My First Speech!!

I did my first speech for Toastmasters last week!! I experienced a joy and excitement that I don't recall feeling in a very long time. I was so high from the experience that all day I was floating on air! I mean it! I was high all day! There's a fear and joy that one experiences when giving a speech, at least from my perspective, that can't be matched. But what really touched my heart was that so many people came up and told me and how they connected with it! WOW!!

I know I have found my calling and I am excited in pursuing it further! throughout my life I have been looking for a way to touch people and make life better for them. To change the world by helping to my own corner better. I now know I have found a way. :)

I'm posting my speech below, as a keep sake for myself, but also to share with anyone who is interested. Stay tuned because there will be more. :)

Epi?!? What’s an Epi?!?!

This is a comment I have heard throughout my life and continue to hear to this day.

Epi is short for Epifanio; the name is of Spanish and Greek origin, it means bringing of light. It also is derived from the feast of the epiphany which is when the Biblical Magi (Three Wise Men)meet the baby Jesus.

I can say that my life has been as unique as the name implies. Born in Brooklyn 1965, my name was so unique that officially on my birth certificate my name is misspelled. I grew up in New York City’s Child welfare system for most of my childhood. My father left at a very young age and my mother lost custody of us at age 7. Since then my brother and I jumped around from orphanages, foster homes and group homes until I graduated High School.

One thing about having a name like Epi when your young is you get picked on allot. I heard every name possible, epiglottis, epidermis and some names I cant mention. That being so, I hated my name. So much so that I wanted to change it. When I lived with a particular foster family I petitioned to have my name changed to “Robert

” It was the fathers name but it was just a plain ordinary name; and I wanted so much to be plain and ordinary. I found out it wasn’t going to happen partially because they weren’t going to do it and partially because it cost money. When I entered High school, I was in a group home and had been working for awhile. I had been saving my money and was determined to change my name. I was very active in school and had met up with a girl I really liked. When she asked my name I grudgingly told her it was Epi. “Epi? What a cute name” she said. I suddenly realized, maybe Epi wasn’t such a bad name after all.

I graduated High school and decided to keep my name. I met my wife and decided to ask her to marry me. Fortunately for me she said yes and I was ecstatic. But something happened that was even more profound for me and I don’t think I ever told her. When we decided to marry she decided to take my last name in place of her maiden name. I displayed a tough and confident exterior but I was still very insecure about myself and my name. That this woman had the faith and love in me that she would take my name had a bigger impact on me than her saying yes to my proposal.

We started a family and moved to Pennsylvania where I worked in an IT department in a hospital and worked my way up the ranks to become manager. I went from Epi to Mr. Ortiz. I was a super type A person. My aggressiveness and New York attitude earned me a reputation as a pit bull and I didn’t care. When given a task I would make sure it’s done regardless of the costs.I didn’t think anything was wrong my family was well provide for and I was achieving success in my career. Then something interesting happened; My life came crashing down around me before my very eyes. My boss had retired and I had a new boss and I went from doing everything right to doing everything wrong. Since my life was solely based on my work my family also came crashing down and I almost lost them. I was lost and experienced a break down in just about every facet of my life.

My wife stuck with me and together we decided to make a whole sale change and move to Phoenix. It’s funny but I didn’t realize it until recently the irony of us moving to a location that is named after the Phoenix being the bird that rises from the ashes. We arrived pretty much penniless and with few things from PA. We have rebuilt our lives and I have been reinventing myself ever since. I have discovered that you can get more done with kindness than aggressiveness, a positive outlook than a motivating fear and collaboration instead of competiveness.

I came to Toastmasters because I am ready to make another change. I want to help people and I love to talk. So I figured I better learn to communicate more effectively in order to do this. I also want to write a book I want to share what I have learned and hopefully help others. And finally I want to start my own company and I think communication is an important part of that.

What is an Epi? I am Epi, a man experiencing this wonderful journey in life. One that I share with you today and invite you to be a part of in the days to come.

