"MASTERFUL MASSAGE! (Shameless Self-Promotion)"
July 6, 2007
Hey my friend. I was just surfin your page and wanted to say hi. Check out the picture of us back in 1984! "JamSki in da place to be!"
Love and Mad Respect, Rauly
SENSEI
AwwShucks!Love and Mad Respect, Rauly
Unsu...
January 26, 2007
It is so fabulous to reconnect with ma pinoy ninja poet brotha!
We met in San Francisco, what like 15 years ago, working in the trenches as Greenpeace canvassers (remember how much that sucked?) I was one of the first people to witness Russell's, ahem, SENSEI's reunion with Sufiism... It was so beautiful--like him. This led me to find, among many other things, Rumi and Qawaali music. (Thank you SENSEI--this lumpia's for you!) To know Russell is to flat-out adore him. He's someone you just can't ever forget. xoxo!, Bridgid December 26, 2006
At this point,
all I can say about our Sensei is that it sure is an Honor being a part of his Dojo. Salamat * September 22, 2006
Late night conversation ………with Sensational Sensei
Sensei removes his glasses, swivels his chair slowly away from his computer screen....... His safe resting place for formulating love Sensei ‘s mind Dances like lighting Transcending his keyboard Revealing intellectual thoughts in a soft keystroke An Olympian Sensei belongs to the world Sensei is electrifying, enticing An earthquake Shaking my wire. Moving my emotions into playful mischief Ear to ear breath to breath Cyber foreplay exploding into energy Our umbilical cord to love Words eagerly embrace Expanding our reach of love Moving spirit, inspiring others Advocating and encouraging The integration Of all people of all colors This is late night conversation With Sensational Sensei In between telepathic telephone and computer keys To Russell 2005 With affection Lola May 14, 2006
To the Hip Hop and ya don't stop.
KRS1 siad it best... "Rap is something you do....HIP HOP is something you Live!" April 25, 2006
No bad days :)~
April 24, 2006
Wow, I just had the best massage of my life!! Thank you!!
December 20, 2005
I was blown away from the minute I got onto this man's massage table. Russell spends time asking you the right questions about your body and then gets to work. His vast knowledge of different modalities is what really impressed me. Russell is a very special person indeed, I look forward to getting my next massage from him. I am still floating from the last one.... Namaste~
July 7, 2005
Okay, I am floating!! I am a happy happy camper. I just received the Sensei touch and feel so very lucky. My body feels so well tended to. Not only that, but what an incredibly healing touch this wonderful being has!! This Massage was a little over 2 hours long and I could have gone longer. Sensei employs a myriad of techniques (Swedish, Shiatsu and others). He is a gifted healer and I would absolutely and utmostly recommend his Massage to all.
June 23, 2005
BOW TO YOUR SENSEI!!!!! Ok I will try........but first you need to get your stuff out of my locker because I need room for my nunchuckas. Sensei gives that best massages, and he is such a great person, and one of my pillpino people. All I have to say is he is the bestest and I feel honored to have him as my freind. MUAHZZZZZ to you my pillipino brother!
June 9, 2005
i was watching Napoleon Dynamite last night, laughing my ass off...
When Rex yells, "Bow to your Sensei! BOW to your Sensei!!!" I couldn't help but picture you in a pinoy flag version of his American pants. May 17, 2005
Sensei puts the "Slam" back in "Islam"!
May 5, 2005
Sensei eez ze fluff ov myne lyfe. Wen hee eez knot pixxxing ze dingleberries fur mee, hee recites heez pooetry und mayketh mee arrrrrrooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Git yoo sum Sensei, grrrrrrrlies. April 18, 2005
Sensei has treated me like a brother from the day i meet him. I have very very few friends in this world and most times hang alone but sensei is one i could hang with everyday. i'd do anything for this man. Sensei I love you bro
December 23, 2004
He's awesome... He's the first person I go looking for to say Hi to when I'm out prowling in the city
Diana December 16, 2004
This enDarkened creature is like no other.
Damn Sensei! Is there no limit to your spiritual wealth? August 8, 2004
Several friends told me how "wonderful" Sensei was, and I decided to reserve judgement until I met him myself. He floored me the first day I met him, because it was immediately obvious what a beautiful soul he has. Now he's a partner in crime, incredible sounding board and my RumiMate. Spend an hour with him, and you'll see what I mean.
