The Young

    When you were growing up as a kid you probably didn’t give much attention to what was going on in the news.  You were more interested in sports, or “teen idols” and what was going on in the “real” world of your little town after school.

     I know I would rush home after school (before I was old enough to have a job) and head straight to the television so I could watch the latest episodes of Superman and the Howdy Doody Show.  That was the type of thing that interested me.  There were no video games or websites that you could go to for information.  You didn’t have any “connections” with your friends over Snapchat or Instagram, etc.  WHAT was a cell phone?   

     According to marketing data, a remarkable 9 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds in the United States use Snapchat every month.  While they mostly send photos, the app’s Discover portal allows them a lens on events in the outside world – at least in theory!  Unfortunately, at least according to the app, the world is mostly gossip, celebrities in various states of undress, and kittens, so states the article “Kids Are Stuck Getting Their News from SNL and Snapchat.  Save Us, Linda Ellerbee!” by Eleanor Cummins.

     From the time period of 1992-2015, it was possible for some youngsters to get “news” like programming by watching “Nick News”.  It was THE place for younger ones to get a real taste of what news programming should be like.  It was serious and took its young audience serious also.  According to Bronwen O’Keefe, who helped to produce Nick News at the time, “We weren’t going to dumb anything down for the audience and we weren’t going to avoid things that were controversial.”

    You don’t see many young people sitting around in coffee shops, or libraries, or even in their own rooms reading the New York Times, the Washington Post, or USA Today!  It just doesn’t happen.  They would rather be on their phones, ipads, or tablets doing who knows what!

     The article previously mentioned by Eleanor Cummins also states, “For precocious teens and preteens interested in current events but unlikely to sit down with a newspaper, Saturday Night Live often serves as a glimpse at our current political moment.” 

     Most younger ones have to depend on their parents or teachers to help them not only “know” what is going on in the world of finances or politics, but they need to “understand” how these situations are going to affect THEM personally.  This will take an investment of time upon the adults who attempt to provide these explanations.

     It used to be that you could learn history and know that information would be the same 5, 10, or even many more years later.  Today, even the history that was taught in school is being questioned or it is being changed.  With everyone trying to be “politically” correct you are almost scared to make a statement that may be taken wrong by so many.

     Then the “current” history that is being written every day is happening so fast that you almost hesitate to try and learn it until you have some bit of certainty that it’s not going to change in the next few minutes.  It is almost like the weather in Colorado.  We always so say if you don’t like it just wait a few minutes and it will change.

     We sadly see this same atmosphere in so many other areas.  At one time it was BAD for you to eat hotdogs.  Then it was not a problem.  In the past the idea was (from Dr. Spock, NOT Mr. Spock) that you should never discipline your child.  Then it was learned that discipline is a necessary form of correction and education.  Some took that statement to mean that you were to BEAT your children to keep them in line, so now public correction is NOT appreciated.  Of course, we should all recognize that in any area extremes are not usually what is preferred.

     However, I digress.  This post is to help us as adults recognize that the younger generation needs to become more aware of what is going on in the world around them.  Not only the things that they may find personally interesting: celebrities, etc.  But world affairs that one day may mean a great importance within their lives. 

     We have an obligation to do this, but we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Talk to your Mom every day,

but give your Dad a few words too."

If You Love Someone ---

     A few years after I got married my wife bought me a small stone paperweight that had written on it “If you love someone --- tell them!”  I have kept that gift for many years and each time I look at it I think a little bit more about that saying.

     When I was growing up my Dad was not a very emotionally expressive man.  He would always make the statement: “I put food on the table.  You have clothes to wear.  You have a roof over your head.  Can’t you tell that I love you?”  He never saw the need to actually express himself by saying the words.

     I guess he was like many men even today.  We don’t often think it is necessary to express our feelings by getting all “mushy” with words.  That’s the kind of thing that the women do!  So we just sit around and play our macho part.

     So I thought when my family began to grow and my wife and I had children I would not be that kind of father.  I often wanted to (and did) put my arms around the kids and tell them that I loved them.  I did the same with my wife.  Even today after 50 years of marriage I enjoy walking with her anywhere holding hands.  I remember on one occasion my son told us that his cousin made a comment to him when he saw us “kiss” in public!  (It was just a quick peck on the check!)  I have always enjoyed expressing my feelings.

     I thought it was necessary to let them know how I felt about them.  So whenever I could I made the expressions of my feelings known to them.  But after I got that gift I began to think a little deeper on the matter.  Is making an expression all that is needed?

     Yes!  They needed to hear me express my feelings, but they needed to SEE those feelings in action.  Too often it is simple to let the words flow over your lips and there is no substance to them.  You can say “I love you”, but how are you able to back up those words.  I started to see that more was required than mere words.

     You have to act in a way that stands behind those words and makes them become a reality.  It might be like telling someone “Hope you get to eat today!”  But you don’t do anything about getting them some food.  Your words may have some meaning of feeling behind them, but the words alone are a bit empty when they are not backed up by actions.

