What visual images in your life best promote solitude?

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” (Pablo Picasso)

You might imagine what it’s like for me to live in South Florida during December when mass throngs of casual vacationers arrive to begin our winter tourist season. Know then it’s damn crowded even before they arrive with over six million people living on this narrow expanse of former swampland about one hundred miles long from north to south and between five to twenty miles going horizontally across. In particular, this holiday period considerably worsens our traffic “gridlock” conditions on I-95, the Palmetto Expressway, and the Florida Turnpike.  Average vehicle commute times during “the season”, traveling  one way, between South Florida’s three counties accordingly stretches often up to an hour or more as well.

Nonetheless, I considered it a privilege this year when I received “VIP” tickets to attend the prestigious “Art Miami” opening event, twenty miles south of our Fort Lauderdale home in the big city downtown.Thus, I would strive this year to obtain an inner sensation of peace and quiet from such maddening crowds by  indulging for a couple hours in such showcases of expensive, contemporary art. So I present for your interest below, several art-pieces from that iconic holiday happening that most appealed to me from such a solitude perspective. In similar fashion, as the time tested phrase goes, let’s hope for more “peace on earth” this holiday season. 

How do you best celebrate the authentic spirit of the December holiday season?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” (Henry Ward Beecher)

Kudos to my Kundalini instructor this week for inspiring me to do more than normal to express my gratitude for human and animal kind during this holiday season. Understand then why she invited her students last Sunday to explore sources of positive energy this week in accordance of what she called “The Real You.”

For in typical astrological fashion, she noted that the end of 2024 coincided with what’s called “Mercury Retrograde”, when planetary shifts in our solar system in combination with a new moon trigger a period of spiritual expansion involving new actions and state of mind. In fact, I am actually feeling such heightened energy sensations in Kundalini class now as we go through exercises involving  repetitive body movements combined with calming meditative music and spoken mantras in class.    

Try one of those Kundalini classes for yourself. Click on the following video link.

https://youtu.be/I082zKdGzgM?si=RujO6mZnOS7Jrqed

So this hectic holiday season involving a labor intensive move from our present home to a nearby location, especially represents the right time for me to accentuate my appreciation for life by reaching out to look naturally happier, listen willingly more and “lighten up” conversations with laughter. Thus I share with you below ten actions of positive gratitude that I will experiment with in the coming days along with some of our past travel photos that further inspire me to do so. Do any of these self cleansing behaviors appeal to in your own life situation now?    

1. Show more empathetic  regard for a struggling person.

2. Listen more when seeking help from others. 

3. Acknowledge young people’s contributions to society more. 

4. Allot more “quality time” for fun with close friends.

5. Let personalized talk replace habit prone texting. 

6. Stay a bit longer to make a friend.

7. Notice inner beauty potential more.

8. Dedicate meditative silence to all humankind.

9. Choose a new animal to nurture.

10. Lighten up” human contact more with humor.

How do you typically deal with unexpected problems encountered in overland travel?  

“Colorado has always been a good place to find out what you’re made of.”(John Hickenlooper) 

I  try to forget what tourist  brochures say that you can simply “chill”with “luxurious, winter vacation skiing in the mountains of Breckinridge, Aspen, or Vail. I also disdain any thoughts of that spectacular mountaintop like Pikes Peak to look out from will be easily obtained. And that cowboy boss image that I see so often stereotyped on television and movies portrays less information about how to survive in this harsh land than I thought. You see, whenever I’ve been traveling in Colorado, I’ve found it likely to be harder to do so than it seems.   

So let’s take a look at some of those unexpected hazards I’ve less than satisfactorily encountered from previous sightseeing adventures in Colorado. For one, I’ve learned from experience that the majority of the state’s population lies in densely packed, plains communities east of the Rocky Mountains. Yet being buffered from such mountainous terrain in the Denver environs, per se, has not diminished my sudden exposure in various seasons to torrential windstorms, long lasting drought, fast spreading forest fires or “whiteout” blizzard conditions. When heading into the long distance treks through the Rockies by car as well, I confess I’m relatively uninformed about “chaining up” my tires in blizzard conditions, using four wheel drive on muddy back roads and how to interpret detailed topographic maps when my GPS gauge fails to function in steep mountain areas. In cases of facing an animal intruder on those wild wilderness trails, I also would not be prepared to injure or kill a potentially threatening creature like a wolf or bear with a gun. 

