Idea Sex.

Every day during lunchtime, I have sex. Idea sex, that is. Just like 'real' sex, idea sex is the mating of two ideas to create a fundamentally new idea that never existed before. The next generation of creative products within business, entertainment, and technology depends on this very act. 

What used to be casual conversations about trivial typical lunchtime topics (weekend plans, the weather, work) have transformed into rapid-fire brainstorming sessions. PK and I have come up with some of our best work over lunch by intermingling, exchanging, building upon, and iterating our ideas together. Our personalities, interests and skill sets are unique to each other, so it's fascinating to see how the ideas we create together exceed anything I could've dreamt up alone.

Let your creative juices flow together....                                    (Fern Creek Train, Mt. Tam)

Groupon is an example of idea sex- it combined couponing with email marketing. The Rolling Stones was the love child of blues and rock and roll. Stan Weston knew that girls liked to play with dolls and boys liked action and guns. So he used the concept of idea sex and created GI Joe. It sold over one billion in merchandise. Hollywood pitches and Silicon Valley start-ups are all based on idea sex. What hasn't been done before? It's the intersection and convergence of two (perhaps fundamentally different) ideas where the magic happens. 

“Truly groundbreaking ideas are rare, but you don’t necessarily need one to make a career out of creativity. My definition of creativity is the logical combination of two or more existing elements that result in a new concept. The best way to make a living with your imagination is to develop innovative applications, not imagine completely new concepts.”

— Sam Weston

Don't be an idea slut. Choose your partners with care. Have idea sex with those who reflect your own values, who you respect, and who you would want to birth something meaningful with into the world together. Our future depends on it. Now it's time to get busy.

Stretching Towards...

“You will learn a lot about yourself if you stretch in the direction of goodness, of bigness, of kindness, of forgiveness, of emotional bravery.”

— Cheryl Strayed

Sunset miles.

I'm so excited to hear/see/hug (?) one of my favorite authors, Cheryl Strayed in San Francisco next month. Listen HERE if you need some inspiration for your writing, for staying the course, and for using your art to transcend. And thank you PK for the tickets!!

Save the Date!

“Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth, “You owe me.” Look what happens with a love like that. It lights the whole sky.”

— Hafiz

Chimney Rock, Point Reyes National Seashore

I'm so excited to invite you to join me and Praveena Kumar for our next 1/2 day wellness retreat on Saturday, 2/6. We'll roll out our mats and open our hearts and bodies with some yoga and lovingkindness meditation, and enjoy some delicious and nourishing plant-based food together. Through art and writing, we'll be exploring the topics of self-care and self-love, so we can love others from a deeper and more authentic place. Full details HERE. Hope to see you there!

Mountains and Mycology.

I am thinking about expectations. 

Bixby Bridge, Big Sur

I'd heard so much about this iconic bridge, so driving here, I admittedly had some high expectations. The view was indeed great, but the loud and obnoxious people clamoring for photo-op space along every inch of the dirt ridge left me feeling annoyed, disappointed and claustrophobic.

How often we think that those 'iconic' moments and things in life will make us happy- securing that ideal job, finding the perfect partner, getting that first book published, buying that dream house, getting that puppy- only to realize that once we've 'arrived' it is not at all what we expected. I've learned that society's definitions of what makes a good life rarely define my own.

I got in my car and kept driving south, enjoying the view and being open to exploring a new adventure on an off-beaten path somewhere else. I needed silence. And space.

It's a funny thing when you have no phone reception and are searching for a trailhead that you've only heard about from social media. Even in my search for solitude, I needed to enlist help. I stopped and asked for directions at the Henry Miller Library where I was met by a friendly man wearing a beanie, who delightfully led me to the back corner of the library. He picked up a book of hiking trails, glanced at the index, and thumbed through the pages until he reached the trail I was inquiring about. He then drew me the clearest, detailed map, including landmarks that would alert me that I had driven too far south, and warned me that is was trail that was "strenuous and not for the faint-hearted." I was grateful for him and his little map, which is now tucked away in my shoebox of special cards and letters. It is a reminder of how complete strangers allow us to discover places and parts of ourselves, and a call to point people in the right direction, regardless if we know their name or not. Such is the power of human kindness. I smiled and went on my way, without any clear expectations, yet excited for the adventure that awaited me. 

“I grew up with landscape as a recourse, with the possibility of exiting the horizontal realm of social relations for a vertical alignment with earth and sky, matter and spirit. Vast open spaces speak best to this craving.”

— Rebecca Solnit, A Field Guide to Getting Lost

Boronda Ridge Trail, Big Sur

Most of the time, having expectations is helpful and necessary. But I am realizing that a certain beauty emerges when you surrender them. Sometimes having no expectations allows us to show up in the world with an awakened heart and a listening ear- it makes us more open, more present, more amazed.

Gorgeous views along every inch of the single track trail.

The view after the ascent. Timber Top, Big Sur.

