sound of sunshine.
sound of sunshine.
photo credits: Ashley Clarkin, various locations around Ft. Lauderdale, “golden showers”: Victoria Noll
Photos
Giving all my secrets away
Art is a liberating process. Apart from influence of the exterior world, you connect with the task at hand, engage and everything else fades to black. Artist and pen, the mic and the spotlight, paintbrush and canvas, teacher and class, athlete and opponent, actor and character, board and wave, body and mind. Passion drives all of this. When we’re driven, we realize everything connects. Thoughts are lost without action so find yourself empowered through progress. Prepare yourself, our reactions are a clear indication of where we’re at mentally.
As a writer there always comes a time when you feel there’s nothing to write about; you’ve run out of topics. You don’t know where to begin and that’s really where the problem began all along. If you find yourself searching for a topic then you’re not reflecting what you’re actually thinking about. Shouldn’t have to look for what’s on your mind because it already is. Truly great writings and real expression come on their own terms, at their own time. They show up when you least expect them. You’ll find harmony in your art once you avoid letting your mind get in the way of what your heart really has to say.
When I find myself at this place its often not that I don’t know what to write about, but what I’m capable of writing won’t properly explain what really needs to be said. Sometimes I’m just not ready to write about certain things. The key here is to not let excuses perpetually serve as a solution.
“Excuses are a list of self imposed obstacles that prevent you from having a better life.” – Tony Horton
This is one of the great beauties of life, art, poetry and music. Sometimes we need to speak about things indirectly, allowing conclusions to be determined by the observer. Through messages, color, delivery, metaphor, tone of voice, vibe, body language and emotion we can portray what we feel aside from words or picture; the harmony of it all does the talking for you.
I’ve always enjoyed writing as it allows time for preparation. I can work ideas out in my head then present them once I’m ready. What I’ve learned is when applying your art to the present, live in-person and on the spot is when real talent has the opportunity to shine. You could write hundreds of rough drafts, plan hundreds of routines, rewrite songs or speeches, rebuild things and “correct” your work countless times over; but being thrust into the moment shows us three very important things. One; we’re more prepared and talented than we lead ourselves to believe. Two; even if you were to make a mistake, its not a big deal so long as you refuse to give up when you stumble. Three; pressure can trap you, don’t doubt yourself. Remember, you’re doing what comes naturally.
I tend to perk up whenever I hear any mention of life lessons, the big picture or more specifically a perspective on success and its attainment. Especially from someone who appears to have it. This isn’t the guy with the biggest house on the block, but rather somebody who is happy, enjoys life and shares good stories of their times. Someone who surrounds themselves in laughter and positivity, friendship, kindness, family and sunshine of their own. Nobody can tell you how to be rich if you determine what your valuables are.
What is the key to life? Passion for everything you do. You don’t need money to be a millionaire.
“Existence is a sport.” – Tim Napoli
9 Notes on Life:
- Stop making comparisons
- Wave hello to haters
- Do you
- Don’t stop building
- We’re all connected
- It’s a small world
- I’m pretty sure you only live once
- Never say goodbye
- Stand up and live
Love Intensifies Futile Emotions
&
Positive Energy Activates Constant Elevation
You’ll find harmony in your art once you avoid letting your mind get in the way of what your heart really has to say.
“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” - Chuck Drury
South Africa
Ok I’ve never posted before but it’s about time I did. Sooo I went to South Africa a few years back and saw some amazing things and met some incredible people and I thought I’d share a few snapshots.
In a Cloudless Sky I Wandered
“None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
In a cloudless sky I wandered, one Sunday afternoon
Kayak resting on a rock at the river’s mouth, I remember I could see the moon
Cool water rushed crystal clear underneath to replenish the awaiting lake
Sunshine healed my skin, body and mind from its angled perch as the day vaporized.
The vibration of the Earth and its creatures just soothed through the silence
Leaving nothing but the breathing of the universe a simple tune for me to listen
I’m equipped with pen and pad so you know I’m thinking
Real writing is mentally inscribed
It never leaves you, so I’m see through and I’m breathing through this rap cause I see you
Deepak reaches out to me, with crucial knowledge and
It was passed down the line at just the right time so he writes from me to you:
“Time is the field of gain and loss. As long as you are in time, its an illusion to think that you can prevent loss, which is just another word for change.”- Deepak Chopra (from Life After Death: The Burden of Proof)
So I’m thinkin on that, reverence for life
And I’m sitting here with my mind ambition in sight
And I mentioned reverence for life cause I’m thinking about the clouds and the sun in my sight
Freestyling now, explaining kinda shifty
Go out in nature and just sink into it man
I’m in the ocean, back on the beachfront, laying in the sand as the reeds wrap around me
And I’m thinking I’m in Avatar, 3D crazy I’m sitting here I’m not at the bar
I’m getting drunk on the world, cosmic universe
Just thinking and I’m rapping in my room on this verse
So I’m straight cuttin’ styles from beyond
Looking at the ocean aaahh man im sublime
And I’m rising so I cant be low, I can’t see myself but I know
I’m coming back
So I had to come down and take a quick breather
I’m back on line 2 and I go heres my seether
I’m moving forward operation not shifty
I’m tippin and I’m tappin and I’m building so I see
At the end, here I’ll be building
The ride was the illest and the journeys what I’m yielding
I’m reassured and its back to my essence, remember why you’re here why you sat down to sing this.
Maybe I dont, maybe I do, I just do it cause I love sending vibes to you
So to my crew, connect with me on VibeThat
Broadcast from the tree tops from my bones to my cornea
Exuding realness I’m thinking through this motion
I’m sending, hear vibe to this through, through this potion
and I’m moving I’m thinking moving forward, it’s 7:46 on the dial
Moving forward through the darkness you know I’m just climbing
I’m climbing up the ladder each rung and I’m shining
Not my watch not my this not my that
It’s through my eyes through my great cataracts
Song Credit: Instrumental provided by “123InDaPlaceToBe”
In a Cloudless Sky I Wandered by Brett Napoli is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.vibethat.com.
stopumentary. victoria noll.
From original photos and art. Featuring “Arcadia” by Apparat and “When I’m Small” by Phantogram.
Photos taken circa March 2009- June 2009 in Austin, Texas: my home for exactly two years. This is a random slice of time that skips around a bit and does not include all photos from that time period. In the future, I hope to go back and put together a video for the rest. I loved my time in Austin and wish the best for everyone who was a part of my experience there.
