Snowboarding Down the Mountain into Montreal

Bilafond from Bilafond’s Randomness is always sending me great videos. But the video he sent me today, I just had to share with you. It’s that awesome!

This video is about “Seb Toots doing a top to bottom run from the Mt.Royal (downtown Montreal mountain)”. He literally snowboards from the top of a mountain, down into the city — vaulting off cliffs, sliding down rails, and jumping over staircases. He ends the video snowboarding down a sidewalk along a city-street. I didn’t even know you could snowboard down a sidewalk. Cool stuff!!!

The video also has some beautiful close-up shots of animals in the snow and Montreal. It was really well-done. Great editing… Thanks Bilafond!!!

Interestingly, earlier today I came across this article that said snowboarding is on a decline while traditional skiing is increasing in popularity. Ever since I saw the movie Chalet Girl (which I totally recommend if you’re looking for a hilarious chick-flick), I’ve wanted to learn how to snowboard. So, the article kind of bummed me out. But watching this video, renewed my interest. So, now I REALLY need a wintry vacation… 

Seb Toots Montreal snowboarding run from Seb Toots on Vimeo.

Film made with Red Scarlet camera during 2 days of shooting !
Film and edit by : Sunset Films (Mathieu Cowan)
Twitter/Instagram: @sebtoots @sunsetfilms

Here It Comes: The Bookless Library (Sooner than I expected)

Reblogged from Book Peeps:

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In October of last year I published a post on a study conducted by Pew Research Center on the reading and library habits of those aged 16-29.  In that post, (linked here) I cited part of the study that covered how this age group reads their books, e.g. in a digital, audio or the old fashioned way by holding a REAL book in their hands. 

Read more… 926 more words

Dreadlocks: 2013 Update

Hi everyone!!! I hope the new year started with a bang for all of you! It definitely has for me. I have some new projects I’m going to focus on and I’m re-vamping a few old projects, like this blog. I hope you like my new background theme.

I’m also going to start this year of dreadlocks blogging with a dreadlocks update. Ta-daaaaa…

Yep, I finally got new pictures of my dreadies. I’ve been running and hiding from the camera for the past 5 months. But 2013 and a promise to a fellow blogger hog-tied me down.    So, here I go go….

As you can see in the 2nd photo, my dreads are forming well and my curls are starting to disappear. But I still have a lot of shrinkage. My hair actually reaches past my collarbone when I pull it straight. This shrinking business is so frustrating. I wish I could whip my hair into shape.  <sigh>

I want my long dreads.  Yep, I have no problems saying it. I don’t like my look with short dreads. Not to mention styling was soooo much easier with longer dreads.

I will also admit, I’ve been considering taking out my dreads. I’ve been having a lot of curly hair/straight hair envy lately. I keep on seeing beautiful black girls with long, straight, luscious hair and I just want it, even though I know I can’t have it without extensions. But my mind still wants it. Here goes another sigh  hahaha

And now for one more complaint: dem fairy knots are getting on my last nerves. I wish I could whip them into shape too. Ok, so seriously, I’m not a violent person, but my hair, ooo …

So, now for the positive side of my dreadlocks journey (because you know I’m all into positivity).

1. I’m getting the knack of washing my hair with BS + ACV. Maybe it’s because I’m getting used to it. Either way, I no longer mind washing my hair with such a watery solution. And I’m figuring out which methods suit me better. It’s like I’m finishing my de-programming process.

2. My itching is nearly non-existent. Yeah!!! I never thought the day would come where I could actually write that with a serious face.

3. Dreadlocks are allowing me to indulge in my laziness. Seriously, not having to fight with natural hair everyday is a blessing. Permed hair messed me up. It deserves to be added to the “immediate gratification” conspiracy theory. 

Ok, enough joking around… I had my one-year dreadlocks anniversary in December. Yeah!!! So, one year into this journey I can honestly say I don’t regret embarking on it.

On Christmas day, my younger cousin told a group of us that he wanted to get some dreads. And a couple of people vehemently told him no. His response was, he wants to have the experience, and if it doesn’t look good he can easily cut it off, but at least he will have had the experience. I had to admire him for that. He’s only in high school and yet his wisdom outshines many older people I know.

So, I may sound frustrated at times. But I get frustrated with every style, because none of them are perfect. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. This is what I’m learning. And I’m learning to live with who I am, in the moment.

That’s all for now. Wishing you all love and happiness.  xx 

 

Related articles

• Dreadlocks Update: Finally Went Natural
• Dreadlocks: African Black Soap Review
• Dreadlocks: The Itch Update
• Dreadlocks: The Good and the Ugly

Chinese Reggae Band: Long Shen Dao

Long Shen Dao… I’m so impressed by this Chinese reggae and soca band. I’ve been listening to their music for several weeks now and I’m still in love. Every time I see this video I smile, and smile… I love their energy here — chill like their reggae style. This song is perfect for a slow reggae or chill beach / surfer playlist. I’m actually thinking about making one on YouTube.

It was also cool to see Chinese guys with dreadlocks and afros. Definitely a first for me. Hmmh, Asian reggae was a first too. This summer was packed with firsts. hahaha! Anyway, I’m posting this video because I’m loving them right now and it’s free advertisement for them.

The Heart Guides the Way (心在指引方向） by Long Shen Dao 龙神道

You can listen to their cd here: douban. The website is in a foreign script, but if you scroll down and press the play arrow, you’ll be reggae-ing and soca-ing in no time. Hope you enjoy their music as much I have. Peace and love

How This Colorado Couple Built a Spectacular Treehouse Village in Costa Rica

Reblogged from For Goodness Sake:

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Erica and Matt Hogan never intended to walk away with 600 acres of wild rainforest when they went shopping for a little piece of Costa Rica to call their own in 2006.