July 29, 2004
i would follow him into battle !
July 28, 2004
This spirit incarnate has a fine sense of the carnal and the spiritual. Fierce and sensitve simultaneously, Sensei is an artist of rare talent. His words, and the presence with which he delivers them, have the power to stir and move one's subtle energies in profound ways. His ability to move in and with his body with smooth stealth is astounding. He is a caring, giving, and appreciative friend full of surprises.
Unsu...
July 4, 2004
Sensei Steel Reza, is a brother from another planet, Reincartnated buddah-butttt, mystic teacher, survival against all odds, a man with 9 lives, wild man, two-hand buttt man and all around "Magic Geek."
You have taught me a great deal that I am thankful for. Sincerely, Ms. Heart San Francisco June 4, 2004
Sensei is an amazing person. He blends his spirituality, his sexuality and his creativity into a mind blowing medley of paradoxical delights.
Ask him to tell you the story about the mango.
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Word is Bond
If anyone is on Twitter, set your location to Tehran and your time zone to GMT +3.30. Security forces are hunting for bloggers using location/timezone searches. The more people at this location, the more of a logjam it creates for forces trying to shut Iranians’ access to the internet down. Cut & paste & pass it on.
Sat, June 20, 2009 - 6:49 PM
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Is it just me, or does anyone else notice that Romantic Comedies have a streak of racism?
Sat, December 27, 2008 - 4:28 AM
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(photo: Bill Murry in Sophia Coppolla's Academy Award Winning 2003 film "Rost In Transration") 
Election year. Election year. Here we are again... but I have to confess, the Democratic primaries have been fun. I'm going to kick off with a couple of confessions...
Mon, April 21, 2008 - 7:53 AM
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#1 I was a Bill Clinton supporter, and, as such, I rooted for Hillary's senate run... that was up until she made a few unsavory statements and one statement, in particular, when John Walker Lind was being brought up on charges of treason. I'll talk more on that later if you like... #2 (-and this one is going to be a hard one to admit...) I was a John McCain supporter at one time... early on... before I really knew enough about him and way before he started joking about camel jockeys and bombing Iran. I was raised in a military family and to see this guy who emerged from the POW camps was impressive. Don't get me wrong: my hat goes off to the guy for surviving and for being a war hero, but he's become such a little ball of anger and vengence that I worry about the prospects of him becoming our next president. I am very worried about it, to be honest. #3 I was an early Colin Powell supporter, hoping he would run for president, even though I was critical of his involvments in the Vietnam war (Mai Li in particular), I looked at the whole Vietnam thing as a terrible mess that had many Americans doing fucked up things. Unfortunately, we found him in a comparable situation with the war in Iraq. His misguided, misinformed "Weapons of Mass Destruction" speech to the pentagon was one of the most horrible things I've seen in American politics. Not only because of the blatant deception on the part of the Bush Administration, but also seeing Colin Powell being so completely duped by his Commander In Chief. To say it was heartbreaking might make me sound like a wuss, but I will say it. It was heartbreaking. #4 Despite all those former leanings (-of which I've kept private) I maintain that I am economically Socialist, governmentally Democratic ("Its not the best form of government, but its the best we have"), environmentally Green, and ontologically Anarchist (-who has the right to interceed or cohearse in anyones relationship or concept of the Divine?). On many points I can be regarded as liberal. On some, I am definitely conservative. I don't do bandwagon politics. I try to pay attention to the issue over the personalities. I know that putting any of this out there will alienate some of you, as we, the people, have very strong feelings about these things. At the same time I also know many of you are apolitical for valid reasons. My apolitical friends ask me why do I still concern myself with policy? I can explain it in one image... Seeing Nelson Mandela walking out of prison. In my last blog entry here I pointed out the first awakening of political activism when I was a teen. It was the boycott of South African products. The oppression of Apartheid was so strongly present in my mind as a youth that it deeply affected my outlook. I saw it as an international manifestation of the same kind of racism I was facing here in the United States. I also payed heed to Dr. Martin Luther Kings words "Oppression anywhere is oppression everywhere". I was literally unable to buy or wear anything from South Africa once I understood what was going on over there. After all the years knowing about Nelson Mandela's imprisonment the day he was released from prison was one of the most joyous events I had seen! I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by many like-minded and like-hearted people in San Francisco. We had the sweetest celebration! Where am I now? Well, without going too much into it, I will simply say this: I now support Obama and I feel more than fine doing it. On almost all the issues I'm with him, and the ones that I don't agree with he simply won't have much say in the matter as much of our laws are decided on local and state levels. I am also very impressed with how he has kept up a very decent campain despite all the mud that's been slung his way. Obama has my passionate support for president of the United States. Hope is no joke (you hear that, Hillary?) Change is our only sane choice. Both are absolutely what we need. (On another note: As I was so joyful seeing Mandela walking out of prison I hope to live to see Cheney walking into it. Then, I will die with the satisfaction of seeing the scales of justice so beautifully balanced.) 
