Transitions

by Michael on August 22, 2010

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Sparked into a flush of memory by a friend’s lament towards the end of summer, I was coated in the thick stain of Heaney’s lingering words:

Blackberry Picking – Seamus Heaney

Late August, given heavy rain and sun
For a full week, the blackberries would ripen.
At first, just one, a glossy purple clot
Among others, red, green, hard as a knot.
You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet
Like thickened wine: summer’s blood was in it
Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for
Picking. Then red ones inked up and that hunger
Sent us out with milk cans, pea tins, jam-pots
Where briars scratched and wet grass bleached our boots.
Round hayfields, cornfields and potato-drills
We trekked and picked until the cans were full,
Until the tinkling bottom had been covered
With green ones, and on top big dark blobs burned
Like a plate of eyes. Our hands were peppered
With thorn pricks, our palms sticky as Bluebeard’s.

We hoarded the fresh berries in the byre.
But when the bath was filled we found a fur,
A rat-grey fungus, glutting on our cache.
The juice was stinking too. Once off the bush
The fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.
I always felt like crying. It wasn’t fair
That all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.
Each year I hoped they’d keep, knew they would not.

There are so many beautiful transitions to discover, practically a coronicopia full– to learn from! to change around! to grow into! Ahhh, possibility!

A extra juicy reading of the poem can be found here, at good ol’ NPR.

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Creative Commons License photo credit: Andrew Michaels

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Elevation

by Michael on August 16, 2010

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Vancouver is a delight.

Dancing makes me feel good.

Canadians are adorable.

“Wait– what?”, you might be thinking.  Whats all this about? As you may have noticed, I wasn’t in class the past few whiles.

What was I up to? Lululemon invited me (and about 100 other ambassadors) out for a week of goal-setting, learning, networking, and “elevation” in their hometown.

Elevation, huh? Basically, its a matter of steppin’ yo’ game up, son.

For me, success has a transient definition, but today we’ll define it as impact. Impact is touching students in a meaningful way, and as such, impact informs success. The more successful I am at fostering transformation, growth, and education, the more impact I’ll have on my communuity.

And guess what? I want to take my impact to the next level.

That rise, that change, is elevation.

Not too heady a concept.

One of the keys to the kind of goalsetting work we did this week had to do with maintaining a certain level of transparency in the work that we do. This transparency breeds accountability. I’ve learned to relate this sort of accountability to integrity.

Consider this me looking to find integrity in my accountability. To you. To be held accountable for you, and perhaps not so readily apparently: for me.

A lot of the work of giving selflessly, for me, is going to start right here in a digital space.  I sure hope you’ll be joining.

Afterall, when the tide rises, all the boats are lifted.

Be the tide.


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Free Yoga: Parker Flats!

August 2, 2010

How is it August already?! Want some mid-week yoga in a fab mid city space?
TUESDAY, Aug 3! 6pm!
Parker Flats School House: 2035 2nd St. NW
FREE! FREE! FREE!
Join UrbanLand Company & Mid City Yoga for the FINAL Summer Yoga Session! Mid City Yoga teamed up with the UrbanLand Company as part of ULC’s “healthy living initiative” every month [...]

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Free Yoga: Floridian Penthouse!

July 5, 2010

photo credit: lululemon athletica
Hey Gang! Ready for another free class in a new space?
Come on out!

Date:

Tuesday, 06 July 2010

Time:

18:00 – 21:00

Location:

919 Florida Ave. NW-Penthouse

Join UrbanLand Company & Mid City Yoga for Summer Yoga Sessions! As part of Urban Land Company’s “Healthy Living” initiative, come and enjoy this urban yoga experience in one [...]

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DC Yoga Challenge Launch

July 1, 2010

DC Yoga Challenge Launch

From WelcomeOmDC:
“On Wednesday evening, the space in Malcolm X Park normally enveloped in primal drumming broadcast a new sound: one giant “om”. Here, the DC yoga community official kicked off the city-wide Citizen Effect 30 Day Yoga Challenge (presented by glaceau smartwater) with a yoga class lead by Michael Hall of [...]

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Free Yoga: Meridian Hill Park!

June 30, 2010

photo credit: lululemon athletica
Hey guys! Come check out a fun outdoor class in Meridian Hill Park on Wednesday, June 30th at 7:30p! I’m teachin’!
This is the official kick-off event for Citizen Effect’s 30-Day Yoga Challenge: A movement combining yoga and philanthropy to build a foster home in South Africa.
All are welcome to join!
Enjoy free [...]

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