Exuberance

I got to thinking about exuberance after spending a day and a half with Tuck, my friends' highly active and extraordinarily sweet Yellow Lab/Husky mix this past weekend. At only 8 months or so old, Tuck is always ready to play and simply embodies exuberance.

In my state of relative resting yesterday and today -- yesterday because it was Sunday, and I'm taking the whole day of rest thing quite seriously these days, and today because I needed more taking-it-easy time with the froggy-throat-and-coughing thing that's been going on in my body since Friday -- I poked around on the web and came across three very different folks who also strike me as exuberant, each in his or her own way.

What they all have in common: They're young, they're inspired and they're inspiring.

Here's a rundown of who they are and what I like about them.


Justin Warner
Justin is the rebel with a culinary cause and the recent winner of Food Network Star, a show I did not watch. But my ear caught on what was said about him during the series and was replayed in the intro to his show Rebel Eats, which I watched and enjoyed.

Paula Deen: "I think he definitely thinks outside the box."

Alton Brown: "I'm not even sure he knows the box is there, ma'am."

And there you have the essence of Justin. He doesn't acknowledge any sort of box when he eats raw shrimp on the fishing boat right after it's caught, or brains and eggs, without batting an eye. I like Justin's witty, creative personable way of being, and I dig not only the premise of his show, but also the whole road trip aspect of it.

No wonder.

You can watch Rebel Eats online at the Food Network website.


Nadia G.
Although her bold, brash style may not be for everyone, Nadia G. seems to be authentically and unapologetically herself. I appreciate that unabashed quality and the way she brings it, along with her inventiveness, sense of humor and sheer genius in blending two seemingly unrelated concepts: cooking and comedy.

Check out many things Nadia G. -- from humorous videos to yummy-sounding recipes -- at the Cooking Channel website.


Chris Guillebeau
I found Chris's story earlier today through a link from MSNBC.com about travel hacking. I wasn't familiar with the term, so I clicked the link. I read just the first three posts on Chris's site -- Special Broadcast From the End of the World, Too Late: Notes from LHR T5 and This Magic Journey -- and was impressed with his eloquent and insightful writing and way of being. I'm looking forward to learning more about Chris and his work.

Read for yourself at The Art of Non-Conformity.


I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a theme here that goes beyond the young, inspired and inspiring thing. These folks are all non-conformists, and as time goes by, I suppose I'm increasingly accepting that quality in myself.

I also note that two of the three sites are about food and cooking. No wonder there. I love food, and I'm coming to love cooking.