     So I’ve learned that the words need to be supplemented with action.  Once you SHOW someone how you feel any words that you express afterwards have much more power behind them.  Now I feel that my previous gift would have much more import if it read: “If you tell someone you love them --- SHOW them by your actions!”

     In a perfect world we would all probably be better able to do this.  But as we are today it is very difficult to make it happen.  What a truly pitiful excuse when all we can say is: “We’re Only Human!”

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Talk more about others than yourself - - - 

it will keep you humble."

Tell Your Story

    It’s hard to imagine the BILLIONS of people who presently live on this planet Earth.  But, if it were possible we could travel around the world and talk to as many people as we possibly could and we would find that everyone of them had a very unique story about their life.

     You could start with yourself.  You might have to go back into your childhood and think really hard, but I’m sure you could come up with some story that would be truly representative of YOU and no one else.  Maybe if you had siblings it could be a story about all of you doing something together.  Or if you are an only child you might have remembered a story in which you created a sibling so that you would have someone to play with.

     Maybe your story would be about how your parents had to work HARD to care for the needs of the family.  Those lean and depriving years may help to explain how you react to financial situations today.  It’s possible that your life story would have been just the opposite and you realize that when growing up your family had more material things than many of your friends.  So today you have become extremely generous to those who are in need.

     Stories would come just like the people who tell them.  There would be long (tall) stories and also short ones.  There would be very colorful stories and many with a very dark and sinister air about them.  There would be those stories that would make you laugh and those that make you cry.  We would have to include some stories that lift your heart to unbelievable heights and those that seem to knock you down to the lowest of places.

     If you ever really want a huge laugh get a child to tell you a story that they completely make up as they go along.  It could be on any subject.  The important thing is that it must come directly from the child’s mind.  You will probably be amazed at what they are able to create from their imagination.  Don’t work about the improbability of what they are saying actually being possible.  Just listen to the excitement in their voices and the animation in their delivery.

       Consider that journey to the far reaches of the globe.  All the people you could meet from varying cultures, upbringing, with their different fears and aspirations.  And imagine the personalities of the men, women, and children who make up these billions of living beings.  Now consider the time you would have to spend in considering THEIR stories!  Time that would be needed to let all the various components really sink into your mind.  Imagine the feelings you would gain within your own heart as you let them pour out theirs within the framework of their story!

     How long would it take for you to contemplate the real meaning behind the words they have been expressing to you?  How could you walk away and not be touched by the happiness or the sorrow that they have conveyed to you?  Where could you go to get away from the anguish that they may have expressed by means of their story?

     Maybe we could take the time (at least a portion of it) to try to understand some of the people who are the closest to us:  those of our own families!  Maybe we have lived with and near to these people for many years, but do we really KNOW their story?  Perhaps we could begin by understanding ourselves by telling our own story!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Don't ever enter a duel of intelligence

with an "empty gun."

Today!

     I’m sitting in my office thinking over my schedule for the remainder of this month.  Since it is now December and there are about only three weeks left until the 2017 year comes to an end I thought this might be a good time to make sure that all my remaining appointments, assignments and personal commitments don’t get lost in the shuffle.

     Then it dawned on me that when you really book at all your obligations whether they are personal or business nothing ever really gets done until “today!”  We may have it scheduled for next week or our deadline is the second Friday of the month; however, whatever DATE you have an item scheduled to get accomplished you never get it done until it is “today.”

     I’ll see if I can explain my thought so that you understand.  Let’s say we have some BIG plans we’re going to do on Saturday, but today is Wednesday.  We’re not going to do our plan for three more days, right?  Then it becomes Friday.  Now we’re not going to do our plan until tomorrow because then it will be Saturday.  But when Saturday gets here and we can get our plan done we don’t usually refer to it as Saturday anymore: then it will be TODAY!  Do you follow my thinking?

     That being the logic behind our view of the activity we want to accomplished: NOTHING gets done until TODAY!  It may seem a little strange thinking in that fashion because we are always planning an event for a future time.  It’s got to be done this afternoon, tomorrow, next week, next month or some other period of our future time schedule.  However, when we actually get to that period of time it has become TODAY.  So nothing ever gets accomplished until today!

     That being the case my mind begins to wonder:  What are we doing TODAY?  If we really are the masters of our time and we don’t let time control our lives we will have an orderly arrangement as to HOW we are going to get things done.

     We would need to have some priorities in our lives as to how and when activities are done.  Preparing ourselves either by what is most important or what will take the most (or least) amount of time to get accomplished.  In my own case I like to review the day before and schedule those things that I don’t particularly like to do earlier in my day when I am the most rested and receptive to getting things done.  You would need to look at your load of responsibilities and see how you can do the same for your schedule.

DON’T PROCRASTINATE!

     Some have a reverse view of work accomplishments:  Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?  But remember: Tomorrow NEVER comes!  When that day gets here it’s always today!  And today is the only day you can get things done.  Besides if you let things “pile up” it will only be less likely that you’ll want to take the necessary time to get things done.  Or you may be allocating an ENTIRE day to accomplish what previously could have taken you fifteen or twenty minutes a day to stay caught up!