How do we get out of the consumerist cycle of exploitation? We start by fessing up to the problem and admitting our own participation in it. From there, we can come up with creative solutions to this social and spiritual dillemma.
Mon, March 10, 2008 - 6:53 PM
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When I was in high school I remember a boycott being called on products coming out of South Africa. This was back when apartheid was in full-effect and Nelson Mandela was still in prison. The boycott caught the attention of an entire generation of consumers and I can recall not buying the then-in-fashion Rebok sneakers (I was an avid breakdancer and my entire crew joined the boycott). It was one of my earliest exposures to activisim and conscious consumerism. As things are now, I do avoid purchases from retailers that employ unfair labor practices. It ain't all that easy. I can remember the disappointment going through racks and finding something that looked great, but having to put it back when seeing the label. Gap, Bannana Republic, Old Navy, Target, Nike... the shitlist goes on... but I had a special issue when doing my second hand shopping. I passionately endorse second-hand thrift shopping. Many second hand stores raise money for non-profit organizations. Goodwill, Salvation Army, Out-Of-The-Closet, and local operations like Community Thrift (big money for AIDS research) take the dread out of clothes shopping knowing that profits go to helping humanity and not to exploiting it. I remember years ago finding a clean, almost new pair of Nike's that fit me perfectly. I was in a quandry: Do I buy these shoes made in slave labor conditions or do I remain abstinent? I considered the pros and cons. I realized that Nike was not going to make profit off of this purchase, but that I would be wearing the product, in effect, providing free advertisement and preceived endorsement. I put the shoes on. Damn, they felt good! (-and you know how difficult it is to find shoes that fit second hand). My solution came to me in that moment: Buy the shoes and tear off the logo! I bought the shoes at an outrageously low price then took them home and proceeded to attempt to cut the swoosh off with an exacto blade. What I found was that these things are manufactured to REALLY make it hard to remove the label! The stitching was intrigal to the whole structure of the shoe! Well, not one to be thwarted from my intentions, I grabbed a black sharpie marker and drew a large "X" across the swoosh. I kinda liked how it looked! I then started to "X" all of the logos (and there were a few). People would ask me what the hell was that about. I got to tell them about Nike's messed up labor practices and about getting them at a non-profit second hand. People liked the idea. By the time I made it into the SF Art Institute as a student, the aesthetic was perfected and it became a part of my style as well as my statement. It is years later and I still "X" my labels. I feel that the second hand sale of a garment "exorcises" the corporate evil out of it and that the "X" is simply a manifestation of the exorcism and demonstrates a counter-endorsement and an anti-advertisement. Recently a guest at Harbin noticed the "X" on my label and thought it was ultra cool. She said it had that "D.I.Y." aesthetic that her kids were into. It was then that I realized that I just might be on to something. I want to popularize this practice. Being the activist that I am I want to tell as many folks about it as I possibly can. This includes you reading this blog entry here. Perhaps there will eventually be a website and maybe a YouTube vid, but this is a decent place to start. So, what you need is a black Sharpie "laundry marker" Just draw an "X" over the offending logo or label and Wallah! Your second-hand clothes are purified of the evil they were made of! (This also goes for the first-hand purchases you've made before going second-hand) So, you can now "cross your T (shirts)" and feel free from financing the greed and corporate exploitation! 
Remember that story about Sibel Edmonds?
