Tag: lifestyle

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4-Star Review for Zen Diaries: The Lockdown

Hey everyone, hope your 2024 is off to a great start!

As for small victories along the way, on behalf of the very talented cast and crew of my short film, Zen Diaries: The Lockdown, we’re honored to receive a 4-Star Review from Short Films Matter. Here’s what they say:

* * * * A drama that delves into the transformative power of confronting personal weaknesses.

SYNOPSIS: Ten years after his wife was killed in a drive-by shooting gone bad, former hot-shot attorney turned yoga master, Bobby D’Angelo, is dealing with another shooter in his life. This time causing a police lockdown of his Los Angeles studio. A zenful place “where self-doubt goes to die”, but it’s also where tempers start to flare between students and strangers as Bobby vows to ‘protect his family’ while trying hard to inspire and not insult them with his tough love words of wisdom.

REVIEW: Rich Tola’s short sequel to his 2009 feature film ‘Boulevard Zen’ takes center stage during a police lockdown of his yoga studio, prompted by an external situation, yet it skillfully weaves a narrative focused on internal conflicts. The crux of the story revolves around an outsider forced to confront his realities, under the candid guidance of the brutally honest Bobby D’Angelo, portrayed by Tola himself. The ensemble cast navigates the anxieties stemming from external conflict, with A.P. Moses delivering a compelling performance as Mr. Sloan, a character grappling with weight issues and self-esteem.

Tola’s film delves deep into the theme of personal transformation, emphasizing the need to confront and overcome our weaknesses. The societal implications of these individual struggles add depth to the narrative, creating a thought-provoking ensemble piece that resonates with universal themes. The well-acted cast brings authenticity to their roles, complemented by Salvadore Sclafani’s cinematography, which adds visual richness to the storytelling. The sequel stands out as a commendable film, offering a compelling exploration of self-discovery and the potential for positive change within individuals and society at large.

FILM: 20-minute dramedy (completed from start-to-finish in less than 90 days for $2,000) starring Rich Tola, Jonny Haug, Kayla Moore, Romi Valenti, Anita Davenport, Jennifer Cheung, and A.P. Moses.

Click HERE to visit the review on Short Films Matter, and thanks for watching!

Have a great year everyone, and as always, get your workout in! Peace – R

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Be Like …The Postman

Remember Kevin Costner’s award-winning film about a nameless drifter who dons a postman’s uniform and bag of mail in a post-apocalyptic America. If not, then I suggest you grab a bag of your favorite low sodium chips and watch it immediately. To get inspired to do whatever it is you need to do that may require a little – or a boatload – of courage.

And just like the real life United States Postal Service creed, “Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postman from their appointed rounds“, simply apply this to your daily fitness program and get your workout in…every single day. Like I’ve been doing since the 1970’s.

Now check this out: we’re 2 days shy of halfway through 2023, which means you could have benefited from 180 workouts by now, like me and all the other post-people out there.

Are you in? Do you WANT to be in? Because ANYONE can…just Be Like The Postman. Enjoy the movie everyone, and I’ll see you at the Fountain!

Peace – R

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Stay Calm and Focused

This simple expression pretty much sums it up regarding the qualities needed to succeed at anything in life. Whether it be the Masters Championship – congrats Jon Rahm on yesterday’s win – or the yearly presentation to your company’s shareholders, or the PTA meeting with your daughter’s Kindergarten teacher, or your daily fitness program for that matter.

Simply put…just do it.

Staying calm and focused helps you “stay in the moment” while remaining free and observant – and absorbent – to perform your very best. Just be prepared and confident to let your talents shine and your fortitude prevail.

As we reach the 100th day of 2023, I hope your goals and aspirations for this year and the future remain alive and well – even when extreme patience is required to reach your final destination. And may your mind, body and spirit, aka your temple, be brimming with strength, power and positivity. Mine is, as well as my plans for a new and improved season of TOLA TALKS bringing back our LIVE broadcast format on YouTube and Spotify – something I’ve been looking forward to since the show first launched on LATalkRadio back in 2017.

