what is apartment therapy:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/

the dancer:

the adagio, an eloquent dialogue
mouth shut, undiluted focus
body filled with music
words unnecessary
all understood in line & form
no one can stomp it
it is hers
except for sore muscles
it doesn't hurt her
the studio provides the expanse
to extend herself and stretch
without tripping over others.
she dances to keep herself whole
she keeps moving.
~ s. fischer

the daily beast's favorite books of 2010:

The Daily Beast's Favorite Books of 2010

i like for you to be still ~ pablo neruda words/dema dance co. moves:

who is jill platner:

http://vimeo.com/17588315

ouch:

Calories in Holiday Foods: Shocking Equations

who is marina abramovic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eejxcPnxhAA
http://www.moma.org/explore/multimedia/videos/96/567

my kind of christmas tree:

7 feel good naked holiday tips:

'Tis the season to be disconnected from your mind and body, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here’s an easy 7 point plan to put into effect right away so you can feel good naked during ~ and after ~ the naughtiest time of the year.

1. Commit to quiet: Whether it's your first five minutes in the morning after waking up, an office time out mid-day or a soothing 30-minute ritual before bed, give all of your senses a daily break. Lower the lights, listen to soothing music or try total silence, but do it alone and stick to it religiously.

2. Water is a thin person's secret: Each morning drink a glass of water upon waking; it's not only important for hydration but it also cuts daily food intake by 13% according to a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. *Bonus* add lemon juice to the water to nourish your liver.      

3. Black is the new black: Everyone looks sophisticated and stylish in black. Choose one black outfit that you feel comfortable and happy wearing and don't worry about wearing it often. You can change your shoes, jewelry, scarf, coat or bag for diversion.

4. Sleeping late is exhausting: Sleeping late on the weekends to make up for lost sleep during the week can actually make you feel more lethargic. Changing your wake up time confuses a cluster of brain cells that dictate everything from energy & strength to creativity. If you're exhausted during this time of the year and who isn't; wake up at your usual weekday time, then nab a 20 minute afternoon nap or go to bed early, which studies have proven does not disrupt the body's biological clock the way sleeping in late does.

5. Fat for free is still fat: Don't arrive at a holiday party hungry. Of course it can be tempting to starve yourself all day so you can stuff your face with free food at the party, but this will only make your pants tighter. Have a fiber or protein based snack before you go out and you'll be far less interested in the white flour and sugar once you arrive at your festive destination. 

6. Shopping is dangerous to your health: Mad rushes to the mall can exhaust more than just your wallet. The strain and stress of lugging shopping bags, racing through stores and spending hours on your feet can lead to tiny muscle tears and inflammation, which can snowball into muscle and joint pain and crazy fatigue. Re-access your gift giving and don't undermine the convenience of the internet.      

7. Plan ahead: Whether it's the Christmas cookies at work or the egg nog at the party, make your ‘moderation’ mind up BEFORE you encounter these seductive treats. Nothing feels internally worse then blood sugar spikes and crashes ~ or ~ clothes that don't fit.

who is brandon talbott:

who is yoko ono:

JOHN and I are in our Dakota kitchen in the middle of the night. Three cats — Sasha, Micha and Charo — are looking up at John, who is making tea for us two.

Sasha is all white, Micha is all black. They are both gorgeous, classy Persian cats. Charo, on the other hand, is a mutt. John used to have a special love for Charo. “You’ve got a funny face, Charo!” he would say, and pat her.

“Yoko, Yoko, you’re supposed to first put the tea bags in, and then the hot water.” John took the role of the tea maker, for being English. So I gave up doing it.

It was nice to be up in the middle of the night, when there was no sound in the house, and sip the tea John would make. One night, however, John said: “I was talking to Aunt Mimi this afternoon and she says you are supposed to put the hot water in first. Then the tea bag. I could swear she taught me to put the tea bag in first, but ...”

“So all this time, we were doing it wrong?”

“Yeah ...”

We both cracked up. That was in 1980. Neither of us knew that it was to be the last year of our life together.

This would have been the 70th birthday year for John if only he was here. But people are not questioning if he is here or not. They just love him and are keeping him alive with their love. I’ve received notes from people in all corners of the world letting me know that they were celebrating this year to thank John for having given us so much in his 40 short years on earth.

The most important gift we received from him was not words, but deeds. He believed in Truth, and had dared to speak up. We all knew that he upset certain powerful people with it. But that was John. He couldn’t have been any other way. If he were here now, I think he would still be shouting the truth. Without the truth, there would be no way to achieve world peace.

On this day, the day he was assassinated, what I remember is the night we both cracked up drinking tea.

They say teenagers laugh at the drop of a hat. Nowadays I see many teenagers sad and angry with each other. John and I were hardly teenagers. But my memory of us is that we were a couple who laughed.
Yoko Ono is an artist.

who is marna herrington:

http://www.richearthorganicspa.com/home.php

p.s. If you are in Portland, OR., Rich Earth will be Open (no appointment needed) on Wednesday, December 8th from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. Marna invites you to swing by and say hello, have some organic tea and cookies, or pick up any products or gift certificates you need.