You Make Me a Believer

I try not to be political on my blog, mainly because I started this blog to document my travels but also because I didn't want to start controversy or alienate people, just maybe bring people together from different places who share a common passion.  But I’m starting to think that maybe I have backed off just a little too much from stating my opinion.  I just watched the documentary "Believer" on HBO about the lead singer of Imagine Dragons' efforts to organize the LoveLoud Festival concert in Utah to benefit gay rights organizations such as GLAAD and the Trevor Project.  Dan Reynolds is a member of the Mormon church whose strong message against the LGBTQ community a few years ago led to a spike in teen suicides.  The festival was organized in conjunction with his wife and with Tyler Glenn from Neon Trees in the hope that it would bring people in the Mormon community together with a message of love and he specifically states in the documentary that it had to be positive, that it could not read as "I am right and you are wrong...you are stupid, let me educate you".  And that's what I want to try to start talking about, not a specific issue, but this place we've come to in our country where people are afraid to speak, or where no one wants to listen.  Battle lines have been drawn and there seems to be no room for inclusion or compromise on any issue no matter how big or how small.

 I don’t want to live in a country where I'm half afraid to listen to the news, where news reporters literally now fear for their lives, where people of color distrust the police and their own government, where immigrants aren't welcome and where many are so angry that they feel hopeless and helpless.

Sunset at Harrington Beach

What we need is to re-learn, or learn in the first place, how to say what we want to say clearly and present facts instead of trying to instill fear, and then hope the other side can walk away with a little more information and perhaps a little more understanding of our position. We’ve lost our way in this country and even our politicians have forgotten how to negotiate and compromise to solve a problem. And that starts by listening to each other.

Goslings growing up fast in Twin Lakes

There is more than one way to be an American, there is more than one way to solve a problem.  Different regions have different ways of doing things, and as someone who travels a lot that is part of the rich tapestry of America that I love.

Probably Gypsy Moth caterpillars on the Ice Age Trail,
so says the ladies at Where the Wind Goes

We need to re-discover what we have in common. Our goals, our values, our idea of what we want America to be.  All of us want good jobs, our children to get a decent education, to not live in fear of persecution, to have clean water to drink and clean air to breathe, and to be able to pursue our dreams.

Macy's on State Street atrium in Chicago

We need to stop the name-calling, the finger-pointing, the blaming. We need to stop listening to those who only want to inflame our fears for their own personal gain, or to get re-elected.  We need to take the time to seek out the facts to help us see whether or not those fears are actually real.

We're kayaking again!

Fear not (ha ha) I won't turn into a political blog.  But I am going to start providing links to things I find interesting- sometimes political, but not always- from reputable sources and you can read them or not.  But like the lead singer of Imagine Dragons I'm a Believer - a believer that people can come together and that knowledge is that spark that makes change happen.

Truth, Justice, the American Way - and Voting

On my recent jaunt to southern Illinois I stopped in the small town of Metropolis near the Kentucky border.  There was a guy I wanted to see.

The town's Superman museum seems more gift shop than anything.  I was content with peeking in the windows and admiring the attention to detail on the outside.

Who doesn't love a guy in tights, am I right?

Speaking of the American Way, Katrina sent me a link for a great election related video.  This one is just funny and I can't help it if I was born in Canada and therefore view it with a smidge of pride.

If you like that one, you'll love John Oliver's take on Voting Laws.  Gotta love when Wisconsin's legislative idiocy makes national news.  It's so embarrassing sometimes to admit it's my home state!

And feel free to ignore this if it offends, but may I suggest that in general people should keep their political opinions to themselves when out and about talking to near strangers?  I have a few very conservative patients who come in to the office and every time I see them they complain about how thanks to "Obamacare" their insurance premiums went up.  One gentleman in particular complained at length about that last year but then came in today to complain about the Democratic presidential candidates (why when he's not going to vote democratic??) going so far as to show me political cartoons on his smartphone.  This guy lives in a neighborhood where he just built a new $350,000 house for his 6 adopted kids and then today bragged about how they all just spent the last month on the beach in St. John.  How does he not realize that the ladies behind the desk probably make a hell of a lot less money than he does and do not feel sorry for him that his insurance rates went up?  Obviously it didn't hurt his lifestyle and other people who never had insurance can now go to the doctor.   Vote how you like, think what you like, but don't rub your privilege in the little guy's face and then expect them to be converted to your agenda, if anything all that is being accomplished is that he is making a good case for the middle class to vote Democrat!

