Beautiful Tribute to Yosemite National Park

"Project Yosemite"

Time Lapse Photography by Sheldon Neill and Colin Delehanty (using the Canon 5D Mark II)

This is one of the most beautiful tributes that I've seen to one of our country's oldest National Parks. Stunning time lapse photography and use of movement...especially love the night scenes~

Yosemite HD from Project Yosemite on Vimeo.

"Rachel S. Thurston: Entertaining and Lovable"

Featured Guide by Santa Barbara Adventure Company

Turns out I have attributes curiously similar to a Border Collie. ;)

I had the distinct honor of being featured by The Santa Barbara Adventure Company on their website blog this past month. I've worked on and off with them for around six years as a kayaking, biking, hiking, ropes course, team building, and wine tasting guide. During the last eight years I've known him, Mike Cohen has done an extraordinary job of growing his company into a force to be reckoned with in Santa Barbara. He and his fleet of super fun, experienced guides put together some truly awesome trips.

But enough about them and more about me.

Check out this article. It was so fun doing this interview and reflecting on where my interests and attention has been going the past several years~

A big thank you to Suzanne Cohen for putting this all together!

Check it out here:

http://www.sbadventureco.com/blog/rachel-thurston-entertaining-and-lovable/

For more info about their uber-fabulous trips check out:

www.sbadventureco.com

Photo by Karen Custer Thurston

Full Version of Article From Santa Barbara Adventure Company:

Magical Moments in Santa Barbara....

‎"Our hearts were drunk with a beauty our eyes could never see."

George William Russell

Inspiring Speech by J.K. Rowling to the Harvard Graduating Class of 2008

I rarely post videos unless they're either a) super inspiring or b) super entertaining. This is a bit of both. My boyfriend's Mama recently shared this with me and I finally had the chance to listen. It's great to put on in the background while you're doing work.

I think this is a beautiful way of wrapping up the year and starting the new one, feeling grateful for all that we have and full of fire in our bellies for the upcoming year.

Enjoy and have a beautiful holiday and New Year!

Just For Fun:

Hilarious Holiday Video of Cats and Dogs

Okay, I admit it. I spend a little too much time on Facebook and Youtube BUT I will proudly state that I rarely post Youtube Videos on my blog unless they're 1) incredibly inspiring or 2) incredibly funny.

This one is both and thirdly is 3) in the spirit of the holidays.

Even if you're a self-proclaimed Scrooge, I dare you to not be charmed by this one....

*I think my favorite is the goldfish singing about halfway through....

r.s.thurston writing and photography

This is one of my all-time favorite quotes for motivating myself to keep on keepin' on with all my creative dreams! Here's to coming down the home stretch of 2010 and creating amazing, beautiful things in 2011....

www.rsthurston.com

June 28th, 2010
Whirlwind Summer Solstice Weekend....Scantily Clad Drumming, Dancing, and Celebrations!

Wow...so I've survived another Summer Solstice Celebration in Santa Barbara! I've just finished a whirlwind weekend...a Friday Night Pre-Solstice performance of drumming/dancing/singing with the Djun Djun Mamas, dancing with Panzumo's Summer Solstice Ensemble on Saturday in the Parade, threw a bridal shower on Sunday, more celebrations on the beach, then watching another awesome episode of "True Blood" with good friends on Sunday night.

Dang! Now that's a great weekend!

I'm so happy to be on this creative path and to have a life that is so abundant in music, dance, drumming and creative fulfillment with amazing people. Here are a couple of videos of the weekend. The first is a clip of the Djun Djun Mamas...a group that I've been with the past two years. We worked on this piece for about six weeks and are really proud of it!

The second clip is one of our Panzumo Summer Solstice Parade Ensemble dancing several West African Rhythms in the Parade.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k3B2O_Xmmg

June 7, 2010
Ahhhhh...The Joys, Trials, and Tribulations of Camping~
Absolute Spot-On Treatise About Camping by The Stuff White People Like~

Okay, I rarely put up links to other websites here unless they absolutely stun me with their wit or manage to provide sufficient entertainment to distract me from my actual work....and this one succeeds in both!
If you haven't yet discovered "The Stuff White People Like" then you've got to take some time and check it out. It's truly brilliant and super flippin' funny~

Their latest post on "Camping" especially struck a chord after a recent camping trip with friends and family down the Kern River. I've grown up camping, lived in and out of a tent for several seasons of my life as a river guide/outdoor instructor, and will continue to camp as often as I can...but still...has anyone ever noticed how much work it is to pack/unpack/organize?

The masochist in me enjoys it. And apparently, a bunch of other White People feel the same way!

Check it out~ Spot on!
And as they say at the bottom of this post:
Note: This works for all races!

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2009/08/14/128-camping/

"Learning to Take Nothin' For Granted!" or "You're Sitting In A Chair In The Sky!"

I rarely post videos on here that aren't directly travel related but this really hit all the right buttons for me. This comedian really gets it right about how far beyond a natural state of awe that we've moved these days with all the new technologies around us....how easy it is to take the internet, cell phones, and jet travel for granted.

So the next time I'm complaining about the cramped seating during a torturously long flight across the Pacific, I'll just remember the miracle that I'm "SITTING IN A CHAIR IN THE SKY!"

Enjoy!

This is one of the funniest clips I've seen on Youtube recently. I thought it was especially fitting for all those frustrated writers, photographers and filmmakers who've often felt stumped by their own necessary "technologies:"