Final Thoughts for 2018

As 2018 draws to a close, I want to thank everyone who visited my blog this year.

I write because it is something I really enjoy, and it's a skill that comes naturally to me. I first discovered that I have a talent for writing when I was in middle school and was encouraged to write for the school newspaper. Later, I put my talent to good use during most of my professional life, as the director of communications for a large California humane society, and then as a public affairs professional for the federal government.

In 2018, this blog was visited by readers from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, US Virgin Islands, Unknown Region (I have no idea where that is, and apparently neither does Google), and Vietnam. That's 38 countries around the world!

Wherever you live, thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed what you found here, and I welcome your comments and shares. I hope to see you again in 2019!

Kicking 2018 to the Curb

I am very happy to soon put the year 2018 in the rear view mirror.

This was not a particularly good year for me. Every year has its ups and downs, of course, and 2018 was no exception. My eye problems continued, leaving me with limited vision in one eye after repeated surgeries. I picked up a 'bug' of some sort in Ethiopia that left me quite sick for nearly a week. Other transient health issues appeared. My investments have tanked, along with those of anybody invested in the US stock market. Family issues abound, with resolution yet unknown. Two of my dogs have taken turns being sick. And the year's parting insult is an apparently infected finger that is very painful and swollen. There is no obvious cut or other damage. I'm hoping that soaking it in warm water will help.

On the plus side, I got to travel to some amazing places. I went to Ethiopia and got to see the endangered Ethiopian wolf. I traveled again, twice, to Yellowstone, to Colorado to see the gorgeous fall colors, to Tanzania on a wildlife photography safari, and to Alaska to photograph grizzly bears. I also visited Nicaragua, and I met a friend in Rio de Janeiro for a two-week adventure in Brazil's Pantanal in search of jaguars, giant anteaters and other amazing animals.

But overall, I'm more than happy to kick 2018 to the curb. Let's hope 2019 brings more peace, more stability and less insanity to the world.

Finding Respite Through Beauty

This has been, and still is, a tough year for many people.

The stock market is plummeting. The country is deeply divided. Major manufacturing companies are undergoing massive layoffs. The federal government is more dysfunctional than usual. Senior administration officials are fleeing like rats from a sinking ship. Several others have been indicted or have pleaded guilty to prison-worthy crimes. Parts of the government are shut down because Congress hasn't been able to come up with a budget that pleases his majesty in the White House. 

So I decided to try and lighten the mood a bit by posting on my personal Facebook page a photo every day until Christmas. I decided to share a photograph of one of the beautiful things I have photographed. I've been doing this for the past 10 days or so. 

With Christmas just a couple of days away, I asked my FB friends whether they wanted me to continue after Christmas. So many people said I definitely should keep posting a beautiful photo every day, that I will continue to do so until they get tired of looking at my photos or I run out of fresh material to share (highly unlikely). One person noted "Don't you dare stop! In these difficult days, your photos bring me joy."

I started thinking about what she said, and I do realize that beautiful things -- be they photographs, seeing something beautiful in person, or even listening to beautiful music -- do, in fact, bring me joy. That's one thing I like about my home office. Although the rest of the house is decorated in the Southwest style, my office walls are filled with images of wolves, elephants and leopards. An African wood mask is on one wall, and on another wall is a large wooden elephant head given to me by my daughter. 

Some may not find beauty in a photograph of an elephant or a wolf, but I do. These are things about which I care deeply. These animals are beautiful in their own way. I love sunrises. I love beautiful landscapes untouched by humans. I love the intense gaze of a female leopard as she looks directly at me. I love the affection shared by an orphan elephant and the man who cares for her, as she wraps her trunk around his hand. That is beauty, too. Some find beauty in a bird, or in a colorful flower, or in seeing a mountain reflected in a lake.

The world is crazy. The normal -- whatever that means -- order of things is topsy turvy, not just in the United States, but around the world. There seems to be so much more bad news than positive news. So finding respite, if only for a few moments, is so important to my, and others', mental health.

