Friday, October 4, 2013

Life's Better on Purpose Schedule Week 5



Life's Better on Purpose Schedule Week 5


I am in awe of how different my life has become in the last month. I have learned so much about myself, gained knowledge in ares that I never thought was possible, I have grown and repaired friendships that have been wounded for years, have a larger and deeper sense of beauty and have grown closer to God.

I think I am on to something here.

"By their fruits you will know them..." and so far the fruit has been so much better than I expected. My life makes sense and I am no longer asking "what to I want in life?" but now I am asking, "how can I get what I want in life?" AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ASKING THAT QUESTION!

I always felt, deep down, I couldn't be honest with what I want out of life or that what I want was evil or "not from God." I was thinking as if we do not play an active role in Divine Providence. Phooey! I didn't realize how small my God was.

So change is really happening and I no longer feel restless and I no longer feel that I am wandering around aimlessly like a zombie.


Captain America Zombie, scary yet patriotic.

Imagine what you could do if you just thought differently...

So I know this week is late but here is my week outlook:

Same category but I am going to switch the order around because I find some days are working better for certain categories.

Education/Professional

Health/Fitness

Spiritual/Psychological

Relationships

Financial / Business

Enjoy Something Beautiful

Relax day


Day 30 - Work on a presentation to give to my company about improving how we do business overall.

I am have a lot to offer.



Day 31 - Give more to my community by being active in the Knights of Columbus.

I want to give of myself to others.


Day 32 - Go for a long walk with my girlfriend.

I am getting more physically fit everyday..


Day 33 - Enjoy something beautiful.

Listening to Audra McDonald! Oh yeah got tickets to her concert!



I am surrounded by beauty!


Day 34- Participate in Our Lady of Pompeii Procession.  

I am growing more and more in my relationship with God.


Day 35 - Open and individual Brokerage account.

I am very good at finance. 


Day 36 - Dream of a Better Life.

My life is getting better everyday.


Try something Newñez:

Look into a Krav Maga Class.


Interview:

At two friends.

Friday, September 27, 2013

ART OF THE BRICK 45% OFF



Here is the link to 45% off the Art of the Brick at Groupon:



Please go and enjoy something beautiful for yourself! Take someone like a friend, child, niece, nephew, parent or give a random stranger a ticket for free! 


Thursday, September 26, 2013

Life's Better on Purpose Schedule Week 4



I can't tell you enough how much my life is changing for the better ever since I have been doing this blog. Things are starting to make sense and I see people growing from just me living my life this way.

Ideally I want to inspire someone to make a positive change in their life, whether it is something simple like learning something they always wanted to do or something profound like a change in one's way of thinking.

The biggest change I am learning is that I have imposed so many limitations on myself and I can remove those limitations at any moment.

Imagine what you could do if you just thought differently...

Same category but I am going to switch the order around because I find some days are working better for certain categories.

Education/Professional
Health/Fitness
Spiritual/Psychological
Relationships
Financial / Business
Enjoy Something Beautiful
Relax day

Day 23 - Finish reading a book.

Read "You can Heal your Life" by Louise Hay

I am completely open to learning.


Day 24 - Learn the steps needed to start a business.

Learn about trademarking and creating a corporation.

I am creating a successful business from the ground up.

Day 25 - Veg out day

Watch TV with girlfriend.

Our relationship is getting healthier and more life giving every moment.

Day 26 - Spend time with my mom. Possibly take a cooking class together.

The way to understand my mom better is to understand how she grew up.

Day 27- Develop a 10 week Bible Study Program

I have a deep passion for the Scriptures and I am more alive when I share that with others.

Day 28 - Go to the gym.

I am becoming more physically fit everyday

Day 29 - Enjoy something beautiful

Get tickets for an opera.

I am surrounded by beauty.

Try something Newñez:

Look into taking a cooking class.


Interview:

At least 2 family members or two coworkers.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The Art of the Brick



Date: Tuesday, September 24th, 2013 Day 22

Today's Affirmation: "I am surrounded by beauty."

Area to improve: Appreciating Beauty

Specific Change: Enjoy something beautiful.




