Comments on: Your Life Isn’t Bland and Boring…Is It?

By: Steven

Steven — Fri, 13 May 2011 16:33:55 +0000

The bit about Walla Walla reminds me of a couple things…first of all, try saying “Walla Walla, Washington” ten times fast! Challenging yet fun! Secondly, in the Seattle area at least, Walla Walla is known for its onions and its penitentiary. My first college roommate had come from Walla Walla College to study for a year at Seattle Pacific University. After a year at SPU, he went back to WWC. He is one of the most amazing people I know. At one point in my senior year (I transferred to SPU for my junior year), someone asked me what had happened to my former roommate. I told him he was in Walla Walla…and he didn’t believe me. I later realized the guy probably thought I meant the penitentiary. Oops!

Also, the Sydney Opera House has always fascinated me. That’s on my “must visit” list.

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:01:49 +0000

In reply to Kristie Ryan.

Hi Kristie! Walla Walla is definitely full of character — and the scenery in the surrounding area is top notch! Great point about the shoulds and shouldn’ts. I find it useful to every once in a while make a list of all the things in my head that is telling me I should or shouldn’t do. Dragging them into the light of day makes a big difference. Then I try and figure out which of them I can blow up. It’s a very freeing experience :)

By: Kristie Ryan

Kristie Ryan — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 02:17:44 +0000

Jason,

I really like this metaphor from buildings to life. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day boring routines and not take steps to realize your dreams. It’s not easy, but you definitely have to live life on your terms and not on anyone else’s. I feel like there are so many “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts” in this society, it gets overwhelming. I always have to make sure I am evaluating what I’m doing and break free if need be.

You and Kim rock for creating the lives that you want to live!
Oh and I am totally going to Walla Wall someday. That place looks full of character!

Thanks!
Kristie

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 27 May 2010 19:33:50 +0000

In reply to Belinda. Good for you, Belinda! The sky IS the limit!

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 27 May 2010 19:31:43 +0000

In reply to Tim.

I’ll have to check out the Art Institute soon — it’s been way too long!
And yeah, a big key is expectations. The big tragedy of our school system (and even many families) is that we’ve set the bar way too low.

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 27 May 2010 19:30:05 +0000

In reply to Marilyn.

Thanks, Marilyn! I love the way the front of your store looks — that’s the feel many of the Walla Walla businesses had. It’s much more approachable, interesting, and unique…I like the throwback feel to a time before everything was homogenized and “big boxed.”

By: Belinda

Belinda — Tue, 25 May 2010 15:02:51 +0000

Great post! I just returned to work after having surgery about a month ago. I was thinking that just making it through the work day was enough. Now I see that my thinking was bland and boring! After reading your post, I feel inspired to do something out-of-the ordinary to make today special and beautiful. The sky is the limit! Thanks.

By: Tim

Tim — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:13:58 +0000

Hi Jason: Great thoughts in this post that pose some great, logical questions. I think part of it has to do with expectations. I’ve seen a lot of stories lately about inner city schools that happen to be home to some very amazing and gifted students. It might cause one to think: How does this school have so many gifted, brilliant students when 95 percent of the students in the neighborhood can barely pass a class? It seems to me that certain schools expect greatness from their students…they will not tolerate anything less. I think that is probably how more families should raise their kids. Perhaps we need to expect more from our youth…I don’t know, its just a thought.

In any case, I visited the Milwaukee Art Museum, when they opened the new addition a few years ago…absolutely amazing! If you liked that, you should check out the Modern Wing addition to the Art Institute of Chicago. Thanks for this post that inspires me not to settle for average.

By: Marilyn

Marilyn — Mon, 24 May 2010 13:24:48 +0000

Great post to remind us attitude is everything, Jason. You’re an amazing artist (which I already knew)! At first I thought you’d taken a photo of the museum and written over it. I’m glad you had a day worthy of a lakefront stroll. I enjoyed the Walla Walla link as well. Check out the “about us” page on our website. When we re-did the front of our store, we used a photo from 1915 as our guide.