SEGMENT!

     Another thing that I have found helps me is not looking at a job in its entirety.  What I mean is when you look at the task at hand you’ll probably realize that it actually takes two, three or maybe four separate steps to get it completed.  So why not segment that task into its various portions and you’ll find that the task becomes easier to accomplish and it also makes it possible for you to “break” between segments and not feel like you have let the task incomplete.

     Another thing that I have found helpful in my own case is not to have multiple tasks in various stages of completion.  Even if you have segmented the task into various portions:  get ALL the portions completed BEFORE moving to the next task.  This has really been helpful when I have several tasks that are similar.  By completing one task at a time you know you can move on without that task tugging at your mind.  I don’t care who you are or what you think:  you CAN NOT multitask!  Your mind needs to give its complete attention to the task at hand.  When I was younger taking driver education classes our instructor told us: “If you drive with ONE hand on the wheel and ONE hand on your date:  you’re lacking ONE hand to handle either activity!”

     You must also remember that regardless of how well you plan there WILL be distractions ---especially if you are working out of your home!  Simply understand this and deal with it the best you can.  At times that might require halting your present task, taking care of the interruption, and then returning to your task.

     While we may have warm memories from our past and we may schedule and plan for the future, we can only get things done in the present --- TODAY!  Regardless of your status in life, your best efforts, or your determination, you only have twenty-four hours in today:  Use each moment wisely!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Eating humble pie today 

could be better than 

eating crow tomorrow."

Love Story

     When you’re growing up there are various music, books, or movies that touch you in some way that maybe at first doesn’t register in your life.  Later on as you continue to mature and have various experiences in your life you begin to see how even small things change, add to, or take away from your character.

     I’m going way back to 1970 and a movie called “Love Story.”  It starred Ryan O’Neal as Oliver Barrett IV, a young man from an upper class east coast family and heir to the Barrett fortune.  Oliver meets Jennifer “Jenny” Cavalleri (played by Ali MacGraw) a quick-witted, working class Radcliffe College student of classical music.  They quickly fall in love, despite their differences and the disapproval of his father.

     Their life is not easy and they have only their love to get them through it.  Because of their decision to marry, Oliver’s father has cut him off from the family fortune.  Having graduated third in his law class, Oliver takes a position at a respectable New York law firm and decides to begin a family with Jenny.

     After failing to conceive they consult a medical specialist.  After many tests, Oliver is informed that Jenny is terminally ill.  The movie actually never says what disease she has although it appears to be leukemia.  After trying to live a “normal” life their medical bills have grown to the point where Oliver has no alternative but to ask his father for financial help.

     When his father asks what the large amount of money is for, Oliver only replies that it is personal!  His father inquires if he has “gotten a girl in trouble?”  Oliver doesn’t want his father to know the truth so he simply says “yes”.  So his father writes him a check.

     In the climax of the story, Jenny has prepared for her funeral and the two of them try to find comfort in each others’ arms and revel in the love that they have shared together.  Then Jenny dies in his embrace.  As Oliver is leaving the hospital he sees his father outside.  The senior Barrett has rushed to New York after hearing of the news about Jenny.  Oliver tells him that Jenny is dead, and his father says “I’m sorry”, to which Oliver replies “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”  This is the main theme that is woven throughout the lives of Jenny and Oliver during the entire move.

     That movie touched my heart as it did for thousands of other people.  But as the years have passed since I watched that movie I have come to appreciate that as heart-wrenching and powerful that statement was in the movie --- it is completely wrong!  If you truly love someone you will constantly be telling them you’re sorry when you have made mistakes.  And you are going to make mistakes because we are all imperfect.

     Throughout your married life you will regret many things that you do or say or maybe it’s the things that you DON’T do or say that will make you have regrets.  Whichever the case, it is the truly loving person who will admit their errors and will then make the necessary adjustments to “make it right!”  That’s what love really is: the acknowledgment that you and your spouse are not perfect and mistakes are going to be made and forgiveness is going to be necessary.

     As for myself I think the Bible has the best description of love in action.  It is recorded at 1 Co. 13:4-8 (according to the King James Version):  “Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.”  We have many reasons for displaying love.  But primarily our first reason is plainly stated at 1 John 4:19 where it states: “We love because he [God] first loved us.”

     If we truly showed this love in our lives and displayed it in our lives there would never be a reason to say we were “sorry!”  But, we can’t do that the way we should because of our imperfections:  we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"When you have nothing,

you find out who your real friends are."

Paper Clip!

     Over the past few decades there has been a continuous advancement in technology.  It seems that with some electronics you have barely been able to purchase the item before a “new and improved” model has been put on the shelf.  And often there are not many improvements to the new model.  Of course, you many times have to deal with the “bugs” in the advancements.  Until there has been time to get these “fixed” you almost wish that you could go back to your previous product or at least you regret making the switch as quickly as you did.