But on the positive side, let’s just say I appreciate the opportunity of experiencing the present moment amid Colorado’s adverse conditions in the best way I can.Take for example our recent road trip excursion to the famed Royal Gorge Bridge, adjacent to the historic Gold Rush town  of Canon City, in the southeasterly sector of the state. In the following blog section, I imagine then that on this frigid morning”, I’ve desired  to set out as a prospective mining rush digger from Royal Gorge in the manner of one who arduously explored the area in the mid 19th century. In order to potentially strike it rich in this terrain, I must deal with this steep canyon ridge crossing over a fast flowing river far below. 

Brrrr!, I’m freezing. Where can I seek some nearby shelter from the elements to rest up and prepare? Those shacks in the distance would probably do. Tomorrow, I’ll lighten up my pack for the long walk over that flimsy looking, foot bridge to search ahead. What a spot to capture a keen eye view then for what rock layers lie below, especially along the sides of the canyon! But be careful for those gaps in the wood planks or you might fall through. I also hear a shrill whistle of an incoming steam train that’s certainly following along the river below. With surrounding walking trails unclear in the distance, I might consider risking a hike down to the nearest  railway station as the best  manner of transportation to scan the potential wealth of this vicinity. So why am I so happy today? It will not be an easy time to find my way around.     

Enjoy my photos of this simulated adventure. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Key Sources:

http://www.highestbridges.com/wiki/index.php?title=Royal_Gorge_Bridge

https://royalgorgebridge.com/majestic-landmark-of-history-at-royal-gorge/

https://royalgorgebridge.com/about-the-park/

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How would you best describe the spirit of the Wild West?     

“Have you any idea of what a man must endure who leads such a life? No one can unless he lives it for himself.” (Frank James)

The true meaning of “The Wild West” always seems a fascinating enigma to me. Ever since my childhood days in Ohio, I’ve kind of idolized the heroic image of the macho American cowboy as exemplified in such old time television westerns as Chuck Conners in the Rifleman, the masked marauder in the Lone Ranger and James Garner in Maverick. Perhaps that longstanding cowboy fetish has fueled my desire to travel on roadtrips so frequently westward. For I’ve deeply desired then to confirm how cowboy settlements actually functioned during pioneer days in the mid 19th century as well as re-adapt my actions to their continued existence in present times.

So our latest driving adventure within Colorado in autumn 2024  provided a plethora of opportunities to actually observe for myself to what extent this longstanding invention of the Wild West remains alive and well. In doing so, I provide photographic evidence below that I suspect demonstrate that  the rugged cowboy individualist might have had other ideas on his(her) mind than living hard with gun battles involving outlaws/Indians, and forming their own definition of law and order. 

So let me my start as Ruth and I entered Colorado south of Interstate Highway 76 in the historic town of Sterling. A one hour tour there at the Overland Trail Museum revealed a  prairie community that evolved over half a century into a quiet country town with all the materialistic comforts experienced back home. These eastern based pioneers evidently lacked the will or simply underestimated the hardships that they would endure to press ahead for precious mineral searching or open range ranching that attracted so many who migrated westward during that time period. 

Moving south on I-76 to seven miles northeast of Denver, we took the auto drive route around the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge. You might wonder how a cowboy mentality could exist amid prime prairie land occupied by endangered buffalo, prairie dog holes, and more than 330 species of other wildlife. Well in fact it could not be so. For this former military site used in World War II for chemical weapons manufacturing would ultimately become a government owned land for environmental protection in 1986 and therefore a forbidden place for any “Wild West” living.

Many visitors to the Denver area long to visit as we did the renowned Red Rocks Amphitheater near the town of Golden to take in its spectacular vista in the adjoining Rocky Mountains. But in order to obtain a heavy dose of western cowboy history in this vicinity, we felt also compelled to ascend the short drive to nearby Lookout  Mountain, site of the Buffalo Bill Museum and gravesite. My main focus of this visit then centered around his renowned popularity as a cowboy icon during  the mid to late 19th century which culminated in his famed exhibition tour around the country of a “Wild West Show”. So I took a firsthand look at several gallery exhibits showcasing  promotions of  bronco riding, Indian competitions, cattle roping, fancy shooting and other cowboy antics that once took place in such a theatrical show environs. In doing so, I solidified the idea in my mind that Buffalo Bill sought to convey the Wild West in America mainly as an exciting time of endless freedom to do as one wished to pursue fun filled times.

All three of these previous point of views observed on this vacation about the image of the Wild West thus distort the reality of how difficult the hardships of settlement westward would be and still exists today. For I can personally attest from our frequent visits to Colorado that extreme weather conditions, long distance travel times and arid/mountainous landscapes predominately exist in this state and throughout the American west, which provides a more accurate picture about what the cowboy mentality in the Wild West really means.

