Support Crew-

May 5, 2012 in SF, CA

“Every Superhero needs his own theme music.” - I’m Gonna Get You Sucka

Theme music would be nice, but support a support crew is what every person needs: hero, super, or mortal. Finding myself to be the latter, I am very very thankful for the kind people around me who seem to be as dedicated to serving the boys and the things that are important to me as I am.

Jane my landlord is so sweet. She makes sure that I’m not too cold, and brought down a space heater. She makes sure that the plants in the apartment are watered and she put my bike in the garage to get it out of the rain. She gave me rice, rice cooker, a toaster, tea kettle, and a refrigerator filled with food for me to use, should I need any of these amenities.

Susan has picked me up, dropped me off, fed me, baked cookies for me, and made brownies and got water for the boys. She has loaned me a sleeping bag, suitcase, and a camera. She has loaned me towels, bicycles, locks, inner tubes, given me soap and shampoo, bought me groceries, brought me tea, and taken me to museums. I have a few best friends- Dave, JC, Steve, & Clint, but I only have one female best friend, her name is Susan.

Candice is a buffer. She is like the aspirin you take to relieve the stress in your head. When the intensity of training for nationals threatens to rob many of us of our peace of mind, she gently and very softly reminds us of how peaceful it is to just walk a dog; “it is just gymnastics”. When I spent too long on a rotation, Candice came to me and instead of being abrasive or telling me to move, she said, “Can you help me with something?”

“Sure,” I said, “What is it?”

She smiled and said, “I need to get a coach off a station.”

“Who?” I said.

“Um…a boys coach.” That is the way Candice handles problems…peacefully and with humor.

It is said, it takes a village, but I like the idea that every person needs a support crew; in other words a pit crew. Thankfully, I have people dedicated to helping me and the boys achieve their goals, offering refreshment, and a change of tires. In evaluating my support crew and their countless value to me, I am left hoping that I return the favor…hopefully they feel I have.

Be the peace in your worlds my friends. Love, Art, & Peace to All.

Re-Imagining Gymnastics-

May 3, 2012 in SF, CA

Gymnastics is tough. While other sports may be cardiovascularly more challenging, there is no other sport that forces the practitioners to manage their body in three dimensions while spinning on two axises upside down, and oh yeah…be incredibly strong AND flexible. The closest cousins are moto-cross and ski jumping, but gymnastics is still harder. It truly is the next development in our evolution as a species. Or perhaps our de-evolution and a reversion to our monkey progenitors.

As the sport evolves the body and the minds of the practitioners, can the way we practice change as well? Can the very concept of competition change? Is competition even necessary? It can be asked, “Is competition just a latent form of narcissism and insecurity?” I find that so many boys quit gymnastics not because they don’t love gym, but rather, they don’t like the stress of trying to better their peers. Gymnastics is hard enough without coupling it to the idea of testing. Ultimately, if your self-worth and your self-esteem are products of your “success”, eventually you will loose it all. I know so many coaches that were the “it” gymnasts or athlete, only to not be. But, the continue to try to find validation in the “success” of their athletes. I’ve been there…I’ve done that. Looking back, what a rotten thing to do to children.

Last weekend, we tried an experiment in earnest. Several coaches and I got our kids together for a group training. For a clinic based on love and mutual desire for all boys to do well. We met at our gym, and all coaches and gymnasts helped each other, coached each other, and loved each other. But most of all, we pushed each other to be the best we all could be. The national championships are still 2 weeks away, but our goal, and what resulted, was the feeling of all participants are in this together. We are going to nationals not to compete but to demonstrate and to love.

Kohei Uchimura has won the World Championships 3 years in a row, and accomplishment that no one has ever. In fact he won by over 3 points. It could be easily said that he is the greatest gymnast of all time. As we go into the Olympic, Kohei has stated that he wants to re-imagine gymnastics from the inside out. The perfection of form.

But, like the  Japanese do with all things, he is trying to make an artistic statement with everything that he does. The Japanese are known for making everything beautiful. A tea ceremony, a zen garden, or calligraphy all done in an attempt to make them as beautiful as possible.

As Kohei tumbles across the floor it is as if he is painting with a calligraphy brush, each movement an attempt to paint the character of the skill as beautifully as possible. On his triple full dismount, it is as if the final signing of the scroll, he ceremoniously finishes by breaking the brush. Nothing more need be said. That WAS it, the printmaker breaking his stone.

On pommel horse he leaves no doubt that he is not only strong but he has balance, the perfection of a Samurai doing a Kata with the sword. On rings he demonstrates that his Xi or internal force is strong, but also precise as he hits all positions and sticks his difficult dismount.

In Karate, the ultimate goal is to strike only once. Our romantic notion of Errol Flynn wielding a rapier for a 20 minute sword battle doesn’t fit the Japanese aesthetic of doing a thing once with finality. Kohei, is in essence a master ninja, patience as he waits for this turn to vault. All masters must master themselves first; the way to mastery is through patience. Then, when his time has arrived, he lines up his intention. Practicing his stroke with his hands, he decides how to split a stone in two with one stroke. The vault is performed, and the stone falls to the ground without the blade being damaged.

Finally, parallel bars and high bar leave no doubt who is the greatest of all time. No holding back. Dance…and dismount. Stick.

As I paint, coach, or do anything, it is all in an attempt to create beauty. Beauty in my painting, drawing, actions, words, thoughts, and interactions. My goal is to paint and love others with the perfection and beauty of a master samurai, for this is what I have found: The way to peace is found in gratitude. Love, help, make Art & Peace.

