What’s in it for you? You can grab some sweet new socks at a discount and step up your style!
How can you help?
1. Make A Pledge Check out the link Sock 101’s Kickstarter campaign and video above, choose a perk that suits you, and pick out which socks you want us to send you. It’s that easy! Sock 101 is offering discounts for Earlybird Funders which save you about $12 off our normal pricing! What a deal. Imagine what you can do with that savings. Buy yourself a beer at the game, grab some food and proudly display your new threads. The Earlybird Funder discounts are limited to the first 100 people for each Earlybird discount level.
2. Share Our Story
Please share this email about Sock 101’s Kickstarter Campaign via email, Facebook, Twitter, phone calls, text messages and through old fashioned conversations. The more people Sock 101 reaches, the more likely we will achieve our funding goal to bring our team line to being!
Read the rest of… Jason Grill: Sock 101’s Kickstarter Campaign has Officially Launched!
You may not have given much thought to your socks, but believe it or not, people do notice them. You could be wearing the most fantastic pair of shoes, but if the choice of socks is off, it up-ends the whole ensemble. When choosing socks to match your outfit, the common wisdom is that they should coordinate with your pants, as a way of elongating the leg.
Of course as with anything else, there are exceptions to the rule. With a monochromatic look, or with khaki trousers and brown shoes, show some personality by sporting a colored sock in a solid or pattern. If wearing patterned socks appeals to you, and you want to take it a step further, select a motif that keys into and complements another element of your outfit: the pattern in your tie, sport jacket, or shirt for example. And whatever you do, make sure your socks are long enough such that when you sit down and cross your legs, your lower leg remains undercover.
By John Y. Brown III, on Thu Oct 3, 2013 at 1:30 PM ET
Why I am not sweating the government shutdown today.
Why not?
Because I have a general tendency to overestimate the impact of external political and economic events on my personal life.
And have learned this the hard way. Which is to say the, well, embarrassing way.
About 9 years ago during the winter months we had a snow storm that caused my work to close down for the day. My son, Johnny, was… about 9 or 10 years old and pleased Dad was getting to stay home for work and wanted me to join him outside to play and sled in the snow. He first asked me around 10 that morning and I responded, “Johnny, I will…but right now the stock market is down over 200 points. I want to see what is happening and monitor a little longer. Give me another hour and check back with me.”
An hour passed and back Johnny came ready for the snow. “Johnny,” I said, “the stock market is now down 300 points and I don’t know what is going on. Can you please give me a little more time and check back around noon?”
Noon came around and in came Johnny. Again. “Dad, how is the stock market going?” I responded, “Johnny, this is awful. The market is now down over 500 points. Unbelievable.”
Johnny paused for a moment and then said, “Why does it matter so much? Mom just told me we don’t own any stocks.” “Yeah,” I said….”Well, you know…That is ….that may be true. We really don’t own any stocks right now, come to think of it. I, uh. I…it’s just a big ….thing. A national , uh, bad thing. I guess. So, that’s why it matters so much to us, I guess.”
We then went outside and played in the snow. And I didn’t worry about the stock market plummeting the rest of the day.
By John Y. Brown III, on Thu Oct 3, 2013 at 12:00 PM ET
Deep religious ponderings.
I don’t believe my religion is right and other religions are wrong.
But if pressed….I do like to think my religion is just a little bit superior to yours.
You know, classier, I guess.
Maybe a bit more “uptown” and perhaps even a little more sophisticated, too.
I guess what I am trying to say is that we Presbyterians, as a denomination, tend to do better at cocktail parties than our competitor denominations.
For example…..I just had a couple of Church of Latter Day Saint women drop my my house to share some literature with me. Thought it was UPS but when opened the door saw no brown but did see the The Watchtower publication being held by one of the ladies— and instantly knew that it wasn’t UPS —and didn’t appear to be FedEx or DHL either.
I admire Mormons a great deal. But I am glad my religion doesn’t go door-to-door to evangelize. Telemarketing to evangelize would be beneath us too. We are better than that. We use mass mailings, for example. And try to keep telemarketing campaigns to minimum.
