Mind Scraps: Hitting the Notes or Touching the Soul

Saturday night Playa del Carmen hosted a pre-concert for its International Jazz Festival coming up in November. The main attractions for the 2010 summer highlight includeded smooth jazz singer/songwriter Phil Perry and renowned jazz pop singer Bryan McKnight. Admittedly, I don’t know Perry’s music too well. His performance was fun. I felt his heart and [...]
Graffiti Prophet in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Not new news. But new to me… I love how this story demonstrates that wisdom and courage can come from the most unexpected sources. I love how it illustrates that practices commonly labeled as “taboo” or “bad” can be used for good. Finally, it’s yet another testament of the power of art and expression. The [...]
Soul Freedom to Sing, Dance, Praise, Love
This was passed on to me by La Cebollita and La Mariposa. I’d like to share it here: May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you [...]
Mind Scraps: Pin Ball Chaos and Sailing Mercury Waters
Life is a pinball machine and I am its muse. With one springing shot, I am sent tumbling and whirling through a chaotic tangle of flashing lights and ringing bells. One minute I’m catapulted up, feeling as if I’m gloriously free and flying… the next I come crashing back to the ground sounding off loud [...]
RIP: Human Rights Defender Bety Cariño

Tragic news like the murder of two human rights workers in Oaxaca, MX leaves me feeling frustrated, exasperated… yet more determined to believe that this world can change. Thanks to La Cebollita who forwarded this info on to me: Human rights defenders in Mexico paying with their lives, warn UN experts Human rights defenders in [...]
Venture Capital Tips from Fred Destin

Ishac Bertran recently attended the Lift10 conference where he and his fellow collaborators exhibited their Linyl project with much success. (No surprise there.) Ishac also compiled some most useful notes from a lecture Fred Destin hosted about Hacking Venture Capital. The workshop was divided in two parts: “Pitching and getting through the deal selection process” [...]
Small Clicks to Make One Think
The latest video from my mastermind friend Ishac Bertran begs one to ponder the simple processes and tools we take for granted in our daily lives… Check it out:
Mind Scraps: Give Drink to the Thirsty

Flashback… During my first few days in the barrancas in Chihuahua, MX I was like Alice in wonderland, marveling at the fish-eye night sky, the majestic rock cathedrals and the exotic Rarámuri – who in their neon-colored blouses, loin-cloth like skirts and biblical sandals seemed to be from a prehistoric epoch. In my eagerness to [...]
Mickey’s Spiritual Odyssey
My latest article to be published on HalogenTV: Book, Film Shed Led Light on One Man’s Spiritual Odyssey Laura McNamara He walked thousands of miles on a quest to find himself. After a trying life journey that took him from preaching at the pulpit, to a mental hospital, to homeless in North Carolina then led [...]
Al Cielo with Del Sol Photography
Just wanted to share a compelling video of Al Cielo that Wonder Boy and Photog Beauty put together to give a clearer idea about my magical experience with this extremely talented and inspiring couple:
Mind Scraps: Night Runs Along the Surf
Just a quick note about my magical moment today: I walk out of my apartment door and turn down the hallway until I reach the ramp that leads to one of my complexes three pools. Weaving between the shadowy palm umbrellas, I arrive at the gate that opens onto the beach. When my feet hit [...]
Mind Scraps: Friends with Fish
My first morning at my beachfront abode, I woke to the lulling sound of the waves. I had left the sliding door in my room open all night, so that I might feel the breeze caress me while I slept. I slept like a baby. I had plans to meet the Angelic Voice out on [...]
Mind Scraps: UFOs over the Riviera Maya
The first night at my new beachfront abode… suddenly the five young men I would be calling my roommates for the next two months all became excited little boys. “Come out and look! Quick!” They were on the outside terrace where one can relax and drink in the stunning view of the gem-shaded Caribbean sea. [...]
Mind Scraps: Dreams and Life’s Sweet, Ripe Cherries
After a most promising and invigorating Skype conversation with the director of the photography agency I will be prospectively working for, I was eager to meet the highly-recommended man on the ground. The owners of this company, a Scottish woman and her French husband, operate from London. Another young French man, the same age as [...]
Mind Scraps: Natural Symphony at the Sea

A musician in Chihuahua connected me with the Musico Magico in Facebook when he found out that I was headed to the Riveria Maya. Now that I had finally made it to Playa del Carmen, I called him up to see if his offer to rendezvous was still good. It was more than good. “Come [...]
Mind Scraps: Powerful Women on Isla Mujeres

Cancun, a young city with just 40 years, is highly commercial. High-rise hotels, giant malls, flashy clubs and luxurious houses line the coast. More clubs, touristy restaurants and local food stands alike and lower class houses interspersed with the occasional luxury house make up the city center. Across the sea, less than 60 minutes away, [...]
Mind Scraps: Beauty and the Beauty

Alone in Stud Photographer’s room, I was caught up in an internet trance – a phenomenon common to my generation. Catching up on emails, editing photos, writing, skyping with friends, and facebooking all at once. Stud Photog had gone out… for what, I wasn’t sure. My plan was to head to Playa del Carmen (about [...]
“Laura Rico” Debuts in Guate Film
Check out the trailer for Aqui Me Quedo… you just might see a familiar face… for a whole 2 seconds!! Hahaha The project was filmed while I was living in La Antigua, Guatemala:
Mind Scraps: Tag-Team Photogs

I took some shots of Stud Photographer in action while I was a part of a recent personal photo project of his. The idea was to take portraits that demonstrated personality and then pair them with portraits of the same people with words written upon half of their face. The words describe how subjects perceive [...]
Mindscraps: Rooftop Serenade
In an attempt to catch up on some highlights of my two weeks in the Riveria Maya, I begin with my personal, rooftop serenade from two beautiful young souls… The plan was to finally have a night out with my host, Stud Photographer. We started the pre-festivities at his house – on the rooftop with [...]
Mind Scraps: Pondering the Peaceful Warrior
More quotes and commentary from reading, Sacred Journey of the Peaceful Warrior: “The journey itself creates the warrior.” That’s why I travel. “A troubling feeling was growing inside me, but I didn’t have the words for it yet.” Felt the same way at poignant times in my life. It’s good. It’s an awareness. I sign [...]
Mind Scraps: The Three Selves
The book I’m currently reading, Sacred Journey of the Peaceful Warrior, outlines that what is human is actually an embodiment of three distinct beings: the Basic Self, the Conscious Self and the Higher Self. Each has its unique traits that are precious and valuable. The trick is to discern which traits to let guide you [...]
Mind Scraps: Powerful Eyes and Dead Eyes
Throughout my two and a half months here in Mexico, I’ve seen various military trucks rumble by with soldiers hanging off the back. Camouflaged cloths shroud their mouths and matching helmets cover their heads. All you can see is their eyes. There’s something irresistibly alluring about a covered face that shows nothing but its eyes. [...]
The Butterfly Circus

This short film moved me to tears. Ele, from Chihuahua, is the one who shared it with me. I suggest all watch the work: The Butterfly Circus Click here to link to the project’s Facebook page.
