Archive | January, 2012

Channel Your Inner Pup by The Handler

31 Jan

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In my professional life as a dog trainer, more often than you would expect, it is the owner and not the dog that gets the biggest lesson (and the deepest revelations) about their own personalities and habits. 
I have had clients tell me about how, in the process of working with Fido, they have grown to better understand their own emotions and the place from which they have come. 

I have received letters and calls from clients (and even a couple of paragraphs in a near-famous autobiography) telling me that they have not only solved their dog’s“wetting” of the carpet, but also how they now have a better understanding of their partners; how their kids could be more balanced and happy; and have even explored and resolved a few anger issues from growing up in a dysfunctional family. 
Dogs can sometimes act like mirrors. They take on not only our personalities but sometimes even our ailments! But they do so from a place of purity and childlike innocence that we should strive to imitate.
With this spirit in mind, I will offer a few of the many lessons that hopefully we can all use. 
Lets try to be the mirrors this time and learn from our canine friends. 

Live in the moment: Dogs learn from the past, but they don’t dwell on it, and they certainly do not sit there and get worried about all the “what ifs”. Most of our worries never materialize, so why torture ourselves? Enjoy the now! 

Forgive and forget: This is a hard one for us humans to do but so necessary to enjoy a happier life. Dogs are the masters of forgiveness, you might get mad at them and treat them unfairly but seconds later, they will kiss your face and wag their tails as if nothing had ever happened. When we keep hate and resentment inside us we are only hurting ourselves. I know is easier said than done, but is a good goal to strive for. 

Find joy in the little things: We are so overwhelmed with technology and an exaggerated sense of urgency that we forget to enjoy the little things in life. Watch a dog get excited about a car ride, even if it is just around the block! Or what about you coming back home again although you just left five minutes ago! Or tossing blissfully in the grass when the sun hits it just right. Learn to enjoy the little pleasures in life and you will be better able to enjoy the bigger ones. 

Express your feelings: Have you ever thought of a dog being a hypocrite, wagging his tail and licking your hand but secretly hating your guts? Dogs are very clear about their feelings and that is a beautiful trait. We live in a society where appearances seem to weigh more than being genuine. People play head-games with each other and get frustrated because in the process they end up lying and losing themselves. Be free! Don’t forget tact, but be genuine about your feelings. 

Don’t be afraid of making a fool of yourself: When we were children we were more like our dogs in this sense. If we found it fun to run around in circles we did it! We walked around with socks on our hands (or pants on our heads) because at that moment there were no rules about being happy and play was the ultimate expression of that. Soon we started to grow older and we got concerned about how others might perceive us and so we stopped playing and stopped being silly. Dogs never stop playing, humans should never stop either. Have fun! Be silly! You would be surprised how many others follow your lead. 

Be true to yourself: I am a dog trainer, and I can tell you something, if a dog really doesn’t have it in him to learn something, you can not force it. It doesn’t matter if it is a rottweiler, a Doberman, or a German Shepherd, if the dog doesn’t enjoy bite work he wont be a good protection dog and the signs are very clear! Humans should be the same way; if they don’t enjoy a certain career it doesn’t really matter if the family has done the same thing for generations. It is better to break the mold and be and exceptional at something else than to just be mediocre following family tradition. 

Love to the fullest!: Anybody that has ever owned a dog knows that this is their ultimate gift to us. Dogs are the incarnation of loyalty and true love. They don’t hold back for fear of rejection or to protect their egos. They just LOVE! Openly and wholeheartedly. I know it can be scary to love so openly, especially after getting hurt, but the benefits are so great that they may just make you stop being afraid all together.

Your Secret Is Safe With Me by The Baroness

30 Jan

“Why do I do this?…… well……. Because its HELLA fun!” – Old Super Hero

No truer words have ever been spoken. Seriously, we all have our reasons for being here and doing what we do. We all have our reasons for dressing up in costumes and being something else. Underneath all those “reasons” the fact remains that we all do this because it’s FUN! Well, it’s supposed to be. There are certain rules that we all have to follow to allow this community to function. Really it’s not much more than common courtesy and respect.

