Hi y'all, What a heavy and weird day it's been. I was under no illusion that the election of one person over another would fix everything, but certainly the way it went made for grief, fear, discouragement, and lots of heavy feelings. My amazing friend, James-Olivia Chu Hillman, and talented teacher on the skills of relating (IG: @inquisitive_human) sent out this newsletter today and it was exactly the balm I needed. There were no platitudes, bright-siding, nor was there plunging into...
almost 2 years ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader,Did the subject line confuse you? Don't worry, there's no time warp happening here and you are indeed receiving my September newsletter in October. With all my traveling last month, I wasn't able to write and edit my newsletter in time. You will get my full newsletter later this month. I hope you don't mind that this email is going to be short and sweet. October is already shaping up to be a busy month. Thirteen people signed up for this Sunday's workshop and two new people joined...
about 2 years ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader,I hope you are doing well in midst of the heatwave we've been in the past 5 days! The heat has a way of sapping the energy out of everyone. I'm looking forward to some cooler temperatures in the upcoming week to recover. Safe Together officially turns 2 years old this weekend and I'm inviting you to my workshop this Sunday to mark the occasion! When I started Safe Together in 2022 as a way to offer affordable and quality self-defense instruction for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, I had...
over 2 years ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader,Happy Pride Month! I just returned from a long-anticipated 3-night camping trip at the Oregon Coast this week and I have some fresh lessons I learned from observing how my girlfriend tended the fire. You see, while we are both equally capable of starting a campfire, albeit with different methods, I have never seen anyone squeeze every inch of fuel out of firewood and burn everything so completely. Her magic lies in the intuitive way she understands what a fire needs and the...
over 2 years ago • 3 min read
Dear Reader,How are you doing? The news has been getting me down and it was hard to find something to write on without feeling the futility. This past Sunday, I had lunch with a wise friend and they reminded me of the importance of acknowledging the grief that comes up within me as I watch world and local events unfold, and feel the inadequacy of my actions. I appreciated their reminder to feel my feelings and let grief wash over me. In the (relatively recent) past, I have resisted allowing...
over 2 years ago • 3 min read
Dear Reader,How do you evaluate whether a tool is the right one to use for the task you have in mind? This morning, I had to put a fresh battery in the keypad controller to my garage door. Now the little battery cover on this device has been weathered from exposure to the elements and has been increasingly difficult to remove. Instead of pushing in and sliding open the cover, as instructed by the manufacturer, I now have to use a flathead screwdriver to pry it open. I do it gently to avoid...
over 2 years ago • 4 min read
Dear Reader,I've been noticing signs of Spring's arrival everywhere. The birds are singing; there's more daylight in my day; shoots of dandelions are coming out of the soil; and little green buds are dotting bare branches. These last few weeks of Winter have felt really long and cold, so I'm super excited to see plants bloom again, even if it means allergy season is right around the corner.I wanted to just drop a quick line to remind you that Daylight Savings Time begins at 2am this Sunday so...
over 2 years ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader,Look at this new toy I bought for myself! It's a 12-sided gravity timer that has 11 different time intervals. I love it for the D&D die callback, the little blue LED that gives off Infinity Stone vibes, and for the simplicity of setting different time intervals by flipping the timer to the face with the desired time. No extra steps and screens means less chance of losing focus. I suppose being this excited about a cool-looking timer is a sign of middle age, but I think my reason...
over 2 years ago • 4 min read
Dear Reader,Thank you very much for your interest in the first Safe Together Cohort Course. I appreciate your patience as planning took more time than expected. I'm very excited to tell you more about the course and offer a discount for those of you ready to sign up. The Winter 2024 Cohort Course is starting this Sunday, February 11th, from 9-10am at the Flying Tortoise Academy, where I've been holding my workshops. Class will meet weekly on Sundays, 9-10am, and Fridays, 6:30-7:30 for six...
over 2 years ago • 2 min read