Mon, January 21, 2008 - 11:17 PM
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The FBI translator that was dropping the dime on this (and other) governments crimes? Don't remember? Did you know in the first place? You wonder why? No need to beat up on yourself. It ain't because you're apathetic or apolitical or anything like that. It's more likely because there's been a media coverup on anything about her (including here on the internet). Well, a good friend of mine pointed this out to me (who was as much left in the dark as anyone) and showed me some mighty interesting things about Sibel Edmonds and the media coverup on her. Who is doing this? I think we have our ideas but who is complying with the coverup? That's a more interesting question. Anyone have ideas? This is important stuff. Yeah, sure it's an election year and we are all caught up who's personality cult is better than who's but important, no, VITAL stories get buried under all the whooplah and fanfare and we end up loosing perspective on the true state of the nation (and the world) that could influence our votes and concerns. Sibel Edmonds is a courageous woman who is standing up and standing out for truth and for our freedom, despite what many may tell us. She is not the threat to national security, our own officials are! Don't be confused: This is not only about freedom of speech, this is also about the crimes that governments are committing unchecked, unbalanced and unpunished, who subject others to laws that they, themselves, do not adhere to. We are a culture of Democracy. This requires an informed public and journalistic truth. It might even require being pissed off from time to time for being duped, deceived and lied to. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sibel_Edmonds www.justacitizen.com/KillThe...ger.html wecanchangetheworld.wordpress.com/ 
(pic: "Muse Reading a Scroll" Greek vase: 425-435 b.c.)
Mon, January 7, 2008 - 1:40 AM
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It's something like 1:40am and I'm feeling a little blue. Things are going ok but I'm not one for just "ok." I haven't written anything that I feel particularly excited about in what seems like a long time. It doesn't seem like writers block. It just seems... I don't know... like I'm uninspired. The thing is I'm usually the one getting people excited about their writing. Now, I'm the one who feels the dull pull of gravity upon my consciousness. I'm sure this is just a temporary funk but I sure could use some inspiration. I invite all of you to post your favorite quotes about writing and the joys of it. My mind has simply slipped out of gear and I'd love something to click into. Inspire me! 
I know its a little dorky to be this happy
Sun, December 2, 2007 - 8:33 PM
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about finding ones sleep pattern but I feel like I've found a vital key in my quest for personal well-being. I now sleep at 3 o'clock both AM and PM, for about 4 hours each allowing for two complete sleep cycles per 24 hour period. I've always been a bit of a insomniac and this predates any problems I had during college, so, one of the interesting things that has developed in this current lovely stage of radical self-acceptance is that I now embrace this odd sleep schedule I keep. I have frequently done night jobs including waiter, bouncer/security, nightclub stuff. This has kept me open-eyed during the wee-hours and one thing I will say is that things do get very odd during the odd hours. I have seen all sorts of insanity on the swing shift of life. I can write plenty about that but it also happens to be my preferred hours to write. The wee-hours are quiet, fewer distractions, minimal obligations. I love it. But something happens when you live entirely at night. Most of the world lives, works and plays during the daylight hours. I can remember what a struggle it was just to make an appointment or meeting during business hours. It would frequently leave me out of sorts. I felt like a zombie, an automated somnombulist out of synch with the world. Well, now I have sort of accidentally slipped into yet another form of paradise. I have been a long-time advocate for siestas. I think its natural to catch some sleep sometime in the afternoon. This isn't just opinion, but the fact that Arab, Hispanic, Native American and Pacific Island cultures have always felt the same makes me realize that I'm on point. The problem is that in the hyper-productivity of the AngloAmerican protestant overwork ethic we loose the afternoon nap. In one of my many efforts to decolonize my mind and outlook I took to napping with a stern militancy. When I was a teacher I couldn't do this but I knew that whatever I did after that It would require an afternoon hiatus. I ended up resuming my massage practice after I quit teaching. Naps were easy! I found that with naps I could stay up later and pick up jobs or write and get a bit more out of life. Now, I stay up late but I have found that at about 3am my mind starts to unravel. I don't know what this is about but in the years of my life I have found that most of the insane acts I've committed have happend at the hour of 3am. Something about that time is given to obsession and insanity. Now, this is fine if I am involved in working on a first draft of a poem or creative fiction, but it doesn't work if I'm around other people or doing some sort of mundane work like security, maintenance or janitorial. My mind starts to twist up and my emotions start to distort. Now that I like to do my office work in the early AM, I am now having to deal with this very odd ordeal. The solution came to me one night during this bout of lycanthropic madness... I can take a morning nap! That would keep me rested at the hour of strangeness. So, now I base my sleep pattern on "Zzz's on Three's" that is: I rest at 3pm and 3am. So, this means I can be both night owl AND early bird! And I also get TWO dream sessions to reflect on. It also feels like I live fully in two worlds: the light and the dark. I've always been shamanic in that way. I love being a "Daywalker" -that is, a creature of both day and night... 
