Grassroots Report

This weekend was interesting and wonderful. I was available for 3 hours, on four consecutive days to teach our “Couples’ Exam Class”. If I were to numerate the amount of people I taught, it would not appear to have been a very successful weekend. However, if I were to instead talk about the depth of gratitude I received; it was a resounding success.
We realized early on that couples did not approach the Healing Arts Tent very often. It was more like people went shopping for an individual experience there. So, we made a flyer, and Luella walked up to couples throughout the festival.
The flyer says “Learn a New Position” on one side; and on the other side it has a list of the 11 things to watch for in a visual exam. She’d spend about 30 seconds to a minute telling them what we were doing, and where. With this we were getting the message out, without people having to commit to a class. They left with information, and at least the concept that the monthly exam could be a joint endeavor. By Sunday we had people coming to the Healing Arts Tent if only to tell me that they were excited about the work we were doing.
Another breakthrough that occurred was that I developed a talk for single people. I can easily tell women how to do this more effective exam, and I just mention the reasons that we like to teach couples. I also taught a couple of men, by showing them the three levels of pressure for the finger-pads, on the backs of their own hands. With some data about which areas need the most attention, a tactile aid of rock salt for what a suspicious lump feels like, and a list of what to look for in a visual exam, these guys were empowered to help keep their partners healthy.
(I must say, they all still want a T-shirt that announces somehow that they know the Brother Lemonade Couples Exam System.)

As for the funny story of the weekend … Steven was doing Reiki (Which is an energy exchange healing system.) on someone, and a woman in white was just outside the tent watching him. She then came in and stood right next to him and kind-of lurked over his shoulder. She whispered to him … “raise your hands ½ centimeter.” He did, although he noticed no change in the process he was involved in. She then whispered one of two things; Steven is uncertain. She either said “Your Spirit Guide is and Indian.” OR “Your Spirit Guide is an Idiot.”
She came by a few more times over the weekend, but had no more messages to deliver.

The Barn

Yesterday was our first day at the Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance. The Healing Arts Tent is a casual set-up, where people volunteer their services; be they massage, Reiki, acupuncture, or our couples exam class.

However, I’m really here to tell you about The Barn. The Barn is about 150 years old. Ruth and her husband Peter were never farmers, just artists and activists with a family. Consequently the barn became a magical structure rather than one with mundane farm functions. The old corn cribs became “Midget Village”. There is a General Store, with shelves full of little food containers, a Post Office & Bank, with piles of stickers that look like stamps.
Upstairs are 5 bedrooms, where the family lived in months when the weather was nice.
Peter Kahn was an artist, so the upper floor has a great-room, where the entire north face wall has been replaced with windows; which provides the best light for painting. Downstairs you can slide the doors open on the north and south sides, for another fabulous painting space which allows room for works on big canvas.
There is a little kitchen, 2 burners, an electric teapot, and a sink where the taps are reversed. The shower has reverse taps also, which lends to the campy, leaning walls funhouse appeal of the barn. The floor is made up of so many different elevations that one must be mindful of every step. This has the added benefit of allowing you to notice the 20” wide hand-hewn floor boards.
Ruth mows about 1.5 of the 5 acres she has here. She specifically mows paths through the meadows, so that you can walk amongst the fireflies in the evening. The tall meadow patches are full of butterflies during the day and fireflies in the evening. Her tomato plants are taller than she is, but well tended. Since it is the peak of summer the daylilies are in full bloom. Last year we were here in June, and the Peonies were absolutely amazing.
Loretta is set up in a corner downstairs, working on a couple of paintings, while Luella’s butterfly wing project is spread on the floor. Luella is going to wear the butterfly wings to Burning Man this summer.

The Barn is a funny little landing-pad for traveling friends and their projects. I’m honored to be welcome here.

Road Trip!

Sis and I are hitting the road today to take the Brother Lemonade message to the Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance.


The event won't begin until Thursday, but we're going to beat the traffic, and make sure we're rested and grounded before the event begins. We'll stay in the Magical Barn / Studio / Summer Bedrooms which belong to Ruth Kahn.

Our dear friend Loretta is currently working on a painting series in the barn's studio, so we'll not only get to spend some time with her, but we'll be in the midst of a creative whirlwind; I am sure. Here's a link to another series of paintings she created while at The Barn.

