The last time my aunt saw me… I was 4 years old. Yesterday, at 64, we found each other again. There are moments in life that don’t ask for attention… they earn it. Yesterday was one of those moments. My son CJ and I took a three-hour trip up to Stormville, New York… not just to visit family… but to reconnect with a part of my life that had simply been… distant in time. I spent the day with my Tía Carmen and my Tío Julio… and from my heart… thank you. Thank you for opening your home. Thank you for opening your hearts. And thank you for receiving us with love, warmth, and generosity. I also had the blessing of meeting my cousins, Sharon and Stephen, for the first time… along with Sharon’s husband Dennis and Stephen’s wife Alicia. And just like that… what once felt like distance… became connection. My brother Tony came by… we sat together… shared stories… laughter… a beautiful meal… and something even deeper than all of that— we shared presence. And then… there was that moment. We recorded Tía Carmen and Tío Julio dancing salsa. Tía Carmen—89 years young. Tío Julio—in his early 80s, dealing with a bad hip. But when the music played… what you saw was passion. What you saw was rhythm. What you saw was life… expressed through movement, culture, and love. It was beautiful. For me, this wasn’t about fixing anything. There was nothing to fix. This was about something far more powerful— family. Coming together. Reuniting after decades. Being in the same room… at the same table… sharing life. My aunt told me the last time she saw me… I was four years old. Think about that. Sixty years later… here we are. And what made this even more meaningful… was sharing this with my son, CJ. For him to meet this side of the family… to see where we come from… to feel the energy, the conversation, the music… And to hear him recognize the similarities— educators… thinkers… the love of culture… the music that lives in both sides of our family… That meant everything to me.

you already feel it. Time is moving. Faster than you expected. You catch yourself saying it now… maybe even joking about it… “I’m getting old…” And you’re right. You are. You’re 40. And soon… you’ll be 41. I’m 64 right now. In a couple of weeks, on May 9th… I’ll be 65. So I’m not speaking from theory… I’m speaking from living it. And let me tell you something straight… Those 25 years between 40 and 65? They go by like one day. A blink. You already know this. Because you remember being 20… and now here you are. So here’s the question… What are you doing with the time you have left? Not someday. Not when things calm down. Now. I just recorded a short video where I share five things I do every single day to stay strong… mentally, physically, and spiritually. Nothing complicated. But everything intentional. And I made it short… on purpose. Because I know time matters to you. You’re in great shape… for the shape you’re in. And you’re never too old, broken, bruised, or beat… But you’ve got to start. Now. 👉 Watch the video. 👉 Then come back here and tell me… Which one hit you the hardest? Living Strong. Let’s go.

Let me ask you something straight… How is it that a man can train every week… lift heavy… put in the work… …and still struggle with something simple in real life? Getting up off the floor. Carrying something awkward. Moving when tired. I’ve seen it too many times. And I’ll tell you this right now— It’s not because you’re weak. It’s Something Else There’s a disconnect most people never see. They think: “I just need to get stronger.” But that’s not the issue. There’s a reason your strength doesn’t always show up when life calls for it. And once you see it… you can’t unsee it. I Broke This Down In Today’s Video I just dropped a video where I walk through: Why gym strength doesn’t always transfer The mistake most men over 40 are making (without realizing it) And what actually needs to change Not someday… This week. 👉 https://youtu.be/QFPK-xjXozA?si=R4MXKh01d5w_apGh After You Watch… I Want You To Answer This Don’t skip this part. I want you to be honest with yourself: Which of these would challenge you the most right now? - Carrying something heavy in one hand - Getting up off the floor without using your hands - Staying stable and strong on one leg Come back here and drop your answer in the comments. No judgment. Just awareness. Living Strong This is what I know… Most people don’t have a strength problem. They have a translation problem. Let’s start fixing that.

There are moments in life where you stop… and you just observe. Not as an instructor. Not as a leader. But as a man who has been on a path long enough to recognize when something real is happening in front of him. Yesterday was one of those moments. I’ve been in my community since 1998. Teaching full-time since 1999. Over 30 years on the mat. And what I’ve seen… what I’ve been a part of… has impacted not just hundreds—but thousands of lives. But here’s the truth… When we first started, this was just an idea. A belief. A theory that martial arts—done the right way—could help a child develop focus… discipline… emotional control… confidence. We believed it. We committed to it. But back then… it was still just a theory. --- Yesterday on the Mat Yesterday, we had a young man step onto the mat for the very first time. Great kid. Big heart. And like many kids… he needed support. Not just instruction. Support. Guidance. Structure. And what made this moment powerful wasn’t just about him… It was about how we supported him. Master Magill and I had already discussed a plan. Not a random approach. Not “let’s see what happens.” A plan. As the class began, we had about 20 kids on the mat. And here’s where the real work showed up… We didn’t stop everything for one child. We didn’t sacrifice the experience of the group. Instead, we did what we’ve trained ourselves to do for years… We moved as a team. Assistant instructors. Leaders in training. Advanced students. Young role models stepping up. Everyone understanding their role. Everyone supporting each other. Everyone contributing to the environment. And at the same time… We were supporting this one child—intentionally, calmly, step by step. --- The Moment That Matters At one point, Master Magill and I stepped off to the side. We didn’t say much. We just watched. The team was working. The kids were engaged. The class was flowing. And that young man? He was in it. Not perfect. But present.

Last night, I sat in the audience at Bristol Riverside Theatre for opening night of Jelly’s Last Jam… And I’ll tell you straight— I didn’t just watch a show. I stepped into a living, breathing experience. 🎺 The Living Strong Lens When I go into a theater, I’m not sitting there with a clipboard. I’m asking something deeper: Did they take me somewhere? Did they pull me out of my world… and bring me into theirs? And last night? Yes… they did. Opening night carries its own energy. There are nerves, there are moments still settling, and there’s discovery happening in real time. But by Act Two… They weren’t searching anymore. They were becoming. 🔥 Performances That Carried the Story The man embodying Jelly Roll Morton—Stanley Martin—brought a voice and presence that grounded the entire show. Forrest McClendon as Chimney Man… That voice didn’t just sit in the room—it moved through it. And Renee Reed as Anita… That Act Two duet? That’s where everything locked in emotionally. And I’ve got to say this as well… The Honeys. Three women who helped carry the storytelling alongside Chimney Man—and my wife, @Renee Chambers-Liciaga , as Honey Number Two. They moved beautifully through the show, guiding the story, supporting the rhythm, and yes… They looked fantastic. Confident. Expressive. And very sexy in the way the story calls for. Because this is real life being told. And Jelly Roll Morton’s world? It wasn’t polished. It wasn’t filtered. It was bold. It was human. And the show doesn’t shy away from that. And there was one scene that really stood out to me… An edgy moment—beautifully directed and staged—where Jelly Roll Morton and Anita begin their love affair. The way they used the bed… the music… the timing… the physical storytelling of that intimacy— It was done with taste, control, and intention. I remember when the scene began, thinking to myself, “Oh… they’re going there…”