On Happiness

By Paul McKenna:

Brain researcher Gregory Berns has demonstrated in a number of recent experiments that it is a feeling of uncertainty that holds the key to satisfaction in life.

People like what's familiar, but are rewarded for what's different. The more things happen the way we expect them to, the less our brains notice. But when we experience something new or unexpected, our brains light up and massive amounts of dopamine (your brain's "motivation chemical") are released. Then, when you achieve your goal, your brain rewards you by releasing serotonin (your brain's "happy chemical"). This in turn increases your motivation to do more things in the future, and physically enhances the molecular structure of your brain, increasing your capacity for even greater feelings of satisfaction.

more l.a. pix...

becs with her baby bump, ali, sandy, bruce lee, and dancing leprechaun!

L.A. Pix,...more to come!

Hola kittens,...here's some pictures from Los Angeles, aka the gongshow in between Buenos Aires and Vancouver. What was to be the R and R prior to home was in fact,...well a little R and R (lets face it the Four Seasons ain't hard), and serious party action.

Waiting on my DEAR friends, Rebecca and Ali to send more pics. Come on girls, move it!

L.A.

Through the haze of Red Bull and Vodka the most recent updates will be attmepted. After changing flights home, several times, and in the process setting an airline record it seems, I'm still in Los Angeles. It truly is the city of stars, oh god that sounds way to fromage. Well its certainly a prozac pill of happiness and cool.

Ali C flew in from London, I from Argentina, Craig from Vancouver,...and just a couple days ago, Adam C from Victoria. It's been a mix of casual times, extended efforts of booze consumption in the evening and wonderful morning walks along Ocean Ave. in Santa Monica.

It's in Santa Monica where we've all come to visit Rebecca and Sandy. Bec's has a bun in the oven named Fred. Fred is a trooper like none other. We've put an iPod up close to mummies belly and Lil Fred kicks away,...perhaps a hiphop in the making or a DJ master?? Fred has also been brought along to Villa, apparently the most happening bar in L.A. right now. A 'juiced' event to get us past the paparazzi cameras and bouncers, organized of course by Craig W. Fred has also been to Goa, another hip bar. All in all,...Rebecca has been a blast and full of energy and always wanting to be a part of the action. This must indeed transfer through to her child. That was kinda a rambled mess there,...please refer to opening line of this blog,...vodka haze.

Oh yes, last night. Vodka, ...lots of. Ok, we met this chick named,...named...Rachel. Yes, and she took us to this bar called Barney's Beanery. Imagine a big sports bar, but not too sporty,...just enough for fun without the yahoo's. Ok,...they had an xbox machine with couch, and an old school Galaga video game,...shuffle board, etc etc. We went haywire on the drinks,...then came home and got dizzy.

So then,...in L.A.,...there were Rodeo Drive moments with the gang,...pink berry ice cream, and of course,...4 nights and 3 days at the Four Seasons. Here Watson and I shared a room,...with Erin B (from New York) across the hall. She is a bundle of energy and a true gong show, all hidden beneath a very innocent looking brunette darling. Deadly! Hit the Thomson for Sushi one night. Oh back to the hotel,..this deserves a little chatter. The Four Seasons is simply the Webster's definition of With The Program. Poolside eggs benny, catch a little sun,...followed by poolside club sandwich. Genius. Oh,...and then there was "Rotisserie." Rotisserie is a guy we nicknamed because of his perfect, ridiculously dark tan. I mean this guy is a professional holiday 'guy.' He was so dark he was almost purple. His moves were slow and sleek,...slicked back hair,...and he sat there just staring at the sun as he puffed on Cuban cigars. Oh,...and his cougar wife just sat beside him,...saying nothing of course,...because her words may create wind,...tarning his smoke patterns created by the cigar,...or who knows, scare away his sun.

In the mornings,...these pool guys at the hotel somehow knew that we had boozed our faces off the night before. They would show up with these ginger, honeysuckle tonics and just say, 'good morning,...these should help.' We'd all look at each other and say did you order that? Nope,...think they get word from the maids when they see empty bottles of vodka and beer in the shower. Anyhow,...its Beverly Hills, and it all works.

Adam just popped in and reminded of the awesome L.A. Dodgers baseball game from yesterday. Sandy, Rebecca, Ali, Lucas (aka Kandahar), Adam and I all hit the baseball game yesterday against the San Diego Padres. Between the beers and booby staring we somehow made it through 9 innings of ball,...caught some wonderful sun in the stands, hooted and hollered and then made it home, all in time for a nap.

