Sunday Story…Short

And sweet.

To all of you in attendance last night for my Super Spectacular 60th Dance Yer Face Off Birthday Party…THANK YOU!!! It means a lot you were able to spend your time and energy with me in celebration.

To all of you who posted remembrances and notes for my “treasure” box”…THANK YOU!!! Thanks for taking your time to do that I will treasure them always. You can continue to post if you feel moved to do so at johnmariotti60thparty@gmail.com

To all of you who wanted to be here but couldn’t…THANKS for thinking of me! Your energy was felt.

To those of you who left card and gifts…THANK YOU!!! I will enjoy them all.

If you want to contribute to one (or all) of the charities my daughter, Shelle and her husband, Dan picked out for their wedding (and now my 60th birthday) go here:
www.justgive.org/Mariotti60th if the link doesn’t work be sure the M is capitalized!

And Finally some mentions:

To Eric Beichler…thanks for the ribs…they were perfect (as usual)

To Tim Woehr…great job on the catering the food was fantastic

To Julie Heath, Karen Sanderson, and Andrea Reich AKA the decorating committee…Super Job. The place was transformed magically into a rocking disco!

To Kate Cruickshank…words are not enough to express my gratitude for your presentation, all the gifts your friendship has given me, and the care you put into living your life. From the deepest parts of me…I humbly and simply say…Thank You

To Kiki Yardeni…you were right…worlds can collide and come together and create something totally new and amazing. Thanks for staying in the inquiry with me! Thank you.

And last but not least, to my business partner Ellie McKenzie…You have put up with and tolerated my crap for 3+ years. I know I am a pain in the neck and difficult to deal with at times. Yet here we are. I am grateful for everything we have been through and what we have created and the community around us that has come together. The best is yet to come! Thank you deeply.

John Mariotti
www.crossfitodyssey.com
www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com
775-338-2412

Sunday Story…Take a chance

Today. And take a chance every day, if you can. We often say when our ship comes in we will do this or that. We will finally have the space, the time, the permission to do all those things we want to do. The chances we want to take.

The fact is your ship may or may not ever come in. The planets may not align. Mr. or Mrs. Right may never appear. The stuff that really changes you, that shifts your life is rarely the stuff you plan for, study for or schedule.

No, the stuff that really makes a difference arises out of the not knowing, the spaces between, and the time when it has no chance but to appear.

At that moment your job is to take the ball and run with it. Seize the moment and make it because you are ready for it. Waiting for the next opportunity is silly. The opportunity is presenting itself because you are ready for it.

It is said when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. When you are ready the opportunity will appear. Shrink and so will it. Be bold and go forth, courageously and you will be rewarded.

Fortune favors the bold…Virgil

John Mariotti
www.crossfitodyssey.com
www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com
775-338-2412.

Sunday Story…Your Invitation to my Super spectacular 60th Birthday Party!!!

PLEASE HELP US CELEBRATE JOHN’S 60th
Date: Saturday October, 22nd 2016
Time: 6pm
Place: CrossFit Odyssey Box – 4202 W Lovers Ln, Dallas. Texas
Speeches, Formalities & Cake: 7.00pm
Dance Party: 8pm – 11pm
Please RSVP by October 19th to crossfitodyssey@gmail.com
October 4th, 2016
Today at 6:50AM I turned 60 years old. It seems like just yesterday I was young and now, well I’m not as young as I used to be. In many ways this may be one of the biggest milestone birthdays I have had. So we are going to have a “Super Spectacular 60th Dance Yer Face Off Birthday Party” for me on October 22nd. I have a special playlist that is going rock your socks off and get your butt on the dance floor, a committee to help with the festivities, and permission to pull out all the stops.


What I need from you…

Whether or not you can join me physically I would love a word, a song, pictures of us, a paragraph about you, me, or some memory that is especially meaningful to you. If you can send them to johnmariotti60thparty@gmail.com that would be great! We will sort them out and share them with the folks in attendance and figure out a way to share them with all of you as well. Please keep in mind this will be public so if you would to keep it between the two of us send it to me at johnmariotti@att.net. All the farm animal/Tijuana/unsanitized versions should go here!!!!

If you can join us that would be great. There will be a presentation shared with you all, a first public unveiling of the rough draft of my poetry collection, “Loveland”, a killer dance yer face off playlist from yours truly…. Wine, beer, spirits, ribs and appetizers, and best of all… A DISCO BALL! Yep you read that right…A DISCO BALL!!!!!!!! Feel free to wear your best disco clothes or nothing at all (lol) but get here for this party!

If you feel the need to ask about gifts…my daughter got married last summer and she and her husband put together a fundraiser instead of gift registry. As a very, very proud papa I am going to tag onto their fundraiser for my 60th.
So…go here:
http://www.idofoundation.org/mariotti
and check it out. They selected 3 charities near to their hearts, The American Parkinson Disease Association… The American Heart Association… Lung Cancer Foundation of America. My father died of complications with Parkinson’s and Dan’s (Shelle’s husband) mother died of lung cancer so these diseases have touched me and my family closely as they may have many of you. The least I can do on this milestone is give a little back in honor of those who can’t be here with us. I am very proud of Dan and Shelle for their selfless gift and am humbled they would allow me and my friends to contribute in some small way.

Lastly, palm trees. I need more palm trees in my life!

