Journaling....so many venues, so little time.

Never underestimate the power of Journaling.  It can be comforting, a problem-solver,  a documentation of important events. My whole premise in writing about writing, is because I feel the importance of lifting up the life changing benefits of practicing the art of Journaling.  It is amazing how beneficial it can be to take the time to sit down and record your thoughts; sometimes it provides much needed clarification. Plus it is cheaper and sometimes more effective than an analyst, or in my case...when my girlfriends are not readily accessible to talk to at the moment. Sometimes I go back and read about things that really concerned me at the time of the writing, and then in hindsight things did not turn out to be so troublesome.  It is truly a relief to look back and think why was I so worried at the time?

1916~2016: Centennial Celebration for the National Park Service

When you look at all the magnificent beauty within America's National Parks, it is very easy to have a sense of civic pride, especially this year as we celebrate the Centennial founding of the National Park System.  If you have not visited a National Park lately, 2016 may be a fantastic year to plan a trip to one as we commemorate the founding of the National Park Service.  There are currently 59 National Parks and over 117 protected areas that are designated national monuments. 

Grand Tetons National Park~Wyoming

     Teddy Roosevelt is remembered as instrumental in generating an interest in preserving and cherishing the natural beauty of the lands found in our country. He was one of the most visible advocates of the establishing and preserving of the Parks: often remembered as the "conservation president".  He loved the great outdoors and began several steps to insure the preservation of our nation's natural landmarks.  The passage of the 1906 Antiquities Act enabled Roosevelt and future presidents to proclaim certain sites and landmarks historical and/or scientific and worthy of preservation.

The New Year: A Kinder, Gentler Resolution

Approaching the end of the calendar year, many people, myself included, look to the new year with hopes and a clean slate to live life afresh and anew.  It is exciting to look to the new year with inspirations for new possibilities and the hopes of being the very best people we can be.  Resolutions generally revolve around health habits: "I've got to lose weight."  "I need to  exercise more." "I must  quit smoking." The list goes on.  I don't deny the importance of healthy habits as these but sometimes the importance of our mental health can be overshadowed by the determination of  fulfilling resolutions exclusively about our physical well-being.  Let's not forget the importance of our mental well-being.  The mental and the physical go hand in hand, but sometimes that is forgotten.  Sometimes we forget to take good care of our psychological self: to be gentle with ourselves.  Frequently we are our own worst critic, when it is beneficial to remember that we can be our own best friend.

Get Your "Back to Nature" Fix!~Visit a close by State Park

Depending on where you live in this great Nation of ours, you may or may not be relatively close to one of our beautiful National Parks.  Fear not, the State parks hold many wonderful treasures that frequently mirror the beauty and splendor of their "big Brother" National Parks.  Sometimes state parks are overlooked as a travel destination, but not only are they more readily accessible they frequently deliver a fantastic travel experience and if you are within your own state...a sense of civic pride surfaces enjoying what wonders are found in your very own Homeland. It's amazing to think that in the United States, there are over 7,000 state parks.  In my home state alone, Illinois, there are sixty. Now that's quite a few parks to choose from.

The "Process Art" in Scrapbooking

I bet every Scrapbooker out there occasionally experiences this feeling: there is a good chance that the bulk of their finished product will go unnoticed, not shared with others and literally collect dust on the shelf. Trust me, I have felt this way many times and can't help but wonder if some of the albums that I spent hours creating won't really be looked at until after I am 6 feet under.  Sounds a bit macabre I know, and I am not trying to feel sorry for myself, just realistic.
So after all these years, why do I continue to Scrapbook? Simply put: I enjoy it...the whole process as much as the end result.

Creativity inspired: Tools of the Trade

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The True Inspiration of Live Music

On a recent trip to Des Moines, Iowa I had the distinct pleasure of enjoying a live classical symphony: the Des Moines Symphony playing Beethoven's Pastoral symphony and selections from Rimsky-Korsakov.  I am not a huge classical music fan, my rock and roll roots have a firm grip on my listening favorites, but the impact a symphony such as this could change my mind and at least broaden my horizons.