So then, Alaska Airlines has heard from me a total of about 5 times to change my flights,...I think a record. Tonight, finally, will be making it home to Vancouver. But define home? This l.a. place,...and that Argentina place are pretty darn cool. Pictures to follow shortly.

Toilet Seat UP!!!!!!!

Well,...it has been quite some time since the last entry. The most recent posted pictures are from Villa Angostura in Patagonia. Since this time,...I have been in Buenos Aires,...up to San Rafeal for 3 days,...then back to Buenos Aires.

So then,...in BA, I stayed With Joe and Stella. There house in Victoria (region) is outside of the Capital by about 40mins drive. For soccer,...or futbol fans,...they´d be happy to know that their home is also 2 blocks from Tigre Stadium. On a particular nice, warm, summer´s evening, a futbol match was on in full force and the chanting could be heard all the way to the house.

For about 10 days, mas o menos,...I lived out in Victoria. Joe and I spent an afternoon at his Club Nautico playing a round of Golf. It was there that I taught Joe a thing or two about the game of Golf! Jaja... In Argentina,...they don´t use golf carts,...meaning minature cars. They walk. In Argentina,...they don´t stack those minature carts full of beer and attempt to play golf either. They walk the whole course and diligently complete their putts without any gimmes either. Oh,...and mulligans,...nope.

It was actually quite nice to get back on the course. I was tired as hell for some reason,...but did muster enough energy to smack a few good shots. Thankfully, because my first 3 shots went either four feet to my left,...or in the lake. Finally crack a 3 iron about 180 yards Joe reckons. Not bad.

Stella has been busy teaching her Bridge lessons to her various students. After which in the evenings we usually sit together for dinner,...followed by lemon (loaf) cake (which Joe loves) and some futbol on TV. They also have two dogs, Ringo and Colitta. Ringo is the only dog in AR that can burp. Yes, burp. Colitta is famous for darting around the house as she is a wound up whippit. Colitta and I actually bonded quite strongly,...strange considering I discovered I was allergic,....but the other night,....from hearing my footsteps about 1/2 a block away,...Stella noticed she ran up to the window waiting for my arrival.

On another night, we join some of Stella and Joe´s friends at another country (yacht club) in San Isidro. Their clubs our here are quite swank btw. We had a very nice dinner,...and typically Argentinian style,...had dinner til 1am. It´s no wonder Im tired for golf!!

Joe and Stella have been busy setting me up with girls. Joe told one gal at work that I was a Canadian learning Spanish and that it might be a good idea that we practice together. Hehehe....pretty sharp guy hey. Ah,...then Stella last night called another gal: ¨Noel,...this is not a set up,...but you and Ryan should really get together for a movie and dinner.¨ It´s really great in this country!

I have taken a flat in Palermo chico which is within 2 major avenues in BA. It´s a very chic area,...about 20 blocks from the most chic area of Recoleta. There are, like in New York City,-....fancy hotels, clothing shops,...and old ladies with big dark sunglasses, shiny shoes,...and little dogs. The architecture is amazing and rather similar to 5th ave,....park ave. in New York.

Right next door to my flat is a laundry joint-check. Across the street, internet-check. Restaurants everywear-check. Malba and Metropolitan Museams 1.5blocks away,-check. It´s really quite nice. Oh, and parks too.

Spanish classes have gone as follows. (and everyone knows how much i love studying!!) First 3 classes kinda breezed bye. Yesterday,...really suffered, thought of quitting, or at least (politely) firing my teacher,...then today,...had a really great lesson. So spirits are high. Should be able to order dinner by next Wednesday! ha!

15 more days in the big city. This Sunday,...Easter at Joe and Stella´s,...cooking a big lamb on the Asado. Then,...well we´ll see.

Ciao

Oh! almost forgot,...the title of this email: TOILET SEAT UP. Well then,...lets just say the most amazing thing happened today. The gal that is teaching me spanish asked if she could use my washroom. Ok I replied. End of story right??! Nope. But it does get better. When she left at the end of the lesson it was my turn to use the bathroom. What I noticed was the most amazing thing a lady has ever done. She obviously went pee and put the seat down for herself. BUT,...and this is a huge BUT!! She then put the seat back up. That is the first time in the history of people going ¨pee¨that ive seen this occur. Guys,...im talking to us here. I mean we usually have to go back in their,...lift the seat allllllllll the way back up,...then go pee. Not this time,...not with this girl. I´d have married her on the spot,...but that would a). require running down the street to fetch her. b). she married a french 2 weeks ago,...and c). well there´s just too many fish in this Argentine sea that it may be tricky to ever make up ones mind on a chica! Girls,...lift the seat!!!

more pics for post below...