We're loaded for bear. Phil has made sure we have ice chests, water, and a nice wagon to ease the schlep. We have plenty of flyers printed up for the Couples Exam Class, lots of business cards with the soon-to-be official website address on them, staple guns, screw guns, you name it. I just have to tear myself away from the computer long enough to get my personal things packed.
Besides, we need time to make sure we have cute pink toenails before going to an outdoor event.

And to that end my friends, I will bid you adieu ...

The Brother Lemonade Breast Cancer Initiative, Inc.

... is a nonprofit, based in NYC (or soon to be anyway). Right now it's mostly based in my computer, and in the hearts and minds of some incredibly powerful, creative, and wonderful people.
The organization is dedicated to helping create communication and community in relation to breast cancer issues.

Our Mission Statement:
To provide playful, fun and imaginative tools for the detection of breast cancer, which facilitate open interpersonal communication, and a freedom from fear.
To make possible fearless breast cancer experiences, by providing people with efficient systems with which to support their friends and family along a cancer journey.
To help people to make Lemonade out of life’s Lemons.



Our core initiatives are:

The Couples Exam Class ... which changes the framework around a breast self exam, from one of Fear, to one of Love, and True Partnership. Exams happen more often, and early detection saves lives... 'nuff said.

The Lemonade League ... which provides tools for building a support team around someone that is involved in a cancer journey.

Art Card Program ...
Shower Cards (Breast Self Exam, or BSE cards), are usually one of two things: Boring, or Scary. We’ve taken on the challenge of reworking this model into a fun, beautiful, and empowering visual experience. Our goal is that shower cards become so beautiful they cannot fade into the décor of your bathroom. Successive versions will expose new artists and styles. We will link to these artists from our website, and make available earlier editions of the shower card series.

Lemonade Lens ...
A link to "Good News" It's out there, there is simply a coverage shortage. With this we are collecting and disseminating articles and news with the "Making Lemonade Attitude.




I'm in the midst of take-off here.
Lessons for myself are: letting people help me, and letting go of control enough to let something be bigger than I am imagining.

It's a wonderful ride.

today's update

I have been working on a lot of things for the non-profit Brother Lemonade Breast Cancer Initiative ... Everything from finalizing my 30 minute Couples Exam class to writing web text.

Yesterday I recorded myself giving my lecture/class on a digital recorder. (Yay, I love new tools!) It was the first time I had heard myself giving the class, and the first time I'd run through the class after the most recent batch of tweaks. I'm very pleased with the result. I just burned it onto a CD so I can aim for making the presentation without relying so heavily on notes.

This is important because I'm going to teach the class next week in Trumansburg, at the grassroots Festival of Music and Dance http://www.grassrootsfest.org/trumansburg/
I have been invited to teach the class a couple of times a day in the Healing Arts Tent. This is made a little more interesting by the fact that the Festival has a blanket "NO" to non-profits, as they typically get approached by about 50 that want "table-space" to promote their cause. While I was happy to be allowed to teach the class, as I am convinced it saves lives ... I find it inspiring that they've invited me to volunteer (so that I don't pay for admission) ... at the Healing Arts Table, specifically so that I can inform people about my class. I'm at a table-space with a show that allows no table-space. Very Funny, but also consistent with the kind of magic that follows when I align myself with this project.

I am currently in Tuxedo, NY. where we live for the summer in order to operate our businesses at the New York Renaissance Faire. The Faire is only open on weekends, and we're about an hour outside of NYC. This should allow me to approach some yoga studios in friends' neighborhoods in the city for more class venues (on weekdays). I can crash with my friends before or afterward and get some city-time in.

We're planning a Board of Directors meeting in late August in NYC, which will be a lovely opportunity to see friends I haven't seen in awhile.

As for the webtext, I'm mostly done. I subbed out some of the work to Sis, so between the two of us we're making good headway. If I'm fortunate (and I AM a fortunate person), I will get some photos for the website while at Grassroots.

You can be certain I'll post a link when it's online.

Maiden Voyage

I've been remiss in creating an effective way to stay in touch with people ... There are so many people I care about.

Truth be told, I was better at keeping people updated while I was in treatment for breast cancer ... and the news I have to share is SO much better NOW.

To that end,
a blog is born.

Rhonni