     Yet some of the “greatest” or most “useful” productions have been very simple creations.  They have withstood the test of time and continue to be great tools for many personal and business projects.  One of these items that I have been thinking about is the simple paper clip.  Let’s look at its’ history.

     A paper clip (or sometimes paperclip) is an instrument used to hold sheets of paper together, usually made of steel wire bent to a looped shape. Most paper clips are variations of the Gem type introduced in the 1890s or earlier, characterized by the almost two full loops made by the wire. When a moderate number of sheets are inserted between the two "tongues" of the clip, the tongues will be forced apart and cause torsion in the bend of the wire to grip the sheets together. Paper clips usually have an oblong shape with straight sides, but may also be triangular or circular, or have more elaborate shapes.

     According to the Early Office Museum, the first patent for a bent wire paper clip was awarded in the United States to Samuel B. Fay, in 1867. This clip was originally intended primarily for attaching tickets to fabric, although the patent recognized that it could be used to attach papers together.  Fay received U.S. patent 64,088 on April 23, 1867. Although functional and practical, Fay's design along with the 50 other designs patented prior to 1899 are not considered reminiscent of the modern paperclip design known today.  Another notable paper clip design was also patented in the United States by Erlman J. Wright in 1877. This clip was advertised at that time for use in fastening newspapers.

     The most common type of wire paper clip still in use, the Gem paper clip, was never patented, but it was most likely in production in Britain in the early 1870s by "The Gem Manufacturing Company", according to the American expert on technological innovations, Professor Henry J. Petroski.   He refers to an 1883 article about "Gem Paper-Fasteners", praising them for being "better than ordinary pins" for "binding together papers on the same subject, a bundle of letters, or pages of a manuscript".   Since the 1883 article had no illustration of this early "Gem", it may have been different from modern paper clips of that name. The earliest documentation of its existence is an 1894 advertisement for "Gem Paper Clips".   In 1904 Cushman & Denison registered a trade mark for the "Gem" name in connection with paper clips. The announcement stated that it had been used since March 1, 1892, which may have been the time of its introduction in the United States.   Paper clips are still sometimes called "Gem clips", and in Swedish the word for any paper clip is "gem".

     Definite proof that the modern type of paper clip was well known in 1899 at the latest, is the patent granted to William Middlebrook of Waterbury, Connecticut on April 27 of that year for a "Machine for making wire paper clips." The drawing clearly shows that the product is a perfect clip of the Gem type.  The fact that Middlebrook did not mention it by name, suggests that it was already well known at the time. Since then countless variations on the same theme have been patented. Some have pointed instead of rounded ends, some have the end of one loop bent slightly to make it easier to insert sheets of paper, and some have wires with undulations or barbs to get a better grip. In addition, purely aesthetic variants have been patented, clips with triangular or round shapes.   But, the original Gem type has for more than a hundred years proved to be the most practical, and consequently by far the most popular. Its qualities—ease of use, gripping without tearing, and storing without tangling—have been difficult to improve upon.

     It has been claimed, though apparently without evidence, that Herbert Spencer, the originator of the term "survival of the fittest", invented the paper clip. Spencer claimed in his autobiography to have invented a "binding-pin" that was distributed by Ackermann & Company, and he shows a drawing of the pin in his Appendix I (following Appendix H). This pin looked more like a modern cotter pin than a modern paper clip, but it was designed to hold sheets of paper together. It is approximately 15 cm unfolded.

     A Norwegian, Johan Vaaler (1866–1910), has erroneously been identified as the inventor of the paper clip. He was granted patents in Germany and in the United States (1901) for a paper clip of similar design, but less functional and practical, because it lacked the last turn of the wire. Vaaler probably did not know that a better product was already on the market, although not yet in Norway. His version was never manufactured and never marketed, because the superior Gem was already available.

     Long after Vaaler's death his countrymen created a national myth based on the false assumption that the paper clip was invented by an unrecognized Norwegian genius. Norwegian dictionaries since the 1950s have mentioned Vaaler as the inventor of the paper clip, and that myth later found its way into international dictionaries and much of the international literature on paper clips.

     Vaaler's patents expired quietly, while the "Gem" was used worldwide, including his own country. The failure of his design was its impracticality. Without the two full loops of the fully developed paper clip, it was difficult to insert sheets of paper into his clip. One could manipulate the end of the inner wire so that it could receive the sheet, but the outer wire was a dead end because it could not exploit the torsion principle. The clip would instead stand out like a keel, perpendicular to the sheet of paper. The impracticality of Vaaler's design may easily be demonstrated by cutting off the last outer loop and one long side from a regular Gem clip.