I treasure my photographs, not just because they bring back memories of where and when I took them, and of the friends with whom I shared experiences. They also bring me joy. Looking at an image of a stunning sunrise or sunset fills me with awe. And it brings me joy to know that my photographs bring happiness to others, that perhaps they brighten an otherwise sad day, that maybe they inspire others to become more aware of the beauty that surrounds them.

So take a break from this upside down, anger- and hate-filled world. Find, and savor, whatever beauty makes you happy.

Some Memorable Experiences

As this years draws to a close, I've been thinking about some of the many memorable experiences I have had during the past few years. Here are a few:

• Working for NASA and getting to watch many launches and landings of the space shuttle, as well as working in both the American and Russian mission control centers.
• Standing at the base of the space shuttle on the launch platform just hours before launch
• Living in Moscow for 3-1/2 months
• Walking part of the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James) in Spain
• Visiting Africa several times
• Getting to photograph elephants, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, leopards and other amazing wildlife
• Hiking in France and visiting Omaha Beach and the American military cemetery in Normandy
• Watching the sun set over the Sahara Desert in Morocco while sitting atop a camel
• Touring England's Highclere Castle, where the Downton Abbey series was filmed
• Walking on a glacier in New Zealand
• Finally getting to visit the ancient Jordanian city of Petra
• Visiting Auschwitz
• Visiting amazing countries such as Costa Rica, Cuba and Ireland
• Being one of the first two people through the gates of the Taj Mahal, before the crowds arrived
• Visiting the elephant orphanage in Nairobi and getting to stand outside the stockade where one of my foster elephants spends the night, watching her eat, and being so very grateful that she was rescued and is on her way to living her life in the wild
• Being just feet away from an adult female lion as she was fitted with a new radio tracking collar and being in awe of her size and strength
• Hearing lions roaring and elephants trumpeting just yards from my tent at night
• Seeing the prison cell on Robben Island where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years locked up 
• Shaking hands with Bill Clinton (before his extracurricular activities became known)
• Meeting Senator John Glenn and getting a photo of him with my niece sitting on his knee
• Adopting a daughter from Russia
• Sharing my life with a dozen dogs over the years (I still have three dogs)

These are just some of the highlights of my adult life. I continue to make new memories and new friends through my travels. I have tens of thousands of digital photographs to keep the memories alive. As I am now in my 'golden years,' I treasure these memories so much more than any physical possessions I have.

I encourage everyone to make new memories and treasure them always.

I Am An Introvert

Yes, I am an introvert. Yes, I am shy. No, I'm not antisocial. No, I'm not retarded or mentally ill. I'm not stuck up. I don't think I'm better than anybody else.

I don't go to parties and I hate crowds. I don't do small talk. I will never be the life of the party. I hate using the telephone. I don't make friends easily, and people who meet me tend not to remember me. I don't have a lot of friends, but the friends I do have are very important to me. I make no apologies for who I am.

During a recent trip to Ethiopia, I was part of a group of 10 people, plus two guides. I was comfortable with these people once I got to know them, and it was easy to talk to them. I once mentioned that I am an introvert, at which point a woman who is most definitely not an introvert replied that I don't seem like an introvert to her.  

Being an introvert doesn't mean I never speak to others. It doesn't mean I sit in the corner with downcast eyes. It does mean that I prefer calm to chaos, a few good friends to a large, noisy crowd, and that I try to avoid the spotlight. It means that I am quiet, even among family members. I am better at expressing my thoughts and feelings through writing than through speaking. That's why I have this blog, and why I wrote a book.

But I worked as a public affairs officer for a major federal agency for 20 years. I did on-camera interviews with news media. I provided live, on-air commentary. I gave a briefing to a group of 200+ people. I gave a briefing to a group of senior agency managers at headquarters. Did I enjoy it? No, I didn't. But I did it. Sometimes I strike up conversations with total strangers in line at the grocery store or while awaiting a flight at an airport. It all depends on circumstances and on how I feel about the situation.

In a world that seems designed for chatty, overly social people who are always on the go and who always have something to say (extroverts outnumber introverts by three to one), there is an important place for introverts. Consider this partial list of famous introverts. It includes scientists, writers, actors, musicians, inventors and social activists.

