Living The Present Moment

02/25/2025

Join the community for a relaxed playful retreat to inspire your creative flow, ignite your joy, and release stress. Access the attitude of play to create better mental, emotional, and physical well being through laughter, stories, found object drumming, touch painting, and more. Lodging and meals included. May 15 - 18, 2025, at Hope Springs Institute, Peebles, Ohio. RediscoveringPlay.com

10/26/2024

The Tamiami Tale Tellers perform at FGCU on WED Oct 30 at 6pm with "Our Stories: Exploring the Depths" featuring Mary Lou Williams, Lisa Leonhardt, Pamela Minton, Marilyn Graham, and myself as emcee and storyteller, Joel Ying. fgcustorytelling.com

08/17/2024

I make my bed every morning. Sometimes a simple act can ripple through your day. Sometimes a well-placed word can change your life. I don’t remember the name of the motivational speaker that came to my middle school auditorium decades ago. I don’t even remember the topic of his speech. I only remember his answer to the question that he asked us, “Why should you make your bed in the morning?” … Answer: “You deserve to get into a well-made bed at night.”...

I make my bed every morning. Sometimes a simple act can ripple through your day. Sometimes a well-placed word can change your life. I don’t remember the name of the motivational speaker that came t…

08/01/2024

Living the Present Moment - August 2024 -

You are a college student, 19 years old, hanging out with friends, walking around town, horsing around, and just back from Thanksgiving break. Someone sees a parked electric commuter train, and somehow it seems like climbing on top would be a good idea. Like climbing a mountain, seeing the world fro...

07/31/2024

In the Fall of 2020, walking onto campus again after isolation during a pandemic, I had a smile on my face. The day was beautiful, sunny but cool, which is rare in South Florida in August. I was happy to be back teaching storytelling in person and back in the classroom. I walked by a bus stop. The bus driver and I locked eyes for a moment....

In the Fall of 2020, walking onto campus again after isolation during a pandemic, I had a smile on my face. The day was beautiful, sunny but cool, which is rare in South Florida in August. I was ha…

07/30/2024

Bamboo is strong, but flexible. Bamboo will bend and not break. Bamboo is resilient. In response to recent violence against Asian Americans, Nancy Wang and Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo decided to create an interactive community program to address discrimination and racism. This husband and wife team perform together as Eth-Noh-Tec, tandem storytellers that weave words and choreography together. I recently attended the…...

Bamboo is strong, but flexible. Bamboo will bend and not break. Bamboo is resilient. In response to recent violence against Asian Americans, Nancy Wang and Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo decided to create a…

07/22/2024

You are a college student, 19 years old, hanging out with friends, walking around town, horsing around, and just back from Thanksgiving break. Someone sees a parked electric commuter train, and somehow it seems like climbing on top would be a good idea. Like climbing a mountain, seeing the world from above, changing perspectives… You've done stranger things than this before....

You are a college student, 19 years old, hanging out with friends, walking around town, horsing around, and just back from Thanksgiving break. Someone sees a parked electric commuter train, and som…

07/01/2024

Living the Present Moment - July 2024 -

While Ozempic may threaten to bankrupt the U.S. healthcare system, the recent approval of the weight loss drug by the Japanese medical authorities will not be the same money-maker for Novo Nordisk. While 42% of American are obese, only 4.5% are obese in Japan.

06/29/2024

This personal story is dedicated to my mom, Vivienne Ying. This is the current working version of a story that is evolving. I like to think of it as version 2. At some points along the journey, a story feels like it is ready to be shared. Enjoy!

This personal story is dedicated to my mom, Vivienne Ying. This is the current working version of a story that is evolving. I like to think of it as version 2. At some points along the journey, a s…

06/28/2024

While Ozempic may threaten to bankrupt the U.S. healthcare system, the recent approval of the weight loss drug by the Japanese medical authorities will not be the same money-maker for Novo Nordisk. While 42% of American are obese, only 4.5% are obese in Japan. What is so different about Japan? Is it genetics? Is it their food culture? For many, food is cultural and comfort; however, eating habits are also learned....

While Ozempic may threaten to bankrupt the U.S. healthcare system, the recent approval of the weight loss drug by the Japanese medical authorities will not be the same money-maker for Novo Nordisk.…

06/27/2024

"There is a balm in Gileadto make the wounded whole.There is a balm in Gileadto Heal the sin-sick soul..." In the ancient biblical city of Gilead, there was a healing salve that was said to cure anything. This balm has faded into myth and legend, and today the term "Balm of Gilead" has come to mean a "universal cure." This Spiritual tells us that there is a universal cure that will heal the oppressed ("the wounded") and that very same cure will heal the oppressor ("the sin-sick soul")......

“There is a balm in Gileadto make the wounded whole.There is a balm in Gileadto Heal the sin-sick soul…” In the ancient biblical city of Gilead, there was a healing salve that was…