The biggest breach of that respect recently has been the outing of people’s real life identities. There is a reason we all separate this from our civilian lives. We work hard to maintain our anonymity. No one has the right to breach that line. No one has the right to attack you or go after people that are close to you. The people perpetrating this heinous misconduct should be widely ousted from the community. It doesn’t matter what side of the fence you fall on… be it…. “good” or “evil”.

With the influx of new people constantly coming into this community we have to show a united front. We have to make it clear that this kind of disrespect to any member of the community will not be tolerated. None of us can afford to lose our job; none of us want our family members to be threatened or hurt. Since when did it become ok to shirk human decency just because you put on a mask?

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Honey, You’re Beautiful by Moxie Gusto

30 Jan

In addition to being useful as medicine, honey is also a wonderful natural moisturizer for your skin. It is a humectant, which means it attracts and holds moisture. Honey is a common ingredient in cosmetics and beauty products for this, and many other reasons.

I make my own all-purpose moisturizer from coconut oil and honey. I use plain, refined coconut oil from the baking aisle of the grocery store (LouAnn brand), but you could spend more on unrefined, virgin, and organic varieties in the health food stores. I am happy with the cheaper stuff that I can also use to make really good popcorn and baked goods.

My moisturizer is about 90% coconut oil, 10% honey, and sometimes a few drops of olive oil.  You’ll have to experiment to find what you like.  It’s great on your face and hands, and even softens elbows and feet. Since it’s entirely edible, it’s also really good on dry, cracked lips.  I love it because it’s  simple, earthy, inexpensive, and my bathroom is not cluttered with bottle after bottle of ‘product’ – just one little jar!

Honey never spoils, and coconut oil is slow to oxidize, which makes it resistant to rancidity.  No more throwing away expensive products that have gone rancid!  Note: if your beauty products smell like old crayons, they are rancid and you need to toss them out.  Coconut oil has a melting point of 76F, so it will be solid in the winter and liquid in the summer. Just be aware of that so you don’t slosh it everywhere when you open the container in warm months. I know this and still make a mess every now and then.

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Choosing Your Battles – Wanna Fight About It? by Rock N Roll

30 Jan

“Any fool can criticize, complain, condemn, and most fools do. Picking your battles is impressive and fighting them fairly is essential.” ~Dale Carnegie

I live on an island. You have to cross two bridges to get to my home. I chose this location specifically because of its defensive positioning; because this island, and more specifically, my home are both well stocked, we have the advantage during a zombie invasion. Hey, you never know. (Just kidding. I picked this area because it’s a little slice of small-town Mayberry mixed with big-town conveniences. Plus, our island has the best food and drinks, and the friendliest merchants. But I digress.)

I was driving over one of the first bridges today and my motorcycle’s front tire seemed to wobble and veer a little more than usual. If you’ve ever driven a bike across a bridge, you know that there’s usually a steel grating to traverse, and sometimes this grating can grab your front tire and shake up your ride a bit.

Newbs tend to slow down over these grates and fight to keep the wheel under complete control. This is not only stressful, but ineffective, and potentially dangerous. They learn in time that it’s better just to let the wheel go where it will, with only the minimum amount of tension needed to control the direction of the bike.

I’ve noticed more fighting in this community (and like it or not, that’s what this is) than ever. Friends of mine are being attacked on and off of facebook, and everywhere I look, someone’s surprised at how crazy everyone else’s gotten.

Guess what? People are crazy. They always have been and always will be. Until the recent exposure to potentially thousands of people at once via facebook, we weren’t fully aware of how many people could be crazy, all at the same time.

And here’s another thing: there will always be someone who disagrees with you. Sure, you say, Of course there will! I know that! Yet somehow, someone’s always surprised at this revelation, and can’t move on until the perceived wrong has been made right.

