ellen

when i look back upon the things i’ve embarked upon to create change in the world, one thing stands out: the journey always took much longer than projected. if that journey was something akin to climbing a big mountain, i spent more time navigating the approach to the base of the mountain than summiting the peak, if you will. i rarely if ever planned for this “flat” part of the trip. the mountain peak is so seductive, so sexy — it’s where you want to end up, so you focus on what it will take to scale the verticals. but as it turns out, it’s the long walk to the base of the mountain that’s the hardest part. it’s about perseverance more than strength.

innovating something, be it a stand alone product or a massively interconnected system, involves many more days of getting to the peak than it does scaling the peak. this is because there are so many pitfalls along the way — so it always feels like you’re climbing something. climbing a mountain face or a well, it feels the same: steep, slippery, and difficult. as it turns out, a lot of that climbing happens because you’ve stumbled into a crevasse or a well, and you have to find your way out before you can get back to your mission of walking to the mountain. it can’t be helped; if you’re innovating, by definition you’re venturing out through the dark unknown, so of course you’ll stumble and fall and have to pick yourself up.

while there were lots of hard points, in any difficult project i’ve done there was also more joy and camaraderie to be had along the way than I ever dared hope for.  this is key.  whether it’s orville and wilbur figuring out how to make man fly, or it’s you tweaking the messaging on a web site in the middle of the night, you need the help of friends and colleagues. not only can they help pull you out of a crevasse, but they can help you see that you weren’t yet on the mountain. and that you need to keep walking. 

understanding the difference between a mountain and a well?  priceless.

- metacool on climbing mountains and wells | via ninakix [emphasis mine] | via texturism

I need to remember all of this.

Ellen: Au Naturel by awkwardryan

<3

Ryan built a ring light awhile back and I let him shoot me bare-faced last night. A bit nerve wracking, but they actually turned out really well. Consider this a late GPOYW :)

Portrait of a Wiener I & II by Ryan

Ryan shot Reese with his ring light and amazingly adorable things happened. These will be a late (gran)mother’s day gift for my Ma. She has 3 grandogs but we all know who’s her favorite.

THE LUMINEERS | Stubborn Love

via theb-sideofthings

Cannot stop listening. Over and over and over and over.

Willie Nelson - The Scientist (Coldplay Cover)

via emphasisadded

An old favorite played by an older favorite. 

via nedhepburn

Peaches ‘n’ Cream Barbie viamar-see-ah

The surge of nostalgia I just experienced actually produced tears.  My first Barbie and the beginning of an addiction I endured into my early teens. I can still feel the chiffon and her little pebbley bodice. MAKE. IT. STOP. 

I’m blaming the tears on the fact that I’ll be 30 in a week. 

Holocene by Evan Chapman

originally by Bon Iver 

A one-man percussion cover, dedicated to his friend Tony who is a cancer survivor.

via: connieluu:adultlifetaketwo:copycats

Ridiculously calming & lovely.

Not a Cosby sweater. via

the blonde, the red and the smudge. via witanddelight

Beauty is Embarrassing - The Wayne White Story.

Want to see this. Immediately. And he’s on tumblr!

Jayme Dee - I Will Follow You Into The Dark (Death Cab for Cutie Cover) 

FREE download: here (via sexmusic:12minds)

Holy cow. Yes.

Carla Bruni - “Raphael” via vneckandacardigan

loves.

1. Sigur Rós (5)
2. Gillian Welch (3)
3. Markéta Irglová (3)
4. Youth Lagoon (3)
5. Florence + The Machine (3)

Imported from Last.fm Tumblr by JoeLaz

1. T-Pain (6)
2. The Antlers (3)
3. tUnE-yArDs (2)
4. Markéta Irglová (2)
5. Oneohtrix Point Never (2)

Imported from Last.fm Tumblr by JoeLaz

Oh My Sweet Carolina - Ryan Adams with Laura Marling

(Live on Abbey Road 2011)

(via motionsensorsoundtrack)

1. Sarah Jaffe (1)
2. Jack Johnson (1)
3. Sigur Rós (1)
4. José González (1)
5. Bon Iver (1)

Imported from Last.fm Tumblr by JoeLaz