Rant over, peace to all, even the privileged!!

Boys and Men Allowed At Last, Kind Of...

Long time readers of my blog will know my opinion against the heart breaking policy of the Boy Scouts of America allowing discrimination against both gay scouts and gay leaders.  In 2013 they voted to allow gay boys to be involved in BSA but they had to leave the organization at age 18, not a victory of any kind since boys were still being taught that discrimination and hate were "okay".

The topic has caused a lot of heated debate from both sides and many communities and the Scouts for Equality have fought hard to end the discrimination.  But not Wisconsin's Governor Scott Walker who not only saw nothing wrong with the ban but also called the Supreme Court's decision regarding gay marriage a 'grave mistake'.  Of course, in true Scott Walker style he is now back-pedaling on the Scout issue since two weeks ago the BSA finally removed the ban on gay adult leaders. 

Their decision had a lot to do with the mounting tide of lawsuits, I'm sure, and they are still allowing local groups to "make their own decisions" about who to allow to be leaders so areas that are entrenched in patterns of discrimination will most likely continue for the time being.  The Mormon Church is considering forming their own scouting organization so they don't have to adhere to the policy of non-discrimination at all.  Their church isn't the only one still discriminating, other Christian churches have ended their affiliation with BSA and even the Archdiocese of Louisville won't allow an openly gay leader to return to lead due to the loophole left by the wording of the BSA's new rules.  I'll never understand the phrase "Christian values" when used in this kind of context.  Didn't Jesus teach about loving thy neighbor?  

Mural in Reno, Nevada

In Reno I saw this mural of what appears to be a Native American boy.  The Boy Scouts of America is also guilty of rampant "cultural appropriation", if you don't know what that's about check out this link to a great blog post and its comments, not the only one I found on the internet just the one I liked.  I didn't know they were doing this myself since we didn't let Cory be a part of scouting due to their discrimination policies against gay leaders.  Girl Scouts of America has never discriminated and to my knowledge they don't disrespect other people's cultures either but instead put effort in to helping girls explore other cultures which in my opinion is a better way to build leaders for tomorrow.  Just saying.

 If I'm not mistaken, the artist's blog can be found at this link .   More murals at Monday Mural here.

Hey, let's all keep working to end hate and intolerance, okay?  Progress is slow but recent political events show that it's working and each generation will hopefully be better educated about and more tolerant of ALL our citizens.

Happy Holidays...Or Not, Your Call

Okay, here's the thing.  The whole Christmas thing lost most of its charm for me many, many years ago.  It's just so overdone and so commercialized and so centered on spend, spend, spend and get, get, get.  Even when the kids were small it didn't take long before we wised up and we scaled back the gift giving and the decorating and all the excessive nonsense.

Kitchen remodel complete with new paint, countertop and dishwasher.
Christmas decorating done too, I keep it simple and keep my sanity.

There is so much pressure for most folks to do the right thing, buy the right thing, give the right thing.  And for what?  From what I see everyone just makes a list or flat out tells you what they want and they expect to get it.  To what purpose?  Or give cash or gift cards so they can just get what they want.  Why?  If you want it, get it yourself, that's what we do around here.  What does spending money (mostly money people don't really have to spend) have to do with having a happy holiday?

I wanted the kitchen redone before winter set it, Wayne wanted a new place to put all his stuff

maybe not done by Christmas...but close enough that all the stuff has found its way inside

Such a fuss is made about gift exchanges (luckily we are not in a social or familial situation where we have to participate in any of those) and from the sound of it everyone gets something impersonal that they don't want and plan to re-gift.  Why can't people get together without spending unnecessary money?  What happened to cocoa, cookies and carols?

yearly gingerbread house competition at the Grand Geneva 

I got a small box of Harry & David pears for my "new girl" and our neighborhood friends some locally made goodies from River Valley Kitchens.  I'm not Scrooge...yet.

my favorite for 2014

These are the things that are on my mind when I'm out there hiking and this is sometimes the place those thoughts get dumped.  Feel free to skip ahead to the end where I talk about cookies if it's too deep for you.