And then you fight and fight and fight. And you justify this by reminding yourself that you are in the right. You might very well be, but the truth still remains that if you always fight for your perfect world, you’ll spend most of your life fighting battles. Does that sound like a perfect world to you?

Marta Driesslein, career strategist, says, “I share with my clients that they should strategically choose the battles that are worth the wounds. Most are not. The battles that should be fought should never be about us or posturing, or retribution for something, or someonethat wronged us. Unfortunately, most are.”

Think of the most level-headed person you know, someone who rarely raises their voice, or says things before giving them some thought. Not to call him out, but I believe my teammate Kory Schaubhut (EON) is just such a person. It can be said that many of us have yet to hear a malicious statement come from Kory. I’ve never heard the guy yelling at anyone, and I know I’ll never have to witness Kory unleashing his fury in a Hulk-like scene. During recent online “debates” (I’m in a good mood, I’ll use euphemisms), Kory was consistently the voice of reason positioned between two warring parties. His comments were peppered with more than a few attempts at bringing one to see the other’s point of view, if only temporarily. He’s not perfect, but his habit of pausing to consider before responding is something that we could all learn from.

And speaking of learning, how well do you know yourself? Written on my vanity mirror are the words “Temet nosce” and “Defigo temet.” Loosely translated, they mean “Know thyself” and “fix thyself.” I know what’s wrong with me now, and I’m finding more everyday. But I’m also learning how to fix myself. I know that my knee-jerk response to an unkind statement is usually something along the lines of “HULK SMASH!” But I’m working on it. All habits take time to develop and set into place. Are you someone who, in a fit of rage, can’t wait to give the offender a piece of your mind? Maybe you should keep that piece for yourself.

If you can’t adopt a greater spirit of acceptance towards those whose ideals differ from yours, at least learn some new, healthier ways to handle your reactions when faced with those differing viewpoints.

Try the age-old technique of counting from 1-10. Try breathing and letting go of excessive emotion. This doesn’t mean that your reaction was incorrect, it just means that you might have too much of a response going on right now to be commensurate with the offense. Once your head is calm, more clear, you can ask yourself these things before responding, especially if your response will be in the written form.

Are the consequences of this argument worth it?

What’s the conflict really about? Is there an underlying issue?

Can this argument solve something?

Are you fighting just because you feel you’ve been challenged and can’t let it go?

Do you always have to have the last word, or are you a big enough person to just let the conflict go?

Ask yourself, “Am I really right? Does it matter if I’m right? Is there really a ‘right or wrong’ for this issue?”

Is this something that’ll matter in a month?

It’s true that, of all our emotions, anger is the most stressful, the most taxing. If you are constantly angry, constantly bickering, what part of you is left for the things and the people you love?

Reserve your battles for truly important issues. You may want to fight for justice when someone has been harassed, abused, or slandered. You may want to fight for an issue that will make your community a better place in which to live. You may want to fight for a new law that is more just. Do not waste your time fighting with those who can’t hear you, are unreasonable, or are focused on a goal that has nothing to do with you. In the words of Sun Tsu, “Choose your battles wisely, and do not fight battles you cannot win.”
READ: Do not fight with trolls.

Re-evaluate your priorities, choose your battles wisely, and practice thinking before acting. The steel grates of life will always try to steer your wheels in another direction; just relax and calmly ride it out. Sometimes, that’s all you can do.

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Compassion Into Action by Misery White

24 Jan

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This started as a letter I was going to send to Ben, a.k.a. Power Boy, after recently meeting him and his family at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Ben was undergoing tests there to determine status of progression of his ALD. ALD refers to Adrenoleukodystrophy, a rare hereditary disorder that affects the brain, adrenal glands, and myelin sheath which insulates many nerves in the central and peripheral nervous systems.

To find out more about Ben, ALD, and how you can contribute to alleviate some of the out-of-pocket family travel and boarding expenses needed for increased Mayo appointments, please visit “Power Boy ALD Awareness on Facebook.