So I have been recently writing a lot about enjoying something beautiful and that is mainly because I think other people will find it more interesting than listening to me talk about reading an investment book. So this time I FINALLY went to The Art of the Brick Exhibit on West 44th between 7th and 8th ave. Here is the link: http://www.discoverytsx.com/exhibitions/art-of-the-brick

To be honest there is nothing I can say except there is a giant LIFE SIZE Easter Island head Lego statue that is composed of 75,450 LEGOS!!! INSANE! And that is still not the largest piece there!

I RECOMMEND THIS FOR EVERYONE!

I want you to go so bad that I will give you a discount for the exhibit:

SMART20DTS

This will save you 20% on your visit! Please do yourself a favor and check this out!














Monday, September 23, 2013

Just Put on the Costume you Clown


Date: Monday, September 16th, 2013 Day 14

Today's Affirmation: "I am surrounded by beauty."

Area to improve: Appreciating Beauty

Specific Change: Enjoy something beautiful.


So I gotta move my Enjoy Something beautiful day to a day when the museums aren't closed!

Every gallery I wanted to see was closed and I wasn't feeling going to a jazz club by myself. So I ended up listening to an opera that I love called Pagliacci.

It is a story about a traveling performance group of clowns and their unfunny lives. The opera is about betrayal, affairs, backstabbing, front stabbing (murder), and how life and art imitate each other so closely that it is difficult for us to know when one ends and another begins.

Plot Synopsis

Canio discovers that his wife, Nedda is cheating on him with a person in town named Silvio. Tonio, another clown who wants to be with Nedda, eggs on Canio to take revenge for her betrayal. Canio knows that the show must go on and sings the famous aria Vesti la Giubba which is about how he is a clown and no one cares what he is going through. He sole job is to laugh and make others laugh.

In the Second Act the traveling troupe performs a piece about a clown coming home and finds out that his wife is cheating on him (sounds familiar?). The audience believes this is all part of the show and can't believe how real their performance is. As Nedda refuses to give up Silvio , her lover, Canio, her husband threatens her and chases her with a knife. After Canio kills his wife he then stabs Silvio as well and Tonio, the one who brought this whole situation to its climax, says, "La Comedia e finita!" And the audience believes all this was part of the show.


The comedy is over or that's all folks!

It has such a great story and the music is incredible. The version I found on YouTube was a Franco Zefferelli movie that starred Placido Domingo and Teresa Strata. The movie was really good but I recommend the live performance of Calvaliera Rustica and Pagliacci which both starred Placido Domingo. He performed two different operas one right after the other.

I will put the link here for the YouTube video as well a the link to the DVD.

Youtube:                  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSURBaT3XF4

DVD :                       http://www.amazon.com/Mascagni-Cavalleria-Rusticana-Leoncavallo-Metropolitan/dp/B00579EK50/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1379934711&sr=8-2&keywords=pagliacci

Vesti la Giubba is such a powerful song. When sung with deep emotion many people can be on the verge to tears even while not knowing what the song is about. It has so much raw human emotion it is no wonder many people have heard it and it is used in pop culture. Truly a beautiful experience listening to this aria!




Keep enjoying something or someone Beautiful!



Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Life's Better on Purpose Schedule Week 3





This past week worked out very well. I felt much better knowing that I didn't have to think of something to do each day. If you have an issue with change I suggest planning it in a schedule! It beats thinking of something spontaneous that may not be as effective as it could be.


Same categories but I am going to switch the order around.


Education/Professional

Health/Fitness


Spiritual/Psychological


Relationships


Financial


Enjoy Something Beautiful


Relax Day



Day 16 - Read for one hour


Read "You can Heal your Life" by Louise Hay.


I am completely open to learning.


Day 17 - Enjoy Something Beautiful


Go to the Lego Exhibit.


I am surrounded by beauty.


(This I moved because museums are closed on Mondays.)


Day 18 - Focus on my Confirmation class


Prepare a detailed lesson and not just a general outline.


I am a good teacher and I learn much in teaching others.


Day 19 - Reconcile with a friend


Any barriers that I have put up, I can take down.


Day 20- Do research into an online broker


I am very good at finance.


Day 21 - Stick to an intermittent fasting diet


I am becoming more physically fit everyday.


