Keeping to the Essentials-A Review of Lululemon’s Yoga Shorts

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In lue of an upcoming move to much warmer climate, I have been reducing the amount of my clothes that I own (among other possessions).

Keeping a small inventory of clothes is essential for both short and long term travel. One obvious benefit of having few clothes is the simple fact that the less you have to wear, the less you have to wash. A small chocolate stain on your favorite t-shirt is a great conversation starter and a fun reminder for you to eat more chocolate! (raw and organic of course).
The clothes that have stood the test of to keep or to donate, are all clothes that I love and wear often. When I traveled Thailand this past January I had three shirts and I wore one of them more than 80% of the time (I was abroad for 34 days). With this rant on clothing, I want to talk about some new yoga apparel that I recently introduced into my possession and intend on using often (washing when needed-clean clothes do make a nice first impression). Read on for a review of some great new yoga shorts by Lululemon Athletica.
A Review of the “Response Short” by Lululemon Athletica
  • I recently acquired a pair of Lululemon Athletica “Response Short” yoga shorts. Being that I spend anywhere between 10-25 hours a week in the yoga studio, I have become pretty picky about my practice attire. If had to use few words to describe my overall impression of these shorts thus far…these shorts are great.

    • Continue reading →

Today’s Top Five-Tips for Reading

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I do not consider myself a superb reader by any measure.
The average reader’s word per minute (wpm) speed is somewhere in the range of 125 to 250 (my current rate is about 200 wpm). Think of people, “Speed Readers”, who read at rates of 1000, 2000, or 12,000 words per minute (watch the video for a demonstration of advanced speed reading-note movement of eyes). Currently, I am trying to complete a “Proven Self-Study Plan” to bring my reading speed up to 600 wpm. This is my fourth attempt at the plan. Learning to speed read is difficult.

  • About Speed Reading

Speed reading is intended to improve a readers’ wpm. Dispelling a common myth, the improved rate of reading does not come with a loss of comprehension or retention of the read material. Improved comprehension is often a claim of many speed reading programs.

  • Difficulties Learning To Speed Read & Goals

The difficulity of learning to speed read lies in practice of the mind numbing drills intended to expand peripheral vision and train your eyes to remain focused on the center of a page. The allure of speed reading is multi-faceted. Some of my desired benefits include: ability to read all the books I have on my shelf (that I thought I was going to read when I bought them), spend less time reading and more time doing other cool stuff, impress others with my super abilities (just kidding…kind of :) ), and learn a foreign language (not directly related to speed reading, but free time would help accomplish this goal)

  • Five Tips for Reading

As I continue to work on my current speed reading plan, I have come up with five tips to improve anyone’s reading:

  1. Read books that you enjoy. Reading something boring, dry, and uninteresting will make reading an activity you do not want to do. If you start reading a book that sucks, stop reading the book and get rid of it. Donate, re-gift, re-cycle…whatever. Someone else may enjoy the content more than you and may end up raving about the information that you missed or may have enjoyed. Use your precious reading time wisely.

    2. Continue reading →

Collecting Spring Water at Stowe, Vermont

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Getting your own water is fun! (I think it’s pretty cool too)

If I have the opportunity, I always try to get spring water direct from the source. When gathering my own water, I use large glass bottles (6 Gallon Carboys) to ensure there’s no sort of plastic related chemicals leaching into the water. In this post, you’ll find some facts about water and recommendations for water usage. I am not a scientist or a water expert. I am just an enthusiast of delicious water!

Water is vital for life. The average human’s blood is more than 80% water. While local municipalities do a fine job disinfecting and recycling waste water, tap water often contains chlorine, fluoride, pesticides, heavy metals, other substances that are not intended for consumption. Continue reading →

Have you got too much stuff?