     Wire is versatile in its nature. Thus a paper clip is a useful accessory in many kinds of mechanical work including computer work: the metal wire can be unfolded with a little force. Several devices call for a very thin rod to push a recessed button which the user might only rarely need. This is seen on most CD-ROM drives as an "emergency eject" should the power fail; also on early floppy disk drives (including the early Macintosh). Various smartphones require the use of a long thin object such as a paper clip to eject the SIM card and some Palm PDAs advise the use of a paper clip to reset the device. The track ball can be removed from early Logitech pointing devices using a paper clip as the key to the bezel. A paper clip bent into a "U" can be used to start an ATX PSU without connecting it to a motherboard (connect the green to a black on the motherboard header). One or more paper clips can make a loopback device for a RS232 interface (or indeed many interfaces). A paper clip could be installed in a Commodore 1541 disk-drive as a flexible head-stop. A paper clip can be used (unsafely) to temporarily bridge a blown fuse. The steel wire from a paperclip can be used in dentistry to form a dental post. Paper clips can be bent into a crude but sometimes effective lock picking device.   Some types of handcuffs can be unfastened using paper clips.

     As you can see this seemingly simple item can be used for various purposes.  There’s no complicated design to the paper clip, but where would we be without it being around?  I can’t speak for everyone but I would be lost without this unbelievable necessary product!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Always keep the MAIN thing

the MAIN thing!"

Deep No 4 --- Flying Humanoids

     The phenomenon is unbelievable, but supposed sightings are building up around the world, especially I Mexico.  Although some would want to group these sightings with other UFO sightings others tend to purpose that these sightings are different and should be examined as a completely new area of research.  For decades UFO sightings have come in the form of discs, spheres, orbs, triangular, tubular, plasma, cluster sightings, and even splitting UFOs and these have provided any serious researcher an important graphic dossier to make studies and analyses of this phenomenon.

     But over the past decade and a half a new group of sightings have cropped up that have many researchers baffled.  These are the mysterious flying humanoids.  As some have reported these ARE NOT UFO sightings at all, but are flying entities in human form.  This has been something completely different than anything that has been reported in the past.

     In March 2000 Salvador Guerrero, one of the most respected sky watchers with many hours of UFO videos, had a rare sighting.  While he was doing his regular sky watch on the roof of his home in Colonia Agricola Oriental, Guerrero encountered something so bizarre it opened a new chapter in aerial sightings in Mexico.

     At first, Salvador thought the object he had spotted could be a dark UFO high in the sky, so he started videotaping as usual.  However, he soon realized that this was something completely different and could not believe what he saw.

     It was a dark, solid object which was almost static in the sky, spinning slowly on its axis: featuring what looked to be a human form with “arms” and “legs” perfectly visible, giving the impression that “he” or “it” was floating in the air.  The dark humanoid creature remained stationary in the same spot for several minutes, spinning slowly with arms and legs “outstretched” all the time.  The object then began to move, disappearing behind a building.

     Since that time Mexico and other areas have provided their own share of such flying humanoid sightings.  But is this really a ‘new” phenomenon?  Some feel that we have no further to look than in the pages of the Bible.  We all know angels as beings of super-human powers and abilities, usually pictured with wings and the ability to fly.  Angels were given many jobs, from warriors to messengers to guards.  Some, known as Ishim angels in the Jewish faith, are said to watch over humans here on Earth.  Angels are found I many religions and cultures around the world.  Other civilizations throughout history had their magical beings as well, all with incredible powers and often included was the ability to fly.  Always the heavens are recognized as a holy place, and these creatures are said to travel to and from the heavens with ease.  Some have suggested that sightings in modern times are nothing more (or less) than angels or ancient gods.

     Some purpose a possibility in the realm of crypto zoology.  The legendary Mothman is an example of a flying humanoid creature that is said to inhabit the Point Pleasant, West Virginia (USA) area.  The Mothman notoriously appeared during the year leading up to the tragic collapse of the Silver Bridge in 1967, but sightings continue from time to time.

     The Jersey Devil is another such flying creature.  This one is said to inhabit the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.  Could there be some undiscovered animal out there, perhaps a giant bat or some other creature that may have the power of flight and which could be easily mistaken for a human?

     Or maybe there is another explanation!  For decades Hollywood and the movie industry has been trying to help us prepare for the possibility that one day we may find out that we may be sharing this planet “with a visitor (or visitors) from another planet with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal man.”  Or that there is the possibility at various times since humans have been “operating” with nuclear power that “accidents” have occurred to humans and they have mutated into humans with extraordinary powers, the least of which may be flight!  Maybe these things have already happened and have been happening so that when civilization is ready to accept these beings it will come as NO surprise that they are already here!

     All of these things could be to prepare us for the ultimate “coming out.”  So that when it does happen it will be “no big thing!”  Perhaps you’ll just walk outside one day and your buddy will punch you in the arm and exclaim: “Look!  Up in the sky!  It’s a bird!  It’s a plane!  Oh, it’s only a flying humanoid!”

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"When asked what YOU do ---

be brief!"