Of course, I didn’t say anything to the Church of Latter Day Saints ladies about any of this. Just thanked them and suggested they talk to a neighbor who had friends last weekend park in my driveway.
Debating religion on my doorstep wouldn’t have been very Christian of me. Especially when it would be easier for me to wait and just talk about them behind their backs on Facebook.
And I would never bring up something like this at a cocktail party.
But wouldn’t put it past a Methodist.
===
What is the world’s most popular “unsaid” daily prayer?
My guess is….
“Why can’t the rest of the world just behave! So I don’t have to.”
I recommend saying it at least once out loud. After that, I find I ave a hard time even thinking it to myself.
Sometimes saying something out loud–and hearing it–helps me stop thinking it to myself.
“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indominable will.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Personal fitness is like life; you need discipline to be successful, it requires strength and will and no matter how much it hurts or you want to quit, you must keep going. We can learn much from Gandhi; a believer in inner peace and happiness, as well as the quest to always better yourself.
This weekend I found a picture (see right) that listed Gandhi’s “10 Fundamentals to Changing the World.” These are really just steps to changing yourself, ultimately improving and making a better YOU.
Now lets take this list and apply it to fitness:
1. Change yourself- your habits dictate your outcomes. In order to get the result you want you MUST change something that is preventing you from attaining it. What is it? And are you willing to change it?
2. You are in control- there is not much we are in control of in life, however what we are in control of is; our attitude and how we perceive the world. Always remember nothing is stronger than self, it can beat anything.
3. Forgive and let go- this is a life quality. We spend way too much time mad at people and some of us use it as ammo for our fitness goals. Do not try to improve your body out of spite to your ex-boyfriend. This motivation only lasts for so long. Forgive, move on and grow.
4. Without action you are not going anywhere- reality is most people are scared to take the necessary steps to improve their selves. However, you can hope, wish and pray to have the body of your dreams but without hard work, nothing is possible. Actions speak louder than words.
5. Take care of this moment- We age everyday and we are not promised tomorrow. Take care of the precious moments we have, try something new and be better for it. Life is short, enjoy it while you have it.
6. Everyone is human- including me and you. We all make mistakes and we all make bad choices. As long as we learn from them they are not mistakes, just learning experiences.
7. Persist- persistence is a virtue but which all people should possess. If you want something be persistant about it, do not let it go. Get your rear end into the gym and make things happen.
8. See the good in people and help them- the ability to motivate is a special gift and a gift that must be replicated. See people for the good in them instead of the bad, you will appreciate people more this way. Plus, you never know who you will run into that might just change your life.
Read the rest of… Josh Bowen: In the Spirit of Indominable Will
GORE ’88 REUNION: A tipster emails: “Over the weekend, Al Gore reconnected with much of his 1988 presidential campaign team at a 25th reunion party at John Jameson’s 150-year-old wood-frame house near Eastern Market. In attendance were: Roy Neel, Peter Knight, Jackie Shrago, Jean Nelson, Jack Quinn, Jacquie Lawing Ebert, Mitchell Berger, Fred Duval, Sonny Cauthen, Alan Kessler, Katie McGinty, Pam Eakes and Ambassador Alan Blinken and his wife, Melinda Blinken. The reunion was organized by former Kentucky State Treasurer Jonathan Miller, who started his political career on the 1988 campaign as director of Students for Gore. One attendee described Gore as ‘fit and full of great energy’ and remembered the campaign as the first presidential race where ‘big ideas about the environment and technology were discussed.’”
Writes attendee David Crossland:
Al Gore looks Fabulous! He’s tan—the ozone factor suits him. He’s dressed to make us feel comfortable, even though his made-to-measure look must cost more than a Nissan Leaf. Tonight, Al is downright sexy.
This is the 25th anniversary weekend of Al Gore’s run for the Presidency back when he sought the nomination in 1988. Then, he was the fresh Senator from Tennessee, still dancing the two-step in his kitchen withJello Biafra’s nemesis Tipper. Everyone is here at John Jamison’s beyond gorgeous home on Capitol Hill, which feels more like Savannah than DC. Is that really Spanish moss?