Enlightenment Begins With Gratitude-

May 3, 2012 in SF, CA

12/12/12 at 12:12:12

What if we all said thank you? Thank you to somebody. Anybody. But meant it. What if we were grateful? What if we were grateful as a world for one day?

People are getting scared. For one thing or another: 2012, economy, government, war, health, eating, sleeping, or aging. We are the rats that have overgrown our cage, and we are stressing ourselves. Stressing ourselves to death. WE are the human colony collapse. WE ARE GETTING SCARED ABOUT THE END…our end.

But what if we changed the way we projected our energy? What if the guy on the corner held up a sign that said “I’m grateful it wasn’t today too.” Or better yet—“thank you for putting up with me, I really do love you”. Not signs based on fear of burning, or an end to us for being bad. But, “Thank you people. Thank you for being kind to me. Thank you.”

On 12/12/12, if you want, thank as many people as you can. Look where ever you want, at what, or whoever you care to, but just say “thank you”…and mean it.

And if you want, you can do it every day till then too. 

Tippy-Toes-

May 2, 2012 in San Francisco, CA

If you haven’t heard, San Francisco is a little hilly. If you have Cerebral Palsy, walking up and down these hills can be a little…um…tricky.

Patrick, a.k.a. Tippy-Toes has Cerebral Palsy. “Cerebral Palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement.” But more than that Patrick has Cerebral Palsy in San Francisco.

I met Patrick as I was walking to the gym one day. He has only lived in SF for a couple of months, and is sleeping on his mother’s floor and taking odd jobs as they become available. The day I met him he had just been dropped off by the public bus, and was returning from a day of sorting papers and stuffing envelopes as menial paid labor.

Walking with CP is an arduous task. The tips of Patrick’s shoes are worn away quickly. He goes through shoes faster than he can earn money to supply them. When I saw him, he was leaning on a car and had asked other people waiting at the bus stop to help him up the hill. No one helped. All were too busy, were afraid, were to frail to help, or perhaps had too many other “important” things to do. So there he sat waiting. I don’t know how long. But, I assume this is a daily event.

As I passed I asked if he was OK? He asked me to help him the two blocks up the hill (a steep one), to which I replied yes. He grabbed my arm with the strength of a man constantly trying to effect and affect his errant muscles and limbs to mind and submit to his will. I had a good friend in high school named Justin who had CP, and he, like Patrick, was one of the most in-shape athletes I’ve ever known. Not a trace of fat and intensely strong.

He said to me, “I can run like the wind, but I just can’t walk. Just don’t let me fall.” I never thought about that. People with CP don’t have the ability to “catch” their fall like those of us without CP can. As such, he takes the brunt of every fall…often with painful consequences.

As we walked I said, “Lucky for you, you have this gift.”

“This ain’t no G-I-F-T!!!” he raised his voice at me.

I understood what he meant, and didn’t belabor the point, but I disagreed with him. I’ve never lived with CP; perhaps my ideas would change if I had. But I consider all the difficult things in life as gifts—tests. The universe gives you cards to play. What will you make of what you have been dealt?

Patrick related to me that although he had been here in SF a short time, his primary mode of transportation had been stolen: A three wheeled bicycle. As luck would have it, I have a friend who owns one, and it is brand new. I asked her husband how much he wanted for it? $150

Friends in my path have tried to help me in my peace pilgrimage, as such, they have given me money. I have $60. Now I need just $90 more.

Yesterday, while running, three painter/carpenters (Aaron, Peter, and Martin) commented on my tunic. I turned to talk to them, and discovered them to be such wonderful and peaceful-hearted men. After talking at some length about the concepts and applications of peaceful living, they asked if they could help me. I began telling them no, then it occurred to me, perhaps they would like to help with the bicycle? I told them about Tippy-Toes.

Pete and Martin were kind enough to extend $20 a peace (sic) to the cause. Another friend was kind enough to return an item they didn’t need, and offered the $35 refund to the cause. $15 more and a lock and I will be able to give the bike to Patrick.

This is what I am talking about. If all of us just do a little. Together we can change the world…and make the life of a man with CP in SF just a little easier. Perhaps even show him the love of strangers. And just perhaps, convince ourselves that people are good. My experiences have been just that. People are good, people are kind, when given the chance—people will choose love.

Love, Art, & Peace to All.

Hoodied & Dangerous-

April 30, 2012 in San Francisco, CA

There was no where to sit in the crowded coffee shop where you could have your own table. All the tables were taken up by the single serving clientele. Single serving tea bag, single serving cake, and a single serving table with a computer, latte, and a half eaten pickle. The whole room was taken up with people alone in their togetherness…or perhaps more appropriately together in their loneliness.

I asked a man, Larry, if I could join him. Rather than just allow me, he seemed delighted to share. That is really who he is, he is a kind man, the type of man who does share. The type that doesn’t make a fuss or a big deal about extending a courtesy to another. Rather, he made me feel as if he had been waiting for me arrive.

I noticed that on his Kindle he was reading a particle physics text, and from there are conversation sprouted. We talked about physics, quantum mechanics, brain chemistry, the nature of trust in humans, his profession (taxi cab driver), his extensive reading on every subject, and his appetite for taking the path less chosen and perhaps thought. Needless to say we had a great time.

I asked Larry if he wouldn’t mind if I drew him, his reply might give you a depiction of his humorous character, “It is a public face I gave away the copyright years ago. But, I don’t want it when you are done. I have to look at this mug every day in the mirror already.” But, Larry did like it and did take it in the end. He had me sign it to his granddaughter, and offered me his “living room” (i.e. the coffee shop) “anytime”. People are good and people are kind, the world is filled with Larry’s if we but only take the time.

Love, Art, & Peace to All.

Coach Peace-

April 30, 2012 in San Francisco, CA