Six years has passed since I last performed my original music live for public audience. In July of 2013 myself along with Kori Higa Marquand performed as the duo "MaMaKoMa" in La Crescenta, California. The turnout of support was amazing for this one-time event. While the performance feels so long ago, I never stopped working on and creating original music and songs. The time has finally come to share this gift once again and I am delighted that I will be sharing the stage with three amazing female-soloists. Not to mention I'll be selling one-of-a-kind jewelry too with the help of my sister-in-law of DeFalco Designs Custom Creations. My experience as Senior Class President taught me how to create, coordinate and put together an event. The work has been worthwhile and I look forward to sharing this event with everyone involved and for all those that may attend. Lots of love, MAM.

   When I first bought the domain name for Mountains of MAM I had no website experience. I had tried to create a Joomla site learning CMS (Content Management System) along the way. I remember purchasing the "look" of my website, and spent several hours and days curating and creating MountainsofMAM.com. To my disappointment and frustration, my efforts had failed and my soon-to-be website was not published or live. Some time had passed and I found Weebly.com; their drag & drop website creation features were the solution to my technical hardships. Concurrently, I had my domain name hosted and registered with Siteground, a U.K. based company. At the time, Weebly did not host nor register websites. I built and published my website and VIOLA, MountainsofMAM.com was on the interwebs. 

Fast forward to 2018, my hosting with Siteground was expiring in July, and it was far too expensive to renew. Yet, to my delight I had learned that Weebly now hosts and registers websites to work alongside their easy-to-use website building platform; three services under the same house equals ease of use and savings of money. Whew! I decided I would register, host, and continue building my website with Weebly. However, due to GDPR being passed earlier this year I was having issues with my ICANN information being released in order for the transfer to be complete. Previously I had my domain/hosting from Siteground directed toward the site I created on Weebly. However, during this time (June to September) I was having an epic 3-month long road trip from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California; my partner and I had decided to take a northern route through Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon before dropping into California. Unbeknownst to me though, my cell carrier Sprint had little to no service along these northern states. I had decided to wait, and deal with the transfer process once I was finally settled back into Los Angeles. 

Thus, here I am, living back in the greater Los Angeles area, and www.mountainsofmam.com is live and active once again for the worldwide web. Stay tuned for more postings, poems, music, creations, and more as they become available in the future. Lots of love, - Mary. 



 

It has been six months since my last blog entry. In that time life has continued to take me on a whirlwind of adventure, mystery, and a continuation of the dance with the unknown. I am talking about surrender, challenges to rise, moments of grace, moments of pain, divinity, friendship, family, community, tests of faith, meetings with strangers, awe-inspiring sights, simple moments, growth, reflection, expansion, stillness, and everything in between. Honestly, I cannot fully convey, nor remember every little thing that has happened in six months time, and the truth is it does not matter. I realize I am not passionate about blogging. It seems that so many people are feverishly pushing out their blogs, craving attention to be read. "Read my blog. New post. Read my thoughts," etc.. Personally, I have been feeling an internal conflict between bragging about my life (because it truly is awesome), versus leaving something meaningful behind, and savoring these experiences for myself. The more vulnerability I practice in the real world with real people away from my phone, the more private I yearn to become. I do not feel compelled to post all the time whether on Facebook, Instagram, or otherwise, even though I frequently have these post-able moments. Sometimes, I capture; most of the time, I just savor.  

Presently, I am at home in Sun Valley, CA. It is Sunday, September 25th; today would have been my father's 62nd Birthday. It has been nearly 10 years this coming November since he has passed. My father was quite a man, he embodied so many archetypal figures that I am just barely starting to grasp and understand. My father, Hernando "Waters" Martinez, played the Hero, the Devil, the Protector, the Champion, the Warrior, the Beast, the Child, the Fool, the Irresponsible One, the Loner, the Manipulator, the Victim, and so on. As I reflect on his life, I reflect on my own. What archetypes have I played? Which ones do I embody? Which ones are former, which ones are my future? The more I become aligned with my own path, my past, and my future, the more I see my reality and life as a whole.

​Yet, at this present moment there is this gnawing, this void, this feeling that I just want to stop. How much beauty can one take? How much grace can one feel, see, hear, and know? I feel like I have hit an overload. The signs are always all around me. I see the repetition of numbers (1:11, 11:11, 2:22, 3:33, 4:44), I see the signs all around, in the clouds, and sometimes in my beer.