The texture of this swell Democratic crowd is pleasantly what you’d expect. There’s a two year old toddler weaving through legs, goosing peeps in all the fun places. The Folsom family-an Alabama political dynasty–holds court in the sunroom. Some A-gays (handsome as ever) are on the terrace chatting with Eleanor Clift. An elegant looking grandmother from NC steals a moment to smoke a cigarette under a moon vine in night bloom. It’s old magnolia south, but with an updated passport.
Most famous people don’t know how everybody looks before they walk into a room. Jane Fonda or Oprah walk in to a Georgetown dinner party and everyone has perfect posture. Al’s star is still rising. When he walks in, everyone stands a little taller, and tucks it in—looking a little thinner.
Clearly, the biggest purses south of the Mason Dixie want Al to throw his hat in for 2016, and we are celebrating the guy that could have/ would have steered this country boldly where no man has gone before.
Al preaches to the choir, but his gospel resonates. I can’t help getting angry at Justice O’Connor; now saying she regrets her decision that changed the course of our world. Al is certainly in better shape than Hilary right now, and I bet he could make it. Problem is–Washington treated him so badly. If we ever actually asked the man to dance again, would he?
By John Y. Brown III, on Wed Oct 2, 2013 at 12:00 PM ET
The existential angst of being at that “in between place” in life.
And Facebook.
I am at that point in my life where I am still hopeful enough about life to believe that changing my profile picture on Facebook will yield some small degree of new happiness or uptick of social meaning ; but yet wise enough to anticipate the harsh reality that will settle in moments after changing my profile picture –that I am, in fact, the same flawed person with the same human problems that I was before the change of Facebook profile pics only now a little less dignified for believing something so inconsequential could add something of significance to my life.
And yet still shallow enough to respond to this existential grieving and shame (a la Facebook) to believe that this inner pain can be adequately relieved by changing my profile picture a second time.
===
Aging is a funny thing in how it changes our perceptions and opinions on things.
The older I get, on the one hand, the less inclined I am to support capital punishment for murder.
And yet, on the other hand, the older I get the more inclined I am to support capital punishment for tailgating while driving.
Q: Here’s my problem: I’m secretly dating someone who works on an opposing campaign. I know what you’re thinking: This is like something out of a movie, or like James Carville and Mary Matalin. But we’re just two people who really like each other and don’t want to let the campaign get in the way of a blossoming relationship. Is this too scandalous? Should we take a break, or do you think we can survive it? —Juliet (obviously not my real name!)
Yes, “Juliet,” something about your question suggested that might not be your real name, though I appreciate the clarification. As for you and your star-crossed lover, your situation does sound a bit like a movie—the dreadful 1992 Michael Keaton vehicle Speechless.
Forgive my tone, Juliet, but, really, chill. By today’s standards, what you’re doing isn’t very scandalous, unless of course you’re leaking poll numbers and television ad scripts. In fact, someone else on your campaign is probably hooking up with someone on an opposing campaign as well. Politics is a small and horny world. So go ahead and date—quietly for now if you prefer, but openly if you like. Assuming that your boyfriend on the other campaign isn’t a 15 year-old intern, I’d suggest that this cycle’s candidates have rendered your love life rather quaint.
Q: Did you see the Washington Post article about the longtime Hillary Clinton aide getting mixed up in shenanigans during the 2008 campaign where she appears to have coordinated a so-called independent expenditure on behalf of the campaign? It reminds me of what you got in trouble for. What’s the difference, and what do you think will happen to her? —M.E, Washington, D.C.
Well, one big difference is about $600,000 (the expenditure in question was nearly $609,000, whereas the expenditure during my 2004 race was approximately $10,000). A second difference is that—at least according to the Post article—the Clinton aide in question, unfortunately, allegedly put some things in writing, unlike my campaign aides who met with an outside consultant. But the biggest apparent difference is that none of her closest friends wore a wire and got her to talk, so it may be possible for her to explain away alleged emails that strongly suggest illegal coordination but leave some ambiguity. “I was merely providing Sen. Clinton’s campaign schedule for an old associate who wanted to invite friends to some events,” she might say; or “I provided information about our field operations to an associate who said he knew some willing campaign helpers, but I had no idea he was planning any sort of independent expenditure.” I should stress that I’m not accusing anyone of a crime here but speculating about possible defenses. Given the woman’s status as a longtime Clinton aide and the high stakes as Hillary contemplates 2016, I’d expect she’s receiving top-flight legal advice. The outcome is difficult to predict without seeing the actual emails, but it will sure be interesting to watch it unfold.