2012 - A Message of Hope

The Fresh Air Fund is in need of loving host families for the summer of 2011

The Fresh Air Fund is in need of loving host families for the summer of 2011

Fire The Grid

It is time.
It is time. Each human being on our precious planet feels that we are living a time of major changes. The Earth is giving us clear signs that she is on a path of transformation and because we live and depend on her, we are experiencing this with her. This letter is a call to bring us all together as ONE. On November 11, 2011 at 11:11 GMT we will gather collectively as one Heart, one Soul, one deeply loving thought. In doing so, we are joining our voices to the most ancient and wise cultures of this planet, our big brothers and sisters, the ancient ones of the First Nations. They have brought us the most precious teaching - that all we see outside of us, the earth, the mountains, the oceans, the galaxies, every living thing, what we see, feel, taste, touch and smell - each can be found inside our hearts. They have also taught us that what we are living in our lives, our outside world, is in fact a direct reflection of our inner feelings and thoughts. All is interconnected. Separation is an illusion. There is only UNITY. To support this teaching, the scientific community discovered during the 9/11 event that Earth's magnetic field is influenced by the magnetic field of our hearts. This field of the heart is 5000 times stronger than our brains! Considering this information, it is therefore certain we can influence the world around us in a positive way from within if we choose. This means we can collectively and consciously create a more harmonious, respectful, peaceful, abundant and just world for all. Until now, most of our economy's expenses have been directed at war and destruction whether it is on earth, at sea or in space. Most major countries, even poor countries, spend more money on war than on creating better, healthier communities for their population. How can we expect to survive as a species if we continue to put the majority of our energy and major financial resources on ths negative path? The answer is obvious. We can not. Wonderful discoveries in health and new energy devices that could end poverty and diseases are blocked by the greed and ego of a few individuals. We have let this nonsense get out of hand to the point where the greed and power hunger of a few has taken precedence over Life itself. Love is Life and in its absence, Life disappears. As conscious human beings, it is our duty to take responsibility for what is happening around us and in our lives. We each have a role to play and we must do what is right to reestablish balance, each in our own personal field of expertise, in our work place, in our houses, our communities, our cities, our countries. All of this done with love, honesty and integrity, for the good of all. We are all important and precious human beings and we depend on each other to live. We can change this turmoil into a positive future for our children and our children's children. We can take that energy used towards destruction and redirect it to build a new social structure based on caring and sharing that will cover the basic needs of every human being - that we finally live in harmony and respect with Nature and also with each other. So that no one on Earth lacks for anything any longer. Imagine what those billions of dollars can do when redirected towards peaceful applications. We are billions and we are ONE. There are more positive, peaceful and loving people in our world than there are fearful and egotistical ones. The thing is, we are not yet as well organized as they are. In order to succeed, we must first go into our hearts and join our positive coherent thoughts simultaneously to bring an intense and convincing feeling that this new world is already here and real. After that, we put those good thoughts and intentions into actions so they take root in reality. In "The Isaiah Effect", Gregg Braden talks about scientific studies that have proven time and again that a small group of individuals meditating can influence the crime scale of an entire city. It has been calculated that we need only thesquare root of 1% of a given population to influence the rest of a community. This means that we need only a few thousand people meditating together simultaneously with their positive feelings to influence the whole world. Dr. Emoto's "The Hidden Messages in Water" and Dr. Lynne Taggert's "The Field" have also showed us with their research that our thoughts can influence matter. Keep in mind that what we are living right now is but a reflection of our inner selves. We have collectively chosen what is happening to us and around us adn we are now giving ourselves the most precious lesson of all - to REMEMBER who we really are, loving Light Beings and powerful creators. This is why we are calling upon you. You the sons and daughters, the children and adolescents, the fathers and mothers, the grand-fathers and grand-mothers, the artists, the scientists, the inventors and the simple workers, who have a great positive influence on people around you, who are already helping to bring this new consciousness to life. You, more than anyone else, can show the example by coming together as ONE and inviting people to connect onNovember 11, 2011 at 11:11 GMT. Meditate, pray, chant, dance your joy for life, visualizing from your hearts with intensely positive feelings. If you are near a sacred site, go there if you can and use the powerful energies of the Earth as an amplifier. Visualize a world of harmony, joy and peace, a world with clean water, air and soil free of pollution, where everyone cares for each other. Think about it - if everyone put the other person first, no one would lack for anything anymore because the exchange of energy will flow freely. Remind yourselves that you are loved, that you are each a unique Soul and then express your gratitude for the experience of being alive on this wonderful blue planet. "Brother to brother, heart to heart, one for the other, near or far. No boundary, no reason can ever tear us apart." - Bradfield We are spiritual beings on a human journey. Let's tilt the balance to our advantage. Let us join in our similarities instead of dissolving in our differences. We can achieve this together when our thoughts and actions flow unconditionally from our hearts, hand in hand with respect, forgiveness, compassion and Love for every living thing. The hour is at hand ot bring a new consciousness to humankind and to begin the Era of Universal Peace. IT IS TIME. Namaste. - Annie Tremblay (Anael) www.FIRETHEGRID.org

Let's not feed the fear

The Artic Lights