Enjoying the amazing view of the coast along every inch of the trail.

I met a man on my descent who was fascinated by mycology; he was carrying a 5-gallon plastic bucket, trudging along in heavy hiking boots, wearing a large backpack, and whistling. The recent weather conditions and fire had left him empty-handed in his hunt for mushrooms that day. He took a twig and uncovered a few mushrooms from underneath some damp leaves, explaining how the type of gill structure underneath their caps and blue-grey hue means they're poisonous.

Spotted this patch of poisonous mushrooms resting underneath an oak tree on my climb to Timber Top.

I marvel at how the power of an unexpected meeting with a stranger acts as a simple reminder of how lovely this world is, with all of its millions of species. We are all trying to gather and collect the good things in life- whether that's clarity, purpose, fungi. It is hard work. It is important work. Even when that strong desire to fill our bucket consumes us, it's knowing and recognizing when something is dangerous and poisonous and still leaving it alone that makes us wiser and stronger. That's where the true power lies.

The rain will come. The mushrooms will eventually grow. But for now, we continue to traverse along the same path with open eyes and hearts, whistling and swinging our empty buckets with a lightness in our steps, enjoying the vastness of the sky and sea.

Be Still.

“Like water which can clearly mirror the sky and the trees only so long as its surface is undisturbed, the mind can only reflect the true image of the Self when it is tranquil and wholly relaxed.”

— Indra Devi

Seen on my sunrise run this morning at Lake Chabot.

Leave the Bullsh*t Behind.

Seen mid-way through our run along Macedo Ranch trail.

Our run came to a screeching halt when we came across a bull on the trails today. We tiptoed around him. We spoke in hushed whispers. We avoided eye-contact, trying our best to remain unseen and non-threatening, lest he erupt in a full-charged attack towards us. Once we got past him, we relaxed, found our stride again, and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

We all have had experiences with a 'bull' in our lives. Around them, you must tread lightly. It's like walking on eggshells- tentatively, meekly, submissively- trying not to rock the boat. It's a fearful and exhausting way to live.

It takes courage to leave. But it is necessary. And so freeing. At first, you keep looking over your shoulder, afraid of retaliation. But after time, you realize the bull and all of its shit is left behind in the horizon.

Run free.

Eventually, you find your stride again. You find your voice. You can laugh loudly with the wind at your back and finally feel free to be yourself. And you realize that you have miles of trails and open sky in front of you waiting to be explored.

Lemon Ginger Coconut Granola

I have been thinking a lot about the power of intention. How our thoughts can change and transform our reality. Especially in cooking and baking, holding a specific intention can be the secret ingredient that makes the whole recipe stand on its own in a unique way. 

Today, in the late afternoon, I had the sudden urge to make something delicious and healthy and substantial enough to stave off the mid-afternoon munchies, or be hearty enough for breakfast. This recipe just so happens to be nut-free, gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free, for those individuals in our lives that have certain food restrictions/allergies yet deserve to have flavorful options available. The whole tender process of imagining, mixing, creating, and setting an intention of service and love is hopefully what makes this granola, as well as your own, unique and delicious...

DRY INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 c. rolled oats
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• 2 Tbsp golden flaxseeds
• 1/8 c. organic red quinoa
• 1/8 c. shelled hemp seed
• 1/8 c. organic amaranth
• 1/2 c. raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 c. shredded coconut
• 1 tsp salt

WET INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 c. melted organic coconut oil
• 1/2 c. organic maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp freshly ground ginger
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• fresh lemon rind from 1/2 lemon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 13 x 18 inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together.
3. In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients together.
4. Stir the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients and combine well.
5. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheet.
6. Bake for 45 minutes, stir every 10-15 minutes to prevent burning.
7. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool. Store in an airtight container.
8. ENJOY!

Feel free to add in your own combination of nuts and dried fruit (candied ginger, anyone?) as you feel fit. Make it up as you go, what moves you, what makes your mouth water. Follow your inspiration. 

Pleasantly Surprised.

Last night, I sat cross-legged on my closet floor and read through my journals from this past year. All four of them. There were some great ideas tucked in those pages, along with some dramatic lines of poems that could've become something amazing, but yet remain orphaned. There was mostly a lot of uninspired and horrible writing. There were some days when the entries were really short, scribbled in half-awake messy handwriting- It's 4:15am and I have a work meeting at 6am. And I'm going to my first MeetUp after work. I'm hungry to meet other people with new ideas and new inspiration and hopefully the ratio of guys:girls will work in my favor. 

I'm glad it's all there- a keepsake of my creative process.

There was one overarching feeling that I got while reading through these pages and pages of my daily thoughts- I was pleasantly surprised.

Life is interesting like that. Business ideas that I thought would take off actually fizzled, and how others that were once seeds that I didn't think could survive actually took root and are growing, ever so slowly, but organically and genuinely.

