I learned that crows have amazing facial recognition, have dialects, and can make knives, among other crazy things. SO COOL.

I learned that you don’t have to just be vulnerable; you can be a safe place to land, too.

I learned that there’s an exception to every rule, including those you make about what you can’t do.

I learned that you’re a spoon, not a fork– er, I mean, that you should stick to your own truth, your own nature, and not try to be what you’re not.

I was reminded that being overweight doesn’t automatically mean you’re unhealthy.

I learned that there’s always more than one solution and that, if you own your problems, that means you get to do whatever you like with them.

I learned that you can’t very well have a rainbow without some damn rain.

I learned that yoga can be simple; this post contains an awesome video introduction to a breathing method and simple yoga-osity. (I may always prefer martial arts to yoga, but I really appreciate this kind of resource.)

I learned that we make the best choice available to us at any given time, and so does everyone else, based on our unique combination of past experience, overall paradigm/POV, physiological and psychological characteristics, and the situation we’re in.

And I learned that, goddamn, be yourself and tell the world to fuck off if they don’t like it.

This is a shot off our front porch from the last big storm. Some of these icicles reached about four feet in stature and lasted a week, forking at the tips as they slowly curved. It was EPIC.