In 1989 two brothers from Boston started designing tee shirts and hawking them in the streets. They bought a used van and called it "The Enterprise" in hopes of boldly going "where no tee shirt guys have gone before." For five years, Bert and John Jacobs traveled the East Coast selling door to door in college dorms. They collected some good stories but were not very prosperous. They lived on peanut butter and jelly, slept in their van, and showered when they could. By August of 1994, with a combined sum of $78 in the bank, the brothers considered giving up on the ultimate road trip. And then they created Jake and he showed them the way. Today, Jake and his trusty dog Rocket have become icons of optimism, and Life is good - America's little clothing brand that could - is spreading good vibes all over the world.
I am sharing happy notes from Life is good, simple words from Jake and Rocket, found in their book and on all their paraphernalia. We brought souvenirs in the form of tee shirts, coffee mugs, pants, sweaters and even underware, hoping to share the joy we found by these cute little items. We discovered such a store on our recent trip called Jake's Place and went bonkers. Initially, we each bought tees at the store in Midway Airport to generate the optimism of our trip. Our favorite hangout once we arrived in San Antonio was the store on Riverwalk which we frequented many times just for the good vibes. Our bag was loaded with goodies and our smiles were never-ending upon leaving the joint. I am highlighting this wonderful book which includes their famous inspirational sayings. We can't get enough tee shirts for whenever we wear them, we can't help but feel good; not only are the words uplifting, but the material is so comfortable. I hope you enjoy their quaint quotes, albeit without the perfect graphics which really tickle the fancy. You'll just have to go out and buy them yourself. We found a binder filled with testimonies as to how much joy the Life is good products have brought to people from all walks of life, some conquering terminal illness and depression and how these little remarks make a difference in their lives. Hence, I share with you. In this beautiful creation, Jake and Rocket share their very best wit and wisdom, and illustrate that the keys to happiness are all around us. I browse through this book constantly and it is number one on my list of feel good gift giving items. My first purchase was for my son who needed some hope and optimism during recovery. I hope your paths cross a store that offers their products and you find the joy as we do when reading or wearing one of their items.
Optimism can take you anywhere.
Remember, the music is not in the guitar.
Not all who wander are lost.
Whatever you are, be a good one.
Youth knows no age.
Good vibes are contagious.
Stick together.
Everything is a once in a lifetime experience.
Takers may eat well, but givers sleep well.
Think outside the box.
Don't fight Mother Nature.
Simplify.
Run like a dog.
Mix it up.
Do what you like.
Like what you do.
Breathe.
Create your own Happy Hour.
The road to a friend's house is never long.
Go deep.
Don't knock something.
Build something.
If you don't go, you don't see.
Take your sweet time.
Get out.
Flip out.
Read 'em and reap.
Dream on.
It takes all kinds.
The best things in life are free.
Hold a true friend with both hands.
Keep growing.
Celebrate.
Five star accommodations are easy to find.
The pursuit is the reward.
Consider yourself a lucky dog.
Stay cool.
Sometimes the best conversation is a game of catch.
Take your love everywhere you go.
Let it fly.
Color is the daily bread of the eyes.
Get dirty.
Face the bumps with a smile.
Stay out all night.
The glass is half full.
In creating, the only ugly part is to begin.
Change your perspective.
Better to light one pumpkin than curse the darkness.
Who feels it knows it.
Get outta town.
The work will teach you how to do it.
Write on.
Go with the flow.
Blur the line between work and play.
The world is your entertainment center.
Get your kicks.
There are always flowers for those who want to see them.
If you don't live it, it won't come out your horn.
There's no place like roam.
Style points count.
Sometimes nothing is the right thing to do.
Laughter has no foreign accent.
The little things in life are the big things.
Remember where you came from.
We will never know all the good a simple smile can do.
Life is good donates 100% of its profit from the sale of their book to the Life is good Kids Foundation, established to help children facing unfair challenges. Visit http://www.lifeisgood.com/
my gratitude to Bert and John Jacobs for your beautiful gift xo