I like ribbons and bows

What I really meant to get into was the whole "Merry Christmas" issue.  I'm always taken aback this time of year when perfect strangers ask me if all my shopping is done or tell me to have a Merry Christmas.  Am I the only one who finds this a bit overfamiliar and presumptive?  While over 70% of Americans identify themselves as Christian, 5% are Jewish and up to 20% have no religious identity at all.

No snow here after our "warm" spell and even a few geese still hanging around at the Grand Geneva

Even presuming the stranger you are addressing theoretically celebrates Christmas, what if they have circumstances in their life where assuming they have a happy family gathering just around the corner is painful for them?  What if your offhand enthusiasm to strangers is nothing but a reminder that they just lost a loved one or some other personal tragedy is interfering with their "merry" Christmas?  (I swear I'm not projecting....much.)  Katrina tells me I take this whole issue too seriously, but she gets the same way when a man makes the mistake of calling her a "girl" instead of a woman.  We all have our  issues, don't we?

Goofy's  issue is probably thinking "I just know they're going to drag out those
silly holiday hats and try to make us put them on again this year"

"I knew it!  Bah, Humbug!"

Just wanted to make the argument that it might not be that a person's aversion to "spreading holiday cheer" is about being politically correct.  For me it's about not assuming I have intimate knowledge about strangers' holiday plans, or lack of plans.  I'm perfectly happy to return the greeting to those who extend it, I just don't understand the need/compulsion that others feel to shout it out to every person they chance upon as they go about their day.  You do what you want, it's American after all and we have the right to free speech!


I do enjoy the light displays and the gingerbread houses and the ribbons festooning the gifts.  And let's not forget the only tradition we really have here in the Leonard household which is the annual viewing of "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation".

Whatever your plans, I hope all my followers do something they enjoy this holiday season with people they like to spend time with.  Wayne's working double shifts from now until the New Year, he thinks he might be able to dart home long enough to enjoy a meal with us and open gifts the day after Christmas so that is our plan written in jello.

My tree is full of woodland creatures to remind me of things more pleasant
than holiday madness like hiking and breathing fresh air

A much more pleasant post about cookies tomorrow.  I'll even give you my date bar recipe!  I used to do the big cookie thing but now all I do is date bars for my mother, they remind her of her Newfoundland childhood and they taste yummy.  And Katrina talked me into doing some sugar cookie decorating experimenting too.  I haven't made sugar cookies in years...I'll post the results, good or bad.

Ice Age Trail Fungi and Things I Don't Love

So since I already talked about Potawatomi State Park and the Ice Age Trail, I'll have to find something else to talk about while I share my fungi pics.  The fungi on the trail was stunning but my shots left a little to be desired due to the fading light which left not enough time to set up a tripod and do them justice.  But, better shots that could be improved than none at all.  I hope you enjoy them like I did!

I never shut up about the things that I love on this blog - hiking, photography, public land, wildlife (though not much of that lately, huh?) and the crazy variety of plant life you can find if you look hard enough.  Not to mention exploring museums, reading and soaking up facts like a sponge.

persistent waxcap

You know enough about Wayne to keep me from getting in trouble with him (he's more private than I am) and that he works way too hard and way too many hours.

You know about Cory's struggles with bipolar disorder and Katrina's struggle to make the world a better place through her work.

But it's not often that we talk about the things we don't like, right?  So unpleasant! 