As another means to learn and show support, observe Rare Disease Day, Feb 2, 2012, with “L.O.V.E.: Let Our Voices Echo.” On this day, patients and families will share their stories to focus a spotlight on rare diseases as an important global public health concern. Among those included (these are just a few): Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS); Muscular Dystrophy; Adenoleukodystrophy (ALD); Down Syndrome; and Cerebral Palsy.

I dedicate this article to Power Boy, my teammate and my friend.

Before I was old enough to go to school, I was also a regular visitor of Mayo Clinic. I was born with a kidney disorder that doctors wanted to learn more about. They wanted to help me feel better, but because my condition was rare they needed to do many tests and I spent a lot of time getting poked with needles and having little plastic cups glued to my skin. Most of the time the doctors and nurses explained what they were going to do in detail and in words I could understand, but sometimes they didn’t and I got scared. My mom and I lived alone and she had to work, so I spent a lot of time in the hospital alone, even overnight.

One night, when I was really tired and trying so hard to be strong and brave, I started crying and couldn’t seem to stop. I was alone in my room and over the door I saw a black spot and was positive it was moving. I was really afraid of spiders and there was a spider, right over my door! Nurses came in and tried to calm me down, but I was crying so hard they couldn’t understand what I was saying. I didn’t want them to leave me alone in that room with the door shut, unable to move with the I.V. tubes hooked up to my arm and a spider there that could come crawling down the wall while I was sleeping!

A very kind nurse came in and tried to make me feel better. She held my hand and hummed softly. It helped a bit and I was able to breathe easier. It didn’t last long though, because she left and the spider was still there. Another nurse came in and when the door shut she actually yelled at me and told me to quit acting like a baby and scaring the other children who were trying to sleep. I didn’t like her. I had taken medicine and was so sleepy, but fought the urge to close my eyes.

The nurse I remember most is the one who came in and didn’t say much. She smiled warmly and looked into my eyes. She watched me and saw where I was staring–above the door. I tried to point but I was so very tired, my arms felt like they were two huge bazookas hanging off my shoulders. Nurse followed my gaze up to the space above the door and pointed right to the spot that was the spider. I moaned a little to try to tell her to be careful, that there was a spider there. She got a funny look on her face and finally spoke. She said, “Honey, are you looking at that black spot up there?” I nodded. “Does it make you afraid?” I nodded. I whimpered, “Spider” in a tiny voice. The nurse got a chair and stood on it, pointed to the spot again and then (I couldn’t believe it) she put her finger right on the spider! “This isn’t a spider Honey, it’s a nail in the wall. See the other ones here, and here, and here?” She put her hand on all of the spots and I was so relieved I got tears in my eyes. I was finally able to stop crying, give in to the medication, and allow myself to sleep and get the rest I needed.

There are things in life that scare us or make us nervous. It’s best to talk to people we trust and let them know what those scary things are. Learning more about what is really happening can take the fear away. Having people support you can help keep you strong when you feel alone because you know that even if they are not standing in the room with you, they are thinking about you and wanting the best for you.

The nurse that held my hand and hummed for me made me feel comforted, and I’m grateful to her. But the nurse that touched my heart the most and the one I remember best, is the one who looked deeply at me and my problem and put my fears to rest. She was as compassionate as the first nurse, but she put her care into action and showed it to me.

Encouraging words can be priceless, but as “heroes” we also put caring words to caring action. We “show” people we value them. The combination of word and deed is important for all Real Life Superheroes.

I may be grown now, but I still think about the nurses and other kids at Mayo. They are forever in my heart. I hope you have people that have inspired you and helped you that remain in your heart. If you ever need someone to show you that “the spider” isn’t real I want you to know that I am one of the people you can call on.

I know that you, Power Boy, have inspired many, many others who do, and will, always keep YOU in their hearts, prayers, and good wishes. You are now in mine.

Thank you, Ben.
Health and happiness to you today and every day,
Miz White

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Héros et Artistes

16 Jan

Featuring some of the breathtaking artwork that graces the RLSH facebook community pages. Enjoy!