"Fluoride Feminism"

"Men weren't really the enemy -- they were fellow victims suffering from an outmoded masculine mystique that made them feel unnecessarily inadequate when there were no bears to kill."--Betty Friedan

Is Feminism Relevant today? I have my own answer to that question, but I am enjoying
searching the ins and outs of the topics one covers when pondering that question.  When on a college campus in the late 70's, I was at the tail end of the feminist revolution of the 60's and in the midst of what Betty Friedan called the "Second Stage" of Feminism. Friedan advocated growth for both men and women and support for the family unit. Feminist ideals have always been important to me, and learning what women before me have struggled for has been important: I don't ever want to take for granted those everyday liberties that women use.
In conversations with women younger than myself, I frequently get the impression that the concept of Feminism is strictly an "historical" reference in their lives and not relevant to day to day living.  I believe Feminism should not be relegated to the history books, there is more growth needed.  Each generation can learn from the evolving precepts of Feminism.
  In  their book: Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future,Jennifer Baumgarnder and Amy Richards, (both born in 1970) write: "For anyone born after the early 1960s, the presence of feminism in our lives is taken for granted. We scarcely notice that we have it--it's simply in the water."
 The development of some of the feminist ideals should not remain stagnant.  So that is why I read about, write about and talk about feminism today. More thoughts to come....

Seek out Your Passport

Seek out and obtain your Passport.  Your Passport to the National Parks, that is.  Is has some of the same concepts as a traditional Passport, you get it stamped at your various destinations, but it is a whole lot easier to obtain and contains more information for you than just where you have been.  I have visited many National Parks, but just recently obtained my passport at America's largest National Park: Wrangell St. Elias in Alaska.  Now I just have to "catch up" with all the Park's I visited in the past and fill in the dates.  It is fun to cruise through the Passport, finding the places you have seen and remembering the visit. It is also a great partner for assisting in planning your next trip.

The Passport to Your National Parks program started in 1986, to help travelers in the U.S. gain a broader understanding and appreciation of the treasures of America's National Parks.  It serves as a great souvenir to take with you on every trip to "log in" and have your book stamped with the cancellations of the specific park you visited. More than just a souvenir, it has a terrific overview of all the parks and includes maps, color photos and background information on the Parks. The Passport book is divided into 9 geographic travel regions making travel planning and finding specific parks much easier. You can purchase the Passport at just about every National Park, but if you are itching to get a copy right away, you may find it at www.eParks.com

Fall Colors & Bounty in the Midwest

     Like it or not, the cooler nights and the changing of the leaves are coming.  If you live in an area that Mother Nature presents to you all four seasons, the trees are just starting to show a little color and all the pumpkins in the fields are being gathered up and making there way to the grocers and peoples porches. The sunny days are making way to cooler nights as we ease into Fall.

     Living in the Midwest, the colors of autumn can put on quite a display.  Sometimes right in your own backyard. However, sometimes a weekend trip this time of year is not only a great way to get away for a "mini vacation" but also a great time to soak up the splendor of the colors before the snowflakes fly.  There are so many great places in the Midwest to visit that have the perfect backdrop to display fall foliage. Residents in the northeastern states also have a bounty of colorful landscapes this time of year.  Living in the heart of the Midwest, my focus here is places nearby for Midwesterners. Several Internet searches reveal several options for weekend Fall getaways.  It is amazing that there is even a web site dedicated to fall foliage: 
 www.foliagenetwork.com/ It is a delightful diversion to visit this site and

Insights from the Ghost Trees of Alaska

Petrified trees near Girdwood, Alaska  (photo by Julie Smith)

   Driving along the roadways in parts of eastern Alaska, on odd indication of the 1964 earthquake becomes apparent. The 1964 Alaska Earthquake had a profound impact on the people of Alaska and  left visible scars on the land. Many of the scars and the buildings that were destroyed have long since left from view, but what remains after all these years are the tall trees that stand stark against the blue skies. They stand like soldiers guarding the memory of that terrible day in 1964  and to serve as a reminder to never underestimate the phenomenal power of nature's force. When the quake occurred, sea water came up through the fault flooding the terrain near the trees, but in the same token not uprooting them.  So they not did immediately die, but the sea water caused them to turn to a petrified-state and they remain standing.