1. Albert Einstein
2. Rosa Parks
3. Bill Gates
4. Steven Spielberg 
5. Sir Isaac Newton
6. Eleanor Roosevelt
7. Abraham Lincoln
8. J K Rowling
9. Mahatma Gandhi
10. Charles Darwin
11. Meryl Streep
12. Audrey Hepburn
13. Sir Elton John
14. Lady Gaga
15. Warren Buffett
16. Julia Roberts
17. Tom Hanks
18. Laura Bush

Being around large numbers of people or in noisy environments drains our energy. We need quiet and solitude to recharge ourselves. We tend to be deep thinkers who rarely get bored. We are creative, we think before we act, we are a calming presence and we love to read. We enjoy solitude.

Being a shy introvert doesn't make me 'weird' or 'strange.' I am a thinker, a writer, an avid reader and a passionate photographer. In a world full of people who can't stop yammering, it's nice to be with the quiet ones.

My Favorie Things

Remember that song from the 'Sound of Music' called My Favorite Things?

For some reason it popped into my mind recently, so I decided to give a bit of thought to my favorite things. Here are my top twelve.

• photography
• travel
• listening to music, especially classical music 
• reading (history, biographies, historical fiction, nature)
• buying or making a surprise gift for someone
• enjoying a cup of hot tea on a cold morning (or evening) 
• being warm under a pile of blankets on a cold night/early morning
• doing things for others
• observing and reading about wolves and elephants
• spending time with and helping dogs
• spending time in nature
• taking a nap

Favorite things don't have to cost a lot of money. Yes, travel is expensive, but nothing else on the list costs a lot. (OK, I spent a lot on photography equipment, but it will last for many years and it gets a lot of use). I love spending time with wild elephants. I'm ever hopeful that I will get a good wolf sighting in Yellowstone. I listen to music every day, and I read every day. I look forward to my morning cup of hot tea, especially during winter. These simple pleasures are very inexpensive.

I have a good friend who loves my photography, so I produced a made-to-order wall calendar for her birthday, with photos she chose from my Web site. When one of her beloved dogs died, I asked her to send me a few of her favorite photos of that dog. I used one of them to design a coffee mug for her, with the image of the dog and the words Forever in my heart on it. Each gift cost less than $20. The pleasure these things brought her, and the joy producing them gave me, is priceless.

I really learned to appreciate how wonderful it feels to be snug and warm when I spent the coldest night of my life in the Sahara Desert in Morocco. The blanket/comforter on the bed was so heavy and warm that I actually got too warm during the night. Getting up early the next morning, however, was another story.

I think the best thing about my favorite things is getting to share them -- the photographs and the experiences -- with others. This is the perfect time of year to share our favorite things with others. And it's also a great time to appreciate the things and people that bring us happiness.

What Happened to Christmas?

What did happen to Christmas?

Christmas used to be a religious holiday. It was simple. It was about spending time with family. It didn't start in August. There was no 'black Friday' with its throngs of people pushing and shoving, or in some cases, shooting, each other. Families didn't go into serious debt buying 'the perfect gift' for everyone. Commercials didn't encourage people to buy a $70,000 car for that special someone. Many families, including mine, attended church on Christmas Eve.

People made homemade gifts for others, perhaps a jar of homemade jam or a dozen cookies baked at home. Kids' wish lists weren't pages long. We had a couple of items on our list, and that was it. One year I got a small record player that played 45 rpm records, along with my favorite record at the time. Another year it was a metal fort with horses and soldiers; I think I shared that with my brother. I got a doll one year, which didn't thrill me, as I always preferred stuffed animals to dolls. My brother got a Lionel electric train set one year. These were gifts that encouraged us to use our imaginations, rather than sitting in front of a computer or television.

What about the Christmas tree, once the centerpiece of the holiday celebration? Gone are the days of heading off to chop down a pine tree (or buying one from a Christmas tree lot), hauling it home atop the family car, cutting a slice off the bottom so the tree could drink water, setting it up inside the home, and then decorating it. Ornaments were often handmade, and strings of popcorn added another festive touch. My family had some bubble lights that I really liked -- when they were working. Today, somebody drags the plastic tree out of the garage or attic. Most ornaments are made in China. Some trees come predecorated with lights. Where's the fun in that? 

