I met Chris Lindley the day I decided to do this challenge. I was telling someone about it at Hooked on Colfax (an awesome coffee shop in Denver) and he overheard me. He told me about the Qi Denver Athletic Club qidenver.com/ (which he is part owner) and said maybe we could work together. I told him I couldn’t afford it and he said we could work something out.

After seeing my first video blog from Monday he then offered to be my personal trainer but asked for 180 days instead of 90. I agreed.

Today was my first day at Qi Denver with Chris Lindley. I want to thank my friend Allan from Globeville Studios for coming out and being my camera man today.

He then checked my weight and measurements.

And then we talked about my history, where I’m at now, and what are my goals.

Then it got ugly. Chris tested me on my fitness level…

I am incredibly embarrassed that I’ve allowed myself to get to this point but if anything will motivate me to get healthy again it is working to also raise funds and build support for EMERGENCY USA. Please make a pledge today.

Chris wants me to start publishing a daily food log on my blog so….

2.4.10 FOOD LOG

10 AM
A cantaloupe sized fresh salad with baby spinach, Kale, red peppers, cucumber, tomato, onion, banana peppers, sunflower seeds, cashews, balsamic vinegar, and Makoto ginger dressing.

2:30 PM
15 oz can of vegetable soup

7:00 PM
Burrito with black beans, taco seasoned crumblers (a meat alternative), peppers, onions, and homemade green vegetarian chili (green chilies, chipotles, garlic, onion, and jalapeno and seasonings)

11:00 PM
8 oz of hashbrowns (cooked without oil) with some salsa.

11:30 PM
A dill pickle

The Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign is a national grassroots consortium of anti-poverty groups, which ArgusFest is a member.

This show is to raise money for our upcoming  “March to Fulfill the Dream”.

Led by poor and homeless people and supported by musicians and artists from across America, this historic 2,300 mile march is scheduled to start in New Orleans on April 4th (the day MLK Jr. was assassinated) and arrive in Detroit on June 22nd, the first day of the 2010 U.S. Social Forum.

Poverty is everywhere and growing.  We will be marching to mobilize the poor.

Few people know that when Dr. King was assassinated in 1968 he and the SCLC were organizing a poor people’s march from Mississippi to DC. The march went forward a month later without King.

In the last years of his life King was beginning to grow a multi-racial movement to end war and poverty. Sadly, so many years after his death we still see war and more and more poverty.  Adding great insult, King’s legacy is being shamelessly manipulated and exploited by the very creators and sustainers of war and poverty.

BUT WE ARE TAKING IT BACK!

We are re-energizing his movement, which never died. Martin Luther’s King’s last dream of a world without war and poverty is not one you will hear about on TV or read about in the papers but you will hear it loud when you talk with people (most people anyway). We are going to listen to one another, share our visions, and build and reconnect our communities.

We are going to MARCH TO FULFILL THE DREAM!!!

Join ArgusFest and friend for a night of music and dancing to support this effort.

Music performance by Radical Knitting Circle, TheTanukis, Laura Goldhamer, Tyler Ludwick, Pat Dethlefs, and friends from the Bluegrass Quartet.

I filmed this at a benefit for ArgusFest on August 22, 2009 at the Mercury Cafe.

I met Sparlha sevaral years ago in Oakland, CA at a benefit for Palestine. I immediately fell in love with her spirit and expression in music.

This was the third time ArgusFest hosted Sparlha in Denver and with three times the joy.

This song is called October, enjoy!

Note: If you’re having trouble playing this just click on the button that says “HD is on”.

KGNU Presents an ArgusFest Benefit with Paperbird, Sparlha Swa, Jonny 5 (of the Flobots), Ukulele Loki (solo set), Doo Crowder (of Pee Pee), Yeye*Organic*Pop, Vampira (of Vox Feminista), Art from Ashes, and magic by Phelyx
Saturday, August 22
8:00 PM
Mercury Cafe
2199 California St, Denver
$10

Come celebrate ArgusFest’s 8 years are raising awareness of human rights, social justice, media, and environmental issues with some great music and performers including:

Paper Bird

Paper Bird’s backbone is their songwriting, musicianship and a general allergy to all limitations and trends. With seven members and no leader, this band is pulled in every direction imaginable, but thanks to their unique instrumentation they are able to merge their spontaneous creativity into one, solid sound.

The female vocals create a soulful, dynamic harmony that accentuates each singer, while giving the illusion of a single voice. The trombone, banjo, and guitar elevate the music to a higher level while the skilled notes of the bass reflect the harmonies. Each style bounces off the other, while each note appreciates the other. They make audiences feel love, excitement, and passion. A show not to be missed, a band that must be heard: Paper Bird is one of a kind. http://www.myspace.com/paperthebird

Sparlha Swa

Described as Sade and Tracey Chapman drinking coconuts in Brazil…on the beach…no straws.

The genre-splitting vocals and lyrically-potent songwriting of rising artist Sparlha Swa offers us an alternative music that is truly honest and evocatively so; sparse, powerful and to the point.

Sparlha’s songs are simple yet profound, soulful and resonant on the level of spirit. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, the artist pulls her inspiration from around the globe with mentors like Sade, Astrud Gilberto, Miriam Makeba and Ravi Shankar. http://www.myspace.com/sparlhaswa

Jonny 5 (from the Flobots)

Founding member of Denver’s hottest hip-hop band The Flobots and the non-profit http://www.flobots.org/, Jonny 5 raps with style and progressive messages of human rights and social justice inspiring a whole new generation of critically thinking and feeling souls.

http://flobots.com/

Ukulele Loki (solo set)

Described as sepia-chord, indie-pan alley, and melancholy Brechtian carnival rock, Ukulele Loki is like nothing you’ve seen before. He is sure to charm your heart.

http://www.myspace.com/ukuleleloki

Doo Crowder (from Pee Pee)

Doo Crowder leads Denver’s indie band Pee Pee. His heart is only matched by his energy and eagerness to get the audience singing. http://www.myspace.com/doocrowder

YeYe*Organic*Pop

YEYE*ORGANIC*POP from Mexico City sings with passion and purpose to bring the joy of life through music to her audiences.

http://www.myspace.com/yeyeorganicpop

Vampira (from Vox Feminista)
If you don’t know about Vox Feminista you are seriously missing out. They are Colorado’s funniest and wittiest political satire group. Vox’s Vampira will provide some comment on the state of the world.
http://www.voxfeminista.org/

Art from Ashes
The Mission of Art from Ashes is to empower struggling youth through poetry and other therapeutic workshops that facilitate expression, connection and transformation. Some youth will be sharing some of their poems with us.

artfromashes.org

Phelyx

Phelyx is the number-one close-up mentalist magician in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Kansas, Nebraska, Montana, Washington, Ohio, Arizona, South Dakota, and rising. He currently hosts a weekly show at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret and will be making a special appearance in support of ArgusFest.

http://www.phelyx.com/