We Will Miss you, Anthony Bourdain

If you have ever had a conversation with me and Anthony Bourdain is mentioned, you know I once saw him at a Phoenix airport. I glanced up while waiting for my flight and saw Bourdain walking down the terminal alone. I almost immediately knew it was him. I suspect he could detect that in my eyes as we exchanged glances. He gave me the short, “I know you know who I am and thank you for leaving me alone” sort of glance, and he continued on his way. It is this reason I chose the photo above, as I will forever remember Bourdain as someone always moving forward but seemingly wanting to be left alone.

I respected Bourdain because very few people in life have the ability to courageously speak their mind while remaining open-minded. Society is enamored with the unfiltered “what will they say next” personality until they say something over the line. Bourdain seemed to always understand that line and gave us just the right dose of reality when unpacking lessons learned during his world travels. Christina spent some time in Nicaragua and I love hearing her stories. One of the stories she told me is what she saw during her weekly travels to La Chureca where she saw some unmentionable things even Bourdain couldn’t show on television. During the segment, Bourdain seems understandably troubled by what he was seeing as well.

Anthony Bourdain Nicaragua Clip

“He had a softer spot for kids. During a Q&A at the Prospect Park food festival Googamooga in 2012, Bourdain called on my 9-year-old daughter, who asked the best way to cook a unicorn. Not missing a beat, Bourdain smiled and shrugged: “Rare.” — PageSix.com

Bourdain will be missed by many, but especially me.

Calgary Veteran Who Survived Dunkirk Recounts His Experience

Calgary veteran who survived Dunkirk causes a stir at movie premiere

“Tonight I cried because it’s never the end. It won’t happen. We the human species are so intelligent and we do such astonishing things. We can fly to the moon but we still do stupid things,” Sturdy said. “So when I see the film tonight, I see it with a certain kind of sadness. Because what happened back then in 1940, it’s not the end.”

Risk

“To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk rejection.
To place your dreams before the crowd is to risk ridicule.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk
nothing.

The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he cannot learn, feel, change, grow
or love.

Chained by his certitudes, he is a slave.
He has forfeited his freedom.
Only a person who takes risks is free.”

– “The Dilemma,” Author Unknown