You know, life is funny. Some moments that you think are going to be memorable turn out to be unforgettable. And some moments that you were expecting to be mundane turn out to be the ones that you never forget the rest of your life. The other nite, I got overtaken by some of life's unexpected moments.  It would be a day I would never forget for as long as I live. Here is the story.....

The other day my ESL books finally arrived and I went to pick them up. Naturally, I was excited that to finally have them in my hand. When I got home, I thought that it would be a matter or glancing over them briefly to make sure all was in good condition and none were damaged. My plan is that I would skim through it, check the content, nod approvingly and then proceed to begin packing them into my suitcase. The last thing that I was expecting was the flood of emotions that would go through me the moment I cracked open the cardboard packaging that held my beloved books.

Sometime awakened within my soul as I held them in my hand, touching them, feeling them, skimming through them.  For those of you who know me well know that I do not get emotional easily. Do not expect me to cry while watching movies! And even when I do have emotions, I don't necesarily show them.  But this time I was caught off guard completely! It would take me sometime to gather myself and process what was happening and finally put it into words, the words you are reading right now. But I'll try and explain as bests as I can.

Main Entry: cat·a·lyst

Pronunciation: \ˈka-tə-ləst\

Function: noun

Date: 1902

1 : a substance that enables a chemical reaction to proceed at a usually faster rate or under different conditions (as at a lower temperature) than otherwise possible
2 : an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action

This is the merriam webster dictionary definition for the word "catalyst".  I especially like the definition "an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action" That fits in perfectly with what I am feeling right now, that a catalyst has been created.  As I held some of those books in my hand, something clicked inside of me and I realized that what I was holding in my hand wasn't just books, but rather seeds for the future.  I had basically gone to Chapters book store, ordered a package of seeds that I will be planting in South America. Seeds that will grow into something amazing for generations to come and by bringing the english language to this school and this church, it would open doors for many people to have opportunities that in previous generations was only a dream.

The sun has risen...
A new day has dawned...
A new era has come...
And a new generation is born.

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So I actually had a checklist of things that I must do while in Victoria and I must say that I haven't done too bad. If you're from Victoria, you're probably going to laugh when you see what I had on my checklist. If you're not from Victoria, consider this your guide to all of Victoria's best kept secrets.

Breakfast at the Blue Fox Cafe.................check

Having an "American Idol Benny" at Floyds Diner.........check

Enjoying delicious home made ice cream from "Sweet Memories"...................check (it's the BEST place in Victoria to get hard ice-cream. The best part is that it is that it is local and they make the ice cream themselves)

Sipping a London Fog while looking out at the ocean at the Ogden Point Cafe after just having had a stroll on the breakwater............check

Downing a delicious organic pizza at "The Joint"..........check

Strolling thru Fisherman's Wharf, feeding seals and digging in to the best fish and chip's in town at "Barb's Fish and Chips"............half a check (I went there but the seals were having a day off. And I wasn't that hungry so I only ended ordering some fries. But I can't leave Victoria before having either some pieces of halibut or a halibut burger)

My checklist is looking pretty good eh? Is there anything that I absolutely cannot miss out on doing while I am here in Victoria. Voting polls are now open.......


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 Nov 15/09

No, the title in the subject line isn´t "Church of the Rock". I´m not trying to make any Christian connotations here. By the word "rock", I mean "rock and roll". There is a movie called "School of Rock" and it is about this guy who turns all the classes in this school into lessons on rock and roll. Well, as of last nite it appears that I am attending a church who loves rock and roll music. Let me explain...

The church is holding a free rock concert on Dec 5th right in the middle of Plaza del Congreso. The event is called Rock & Vida and it is also a concert to bring awareness to the AIDS epidemic and it is part of our fight against it. Last night there was a huge party in church to promote the event. What I will tell you is that I have been to church and church events my whole life and never seen anything like it. Again, it broke every stereotype of people´s idea of a church event.

The event started at 10 last nite and the entry cost 25 pesos. And I can tell you right now that the price was every bit worth it. The event was located in the church´s main building that is located just outside the main city. It is the building I described earlier in another email as being very basic, like a warehouse with the walls and floors being made of concrete.

It was like having an event in an old warehouse or a gym but one that has a stage. There was some games set up for kids and there were some decorations in place. There were also some stations where you could by juice, pop, or water all night long. Above us, someone had set up one of those spinning disco balls and there were colored lights and music and music videos playing on a screen above. The ambiance actually was more similar to a night club or a bar. But I had no idea what I treat I was in for.

I knew I was in for something special when all of a sudden, some girls who were cooking in the kitchen would come out every so often with plates of empanadas, mini pizzas and all kinds of treats. They would walk around the crowd and offer them while people were mingling. There was a guy and girl who were MCs who were overseeing the entertainment that would be going on all nite long.

