Peace by Piece

Friday, February 17 marked the UPEACE second open mic night.  UPEACE provides an incredibly supportive environment which makes this event truly successful.  Since promoting happiness and laughter is a part of my personal mission statement,  I decided that I would put together a stand up routine.    I was nervous and really unsure of what I would say.  As the night became closer, I was more excited than nervous because I realized that whatever happened, my community would support me.  Wouldn't it be nice if we could all go out on a limb and try something new because we lived in a safe place?  Having a supportive community allows for creativity.  When we have support, we are more likely to take risks. "Progress always involves risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first."  Frederick Wilcox "Go out on a limb. That's where the fruit is."   Jimmy Carter It was fun AND I got a lot of positive feedback.  I ...

I n Telluride, Colorado, the town I was lucky enough to have lived in for seven years, you see bumper stickers proclaiming: "Come for the winter, stay for the summer" or "Come for the winter, stay for the library".  These are fun and have some truth to them but I believe that a bigger broader statement can be made: "Come for the skiing, stay for the community".  Telluride is blessed with all kinds of wealth.  It is an incomparably beautiful mountain town where you can walk to ski lifts, waterfalls and to amazing high alpine hikes and climbs.  It combines the majestic mountains with inspirational festivals such as Mountain Film, Yoga Festival, and the Compassion Festival.  Peaceful, fun, sustainable communities are built upon music such as bluegrass, jazz and blues and then dispersed without a trace.  It is a place of many wonders but most special about Telluride is the community that not only hosts these events and is the steward of natural ...

After winning the Republican primary in Florida, Mitt Romney said that he is not worried about the poor because they have a safety net and he's not worried about the wealthy because they are doing just fine but he is worried about the middle class and wants to help them maintain employment.  Can you think of another way to say this?  What is Mitt Romney really saying?  Here is what I heard: I want to maintain the status quo. So, what has created the 'status quo' anyway?  What drives us?  America, whether you like it or not, is driven by money.  How do we measure our success?  Well, not so long ago congress decided we would measure our success as a nation by the Gross Domestic Product.  Now, you may be a person that watches the stock market and you may be a person that looks at the GDP to see how the economy is doing, but what do you really know about the GDP? In case you need to brush up on your economics, here is how the GDP is calculated: ...

Has anyone really taken the time to step back and appreciate what has happened in Egypt?  Do you realize we are watching history in the making?  That's kind of a silly phrase since history is continually in the making but I'd guess that the Arab Spring may actually take up an entire chapter in a World History book in the future.  If you are unaware, as was I unaware when I first came to UPEACE, of what exactly is going on in Egypt, here's a short re-cap: Mass non-violent protests and demonstrations force Egypt's President,  Hosni Mubarak, to resign.  OK.   OK.  That's really short.  You have probably seen images in the news and heard some stories.  Most popular images would include the Christians protecting the Muslims as they prayed in the streets and tanks hosing protesters on the bridge.  And maybe you saw other victory parties or heard about Egyptians finally voting.  Yada yada.  The revolution happened one year ago a...

A cold Michelada on a hot day on Samara beach It seems so long ago, yet it's only been a week.  Vacation came and went in a whirl of travel, reading, sight-seeing, writing and finally relaxing.  There is something so special about the beach, about the ocean.  I get a sense of calm and relaxation that has been rare and difficult to embrace during this year of intensity.  Traveling is not vacation.  Maybe it is, but it wasn't relaxing.  Especially when you are on a budget and staying at hostels that cost $10/night.  Comfort is not included in that price.  Traveling is my specialty, however, and I can't handle leaving a rock unturned.  Adventure and me have had a long and successful relationship. So, the beach.  Upon arrival, I found myself.  My wonderful self who laughs easily and hasn't a care in the world.  Easy going is not synonymous with Jenn Manhoff except for on the beach!  I traveled with Sharon from Israel an...

2012 is supposed to be a year of positive transformation.  The world and it's inhabitants are going to take a turn for the better!  Dreams can come true.  Altruism is not superfluous and we can all grow spiritually and mentally in this new age of positive energy. I can not think of a better way for me to have brought in this year than with an indigenous celebration surrounded by inspiring and kind people, nature, simplicity and adventure.  My dream is to always be able to enjoy nature and have adventures that take me deeper into nature and into the best vision of the human spirit and our unique place in the world.  I love to feel humbled by the beauty and the grandness of our mother earth.  That is probably whey being in the mountains is so special for me.  Boruca , the indigenous community where I spent my new years, is situated in the highlands of Costa Rica.  I was lucky enough to have met and been invited by Allegra who works for the Peac...

Gardens in Boquette Here are some reasons that Panama is better than Costa Rica: People are nicer Cars stop for you when you want to cross the street EVERYTHING is cheaper You can buy Snyders pretzels in any bodega or grocery store Good cheese Easy transportation that is also cheaper Better clothing stores with many selections under $10! Panama hats I loved Panama.  I could have spent all of my vacation there.  The trip began with a bus ride down the Caribbean Coast to the border of Panama.  It's the rainy season on the Caribbean Coast and we were soon at a stand still behind a giant mud slide.  Since we were on vacation, it didn't matter much.  We pulled out our i-pods and sang Christmas songs.  It was kinda fun.  That night we stayed close to the border in a questionable hostel.  I almost cried.  It smelled like pee and we didn't get blankets so I had to wear a bunch of clothes and cocoon up in my stained sheets.  Ugh. ...