I don't like aggressive Illinois drivers (sorry guys!), and in general people who feel like their "needs" are more important than anyone else's.  Dads who won't pay child support, people who leave their garbage in public areas, folks who bring their dogs places they shouldn't, (not to mention those who don't clean up after them!) shoppers who brazenly cut in front of you in line while talking on their cell phone, those who think their opinion is the only "right" one and condemn others, people who are significantly late and don't apologize at all or make lame excuses, and hikers who go off trail in areas where their footprint could do real damage.  I'll admit to stepping off trail occasionally for short distances myself but I try to watch where I step and be as brief as possible.  And there is some proof right there that none of us is perfect and we all make excuses sometimes, right?

Of course there are things I dislike besides the behavior of my fellow human beings.  Daily annoyances include the never ending supply of cat hair I do battle with, cleaning toilets and washing floors, cold weather and hot weather, and picking up dirty clothes within feet of the laundry hamper or dirty dishes sitting above the dishwasher.

lepiota cristata

I'll guarantee you I've forgotten a boatload of things, as a species in general we love to complain.  But often I try to remind myself that if these are the only things I've got to complain about than I'm doing all right.  What annoys you? 

A Cat is a Treasure Wrapped in Fur

So, if you haven't seen the clip from Saturday Night Live featuring Charlize Theron and Damian the Feline Sociopath you can watch it here.

Katrina sent me the link, not only because of the adorable kittens, but because I'm a big fan of labeling people sociopaths if it seems appropriate.  That politician who voted to take away money from domestic violence funding?  Probably a sociopath.  That man who would rather work jobs for cash than pay child support?  Probably a sociopath.  The kindergarten teacher who talked to her students like they were idiots for no good reason? The remorseless seducer who leaves a string of broken hearts behind? That cat lady at the end of the block who screams at kids who come on her lawn to retrieve their ball...well, you get the idea.  One in twenty-five people are sociopaths, meaning you know someone who is.  I know that I've known a few, the hard part is admitting there are some people who just don't care about others and it's part of their brain chemistry and therefore they are not able to be rehabilitated.

Speaking of identifying sociopaths, there's a great book out there on the subject called "The Sociopath Next Door".   Read it.  Or get a cute kitten.  It's your choice.

Goofy as a kitten!

Last Night I Had the Photographer's Dream

In the minutes before waking, here is the dream I had.  I'll supplement with some photos from my collection.

I'm hiking on what is most likely an old loggers' road somewhere with mountains peeking just out a bit in the distance beyond where the trail leads into the woods and the day is starting to fade.  The light is that perfect gold that is never happening when I'm anyplace really good.  I stop and look around, desperate for something to shoot in such a glorious moment.  There is a little pond nearby, so I move down a slight incline through some ankle high plants to see if a nice shot comes into view down there.

I still don't see anything hopeful but decide I'll take a few shots anyway.  As I put down my camera bag I suddenly realize I smell animal feces.  I look around, keep sniffing.  Something dog-like?  I see a pile on the trail and move back a bit toward it.  Definitely not anything large and scary like bear or bison scat.

I turn back toward my camera bag on the ground just as a small coyote or maybe fox-like animal with dark fur around the face comes into view from behind a dip in the landscape.  He moves towards my bag, gives me a warning bark/growl and then proceeds to STAY THERE and alternate between investigating my bag and eyeing me.

I fumble with the camera in my hands.  Oh no!  It's covered in a layer of hardened-on sand.  (Talk about a nightmare!)  I gently but quickly brush it away and try to take a shot.  No go, lens motor makes an unhappy little sound.  I clean it up some more and try again.  My elation has turned to anxiety.  The animal is still around, but how much longer can I expect it to stay and the light to hold?

The camera is now clean but for some reason the lens is drooping off the front and I can't get it reattached properly.  It's at this point that I start to wake up and if I wasn't so sleepy I'd be laughing out loud.  I've just had the wildlife photographer's equivalent of a young man's dream of being propositioned by Scarlett Johannson and not being able to perform!

I'm wondering, does this mean I'm a "real" photographer now?  Usually my dreams are about mundane things like washing dishes or being at work answering patient's questions or helping them choose eyewear. (I know, it's just awful to wake up from those things, let me tell ya.)  Since I tend to dream about what I do and not what I want to do, photography must be what I "do".

