Forks Over Knives-

January 22, 2012 in Payson, AZ

 

Regardless of how you eat, one must admit that there is a crisis in America regarding the food choices of most people. WE as a people are sick…and the evidence points incontrovertibly at OUR diet. Whether or not you choose to do anything with the information, despite any future choices you may make in regard to your health, please consider weighing the facts about health, diet, and mounting evidence that condemns our current eating habits. Please watch this movie and consider the possibilities. I love you, and I would love for you to be around for a long while.

If for no other reason than compassion, consider this statistic: All the grain that is produced to feed only cattle would be enough to feed 8 Billion people. Yes, enough to feed an entire “other” Earth. Certainly enough to feed every child in the world who goes hungry.

Mina and Keith-

January 21, 2012 in Phoenix, AZ

I have some people who are have really blessed my life. Mina and Keith are the kind of people that will tell you the truth, call you on your BS, and give you a hug that last long enough for their love to pass from thier heart to yours. Regardless of anything that I have done or will do, these people have and will extend to me unconditional love. I pray that everyone has people like this in their life. Peace

Compulsion-

January 21, 2012 in Phoenix, AZ

Years ago, I helped my cousin Joey get into gymnastics. He trained with me at the gym, and learned to teach and do some basic skills and progressions. Years later, he is now one of the most successful gym coaches in Arizona, and is the head girls coach for Bars and Vault at North Valley Gymnastics. I’ve been friends with the head boys coach there for years. Travis and Joey took pity on me and allowed me to come and be a guest judge for their in-house meet. In this position I got to watch some great boys performing excellent gymnastics and as an added special perk, I got to watch my cousin work his magic with his kids.

In addition, one of the boys that was on my team here in Phoenix years ago is on this team. How great to be able to come full circle and watch, evaluate, and love on a student with whom I’ve been able to watch grow.

I had so much fun I felt like I should have paid them for the privilege, but much to my shock and embarrassment they offered me a gratuity. Humbled. What are you going to do with kind people like this. Luckily I was able to pass it on, and the love spreads and grows. It is the interesting thing about gymnasts and their coaches, any sport this hard and demanding must be fueled by love and an inner compulsion. It was an honor to watch the gym owners, coaches, and students all share a mutual vision—love.

Brushing Teeth For Peace-

January 20, 2012 in Chandler, AZ

My dear friend Bill shared this snipit with me this morning; reminding me and us all that anything that we do with a conciousness toward peace is not wasted energy. Rather, when we do what we, and only we can do for peace, the universe is affected and effected. At the most minimal moment, in the most mundane of activities, our simple actions of peace are better than being complict by inaction.

When John and Yoko were doing their bed-in for peace, they gave the following interview, released today for the first time:

Smith: Do you think doing it the way that you’re doing it is working?
Lennon: Sure it’s working. You know, I mean we wouldn’t do it if we didn’t think it would work. It’s the most functional way we could work out to promote peace you know and even if it inspires people to do other things that’s good enough, yeah.

Smith: Yeah. Do you think it’s effective though? You know, is it literally doing something for peace?
Lennon: Sure it’s doing something for peace. The only way we can do something for peace is make everyone do something for peace, all the majority of people you know. And what we’re doing is indoctrinating them to think about peace. You know it’s peoples’ responsibility to change the world for better, although it’s going to change anyway, and we want to indoctrinate them to do it Gandhi’s way. You know, that’s all.

Smith: How are you going to change everything though? How are you going to change it so it comes about like that?
Lennon: How does the teacher stop you or whoever stop painting or drawing or writing when they were kids? How did they stop them? They told them they kept saying, “you’re no good, now stop that, you’re no good now stop that” and what we’re doing is saying, “you are good and keep going, you are good, keep going.” Think of peace. If you want peace you can get it. Do what you can, do anything. Smile for peace. Clean your teeth for peace. Do anything for peace, think peace and just turn the people on for peace.

America-

January 18, 2012 in Fountain Hills, AZ

My buddy Dave is a poet. Below is one of his finest poems in my humble opinion. I am honored to include it here for your appraisal.

America-

What is America?

Is it Mom, apple pie, & baseball?

Is it politics, propaganda, support our troops?

