A Pep Talk from Kid President

Giant Waves Captured in Super Slow-Mo

Best watched in HD and full screen. Enjoy the natural beauty!

Related Goodness:

• Aquarium Awesomeness
• The Moon...in Pictures
• Be Humbled by The Vastness of the Universe
• Need a Smile? Watch This....

*Hat tip to PetaPixel for the video tip.

Inspirational Speech Given By Bike-Riding Kid

The ending is my favorite part:

PS - Sorry for letting this blog languish. I've been very busy lately.

10 Inspirational Videos on YouTube

10 pivotal and inspirational moments of the last century amidst the millions of videos on YouTube. Enjoy and thanks to Mashable for compiling them.

Ranging from silent footage from the early 1900s to modern digital video capture, these clips vary dramatically from political to sporting to scientific achievements. They all have one thing in common — a strong message of inspiration.

> Check out all ten videos

Here is my favorite:



Related Sublime Goodness Posts:

• 40 Inspirational Speeches in Two Minutes
• Don't Quit Poem Video
• Inspirational Video - The Laws of Attraction & More
• Inspirational & Motivational Quotes

Surprise Flash Mob for Birthday - Video

This video pretty much made my day.

It's Danish, but doesn't matter - the look of happiness on the bus driver's face is universal.

Here are the details: "On May 5th it's Mukhtar's, a bus-driver in Copenhagen, Birthday. In 2010 he had no idea that a large group of people had planned to celebrate him..."

I love the end - as if it wasn't awesome enough...Enjoy:



* Hat tip to my friends at Berrett-Koehler Publishers for sending the video.

Soldiers Coming Home - Compilation Video

It was a video like this that led me to start this blog a year and a half ago. Some truly emotional wonderful moments caught on film:



I don't talk about it much, but I was in the Army for three years after high school, stationed in Germany for my entire time. I didn't see my family for a year and a half, with seven months of that time in Bosnia. I'll never forget the the day we came back from Bosnia, fresh off our trucks standing in a gymnasium getting welcomed back by some Colonel. In the bleachers in front of us were all the soldier's wives & children, practically bouncing with joy and excitement. Even though I was single and childless at the time, I'll never forget those faces just glowing with absolute love.

I'll also never forget what it's like to embrace your family after not seeing them for 18 months!

Oh and that dog in the second clip going crazy for its owner is pretty awesome too.

"I Am" - Video Social Experiment

Poetry. Randomness. Makes me miss Chicago. Beautiful people inside and out.

Here is the background:

I Am is not only a film but a social experiment that took strangers in Philadelphia and asked them to finish this sentence. "I am ___."

Enjoy:

I Am from Steven Nicholas Smith on Vimeo.

Related Sublime Goodness Posts:

• Fifty People, One Question: New Orleans
• The Best Version of the Song "Stand by Me" Ever
• Fifty People, One Question: New York

* Thanks to Gimundo for the tip on this video.

Song Created from Garden Sounds - "Gardyn"

This is pretty cool.

Sound artist Pogo created a techno song entirely from garden sounds and his mother's voice as a gift for Mother's Day. (Thanks to Gimundo for the tip). Enjoy.



Related Sublime Goodness Posts:

• Music from a Tree - Video
• The Best Version of the Song "Stand by Me" Ever
• Ultimate Wedding Dance Down the Aisle
• The Sound of Music - A Surprise Public Performance in a Train Station
• One Thousand & One Faces - Beautiful Video

"Let Yourself Feel" - Video

Had a long day at work? Enjoy:

let yourself feel. from Esteban Diácono on Vimeo.

Related Sublime Goodness Posts:

• Piano Stairs - Video
• Grocery Store Musical - Video
• Aquarium Awesomeness
• "Deadline" Stop-Motion Video
• "Sorry I'm Late" Stop- Motion Video

"Bohemian Rhapsody" by the Muppets - Video

You might have seen this already, but just in case I am posting it because it's too awesome not to miss. I saw it a few weeks ago and it's already gone viral across the internet.

What is it?

Muppets. Queen. Uplifting. 'Nuff said.

Enjoy.

Rescuing Baby Ducks from a Pool - Video

Something cutesy to start the week:



Glad that some people are nice enough to try to get them out and also I like that the mama duck picks up on it quickly.