Yesterday, hung out with some cool peeps from the Village and we went to Lago Espayo. Did some swimming, cliff jumping and had lunch,...all the while dodgine wasps and bees that have been chasing me around as of late. slight sign i figure.

anyhow,...it was amazing to watch the argentinians basically have no fear of wasps. they would swarm around,...like really swarm around while having lunch and they just kinda ignore them. it brought back memories of the latest batman movie where christian bale goes into a cave, stirs up the bats and then tries to conquer his fear of bats by sitting right in the middle of them. hmm, well for the first time since kindergarten i allowed a couple bees to land on my shorts,...one was on my neck from behind so i didnt dare move for fear of having to poke a pen through my neck to breathe after swelling,...and so on.

well perhaps the phobia was conquered slightly. i do think they are gnarly little bastards and those electric lights from costco that go zap in the middle of the night,...especially the prolonged zapping of some badass bee usually brings a nice snuggle and warmth to my sleep.

anyhow,...could go on with various other thoughts on this, but in the meantime here´s a few shots from the day, and a couple others from the countryside, and one of a gal that i really like named Augustina who works at a local boutique hotel in Angostura. I met her the other day while bouncing from hostel to hostel looking for a place to stay. She did help me find a place,...finally. And of course i flirted to my best ability just because she has wonderful deep brown eyes. I asked her to dinner at the hostel the other night and although she was working at that time she came later and we had some drinks etc.

One of the highlights of the day at Lago Espayo was this wonderful friend of Augustina´s. She was the friend of her cousins from Spain and ontop of a really nice personality,...she could play the guitar, and sing so wonderfully that it was totally amazing. I mean spectacular. This with the awesome view of the lake and moutnains which you´ll see on this post was great. Ahh,...and the bees,...but this was the test to mind over matter etc etc.

Gonna snoop other memory stick for some photos,...will post. Mother just sent a yellow fever warning from northern argentina so yet another sign busting my balls that i should be making some new travel plans. Rebecca is prego down in l.a. and ali plans to visit from london, and expects me to be there of course from my promise 1.5 months ago. The Bev Hills Hotel for eggs benedict is most definitly a happy place for any intelligent being,...the one person i know who shares this instant hit of so called happy is craig watson. see u soon chatch!

yeah,...more pics

this things allows 5 pictures to be posted at a time,...so there we are... some pics... cheers

ah,...more pics

basically,...below are a ton of pics. then an update at like the fourth insert below...

even more pics to go with below...

pics

These are some pictures from all over Argentina,...some to go with the new post below and some from with Joe and family,...or hikes, drives etc through patagonia...
cheers!

hi all

Well hello! I have heard reports of some sun in Vancouver and so my congratulations to you all. ;)

It is Monday here in Argentina,...and all is well. The various towns or cities in Patagonia have all had there moments of learning, enjoyment etc etc. In the past while I have visited Angostura, then to San Martin De Los Andes,...then back to Bariloche to dump the rental car,...then hitchhike adventures to El Bolson, back to Angostura,...the best place on earth,...well at least quite wonderful.

Speaking to the positive, on the way back from SM de Los Andes,...took a random dirt road into the backcountry. It lasted for about 4 hours or so, and it looked like some of the most beautiful sights from the interior of B.C. combined with at times, landscapes that may be in Arizona or Utah,...kinda.... hmmm. It´s unique.

Along the way there were some seriously solitude moments, pristine rivers to swim in, wonderful pools,....chirping little sparrows ripping around,...and silence,...all under the warmth of the sun. It was simply lucky and awesome!

Oh, almost forgot,...just before all this,...en route to SM de Los Andes,...hopped down the hill from the dirt road to a lake that was like azul blue kinda tourquoise type deal. So amazing to see this in tranquility and jump in and swim.

Ok,...fastforward to dumping the rental car which I ripped backcountry rally styles,...at times doing 80 kms per hour on gravel road,...it just happens??!! Then 140 along the picturesque highways,...back to bariloche,...hold your breathe and block your eyes from the tourism,...then throw out a thumb to go to El Bolson.

So the first guy to pick me up was this bald head guy who wore a couple earings and looked like a real outdoors type,...free spirit! He has lived in Bariloche for 15 years and each year spends 6months in Spain chasing the sun. Cool dude. He guided me to where Id need to begin on the highway and set me straight.