It was a blast. It was beyond a blast actually! This church actually knows how to have a good time and they really like rock music. Maybe it´s because our pastor is a musician himself and is a fan of many of the groups that have shaped American pop culture such as the beatles. The entertainment began when someone turned on music from the 70's such as the Bee Gees "Staying Alive" while some guys danced in front of the whole crowd to that music.

Later that night there were some musicians that got up on stage and began to play. It looks like it´s 3 or 4 guys who all play bass and electric guitars and they did a jam and it was awesome. These guys were definitely very professional and very well versed in their instruments. Before the jam, each one of them did one those things where they make really hot noises and sounds with all the cords on their electric guitars. Then when they all jammed together, what can I say? It was one hot rock concert they were giving!

The type of music they were playing and they level of professionalism that they had is easily the kind of music that you find in a club or a bar. When it is friday nite, you want something to do and you hear that there is a gig in town. Or there is a hot club where you and your friends want to go for drinks and as you settle in, there is a band playing on stage.

More shows of talent that nite was when a girl got up and sang. She was dressed quite "Burlesque" from the era where I think they had "flappers" She sang some songs from that time period and it had a real broadway sound to it. It didn´t take a genius to hear that this girl is very far advanced as a singer. Her level is one that you expect to hear when you buy tickets to see a broadway show.

There were more acts and more fun that night. The MC´s had the crowd dancing to "Rock Around the Clock". Some musicians got up who I have seen do the church music for the services. They actually did a live version of the "Staying Alive" and it was awesome. As you can tell by now, the theme of that night was rock and roll. By the time the event was one, it was 2:30 in the morning.

Everytime I discover something about this church, I grow to love it more. The thing that I love most is that that this church has not fallen into the trap of being in a box. When it times to be serious and pray, we do that. When we want to make a difference in our city, we dive in with our whole hearts into the mission. And when it is time to have fun, we really have SERIOUS FUN!!!!

I love it that these musicians can totally get up and do spiritual song stuff on a sunday and then play "Staying Alive" and embrace pop culture and there is no religiousity about it. They don´t feel that just because they've embraced a faith that now they are limited to a certain kind of music or a way of doing things. The church fosters and encourages people in their craft and to do really well. I have never been in a church that are big fans of rock and roll music and pop culture.

Another thing that I am loving is that this congregation is making itself relevant to the people, and the city and the times. They are actively involved in the city and working tirelessly to bring hope and solutions to the people of Buenos Aires and the people of Argentina. Social work and social responsibility are part of the fibres that make up the church.

They don´t just sit in a building on Sundays with a fake smile, talking about how wonderful life is and how horrible those people who don´t go to church are while ignoring the pain and suffering that is going on in society. Or when confronted with people´s pain, they don´t stand on a soapbox and preach to others and throw Bible verses at them.

No, CCNV is a church that loves to get it´s hands dirty and make itself relevant to the people and the times. And it should be no surprise to anyone that I ended up in a church like that. People who know me, know that I am deeply spiritual. I am also a philantrophist who wants to use my life to make a difference. I am also someone who enjoys life and people and this playground called earth.

The laws of attraction dictate that we attract the things that are like us. All my friends know that one minute I could be in church or having a great spiritual experience, and then the next minute when that is done, I might get a call from a friend asking me if I want to hang out and have a drink (or maybe half a dozen drinks......let´s not talk about that) and I´d be like "Sure!!!!!!!" I am not in a box and it should be no surprise (keeping the laws of attraction in mind) that I ended up in congregation that has a similar mindset.

One of the greatest revelations I ever had as a person while back in Canada is that spirituality and philantrophy are tied together. If we claim that we've had some kind of great experience, encounter, or enlightenment, the greatest evidence of that is that our hearts should expand to want to reach out beyond ourselves and touch others. Because the very nature of love is that it goes beyond itself and ventures outward.

I will never understand people who spend all their time in church or people who seek spirituality and read lots of books and spend lots of time in meditation or at conferences and when I speak with them, they have no care for the world outside of them. If the basis of all belief systems is love, then logically the more time I spend with "God" or some higher being (whatever you want to call it), then the more I should feel love and a desire to expand beyond my world.

The relationship between rock and roll, spirituality and philantrophy is very interesting. We aren´t the only people that for us, rock and roll and social responsibilty are related. Bono, the lead singer of U2 has been campaigning for years and has been deeply involved in the area of fighting AIDS. When I got up this morning, got out a little book I had bought in Canada. It is called "on the move" and it has Bono´s speech at a prayer breakfast accompanied by photos of his first ever trip to Africa.

I know that this man has been criticized and accused of different things when it comes to his motivation for his involvement in the fight against AIDS. But reading that speech inspired me and there is no doubt in my heart that this man´s heart is in the right place. What should society prefer that he do? Sit around with his millions of dollars and talk about his luxurious lifestyle? After all, thats all a rock star is supposed to do right? Looks like Bono decided a long time ago to burn the box that society would try to put him in.

