May 26, 2023

Welcome back Flockers. It's Memorial week, the last weekend of May. Let’s remember our friends and relatives who have fallen in the name of our country, whether it was your father, your brother, your mother, my auntie, or yours. Let’s think softly of them this weekend.

Next, we're going to flow into a reminder that our teacher Hayward Fox is always there for us, and as we get sad and feel brave, perhaps we will want to do some of his meditations. Don't be shy to click in.

Then, we're switching up adventurers, we're going to visit the life and times of Angela and Jim Gannon. Jim himself is a Vietnam veteran. Who, sadly, got gravely wounded and spent three years in rehab. He healed and went on to become a multi-time completer in the Iron Man World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. He has four grown and very successful progeny and the warmth of his wife who has been by his side day in and day out. They have sailed across oceans and survived, and they are wanderers. See below to learn more. We'll have a series on the Gannons and where they go. This week we're going to start with their travels going back in time. They are now in Turkey, having just left the safari lands of South Africa.

Then we'll go into our usual Wellness and then take a shift and make some suggestions for some family trivia games and look at some positive social trends amongst the next genners, and also look at a local treasure, the Loop bike path here in Tucson.

After that we'll tend to our greatest fan, my husband Michael. Say your prayers, he's healing five broken ribs. He's always an ultra-star.

Thank You and have a wonderful week!

The high priestess of rock and roll has passed but will never be forgotten. Importantly she found what she wanted, a shared deep love with a treasure of a 2nd husband and lasting soul mate!

Yes, love has everything to do with it.

From: The Hollywood Reporter, By: Deborah Walker, May 24, 2023

Tina Turner, the trailblazing rock star who set world records for ticket sales — and whose dramatic triumph over domestic abuse and the music industry itself made her a feminist icon — has died. She was 83.

Turner died Wednesday “after a long illness” in her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, her reps announced. “With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model,” they said.

An electrifying live entertainer who sold 200 million albums and won eight Grammy Awards, Turner rose to fame in the 1960s as the centerpiece of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, a St. Louis blues band turned high-wire rock act.

From: History.com, By: History.com Editord, April 20, 2023

Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date General Logan had selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. The change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.

In The United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia fallen Veterans are honored on Remembrance Day, The Sunday closest to November 11, in remembrance of the World War I armistice November 11, 1918 at 11:00 am.

From: Royal British Legion

At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month – we will remember them.

The Armistice, an agreement to end the fighting of the First World War as a prelude to peace negotiations, began at 11am on 11 November 1918.

Armistice is Latin for to stand (still) arms.

To this day we mark Armistice Day around the United Kingdom with a Two Minute Silence at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month.

“Remembrance poppies” are worn and displayed as per a tradition inspired by the Canadian poet John McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields:”

In Flanders’ fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place: and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

—John McCrae: In Flanders Fields

Why is this day special to Australians?

In 1997, Governor-General Sir William Deane issued a proclamation formally declaring 11 November to be Remembrance Day, urging all Australians to observe one minute silence at 11.00am on 11 November each year, to remember those who died or suffered for Australia's cause in all wars and armed conflicts.

On 11 November at 11.00am, we will pause to remember all of the men and women of the Australian Defence Force who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

From: Time, By: Noah Rayman

Americans remember the men and women of its armed forces who have died in service every year on Memorial Day, always the last Monday in May. Heralding the beginning of summer in the U.S., Memorial Day is an official national holiday that has its roots in the memorials for fallen soldiers in after the American Civil War, still the country’s deadliest conflict.

In other countries around the world, Memorial Day-style observances are rooted in an even deadlier fight — The First World War. World War I, which began a hundred years ago and became one of the deadliest conflicts in history, spawned national memorials throughout the British Commonwealth and elsewhere (in the U.S., the end of the war is commemorated with Veterans Day, formerly Armistice Day). In still other countries, a memorial holiday remembers the war dead of more recent conflicts.

This week, we would like to share with you some of the wisdom from the Institute of Personal and Transpersonal Knowledge website. for more insights, simply visit the site with the link below, and follow the page-by-page links through the website. 

We can learn to see our self, not as our histories and stories and not as our established way of being, but rather as a dynamic opening that allows and enables the flow of life experience. Careful observation reveals the transitional nature of experience. In time our bodies are changing, thoughts come and go, emotions appear and disappear, nothing is established or fixed. Seeing our self as a dynamic tendency in time challenges and transforms the sense of separate self as established and fixed.

We can note that fear, irritability, impatience, criticism, and judgement—all the rubs of our life—are passing through a constricted psycho-physical space or opening. As we attend to our self in this way it becomes clear that more open conditions allow beauty, light, love, and kindness. With knowledge we can learn to regulate the openness of our condition. No longer bound by fixed identity we can enjoy the freedom of flexible knowing.

