Car-less.

I have been without a car going on 5 months. It has been a life-changing experience for the better. I consume less, I exercise more and I have been making deeper connections with people in my neighborhood. I have become chummy with Danny and Sandy at the fruit stand. Today I found out Sandy is a Virgo and Danny is a Libra. In case you are wondering, I am a Gemini sun sign and a Taurus moon sign. I know, fascinating!

I have been through the ups and downs with Amy and Hector who own the movie/comic book store (Digital Extreme) as they had to up-root and move across the street. They have been broken into four times and the landlord refuses to put lights in the parking lot. So, they had enough and moved out. The movie business is hard, but their comic business is picking up.

I had my first chat with the Dominos pizza Manager when I picked up my cinna-stix. He told me about his move from Oakland to Bakersfield and the difference in crimes at his store. He attended one year at Berkely and then moved back home to take care of his Mother. Once he had an 8 year old girl try to run off without paying for her pizza order. He shouted after her, "I have your number and address!" She immediately turned around and payed for her order.

I stopped to ask Teresa a question when she was out watering her lawn on Verde St. I was looking at a house on the corner of her street that had been empty for a while. I said, "Can you tell me about the house on the corner? Is it haunted?" Without missing a step, she said "No, it isn't haunted. I've been in there." She told me she was a former occult member that is now a Christian. I guess you can tell if a house is haunted by bad spirits if you look in the corners of each room. If you see darkness in the corners, it isn't a good sign. She is also a massage therapist out of her home. I left a message for her last night to schedule an appointment.

Here is an article that just came out today about me organizing a Bike-to-work challenge with my co-workers. Click here.

I'm going to try and go for a year without a car. Shoot, if I can do a year...why not permanently? Hmmm. What do you think?

You want a piece of my heart?

Weekday Drunken Neighbor Karaoke Night.

No Stage Required.

Do you remember when you use to play pretend? I grew up in the country of central Illinois and my favorite game was creating a world with many characters and complex adventures with little or no props. I don't want to stop playing.

Viola Spolin, the Mother of Improvisation, used improve to "Shut off the mind. When the rational mind is shut off, we have the possibility of intuition." She wrote in her book Improvisation for Theater, "Intuition is often thought to be an endowment or a mystical force enjoyed by the gifted alone. Yet all of us have known moments when the right answer 'just came'...Sometimes at such moments the "average" person has been known to transcend the limitation of the familiar, courageously enter the area of the unknown, and release momentary genius within."

Give yourself permission to fully engage in the ten suggested improv tasks. Allow your intuitive genius to play and have fun!

Improv task 1 - Playing the other you: Buy a magazine you wouldn't buy and then excitedly talk about the topic as if you live/breathe it w/ the cashier.

Improv Task 2 - Pushing your comfort zone: Have a conversation with an intimidating stranger.

Improv Task 3 - Playing with family: Ask your child for an animal & create a bedtime story. Be specific: name the animal, describe location

Improv task 4 - Listening/presence: Use the last letter of a partner's sentence as the 1st letter of the word starting your sentence. Enjoy!

Improv 5 - Creating Character: Pick a person you know. Without words, walk around as that person for 1 hr. What is their mannerism? What are they wearing?

Improv task 6 - Playing with Who/What/Where: Open any book and randomly select a word. Use that word to create a monologue.

Improv task 7: Space work - Practice your morning routine exactly. Think amazing mime work. Use specific movements and placement of objects.

Improv Task 8: Space Work

Improv Task 9: Product Placement

Improv Task 10: Two Characters and One Actor - Practicing your Who/What/Where.

What did you discover during your improv tasks? What task did you struggle completing? What task was the most fun?

I would love to hear what you and your intuitive genius explored.

Me sending Me Sweet Somethings on Me Day.

I announced a lovely surprise on Facebook the other day. My friends kept it to themselves and, well...Wow. I surprised myself with a little something special delivered to my work. Oh the look on my face when these beauties arrived:




The reaction from my friends:
Matt Ray
Somebody new???
July 9 at 11:54am

Matt Harmston
Wasn't me...wish I'd have thought of it, though :-)
July 9 at 11:55am

Julia Heatherwick
Julia, Just letting you know how much you mean to me! Have a beautiful day! xoxo, Julia
July 9 at 11:56am

Matt Harmston
Russell Stover chocolates...nice touch. You're such a romantic...
July 9 at 11:57am

Julia Heatherwick
Oh my gosh, you are so sweet Julia! The feeling is mutual! No Matt...not someone new,but someone pretty darn thoughtful. I am so lucky!
July 9 at 11:58am

John Passadino
You are lucky to have you! :)
July 9 at 12:00pm

Missy Wiggins
That is awesome!
July 9 at 12:00pm

Heidi Browne
I love this!
July 9 at 12:05pm

John Passadino <--------Creator of ME Day!<-----Credit for Blog title!
one more.. think of the marketing angle .. "ME" day.. why not? Mothers day, Fathers day.. what about a me day? for FTD and others.. "send yourself flowers today!" copyright that quick!
July 9 at 12:08pm

Alicia Seibert Pollnow
Me day is brilliant!! I bet your surprise is just what you asked for!!!
July 9 at 12:33pm

Bob Kempf
How did you know what to get you?
July 9 at 12:54pm

Kathy Kerwin Riddle
Oh, so clever. Howard is surely proud of you!
July 9 at 1:05pm

Laura Barbera
bwahahahah...my goodness I miss you!
July 9 at 1:09pm

Bill Kelly
Isn't it amazing how someone so close to you can surprise you in such an unexpected yet thoughtful way.
July 9 at 1:57pm

Corena Bahr
Love it.
July 9 at 1:57pm

Julia Heatherwick
How right you are Bill! And Bob...I just listen to me and really, only I know what I need and do I deliver! Thank you all for sharing in our day.
July 9 at 6:51pm · Delete

Julia Carlisle Arnold
That's great.
July 9 at 7:22pm

Ted Diamond
She's a keeper, Julia. Don't let her get away.
July 9 at 7:47pm


"I admire your beauty, brains and badinage. Thinking of you. You know Who."