I might note in this regard that while driving along icy slick, side roads south of Steamboat Springs on this vacation, some manly cowboy thoughts frequently entered my mind as my hands tightly gripped the steering wheel as I tried to keep my vehicle from sliding off in catastrophic “fishtail” fashion off the road over the next mountainous cliff. Let’s just say as a history buff, I am truly humbled that I got a chance to experience the Wild West in the more correct way.  

“I may not have ended up where I intended to go but I think I have ended up where I intended to be.” (Douglas Adams)

How does an “eye on the sky” benefit the road trip traveler?

On our most recent road trip  from South Florida to the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions, I decided in one brief moment to take a break from writing road trip blogs on the road for a change. Why was that?  For starters, I recall stressfully listening to media reports about the widespread wrath of Hurricane Milton on our first day out of Fort Lauderdale. So being more cognizant of our routing schedule with those long, drives ahead of us each day, I shifted my focus from prioritizing my literary talents to being a safe driver, keen weather observer, and potentially a more warmly approachable person instead. Thankfully, my longstanding habit of researching and photographing places extensively, seemed to compensate for this writing loss by maintaining interest in my desire to learn. 

In fact, at several points on this trip, we faced a series of three, adverse weather conditions in various regions requiring some  alterations to our original routing plans. But in each case, we adapted well to such unexpected change. Due to wind and rain conditions from tropical disturbances in the coastal Deep South, for example, our trip shifted further east at various times. But in doing so, Roanoke, Virginia and Birmingham, Alabama now became new places for extraordinary mountainous exploration. With Texas twisters potentially brewing amid ominous black clouds in the Texas “Panhandle” prairie as well, our one day stop in the town of Lubbock led us to enjoy NFL football games on Sunday at a local sports bar. Lastly feeling stuck on the truck filled, Interstate Highway in hazardous winter conditions that had emerged in Colorado, I noticed that taking the opportunity to veer off onto those uncrowded backroads to Steamboat Springs and Colorado Springs seemed to diminish my fears of managing such slick, icy roads in the Rockies.

With a greater allotment of time to write at my leisure back home in South Florida, I hope to post future blog sessions about my favorite travel experiences along with plenty of photos from this most interesting vacation. In the meantime, I keep an “eye on the sky” as I share with you today some striking vistas that I witnessed on this journey. Also, take a look at a photo shot showing the back of our vehicle filled with visually appealing stickers I bought at so many places we visited along the way.

 

How do extreme natural disasters impact your life these days? 

“Anyone who says they’re not afraid at the time of a hurricane is either a fool or a liar, or a little bit of both.” (Anderson Cooper)

On the morning after Hurricane Milton slammed into the central weather coast of Florida, I again breathe in with a sigh of relief that I’ve “dodged a bullet” from this latest tropical  scare in Fort Lauderdale.There was a time that I actually looked forward to the occasional September hurricane striking South Florida when I was teaching. For I’d be privileged then to enjoy a few days off from my daily teaching grind at the beginning of the semester. The occurrence  of hurricanes also created more interest in my social studies curriculum as my students feverishly plotted hurricane locations on free newspaper maps and studied the history of past storm impacts in their community.

But as a result of “climate change” occurrences, hurricanes now strike Florida more frequently and with greater intensity than ever before. Thus I feel more like a “sitting duck” these days as I listen to a constant fusillade of “Breaking News Reports” about expected storm surge, wind damage, and flooding likelihood when our community lies within the striking cone of uncertainty. I also wonder more often during these crisis times whether our elected leaders actually care about the people they serve. 

So along those golden beaches of both east and west coasts of Florida, it’s important to understand how our democracy should function in such an emergency hurricane problem. As one example, I’m concerned that conspiracy theories of untruth will discourage or confuse hurricane victims about rebuilding their lives as so desired. So whether you are rich or poor, young or old, liberal or conservative, as well as express a particular religious affiliation, think deeply about the issue of our Florida hurricane crisis when you decide who to vote for in the upcoming election on November 5. For we desperately need leaders who actually serve EVERYONE they represent.  

What school subjects that you’ve studied have served you best in travel? 

“There is an eternal landscape, a geography of the soul; we search for its outlines of our lives. “(Josephine Hart)

With no hesitation, I can wholeheartedly state that my lifelong interest in the subject of geography has satisfied my travel interests best both near and far. In this regard , I might say that geography matches up well with my restlessly curious nature to know facts about different neighborhoods, cities, countries, and continents on our earth in terms of the varied natural landscapes of air, land and, sea that comprise each of them.

