Love

It's that day where you might just want to grab the one you love and let them know how much they mean to you.

Here's to my valentine; that brown eyed girl I met over 13 years ago and am still crazy in love with.

T.

Two things to remember for the many wonderful people in our lives.

Life is full of surprises.  Often I think all we can do is surround ourselves with as many wonderful people as we can and live life and enjoy it the best we possibly can; day to day.  This of course is easy to say.  Life can be stressful, sad and  full of terrible things.  This is what makes life so wonderful.  Without sadness, anger, stress and all of it's many other emotions life would be a less than worthy of an experience. As I have said before, as one journey ends, often another will inevitably start and this is what I felt yesterday.  Our amazing  friend Ellen was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of months ago at the age of 27 and her life very quickly and abruptly changed direction.  Yesterday we had Ellen, Eric her boyfriend, Margot, and Geoff over to celebrate as she has just finished her chemo. A good day.

        Yesterday my mother started her chemo and her fight against breast cancer as we sat eating dinner celebrating Ellen's end to her chemo.  I couldn't  imagine two more wonderful people in my life that I have chosen to surround myself with who have both started  paths down a different road in life. This is when those people around us find themselves in vibrant color.   I remember reading Into the Wild and feeling so much for Chris McCandless, as he sought to run a way from society.  It was only in the end, as he tried to leave the isolated school bus he called home in the wilderness of Alaska, that he realized it's the people around him that made life truly special: happiness is shared.  He found humanity and love.

Even before my mother was diagnosed with  cancer she would tell me how she prays.  I remember telling mom about Ellen and she would say "I'll pray for her"  and I would say how nice that was. Now for those who don't know me I'm not a religious man per say but I do believe in something of a higher spirit that I experience by spending my time outside in the mountains.   So  I started thinking about how and why people pray.  Do you have to believe in God to pray?  Yesterday I decided; absolutely not.  We can always think about our loved ones and wish them well and feel our connection with them in this world; its the simple act of turning inward and focusing positive energy towards a person or situation that can be so healing, and can connect us to each other.  So I decided that I would focus inward, on certain words and people in my life, and send some good energy their way. I think many of us inherently do this, with or without out even knowing it, it's just the act of focusing in on it more.

 So as I  focus my  love and energy on mom and Ellen; I remember these two things: surround yourself with wonderful people and live life to it's fullest every day and second,  take the time to let them know how much you love them - even if its just by sending some good energy their way. 

Oh, right - the marshmallows.  Ellen brought them and as we sat around the fire she made everyone one heck of a S'more!  Just one of the many reasons we love her dearly.

Mom I miss you much I'll see you soon, you've always been there for me as I will be for you.


Love

T.

Three Penny Taproom;You guys rule the day!

The Three Penny Taproom, the one and only place to get a beer and where I asked my beautiful girlfriend Sarah to marry me! Check em out on Were here for the beer!

Cheers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNtqdMHnUUM

Get well soon

There are many things in life we cannot change or foresee. People in our lives who mean allot to us like family and friends come and go. As I type this my father faces challenges and changes in his life. He was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 32 and has lived with the disease ever since. He was also diagnosed with prostate cancer as well two months ago. Unfortunately these health issues have him in Saint Francis hospital in Hartford CT. I was able to see him and saw a very human side of my father I had not seen in some while; I think he saw his mortality and as he sobbed to my mother I could see just how much he truly loved her. I know my father loves his family but all to often we don't show or say it. Although you wouldn't notice it my father and I do share things in common, things he taught me as young child early in life that he may not know. I love old things; I'm sentimental, I love people even though I give them a hard time FYI: this means I like you that much more, sorry. I perform under pressure rather than ahead of time, yes its much livelier that way and much more exciting. I appreciate the simpler things in life like coffee and a good conversation with a passing stranger. These are all the things he taught me about life and didn't really realize it until much later. Who would? no single kid ever thinks or wants to be anything like his parents when he grows up! So as I sat there, I felt how much I love my father even though I don't say or show it as much as I should and as I felt this my heart hurt as I know I cant make my father get well. I can only love and make him understand just how much I truly appreciate the many wonderful ways that he showed me as young child how to live and see life the way he did. All the while having no idea just how lucky I truly was. No one is perfect we all make mistakes in life, there are things we may not be proud off, people we've hurt things left un-said. It's how we reconcile in the end and realize those we love and the mistakes we may have made. This is what makes us all human and allows us to forgive, forget and love. I love my father for who he is and who he helped me to become and this has served me well.

I love you dad and I'll see you soon.

Your son

True happiness is

So I was thinking what exactly makes people happy? Is it all the same for everyone? Is there one single thing wer'e all looking for and when we finally find it, does it just make sense and we become complacent? Or is it completley personal and unique to everysingle person? I think to many times we doubt how and what we feel true happiness is. Is life really working to much?, suffer, get a college degree, suffer more, figure out how to make a lot of money? start a family? I'll be honest, I never ever thought of these things at a younger age. I guess you could say I was pretty naive? I hated school struggled my way through it and never really bought into what everyone else around me felt wich was get ready to grow up its gonna hurt! Yes I did go to a private college on a scholarship and yes I pissed it down the drain about six months later. But by then I was simply lost and tired of listening and following what everyone around me told me I " should" be doing with my life and blindly agreeing. All the while having no clue as what I really wanted to do. So where am I today? We'll alot has happened since I awkwardly graduated high school and dropped out of college. I would be the first to admit that life is trial and error. One cannot simply bat a thousand and be lead along through thier life. It took me awhile to figure out who I really was, and where I wanted to be. Who I wanted to share it with and how I felt life should really be lived. I now find myself with one extrodinary woman, a dog who has always know how to live life from the very beggining and a place here in the Green mountains that I share with a group of amazing people who I think share the same feelings about life I do. I know I love the mountains, people, good food, that life is not about how much money you make but how you earn it. If I look at my life right now I am by far the richest person I know. I live in the best little east coast ski town where I can boot my way up to Hubbard park and make turns after work. I ski everyday, ride my bike, walk to work, conspire at work with amazing people, sew christmas stockings; who knew? I know I like to walk long distances not knowing excactly where I'll end up. I happened to meet an amazing group of people along the way that I consider family and in one way or another I think about quite often and we all stay in touch. Point is life will never just tell you who you are but it sure will help you figure out who you can be as long you find yourself doing the driving, or in my case walking, skiing or riding. So heres to us, may we all have the confidence and courage to follow our feelings and aspirations. Sure life is tough but deep down we all know it should be full of happiness and love as well. I hope you all may find or have found that happiness. I know I have.

Tristan

FALL-ing in love

Fall in Vermont is well my favorite time of year, so after a brisk run in Adamant we found ourselves where else but Three Penny Taproom. So as we shared a pint with friends and watched the best post-season baseball game I have ever seen to this day, van Morrison happened to play and, well, I got that feeling that this was it.
My life has been good; so great the last ten years and it only keeps getting better. I have walked many a mile, ran and biked beautiful places and met beautiful people along the way who we still keep in touch with, matter of fact we're about to all come together once more come next week! I have also found a home here in Vermont and waking up in the morning just seems a little bit brighter everyday. I have spent the last ten years with a particularly beautiful person too who has made that ten years the most memorable of my thirty-two on this planet and that is Sarah. Sarah you make everyday my best and have taught me how to live and that life is what you make it of it. So here's to you my love and the life we live together - and what a life it has been. I love you.