This week we begin a new series chronicling the travel adventures of two more friends of the Flock. Jim and Angela are old friends from Kailua Kona Hawaii. Thy are adventurous by nature and once sailed from Australia to Hawaii, and later from Hawaii to San Diego, California. Jim is a Veteran of the Vietnam War and while he was in Viet Nam, he survived a brutal attack from a Water Buffalo. After years of diligent rehabilitation, he eventually recovered enough to successfully complete Hawaii's coveted World Championship Triathlon of The Champions in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. All of this while starting and raising up a family of four, which has now grown to a family of maybe forty-four.

They are currently on a journey abroad and have been kind enough to agree to share their travels with us. Our first installment with the Gannons takes us to Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa.

Monkeyland is the world’s first free roaming multi-species primate sanctuary. Its mission is to educate and foster greater understanding of our primate cousins and the threats and challenges they are facing. Enjoy some of the photos that the Gannons Shared with us below.

Ringtailed Lemurs congregate together at the Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary

A mother Gibbon and her child at Monkeyland

A Vervet Monkey enjoys a snack.

Squirrel Monkeys frolic in the forest habitat

Angela Gannon crosses a suspended foot bridge in the forest a Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary

From Gluten-Free Living, By: Anita Fernandes, June 28, 2019

Gluten-free foods have become a fad and there is plenty of debate regarding the health benefits and risks of going gluten free even if you don’t have gluten intolerance. However, a gluten-free diet is an absolute must for those suffering from celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Gluten is present in almost all foods from bread and cereals to snacks, beverages and even sauces. While this can make it hard you to avoid products containing gluten altogether, it’s well worth the effort.

There are plenty of myths about the gluten-free diet but the one thing that is certain is that it offers tremendous health benefits for those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Here are a few of the health benefits of following a gluten-free diet.

From: Bicycling, By: Laurel Leicht, May 22, 2017

Walk down any grocery store aisle and it’s clear that the gluten-free diet, originally designed for those suffering from celiac disease, continues to be a huge trend in eating. Only about 1 percent of the population suffers from the disease—an autoimmune condition in which, rather than digesting gluten protein, the body responds to wheat consumption by attacking the small intestine—but research has found that 63 percent of people think going gluten-free might make them healthier.

If you think you have a sensitivity to wheat protein, consult your physician to see if changing to a gluten-free diet is the way to go. But if you don’t seem to have issues digesting gluten and want to slash it 'just because'—well, just because something is trendy doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a good choice for you.  

From: Johns Hopkins Medicine, By: Selvi Rajagopal, M.D., M.P.H.

There’s a lot of buzz around going gluten-free, with everyone from celebrities to pro athletes touting the benefits of a gluten-free diet. But these diets aren’t for everyone. Selvi Rajagopal, M.D., a specialist in internal medicine and obesity, explains the risks and benefits of cutting gluten and shares how you can make a healthy eating plan.

From: Piedmont Atlanta Hospital

Chili peppers are the perfect way to spice up even the blandest of dishes. But did you know these fiery little vegetables can also be beneficial to your health?

Chili peppers contain a compound called capsaicin, which causes the burning sensation you feel after eating them. But capsaicin also can also help to alleviate pain by depleting the body's supply of Substance P, a neurotransmitter that sends pain signals to the brain. 

Haley Robinson, a clinical dietitian at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, shares six ways capsaicin can improve your health.

From: The Cleveland Clinic, March 13, 2023

How much heat can you handle? That might be a question your buddy asks you at a party, urging you to give the hot salsa a try. Or you might see that social media challenge, where people record themselves eating super spicy foods. The reward? Video clicks and bragging rights and, sometimes, a burned esophagus.

Experts like urgent care provider Allan Capin, MD, caution that eating extremely spicy foods has health risks, especially when you’re not used to it. He explains the dangers and how you can ease the burning sensation in your mouth if you overdo it.

The following titles are age-appropriate books to introduce young readers to both the history and meaning of Memorial Day.

Today is a special day. Eli knows it’s important if he’s allowed to miss one second of school, his “hard-earned right.” Inspired by true events and told through the eyes of a young boy, this is the deeply moving story about what is regarded as the first Memorial Day on May 1, 1865.

Inspired by her own granddaughter Natalie, wife of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden tells a story through a child’s eyes of what family life is like when a parent is at war across the world.

When American soldiers entered World War I, Moina Belle Michael, a schoolteacher from Georgia, knew she had to act. Some of the soldiers were her students and friends. Almost single-handedly, Moina worked to establish the red poppy as the symbol to honor and remember soldiers. And she devoted the rest of her life to making sure the symbol would last forever.