Hug the people you love, tell them you love them and live life fearless because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

John Mariotti and the “Dance Yer Face Off” committee

www.crossfitodyssey.com
www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com
775-338-2412

Sunday Story...Ism and Ist

We all have things we try to avoid…those things we don’t like. We hate _____(fill in the blank) about people. We hate when _____(fill in the blank) happens or so and so does that thing they do.

Some of these things are universal. People who do their best to “weasel” out of agreements, who set things up to be mis-interpreted so they can re-interpret in their favor, who are just generally slimy about their word and vision of reality.

Disliking someone or some group of people for a trait over which they have no control is not OK. In general I think most of us would agree with that. It is often an –ism…Racism, Sexism, Ageism. Hating a group or a person because of their gender, rac, age or any umber of other traits is a serious problem. We are all human. Some of us are tall, some short, some are pale and some are darker, some younger, some older, and about half of us have different body parts. It doesn’t matter…we are all homo sapiens…we are all part of the human race. One race.

If I don’t like you because you are a weasel you can take that personally. I don’t like your words, your behavior or your actions. It is about you and only you. If I don’t like you because of some trait you can’t control that is on me. That is MY problem…in that case I am the weasel.

If you don’t like –ism don’t be a -ist

John Mariotti
www.crossfitodyssey.com
www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com
775-338-2412

Sunday Story…I can’t

Yet. We used to tell the kids that “can’t” is a four letter word…don’t use it, it’s a bad word. It is also self-fulfilling. When you say you can’t or you can you are probably right.

You are right, quite often you can’t do a thing. I still can’t do the splits after almost 25 years of wanting to do them. That was the original quest, by the way, on this whole exercise thing I do. I was a red belt in TaeKwon-Do and really wanted to do the splits. Not only was it cool but it also indicates a certain flexibility useful in executing high kicks. So I read some books and one of them (a highly respected author) said if you want to do the splits you need to be stronger. And so began the journey I now find myself on. Somewhere along the way I stopped working on them very diligently but I am way stronger than I was when I started!

There is no reason I can’t do the splits. In other words there is no physical limitation standing between me and the splits. The thing that is standing between me and the splits is between my ears. I don’t work at it, I don’t set aside time for diligent practice so I can’t do the splits. If I really wanted to do it I could.

Stop saying I can’t. You can. IF you want to do it. IF you are willing to set aside the time and energy to do it. IF you decide to put in the work to do it. Start saying I can. Embrace your power to do all the things you want to do.

I can…

John Mariotti
www.crossfitodyssey.com
www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com
775-338-2412

Sunday Story…Stronger

Is better. Sometimes things boil down to something as simple as this: Stronger is better. We can all be a little stronger everywhere.

Before you sigh and shut this down I am not talking about lifting weights although being stronger in your body is also and always a good thing. Having a strong, healthy, well functioning physical body is a gift we should nurture and cherish.

I am talking about strength in the other parts of your life.
Mentally strong
Morally strong
These are two areas where stronger is definitely better.

Your mental strength will carry you through those tough times, the times where you don’t want to go on. Your mental toughness will determine if you fold under pressure or if you use that pressure to release something new, never before seen in yourself.

Your moral strength is what you stand on. This is your rock, the foundation that your life is built upon. When things get hard this is where you go for solace, for respite. Having strength in this area is foundational in life.

The real question is how to we get stronger in mind and spirit. We know how to get strong in body…strenuous exercise, clean diet, rest will get you stronger.

In order to get stronger in your mind you need to push yourself in to areas of discomfort…regularly. Just like the muscles in your body your mind needs to be pushed and challenged. Learn new skills, practice old ones, and do things you are uncomfortable doing. And then do it again until the uncomfortable becomes comfortable. There is a point when doing something that scared you to death the first time becomes commonplace, old hat. At that point it’s time to look for a new challenge.

Morally we need to strengthen ourselves with inspirational readings, constant introspection, and surrounding ourselves with people who will lift us up, expecting us to be better that we do ourselves. Gratitude, forgiveness, meditation, and prayers are our tools for improving our moral strength.

Physically, mentally, and spiritually stronger people are harder to kill. It’s simple…it’s not easy but it is simple.

John Mariotti
www.crossfitodyssey.com
www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com
775-338-2412

Sunday Story…Fight

The good fight. Every day for everything is going to be some sort of struggle. Almost none of us are blessed with perfect bodies that fit into perfect psyches that respond perfectly to the food we put into them, that we don’t have to fight and claw and struggle to be better today. As a matter of fact I don’t think I have met that person.

If you are lucky enough to know one of those magical beings my guess is that they are unhappy; that they fight the daily battle between being feeling a fraud and feeling entitled. Yes, I know I am beautiful, my abs are perfectly formed and my body is flawless without needing to bust it in the gym every day. That person is going to have to fight twin demons every day.

The rest of us, the not so lucky, lucky ones get to struggle for our results. Our results are tied to our efforts so when we succeed all the credit goes to our discipline, our commitment and our willingness to fail. When we get to our pinnacle no one can say we were lucky, that we weren’t deserving, or we were in the right place at the right time. When we get to the top there will be only hard work, discipline, and commitment to stand upon.

The struggle is real yet the struggle is where the satisfaction lies. Getting results handed to you cheapens the results and diminishes the accomplishment. Get up and fight for what you want. When you fall down (and you will) get up again. Keep getting up because if you don’t, if you don’t get up you will fail forever.

Fall down seven, get up eight.

John Mariotti
www.crossfitodyssey.com
www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com
775-338-2412