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Izuno Travel

Tic List 2010

January 1st, 2010 by Jordan


photo by jonwild – Flickr

Well, post failure of my tick list 2009, I’ve decided to try it again (with modifications of sorts)  So here it is my Tic List 2010…and why I failed in 2009.

    • Learn/Experience meditation practices.  I’ve yet to meet anyone who fully understands meditation techniques and the possibilities that come from mediation.  And surprisingly I have not discovered great material on the Internet as of today.  So I’ve already got my first book, and my hope is that I’ll find something that will blow my hair back.  I beleive there is something to it…I just haven’t discovered it yet.
    • Be able to speak conversational Traditional Chinese….maybe Rosetta Stone?  I personally think Japanese would be easier for myself, however being able to sputter out a few basics in Chinese would help me out in my own life.
    • Create better content for IzunoTravel.com.  My 2009 goal was to update 3 times a week, however I found myself putting up crap in order to reach that goal as I was wearing myself out.  So “better content” is a more attainable goal I feel.  Ideally I’d still like to increase the post rate, but not at the cost of content.
    • Be more outdoorsy….specifically, get outside more and go rock climbing a couple of times, biking in Colorado at least once and don’t miss any opportunities.
    • Go vegetarian for one month.  (A carry over from 2009).  I attempted this on more than one occasion, however it makes you realize the importance of food in our lives, as food carries more than just nutritional elements, it’s a culture and social based necessity.  You realize just how much vegetarians give up for their chosen lifestyle.
    • Learn more about fonts and calligraphy.  (A modified carry over from 2009).  As I did study quite a bit about calligraphy in 2009, I never became obsessed with it.  There are those out there with tremendous knowledge of fonts, my goal is to not reach their level, but increase my current knowledge.
    • Try to go 20 days straight without criticizing anyone/anything.
    • Get my manuscript I’ve been writing for over 4 years now to the point I can give it to someone to read.
    • And for number nine, I’ve decided to make a list of things I’d like to attempt to do in 2010 (but depends on external forces):
        1. eat at the Woodfire Grill in Atlanta (Kevin’s restaurant from Top Chef)
        2. See Jehro in Concert
        3. travel to three new countries
        4. go white water rafting
        5. read two classics (Catcher in the Rye and Sun Tzu’s Art of War)
        6. more to be added
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          A New Lifestyle Design Project

          September 21st, 2009 by Jordan

          simple_izuno_travel_logo

          I’ve recently been weighing what is “good” vs the cost of that “good” subject.  There is no doubt in my mind any effort is worth the risk to obtain your own goals.  But I also feel there are times when all must be demolished to obtain sanity for future endeavors.

          Okay, enough of the deep thinking.  Here is what I’m trying to accomplish.  I want to come to a place where the mind is shut off from basic reality.  I want to come to a place where everything stops going and everything stops coming.  It is extremely difficult, and short of trading in my mac pro for a trip up to tibet to learn from the masters, I though surely there is a way to achieve this closer to home.  Maybe you are thinking “It’s called meditation.”  And maybe it is, however meditation refers to focusing on a sole subject to obtain the goal, such as focusing on breathing to become completely relaxed.  I’m not after complete relaxation, I’m after complete shutdown.  To have just one moment where absolutely nothing goes through the mind.  Any thoughts?  I really don’t have any unique ideas other than to go to an isolated place, lay down, start narrowing down my thoughts to a single thought, and then hopefully be able to diminish that last one.  I’m not even sure it’s possible.

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          Stage 2 – Roughing in Ingredients

          April 23rd, 2009 by Jordan

          agua_luca

          NOTE: This is a continuation from Stage 1 – Setting Guidelines. I encourage all travelers and those at home to participate and create your own drink. Think of this project as your own drink you will want in your hand when you die, the drink you want when celebrating, and the drink to toast to the world.