From: Britanica

Take this 10 question quiz and test your knowledge of Memorial Day.

From: Fun Trivia

Test your knowlege of Broadway Musicals with this Quiz.

Your task in this quiz is to match the song lyrics to the musical from which it comes. Sounds simple? Hopefully!

From: Heywise

From the Vietnam War to Star Wars, the 1970s were a wild time. This infamous decade was ‘dyn-o-mite’ with a bunch of hilarious sitcoms and record-breaking artists. However, it was also tumultuous full of unnecessary violence and political outcry.

Maybe you were born in the ‘70s, or your parents were; either way, the disco-era was fun for all sorts of reasons from pet rocks to feathered hair.

On Sunday, May 21 Mt. Etna erupted in its largest eruption in 30 years raining ash down on the island of Sicily closing roads and airports.

From: Penn Live, By: The Associated Press, May. 21, 2023

ROME (AP) — Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, was erupting on Sunday, spewing ash on Catania, eastern Sicily’s largest city, and forcing a suspension of flights at that city’s airport.

Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, or INGV, which closely monitors Etna with instrumentation on the slopes, noted that cloud cover on a rainy day was impeding views of the eruption, which often serves up a spectacular display of flaming lava during the volcano’s not infrequent eruptions.

From: San Diego Magazine, By: Katy Stegall, March 20, 2023

Younger people are choosing sobriety more than older generations on a global scale. Studies show more people between 18 and 24 are abstaining from drinking compared to the early 2000s, and Gen Z is drinking roughly 20 percent less than Millennials, according to a 2022 study by Berenberg Research.

From: The Chronical of Higher Education, By:Kate Hidalgo Bellows, April 11, 2023

It was almost midnight on St. Patrick’s Day at the University of Michigan, and the party was in full swing. Inside, college students were stumbling and falling to the ground as the Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” pulsated through the room. A line ran out the door, filled with eager faces looking for a good time.

No, this wasn't a fraternity mixer. this was Sober Skate.

photo: The New Bar, Meredith McCabe

From: USC Annenberg Media, By: Meredith McCabe., March 7, 2023

Gen Z is interested in cutting back on alcohol consumption for a variety of reasons. Non-alcoholic bottle shops offer an alternative.

Gen Z has jumped on yet another trend. But this time, it’s not low rise jeans or matcha lattes or hot girl walks. In fact, this new movement might surprise you. And as Meredith McCabe reports, businesses are catching up to the trend.

From: Souhern Arizona Guide

Pima County has completed The Loop in Tucson metro with links to Marana, Oro Valley, and South Tucson. Pima County residents and visitors on foot, bikes, skates, and horses can enjoy the more than 100 miles of shared-use paths that have already been completed.

The Loop connects to parks, trails, bus and bike routes, workplaces, schools, restaurants, hotels and motels, shopping areas, and sports and entertainment venues. Over 48 public works of art grace the pathways. Look for the “Arrow” painted on the pavement pointing the way. You can download a map with pictures and placements of the public art here.

From: pima.gov

Stroll, ride or run along the Chuck Huckelberry Loop and you're likely to spot more than desert vegetation, wildlife and fellow users.

On the Rillito River Park, a whimsical steel sculpture of bats on bikes pays tribute to the Campbell Avenue bridge where bats roost. A three-panel tile mural created by local students can be found along Santa Cruz, offering a historical homage to the Spanish Explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and Jesuit Missionary Padre Eusebio Kino. And a sculptural arch spanning the Julian Wash - Joining Hands - tells the story of people coming together in a joint enterprise.

From: Tucson.com, By: Mamta Popat, March 12, 2021

Troy Neiman and Zach Lihatsh are the artists who created "Subarial Embrace," a new public art piece installed just south of the Rillito Race Track on The Chuck Huckelberry Loop. The sculpture is made out of mild steel and concrete stucco and provides protection for a bike/pedestrian barometer. The project cost $130,000 and was commissioned by Pima County and the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona.

This week’s Pet's Corner features Molly & Bean, two twelve year old rescue furbies. These lucky pups get to call our own "go to nutritionist", Kimberly Gomer of Body Beautiful Miami their mom.

Molly & Bean, best of friends.

Melt my heart Molly.

Hello Bean, who's there?

Molly & Bean, just chillin'.

I'm looking forward to sharing more of your personal stories - oral, written, or otherwise, as we enter our second year. I'd so love to present them to the flock, hit a mailbox below to share your story.

Its time tend to our greatest fan, my husband Michael. Say your prayers, he's healing five broken ribs. He's always an ultra-star and I know he'll quickly recover from this because he is truley an Ironman. 

Holualoa Ed Fit Wellness & Culture 2

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