Patty Mooney and Mark Schulze: Love, Adventure, and Cannabis On Valentine’s Day in 1982, a glance exchanged on the balcony of La Paloma Theater in Encinitas, California, set the stage for an extraordinary love story. Patty Mooney, a singer featured in a play titled "Pandora: If Transformation is So Great, Why Am I Gritting My Teeth?" caught sight of Mark Schulze, a filmmaker setting up his camera. Intrigued by both the man and his equipment—video production being in its infancy at the time—Patty was drawn in. Their eyes met, and in that instant, a connection sparked that would catapult them on a journey spanning continents and nearly 43 years of love, wellness, and cannabis. The Beginning of an Adventure Within two months after they met, the two traveled to Tahiti, New Zealand, and Fiji. For 2-1/2 months, they backpacked and hitchhiked through the South Pacific, immersing themselves in the beauty of remote landscapes, the thrill of exploration, meeting intriguing people and deepening their feelings for each other. The challenges of traveling through unfamiliar territories strengthened their bond, solidifying their partnership not just in love, but in the spirit of adventure. Cannabis figured prominently as a social lubricant and as medication at the end of long days on foot wearing backpacks. When they returned to the United States, their relationship entered a new phase as they began living and working together. With shared dreams, a passion for storytelling, and an emerging commitment to wellness, Patty and Mark built a life together, heading Crystal Pyramid Productions, a pioneer in the industry, and now, San Diego’s longest-standing video production company. And yet, even as they built a life of creativity and business, one of their greatest passions—cannabis—remained hidden, tucked away in "The Green Closet," a secret they shared warily with others. Life in “The Green Closet” In the 1980s, cannabis was illegal, and discussing it openly was fraught with risks. Like many in their generation, Patty and Mark had to keep their love of cannabis concealed. They spoke in code, referring to their discreet enjoyment of the plant, knowing that their relationship with cannabis was about more than just recreation—it was about wellness. They incorporated cannabis into their daily routines as a way to manage the physical and emotional demands of their careers and active lifestyles, but only after the day’s work was done. Both avid mountain bike racers, Patty and Mark pushed their bodies to the limit, often needing relief from muscle soreness and the mental strain of long workdays. Cannabis, with its soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, became an integral part of their recovery and relaxation. Full Cycle: A World Odyssey" "Without weed there would be no mountain bikes." - Charlie Kelly In 1993, Patty and Mark decided to combine their passions for filming, mountain biking, travel and each other into the production of a documentary called "Full Cycle: A World Odyssey." They traveled to nine different countries in search of the world's most amazing mountain bike trail, an "Endless Summer" on wheels. The couple figured out how to tote their medicine - a few *Nectarball buds in a film can - (*Nectarball is what Mark dubbed the flowers from his home-grown crops) to every country without detection. In USA, Canada, Costa Rica, Wales, Switzerland, Greece, Tahiti, Australia and India the couple were always able to share some green bounty with their hosts because many avid mountain bikers indulge in weed. Mountain bikers love smoking a peace pipe together and recounting the best moments of that day's ride together. "Full Cycle: A World Odyssey" (1994) went on to win many accolades and film festivals. It was even highly reviewed in publications like Billboard, Bicycle Magazine and Mountain Bike Action. But it did not have its day on television until this year, 2024, when *Red Coral Universe premiered the docuseries with nine segments, one for each country. (*RCU is a film-friendly platform founded by Larry Meistrich, the writer and producer of "Sling Blade" and Scott Valentine, who played "Nick" on "Family Ties.) Cannabis as a Wellness Tool: Breaking Free It wasn’t until Mark began work on the documentary "NECTARBALL: The Story of Cannabis" at the 2016 Emerald Cup, that the couple publicly embraced their role as advocates. With Mark as Videographer and Patty as Writer and Editor, the couple traveled the world for seven years, collecting interviews from cannabis luminaries such as Tommy Chong, John Salley, Steve DeAngelo and dozens of others. In their hometown San Diego, they filmed the Cannabis Nurses Conference and interviewed Nurse Heather, Nurse EMack and others. They went to Humboldt to speak to the farmers. They went to LA to speak with Dr. Raphael Mechoulam on what would be his last visit to the U.S. before his death. They went to Ushuaia, Uruguay, the first country to legalize cannabis. They went to South Africa to observe all the social cannabis clubs popping up and explosion of diversity. They went to Amsterdam to chat with Mila, Soma, Rinus and Doede. Through the production of "NECTARBALL: The Story of Cannabis," Patty and Mark were finally ready to emerge from “The Green Closet.” As “OG’s” they now use their platform to educate others about the plant’s benefits and fight the lingering stigma. As you can imagine, helming San Diego's oldest existing video production company made it difficult to arrive at a decision to "out" themselves, as it could potentially cost business. Still, they forge on. "NECTARBALL: The Story of Cannabis," the award-winning and highly-reviewed documentary featuring interviews with 52 cannabis luminaries (out of over 165 interviews) is now enjoying its world premiere at Red Coral Universe as of October 1st, 2024. Through the conversation of those interviewed, the film delves into the historical, medicinal and wellness aspects of cannabis, shining a light on its potential to heal and transform lives and draws a road map to where we can go in the future. Skunk Magazine calls it "A brilliant documentary." Nurse Heather says, "You knocked it out of the ball park." John Salley says "I love how great this movie is." A Lifelong Journey of Wellness and Love As Patty and Mark’s love continues to deepen, so does their commitment to wellness. Nearly 43 years into their relationship, they remain as active and adventurous as ever. They both continue to compete in mountain biking races. Patty won both the 2023 and 2024 Sagebrush Safari—a grueling 20-mile ride coming in 13th overall (of 100 participants, many younger men.) She credits her strength, power and endurance to her consistent wellness routine, which includes cannabis for health maintenance and recovery. Cannabis along with biweekly forays into Nature on their mountain bikes have been key to maintaining creativity and focus in the couple's filmmaking and advocacy work. Their journey with cannabis has intertwined with their pursuit of balance and health. Whether it’s rubbing cannabis-infused balms on sore muscles after a long ride or enjoying a calming gummy to ease the stresses of the day, Patty and Mark have found that cannabis offers them not just physical relief, but mental clarity and emotional resilience. And they still enjoy getting stoned after a mountain bike ride with their buddies. From The Green Closet to Wellness Advocates Patty and Mark have traveled the world, from hitchhiking across the South Pacific to producing award-winning documentaries, but perhaps their greatest journey has been their ongoing pursuit of wellness. Today, they no longer hide their relationship with cannabis. Instead, they proudly share their story, encouraging others to explore the plant’s benefits and make the world a better place with cannabis in it. #TogetherWeAreCanMar

Posted by Patty Mooney at 2024-10-04 23:30:29 UTC