Most people I've heard talk about dreams have strange sequences of out-of-this-world events transpire in their nighttime landscape.  What kind of dreams do you wake up from?

Love me Some Johnny!

Have you been watching the Olympics?  I've only seen what's been on the morning news shows while on the treadmill at the gym.  I was shocked when I saw Evgeni Plushenko's face onscreen.  Four Olympics!  Unheard of in figure skating, the demands of all those triples, not to mention quads in the mens event is devastating to the human body.  Don't believe me?  Ask Tara Lipinsky about her hips sometime.  Better yet, ask Evgeni about his back.  He had to withdraw due to what he thought was his plastic disc in his back cracking when he landed a jump in the warm-up.  I kid you not.

But, I'm not really here to talk about Evgeni.  I will take a moment to rant about what has happened to the sport of figure skating since the implementation of the new scoring system.  If they were going to take everything beautiful out of the sport why did they just not make it like all the other sports and do away with the music completely?  It's painful to watch them out there struggling to contort themselves into awkward positions and execute slow ungainly spins all in the name of more points for increased difficulty.  I do like the increased amount of footwork, but there is so much focus on intervening stepwork that there isn't time for much expression besides the aimless flailing of arms. Figure skating is supposed to be difficult and yet beautiful, whether due to its explosive raw power or elegant lines. And most of all I always felt it should interpret the music chosen.  Now all the programs look exactly the same and the music matters not at all so if you're watching you might as well put it on mute, it might work better that way.  I stopped watching after the last Olympics, it just broke my heart.

Ladies long program in 1996, Michelle Kwan at Trophee Lalique.  She's got artistry down to her fintertips, literally, not to mention her shoulders and even eye movements.

But, on to the topic at hand.  Tell me, how is it possible not to love Johnny Weir?



He's changed little since the last Olympics - he's always been a slave to the fashion statement, on or off the ice.  I loved his TV show "Be Good Johnny Weir" detailing his journey to make it to the 2010 Olympics.

 

Don't know all about Johnny?  Watch the video and get to know him. (He's a fan of the artistry of Michelle Kwan and Evgeni Plushenko too!)

After watching the video I have a sneaky suspicion nonconformist, dive-into-your-passions-Johnny might be an INTJ.  What do you think?

Johnny also spoke out on CNN about the anti-gay law in Russia and the presence of LGBT Olympians in Sochi.  Johnny Weir, fighting for human rights just by not being afraid to be himself.

INTJ and Proud!

Perhaps you've already taken the personality test and knew what I was talking about in the title.





The validity of the Briggs-Myers Personality test and similar Jungian based tests like the one I took here are questionable.  So, if you take the test, do it in the spirit of fun.  If it doesn't sound like you then don't sweat it.  Katrina and I took the quick test and agreed with the outcome.

Katrina is an INFJ- only 1.5% of the population is this personality type, in theory.  Katrina is now calling herself "The One Percent".  What percentage of the population is INTJ...only 2-4%.  My personal experience leads me to agree with that conclusion, which is why I never seem to find friends who think like me.  I know part of the problem is I'm not looking in the right places due to limited rural options.

Here's a look at some of the key descriptions of my personality type, according to the test results:

