PROJECT CARPE DIEM

“My satisfaction comes from my commitment to advancing a better world”   ~ Faye Wattleton

GROW

1. Read a book unrelated to your work.

2. Give yourself a permission slip to visit a museum, an art exhibit, or a science center.

3. Learn something new. Enroll in an art class, foreign language class, piano lessons or a dance class.

4. Listen to a Ted Talk and become inspired by the wonderful things people are doing.

5. Use your camera. Begin a blog and post a photo and a poem daily. You’ll be a great photographer and poet by the end of the year.

6. Watch a foreign film, 27 Hours, or Toy Story 3, five times.

7. Ride in the back seat of a car. Play or sleep on the floor.

8. Take a nap. Wake up with a smile.

PLAY

9. Explore. View a new neighborhood from your bike. Get an ice cream cone after your tour.

10. Switch positions. Hang upside down on the monkey bars.

11. Invite friends over and play board games, cards, or chess.

12. Get involved in sports. Play baseball, basketball or soccer. Join a league and meet new people.

13. Go bowling. After hubs and his siblings left home they would often meet up and go bowling on Sunday afternoons.

14. Be goofy. Remember when you used to get in trouble for goofing around? As an adult nobody cares! Act silly and be ridiculous every once in a while.

15. Play dress up. Wear weird and mismatched clothes. Put on your old comfy sweater. Do your own thing!

MOVE

16. Take the stairs. It’s an easy way to burn up to 70 calories. Imagine if you did it for a year.

17. Make exercise fun. Ride your bike, put on your roller blades or walk/run for a cause. Remember when you could run faster and jump higher in your PF flyers? Check out the vintage commercial on You Tube.

18. Take a hike. Invite a few children to go with you. Teach them moving can be fun!

19. Do something that takes your breath away. Bungee jump, go white water rafting, take a mule down the Grand Canyon. Cross it off your bucket list.

20. Walk more. Small children don’t want to be carried! Walking brings freedom to both children and adults.

SHARE

21. Share your birthday cake. Make someone smile. Serve yourself last.

22. Write a letter and share good news with a distant relative.

23. Pass a hand written thank you note to a coworker.

24. Share your lunch. Give a friend half of your sandwich or one of your cookies.

25. Give books. Give them to someone who appreciates the same books you do.

26. Donate clothes you never wear anymore.

27. Make dinner. Bring it to a shut-in or elderly neighbor.

28. Share your knowledge. If you can help someone, share what you know. We get a long with a little help from our friends.

CONNECT

29. Tell your children you love them. Each one, as often as possible

30. Spend time with an elderly person. You’ll make their day by making them feel important.

31. Face to face time. Balance your time communicating with others. Make time to Skype and spend time together without electronics.

32. Invite friends over. Keep it simple. Serve bread, salad, and soup. Relax and have fun.

33. Open your heart. Get beyond surface talk. Speak from your heart. Reveal your deepest longings.

34. Get real. Be your authentic self. Allow others to see your vulnerability. Show your emotions. Cry. Be sad. Be touched.

35. Volunteer. Offer your services for free. Work on a trail. Teach someone to read. Arrange a crew to clean up a neighborhood.

CREATE

36. Fun. Dress warm and enjoy the cold and snow.

37. Sketch.  Sketch a self portrait, your pet, a flower.

38. Paint.  Paint a room, the ocean, a picture, your house.

39. Write. With chalk on the sidewalk, a love letter to someone near and dear.

40. Build. Build a tree house, a bird house or a doll house.

41. Plant. Plant a garden, a cactus, bulbs for next spring.

WONDER

42. Wonder how many horses are on a merry-go-round.

43. Wonder what the next “big thing” will be.

44. Wonder where you’ll take your next vacation.

45. Wonder when the tulips will bloom.

46. Wonder how many stars are in the sky.

47. Wonder how it would be to fly.

48. Wonder what it’s like to be a fire cracker on the 4th of July.

49. Wonder when you’ll play again.

50. Wonder why we ever have to grow up.

(Source:  theboldlife)

CDQue

“I’m just doing better than what everybody projected
Knew that I’d be here so if you asked me how I feel
I’mma just tell you, its everything that I expected”

~ Big Sean

I remember my reawakening process clearly, it was similar to finally understanding what the matrix is. I am nine months removed from that initial jolt in my life and I still feel great.