And because of that, millions in Africa will have a chance at a future :)


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Very interesting........I am sitting here starting my Sat. morning by looking at all the stats of my blog posts and see which ones are being read and clicked on. And the results that showed for "Making the Same Difference" came as a surprise to me. The results are in and the winner is.......Church of Rock!?  It was an article I did in my early days in Argentina as I was getting what was my very first introduction to the Argentine way of doing church (which breaks every stereotype of what we think of "church" in North America) As well it was the beginning of my involvement with the church's biggest event of the year.....Rock & Vida.

Rock and Vida is free rock concert that is completely sponsored and financed by the church. The purpose of this concert is to create awareness for AIDS and it's deadly affects.  The event is held in a public spot in the middle of Buenos Aires where any passerby can join it. And the church arranges for everything, from the artists who they have brought in all the way to the food vendors etc.

People continue to surprise me! This is the first time that I  have had any indication that one of my olders posts are getting any kind of popularity. So for your convenience, I've decided to feature the article here in "Tango 2 the Moon". If you want to know more about "Rock and Vida", go to my main website and where there is a list of labels near the top of the page, just click on the label that says "Rock and Vida" and it'll bring up every post that I've written that is on the theme of "Rock and Vida"

Have a great weekend!

www.rockandvida.com.ar

Here I am once again in awe of some of the recent events that have occurred in the last few days. It was as of last nite that I found out that the girl that I had been taking out and doing activities with through Big Brothers and Big Sisters has won a scholarship. What makes this even more significant is that I had involvement in this.     I got an email awhile back from her mom telling me about this opportunity for Rachel to win a scholarship.

Being from a single parent home, a scholarship would make such a difference. And what I had to do as her big sister is that I had to fill out a questionnaire and give all the reasons that I thought Rachel should be selected as one of the winners. Having a writing gift came in handy because I can say things eloquently. So in a clear and articulate manner, I wrote about how I felt that Rachel had strong potential as a future leader in our community and in our country. I wrote about the strength of character that I see in her and how much she has grown and that she has so much to give. I also tried to paint a picture of her home life as much as possible and the struggle of being from a single parent home and having hopes and dreams even while coming from a background where there is little resources.

As of yesterday nite, I found out that she indeed was chosen as one of the winners. Words cannot express what that moment was like for me. Especially knowing that i had a part to play in this. My time volunteering with Big Brothers and Big Sisters may be coming to an end but for Rachel, the journey is only beginning. I am glad that my time with her has left her with more than just good memories, it has actually left her with a scholarship that she use to build towards her future.

You know, I've had many great and exciting moments these past few months seeing my blogsites grow and grow.  And it did bring me a level of happiness and satisfaction. But even with seeing all the hits on my blogsites, my greatest moment of feeling success and happiness as a writer pales in comparison to how i felt when I got the news yesterday nite.  Because it was in that moment that I came to realize that my gift as a writer has done more than just entertain, provoke, and inspire. My gift with words and ability to articulate has paved the way for someone's future :)

http://www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca



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Phew! What a nite that was....going to see SC live at Sugar and then writing a blog all about it!  I had so much fun and it was awesome to meet the boys. I went to church with some of the boys many years ago but we all went in seperate directions and haven't seen each other in a long time.  It was great to reconnect with them abit before the show started. And it would be for me a new learning experience on playing the part of "PR" (public relations) for Santa Clara and attending a show just for the sole purpose of being able to make a blog all about it.

It was also my first time ever in "Sugar" lounge in Victoria, B.C.  I would say it's a fairly decent place. The band certainly had a nice setup where people could crowd around near the stage as they were singing. I learned many things that nite about blogging live coverage. I arrived at Sugar shortly before the doors opened and because of that, there weren't many people quite yet. Which turned out to be a good thing. That enabled me to grab a seat close to the stage where I could observe the boys properly.

The moment that SC struck the first cord, my mind became like a video recorder. I was observing everything, the crowd, the interaction between the band members and the audience as well as with each other. All these things that my mind would be processing and storing are information that I would need later on when I am in front of my computer creating a view of their set at Sugar.  Like I said, it was an absolute blast!  And Santa Clara's professionalism blew away my highest expectations. I feel really privileged to get to be a part of the journey that they are on by actively promoting them through my blogsites.

 I would really like to sit down and have lunch or coffee with they boys one day. Who knows? I think it would be really neat to do an interview with them and then have the interview posted on either one of my blogsites.  They have lots of interesting things to say.And on that note, I would like you all to know that the twitter feed I have coming into this site is Santa Clara's feed, not mine. I wanted to let you know of that change just so that you don't get confused.  The boys have plenty of great things to say so I really encourage you to sign up for their tweets. I can promise you that all their tweets are none less than interesting.