Know then that my travel thirst for geography began during my childhood in the Cleveland, Ohio region, when my dedicated elementary school teachers encouraged students to embrace the changing seasons of nearby parks and fields  and simply explore. From 5th grade onwards, I then began to enjoy building rock piles sorted by color, shape, and surface texture. I’d also sit on the itchy grass alot and free sketch cloud formations above, being totally absorbed in deep thought about what made them magically float in the air. When I plopped down on a shaded spot under an elm or oak tree,  I’d often dig up surrounding soil as well to examine their life bearing features as  plenty of earthworms squiggled throughout the muddy mess to confirm such interest. 

With some regrets, I can also recall that during my junior and senior high school years living now in South Florida, my Social Studies teachers infrequently incorporated geography in their class instruction. So I compensated for such formal geography lacking by spending an inordinate amount of time self teaching myself this subject in library reference sections by perusing World Almanacs, Encyclopedia Brittanica sets and National Geographic magazines. Such research I realize in retrospect had served me well for my future travel ambitions. For I could then recall geographic features of every U.S. state, their capitol city names as well as plot locations of most countries, water bodies, and mountain ranges on a world map.

Thus I seemed primed to capitalize on such precocious geographic abilities as I eagerly completed rigorous, credit seeking courses in physical, world, and urban geography during my Bachelors and Masters University programs  in Social Science/Urban Studies Education. Notably at that time as well, I’d met my future wife Ruth during that time who’d already traveled to Israel and  throughout Europe in her teens.  With both of us destined  for long careers in the teaching profession, our marriage would thus logically fulfill a mutual, geographic fantasy as we’d be fortunate to travel independently without the burden of raising children for several months during summer vacation each year. Such a wandering lifestyle  would continue on into our early retirement years. 

So in today’s times, this confirmed nomad continues his thirst for geography surrounded by a multitude of travel based apps convenient for planning and executing our current focus on road tripping. For day to day “GPS” walks or drives, he relies on “Google Maps.” In planning more long term itineraries within time limits, he benefits most by “Roadtrippers” or “Maps.Me” To schedule suitable lodging within range of places of interest, he makes good use of “Choice Hotel” maps via “Trip Advisor.” If unexpected weather conditions call for urgent attention, “The Weather Channel” does best. Take a look then a a few examples of how these apps might be of help throughout various portions of our upcoming Colorado road trip in the photo set below.

What issues are important for you to sacrifice your personal time these days?     

“Acts of sacrifice and decency without regard to what’s in it for you creates a ripple effect. One’s that lifts up families and communities, that spreads opportunity.” (Barack Obama)    

I’ve often heard the phrase that it’s the little things that we do that make us feel good about ourselves. So I wonder deeply how I might improve our current travels by committing more closely to this principle in an unselfish way. Keep in mind that for every road trip Ruth and I accomplish, we often return to familiar places from previous visits that entertain our favorite interests at the time. But what if we reframed such devotion to music, sports, history, and wild nature in the spirit of giving back to others our time, knowledge, and effort more?      

So what personal tools do I currently possess  that might enhance my ability to sustain such a benevolent effort during our upcoming adventure to and from Colorado on the road? ( see title map above  ). Consider for instance that I’ve gotten quite good at utilizing my phone camera in opportune moments to document where and when I’ve been. But I would like to share these photos in more intimate social situations beyond the gossipy social media realm. Or while I’ve managed  to drive long distances from city to city with casual efficiency, what difference could it make if I stopped more often in smaller communities for a breather, feeling willing to lend a helping hand? Observing little need to burden myself, as well, with those pompous expectations of my past college professor days, I now desire to more be genuine with others in free forums of issue related discussion. 

Know then I’ve compiled a list of  self sacrifice opportunities planned during this upcoming journey as briefly described below.

1. Arlington, Texas – Rally For Needed Political Action 

The appearance of “Pink” spreads a high spirited  message of love, unity and diversity’s call. So it’s incumbent of Ruth and I to come early and arrive late at her scheduled  concert at Globe Life Field next month to similarly gather with like minded people who rebel against the heartlessly angered impact  of MAGA Republican political viewpoints impacting this country in recent years.

2. Colorado Springs,Colorado – Honor My Father’s Military Service  

I’m the son of a former Airborne  hero who flew multiple, dangerous missions over Europe in a Flying Fortress (B-17) aircraft during World War II. Yet I currently know very little about his military training and how he survived during those harrowing times. So upon completing a self guided tour of the U.S. Air Force Academy, I seek to share what I’ve learned of my father’s Air Force connection with close family and friends. 