The purpose of Project Carpe Diem (PCD) was 20% about me and 80% about everyone within eyes reach of my words or an earshot of my voice. I want to leave a legacy, not just for my family, but for anyone to follow and emulate. I want PCD to be more than an idea and more of a movement.

The best advice for becoming an ideal is simple.  You have to search for your happiness, find your passion and become bigger than your body. Seize each day because at any moment it could be your last. Abiding by the cattle lifestyle of a mindless, news obsessed automaton is a meaningless existence.

With that said, I wanted to speak about today’s blog (yes, I’m breaking the fourth wall). I was apprehensive about including a video portion for a number of reasons, but after careful consideration, I decided in favour of it. I bought a digital camera today and I’m excited to get my Rocket (City of God) on. I’m still compiling info about how to post videos, but in the interim I will be posting inspirational commentaries that led to this path. This prospect really excites me and I hope you enjoy this ongoing segment.

A few housekeeping notes, I want to sincerely express my gratitude for everyone that made yesterday possible. Yesterday I achieved the most single day traffic in my short history (216 hits), this is a huge achievement and helps to contribute to my personal benchmarks, thank you! For all of the new blog subscribers and twitter followers (@Carpe_diem_que) welcome to our movement and nice to meet you.

Without any further adieu, this is the video that started it all. This gentleman is one of my personal heroes and this commentary is on heavy rotation on my computer. Enjoy.

CDQue

“Happily married people and perpetually single people are similar:  We’ve both given up on dating and have merely chosen different exit strategies .”                   ~ Aaron Karo

Marriage may get stale, but sleeping around is like the gift that keeps on giving or so thinks, Aaron Karo. The comedian/author may be a lot of things, but dishonest is not one of them. I’m having more fun than you is a collage of anecdotes and stories of hookup triumphs and pitfalls.

At the age of thirty, Karo doesn’t see any value in marriage and I cannot knock him for that. He knows what he wants and works towards it. He does believe that marriage is important and one day wishes to wed, but for now, his independence is paramount.  Most of the novel is spent belittling his married friends, who by and large are incredibly boring in matrimony.

This book came highly recommended from my friend Diane after she saw me reading Drink, Play, F@#K.  I’d be lying if I said this read wasn’t enjoyable. The hijinx he stumbles into reminds me of my friends… ten years ago.  He club hops like a pro and drinks unreal amounts of liquor.

Which begs the question, when does partying and drinking copious amounts of liquor become unacceptable? I’m fast approaching thirty and I no longer “club hop”. I still do find great joy out of frequenting lounges or pubs for a scotch, pint or glass of Merlot.  I’m pretty comfortable that these are socially acceptable norms for people my age.  I must say though, the complete disregard for social norms is why I’m right along with Karo on his journey.

I suppose where Karo and I disagree is in our treatment of women.  That can attributed to our difference in beliefs. On many an occasion, I have been criticized for “wasting my talent”, for not sealing the deal on a one night stand.  Karo does not suffer that problem, he beds women like it’s his profession. His methods are a bit crass and douche bag-esque, but entertaining nonetheless.

When it comes to recommendations, I would have to rate this 6 out of 10.  I constantly battled with fits of laughter and disapproval.  This book offers up many comical scenarios and the writing is fluid.  Karo does have moments of reflection and sincerity throughout and what I respect about him most is his conviction.  He’s self assured in his chosen path and that’s admirable.  I can’t speak to the tactics he employs, but without them, we may not have had this book.

CDQue