This week we feature works by Sujin Lee, Zero, and Red Light.

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by Sujin Lee

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by Zero

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by Red Light

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by Sujin Lee

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by Zero

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by Red Light

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by Zero

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by Red Light

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The Latest News That’s Fit to Publish

16 Jan

ø Three of our favorite couples got engaged last year! Our congratulations go out to Josephine Venture and Joshua Stone, Misery White and Blue, and The Baroness and Kaptain Blackheart. We wish them many happy years, good health and smooth sailing!

ø And speaking of smooth sailing, we at S.T.A.N.D. would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest staff member, and bringer of all things deadly and delightful, The Baroness. We look forward to her insight, candor, and we hope she keeps The Eye from burning our building down.

ø Project HOPE 2012 is gearing up for launch in July. Be sure to follow its progress and save your pennies for the trip to San Diego.

ø The 1st Annual RLSH MXC Challenge is also underway, to be held during the HOPE 2012 weekend. If you’ve never heard of a Most Extreme Challenge, just click on the link. Obstacle courses, prizes, fun, a barbecue, and even a hot female wrestler in pudding! All for a good cause. (Charity TBA) Let the games begin!

ø Thanks to the generosity of the community, over $1500 was raised to help Power Boy get into the Mayo Clinic for testing and treatment. This is just one of the great things we can do when we all work together!

ø Olde School of the The CAI, (the California branch of the New York Initiative), is gathering socks for a large homeless handout in the San Francisco bay area. If you’d like to contribute, check out his page.

ø You can catch the Roaming Eye of Doom’s new radio show here.

ø And click here to enjoy the Superhero Academy blog talk radio show.

Anything we forgot? Just let us know at

Basic Training Pt. 3 – Preparation

16 Jan

Happy New Year!! Are you prepared?

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So you want to be a badass superhero or superheroine, do you? What do you picture yourself doing? Rushing in and beating down the bad guys who are currently beating down the good guys? Catching the serial robber/rapist/killer that’s been terrorizing your hood? Saving the damsel in distress?

That’s pretty darned noble of you.

Now, how do you plan on doing this? Do you picture yourself getting off of work, grabbing a quick bite and then gearing up and heading out?

And once you come upon one of your much-imagined (dare we say, hoped-for) scenarios, how do you see the situation playing out? Are you alone? Are you armed? Do you travel in a group? What are your duties? Who’s got your back? Who calls 911? Do you physically confront the bad guy? How do you know if they’re armed? Is there more than one person?
What happens if you get hurt? What happens if your teammate gets hurt? Does everyone have your emergency contact’s number? If you have a spouse and/or children, do you have a disability or life-insurance policy in place? How will your family get along without you?

And supposing everything goes as well as planned,

Are you prepared to speak the police and give them your full, real name? Are you willing to talk to any press? And later, are you willing to appear in court to testify?

If you’ve got all the answers to these hypothetical questions, congratulations! You’ve done your homework. You’re one of the rare few that might actually be mentally and physically equipped to take on the role of real life superhero.

If you notice any of the above questions are lacking a detailed answer, it’s time to put the gear away and become better prepared. Without adequate preparation, you open yourself and your team (if you have one) up to a veritable plethora of worst-case scenarios.

Even if you don’t plan on confronting crime, it’s a good idea to be well prepared for your next handout or fundraising drive.

A New Year brings with it a tabula rasa for those of us who need to make new starts, new resolutions that add up to being better people. Now is the time to make your plans, and to plan to be better prepared for as many different scenarios as possible. We can’t forsee everything that’s around the corner, but to not attempt to prepare for the things that we know that might befall us is foolish.

A daily mantra (taken from my dojo) is:

It could happen to me. It could happen today. If it happens, I’ll be prepared for it and I’ll act on it.

This is just a little list of the things we can do to help ourselves, and after all, how can we best help others, if we can’t help ourselves?