• Depict an aura of self-confidence which is specific and not general in nature - in areas of their own expertise they can tell you right away whether or not they can help you.  Ask anyone who's come into my office with a pair of mangled eyeglasses, I am not shy about announcing my skill and proceeding to demonstrate it.  While to some people I can sometimes seem boastful, I find no shame in owning up to whatever skills I may genuinely possess, but alternately I keep my mouth shut if I don't know the answer...unlike true "know-it-alls" who can't seem to help but weigh in on any topic.
• Somewhat of a perfectionist, with an endless capacity for improving upon anything that takes their interest.  What takes their interest is the key here, for while sometimes I am thorough and will dig away at something until the end of time, other things I could care less about. What matters here is if I feel something can be improved upon and I want to follow up on it, I can devote hours or research or work on any given project.  In contrast, if I don't care about it...sometimes this has been a problem in my work.  If it's not something I don't "believe" in, that is a priority to me over whether or not it's expected of me.  
• "Does it WORK?" -  this is the underlying concept and applies to everything including social norms.  This leads to an independence of mind, freeing me from the constraints of authority, convention and sentiment.  Any of you who have read my rants on the education system, the Boy Scouts and my disinterest in the realm of gift giving and receiving will recognize this trait of mine.  I'm meticulous in weighing ideas, problems and solutions, and even relationships.  Do they work?  If they don't, it's hasta la vista, Baby.  Lately I've been a bit tireless in my constant search for what "works" in relation to my digestive woes.  I'm gradually making progress, trying things, and giving up things, that others would never consider in order to strive toward a solution.  As a teenager this was my approach to dating.  Suddenly my whirlwind of 2 week relationships make sense!  Were they "the one"?  Nope!  On to the next, no time to waste!
• Little patience for the social niceties, such as small talk and flirtation.  Luckily Wayne has learned to not take this lack of interest in what is considered "normal" romance personally.  I can't wait until I get him to take this personality test!  On the flip side, the dedication I show to projects I also show to my most important relationships and work tirelessly to maintain them, especially paying attention to communication.  Big fan of personal space and boundaries.
• Want everything to MAKE SENSE.  This includes people.  I will never understand figure skating coaches or most of the public school system.  How can they not see the flaws in how they relate to children?? It isn't working, and no one will take the necessary steps to do what works to make the children successful AND happy.  It's really not hard, Good Grief!
• With an unusual combination of imagination and reliability anything an INTJ is working on can be equivalent to a moral cause.  Disregard of authority and contempt for "slackers" leads to loss of respect, and no trouble letting those who are letting them down know it.  Boy, do I recognize this aspect of my personality!  It has caused me some trouble over the years...but I don't apologize for it, either.  The upside of this trait is an ability to work independently and get a lot done.  Not all my bosses and coworkers have admired this trait of mine, because I have a tendency to make others look "lazy" in comparison, not to mention a tendency to tell my bosses how to do their job better on occasion in an effort to "help".  My current work situation involves me working literally alone most of the time, we have a small office and limited hours a doctor is on the premises.  Mostly it's just me - when the doctor is in one other person is there and I do about 70% of the work even then depending on who the other person is.  This situation has worked the best for me, and is why I thrived running my own daycare and managing our rental property years ago.
• INTJs can rise to management when they take the time to market their abilities and learn to simulate some degree of social conformism to mask their nonconformity.  I have been in the position to "rise" a few times over the years but always pass on it due to my preference to do things my way on my terms.  If things were different and financial concerns an issue I could (and sometimes have) "conform"...but it's very stressful.  My last job I had to bottle up some of my personality to get along with another staff member for three years due to the recession until I finally quit.  
• Where do INTJs thrive, career wise?  Sciences, engineering and academia.  My love of research and my fascination with neuroscience and other medical related sciences support this theory.  My desire to have a family was my primary goal as a young adult so I didn't pursue a college degree even though I was an Illinois State Scholar with ACT scores in the top 10%.  If I hadn't had the dream of raising a family due to being an only child isolated from extended family who knows where I would have ended up?  I love reading, and once I'm fascinated with a topic I'll read everything I can get my hands on to find out as much as possible.  In my current profession I do all kinds of tasks, but my all time favorite parts of being an Optician are hands-down the mechanical aspect and the medical side.  I miss cutting lenses!  My latest research projects?  Well, I've been doing my online research into a new DSLR and today and I went to a camera store to give some a test ride.  That Canon 7D is HEAVY!  I think I'll end up with the 70D within the next month.  More research first...just to be sure.

Katrina's INFJ personality definition? To sum it up: Strongly humanitarian in outlook, INFJs tend to be idealists, and because of their J preference for closure and completion, they are generally "doers" as well as dreamers. This rare combination of vision and practicality often results in INFJs taking a disproportionate amount of responsibility in the various causes to which so many of them seem to be drawn.  Yep, that's our girl.  She's in the company of notables Jimmy Carter and Mother Theresa.  Too bad only 1.5% of the population works hard to make their dreams of a better world happen.  (See Katrina's debut in the Marinette Eagle Herald here in their Valentine's Day edition where she gets to shine a light on teen dating violence issues.)  By the way, if you've never seen the Vagina Monologues, plan to next Valentine's Day and help support violence against women while having a great time!