On the highway, a guy named Doug from Utah picked me up,...he was with a gal named Tania,...i think,....and they got me as far as.....well i dont know,...but somewhere along the highway. Out I got and threw a thumb and then these two really cool dudes from San Isidiro picked me up. This guy had a lot to teach me,...he was really chilled,...but in a good way. You could tell he had ambition and goals in life,...but it was his holiday,...and he was content as shiit to drive 40 kms an hour on the highway,...enjoying the scenery along the way. His brother Santiago sat in the passengers seat and was just as chilled. He had long hair and just kinda lay super relaxed and looked out the window without a care in the world. I sat in the back and chilled too. Until they dumped me at a river where they wanted to spend part of their afternoon. So I threw out another thumb, and then this fellow from El Bolson picked me up and drove me into town.

Ah, El Bolson. First instinct was, wow,...the ice cream is good, now what? It has the most beautiful surrounding mountains though it just was,...well who knows. There are lots of hippies there and well... Anyhow, the next day I was jumpy and thought ok, Im outta here! Back to Angostura which i like! Tried hitch hiking for 2hours with zero success. Then to top it off thought i forgot my book at the hostel,...so walked 20 mins back to town to then discover the book was in my bag which i tore apart 3 times. Hmmm. Anyhow.

In town,...there´s a point to this rambling..... In town, met this really cool Scottish chick,...who was really cute to boot. We decided to spend the day together and venture out to Lake or Lago Pueblo. This lake was totally amazing and we went swimming together and then walked by the river and lay on the rocks in the sun and just kinda chilled,...sometimes not talking and then sometimes talking about life etc.

Walking back to the main lake area we met these argie lads as well as two french. We sat down with them to say hello and this turned into about 4 hours until the evening drinking, smoking and just chilling out. Oh,...then it was announced that there was a big party at the lake tonight and did we have a tent etc. Umm no,...but lets party anyhow.

The party was amazing starting with a show of acrobats doing this thing on a little stage,...with a band,...tons of dancing,...booze etc etc. Fast fwd its now 4am and getting real cold in Patagonia. To my luck I have a northface mountaineering jacket,...however im wearing shorts and flip flops! Awesome! haha.

My best bet to sleep somewhere somewhat covered and safe from drunks was just outside the lake at this little shack that sells ice cream during the day,...or helados! So,...I put underwear on my head to act as a toque or beanie,...wrapped a towel the size of two facecloths around my knees (barely) and stuck my feet inside my backpack to try and keep them warm. It was an experience all right. I froze is the summary of this story,...and the dive bombing mosquitos were just so appropriate for this event. The next morning,...I heard the rambling of a diesel engine and thought what the hell is this? It was the bus,...and it represents the first time in my life that ive been really excited to see public transport!! haha. I leaped up,...ran over the bus and thought what the hell is on my head,...oh underwear. Got on the bus,...and people looked at me kinda strange. I was happier than shiit and couldnt wait to just bust out of that moment.

One thing forgot to mention was about this scottish chick. She had the most,...and i mean MOST amazing voice ever. She sang to the guitar during the evening,...two songs,...and it grabbed people the way an amazing song just does. Well,...thats the memory i´ll stick with,...cause she stiffed me 40 pesos, and the promise of hustling a tent together. Haha,...that little trainspotting twat,...but those two songs, and the amazing lake swim and converation with her was well worth the frozen toes.

Ok, back to Angostura, and met up with this mountain bike dude i met a week earlier. There was to be a big big race on Sunday for downhill mountain biking. Went to this event and it was really cool. Became great buddies with these guys as many of them were staying at the hostel. We had an asado together last night, and then went out to a club. The chicks were amazing, and a lesson to be learned about letting loose and culture etc,...these dudes, including the chicks party really hard,...jumping around in an enclosed circle chanting as if they were at a football (soccer match). Then what was really amazing was later in the night in the bar a real strange dude approached me and i couldnt understand what he was saying,...but by evolution standards and human instinct i knew it wasnt good,....he kept getting closer and closer in my face. My new argie friends saw this happening and leaped over and scared the crrap out of this guy, so much so that he left the bar. No words were exchanged,...they just looked at this guy in a certain way as to say,...touch our friend and you will get the dot bigtime! He buggered off like a little twat and then we promptly resumed drinking.

This morning, saw all the lads off as they mounted their mountain bikes onto their cars, and then drove hom to Cordoba and Mendoza. They were great friends and I shall look forward to staying in touch with them.

There could be more but this is getting ridiculously long so Adios!

pictures either with this blog,...or before or after,...however they download. cheers