When my daughter was younger, we decorated the tree together. I have a lot of ornaments with sentimental value, and several that I bought during trips to Russia, Poland and Kenya. Some are typical of the area in which I live. Many of my ornaments reflect my love of animals. Each of my dogs through the years had his or her own ornament.

My mother made cookies, a tradition I carried on for many years. Once I retired and no longer had people at work with whom to share the cookies and fudge, I cut down on my holiday baking. After I stopped running, and controlling my weight became an issue, baking became even less of an event. My mother also made fudge and a confection known as 'divinity.' Later, she and my father made popcorn balls and peanut brittle every holiday season. 

This year's holiday will be a total non-event. I stopped sending Christmas cards a few years ago. Last year I didn't bother setting up a tree, although I did decorate the house with the various Grandfather Frost wooden sculptures I bought during my time in Russia. I also have some things to hang on the wall, as well as a wreath of chile lights, reflective of the state where I now live. This year I'm not decorating at all. My only nod to the holiday is listening to each of the 40 to 50 Christmas CDs in my collection. I have everything from opera to classical to Mannheim Steamroller, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Spanish guitar, Celine Dion and Kenny G. 

I still do the bulk of my charitable giving during December, so that hasn't changed. Today I made some almond shortbread, rather than buying some as I used to do. I might make a batch of peanut butter cup cookies at some point. But I don't need either the sugar or the calories.

What happened to Christmas for me? I got old, my daughter moved away, and the commercial nature of the season has made it decidedly less appealing. I was in Costa Rica just before Christmas a few years ago, and I was amazed by how low key it all was. The mall had a couple of displays reflective of the season, but that was all. The hotel where I stayed in San Jose had some decorated trees. A private home where we had dinner had a tree and a Nativity scene. It was a nice change from the pressure and stress of Christmas in 21st century America.

I know we will never return to the days of my youth. Expectations for Christmas are high. Kids would be bored with the things that brought us joy. They can't compete with the latest Apple watch or video game. Such a pity. We loved playing with our toys, and engaging our imaginations. I liked surprising my daughter at Christmas, although I had to hide her gifts at work, so thorough was she in searching the house. Two years ago all she wanted for Christmas was money or gift cards. That's practical, I guess, but not a lot of fun to give.

Times changes, but progress isn't always better.

Nap Time!

OK, I admit it.

I love to take naps. I seldom sleep well (I wake up numerous times every night), and a nap is a wonderful break from the day. It's also a great way to add a bit of sleep to my total. Some days I don't have a chance to nap, and some days I can't sleep. But on those days I get the chance, napping is a wonderful experience!

If I do fall asleep for an afternoon nap, it happens quickly (unlike at night, when it can take an hour or two to fall asleep). And I sleep really well for 30 minutes to an hour. There is no tossing and turning as there is at night. A nap also provides a nice afternoon break. Because I'm generally up by 5 a.m., days can stretch on for a long time without something to break them up, especially during the winter when darkness arrives so early.

I had a great nap recently. I woke up, opened one eye and then decided I wasn't ready to get up. I didn't sleep any more, but it was nice just lying in bed on a cold, gray day. After a few minutes I got up and went about my day. 

I think the best thing about napping is that it provides time just for me, a time when I don't have to do anything. Obligations are set aside for a while. My dogs love naps, too, so as soon as I head for the bedroom, they're right behind me.  

Now if you'll excuse me, I think it's nap time.

Find Your Something

I recently read a Facebook post written by someone who is passionate about animal rescue.

He encouraged people to, in his words, "find [your] something."  He mentioned ad hoc groups of people who have found their something by making cat toys, blankets for dogs and cats in shelters, and coats for animals. A group of photographers found its something by taking quality pictures of animals available for adoption to make them look their best to potential adopters who view them online.

