Hello, I'm Tom Callos and this is my first guest blog for Savor. The video above was my family's dinner (whole wheat pasta, cauliflower, parsley and more..) on July 12, 2010. We live in Hilo, Hawaii, where I work and train with BJ Penn (a martial arts competitor). I also work within the international martial arts community as an educational activist --and my "diet chronicles" work to influence martial arts teachers to look deeply at what (and how) they consume.

My bio may be seen at www.tomcallos.com.

I have spent nearly 40 years engaged in the most serious forms of martial arts practice. In that time I have come to discover that food, the company one eats it with, the way it is prepared and appreciated, and where it comes from are all as important to “self-defense” as is the kick, the block, and the stance.

I'm a Savor fan first because of the way that Thich Nhat Hanh has touched my life, the lives of my friends and family, and so many others around the world. Second, Savor is to me, about simplicity, joy, and living in the here and now--and while these three things may, to many, seem like such basic elements for a healthy life,  they often get “put on the back burner” (pun intended).  For me, just seeing the logo for Savor is like the ring of the bell; it’s a reminder to pay attention.

You’ll see that in my video contributions, made so easy to produce now with modern technology, I include my family, friends, humor (essential), and the simple surroundings of wherever we happen to be eating a meal (most often our home in Hilo, Hawaii).

This particular meal was prepared by my wife, Kathleen, who has a deep and healthy respect for capers, lemon, cauliflower, and whole wheat pasta. My daughter, Eleni Ray (named after my writing hero, Ray Bradbury), is on a Caesar salad kick-- and no other salad is suitable. At 11 years old, she prefers to make her own dressing, which we all have become quite fond of. We make it a point, 9 times out of 10, to eat together, to savor our children, to talk with them around the table, and to get them involved in the intricacies (or lack thereof) in meal preparation and appreciation.