Around the World Trip

     If you could go ANYWHERE in the world, where would you decide to go?  I’ve decided in Stage 3 of my Ultimate Vacation to plan an “Around the World” trip!  How long am I going to allow for such a trip:  80 days?  I’m not sure if I could get everything accomplished in that amount of time.  So what I’ve decided to do is simple:  PLAN the trip I want to take!  No time limits or expense limitations and not completely inspired by the most alluring locations.  This entire excursion would be accomplished by using a private jet charter to fly from location to location, but the exact activities which would be done may require more time and consideration.    

     I would begin by flying from our home in Colorado to Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  Then we would continue to Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada, to Labrador, New Foundland, to Boston, Massachusetts, then to Charleston, South Carolina. 

     From Charleston we would journey to Kingstown in St Vincent and the Grenadines.  This modern capital was founded by French settlers shortly after 1722, although St Vincent had 196 years of British rule before her independence.  Here the beautiful botanical garden which was conceived in 1765 is one of the oldest in the Western hemisphere.  William Bligh, who was made famous from the Mutiny on the Bounty, brought seed of the breadfruit tree to this area for planting around 1793.  Beyond the fabulous history, the unbelievable sites of nature will require at least a few days to soak in.

     From this tropical paradise we would fly to Caracas, Venezuela, then to Santiago, Chile.  We would continue to Stanley, Falkland Islands and on to Cape Town, South Africa.  We would go north from here to Nairobi, Kenya.

     The natural wonders of Kenya would be enjoyed by a fantastic 7-day tour of 2 national parks.  We would begin at the world-famous Maasai Mara with its breathtaking numbers of large game, before heading to the stunning scenery of Lake Nakuru and Amboseli to enjoy the delights in these areas.  All of these marvels would be enjoyed under the assistance of a local tour guide so the entire experience would be one that we would be talking about for many months to come.

     Then our journey would continue to Casablanca, Morocco, then to Barcelona, Spain, on to the beautiful Dublin, Ireland and up to Bergen, Norway.  Our sites would be next directed to Hamburg, Germany: The Gateway to the World!  The green city on the water is not just one of the most beautiful cities in Germany but, the normally reticent citizens of the hanseatic city also have difficulty hiding their pride about “their” city.

     From dusty porcelain jugs to a chirpy family of ducks, you can find just about anything in the shadow of the 100-year old fish auction hall.  Since1703 pretty much everything that is not bolted down has been traded here at Hamburg’s most traditional market.

     After spending some time in this marvelous historic city we must move on.  First traveling to Vienna, Austria, then we would make a stop in historic Athens, Greece.  We would fly on to Bucharest, Romania, Helsinki, Finland and then to Kiev, Ukraine.

     Our next stop would be in Ankara, Turkey.  When I was in the military I spent two years in Turkey in the southern portion of the country along the Mediterranean Sea.  I would look forward to spending some time in another part of the country.

     Rising dramatically on a steep incline from the banks of the Enguri Su, Ankara, Turkey’s capital and second most populous city, is a modern European metropolis speckled with reminders of its varied history.  Old castles and ruins from Hittite, Phrygian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman civilizations dot the landscape.  The modern city includes government and state houses, major universities, military bases, consulates, bustling nightlife and the oldest park in the city, Genclik Park.

     But least we begin to grow “roots” in somewhat familiar surroundings, our journey must continue to Mumbai, India.  Then we would journey on to Ulan Bator, Mongolia and Shanghai, China with our jet zipping into Yokohama, Japan.

     There is at least enough to do here for one day if not several.  A visit to Minato Marai 21, a popular, modern neighborhood with great shopping and tons of restaurant options is a must.  Many traveling sites recommend a stop at Big Wharf (Osanbashi Pier) to enjoy its uniquely shaped pier with spectacular views.

     The Sky Garden is Japan’s highest observation deck on the 69^th floor of the Landmark Tower, the tallest building in Yokohama standing at almost 1,000 feet.  Using the really fast elevator you can reach the observatory in about 40 seconds.  The observatory provides a 360-degree panoramic view of Yokohama city, the Yokohama Bay Bridge, and the Tokyo Tower and Mount Fuji (on clear days.)

     Our journey continues as we fly to Bangkok, Thailand, then to Singapore, Malaysia, and on to Quezon City in the Philippines.  Our next consideration will be the sites of Brisbane, Australia.

     Sun-soaked Brisbane still has traces of friendly country hospitality underneath the cultural vibe of urban life yet also offers a striking city center.  Here we find countless restaurants, theatres and cafes spilling happily into the streets, barely contained by the looping flow of the Brisbane River.

     And the rolling hills that surround the city give a number of viewpoints, while the region contains some of the country’s finest tropical rainforest, reaching out to a string of glorious beaches washed by the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean.

     The coastline is dotted with idyllic islands.  Moreton Island, just a 70 minute ferry ride from Brisbane, is the third largest sand island in the world, yet fewer than 100 residents call the island home.  Most of the island is national park, creating a blissful paradise of sandy beaches, bush and lagoons.  But before we decide to purchase some “home” property in this beautiful land we must continue our journey.