3. New Orleans, Louisiana – Spread Awareness Of Traveling Safely

Any tourist visitor to the raucous vicinity of “The French Quarter” in New Orleans should be acutely aware of the dangers of vulnerable of false ad scams, pickpocketing, and other forms of street crime that could happen there. Consider for example those potential victims who seem oblivious to their surroundings as they stare at their street maps or I phone devices when walking into crowded places in Bourbon Street at night. Thus I seek to share timely advice with such strangers I unexpectedly meet who look lost or inattentive in potential crime ridden places during our scheduled weekend visit with hope they will thereupon keep their eyes and ears open to avoid becoming such innocent victims of crime.   

4. Cleveland Ohio –  Keep The Magic of Cleveland Baseball Alive 

With my favorite MLB baseball team, the Cleveland Guardians guaranteed home field advantage in the upcoming playoffs, I’m psyched about the likely opportunity to be a spectator for game five or six of the American Conference series  at Progressive Field during our next road trip. With so many enthusiastic Guardian fans, young and old, cheering in unison for a big win during these pivotal games,  I’m confident there will be plenty of opportunities to spread positive energy through story telling I recall of  famed player accomplishments I’ve witnessed in my lifetime. 

5. Steamboat Springs, Colorado –  Donate Free Time To An Eco-Friendly Cause

A strong appreciation for the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountain entices us to return to the secluded valley of Steamboat Springs each autumn. Yet with current threats of wildfire spread, drought likelihood, and poorer water quality escalating recently,  I’ll be on the look out for volunteer opportunities promoted at the local  public library to help keep the ecology of it’s important Yampa River corridor healthily “green.

Continue reading “Say Hey To Shohei” →

What do you notice most about someone you know who’s been given a debilitating label?

“True understanding comes from looking beyond the labels we place upon them. (Michelle Obama)

Jason, a former tax consultant, now sought a life of ease in retirement yet rarely veered from his customary past norm requiring a well structured daily schedule. So his wife Myra, who recognized his “Obsessive Compulsion Disorder” (O.C.D.) with his mind racing around like a fluttering hummingbird, regularly managed  his eating , laundry, and shopping needs at the exact times, quantities and places he wanted. She also calmly dealt with his latest bouts of social anxiety in risk taking group situations by encouraging him to only confide “one to one” with close family and friends  in places he felt most safe.

But one exception to the heavily predictable lifestyle that Jason relished happened with the timely arrival of football season in September. For rather than absorbing himself in his self serving cocoon, Jason began to uncharacteristically  express to Myra, his sudden need to “reach out” with someone he could talk sports with.  So by sheer chance shortly after, he noticed Ben, a glum looking, elderly man waddling like  a walrus from his seated  table at an informal sports event gathering with Myra one Saturday evening. Obviously, Jason, knew nothing of this stranger’s severe Alzheimer’s diagnosis. For Ben now suffered from deep memory loss, poor balance and impaired speaking abilities        

So the moment seemed right for Jason to take a seat next to Ben at the bar soon after a video of pro football legend Dan Marino suddenly flashed  on TV screens  around the room. For their common interest in sports sparked an intensely emotional conversation between them for over an hour about various games that happened  during the old championship days of Miami Dolphins football. Myra, meanwhile, seemed to sense the importance of Ben’s  intimate contact tonight.  For upon observing both men willfully overcoming their expected communicative deficits, she soon began to cry. 

Know then that this story provides a plea of hope for those who appear burdened by society’s prejudgment and emotional trauma resulting from  serious debilitating conditions. For with the combination of free choice, the right setting, and determined effort, it’s plausible that the afflicted one can learn to refashion themselves with others in a non – disabled manner. As an added feature in this blog entry , I include a subtitled photo collection below, that reveals four notable figures who  overcame such a negative disorder label in their lifetime. 

James Earl Jones 

The booming resonance of his baritone voice blossomed for this gifted Academy Award actor in spite of his painful childhood as a shy stutterer. 

Elton John 

Being burdened by severe epileptic seizures did not deter  “Rocket Man” from finding his niche to become a superstar in the rock music industry. 

Muhammad Ali 

Feeling rejected as he fell behind in school as a disadvantaged reader because of dyslexia, future boxing great Cassius Clay (as he was then named ) gained his confidence back by transforming his body into an extraordinary model of physical fitness and subsequent boxing fame. 

Gabby Giffords

Experiencing  debilitating brain and body injuries as a result of a mass shooting  in 2011,  past Arizona/ U.S. Democrat Congresswoman Gabby Giffords endured years of challenging physical and cognitive therapy. Yet she’s now able to continue her career aspirations in partnership  with  her husband, Senator Mark Kelly as an activist in support of gun control and other political party issues at hand.