A Winter Getaway

This year, rather than spending Christmas alone with my dogs, I spent it in Italy.

What a great decision this was! The weather was pleasant (in the 50s). The food was excellent. I learned how much better real Italian food is than the stuff that passes for Italian in the U.S. I met a bunch of really nice people. I fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting Pompeii and Herculaneum, and I got to explore other interesting places as well, including the island of Capri. I was amazed to see how women of all ages in Sorrento dress. Regardless of what was going on, they were dressed in a very classy manner. And I got to experience Christmas through the eyes of the Italians of Sorrento. I always enjoy exploring local grocery stores, and I was pleased to find a store frequented by the local population just a 5-minute walk from my hotel. After a big lunch on a couple of days, a few of us enjoyed some tasty gelato for dinner -- two scoops filled me up and kept my stomach happy until breakfast.

I didn't watch any television for nine days, which was a wonderful break from the pre-Christmas barrage of endless commercials for 'the perfect gift.'. Although this was not a photography trip, I carried one of my cameras with me everywhere I went. I photographed the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, both destroyed in a massive eruption of Mount Vessuvius in the year AD 79.

Next year I plan to spend Christmas in Rome, and it looks as if two of the women I met during this year's trip to Sorrento also will be on that trip. It will be nice to see a couple of familiar faces again.

I have previously taken winter getaways to someplace warm -- Colombia, Costa Rica and Nicaragua -- and I hope to continue this tradition of a winter getaway to somewhere warmer than where I live now. These trips to other countries also provide a welcome relief from the endless ads and commercials pushing people to buy, buy and buy some more. And of course, escaping the cold weather for a bit is always a welcome change.

Getting away from not only the cold weather, but also the winter blahs and a fairly boring routine, is very important for me. I am so grateful that I can take these little breaks, and I look forward to more winter getaways in the future.

Writing Your Story

Today is the last day of 2022.

Tomorrow starts a new year ... a new calendar, a brand new 365 days and a new12 months. I know it will bring new opportunities and some new challenges. Every year does.

And no matter what we hope to accomplish, or where we hope to go, we cannot control everything in our lives. I have been trying to lose the same amount of weight for several years. I keep trying to get better control of my temper, and to become more patient. I will try to embrace the fact that my body wakes up very early in the morning, and take advantage of the quiet time to be more productive. I don't make resolutions for the new year. Why set myself up for failure?

But every year I do pledge to myself that I will try to do better. I will try to eat better. I will continue to exercise every day. I will work on improving my photography skills. I will spend more time with my dogs. I will try to focus on the positive and minimize the negative. 

Tomorrow each of will be given a very special gift -- a new book with 365 blank pages. As a writer and as a photographer, I know that some days the words just don't come. Some days, the inspiration simply doesn't show up. And that's OK. As long as what we write is reflective of our true selves, and what we photograph reflects our vision of the world, it's all good. 

Each of us has a unique story to tell. We get but one blank page every day. What story will you write in your book? What story will you read on Dec. 31, 2023?

Goodbye 2022

As this year draws to a close, I want to look back and see where readers of this blog live. 

In 2022, readers came from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Czechia, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Morocco, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Vietnam, and of course, the United States.

I appreciate all these readers, regardless of where they live. It is gratifying to know that my blog reaches people around the world. I welcome comments and feedback from everyone.

This has been a year full of adventure and travels to places I had not visited previously: Scotland, Greece, Italy and Namibia. I returned to Alaska for a couple of weeks with a friend. I have managed to remain covid-free and hope to continue this pattern. I enjoyed a visit from my daughter and infant grandson, as well as from my sister. So this year included both travel and hosting of family members.

It was a good year overall.

Here's hoping that 2023 brings us all a year of peace, health, happiness and prosperity. And let's all offer prayers for an end to the brutal and uncalled for war in Ukraine.

Finding Joy

Where do you find your gratitude?

Where do you you find your joy?

It’s sad to say, but I think far too many people these days have stopped looking for gratitude and personal joy. Or they believe that joy comes from living in a big house or from driving a fancy car or from having a huge amount of money..

I'm old enough to realize that none of those things is correct, at least not for me. I have often said that if I won the lottery (which I never will because I don't play), I might by myself a new car, but I would keep the house I have owned for more than 12 years. I have m ore than enough space in the house, I really like its design, and I have wonderful views of the mountains.

No, I would help my adult daughter and her infant son with expenses. I would buy her a better car. And I would make some big donations to my favorite charities. I might spring for first-class seats on my flights to other countries. And that would be it.

My joy comes from helping others. One of our local television stations has featured a couple of local charities during its evening news this year. First was the food bank that serves the entire state. Last night's news featured a student clothing bank that provided shoes and clothing to needy students. The director noted that one thing they really need is new underwear for boys and girls of all ages. The group's web site lists items in great demand, including toothpaste and shampoo.

Imagine not having enough underwear -- or any underwear at all. That is a basic necessity for people in this country. I mean, I put on a fresh pair of underwear every morning after I get up, or every evening after I shower. I do this without thinking about it. It's part of my hygiene routine. The same is true of brushing my teeth.

While looking at the organization's Amazon wish list, I had tears in my eyes. Such basics as deodorant, shampoo, combs and other essentials are in great need. Clothing of all kinds -- sweatshirts, socks, jeans among others -- are on the list. And of course, there is a real need for winter clothing.

Winter is a dark season for me. I hate the cold. I hate the short hours of sunlight. And I really hate knowing that our very wealthy country has so many people in dire need. 