     We fly to Wellington, New Zealand, then to Suva, Fiji and on to American Samoa.  Our next leg of the journey finds us spending time in French Polynesia.  Tahiti and Bora Bora are the most well known French Polynesian islands, thanks to their picture-perfect beaches and romantic ambiance.  These islands are ideal for handholding, with their lush landscapes and mood-setting features like lagoons and grottos.  The heart-shaped island of Mo’orea makes a wonderful base for divers and snorkelers eager to explore its surrounding barrier reef system.  Feeding the massive, sacred eels of Huahine is a once-in-a-lifetime way to experience an important local ritual.

     But we must finish up our journey around the world by stopping in Hawaii.  Then our trip would go on to San Jose, Costa Rica and turn north to Acapulco, Mexico.  It may be hard to believe but from here we would fly back home into Colorado and end our journey. 

     Of course, I only mentioned some the things we would do in the various locations that we would visit.  However, I might have to “revisit” my thoughts on the duration of this journey.  Maybe an ENTIRE YEAR would be a better time frame!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

Test Yourself:

"Does your life control you,

or Do YOU control your life?"

Western Trip

     Last blog we talked about Stage One of my Ultimate Vacation: The Eastern Trip.  It would provide at least three months to fully enjoy examining the National Parks throughout the eastern states as I had outlined in that blog.  Now we want to consider Stage Two: a journey through the western states which is going to include Alaska.  Since Hawaii is our 50^th state and is way out in the Pacific it will be considered as part of my Ultimate Vacation: Around the World Trip!

     Let’s look at the western journey.  Since it involves less states to travel through we can arrange some additional visits.  However, it does require some extra driving.  We would start off by leaving Colorado and heading south into western Texas.  Since our Stage One trip only skimmed the eastern part of Texas this trip would include a more extensive excursion into the central and western portions of the state.  We would then travel into New Mexico and head into Arizona, turning north we would go into Utah and Idaho.

     After this we would turn south going into Nevada and go for the southern portion of California.  We could take our time as we planned on how we traversed the trip north through California as we headed into Oregon and Washington.  We would journey into British Columbia (Canada), into the Yukon territories and make our way into Alaska.  Our travels then would bring us back through the Canadian territories through Alberta (Canada) while entering the United States in Montana, continuing this journey through Idaho.  We would continue southeastward traveling through Wyoming and re-enter Colorado on the western side of the state before heading home.

     Although having allowed forty-five days for this trip the time frame is always flexible depending upon the places we desired to see.  We could always add additional days if the stopping points became more necessary for our enjoyment.  Remember time is not the factor for this trip and neither is the cost.

     For many people making this trip a stop at the Grand Canyon in Arizona would probably be a given.  However, instead we’re going to visit the Petrified Forest National Park.  Here we can see the largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood, the multi-hued badlands of the Painted Desert and stare back into some 225 million years of history in old fossils.

     And at least one of the locations we would have to stop at would be Joshua Tree National Park.  Although my son is named Joshua, it was for the Bible character and NOT the tree.  However, we would have to make the stop, possibly at night, to view the rich cultural history and surreal geologic features of this fascinating area.

     And just for me we’ll have to visit Cascades National Park in Sedro-Woolley, Washington: jagged peaks, deep valleys, cascading waterfalls and over 300 glaciers adorn this complex.  Who wouldn’t want to make a stop here and indulge in the beauty that it has to offer?  After we have made our way into Alaska the choices become somewhat difficult.  This area is truly a vista of adventure and awe-inspiring sights.  At least one of the areas I would choose is Kenai Fjords National Park.  At the tip of the Kenai Peninsula lies a land where the ice age still lingers.  In Kenai Fjords, glaciers, earthquakes, and ocean storms are the architect.  Ice worms, bears, and whales make their home in this land of constant change.  Native Alatiiq use these resources to nurture a life entwined with the sea.  What a marvelous area to visit and “look back” into the pages of history.

     When going through Moose, Wyoming after re-entering the United States we would have to make a visit to Grand Teton National Park.  How wonderful our adventure of taking in the majestic mountains, pristine lakes and extraordinary wild life within this area.  Some four million visitors per year visit these attractions and I would look forward to adding my name to that list.  Even after getting back into Colorado we may have to visit some areas on the western side of the state.  Would it be the Black Canyon at Gunnison or Mesa Verde national park in Mesa Verde?  We’ll have to spend more time on making that decision!

     After reviewing this trip and considering the possibility of visiting a few more different places (or perhaps staying a little longer at some that I have chosen) this trip may have to be extended beyond the original forty-five days that I thought it might take.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"If you could control the weather ---

you'd have a better job and be making more money!"

Eastern Trip

     I’m sure that all of us have at one time or another thought about what we would do if unexpectedly we came into possession of a large sum of money.  You probably have your own ideas, but I thought I’d like to share mine.  Lets’ remember I’m talking about a LARGE sum of money and also I’ll consider NO time constraints.  That being the case I’m going to talk about vacations:  the ULTIMATE vacation!