The author encouraged individuals to find their something that will allow them to help in a way that is meaningful to them. Not everybody can pull animals from kennels to be sent to rescue groups. Seeing so many animals waiting for new homes, new families to love them is too heartbreaking for some people. But nearly everyone has a skill that can be put to use helping animals and the organizations that care for them. Some organizations need people with legal skills, or who can handle their accounting needs. Can you walk dogs to give them a short break from their kennels? Can you work with undersocialized animals so they become more comfortable around people? Perhaps you can organize a pet food drive where you work, or in your family. Sometimes children will ask that guests to their birthday party bring donations of pet food for a local shelter, rather than gifts for the birthday boy or girl. And their is always a need for foster homes to care for animals until they are adopted.

You might also find your something in helping other people. Hold a holiday food drive to collect non-perishable food items for a local food bank or pantry. Collect gently used coats, gloves, boots and hats to donate to a homeless shelter. How about a toy drive for Toys for Tots so underprivileged kids can enjoy a nice Christmas? Maybe you would like to volunteer at a food pantry. I did that on a weekly basis for 2 years, and it was extremely rewarding.

When I lived in Houston, I belonged to a church that had a Christians in Action group that performed acts of charity for those in the community. People were invited to 'adopt' a family in need and purchase items, including an aluminum roasting pan, for a complete Thanksgiving dinner. We did something similar for Christmas. Anybody in the church who wanted to participate was asked to take a wish list off a tree and purchase the item/s for that person. I remember how good it felt to buy these items, knowing they would brighten the holiday for a family or child. Fortunately, the church made it easy for us to "find our something."

My something now is my photography. Not only does it bring me great joy, but all the proceeds from sales of my calendars and prints are donated to the Elephant Crisis Fund to help protect the elephants that are so important to me. Helping elephants is my something.

It's a great feeling when we find our something. Each of us has a talent or a passion. It's up to us to find that something and put it to good use.

So Many Dogs

So many dogs.

I follow my city's animal control page online, and it always makes me so very sad to see the never-ending parade of dogs either up for adoption or being held as strays. Sometimes the dogs are there through no fault of their own. Perhaps the owner has died, or had to go into a nursing home. Then there are those given to the shelter because the owner has "no time" for a dog, the puppy is too rambunctious or got too big, or the owner has decided to move someplace that doesn't allow dogs. Even worse are the people who dump a dog in the trash, or abandon it in the desert or the forest, or tie it to a tree in a remote area. Those people should be tracked down and spend the next 10 years in jail.

I know. People sometimes have to move. But I have moved with up to three dogs, from California to Texas to California to New Mexico. Never would I consider a move without my dogs. 

It just makes me so sad to see so many dogs in need of homes. (I'm not a cat person due to allergies, but I feel the same way about cats). Animals aren't disposable items that we get rid of when we tire of them. I've seen the faces of too many depressed, sad, given-up-hope dogs to ever find it acceptable to surrender a dog for a frivolous reason. And in my mind, most reasons are frivolous

Most painful of all is reading about an elderly dog, perhaps 10 or 15 years old, that suddenly finds itself locked away from the only family, the only home, it has ever known. And let's face it, people aren't exactly lining up to adopt an old dog.

Rescue organizations and individuals, as well as animal shelters, work tirelessly to rescue and rehome these sad, confused animals. But until puppy mills stop mass producing puppies for pet stores and online sales, and until people stop buying dogs from these sources, the unnecessary deaths of millions of dogs will continue. And that, quite simply, is not acceptable. How can we in the 21st century allow the deaths of millions of dogs every year, year after year, simply because there aren't enough homes for them, and because people continue to be irresponsible? It is unconscionable. 

If you are looking to add a canine member to your family, please visit an animal shelter or a rescue group, or a reputable breeder of the dog breed of your choice. Reputable breeders care about the dogs they produce. They have health checks done on the parents to minimize the chances of their passing on genetic diseases. They will take back for any reason any puppy they sell. Pet stores and backyard breeders care only about the money they get on each sale. I have adopted five purebred golden retrievers from rescues, all of them adults, and all of them wonderful animals.

Dogs are not commodities. They are not gifts. They are not something to get on a whim and then discard when they get old or sick or become inconvenient or too much work. They are living, breathing, feeling animals. They experience fear, pain, loss and depression just as humans do. 

If you care about dogs, please consider volunteering at a rescue or animal shelter. Donate food or new toys or beds or old towels. Donate money if you can. Above all, Adopt Don't Shop!