In examining my friendships this past year through the lens of those pages, I've discovered it's the same way with people. How things change in an unplanned way, for better or for worse. And sometimes you have to literally take a step back from a person you've known for years and just look at them from a distance to recognize if it's really them. Suddenly, it's no longer the same person you had seen a million times before. Now, the light hits their hair differently and their eyes dance when they speak to you, and suddenly they are a mysterious ocean that you can't wait to dive deep into and explore. And how you can't help but feel pleasantly surprised at the irony and the beauty of it all. 

Today I placed my order for 2016 Team Betty kits. Included in that order was a one-piece trisuit (did I really just type that?). A year ago, I thought I was finished with triathlon and racing. But now, I'm itching to race and welcoming back swimbikerun into my life with a grin. It's been a pleasant surprise, to say the least.

SCA trail along Marin Headlands...

Morning miles along the Alta trail.

I did a solo long run this morning, just exploring new trails and following my curiosity. There are many days that I don't get it right in life. But then there are days like today when I do get it right, when the trails connect and I don't get lost, and when I discover a whole new patch of trees and ocean that I've never seen before. When that happens, I can't help but feel just a bit pleasantly surprised. Those are the good days. The ones we hang on to.

May 2016 be filled with new adventures, new opportunities, and new challenges that open up your eyes to the world. I hope you write your dreams down. I hope you write your fears down. I hope you record your daily thoughts in this journey we call life, so that one day you can look back and laugh and cry and reminisce and remember. And above all, I hope that you are pleasantly surprised.

The Beauty of Reframing.

Early morning miles.

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”

— Tagore

Coconut Flour Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins (Grain-free, Nut-free, Vegan).

Hello. My name is Julianne and I am a coconut-aholic.

That's right. I recently ditched my body lotion and now slather organic extra virgin coconut oil all over my body. My Aussie deep 3-minute miracle conditioner smells like coconut, along with my Alba Botanics Leave-in conditioner. I swap coconut oil in baking recipes when they call for butter. And the smell of black coconut oil makes me swoon. So it's natural that I incorporate more coconut flour into my recipes, right? Right.

Coconut flour is a different beast in the kitchen. Typically, recipes using coconut flour call for a lot of eggs in order to balance out the consistency and increase the moisture. I used chia eggs instead (1 Tbsp chia seeds + 3 Tbsp water = 1 egg), in order to make these muffins completely plant-based. These muffins are high in protein and fiber, and are perfect for individuals who need a delicious grain-free, nut-free, vegan muffin without sacrificing taste.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 c. coconut flour
• 1/2 c. pumpkin puree
• 1/2 c. pure maple syrup
• 1/4 c. organic blackstrap molasses
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 6 chia eggs (mix 1 Tbsp chia seeds + 3 Tbsp water = 1 egg)
• 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a standard muffin tin with liners.
2. Mix all the ingredients together.
3. Divide the batter evenly into the 12 muffin tins. The batter does not rise, so shape accordingly.
4. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are crispy and golden.
5. Cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar (optional).
7. ENJOY!

Movement and Love.

Sunset at Gray Whale Cove Beach. 

“I have been feeling very clearheaded lately and what I want to write about today is the sea. It contains so many colors. Silver at dawn, green at noon, dark blue in the evening. Sometimes it looks almost red. Or it will turn the color of old coins. Right now the shadows of clouds are dragging across it, and patches of sunlight are touching down everywhere. White strings of gulls drag over it like beads.

It is my favorite thing, I think, that I have ever seen. Sometimes I catch myself staring at it and forget my duties. It seems big enough to contain everything anyone could ever feel.”

— Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See

North Peak Trail, McNee Ranch State Park

Coast ride from Santa Cruz to Half Moon Bay and back...

This weekend has been filled to the brim with all of my favorite things- sunshine, heart-pumping activity, solid good company, with the common denominator being the ocean.  After running up Montara Mountain, my friend and I crossed over Highway 1 and galloped down the wooden stairs to Grey Whale Cove Beach. I'm always fascinated by the outdoors, but the scene we were greeted with in the cove was pure poetry in motion. Thunderous waves clapped fiercely against the rocks. Silhouettes of seagulls were illuminated by the vibrant colors of the sunset. Frothy white waves passionately crashed into the shoreline and then dissolved into the sand.

I watched while a woman toed the foamy bubbles at the edge of the shoreline while looking out into the distant horizon. We are all dancing on the edge between the safety of the sandy beach and the fierce mystery and vibrancy and adventure that the ocean holds. 

“The sea is everything. It covers seven tenths of the globe . . . The sea is only a receptacle for all the prodigious, supernatural things that exist inside it. It is only movement and love; it is the living infinite.”

— Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See

There is so much beauty in this world, and also in words. I'm halfway through Anthony Doerr's novel "All the Light We Cannot See." He paints the most beautiful pictures with his lyrical and poetic writing style. Pick up a copy for yourself, spread out a blanket on a hidden beach, and inhale all of the life around you and on the page.