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The Gangs All Here

The rest of the crew arrived and we are heading to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand.

Hello Chiang Mai. I love this city. I've heard people refer to Bangkok as LA and Chiang Mai as SF. The climate is cooler and it's a far more compact city. Here is a view from my hotel room.

The city is built around the Ping river

An outstanding site to see is Wat Doi Suthep built in 1383. Legend states that an elephant climbed up Doi Suthep, trumpeted three times before dying at the site. It was interpreted as a sign and the king ordered the construction of a temple.

Stumbled upon a Muay Thai fight.

And a crazy fish spa. Hell no to that.

Headed even farther north into the jungle for some trekking. Hung around with these two gibbons.

And wanted to get a closer look.

So I took the first zip line of my life! It was so nerve racking. By the 20th line I was a pro. The longest was 350 meters long. One of the trees we repelled from was a 700 year old banyon.

Had to say a little prayer for being safe on the ground. Life is good.

Ciao for now.

Just Breathe

Photo: Edward Worden

When I practice sitting meditation I’m teaching myself how to relax my attachment to my thinking mind and rest in the present moment. By doing this, I have gained a better understanding of my thinking mind which in turn has helped me learn how to deal with my emotions in more beneficial ways, allowing me to have better relationships with the people around me. And that rules. That’s the main reason I continue to devote so much personal energy to it.

If I’m alive, I’m breathing. It’s something I can always come back to. It’s a constant as a human being. So as I notice thoughts in my mind when I’m practicing meditation, I just come back to my breath. It’s always there for me. Sometimes, as I breathe in, I say “breathing in” in my mind. As I breathe out, I say “breathing out.” I really try to feel the air moving in and out of my body, without controlling it at all. In, out. In, out. And as thoughts arise in my mind distracting me from concentration on my breath, I simply note the thoughts and try to let them go. For example, if I notice that I’m thinking about something that happened in the past, I note the thought as "the past" and return to concentration on my breath. I try to keep my concentration on my breath for as long as possible. Then, when the next thought arises, I just note it in the same way and let it go, returning to my breath over and over for the whole meditation period. It’s as simple as that.

For the best results, I recommend that you practice in a quiet comfortable place with your eyes closed. Your posture isn’t all that important at first, but over the years I’ve found that keeping my back straight helps deepen the experience. Try to sit in meditation for at least 5 minutes. Set an alarm so you don’t have to keep checking a clock. Work your way up 10 minutes, then 20. I think you should work your way up to at least 40 minutes. That’s how long I like to sit for, sometimes much longer. Find what feels right for you. But be diligent. And remember that meditation isn’t just for those times when you’re free from distractions in a quiet room. Try it when you’re sitting on the bus or taking a shit. Anytime you have a moment that you can close your eyes and be still, practice meditation.

I think it’s important to mention that when we practice meditation, we shouldn’t allow our minds to get judgmental about our practice. It’s important to remember that we’re not trying to end thought or stop thinking. We’re just trying to relax our minds and our attachment to our thoughts. Sometimes when you notice that you’ve been distracted, your mind will chastise your lack of attention, like “You’re a shitty meditator. You should just give it up.” Don’t trip. That’s just your Ego talking, the source of all your day-to-day dissatisfaction, the very thing we’re trying to subdue when we practice meditation. Just smile, relax and go back to your breath. Fuck your Ego. Just try to be present for your moment-to-moment experience while you’re sitting there. Sometimes it will seem like you were lost in thought the whole session, and other times it will seem like you were only sitting there for a minute. Just keep at it - none of that matters. And remember that you won’t “attain” anything by doing this practice. Enlightenment isn’t some place like Heaven or some crown you can put in your head. It’s being able to see past your thinking mind, to the place where there is no conflict, only peace. And it is always there, waiting for us. But, like all good things, it takes work and the proper intention to manifest it.

When you see the moon, remember that I see the same moon. The ground that I sit on is the same ground you sit on. So remember, when you practice meditation, you are practicing in union with thousands of others like myself all over this planet we call Earth. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are never alone in that dark space behind your eyelids. Fear not - and good luck.

Best Burger In Frisco

You cannot fuck with Pearl's Deluxe Burgers. This is hands down the best burger joint in the City.

Winter '10 40% Off Again!

So mashKULTURE.net recently opened a shop in Hungary and one of the brands they carry is REBEL8.

For Winter, they shot a lookbook on the streets of Budapest showcasing REBEL8's latest collection featuring editors from the blog and their friends. The photos were shot by Barnie. 40% off is back up until February 17! Discount code R8007.

Huge thanks to mashKULTURE.net!

Highway 1

Took a little drive down the coast to my second home, Half Moon Bay. At Sam's Chowder House I went with the Blue crab sandwich. Shoulda went Dungeness.

It was actually hot out, so I ended with a Key lime pie. Damn good, but not as great as the ones I get in Florida.

After lunch, I took this photo.

Inspected these crab traps.

Warned everybody a tsunami was coming.

But it didn't. Thankfully.

We are on a new server now. Can you handle the speed?

Keepers Of The Faith

Sin Shop

Heard about a store in Bkk that carries R8 and that there are some fans out here. I had to see it for myself.

This is Sin shop.

Inside .

These guys fucking rule.

Bangkok's mega bridge in view from our dinner table with the Sin shop crew.

Thank you Sin shop for making us feel so welcome. Goodbye Bangkok. You have done me right.

Next stop Chaing Mai.

Ciao for now.

Dudley Perkins Is Harley-Davidson

Dougernaut and I took a cruise with some vintage dudes on our vintage Harley's down to Dudley Perkins to see my homie Chris Perkins. Follow me?

Since 1914, Dudley Perkins has been holding it down. Here are a few of the different Harley engines they've collected over the years.

And here proudly displayed in the main entrance is one of the thousandth Harley's in this huge 50,000 square feet building.

The beer collection alone is worth a visit. Sturgis 1987 Heavy Beer, a Daytona '86, Daytona '89.

Daytona '92, '93. Sturgis 1990! Wasted.

90th Anniversary Harley-Davidson MGD tall boys chillin' above my head about to get crushed.

Also on display was their pin collection. Good pins rule!

And Dudley Perkins has been putting a new one out for every ride since the land before time.

I thought about smashing the glass for this vest.

This place is the raddest Harley-Davidson museum! It's a mix of Harley, San Francisco-heritage, motorcycle culture.

And it just keeps going. This section is straight memorabilia.

Oh yeah! I forgot about the walls. These photos were INSANE.

You can literally spend a few hours going from the first floor to the second floor in the stairwell just peeping art.

Yet another dope vest.

Let's check out some bikes! I don't think this one is for sale.

Or this one.

But all the new 2011's are in and selling fast.

Today, you'd be hard pressed to find a Harley in the Bay that wasn't bought at Dudley Perkins. DP is the first Harley shop west of the Mississippi. On shit like this I stick with the originals. DP is as classic as it gets.

Meet Chris Perkins. We've been friends since we were kids. He's a stand-up guy. And lucky for you, he'll give you the best deal. Now is the one-time you can name drop Joshy D!