For all emergency medical situations: CPR, CERT, and First Responder courses

For emergency/disaster situations: CERT, go bags, emergency plans

For going out on patrol:
Mind: clear mission objectives, knowledge of local laws, de-escalation tactics, calming techniques, awareness, and scenario training
Body: self-defense, medical kit, flashlight, communications, protective wear and gear, more scenario training

For going out, non-patrols:
Mind: clearness of thinking, objective, route, good thoughts and intentions, awareness
Body: physical fitness, protection, positioning

An additional link to get you started: 10 Ways to Be Prepared

If you spend an hour each week on becoming better prepared for this RLSH role that you’ve adopted, you’ll spend less time worrying about What if? and more time taking care of what’s next.

Honey: A Simple Home Remedy

16 Jan

Honey is an excellent home-remedy and has been used for thousands of years to treat open wounds, burns, ulcers, sore throats, and dry skin. There is evidence that honey was used medicinally by ancient Egyptians and Greeks, Native Americans, and many other people all over the world. Aristotle spoke of honey as a salve for wounds.  Midwives have long used honey to aid in the healing of tears after childbirth.

Honey is antimicrobial, antibacterial, and a natural antiseptic. It contains an enzyme called glucose oxidase which produces hydrogen peroxide, when combined with water or body fluids. Honey helps keep the skin moist, encouraging the growth if new tissues and may reduce scarring. Honey dressings are easy to remove and don’t stick to the skin.

Honey soothes a sore throat.  Taking a spoonful of honey can help suppress a cough, soothe a sore throat, and help fight infection. Not only is honey antibacterial, it has anti-inflammatory properties as well.   Children can tolerate honey and you will likely have an easier time administering a spoonful of honey than spoonful of over the counter cough syrup.  Note: NEVER give honey to infants, as there is a high risk of botulism.

Honey has been said to induce sleep, and it -really- works for me, so that’s another reason to try administering a spoonful of honey to a sick child at bedtime.  It will soothe their throat, relieve coughs and help them sleep.

Raw honey is best, because it hasn’t been heated and filtered like the commercial honey you find in the grocery store.  Heating honey destroys the enzymes and lessens the medicinal properties.  However, the honey I buy is produced in my area, and is heated but not high enough to be pasteurized. I know I’m losing some of the beneficial properties this way but I’m supporting a local business and I’m happy with the results of this lower priced option.  I’ve read that regularly taking local honey over a long period of time helps build up a resistance to local pollens and reduces seasonal allergies.  I’ll be sure to report on that once I’ve been at it long enough.

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Think Before You Leap by The Baroness

16 Jan

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One of the most important things about being a part of this community is personal accountability. Contrary to popular belief, it applies evenly across the board.

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Whether you tag yourself as an RLSH, X-Alt, Costumed Activist, Mask or Villain the most important thing to remember is that behind the masks we are all just people standing up and trying to be heard.

“If you hang out with chickens, your’re going to cluck and if you hang out with eagles, you’re going to fly.” ― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Whether you like it or not you are always being watched by someone. Before you say or do anything always be prepared for the possible fallout. Every action has an equal or greater reaction. It is your responsibility to everyone in the community to act in a manner befitting of the mask. When you put on your costume you have to be above reproach. You have to be the super you. Whether you are on patrol or on a heroes’ forum, take the moral high ground. Be respectful to everyone.

The other side of the coin is holding each other accountable. If you see someone stepping out of line it is also your responsibility to do your part to shut it down. I know from personal experience this community attracts all kinds of people, some good, some not so good. Whether or not your heart is in the right place, your head should always be. Think before you act, speak or leap. Ask yourself whether or not your behavior is inappropriate before you actually execute that behavior. If you choose to ignore this advice do not be surprised if someone calls you on the carpet. Even if you are not accountable to yourself your peers will hold you accountable to them.

Let’s not forget you are wearing the uniform of a hero. A uniform that is recognizable and universally known as “the good guy”. If you choose to abuse that power you are disrespecting all those who have worn it before you, leaving a black mark on those who wear it with you, and will be judged by those who will wear it after you.

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