Day 22 - Veg out


I am full of very good ideas.


Try something Newñez:


Archery lesson with my brother.




Interview:



At least 2 family members

The Stranger The Better Ep. 1 Matt The Intergalactic Traveler

Here is another section for my blog called The Stranger the Better.

Here is my first interview for The Stranger the Better. It is with Matt. The Stranger the Better is my way of getting people to think about their lives in a different way.



Enjoy!

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Try Something Newñez!


Date: Sunday, September 8th, 2013

New thing to try: A Beer Tasting Boat Ride

Time: From Boarding to Finish 11:45AM to 2:00PM

Score: 5 out of 5

So this part of my blog will be bi-weekly (depending on my funds), where I will try something I have never done before, and encourage others to do the same as well.

It is called Try Something Newñez.

I have been receiving discount offers from Amazon Local, and one of them was from Manhattan by Sail. They offered a beer tasting cruise in Lower Manhattan.

I saw that offer and said, "I'd love to go to that." And then I wondered, "What's stopping me?" Usually money is the issue, by why am I making money if not to enjoy something like this.

So I bought two tickets and wished for the best. One friend couldn't make it, so I took my uncle with me and we had a great time. We arrived at 11:30 to pick up the tickets from this booth at the South Street Seaport:


Boarding began at 11:45 and we set sail by 12:05. There was food, and 4 different kinds of beer to sample. Everything was very good,especially the beer made in brandy and wine casks!



What made this for me was the sailboat and the boat ride itself. Not going to lie, I wanted to climb up top on the mast and speak in a pirate voice.


The view was incredible. Much better than the Staten Island Ferry! The boat ride went from South Street Seaport to the Statue of Liberty and back. The view of Brooklyn, Staten Island, New Jersey and Lower Manhattan was beautiful.


I highly recommend this for everyone. I didn't notice any children on the boat, but this is only one of the many different kinds of rides Manhattan by Sails offers.

I give this a 5 out of 5 and I don't think that my opinion is biased because it may or may not have been effected by some booze.

I went through a website called www.goldstar.com

I had to reschedule my ride from Saturday to Sunday and they were very quick to respond and help without incurring any charges to me.

I recommend, if you want to try something New, try this!

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Graffiti Manor



Date: Monday, September 9th, 2013 Day 7

Today's Affirmation: "I am surrounded by beauty."

Area to improve: Appreciating Beauty

Specific Change: Enjoy something beautiful.

Enjoy something beautiful for some reason was harder to do than I thought. I already saw a sunset last week and that was awesome. On Sunday I sailed from South Street Seaport to the Statue of Liberty. The weather was beautiful, the view of NYC and Jersey was beautiful and then went to the beach and a beautiful church after all that. So trying to top it was going to be difficult AND I was up for the challenge.

So like Winnie the Pooh, I thought and thought and thought and inspiration struck! Something beautiful that I would not normally go to is 5 Pointz in Queens!



What is 5 Pointz you ask? http://5ptz.com/

It is an art studio for graffiti artists and the whole building is their canvas. So since the G train got delayed (I don't think any kind of positive thinking could create a better reality for that train!) the pictures are right after Sunset.

Sadly, the place will be torn down by the end of the year. I suggest you see it and support our artists who may not be hanging in a museum just yet. What these artists do is very incredible.

Take a moment and be inspired.












Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Life's Better on Purpose Schedule Week 2



So this week I want to work on something and pair it off with an affirmation. I have been waking up every morning and thinking of a new affirmation for that day. This is not allowing the full potential to take effect.

So here are the areas:

Education/Professional
Health/Fitness
Spiritual/Psychological
Relationships
Financial
Enjoy Something Beautiful
Relax day

And here is my week layout:

Day 9 - Work on my résumé

Affirmation: I have a lot to offer to other people.

Day 10 - Restart 100push up challenge

Affirmation: If I really wanted to I could very physically fit

Day 11 - Focus on my Scripture classes

Affirmation: I am a good teacher and I learn much in teaching others

Day 12 - Spend the day with my dad

Affirmation: My father and I grow closer everyday

Day 13 - Look into opening a Money Market Account and research in investing in a stock

Affirmation: I am very good at finance

Day 14 - Enjoy Something Beautiful

Affirmation: I am surrounded by beauty

Day 15 - Veg out

Affirmation: I am full of very good ideas

Once again I will blog periodically about this and hopefully you may be inspired to try one yourself!