Have an awesome Spring everyone…and get your workout in! Peace – R

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Old Town, New Beginnings

Who says you can’t go home after pursuing your dreams for more than 15 years in America’s most storied town, aka, Tinseltown. And why not add a little bit of new beginnings to the mix and make it an amazing homecoming for “a hometown boy born a rolling stone”, just like Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles sing in their 2005 rendition of “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.”

The good news is I’m super excited to begin again in New York City with my new talent agent, Katherine and the Made Worldwide Agency (click HERE to visit my profile). No doubt the future is looking brighter than ever as my years of production experience and insights will serve me well. Just like my years of teaching Tola Yoga to thousands of students throughout the United States.

On a more personal note, today also marks the 15 year anniversary of my sobriety. For those of you who’ve read my memoir, Simply Between Millions: From Wall Street to Hollywood, you may recall this excerpt from Chapter 56 – No Mas, when I got drunk for the very last time:

“I woke up a few hours later and felt like I just got run over by a Mack truck. No worries, because I no longer drank and I was free from that liquid noose around my neck I wore for the past 20 years. Although it would take another month before I was completely free from beer and alcohol cravings of any sort, I would never drink again. And I haven’t.”

The same holds true for today – I haven’t, and I’d like to give a special shout-out to my hypnotherapist, Laura, who made it all possible. Simply the best and simplest treatment for me, with no program to follow other than Laura’s weekly dose of hypnotherapy combined with my strong desire to succeed in Hollywood.

Like I’ve been saying since I began this journey from the lovely confines of my Upper East Side apartment, anything is possible if you set your sights and try. So keep rockin’ your goals and dreams and perhaps your desire to quit drinking alcohol altogether. And never say “I can’t”, because you can if you really want to.

Have an awesome December everyone…and get your workout in! Peace – R

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From Hollywood to Hurricanes…by way of 50 unique cities

Stay strong Floridians, in the wake of Hurricane Ian and thanks for having me in your Sunshine state. Albeit, not much sun the past few days as I’ve experienced my first Category 4 hurricane. The good news is I’m located in central Florida and the brunt of the storm just missed us. The bad news is my friends in St. Pete’s and Ft. Meyers weren’t so lucky. No worries, just stay positive and enjoy the rebuild!

And as luck would have it, since I left Los Angeles about a year ago I’ve survived 30,000 miles of “nomad living” while trans-versing the United States and getting to know 50 unique and exciting cities. That’s right, 50 amazing cities in 10 different states where I’ve spent anywhere from several hours to several months (most recently in Frisco, TX). Check them out:

Leaving Los Angeles for…

Oceanside, La Jolla, San Diego, and Needles – CALIFORNIA

Yuma, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tuscon, Mesa, Chandler and Flagstaff – ARIZONA

Las Vegas – NEVADA

Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Vegas and Tucumcari – NEW MEXICO

Amarillo, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Waco, Ft. Worth, Grapevine, Denton, Dallas, Plano, Frisco and McKinney – TEXAS

Texarkana and Little Rock – ARKANSAS

Memphis, Nashville and Chattanooga – TENNESSEE

Atlanta, Augusta and Savannah – GEORGIA

Charleston – SOUTH CAROLINA

Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Melbourne, Ocala, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Dunedin, Ft. Meyers, Sarasota, Naples, Hollywood and Miami – FLORIDA

Now I can only imagine what’s in store for the next leg of life’s journey. Have an awesome Autumn everyone…and get your workout in!

Peace – R

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Nomad Living – Part 1

Four months ago I packed my shiny new Bronco to the gills and departed California on a beautiful sunny morning (of course). On my way to Texas, with no particular city in mind or specific travel map in place except for my one goal: to find a place to live within a month. Just the right amount of time to visit and explore at least a dozen major cities along the way.

You may call it a long road trip, but I call it Nomad Living. Nomad as in “a member of a people who have no fixed residence but move from place to place”. And that would be me.

The good news is I love to explore and have since adapted to the inconveniences of not having a fixed residence – trust me, there are many. Plus, nomad living is never boring because you’re always scrambling to familiarize yourself with the plethora of unknowns. Until you eventually land and get the lay of the land, like I did in Plano for a few months and where I also produced my podcast, Tola Talks Texas. Opinionated and oftentimes political for sure, and be sure to check out my two favorite episodes Ep 8 – Suicide Sucks and Ep 20 – Never Live in Fear.