That was until they happened upon a slice of land that was marketed as a potential harvesting site (i.e.: prime for deforestation) and decided to save it from the chopping block.

Read more… 797 more words

Dreadlocks: Photo and Hair Update

So, FINALLY, I am posting photos of my new look. I began my dreadlock extensions removal last month, on June 30th. And here’s how my new dreads look, exactly one month later. I had to rope my mom into taking the pictures on our way to my aunts birthday party yesterday.  In the pictures, you’ll see some shiny parts in my hair. That’s because my hair was still wet.

As you can see, I still have a lot of curls. Most of my roots are still dreaded, thanks to my extensions. But after removing the extensions, I didn’t bother dreading the ends. I’m just allowing my ends to do want they want to do. So far it seems like they want to dread with the curls in them. Hmmh, I wonder if it’s possible to have curly dreadlocks. Or do they eventually turn straight???

I am still taking a semi free-form approach. I haven’t palm-rolled any of them. I am not re-twisting or whatever the new growth. So, my dreads definitely do not have a manicured look. But every few days I do separate my hair with my fingers because I don’t want huge dreads, aka congo dreads. And the fairly big ones I already have, they like to suck in the loose hairs.

I’ve twisted (using the 2 strand twist method) most of the loose hair on the top of my head because I got tired of having to fish them out of the big dreads. But I only twisted them half way down. So, the ends were left curly.

The back of my hair is the curliest. And the lower back portion has barely dreaded. And I’m just going to leave it like that. I’m not going to twist the roots yet. I want to see how they form and go from there.

Last week, I also started taking hair out of my big dreads to diminish their size. I had to remove them one strand at a time since those dreads refuse to separate. I am still thinking about cutting a few of them down the middle. But I am kind of scared; hence why I haven’t done it yet.

So, that’s my update. I hope you are all well and enjoying life! Sending smiles to you all. 

Related articles

• Dreadlocks Update: Finally Went Natural
• Dreadlocks: African Black Soap Review
• Dreadlocks: The Itch Update
• Dreadlocks: The Good and the Ugly

Mimi Kirk on Looking and Feeling Young

Mimi Kirk, a mother to 4 children and a grandmother to 7, is another woman who doesn’t look her age. Like Annette Larkins, she’s a raw vegan and says her diet helps her look and feel young.

Want more info, check out her website: YoungOnRawFood.com where you’ll find pictures, recipes and her schedule. You can also find her on youtube: ub52209 where she’s posted videos on recipes, trips, and interviews.

Annette Larkins: Ageless Woman

Here’s another short video that I found inspirational. It’s different from the others I recently posted. It’s not about helping the impoverished, starting a movement, or fighting corporations. Instead this video is about Annette Larkins, a woman living in Florida who found the fountain of youth by changing her diet. She doesn’t take any medication, hasn’t had any plastic surgery. But she looks incredible and you’ll never believe her age…

Like what you saw, here’s another video…

Here’s the link to her website: annettelarkins.com where you’ll find her biography, pictures of her outdoor and indoor gardens, and much more.

New Gift | Supriyo Sen

With this video, we go to India to learn of the Navdanya movement. It’s a movement against the genetic engineering of seeds. It also promotes farmers’ rights, organic farming and seed saving. “Navdanya has helped set up 54 community seed banks across the country, trained over 500,000 farmers in seed sovereignty, food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture over the past two decades, and helped set up the largest direct marketing, fair trade organic network in the country. Navdanya has also set up a learning center, Bija Vidyapeeth (School of the Seed) on its biodiversity conservation and organic farm in Doon Valley, Uttranchal, north India. Navdanya is actively involved in the rejuvenation of indigenous knowledge and culture. It has created awareness on the hazards of genetic engineering, defended people’s knowledge from biopiracy and food rights in the face of globalisation and climate change.”

The founder of this movement is Dr Vandana Shiva. Dr Shiva is “working on a 3 year project with the Government of Bhutan, at the invitation of the Prime Minister Jigme Thinley, advising the Government on how to achieve their objective of becoming an Organic Sovereign country (the first fully 100% organic country).” The idea of a 100% organic country in today’s increasingly interdependent and destructive world is truly incredible and beautiful. It looks like we are on the road to a 100% organic planet. 

If you want to read more about Dr Shiva, please click here. Want to read more about the Navdanya movement, please click here.

Souces: wikipedia.com

 

New Gift | Supriyo Sen from Focus Forward Films on Vimeo.

In today’s context of biological and ecological destruction caused by chemical farming, industrial agriculture and genetic engineering, the film explores the core philosophy of “Navdanya” movement ignited by Dr. Vandana Shiva who believes seed is a gift of life, heritage and continuity and saving seeds leads to conserving biodiversity, knowledge, culture and sustainability.

Easy Like Water

My dad used to always say: if there’s a will, there’s a way. And my mom always says: whether it’s money, smiles, education, protection, hugs, or in this case building expertise, there’s always a way to help others. One just has to find what they are capable of gifting. Mohammed Rezwan’s efforts in Bangladesh is the perfect example of the validity in these two beliefs. So, here’s another short but great video of people helping people.

“Easy Like Water” tells the remarkable story of Mohammed Rezwan, a visionary architect in Bangladesh who is bringing floating schools to a country facing massive devastation from rising flood waters. The film is one of the first honored by the Hilton Worldwide LightStay Sustainability Award, an award created by Hilton Worldwide and Sundance Institute to acknowledge documentaries that showcase the connections between sustainability, economic growth and community development.

For more information:

http://www.hiltonworldwide.com/sustainability