Is it friendship, hard work, the common man

With sense, courtesy, & ground?

Is it lawyers, money, & special men

Upon thrones, pedestals, & air?

These heads are fare

While the common is fair

Enjoying fun & carnivals

While the otro

Enjoy arguments & regrets.

Is it sports, food, & entertainment?

Is it gambling, winning, & derangement?

Is it piercings, shootings, & news?

Is it hair do’s, and fashion don’ts?

Is it love, lust, & passion?

Is it misrepresentations, grey areas, & words that flatter?

Is it trust, black & white, & truth that shatters?

Is it the big city, small towns, & spots not on the map?

Is it Karma, Yin & Yang, or enduring crap?

Is it a taker, a sinner, & living fat?

Is it giving, being an angel, & exercising/exorcising that?

Is it sex, drugs, rock & roll?

Is it taxes, votes, & tolls?

Is it women, men, & trolls?

Is it children, peace, & playful knolls?

 

Is it liquid, solid, or air?

Is it Earth, above or below?

Is it water, dirt, or libel?

Is it grander, slander, or compromise?

Is it dumb, research or wise?

Is it a corporation, an entrepreneur, or the sewer?

Is it a hand out, left out, or left field?

Is it a dream, an accident, or a beam?

Is it just that – all of those?

A melting pot has arose

Not always looking or smelling that way

But upon or shoulders the weight shifts & sways.

For some it is part & lots we don’t see,

While others fall through the cracks

& others stumble on crack.

This world is mostly wacked

With many bright, energy spots

Where positive gravitation takes hold

& others like it brazenly bold

in darker, recessive spots.

 

To plot

War

 

Against what we all complain

The big mainframe

Taking hold to squeeze death & taxes

But there is opportunity,

Treachery

& your own decisions

on which way to flee.

To start

Restart

& motivate

or agitate.

We all have brains,

Demographics,

& work towards paper awards

to wield our swords

the opportunity we sliced

& those we seized.

 

America is many cultures

Very diverse

& very perverse

Fore, we are humans

Helping & hurting our nature.

So is flirting and skirting on the edge of night

To day’s plight

& be & do in this brave land.

Home of the free

For your mind to wield in the fashion

It so designs

Planning

Plotting

Scheming

Your riches

Family

& dreaming

of where you want to be

where you are

& where you went.

Looking back

Is it looking down beyond you perceived realm

Or

Looking up the ladder that was kicked aside.

We all abide

By the foundations American

& rejoice

curse

& laugh

About our pride

Its hang ups

Hang looses

Let ups

& let downs

smiles

& frowns

to the open road we traveled down

cement

dirt

main roads

blue highways

mass freeways or

subservient trays.

WE are all rays

Of hope

Sunlight

& dreams.

 

America

Go get it!

Brave & Free…

 

 

David “Love it or Leave It” Nance

Vacation-

January 17, 2012 in Fountain Hills, AZ

When I left the Phoenix area 7 years ago, I left behind family; those of blood and those of love. In the intervening years, I’ve returned several times to see people, but there never seemed to be enough time to see everyone. Having traveled to Arizona by train, car, and plane it is a bit different to travel here by foot.

It is an interesting thing about living a self-centered life; you think you deserve everything, as if you were owed it. As a child, I would hold open a door for an adult, and if they didn’t say thank you, I would tell them, “You’re welcome,” anyway. It was a snotty thing to say to an adult as a 7 year old, as if I were trying to teach them manners. But how often as an adult has someone done something gracious for me, and I barely noticed. Yet they, in their humility didn’t lord it over my head. They were loving, and didn’t chide me for lacking tact, manners, respect, or reciprocity.

Returning now to Phoenix, I realize all the kind things that people have done for me over the years, kindnesses that I didn’t deserve, graciousness I did not merit. Humbled. I wish I could relate to you all the wonderful people here that have blessed my life. I wonder about writing something too personal here. I have tried to stay a bit on “task” as it were on this adventure. I’ve tried to be a bit professional in my “reporting” as I’ve gone around the country. I am sorry, I just can’t help but tell you all about these wonderful people and would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t, despite the personal nature of the interactions.

