Project for Awesome

(insert excuse for not blogging since July here)

For those of you know don't know, I'm a very (VERY) big youtube.com nerd. Meaning I don't just go on to look at videos of cute kittens being surprised, or celebrities making fools of themselves (although I check those out from time to time), I like to consider myself an "active-observer" of the youtube community. What I mean is that although I don't post content, I subscribe, comment, rate and pass along what I think is worth passing along.

Once every year - the youtube community takes part in what's called the "Project for Awesome", where youtube users are encouraged to post a video and talk about a charity, a cause, a project that they think the rest of the world should know about. Think of it as a "do-gooders" expo where people sell you on the coolest projects and show you how you can contribute.

I wanted to share with you my favourite: Awesome World Foundtation

Artist & Writer Dallas Clayton has written a fantastic book aptly named "An Awesome Book".

Clayton's book is about linking the audacious dreams we have when we're sleeping to the dream we have when we're awake. The message is simple, yet so powerful.

Rather than go on...and on about how great this book is, I would like to invite you to spend the next 10 minutes and enjoy:

1. This three minute video explaining the book and the concept.

2. Give the book a read for yourself. If you like it, it could just be the perfect perfect Christmas present.

I hope you found this worth your time and would encourage you to share it with those, young or old, who need to be reminded of the power of dreams.

Cheers,

- Conor

525, 600 minutes later...

"525, 600 minutes

525, 600 moment so dear

525, 600 minutes

How do you measure... measure a year"

- Jonathon Larson

After my game of squash tonight at the Brixton Rec Centre in South London, I walked in the rain. To be fair, it wasn't the rain you see in Vancouver on October 6th. The kind that when you see it, you know that you're probably not going to see the sun again until the week before exams start, but still - I walked in the rain. I didn't run. I have no reason to run.

"¿Está usted de azúcar?"

"Are you made of sugar?"

I was asked this once when a huge downpour happened in Cuzco, Peru. I was frantically hunting for cover as rain pelted down. He had a point. It was just rain.

I was asked the other day how I felt about getting my degree two years late:

"Two years late for what?" (I asked - politely)

"Two years late. You'll be 24 when you have your degree. Aren't you worried about how it'll look?"

(Aside from sweet?) "How do you mean" (still polite)

"I mean all your friends will be out there working, and you'll show up and they'll all be well on their way to having professional careers, and you'll be, well, behind..."

(...your mom! zing. shhhh. be polite) "I guess I just see it differently. I see myself as being 40 years ahead. I effectively retired for a year. When someone retires they get the chance to reevaluate and reconnect with all the things they used to love. Sadly, they're either too old to remember what is was they once loved or they're physically/emotionally unable to reinvest the time to bring back those passions that seemed to fall by the wayside all those years ago. It seems that for many, not all, becoming a grown up means that you can't be a kid anymore.

This year brought me to tears at points. I had forgotten who I was. I had defined myself by my work and not by my behaviours and passions. I was a laundry list of achievements of my former self and was unable to understand why things I had loved most were left with a distant memory of me.

Lucky for me I'm 24. I'm 40 years ahead. I have my whole life to learn, love, listen, talk, play, smell, taste, kiss, hug, smile, laugh and involve all the people and activities that make those happen more often that not. The best part about this news - is that I'm not alone in being lucky to be ahead. You don't need to travel the world to realize/regain what's important - but it sure helps."

(awkward silence)

(except the rain & my footsteps)

(I am alone walking and talking with my former self)

(I walked in the rain. I didn't run. I have no reason to run)

Love you all. Thanks for reading.

- Conor

And just for giggles - here's a clip of me growing a beard!