I've been following the political developments in Burma (aka Myanmar) for some time now with intense interest. A great deal of this interest was due to reading of the plight of Aung San Su Kyi. Looking into her story, I caught the context of the country's suffering.
Fri, September 28, 2007 - 3:03 AM
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I had the very interesting experience of interviewing BowWowWow lead vocalist Annabella Lwin, who was born in Burma. Even though the parts of our discussion regarding her deeply felt feelings about her homeland didn't make it to print (my editors focused more on her showbiz career), I was touched by Annabella's passionate regard for peace and freedom. I hesitate to relay too many details of our conversation out of fear of what could happen to her family over there, but I will submit that we both felt that the situation in Burma would one day come to a head. This certainly seems to be the case. My heart is pained for the suffering of the monks who are being persecuted in this time. These honorable and holy people do not deserve this kind of treatment, but neither do any of the other citizens of Burma. They are brave, courageous. The odd thing is that the country had been simmering for some time now. For a long time it felt like there was this dull agony abiding each of the years of oppression. Of course, part of that ache was dealing with the general apathy of Americans and other people about Burma. No one seemed to know or even care about what has been going on over there. Apathy is a strange thing. I find it to be even more evil than hatred. At least with hatred, there is some feeling, some energy moving in some direction. With apathy, this isn't much of anything. When hatred is aimed at a country, like Iran, at least there is talk and concern. When people are apathetic, there is no exchange, no validation, no movement of energy, no matter how much the people there continue to suffer. At least now there is SOMETHING going on. The drama of the violation of these Buddhist monks and the peaceful-demonstrations-turned-violent have brought some attention to the region. Again, I am hurt by the mistreatment these monks have been dealt, but there is the horrible irony that now, at least people are taking notice. At least I hope they are.
NafsLocation
about me
I am an award winning writer and a Certified Massage Therapist.
I also run the ELYSEUM Reading Series and Writers Workshop, open for all to attend! www.heroesandpoets.org
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( events » arts ) On the evening of Saturday, February 20th we shall host the second of this ongoing series of sexy salon costume parties. Our first gathering, THE NIGHTS OF SHAHARAZADE, exceeded all expectations, so we are happy and proud to continue hosting these...
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SWEAT & SOAK: the New Years Dance Festival @ Harbin Hot Springs!
( events » arts ) A week long retreat of dance and celebration? -Surrounded by natural splendor and soothing hot springs? -With some of the most beautiful, sweetest and sexy people around? WHAT A SPLENDID IDEA!
As this remarkable year of global shifts, shakes an... read more
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New Year's Dance Festival @ Harbin Hot Springs!
( events » arts ) As this remarkable year of global shifts, shakes and movement comes to a close, the body aches to move with this groove, as well as rest and relax in the nourishing setting of natural splendor. For the past 15 years the Friends of Unconditional Da...
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HedonSalon Premier: THE NIGHTS OF SHAHARAZADE!
( events » community ) Warm Greetings in the names of Peace and Pleasure!
On Saturday, Sept. 19th, we shall host the first of what shall be an ongoing series of sexy salon costume parties. The evening will feature a fun and sexy burlesque and erotica perfor... read more
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Seeking Sexy Belly Dancer(s)
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The *RIGHT PRICE* for a Writers WordShop (in these's tough times!)
( community » activity partners ) (illustration used with permission by Claudine Gossett)
Attendence to... read more listing posted Fri, February 6, 2009 - 12:22 PM
FREE Writing Sessions 4the Recession!
( community » activity partners ) Times are rough
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need ride: SF/BayArea to Harbin 1/25 (1/24)
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Poly Munch 11/11 and 11/12
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