People are struggling. And it's not just people in poor countries. People in our country are struggling to buy groceries, to get and pay for medical care, to heat their homes during this cold winter. There is no joy there. It saddens me, and it makes me angry.

I so so grateful for the organizations and individuals who are stepping up to make a difference. Our local ABC television station holds and annual coat drive to collect new or gently used winter coats for students. It also takes donations from viewers and purchases as many new coats as possible. Our local NBC affiliate features non-profit organizations such as the clothing bank and the food bank to raise awareness and funds.

My joy comes from knowing there are organizations working to help those in need. It comes from being able to help in some small way by donating money and food. It comes from helping to spread awareness. Still, it's hard to find joy when so many of my fellow residents are struggling.

I also find joy in my dogs, in my photography and in being able to travel. I love to read, and that also brings me joy.

So stop waiting to be happy. Take pleasure in the little things: a beautiful sunrise or sunset, a warm home, a nice meal on the table, lunch with a friend. Surround yourself with positive people. Distance yourself with those who want to bring you down and who have nothing but negative energy. Take care of your body and your mind.

Don't wait for joy to find you. Go our and find your own joy. You don't have to have a lot of money. You can find joy in helping others by visiting a lonely person. Bake cookies for a neighbor. Give someone a ride to the grocery store. Rake someone's leaves. 

Find whatever makes you happy, and go after it!

One of These Days

I’ve decided that one of these days I’m going to take a day, probably a cold, dreary and rainy or snowy day, and do nothing. 

I won’t get dressed, choosing to stay in my pajamas and bathrobe for the day. I won’t walk my dogs. I won’t exercise myself. And I will do whatever I feel like doing, which is most likely spending the day reading, with a bit of television thrown in. Maybe I will listen to music. I will probably turn off my phone and avoid my computer. Maybe I will make some soup or a pot of chili.

I wish there were a way to turn off my brain, to put it into neutral for a day or at least for a few hours. 

I read something recently that said autumn is the season to rest. Plants go dormant. Animals get ready to hibernate. The world takes it easy as it prepares for the long, cold, dark winter ahead. 

Humans have lost the ability or the willingness to take it easy. Autumn in the US is filled with holidays -- Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hannukah, Christmas and New Year -- that keep us busy.  The concept of slowing down and resting seems to elude many of us. There is always so much to do: calls to return, e-mails to read, houses to clean, errands to run, dogs to walk.

Last evening, I made a point of slowing down a bit. I made some wonderful almons shortbread. I then enjoyed some of my creation along with a cup of hot tea.

Monday and Tuesday this week are supposed to be very cold and windy, with a good chance of a 'winter mix' of rain and snow. That sounds like the perfect day to stay home with my dogs.

I think we would be well served to again listen to the rhythms of Nature. We should try to recapture the rhythms of our bodies and the world around us. These rhythms served our species well for hundreds of thousands of years. 

Maybe it's time to listen to our bodies again, to let our bodies and our minds rest.

Donor Fatigue Is Real

 Some call it donor fatigue.

I'm sure there are other names for the phenomenon, and there undoubtedly is some psychological explanation. But for me, donor fatigue is a result of never-ending appeals for money.

I donate a lot of money each year to roughly a dozen charities. I won't donate to any charity to which I have not previously donated because I don't want my personal information sold to still more organizations that will bombard me with appeals for donations. And I don’t want or need calendars, note cards or address labels. 

Some of my donor fatigue comes from the organizations themselves. Example 1: I donated a small amount of money 25+ years ago in response to a natural disaster in Pakistan. All these years later, Mercy Corps continues to send regular appeals for money in response to some emergency or other. The same goes for the Sierra Club.

Example 2: Yellowstone Forever, a group that raises funds in support of Yellowstone National Park, earlier this year sent an appeal for donations that included not one, but two, donation forms, along with a letter asking me to send money in both April and May. 

Example 3: The Albuquerque Rescue Mission, which serves the city's large homeless population, sent me appeals for money repeatedly, despite my numerous requests to stop. I hate seeing non-profits waste donor money on repeated appeals to people who don't want to donate to their organization.

Example 4: GoFundMe campaigns that show up too often in my Facebook newsfeed. Some are legitimate, but some are ridiculous. For example, the high school student seeking donations for a mission trip to Central America so she could proselytize her religion to the residents.

Yes, donor fatigue is real. Every time I sign a petition I am asked to ‘chip in’ to cover the cost of the online petition. The same goes for online donations to charities. Not only am I asked to make a donation, but I also am asked to make an additional donation to cover costs. Please, let me pay you to take my money.

And now, with rampant inflation resulting in fewer donations to non-profits, the demand — and need — for donations is greater than ever. I understand that, but how many people are financially able to respond to each request with another donation? And like everyone else, I, too, am impacted by the high cost of groceries and other commodities and services. 

I also am well aware of the fundraising trick that involves listing the first amount on the reply form so it's larger than the previous donation. So if I donated $50, the amounts on the subsequent form will start at $100. After I donated $500 to the local Meals on Wheels chapter, the next appeal wanted me to donated $1500 'or more.'

What all of this amounts to is frustration and annoyance. I still donate to my favorite charities, of course, and maybe the constant requests for still more donations is a successful way of raising funds. But in the case of Mercy Corps and the Sierra Club, I don't even open the envelopes. They go directly into the recycling bin.

It may be the season of giving, but for the majority of us, there is a limit to how much we can give. So please don't take us for granted, and stop bombarding us with requests for still more money.