Read the rest of… Jeff Smith: Do As I Say — A Political Advice Column
By Jason Atkinson, on Wed Oct 2, 2013 at 8:30 AM ET
Contributing RP Jason Atkinson continues to pump out exciting and sometimes hilarious films about its adventures in the great northwest.
Here’s his latest, “Spring Skwala,” a film featuring Jason, Jim Root and Ken Burkholder chasing Brown Trout on the Owyhee River during the Spring Skwala Hatch.
By John Y. Brown III, on Tue Oct 1, 2013 at 5:00 PM ET
A post, a question and a response. And an apology.
Earlier today I posted my thoughts on the government shutdown.
“Great leadership is the ability to successfully blame others for your failures…..Said no one never.”
A longtime friend then asked if I was suggesting others shouldn’t be held accountable or tbat it was bad form to blame.
And here’s my response:
I don’t mean to say either of those things. I am saying that when the people we elect to represent us utterly fail as a body to function to the point that the entire system is shut down, I really don’t give a flip who they think is to blame until they first want to talk about their own failure to do the job they were elected to do. And that job, in my view, isn’t prissing around the halls and floors of Congress to see who can point their finger most forcefully while shrilly blaming another because someone didn’t get their way.
I am embarrassed at my country’s leadership right now. Not because they disagree but because their cause has become so petty, so limited, so thinly-veiled, so self-serving and so antithetical to a governing body that once was the envy of the world.
We should be embarrassed that our leaders have taken a pivotal policy issue of our day and while marshalling our greatest policy minds and medical and technical resources have turned the entire debate into an exercise demonstrating NOT how a great country solves its problems but rather demonstrating how petty a great nation is capable of being–in spite of its greatness.
And we as voters and citizens are complicit in this breakdown. Our elected leaders are, after all, only a reflection of ourselves. That is the good news and bad news of a democratic system.
The government shutdown is, in my opinion, hardly our finest hour in modern times as a nation. Of course, it is not our nation’s darkest hour in modern history either. But it is certainly one of our nation’s most frivolous and unenviable moments. And I hope we can muster the decency and self-respect to make it a very brief one.
—And in the spirit of my response, here is my apology.
I would like to speak for myself now and say that as a citizen and voter I have failed to take the time I should have to read and understand adequately the complex issues at the center of our nation’s healthcare debate. I have failed to listen intently and seriously to those whose politics are different from mine. I have at times sneered and dismissed those who disagree with my party’s position and selfishly sought refuge inside an echo chamber of partisan commentators, news sources, and websites.
I have not done my duty to become a adequately informed citizen and add constructively to the debate. I have chosen easy catch phrases and one-liners in place of a more nuanced and thoughtful understanding of our national healthcare challenges. I understand enough to know there are no easy amswers or obvious solutions and my self-centered and lazy approach has contributed to the trivialization and caticaturing of many important aspects of healthcare policy.
Although I have been careful not to make a habit of using social media to insult those who disagree with my party, I have at times wanted to and in private moments have done just that. I have a role in this national debate and have not asked enough of myself and can’t act too surprised that the debate has culminated today in an unspectacular moment where seemingly everyone loses and no one is to blame.
I am to blame for my failure in my small citizen role. And I hope to make up for these failings going forward. But for tonight, I can at least accept blame in some public way and apologize for my part. And do.
People first started supporting their favorite teams with jackets, sweaters and shirts. Then people moved to hats, t-shirts, jerseys, kids cheerleader outfits and body paint.
Now, you can support your favorite team with your socks!
Introducing the Sock 101 Team Line! There’s only one catch…Sock 101 aren’t launching the team line unless they raise $25,000 on Kickstarter.
Sock 101 has 30 days to raise $25,000! We need your support!
Please out Sock 101’s campaign and video HERE: http://kck.st/1fG7kLo
