Morris Architects, a Houston-based architecture and design firm, recently took top honors for two of their submissions in the Radical Innovation in Hospitality design competition. The grand prize winner, the Oil Rig Platform Resort and Spa makes use of one of 4,000 oil rigs out in the Gulf of Mexico and transforms it into a luxurious eco-resort and spa. We love how the inspired renovation takes an iconic source of dirty energy and converts it to an eco-haven that generates all of its power from renewable sources.

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(Via INHABITAT.)

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Danielle LaPorte of www.whitehottruth.com.

Most of us have to-do lists. Many of us have long terms goals. Few of us have a list of how we actually want to feel in our life.

And aren’t feelings the whole point? The income, the relationship, the hot bod’, the high thread count cotton sheets – everything on our to-do, to-get, to-experience lists all drive back to the feelings that we crave … connected, comfort, powerful, rich in love and cash, beauty, vitality, useful, calm.

And so it goes that a solid make-it-happen strategy should be grounded in the awareness of how you want to feel. It’s the elemental point that most action plans and goal setting systems overlooked.

Feelings are magnetic. Each feeling is a beacon that attracts a reality. Love attracts love. Gratitude attracts more reasons to be grateful. Generosity creates a generous response. What we focus on expands. So choosing to focus on feelings that, well, feel good, is a sure way to create the experience you want.

HOW DO YOU WANT TO FEEL IN THE CORE AREAS OF YOUR LIFE?

• Career
• Relationships
• Spirituality
• Wealth
• Wellness

Write out a few desired feelings in each area. You’ll likely see a pattern emerging – it usually gets down to three or four key emotions that you’re always hankering for. If you have goal lists or vision boards, write your desired feelings on them – front and center. Stick a note of your key feelings into your day-timer. Look up the definition of each of your feeling words. Become a connoisseur of desired feelings and you’ll transform your wants into realizations. Desires are dynamic – they love to be danced with adored, explored.

I’m clear that in every area of my life I want to experience: communion, affluence, sexiness and creative freedom. Those desired feelings drive everything I do – from how I interact with the waiter at the restaurant, and or my blog audience, to what I write, wear and dance to. How I want to feel sits in the margins of my schedule and the center of my heart.

PLAN FOR FULFILLED FEELINGS
If I’m feeling less than affluent, I give – I write a thank you note, I check out the entrepreneurs I’ve sponsored on Kiva.com, I pick up the tab at lunch. If I want to feel more communion I intentionally plan to create it. I’ve just mapped out a plan for the New Year that includes a road trip to see my soul sister in Vegas, a week at the Burning Man festival, a budget to go to more concerts, and a commitment to have one dinner party a month – all things that make me feel closer to life and to love.

CLARITY CREATES SIMPLICITY
When you’re clear on how you want to feel, you can be open to what life wants to give you. You’ll be anchored to the function, rather than the form. And this is really the essence of simplified living – a focus on what matters most. The house, the partner, the job may not ‘look’ like you wanted, or come when you expected, but if something or someone generates the positive feelings you’ve been longing for, you’ll be able to let that good stuff into your life.

When you’re clear on how you want to feel you instinctively know what to say yes to, and when to say, ‘no thank you.’ And that’s the best feeling in the world.

You can find Danielle LaPorte at www.whitehottruth.com. She helps entrepreneurs rock their careers, is a former think tank exec, and author of the Amazon bestseller, Style Statement: Live By Your Own Design.

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(Via Zen Habits.)

Whereas thinking is coming up with the list of things you need to do on your day off and philosophizing is  pondering the existence of man and our purpose in life, philosothinking usually begins with “hey man…” and is something along the lines of “who decided righty was tighty and lefty was loosy? Why is this the standard for everything? Shouldn’t we be able to have lefty as tighty and righty as loosy?”

So flag down the bartender or call up the dealer, because my friends, it’s time to start philosothinking.

You true philosothinkers (and geeks) out there will totally get this picture.

 
In Zoolander, noted singer, fashion expert and walk-off referee, David Bowie, laid down the law of the walk-off to male models Derek Zoolander and Hansel…so hot right now…Hansel:

Now this’ll be a straight walk-off, old school rules. First model walks, second model duplicates, then elaborates. OK boys, let’s go to work.

 
Neither David Bowie nor the walk-off rulebook had anything to say about Hansel miraculously pulling off his underwear without apparent crotch damage to win the walk-off. However, Bowie seemed impressed by Hansel’s deed, if not the outdated jackets with all the shoulders straps, collar straps and buttons and such at the Members Only warehouse.

Derek Zoolander, however, was called a ‘dinosaur’ like the Members Only jackets above by Hansel. That was messed up of Hansel and hurt Derek’s feelings. And mine, too, since I might have owned one of these babies at one point. Although all alleged photographic evidence has been destroyed.
See also Mugatu on Fashion.”

(Via Mike Doe.)

Men’s Health magazine has released its annual ‘Worst Foods’ list. Scoring the top spot as the absolute worst food in the country? A large Chocolate Oreo Shake from Baskin Robbins. This bad boy has 2,600 calories, 135 grams of fat (59 of which are saturated), 263 grams of sugar and 1,700 milligrams of sodium.

And now it sits on my desk, taunting me.

Now, I don’t blame Baskin Robbins for selling this. No one’s forcing you to buy a Chocolate Oreo Shake in any size, let alone large — unless you’re a food blogger desperate for content on Friday, that is. Frankly, I bet Baskin Robbins will sell m”

(Via .)

David Bergman 1,474-Megapixel Pic of Obama’s Inauguration: “An incredibly detailed panoramic picture of the inauguration, zoom in to the some of the small details.

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(Via digg.com: Stories / Popular.)