I also didn't know ducks could quack that much.

* Thanks to Angela for passing the video on!

Grocery Store Musical - Video

This video is genius - fun, creative, spontaneous in nature and smile-inducing. It was staged by Improv Everywhere, a New York City groups who "cause scenes of chaos and joy in public places" according to their website.

Here are the details from the group on this "scene:"

Six undercover actors burst into song in a grocery store in Queens. Three minutes and lots of silly choreography later, they returned to their roles as shoppers and stock boys. The mission was filmed with hidden robotic, lipstick, and wearable cameras.

Enjoy :)



> Watch a Behind-the-Scenes Video & Learn More About the Scene Here

Related Sublime Goodness Posts

• Aquarium Awesomeness
• Music from a Tree - Video
• Ultimate Wedding Dance Down the Aisle
• Guy Starts Dance Party - Music Festival Video
• The Sound of Music - A Surprise Public Performance in a Train Station

Fan Video for "Two Weeks" by Grizzly Bear

Let me say this first - I'm not a huge fan of Grizzly Bear or this song really. BUT this video is genius and it was created by a fan. The band already created their own video for the song...and it doesn't come close to this one. You can watch it with the sound off and still be blown away. Enjoy:

Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear from Gabe Askew on Vimeo.

Aquarium Awesomeness

I love the aquarium, especially the Shedd Aquarium in my hometown of Chicago. Thanks to Brad Garland for tipping me off to the following visual brilliance. Let it load and watch the full screen. You will thank me later.

Enjoy:

Kuroshio Sea - 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world - (song is Please don't go by Barcelona) from Jon Rawlinson on Vimeo.

As an aside, my two daughters just sat in awe on my lap as we watched this. I hope you do too :)

Music from a Tree - Video

Thanks to my friend Brent again, here is an amazing video. Here are the details from the creator:

In the garden of my house there's a tree with lots of randomly grown twigs. It looks odd and nice at the same time. One day I asked myself if I could create a piece of music with it.

To tune the tree I picked a fundamental note and tuned the twigs by trimming them with a pencil sharpener. I used two Røde NT6 and a NTG-2 as microphones, combined with a customized stethoscope.

I recorded the tracks live on a Pro Tools LE system. I didn't use any synthesizer or sampler to create or modify the sounds. All the sounds come from playing the tree, by bowing the twigs, shaking the leaves, playing rhythms on the cortex and so on.

Enjoy.

Diego Stocco - Music From A Tree from Diego Stocco on Vimeo.

> View behind the scenes pictures and more info on the video.

Related Sublime Goodness Posts:

• The Best Version of the Song "Stand by Me" Ever
• Fifty People, One Question: New Orleans
• Guy Starts Dance Party - Music Festival Video
• "Deadline" Stop-Motion Video
• "Sorry I'm Late" Stop- Motion Video

Maru the Japanese Cat - Famous & Funny

People love cats. And Maru is no exception - he's HUGE in Japan where he and his owner are from.

Why? He's cute and he really likes to get into stuff.

You'll see what I mean. This video of him jumping in and out of cardboard box is fun to watch:



Wow! And when he can't get completely into something, he at least wants to get his head into it.





Quiet hilarity. And when he's not getting in and out of things, he rests in the sink:



> Visit Maru's YouTube channel for more videos

> Visit his blog (yes, his blog!)

Related Sublime Goodness Posts:

• Funny Cat Videos
• Funny Dog Videos
• Cute Things Falling Asleep

RIP Michael Jackson - "Famous Moonwalk" 1983 Video

Michael. MJ. The King of Pop. It was the death of Elvis for my parents, and for my generation today will be a sad milestone of history.

Michael Jackson is a huge part of my childhood (and others no doubt) - I remember waiting all night for his videos to come on MTV when I was little, I wore out my copy of Thriller, I had a MJ scrapbook, trading cards, and this classic poster of Michael in a yellow sweater vest on my wall. Later on, I was impressed with his willingness to push the envelope a little bit, releasing a lyrically edgy hit song like "Black or White."

Later in life, when I spent years in Europe I was amazed at how popular he still was over there - his fame never receded like it did in the U.S.. Now, for the last few years, MJ's been back in my life as my daughters have rediscovered Micheal's classic early work and relish it for themselves.