     Actually my ultimate vacation is broken down into three stages: Stage one is a ninety day trip from our home in Colorado through all the eastern states making a loop from the north to the south and back.  Stage two is likewise about forty-five days traveling from our home in Colorado through the western part of the country (including Alaska) following a similar north-south loop.  The third stage of the trip would be “Around the World in ? Days.”  How would these vacations actually be planned?  I’m going to give you a break-down of each stage in this and the next two blog posts.  Remember money is NO object, so I won't always talk about certain specifics, but I will mention some.

     Stage one and two consider trips by auto to visit ALL the forty-eight contiguous states and Alaska.  We would not necessarily visit the “tourist” locations per se but could find ourselves looking more at the scenic aspects of the national parks, although there would certainly be some specified locations that we would like to visit.  When I discuss Stage Three we will be talking about using a private jet charter for transportation.

     In Stage One we would travel north up the eastern side of Colorado and go into Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota.  Then we would go east, turning south and traveling through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Indian, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Main.  We might try slipping into Nova Scotia before making a turn to travel down the east coast.

     Traveling back through a portion of Maine and New Hampshire we would pick up the trip going through Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Jersey.  The trip would continue through Delaware and Maryland with a stopover in Washington, DC.  We lived in that area for over four years so we’d probably have to see how things have changed.  Then we would continue through Virginia, North Carolina and Kentucky.  Retracing part of Illinois and Missouri we would travel through Arkansas and Tennessee.  Now we would drive into South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and back up through Alabama.  Obviously being from Georgia and spending many vacations in Florida when I was growing up we would need to spend some extra time in these locations.  This would start the final leg of our trip westward as we begin to travel home.

     We would go through Mississippi, Louisiana, and catch the eastern part of Texas.  After that we would turn north into Oklahoma and Kansas before re-entering Colorado and bringing our trip to a conclusion.

     We would probably make some of this trip an examination of the country’s national parks.  Some of the highlights would be in visiting Hot Springs National Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  For more than two hundred years people have used the hot springs to treat illness and to relax.  In Florida we could plan on visiting Everglades National Park.  It’s the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States.  We might be able to site an American crocodile, Florida panther, or a West Indian manatee.  I really fell in love with these docile creatures on a trip to Florida several years ago and have collected many sculptures of the creatures.  In Luray, Virginia we could visit Shenandoah National Park and take Skyline Drive along the crest of the mountains through the woods and past spectacular vistas.

     And as we plan this three month (?) trip many other National Park visits would need to be considered.  While planning and getting down to more specific details we might have to decide that three months would not be enough time to visit and enjoy all the places we wanted to include so an extension of our time line might become necessary.  This brief information has only been to develop our Stage One trip.  My next blog post will consider the plans for Stage Two: The Western Trip!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Whether rich or poor we all have the 

same amount of time each day."

The Fence

     Usually when I hit a snag in my writing I’d stare outside my office window to get a brief moment of inspiration.  At times I could see someone walking down the sidewalk: maybe with a small child in a stroller.  I would always wonder what the baby may be doing lying there in that stroller, what kind of thoughts may be going through his head?

     But a few years ago that all changed.  I moved to a new location and now I operate out of my home office.  It has a small window in the room where I work and when I look outside I see the fence that separates our place from the neighbors.  That property has been vacant for years.  I don’t know the owners: If they just don’t’ want anyone living there or what?

     From time to time I have imagined that within that yard there could be a really nice pool and entertainment area: maybe a spot where you could invite friends and family over and have a really nice time.  At times, when I am trying to write, I think I hear the sounds of laughter coming from across the fence!  Maybe when I wasn’t paying attention someone had that area transformed into that “special” gathering place.  You can almost hear the splashing of the water and smell the burgers and dogs cooking on the grill.

     Now I’m not going crazy, but with a little imagination you can almost want to invite yourself over and join in the festivities.  But I know it’s not real.  I only have to take a look out the window and I know that nothing has changed.  It’s still the dull, brown fence separating me from a neglected backyard.

     Then there are times when I could imagine that empty backyard as a great place for having a set-up for the kids to play.  Maybe there could be a family who would move in and make the place an ultimate playground.  There would be swings and slides and other types of equipment that the young ones would enjoy.  Perhaps kids from around the neighborhood would be invited to come over and they would all play together.  It might be that I could take a break from my writing and go over to show the kids how we used to play in “the olden days.”  Sometimes if you ride a bike, or swing in a swing, or do so many numerous other things, kids look at you like they are amazed that you would know how to do such a thing!  It’s hard for them to imagine that you were once young before the years caught up with you.

     But I get back to my writing and let the backyard imagination calm down for a little bit.  Although I do recall that my wife told me that a cat and her liter of kittens had made that backyard area for their home.  Maybe I’ll need to complete my assignment for today and take a little visit next door and see what’s going on.  Besides, it might not hurt to see if I can calculate what size pool a new owner might be able to fit into that area: just in case!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Employers be fair to your employees:

Tomorrow they may be YOUR boss!"