Thanks for the Memories, Oregon

There are moments you can plan for on a trip, but the memories you take away with you sometimes come when least expected.

The stars lit our way back home as we drove into the night. The sky was dark but not dim; in the distance tall silhouettes of trees swept by like blurred shadows. The only sound was the rolling air as we cut through the wind. Stars, trees, sky, air.

The surroundings were simple, almost cliche, but in this moment I was lost. Not forgotten, but absorbed. Into something greater and more sublime that for minutes I had ceased from the world's troubles and my own.

Words for TL, SF

Ever since my college days, I've had a crush on San Francisco. I couldn't tell you why in particular. Perhaps I could mention the iconic bridges or colorful crops of houses sitting on hilltops. Or how the water surrounds the city in a way that few cities can, a gracious blue blanket inviting both warmth and adventure. I was born and raised in Southern California, and I will always call LA my home. But I cannot deny the beautiful mystery of the bay.

I'm sure this San Francisco was more a making of my imagination than anything. It makes sense because whenever I visit the city, I get to pick and choose the places I want. Travelers are afforded this privilege. We are creators of the romance and we decide how to frame the city. But when you are committed to a city as a resident, you are called to embrace her in its entirety. The good and the not-so-good parts, as they are interlocked. You can still isolate yourself to the nicer pockets, the gated communities and what not if you choose, but when you do, it is intentional. You isolate yourself knowing full well the other side of the story.

The Rebirth of Cool

In 1957, Miles Davis released an album entitled Birth of the Cool. I’ve always been a fan of jazz and Miles Davis. It wasn’t just about the music, as good and soulful as it is, but the way it made you feel. When you heard jazz it was like you felt this sort of sophistication, a touch of class. You’d always see Miles in those pictures, big cheeks blowing the heck out of that trumpet, and think that was cool.

But I wonder if we ever ask ourselves what is cool. I mean, who gets to determine this formula and concept? The only thing I knew was that being cool in our culture meant something. As Don Miller says, if you know how to make something cool, you’d be able sell it to anybody and make it big.

When I was younger I used to think cool was something like James Dean, the rebel without a cause riding his motorcycle in a dark leather jacket against the furious wind. He gets into trouble with the law, smokes Marlboro's till his lungs burn out, and whispers to the ladies in town. Is that what it is — a call to remake ourselves into a new sort of James Dean?

Bob Goff Taught Me Love Does

A couple weeks ago I got to meet one of my heroes, Bob Goff. He's a hard guy to miss. A 6'4 giant with an infectious smile and laugh, Bob can light up any place — even a funeral. When I walked up to him and extended my hand, he declined. He went in for a bear hug instead. "I don't do handshakes, only hugs," Bob said.

That one gesture really encapsulates the way Bob does life. He doesn’t settle for anything — he goes all in, all the time. I mean, just look at his life. He works as a lawyer and a college professor. On his “spare” time, he serves as the Honorary Consul for Uganda and also oversees Restore International, a non-profit founded to combat injustices against children in different parts of the world. Shaping the next generation of leaders and saving the world at the same time? No big deal.

Ride a Cow, Find a Horse

There’s a saying in Chinese that, loosely translated, means “Ride a cow while finding a horse.” I heard this for the first time over dinner, when my parents and I were talking about jobs and doing something you really enjoy. I was doing a stint at this dental lab at the time, and I told them how it wasn't exactly my dream job to watch videos of teeth all day.

After hearing me voice my displeasure, my parents responded with this Chinese proverb — ride a cow, find a horse. They said that back in the day, before cars were invented, people either walked or rode animals to get around from place to place. Horses were the fastest and most prized possession for their journeys, but they were harder to come across. More often than not, they would come across cows that were much slower and burdensome.

Take the cow, they'd say. Sure you want the horse, that's the goal. But it is much better to be riding a cow, as slow as it may be, instead of walking to get to your destination. That proverb has stuck with me ever since.