My passions (and how I make time for them):

Berlin Germany Seminar 2021. Tom Cohen back row far left

My deepest Passions:

Martial Arts – both training and teaching

 
 

I began training in Martial arts nearly 30 years ago.  My first love was Aikido.  I wanted to train something defensive in nature, that I could continue well into old age.  I acheived Sandan (3rd degree black belt) in this art. 

I then had the good fortune to train in a historical precedent of Aikido called Daitoryu Aikijujutsu, or as my mother once called it “Toyota, Suzuki, Honda, Whatever.”  This was well before cultural humility and sensitivity became common.  I acheived a Sandan in this art, as well.

After my mother passed away, suddenly, my wife and I purchased her home.  A year and a half later, I met my current teacher.  And I discovered that he was my neighbor.  His name is Bobby Taboada.  He is the Grandmaster of a Filipino fighting system called “Balintawak.”  His style is well known for what he calls “Cuentada,” which is similar to a chess-match.  In his system, you anticipate and try to set up your opponent’s next move.

When I started training with Grandmaster Bobby, I didn’t even know what he taught.  But when I watched a Youtube video, I was hooked.  My joke is that when Mozart lives in your neighborhood, you study music!

I have been teaching his art for the last five years, having reached my FQI or Full Qualified Instructor level.

 

  • Writing

 

My mother used to read and discuss metaphysical poetry with me, starting at the age of nine.  We would discuss poems by John Donne, Shelley, Keats and others.  She instilled a love of literature and poetry that extended to my writings.

I write primarily for joy (and because I feel driven to write and create).  I have written two illustrated children’s books.  One is the story of adopting my mothers cat, Keats, after she passed away.  The other is a lesson of joy, opportunity, and enjoying, being grateful for and using what you’re given to help others.  I am currently working on two novels.  Although I don’t often have enough time to write while in school, working, training and teaching, I am constantly visiting the worlds I’m creating and jotting my notes daily. 

 

  • Volunteer Activities

 

I began volunteering around 1991, when I moved back to North Carolina after graduating from the University of Georgia.   One of my favorite quotes was “Service is the rent we pay for the space we occupy.”  At the age of 21, I started making an effort to pay my “rent.”  I started by volunteering to pick up day old bread and bakery goods from a local grocery store.  They would give me a list of donation sites that would accept the items.  So every early Saturday morning, I’d make my deliveries.  This ultimately led me to working at the homeless shelter as a shift supervisor.

Since that time, I’ve volunteered for three and a half years as the Education Officer for our state association.   Here, I procured well-known teachers in the field of Chinese medicine, ethics, and other experts related to the field.  I set up the contracts, marketing, venues and event planning. 

I currently volunteer for our local dog rescue, called Furever Angels Animal Rescue.  This is how my wife and I ended up with six dogs.  We like to call ourselves “foster failures.”

My work in Supportive Oncology and my future work as an RDN are an extension of my philosophy of providing service.

 

  • Family

 

I live with my wife and six dogs in Charlotte, North Carolina.  We enjoy walking, playing and spending time in our back yard.  We have a small pond my mom once filled with koi.  We now have 10 or so goldfish and one to three bullfrogs that provided musical entertainment each Spring and Summer.   I find great joy naming the bullfrogs each year.  Among the past pond-pun names,  we’ve had Ribbit Deniro, Giovanni Ribbitsi, and others.