Then it was back on the road, again, this time desiring to spend quality time with my father who’s battling liver cancer as well as revisit some old friends and haunts in Las Vegas and of course, my formerly beloved LA. Not to mention a bunch more cities along the way.

All told I’ve driven 12,000 miles in 120 days while heartily visiting the following 30 cities: Yuma, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tuscon, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Flagstaff, Sedona, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin, Boulder City, Amarillo, El Paso, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Waco, Fort Worth, Dallas, Denton, Frisco, Plano, Needles, Riverside, Pasadena, LA and most recently, San Diego – as I write this I’m curiously exploring the boatloads of amazing neighborhoods and beaches of SD!

Have an awesome weekend and keep moving forward with your goals and dreams everyone…and get your workout in! Peace – R

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Never Live in Fear – Ep 20 – Tola Talks Texas

Today is all about doing whatever it takes to never live in fear. Because during the past two years of this COVID pandemic, the powers to be have done their best to control you by instilling fear in your mind, body and spirit. No doubt fear controls – so never let it happen. In our last Tola Talks Texas, at least for now while I travel and spend time with family, I do my best to communicate why we need to get rid of the divide between the vaccinated and unvaccinated. Plus kudos to Bill Maher for his recent monologue about not wanting to live in a masked, paranoid world and never being scared of COVID, but rather the reaction to it. Not to mention this particular comment that I totally agree: So, the fact that America, the medical establishment never even attempted to get people to live a healthier lifestyle as response to this pandemic is a giant scandal to me. Right on Bill, because everyone needs to get with the program and Drink from the Fountain of Youth, like I do. And no matter what, stay strong, stay positive, stay true to your dreams…and get your workout in.

Peace – R

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Kudos to England, Amazon & Starbucks – Ep 18 – Tola Talks Texas

Today is all about giving kudos to those who deserve it most. Like England for ending their Omicron restrictions, Amazon for opening its first clothing store in SoCal, the White House for distributing 400 million N95 masks, Starbucks for rescinding its vaccination requirement, the Supreme Court of the United States for striking down President Biden’s employee mandate, fashion icon Andre Leon Talley for following his dreams and making a difference, and the four NFL quarterbacks that I pick to win their divisional playoff games this weekend: Joe Burrow, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes. Plus the final three Steps to Everlasting Youth from my book, and of course, more positive cryptocurrency news as they begin their ascent (hopefully for good).

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Top 7 Dumbbell Exercises – Ep 17 – Tola Talks Texas

Today we’re talking about the best exercises anyone can do from head-to-toe using only dumbbells. And since the news is rather depressing this Wednesday when it comes to current events including President Biden’s approval rating and paltry school lunches, not to mention murder rates we haven’t seen since the 1990’s and homelessness and inflation on the rise, let’s focus on an easy and affordable daily fitness program that positively affects your 7 body parts: abs, shoulders, back, chest, triceps, biceps and legs. Plus three more steps to everlasting youth from my book, as well as some encouraging price moves from our beloved – and sometimes unbeloved – cryptocurrencies on Robinhood. Have an awesome day everyone…and get your workout in!

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Cancel Culture Reboot – Ep 16 – Tola Talks Texas

Today we’re talking about the cancel culture (aka the call-out culture) as a modern form of ostracism and why it should be rebooted, or more specifically, treated individually on a case-by-case basis. And kudos to the new employment website, redballoon.work, for their efforts to value freedom of expression and go beyond the cancel culture where employees are free to work without fear of being on the wrong side of their employer’s politics. No doubt Americans are in need of a higher functioning democracy with less censorship and less judgement upon others for their personal choices, not to mention the need for everyone to embrace Love the Five Y’s – Step 22 of my book, How to Drink from the Fountain of Youth. Plus get ready for a long Crypto Winter – or not if you ask me – although there are plenty of reasons why Bitcoin is poised for a precipitous decline.