Mike and Donna are the kind of people with which anyone would want to work. The reason that they are the best gym owners I’ve ever worked for is that they don’t have egos, they are committed to everyone’s development professionally and personally, they don’t belittle their staff nor talk behind their backs, and they are very generous. When I left their company years ago, it was a very difficult decision. They have spent countless hours over beers teaching me about how to handle parents, booster clubs, uniforms, meets, fees, paperwork, program development, and on occasion we even talked about coaching. 

Mike is the kind of guy that would set up meetings for me to study with some of the best men’s coaches in the country just so I could learn from them. When my jeep broke down, he found a gym dad who owned a shop and paid for it to be fixed, and when everyone is hurting around the holidays for cash, he would give all the coaches a cash bonus to be kind. They were never stingy with their time or experience and offered it freely whenever it was needed or asked for, and they appreciated anyone who would go out of their way for the kids. Their gym was a family affair. Jerry and Ellen, along with their daughters, and all the other “adopted family” of coaches. Our get togethers around the fires were some of my best memories of that time together. They are some of the most compassionate people I’ve ever known.

I’ve had the opportunity as well to be with my Kobashi family. JC has been dubbed the “Mayor” of his neighborhood, because he is always organizing block parties like the one he did for me. Using the street as a playground and meeting place, he and his wife Terri invited all their extended family (who are absolutely wonderful as well!), the neighborhood, and former students over to visit. What a gift to be able to reconnect with old friends and have the ability to be reminded how beautiful the people are that I’ve been graced to know. Our friend Jason came over, and apologetically left for a dinner date, only to return later on. How absolutely kind! What can you do with people like this but just say thank you.

The Varty clan showed up in force as well. Rita, Demi, Natalie, and Tiffany owned the sidewalk like the runway. As they approached, those of us welcoming them were floored by the physical beauty possessed in this family’s genes. The wonderful thing about these girls is that their beauty emanates from an internal wealth, unlike a mannequin, they are beautiful both on the outside and the inside.

While with the Kobashi’s I was able to play with my boys, and the stroller for the first time possessed some valuable cargo, Calvin and Logan. Logan and I got to spend some long awaited quality time together as well building legos, riding scooters, and wrestling. I love these boys.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “House guests are like fish, after three days they start to stink!” I have been careful not to spend too much time at any one location, but I could have spent more time just loving on all these wonderful people. I traveled next to Payson, Arizona to visit my father, aunt, and uncle. My Aunt Mina loves to love on me. Every time I’ve ever been around, she always makes my favorite Zereshk Polo (Persian Rice with Barberries) and lavishes kisses and hugs upon me. My uncle has always been a hero; he is a gracious host and extremely intelligent. My favorite thing about him besides our shared interest in athletics and running is that he will always give you an honest answer/appraisal, as such his compliments and loving suggestions carry more weight than most.

Some people believe that we pick our father and mother. I believe that by the way we act, we elicit from our biological progenitors the complement. I couldn’t have picked better parents. In the few days that I was able to spend with my dad, IREALLY got to enjoy him. Whether watching “Lawrence of Arabia” for the 100th time, researching facts on the internet, or discussing artists and techniques of the past we affected a great symbiosis of love for the other and love for the subject.

Returning to Phoenix area, I was able to see my other aunt and a number of my cousins. All of these women are beautiful, intelligent, and kind. Sitting around the table drinking tea and eating cookies, I was struck with how good of a time I was having, and how lucky I was to have such a great family.

Lastly, I’ve been able to hang out with my good buddy, Dave. Dave and I are adventure junkies. We have jumped off cliffs together, camped on the beaches of Mexico and Belize, and found ourselves knee deep in some escapade seeking a thrill, enlightenment, or experience. In the end, we have forged a friendship of sincere honesty and trust similar to that fashioned by soldiers in the trenches. Our furrows and troughs being life itself.

I was somewhat apprehensive coming to the Phoenix area because the people here knew me as who I was before becoming the Peace Artist. I was worried about de-evolving, of re-becoming the selfish person that I was before. What I’ve found is that my family and friends have allowed me to be both the best of the present and the past. Being the Peace Artist does mean a death to the person that I was before, but it doesn’t have to mean a death to the love both for and from those I’ve been blessed to know while becoming something better. Thank god for that.