Odyssey Storytelling Presents: Lessons Learned – Thursday, Nov. 2

November’s Storytellers:

Rollie Grinder is currently a PhD student at the University of Arizona studying climate change ecology. She has little idea of what she wants to be when she grows up, but she puts emphasis on the importance of a career where she is learning new things daily. In her free time, Rollie enjoys running through Sabino Canyon and watching Game of Thrones over 10 years later than everyone else.

Dr. Brett Jones is on this planet to help facilitate the re-connection of humanity to heal, live, and evolve naturally. Raised in Hemet, California, he spent most of his time engaged in athletic activities and reading books; his biggest question has always been “Why?” In 1999, life as he knew it turned completely upside down when he lost his older brother in a car accident. He now lives with a sense of urgency and a relentless will to ensure that when it is his time to go, “there will be no potential life remaining.” When he is not serving as CEO of The Source Chiropractic and Kairos Training Culture (a performance training system for chiropractors), Dr. Brett fills his time creating spaces of evolution for his two children, moments of connection with his wife, and cultivating centers of empowerment for himself and others to discover their ideal self.

Brian Taraz has turned the 60-year-old corner. His daughter and son, now starting their 20s, are doing fine and have plenty to deal with. Brian philosophizes, ruminates, and daydreams a great deal. He also “doom scrolls” a lot – from one YouTube to another. He deejays at 99.1 FM, KTDT, in Tucson on Wednesday nights from 5-7. For years he has been called/known as Satan. He took his 60th year off. Gave Satan a “break” 🙂

Jon Logan-Rung is an unpublished writer with no serious achievements of any kind. He holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University and an M.F.A. from the University of Arizona. His mom is very proud of him.

A local Tucsonian, and watch out—he’s single! Lewis Palmateer uses his humor and storytelling to woo people on demonstrations of technology daily. When he’s not slinging software, he loves to spend time with family and friends and fix cars on the weekends!

Pablo Valencia: My story starts when I was growing up with my grandparents. My grandmother always cooked everything that we ate from scratch. I must admit as a young kid, I didn’t realize the amount of labor or care or love that goes into scratch cooking. Living that way made me appreciate how the earth can fill our plates with all we need. These old methods and styles need to be continued! I dove into the culinary life by accident as a dishwasher and quickly became prep, then line cook. Fell in love with food all over again. Deeply I wanted to spread the good times I remembered at the dinner table with family and food that was a combined effort and well enjoyed. “Return to the table,” I say. Let’s enjoy the times we had once again when the world was slower and all that mattered was the company around the plates. As a chef, I’ve learned my skills by working hands-on with EVERYTHING I create and working with the best chefs in town. I grew and became Chef Pablo Valencia of Scratching the Plate Kitchen and Catering!

Cecilia Arosemena, a Tucson entrepreneur, embarked on her transformative journey at age 10 when she emigrated from Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico, as her mom was seeking a better life. Cecilia’s teen years were marked by adversity, including escaping domestic violence. At 16, her brother rescued her from near homelessness, revealing the importance of a stable home and access to community programs. Today, as an Arizona residential realtor, Cecilia opens doors and guides people home, daily. As an empty nester herself now, she is using her time to educate Tucson renters in her Innovative workshops hosted at the YWCA, about achieving stability and generational wealth through homeownership and community programs accessible to people, in a post-pandemic world. As we are all celebrating Dia de los Muertos in our native land, she shares the invaluable lessons passed down by her ancestors about living a lit life, in spite of the darkness and adversity we face. She still can hear her grandmother’s whisper from heaven: “Share the story, speak the dark into light; We are storytellers, so go on firefly, light up the world.”

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