The Lens

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Another newsletter to my clients

Tool of the month - DEFUSION Testify! - Christian G. Parade of Shadows - The Dude

Stergios is a Social Worker in Rochester, NY and has contributed hours of compassionate care and laughter to folks at The LENS. As an avid participant in ecstatic Native American rites such as sweat lodge, sundance, and vision quest, Stergios is a constant source of fully embodied wisdom. We spoke today about the tragedy of being an unwanted child, abandonment, healing, and ways Stergios has found...

Valdis Abols is the editor of Rigas Laiks Magazine . He served as the Latvian ambassador to Spain for 4 years. Denis met him in 1989 when Valdis, an English teacher at Janis Rosenthal Riga Art School, organized an exchange program with Rita Auerbach , an art teacher at Clarence High School (a suburb of Buffalo, NY). Denis and Valdis talk about Dundaga, Rock Music, The BBC, Voice of America, Glasno...

Curtis and Denis had this conversation over a year ago. Before the pandemic. Before the murder of George Floyd. And before the passing of Curtis’ mother, Lorna C. Hill , just two short weeks ago. Even though their time-capsuled conversation lacks an awareness of today’s sorrows, would you say the poignancy of our present day reality is diminished? Or is it amplified? Show Notes Denis and Curtis fi...

Katie Krawczyk is Chief Executive Officer and Partner at 19 IDEAS , a marketing, PR, and web development company she started with her husband, Dan Gigante . Katie qualifies a genuine Buffalo Boss Babe , but if you ask her (or Denis), she’s simply the boss. Denis and Katie talk about growing up in the eighties, life in the burbs (Katie was born and raised in Hamburg, NY ), taking risks, playing the...

Avi was born in Jerusalem as a wave of hope was cresting. Hope in a peace that had drawn closer than anyone dared to imagine. Hope felt so strongly by Avi’s parents, his middle name is Shalom. Over the next twenty years Avi and his family found themselves in Cleveland, Chicago, Phoenix, New Jersey, Manhattan… and finally… Avi found his own personal Shangri-La… Fredonia, NY, where he attended colle...

Garrett Shea wants to bring poetry to pop. And if a song happens to save a life, that isn’t too shabby either (stay tuned to hear THAT story and song at the end of the episode). As a proud Villa Maria student, Garrett majored in Music Industry . There he connected with Grammy nominated producer Anthony Casuccio who produced Garrett’s first album with the band, Breckenwood . If you listen to their...

In this Sunday Shit-Show edition of the Lens. Denis invites you to create a reasonable religion with him. What could go wrong?

Dave began his career as a dog trainer with mentor Josh Moran , who Denis interviewed in Episode 3 . Dave and Josh have a podcast, Philosophers and Madmen , which focuses on dog-training and world-renowned dog-trainers. Dave and Denis talk loads about BJJ. As they explore Dave’s life journey from childhood it became clear that Dave’s path led not only to dog training, but human training. Eventuall...

In this Sunday Shit Show edition of the The Lens, Denis practices Inner Authority , a tool that helps you get in touch with your shadow so that you can speak to an audience. Do you want to be real? Do you want to be brilliant? Do you believe that gaining the attention of your audience actually matters? This tool will tip the scales in your favor. Also… Denis moved!

Shari Berman’s movie, My Life as Abraham Lincoln , is a journey with a woman desperately trying to unravel the tragic mystery of her own mind. It’s also a joyous love letter to films and film genres Shari most enjoys. Shari also directed Sugar , a rock-and-roll movie about middle-aged women making the most of what could be their last moment to shine (even if it’s only on “MILF-at-Loser-Tube-Dot-Co...

Denis attended The Horizons Conference: Perspectives on Psychedelics . There he met with other enthusiastic attendees, most notably Kalindi Iyi , Hamilton Morris , and Roberta Russell . He also got to hear accomplished speakers share their research findings on the therapeutic applications of MDMA to treat PTSD, DMT for treatment-resistant depression, and psilocybin to treat cocaine addiction. Mich...

Myron is a renaissance man. A devoted full time engineer, and part time music writer, producer, and charismatic leader of the band, Those Idiots . If you find yourself in Buffalo the day after Easter, prepare to encounter a parallel universe in which everyone is Polish , armed with pussy willows and squirt guns, and willing to FIGHT… for your RIGHT… to POOOOOOOOOLKA ! Denis and Myron talk about im...

Just because something doesn’t last doesn’t mean it sucks.

Denis goes on a road trip to Kentucky with a couple of his former church brothers. They talk creationism vs. evolution, christianity vs. agnosticism; all the while surfing waves of cognitive dissonance. 

In this episode of the Sunday Shit Show, Denis gets his Hospital Bill. It was absolutely shocking. He also talks about the Rust Belt Adventure Cottage that will rise from the ashes of what his wife claims is a buffet of human flesh for rat-mites and other assorted vermin. Hovel of wretched parasites? Or the happiest place on earth? We'll let airbnb decide.

Max is an arborist and black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu living in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. He and Denis talk about the ‘street-readiness’ mindset of Jiu Jitsu, and how training and experience has brought him on a voyage from warrior to protector. Show Notes You can train with Prof. Max at Gracie Barra Vancouver . Denis mentioned a book by Jordan Peterson , 12 Rules for Life: An Antidot...