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First Jumpf for Joy! Photo Project Newsletter - Welcome!

Jump for Joy! Photo Project
Showcasing the beauty of the human spirit - in mid air - around the world

Jump for Joy! Photo Project

Showcasing the beauty of the human spirit - in mid air - around the world

Quote: “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” - Anatole France


Featured jumper of the week: MICHAEL LYONS! Like Jump for Joy! Featuring Michael Lyons on Facebook
MICHAEL LYONS ... From: Straight outta St Paul's Hospital, I am one of those rare born and raised Vancouverites. Lives: Most of my developing years were spent in North Van, I've lived all over this city, and currently live close to City Hall so that I can reasonably get everywhere by bike and transit. Work: Owner of the very new Graze Restaurant and a vocal advocate for environmental reform and animal rights.

Q: What inspires you to jump for joy?
A: After many varied entrepreneurial endeavours in my career, I am finally dedicating the majority of my productive waking hours to my passions and convictions around food and its long-ignored relationship to the world around us.

Q. What was your experience doing the jumping photos?
A: The photo session was a blast! More than I expected to, I loved the count-down, launching and then rushing over to the camera to see what you caught this time. Seeing my flubs was just as fun as seeing the ones we nailed!

Q: What inspires you?
A: I am inspired by the many young people who are waking up to our shared environmental challenge and demanding better and more mature folks who are breaking out of their old, long-standing habits.

Q: What is your greatest passion?
A: Learning about our real relationship to the planet we live on and discarding my old, conditioned, well-intended-but-ignorant-and-destructive way of living, and sharing what I've learned with others.

Q: What is your driving force?
A: My driving force, IMHO (In my humble opinion), is the pursuit of true happiness. We get there by effort alone. I put rhubarb jam on my lavender scone because it starts my morning with a smile; I make painful sacrifices that ultimately make me feel better about myself; I take risks on the ski hill for the wild exhilaration and to live to tell the tale; I struggle in the relationships with family and my partner in hope that we'll break through to even better connections; I relax on the beach because I just look better with a bit of colour; I work hard staying mindful that everything must change in order to avoid unhealthy cravings for things I don't need and aversions to things I cannot avoid... all to feel deep happiness in as many fleeting moments or entire decades as possible. That's the plan anyway :-P

Q: What is your philosophy in life?
A: Do whatever the hell you want, but leave this earth a little better than you found it. At the very least, if you're causing no harm, then you're alright with me.

Q: If you could do anything in the world?
A: I love exploring new places, learning about distant people and eating the food! I would love to travel the world more frequently, but without the climate changing carbon footprint that accompanies the current model. The real environmental cost of our travel is not built into the ticket price and currently no responsibility or accountability is laid onto the service provider or the traveler.

Offsetting carbon is a step in the right direction, but imperfect. Imagine what we could do toward mitigating climate impact and new technology development with a multi-billion dollar eco-fund created by a $20 fee collected on each plane ticket. We could change the way we get places and I could eat cous cous with Bedouins at an oasis in the Sinai, guilt free!

Q: What are you working on?
A: I'm working on Graze at the moment. This is my brand new Vancouver-based restaurant (open just 3 weeks!) where we are committed to an organic, sustainable & compassionate philosophy. Our all-plant-based menu (including all of our wines, beers & spirits) was the starting point, and that foundation lead us to incorporate as many locally and organically produced ingredients as possible.

We: grow our own herbs & vegetables, collect rainwater for later use, compost our own waste, reduce our power consumption, generate our own solar hot water, and are always looking for ways to do even more. Check it out:
https://www.facebook.com/grazevegetarian

Q: Mini bio, interesting facts about you or something special you want to share.
A: In my late teens I was already having trouble with our mostly-mindless relationship with animals, but I was all talk - no walk. I became vegetarian on a dare as a New Year's resolution in 1990, while living in Lake Louise, Alberta. I worked and lived at a fancy hotel where we all ate in the staff dining room where there was no menu or choice - you ate what was created that day by world-class chefs. It was so desperately painful to watch everyone eating prime rib or lobster while I ate salad and unbuttered peas!... but my veggie challenge was public and pride helped me avoid early failure.

I returned to Vancouver and as the months wore on it became easier, but I really missed KFC and hot dogs! Don't even ask me why, cause I don't know. Back then being vegetarian was harder than it is now, with so few alternative products available. Eventually I forgot what fish tasted like and hardly missed it; I forgot steak and looked on it with disgust; chicken was harder, but soon a distant memory. I felt healthy and strong and satisfied and (embarrassingly now) morally superior. I was doing my part for the environment and was reducing suffering.

All photos of Michael were taken inside Graze Restaurant in Vancouver, BC Canada. Like Jump for Joy! Featuring Michael Lyons on Facebook

 
JOY!  WHAT MAKES YOU JUMP FOR JOY?

I would love to hear from YOU! Please email me your feedback, suggestions, thoughts to info@jumpforjoyphotoproject.com.

Help me to keep spreading the JOY! SUPPORT JUMP FOR JOY!!

Have a great week, with lots of fun and filled with joy!
Much love, Eyoälha


Jumping photo of Eyoälha taken by Esra Inal in Teotihuacan, Mexico.
Copyright © 2012 Jumpf for Joy! Photoproject, All rights reserved. 
info@jumpforjoyphotoproject.com
Jump for Joy! Photo Project Website:
www.jumpforjoyphotoproject.com