thinking, not wasting away time watching stupid, inane television shows. Hobbies make you want to get out and do stuff and develop good habits. It's just a cause and effect situation. It's not a coincidence that after having picked up the hobby of playing music that I find myself waking up early on weekends, or studying harder, or exercising more. I think that the effort of trying to better myself in one department (music) translates into me wanting to better myself in other departments. Studying, health, etc. So I urge you. Find something you love, and stick with it. Find others that love it. Develop a sense of community. Do something that makes you feel productive, and you will actually become, productive. The thought of being able to teach my kids something that I've spent a lot of time learning is awesome. Be able to pass something down. Create a tradition. This will unlock doors and opportunities that you never thought possible before.

Best of luck,

Nathan

Everyone Needs a Place to Get Away

If you usually read this, as I'm sure you don't, you might have picked up on the fact that most of my writing gets done late into the night. That's because late night is where I "get away." Not necessarily a physical place, although that is helpful to have, but more or less a state of mind when you can finally exhale and let your mind wander. I purposefully try and fill my day with as much as I can just so that I can unwind in a profound way at the end of the day. Christmas break is great but waking up in the morning with nothing to do starts to eat away at you after a while. As a person, you need to fill your days with purpose. When you wake up in the morning with things to do, it gives you something to look forward to. And those oh so sweet moments of final relaxation at the end of the day wouldn't be possible without 12 good hours of productive activity. 

Let me set the scene for you. At the end of a long day, I'll fill a big mason jar up with some ice water, make a bowl of shisha, get on itunes, set a playlist, plug it in to my Bose wave radio, and just let my mind wander in to the late hours of the night. I'm reporting live from a cabin deep in the mountains of WV right now and kicking back after a long day of skiing and exploring, with my typical relaxation ritual is all I need to feel good. I think everyone should have a place they can go to or a activity they can do to let themselves unwind. Luckily I have both a place and an activity. And even better it's with all my best friends. Ryan we wish you were here lulz. But seriously, Tom was reading us some Albert Einstein quotes last night. I'm usually the anti quote because I can honestly say, that other than family, I don't look up to anyone. I'd rather me inspire me. But about the quotes, they struck a chord with me a little bit. Mainly because Albert Einstein, who some consider a pillar for academia and the modern learning system was extremely adamant about using your imagination. I wasn't paying that much attention but the gist of them was that without the ability to use your imagination and let your mind wander, you become stuck in a rut of repetition and you end up only knowing what you've been taught. This is where letting your mind wander after a long day comes into play.  Most of my ideas, both the extremely stupid and unrealistic, and ones that have stuck and shaped who I am today have come from long hours of just silent thinking with some music in the background. For those who haven't given this a try I strongly recommend it. And on that note I should probably get some sleep.

Let your mind wander.

Nathan