Monday, September 9, 2013

Someone Who is Worth it



Date: Saturday, September 7th, 2013, Day 5

Today's Affirmation: "I am a very lucky person."

Area to improve: Relationships

Specific Change: Turn off my cell phone to focus on the person in front of me


I cannot remember the last time I spoke to someone without, at one point, looking at my cell phone. With a Herculean dedication I constantly refresh my inbox folder awaiting my latest email from Apple or Best Buy. I think when smart phones first came out I remembered being offended when someone I was talking to would not pay attention to me and the very important things I was saying (as if everything I say is important). Now it is so natural that I don’t think I notice it anymore. If anything it is a reminder for me to check my phone and then show the other person what I am looking at on my phone. And then we laugh. And talk again and then check our phones. Many times we just have our phones out on the table.

How did this happen so quickly?

Why do I think that the phone in my pocket is more interesting or beautiful than the eyes of the person I am talking with?

Every eye is unique and every eye is beautiful and deep. And I wanted to remember that. Sadly, I forgot what it was like to give someone all of my attention. I forget that the other person in front of me has an infinite depth to them. I forget everyday that everyone around is made in the image of the Divine and is therefore a glimpse into infinity. My mom, a glimpse into infinity, my co-worker, a glimpse into infinity, the baby sleeping in their mother’s arms next to me on the train, a glimpse into infinity. I can learn so much from the person next to me than I can from the little box in my pocket.

For example my girlfriend is always teaching me. She shows me constantly that, how as a male, I am always wrong! What a blessing to have someone who loves me so much (Seriously though)!

So today I spent the day focusing on the wonderful person in my life; the beautiful, loving, intelligent and infinitely deep person that she is.

With the affirmation I used today I probably should have gone to Vegas, but instead I went a wedding instead I found out how lucky I already am.







Papa needs a new pair shoes!!!

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Living on Purpose Schedule






Here is what I want to focus on in my life and to become better on purpose. First is the area of growth and second what I  will do to grow in these areas...

My Living on Purpose Schedule

Education/Professional
Health/Fitness
Spiritual/Psychological
Relationships


Financial
Enjoy Something Beautiful


Day 2 - Walk 3 miles
Day 3 - Spend at least half an hour reading
Day 4 - Pray for an hour in Silence
Day 5 - Spend time with someone and turn my phone off for the day
Day 6 - Spend the least amount of money as possible and give it away
Day 7 - Enjoy Something Beautiful 
Day 8 - Veg out

Plan out a change! The most successful people are the ones who clearly define goals, specifically writing them down! Change on purpose! 

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Laying Down One's Life

Date: Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013, Day 1

Today's Affirmation: "I will have a great day."

Area to improve: Relationship with friends

Specific Change: To celebrate another's accomplishment.


Its been about a year now since I left the monastery and I began working at a company doing stock transfers. And today, the first friend I made at my job was getting sworn into the Yonkers Fire Department.

So today I want to celebrate my friend. I want to let go of jealousy and I want to learn how to rejoice for someone else. I arrived early at the Yonkers Public Library at 2:45PM and my train left me right near the Hudson.


Amazing view

So I sat down and Enjoyed Something Beautiful. Then I walked around and found a great cafe called Casa de Cafe. Great service, great atmosphere, very welcoming, chill spot, great music, free wifi and obviously great coffee.





After that I went to the library for the swearing in ceremony. As I watched these 45 men, all different ages, sizes, shapes and colors, all I could think was these men want to give their life for everyone. There is a desire in their heart to protect and serve those in great need.


The Buddha compared most people in the world to people in a burning building and acting as if everything was normal. So I always wondered is the Enlightened person the one who runs out of the building or one who runs back in to save others...


The chaplain ended the ceremony by saying, "As you have taught us, Lord, no greater love than this, to lay down one's life for another." So today I want to celebrate my friend and his classmates who know and live out the highest form of love. Thank you for your sacrifice and inspiring me to become a better person.


I didn't give him those flowers.