          Stage 2 – Roughing in Ingredients
          From the beginning I knew I wanted to use rum as a major ingredient in the ‘Izuno’ cocktail. Rum has been a staple of the warm zone I love so much, and the Caribbean is a major player in the rum industry, which I enjoy visiting. So I first needed to study rum. After a jaunt to wiki-load myself with facts on rum, I realized most cocktails use light rum. However most light rum is produced faster and cheaper out of a by-product of sugarcane (molasses based). I wanted this drink to be about discovery and truth (stage 1 guideline #4). So I think to be true, rum should be made straight from the product and not the by-product. The rum must also be able to be infused and mixed with different ingredients, so a long aged rum in oak barrels to add hints of spice, nuts, etc. wasn’t necessary. It is not going to be drunk straight, so a premium aged rum is just a waste of money. After a few trips to the store, I decided on Agua Luca. It fit my requirements (mixable, straight from the sugar-cane, and not premium aged) plus the clerk recommended it based on what I wanted.

          Next, I need to add some uniqueness to it. Agua Luca is from Brazil, so I wanted to find out the exact opposite area (globe and weather wise) and what that area produces so that there is a balance in opposites which will fit my global requirement (stage 1, guideline #3). So I went to look at a globe. What is on the other side of the world from Brazil?…The Philippines/Malaysia area. Naturally, the weather is similar since both locations are close to the equator, but that is okay. After more wiki-ness and searches, I found a few potential fruits that might play a part. The papaya, mangosteen, lime, or pineapple are all potential fruits that just might find a home in the ‘Izuno.’ I will have to do some testing to get a final decision.

          More ingredients I might choose to add later may be simple syrup, sugar, soda, or really just some standard cocktail ingredients. Those will have to be on trial during Stage 3 – Testing and Elimination – Coming Soon.

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          The Origin of ‘izuno’

          April 9th, 2009 by Jordan

          izuno_origin

          Where does ‘izuno’ come from?  I wish I could say the origins have extremely special and creative meaning, however…they don’t.  Long in my past a favorite athletic company with blue colors that rhymes with ‘_izuno’ is about all I wanted to use when playing sports.  Well shortly after that, all of us (including you) had to decide on an email address and creative username.  So, I took off the first letter of my sporting equipment and my handle was born.  I immediately liked it due to the Japanese sound, the aesthetics of it looks nice, and it’s unique.  So I adopted ‘izuno’ for usernames, business, and eventually this blog.  There is a city in southern Japan named Izuno, but it’s not that well known.  More people think of ‘Izumo Taisha’ which is an important shrine and the oldest in Japan.  Other than that….no meaning….apologies if you were hoping for more.

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          Stage 1 – Guidelines for an ‘Izuno’ Drink

          April 6th, 2009 by Jordan

          rum_now

          There are many questions one must find their own answers to in life…and one of those questions is…”What will by my drink.” A drink to be created by oneself and take the name of the creator or in this case the name of my handle (izuno) for years after I am gone. I introduce…the story of an ‘Izuno’.

          Stage 1 – Setting Guidelines

          So to begin the long process in figuring out what concoction of cocktail I will be using, it’s important to set some general guides and limits. If you are making your own drink, be sure to define yourself when defining guidelines for your drink.

          1. The drink must be chilled with 2-3 squares of clear ice. I thrive on warm weather, and I’m happiest when warm…so therefore a perfect drink must accomodate the perfect temperature.

          2. The drink must be unique. I’m sure whatever my final recipe is, there will have already been 20 different online versions of the same drink…so whether it is a particular brand of alcohol or a particular volume…I must be orginal and specific in creation.

          3. I’m a traveler. Therefore I need to incorporate ingredients and liquors from around the world. Being careful not to get too wrapped up and sacrifice on taste. If I leave a continent or two out the drink it is not a big deal, however it must not be direct from one region.

          4. A drink is special only when there is cause for celebration. So what I celebrate will have an impact on the drink. My life has been a celebration of discovery and truth…therefore an ‘Izuno’ must also be about discovery and truth.

          5. And finally, as a designer, I realize the important of aesthetics. The drink must be a good color, a good scent, a proper smoothness, a natural clean look, and of course a great taste.

          Stage 2 – Roughing Out Ingredients

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