These are the words of a young poet named John Keats. John is 24 years old and dying of tuberculosis. John’s disease is like a dark cloud constantly looming overhead. It rips the beauty from his existence, and a life without beauty really isn’t a life at all.

Yet throughout his pain and suffering, John discovers beauty in the truth. The truth may be harsh, but it’s also naked and raw. You can feel a freedom in the truth, because whatever you’re struggling with, whether that be your job, a relationship, or everyday life, accepting the truth can allow you to find peace with your problem.

I think as humans, we try to mask our issues or sugarcoat them, or just try to avoid troubling thoughts altogether. Like a safety mechanism, we intentionally shield ourselves from reality, and this can have longterm damaging effects on our pscyhe and well-being. We fail to realize that ignoring reality actually causes more pain in the longrun than facing the truth head-on.

My challenge to you is to start recognizing and accepting the truths in your own life. Recognizing the good allows you to appreciate it more, and accepting the bad gives you an opportunity to make positive changes. Think of harsh truths as an enemy. You can’t defeat the enemy without identifying it first!

Thanks for reading and thanks for caring. Peace.

Mr. Nobody is a movie starring Jared Leto and a slew of other talented actors. The film centers around Nemo Nobody, an old man recalling his life in the year 2092. The film’s plot is a whirlwind of people and events, and attempting to summarize the plot is basically like tripping on acid (so I’ll pass haha), but I will comment on the movie as an overall production.

The acting is phenomenal. Leto is amazing as usual, but the rest of the cast is equally amazing. As a teenager, Nemo forms an intimate relationship with Anna, his stepsister-of-sorts. At first, the relationship is pure and innocent, but it quickly turns fun and playful in a sexual way. Nemo and Anna come from broken families, and they find a certain security and freedom in one another. I totally became wrapped up in the love fest between these two teens because the acting was beautifully sincere. English actors Toby Regbo and Juno Temple play the roles of teenage Nemo and Anna, respectively.

The production of Mr. Nobody is also superb. The setting of the story switches from the present-day to the far-future where all humans are now immortal, except for Nemo Nobody, the last living mortal on his deathbed at age 118. The setting also switches to planet Mars which is now populated with humans. There’s also an unknown world in which Nemo finds himself. This strange world is constructed of diamond patterns of plaid. Yes, plaid! Oh the insanity! :P I will say the scenery in the film made me gasp a few times in utter marvel, so props on the cinematography.

The truth is, I could talk in circles about this movie. The plot is non-linear, so it jumps from one time/place to another, and to amplify the confusion, there are different versions of Nemo’s life as he’s telling it. The reason behind this is to convey a message. Every choice you make leads to a consequence, which could slightly or greatly alter the course of your life. But what if you stop making choices? What if you leave everything up to chance? Although the film raises this question, I don’t have a solid answer. Matter fact, instead of getting answers, you simply get more questions. Your head will be spinning by the credits!

Critics and film buffs are divided on the movie, but it’s difficult to judge something that’s difficult to understand. Mr. Nobody has a great cast, an interesting storyline, and a terrific soundtrack, but even so, the immensity of the movie’s WTF!? factor is too much for some to handle. I tend to find inspiration in the most off-the-wall places, so perhaps THAT is why I like and appreciate this movie.

Oh and BTW, to all the kids who trip on acid, try tripping on Mr. Nobody instead, and lemme know how that goes haha…

“I’m not afraid to die. I’m afraid I haven’t lived enough. It should be written on every school chalkboard: ‘Life is a playground or nothing.’” - Nemo Nobody

Check this movie out if you like Inception, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, or The Fountain. Click here for the official trailer…

“So for religion, no I hate it. In fact, I literally resent it. Because when Jesus said, IT IS FINISHED, I believe he MEANT it.” - Jefferson Bethke

This video has received millions of views in just a short few days. It’s gained a lot of support as well as opposition. I don’t consider it overly controversial, but I think the video challenges some mainstream religious ideas, and I think it’ll make people question Christianity.

We are human.

As humans, we have the deepest level of consciousness of all things on Earth. We are capable of deep thought, profound feeling, and limitless expression. Take a moment and consider everything around you, from the objects to the animals to the atmosphere above. As I sit here now, there’s a light fluffy snow falling from the sky. I can hear a dog barking in the distance. Think about how rare it is to find yourself in human form. It’s a privilege to be human. Appreciate that privilege.

You could be a barking dog. I could be the falling snow. Instead, we’re both humans, alive and conscious in a way that no other life form is. Don’t take that for granted. Tomorrow you could die, but today you are alive, awake, and free to experience “being human”. Be thankful for this, and don’t let hesitation hold you back from questioning the world and expressing yourself when the urge arises.

Ask what you wish. Say what you feel. Love what you love.

…and do all of these things NOW.

This blog entry was inspired by the wisdom of Mark Nepo and Buddhist teachings.

PK is an awesome indie band that has the recipe for superstardom. PK’s music is like a collision between The Killers and Vampire Weekend with hints of Bruce Springsteen and Queen. The band consists of five members who are living life to the fullest, and building a legacy as they do. Great music. Great guys. Plus hella amounts of drive and determination. Who could ask for more? PK definitely has a bright future ahead, and I can’t wait to see where this band goes next.

Help support PK and become part of their ever-growing fanbase by “liking” their Facebook page and checking out their other social media sites.

“The whole point of PK is to have a good time and enjoy life. There’s not much time left, but there’s plenty of life left to live, so enjoy it. Make fans, make friends, meet new people, work hard, don’t sleep…no lamb for the lazy wolf, and no battle is ever won in bed.”

-PK

Links: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Bandcamp, and Official Band Site

An old Cherokee chief was teaching his grandson about life. “There’s a great fight going on inside of all of us,” he told him. “And it’s a fight between two wolves. One is evil. He is anger, envy, guilt, sorrow, and ego. And the other is good. He is joy, love, hope, truth, and faith.” Grandson asked, “Which wolf will win?” And the chief replied, “The one you feed.”

Just like this old Native lesson teaches, life truly is a fight between two wolves. When life takes a wrong turn, it’s easy for negative thoughts and emotions to overtake your mind. Negativity can become an ongoing cycle that eventually leads to a life of callousness and pessimism. My question is, why live that life? Trading in evil for happiness is just a choice away. All you have to do, is start feeding the good wolf and let the evil wolf starve.

I realize that we all have bad days. Feeling sad or angry on these days is natural and understandable. Just remember that when we travel into dark places, we must bring our own sunshine.

With that said, I’m going to issue a challenge to everyone reading this. From this moment forward, begin listening to your thoughts. If you hear the evil wolf howling in your ear, don’t feed it. Instead, feed the good wolf and ignore the evil one until it becomes exhausted and falls silent. This may take some practice, but I’m sure you’ll become a much happier person as the days go by…and the world will become a tad bit brighter along with you.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for caring. Later.