    From moments of a single breath to breathtaking, life is magical when you allow it to be. Now, I am not just talking about grand or simple moments, I am also talking about the unpleasant and unpredictable parts of life, too. Since September of 2015 my life has been in financial uncertainty and instability. I had a job (that I loved) for three years prior to this precarious position and I fell into a nice comfort zone there. My position relocated out of state and I was unwilling to make the move because of my family, friend, and community ties to Southern California. At the time I was making steady income and my position was only three consecutive days a week, with some flexibility in the actual days. Thus, I did a lot of traveling and had many adventures, and plenty of down time during my four days off. Yet, those days of predictability, expected free time, and comfort are over for now. 

    It has been clear that my practice of trusting that "wherever I am is exactly where I am supposed to be" has tested my faith and further routed me closer to my life path and purpose. Extended bouts of free time have allowed me to further explore my gifts of spontaneity, creativity, singing, songwriting, drumming, self-kindness, stillness, and surrender. Being broke has also allowed me to live more consciously by becoming more DIY and implementing more Zero-Waste home practices. Rather than becoming frustrated and worried, my unwavering trust and confidence in the support of the Universe continues to "pay off" so to speak. I was recently invited to become a contributor for the Therapeutic Drumming Network, an un-paid privilege I am honored to accept. Additional work has been picking up in the paid realm of childcare, so while at times I am unsure as to how my rent will be paid, I continue to practice "outflow" and feel like I am living a very rich life. I worry little about the less than one hundred dollars I have in my savings account, or when my checking balance is short of $25. I am forced to live in the present and live for the day. I take inventory of all that I have rather than what I do not. Money is only one form of wealth, and while I may not have a mass amount of money now, I am rich in health, happiness, creativity, friends, family, resources, savvy, know-how, and then some. My life experiences, including breaking my femur nearly 6 years ago, have proven to me that a relationship with God/The Universe/Source is strengthened in trying times. 
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    Listening to my own spirit rather than my mind has guided me to where I am today, and I am damn glad for it. I often turn down work positions which would pay me handsomely and whisk me away to far off places around the world. Yet, that is not where I belong. I have a greater service to provide here in my community and for myself, and the world. I have a deeper calling that craves to shine even brighter and to be known. So, as my path continues to unfold I may not know the final outcome but I sure do know which direction I am headed and my internal GPS is reliable and strong. 

  It seems I prefer to run in the winter. There's something about the cool air and shorter days that compels me to put on my running shoes and run. As a part of my cool-down process I always stop by my neighborhood park. My favorite thing to do is to take some time and breaths at this musical installation and play. Sometimes the local folks gather to watch and listen. Sometimes it draws in children to explore this instrument themselves. Yet, most times the park is mostly empty and I get to enjoy playing this instrument all by myself. Here is a little glimpse into my post-run musical cool down. #happysaturday

     It is the first Monday of 2016. While most folks went back to work, or perhaps school, normal life resumed. The holidays are officially over. Personally, I am dancing with job insecurity, and financial instability, and yet my belief and practice in trusting that the Universe will continue to provide for me gives me more free time than most folks. I accept. It is in this free time or on these free days that I can tune into life, tune into the day, and let life flow and unfold.

     Originally, I was supposed to wake up early and go hiking. My friend rescheduled; I went back to bed. When I awoke and got out of bed at 10 AM with my phone still on silent but in hand I saw that to my surprise I had an incoming call from one of my male best friends. This man is and always has been an integral inspirational person in my life. I call him Obi-1, because in 2010 he mentored me on and off the mountain for snowboarding, and also in life.  After we hung up my soul flames were lit and I started to burn with the day. Our friendship is enhancing for us on many levels. He is Aries, I am Leo, we share fire. Fire is important during this time. It is important to keep that inner fire lit because it is winter. We each need to be seen, to be supported, and to be heard. Sometimes a phone call is all it takes. Like lighter fluid, a good friend can light up your flame. 

     Let us welcome and embrace this time of winter in whatever way we can. For me, some days I do nothing, or I rest a lot. Today, I spent my day doing some dancing and moving, some yoga and breathing. I prepared some food for the day. At one point I found myself singing, as I do a lot, and a song came out.  Also, I could "hear" the accompanying drum as I was singing. So I picked up the drum, set my intention, and played from the heart. Powerful vibrations. Then, I decided to share this medicine and my energy by capturing it because maybe there are souls ready to receive it. Love, peace, forgiveness, and tenderness are woven into this intentional, freestyle piece. Lots of love. Enjoy. <3