Somaly Mam

My latest work came to me the minute I finished The Road of Lost Innocence (The True Story of a Cambodian Heroine) by Somaly Mam. The book was intense and I often had to take breaks to stomach it all...but I've never read a book that fast in my life. Somaly Mam's life story is one of horror, pain and torture, but it is also a story of hope, determination and love. Somaly is a global hero changing the lives of women and children all over the world. I encourage you to read her book, visit her website (www.somaly.org), and help however you can through Projects Future Global (www.projectsfuture.somaly.org).

This is my dedication to her...thank you for the work you do, Somaly.

I was originally introduced to the Somaly Mam Foundation by Heather Snyder and Amber Tawn of Off the Mat NYC. I attended a beautiful yoga class and kirtan at Dharma West dedicated to Somaly. We prayed for the millions of women and children who suffer from human trafficking, celebrated the ones that have escaped, and remembered the ones who have not survived. This is truly a global crisis. It opened up my eyes. Heather has written an amazing article on Yoga Modern that I encourage you to read and comment on: http://yogamodern.com/categories/featured/what-we-dont-see-a-closer-look-at-sex-trafficking/

There are great events and fundraising opportunities in our near future through the Yoga Freedom Project that you'll want to get involved in!!! However you can...please help.

Welcome Madison!

Latest crate for Baby Madison!

The Real You

Laugh this hard. Live this hard.

We should all laugh this hard every day!

Live like a 3 year old.

Spend a day with a 3 year old. Spend an afternoon with a 3 year old. Spend an hour with a 3 year old.

Learn how to live.

Laugh in the sunlight. Run through the grass. Explore new things. Say no when you mean no and yes when you mean yes. Speak the truth. Try new foods. Jump high. Scream loud. Use your imagination. Go as fast as you can. Go as far as you can. Test your limits. Take naps. Share. Give big hugs. Get your feet dirty.

Sunlight

“May your joys be as bright as the morning, and your sorrows merely be shadows that fade in the sunlight of love." - Irish Blessing

I love today.

It's a good day. Dad is in remission.

iPhoneography

Up until two weeks ago, I had been a Blackberry lover. I swore I would never give up my key board. I didn't care what all the other kids were doing...I stood strong with my phone! "Look at your small screen," they would say. "It's so cute!!" Ha! The only thing that made me secretly jealous inside...the photography apps. (I have a soft spot for photography, thanks to my dad and his old school camera collection.) Sure, I could take pictures with my camera and send them over to Photoshop and doctor them up myself...but with the iPhone there were so many options!!! Instant gratification right there on your phone! So, I finally caved. I got an iPhone...and I must say, I love it.

First stop, Instagram - a quick and easy with a variety of filters.

My very first shot was my dog, of course.

Next, Hipstamatic - brings back the look and feel of those plastic cameras from the past. With the swipe of your finger, you can change your lens, your flash, your film to create the look you want. So hip.

Then, Pinhole HD. It was the first ever camera constructed by the ancient Greeks. Embrace purposeful blurriness, extreme saturation, and darkened margins.

And this is just the beginning. The other night, my photography loving friend, Steve, introduced me to iPhoneography.com - an awesome site put together by Glyn Evans for the iPhone photographer in you. He reviews almost all photography apps as well as tips and tricks. It's great! Be prepared for this blog to be filled with all sorts of awesome shots that can be uploaded faster then you can say "one hour photo". And to think, I spent how much time in that dark room in college trying to create these same effects?? Gotta love technology.

You have to make time for these things.

May I have your attention please....I did it! I've been itching to paint and definitely did not get enough beach days in this summer. Well, guess what - I finally took a day for myself and my art at the beach! Big deal, you say? This takes effort, people. Just me, my watercolors, and my journal. Bliss. Although, when I got to the beach I realized that I would be dealing with some of the leftovers from Hurricane Irene. The boardwalk was broken and the beach was shortened due to the high tides. The Bulldozer was out pushing sand around beeping every time it backed up and shooting smoke out the top. Not my ideal situation, but I wasn't letting it wreck my day! I sat on the jetty, took out my watercolors, brushes, journal, and use the ocean as my wash cup. I stuck my headphones in, put my iPod on shuffle and enjoyed the sunshine. Life is good.

Beach Day Soundtrack for the artist in you:

Dogs - Damien RIce

Somedays - Regina Spektor

Giri's Song - Trevor Hall

Friend Like You - Joshua Radin

Never Too Late - Micheal Franti

Hannah - Freelance Whales

Are We There Yet? - Ingrid Michaelson

Why Waste More Time - Rosie Thomas

Every Tear Drop is a Waterfall - Coldplay

A Little Opera Goes a Long Way - Sky Sailing

Better - Regina Spektor

Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons

Just Breathe - Pearl Jam

The Heart of the Matter - India.Arie

The Glory of it All - David Crowder Band

Secrets - One Republic

Everybody - Ingrid Michaelson

Samson - Regina Spektor

The Lime Tree - Trevor Hall

I Know I'm Not Alone - Michael Franti

The Gratitude Dance

It's about doing what you want, wherever you want, and making people smile along the way.

How could you not love this?

http://www.wherethehellismatt.com