To honor Michael, I think it warrants posting one of the most famous moments in TV history - a night I'll never forget - his legendary May 1983 performance on the Motown 25th Anniversary Special of Billie Jean.

Oh, and he moonwalked too that night - I was in first grade and remember that the next day, every kid in school (probably every school...)was talking about it and trying to do it like he did.

His energy is amazing here - enjoy:



Here is more background for the performance:

Five months after the release of his phenomenally successful second album, Thriller, Michael Jackson performs the 'moonwalk' on the Motown 25th Anniversary Special to his hit song "Billie Jean" on this day in 1983. (He had introduced the move in front of a live audience earlier that year.)

Already well-known since the age of 11 as the star and lead singer of the Jackson 5, a family musical act made up of Michael and his brothers that was signed by Motown in 1969, Jackson released his first solo album, Off the Wall, in 1979 when he was 21 years old. The follow-up, 1982's Thriller, was packed with seven hit singles and went on to break all music-industry sales records as it made Jackson a worldwide superstar. Jackson's May 16, 1983 performance on the Motown 25th Anniversary Special boosted enthusiasm for the release and spawned the 'moonwalk,' a dance move--in which he appeared to be slowly moving forward as he actually moved backward--that is now synonymous with Jackson and his unprecedented critical and commercial success. (The move was actually a takeoff on the 'backslide,' which had been performed on Soul Train a couple of years earlier.) Later that year, he released a hotly anticipated 14-minute music video for the song "Thriller" on the year-old MTV music network, and was well on his way to revolutionizing not only pop music, but television as well. (from This Day in History)

> Learn more about Michael Jackson

BONUS: Jackson 5 - "I'll Be There"

Need a Smile? Watch This....

Enjoy:



Smiling is contagious you know. :)

7 Year-Old Girl Sings National Anthem at NBA Playoff Game

Oh and she has autism, which makes this performance even more amazing. Here's a little background:

When Gina Incandela of Kissimmee, Florida was two years old, she was diagnosed with a type of autism called PDD NOS. Her parents weren’t sure if she would ever learn to speak.

But after they enrolled her in a special needs class at the University of Central Florida, things began to change. As it turned out, music was the key to help the silent toddler find her voice—and as soon as she started singing, she never wanted to stop.

“We would recognize the melodies far before we recognized the words. Her pitch and melodies were so accurate,” her mother Michelle told the Orlando Sentinel.

Gina’s favorite singer was Leanne Rimes—and she especially loved Rimes’ rendition of The Star Spangled Banner. Soon, Gina had learned to sing the song so beautifully that her parents knew it was time to share their daughter’s gift with the world.

Last spring, when Michelle saw an ad for singers to audition to perform the national anthem at a Houston Astros game, she didn’t really believe that her little girl would be chosen for the momentous event. But Gina wowed the judges—and, at the game, her stunning performance brought many of the 40,000 cheering fans to tears. Her performance launched the child to instant fame, with performances at more sports events including the US Open and several Orlando Magic basketball games, as well as the Today Show.

“Many families that receive a similar diagnosis are struck with fear and react with denial,” Gina’s mother writes on her website. “They are overwhelmed with the feeling that their child will never achieve the same goals as other children. Well, Gina is an example that these children are capable of wonderful things. Gina has gracefully walked through every door that has been opened for her through early intervention. It is my hope that others will hear her story so that their children may follow through those doors to reach their own goals and fulfill their own dreams.” (from Gimundo)

This footage is fantastic. Prepare to be wowed:



By the way, it's worth reading some of the comments on this video's YouTube page here.

Related Sublime Goodness Posts:

• New York City Public School Kids Sing Coldplay's "Viva La Vida"
• Youth No Obstacle for this Volunteer
• Girl, Age 7, Had 6 Organs Taken out to Remove Tumor
• Boy Asks Friends for Food, Not Toys on Birthday

Guy Starts Dance Party - Music Festival Video

This is great and a special thank you to my friend Brent who has now given me two posts within a week now.

For some reason, this video reminds me of Susan Boyle (of Britain's Got Talent fame).

Why? Because when it starts, you can see everyone around kind of going "what's up with that guy?" and just amused. But then one by one, people start dancing with him and by the end of it, everyone is having fun and part of something bigger and organic.

Enjoy!