~~~~~ Training with a running coach can change a person’s life in more ways than one. When I was writing my doctoral dissertation in preparation for my first career track, I needed to learn how to experience my work (and, by extension, my life) like the cliché goes: as a marathon, not a sprint. I … Continue reading Personal Training with Coach Shaun, or It’s Time to Make the Tiger Roar (Part I)
~~~~~ The 2016 Hill Country Ride for AIDS took place April 30th this year. This was my first time participating in this event and no, I did not ride. Instead, my dear friend, Jacob Cain McRae, and I volunteered our services as Asian bodywork therapists. We spent a fantastic day providing Chinese tui na-style restorative … Continue reading Hill Country Ride for AIDS 2016: Dolly Parton and The Iron Thumb of Doom
If you ponder it, we are truly fortunate here in Austin because there is a wealth of options for organic produce and a thriving array of community-supported agriculture operations. But with many options comes the vexing need to make choices. So how do you decide which farm to follow and what happens once you choose one?
As for me…I had a neighbor, Rowan, who subscribed to the CSA and the sight of her weekly basket made me a convert. It has been three years now and I joyfully renew each season. The vegetables are that good and—just as important—it feels to me like there is a real relationship and community when I’m part of this CSA. Plus, I’m a health coach, an Asian bodywork therapist (Chinese tui na-style), and a personal trainer. Of course I’m going to be all about the organic vegetables!
We all have our Tecolote Farm stories, don’t we?
What caught my eye first was the beauty of the basket and its contents each week. 
What made me stay are the connections I’ve made with Tecolote, with my hub pick-up friends, and with other subscribers. There really is a sense of community that is part and parcel of this particular CSA operation. And recently, I reached out to Katie and asked her some Continue reading “Tecolote Farm: A Conversation about Community, Owls, and Sorrel”
~~~~~ “This photo was taken less than 72 hrs after an ER trip for emergency units of blood. There was a 50 FT rock face I saw while hiking with family. I pushed the envelope and made it to the top. I did it for myself, for those who would, but can’t, and for those … Continue reading A Rare Courage: Transcending Self, Helping Others
*** Just like anything else, notions related to the body bear repeated viewings and engagement from different perspectives. Unthinkingly, we get up in the morning and notice (or not) aches or stiffness. Maybe we feel beautiful, or perhaps we hear a chorus of internal criticisms that stem from messages about weight and age and ability … Continue reading Bodies: Exploration, History, Text, and Photograph
~~~~~ Today was a strange and stressful day, one that started with a remarkably bad traffic jam and was punctuated by odd news (a dear schoolmate’s car was stolen, for one thing, and the day just got more weird and fraught by the minute). Getting through it took the full arsenal of calming tactics … Continue reading Patience and Shuffle the Cards
~~~~~ My book corner exists for several reasons. Probably the most basic reason is that I am an obsessive, voracious reader and I love to share my discoveries with others. The most recent additions to this treasure trove are Southwest Flavor: Adela Amador’s Tales From the Kitchen. Recipes and Stories From New Mexico Magazine; We … Continue reading Delicious: Three New Entries in my Book Corner
~~~~~ (Note: This is an older–but always timely–essay that I have revised slightly and now wish to share once again.) ~~~~~ One of my favorite books for self-study is Tara Bennett-Goleman’s Emotional Alchemy: How the Mind can Heal the Heart. (I will add it to my book corner, but today is a lazy day and … Continue reading Cloudy day in Austin, Texas
~~~~~ I joined a gym as soon as I got my driver’s license and got my own car. Looking back, I don’t know why I did this. I’d never been athletic in high school and I didn’t know anyone who went to the gym. But the siren call of the weight room was just too … Continue reading Choosing a Trainer: What is the History and What are the Goals?
~~~~~ Choosing a name for one’s business is fraught, indeed. Put simply: health, of course, is key to what this holistic wellness lifestyle service offers. But “two hearts” . . . not three or four or one? I chose two hearts on some levels out of sheer quirkiness. Memories of Chris Isaak’s song “Two Hearts” … Continue reading Why Two Hearts Wellness?
Two Hearts Wellness 