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When thinking about the trip that I’m planning for the end of this month (never driven cross-country), I am faced with the dilemma that plagues any would be road tripper-What do I do with all my stuff?
Since incorporating yoga and some its’ values into my life, I have come across the principal of non-attachment on several occasions (one of the Sutras of Patanjali). When thinking of non-attachment, one can apply this ideology towards relationships, diet, and…stuff!
Material possessions can burden an individual just as much as anything immaterial. Old clothes, antiques, furniture, sporting equipment, and plenty of other stuff can hold onto feelings that are no longer a part of your life. When I started to eat primarily raw foods, I donated all the cooked food stuff I had. This was a great way for me not to constantly be temped to eat the stuff I decided I no longer wanted to consume. Stuff holds associations to the type of person you were when you decided to bring that stuff into your life (this can be good or bad depending on your perspective).
While deciding what stuff to get rid of, there are two common excuses that run through people’s head:
  • Just In Case-The “just in case excuse“, also known as I “you never know when you might need this” is the most common of all. Tattered t-shirts, worn out shoes, old newspapers…are all possessions that fall victim of this “someday” scenario. Continue reading →

Summer Reading Challenge-10 Books in 10 Weeks (Contest with Prizes)

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Some of my recent reads...

After hearing about how TD Bank North was giving $10 to anyone who read 10 books during the summer, I got very excited about pulling in some cash for an activity I enjoy already doing. Plus, working with a goal in a fixed time period is something I know helps me stay focused (think Parkinson’s law). However, after discovering that TD Bank was only offering this monetary prize to children with a “Young Saver” account, I decided to create my own 10 book challenge.

  • Here is challenge that I’m offering to anyone else who wants to join my Summer of Reading 10 Books (no bank account required). Read 10 books by the end of the summer (creative, I know). With the beginning of Continue reading →

The World’s Deadliest Fruit?-An Inquiry On Durian

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A couple of durians off the tree. Photo by by wenzday01

Don’t let the tag line of this article mislead you. Durian is not a toxin filled killer fruit of the Far East. Many people around the world consider durian to be one of the healthiest and most powerful aphrodisiacs nature has to offer. However, due to it’s size, thorny exterior, and weight (sometime’s upwards of 15 pounds), durian is a danger to the unfortunate people who happen to be below a tree during a durian’s descent to the forest floor. After this evening’s wonderful organic raw food potluck and getting the chance to eat durian for the second time in my life, I am very much inspired to help shed some light on this wondrous fruit.

  • Native to regions in South East Asia, durian has to cross oceans to make it to the United States. Durian grows natively in the countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. These days, you can find durian growing in many parts of Thailand and Australia. The consumption of durian is most popular in Asia, especially the south east regions and China. While consumption levels vary depending on the country, there is one fact about durian that is universal truth. Durian smells. Continue reading →

What excuse do you have not to travel?

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...yes this picture is real (I took it). Good Yoga happened on that day


Before embarking on a trip across the world, most people have two common excuses:

  • I don’t have enough money.
  • Isn’t that place dangerous?

I can’t ensure a plentiful bank account after a trip to Capetown, South Africa during World Cup Celebrations, but I can guarantee that you’d be able to spend an extended vacation of over a month in Nai Harn, Thailand while spending less than you would in a week in South Beach, Miami. During January and February of this past year, I was able to explore the temples,  national parks, night life, and …yes beaches of various parts of Thailand while breaking down both assumptions of needing reserves of dollars to survive (total trip cost, including air fare ($860 Round Trip from JFK) was less than $2000 for just under 6 weeks) and encountering life threatening situations (other than some incredibly spicy Pad Thai Noodle Dishes-be weary of asking for “Extra Spicy”).
To help explain the insights I gained during my jaunt around Thailand, and possibly help encourage would be vagabonds, I have come up with five lessons to keep in mind while contemplating temporary (or permanent) overseas relocation:

  1. The internet is everywhere-Internet cafes are exploding in popularity world wide.  I recommend not spending excess time with your email or facebook, but rest assured, you can stay in touch if you choose to. Internet speed is fast enough to maintain comfortable Skype conversations at usually under $1 an hour. The internet is also a wonderful resource to book hostels or hotels. Affordable accommodations can also be found through talking with other travelers who rave about a certain hidden gem. Most nights in Thailand were spent in Guest Houses that cost less than $5 a night. Continue reading →