Off the Beaten Path:Kennecott Copper Mine, Alaska

Nestled in the snow-capped Alaskan mountains of our largest National Park: Wrangell-St. Elias, stands the Kennecott Copper mine. Closed in 1938, it stands silent watch above the valley and steep drop offs that are common to the area.

When visiting the abandoned mine, the sheer majesty of its size gives you a whole new appreciation for the people who lived and worked here. The structure of the main mill, pictured here, has such an ominous presence that even if it is not haunted it still has an alarming presence that truly is awe-inspiring.The building of the mine itself, and the surrounding buildings supporting the workers, initially seemed to be  insurmountable tasks. To bring buildings materials in through the rugged mountain passes, the first priority was to build a railroad. In addition to helping construct the new city and mine, the copper ore was transported via railroad south to Cordova. When visiting Kennecott, I walked along the original rails that line up with the chutes, where the rock crusher spit out processed rock and ore that was further refined.

For the Love of Lighthouses

My family & friends frequently tease me about my love (er...obsession perhaps...) of Lighthouses. Yet, fellow admirers of Lighthouses will agree with me that these majestic structures provide an inspiration and tales of their colorful histories abound.  Also, it never ceases to amaze me that no two lighthouses are alike and they are as varied as the shorelines they beautify.

 I believe Lighthouses have evolved from their historical roots as a guide to ships in turbulent waters and rugged, dangerous coastlines to landmarks of great historical significance and beauty. Not only do they serve to guide ships, but they have an air of spirituality about them to guide troubled souls in a world of darkness.  Their beacons shine in such a way that they provide an inspiration to all who view them.  How can one look upon a majestic lighthouse perched on a cliff or at the far end of a pier and not help but smile at its beauty.

            Living in the mid-west, I feel honored that we have the greatest concentration of lighthouses anywhere in the world. By virtue of the five great lakes, that provide hundreds of miles of coastline that need lighthouses to provide safe navigation.  In recent years, many of the lighthouses have not continued to operate and function as navigating tools, with the advent of more technologically advanced methods replacing them.  Yet, since many are steeped in history and tradition, there are efforts to restore and maintain them.

Picture of a Childhood Memory

     I suddenly felt so hollow, so empty inside as I gazed upon the abandoned house. Weeds had grown up almost 2 feet high in what was once a welcoming front yard.  The front sidewalk and driveway were completey missing except for maybe a few crumbling pieces of concrete amongst the weeds.

Most of the windows were boarded over and the windows that were left had several panes broken out letting the country air into an empty bedroom.  No curtains were hung in the windows, just blackness in stark contrast to the summer sun. Seeing my friend Kelly's old house, that was obviously abandoned, brought a flood of memories back.  The tears welled up and I could not help but let them run down my cheeks. I wiped them away quickly with the back of my hand. I was so shocked  that this was the house I had several "sleep-overs" with my friend Kelly in.  I remember sitting upstairs in her bedroom, listening to records-mostly the Carpenters and the Beach Boys.  We would sit and talk  about boys, listen to music, do our nails and wile away the hours.  Looking at it now, her house made me feel so incredibly old.  How could it look like this when my memories of these events seem like they just happened last summer, when the reality is closer to 40 years ago. Sometimes the reality of change is hard to cope with, yet I am a strong believer in the fact that everyone should have the comfort of childhood memories to cherish. These memories provide a shelter, a security blanket, that not only defines who we are today, but allows us to cope with today's struggles.  Certain memories help us to keep things in perspective.
     It has been said "You can never go Home again...." and perhaps that is true.