Katrina on the far left next to the girl wearing the boa -2013, her second time participating in TVM

I got Cory and his friend to take the quiz and they are both ENTJ. They see what needs to be done, and frequently assign roles to their fellows. Few other types can equal their ability to remain resolute in conflict, sending the valiant (and often leading the charge) into the mouth of hell. When challenged, the ENTJ may by reflex become argumentative. Alternatively (s)he may unleash an icy gaze that serves notice: the ENTJ is not one to be trifled with. Clarity of convictions, an analytical mind with quick decision making skills, they are born to lead and have the ability to see the broader picture.   

Right away both of them shouted "I'm Harrison Ford!" when they read the list of famous ENTJs.  Boys.  They are also in the company of several comedians including Jim Carrey and Whoopi Goldberg.  Feel my pain.

According to the website where I took the test I'm in the company of famous first ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton.  Hillary I completely see...the lady has a hard time keeping her mouth shut when she thinks she knows what the right thing is - whether anyone agrees with her or not.  Now I know why I've always liked her!  I love me a rebel!  Speaking of loving rebels, I'll lighten things up a little on Tuesday and talk about one of my favorite figure skaters in honor of the Olympic season.

Take the test and tell me what your personality type is!  I swear I won't judge...as long as you're not a "slacker", right?

Bacchus and Neptune

Aaah, Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and intoxication.

I got a good laugh out of this mural in Reno's Midtown district.

I hope everyone who indulged during the Superbowl did so responsibly.   The puppies on The Jimmy Fallon Show were wrong predicting the Superbowl winner - guess you can't rely on puppies if you're figuring out who to bet on in sporting events.

What about us?  Wayne worked another overtime shift and then went ice fishing.  Me? Well, I went to the gym, cooked some corned beef and cabbage and washed the kitchen floor on my hands and knees.  No one ever accused me of being a partier, at least not in the last 20 years!  I get my highs off exercise and chocolate, though with the drop in my chocolate consumption I wonder what I'll have to do to get my "lift" instead?  When everyone else was eagerly awaiting kick-off I was counting down the minutes until Shameless and Episodes aired on Showtime.

While I was on the treadmill at the gym I caught the debate over the legalization of marijuana in Colorado.  While not my scene, I think we have better things to do than spend money locking up people for indulging in an intoxicant that is less addictive than cigarettes and alcohol.  I certainly think legalization could aid in regulating the substance, thus making it safer for those who do use.  Alaska seems to be next in line to legalize....I wonder what Sarah Palin thinks of that?  National polling indicates that state legislative bodies in Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont will probably tackle the issue of full legalization this year as well.  Twenty states plus the District of Columbia already have medical marijuana laws in place.

More murals at Monday Mural.

What Would You Need?

Watching "The Hunger Games" and "Catching Fire" made me think about what items I would consider essential to survival.  Katniss makes do with a bow and arrow, tablets to purify water, something to wrap herself in for sleeping, and a rope to tie herself to the tree.   Cool video below on how Jennifer trained to climb trees for the movie.

When I go tent camping I take very little compared to my neighbors at the campground.  A small cooler (sometimes), my tent, an inflatable mattress, a flashlight, a sleeping bag, my Kindle, and a small shower kit. Occasionally I'll bring a chair to sit in but I usually just read in my tent.  I don't use the fire ring. Besides a change of clothes and my camera gear that's it.  I get some odd looks.  It takes me five minutes to set up, even in the dark or the rain.  I've watched people take an hour or more to break camp on Sunday when it's time to leave.  In the shot below the people who wanted the site when I was considering whether or not it was time to leave showed up and I said, hey guys, give me a few minutes and it's yours.

Haven't seen "The Hunger Games"?  It's probably better than you think.  It's not just about surviving the "games" but about surviving all kinds of things: love, loss, even your own society and government. People get a little hung up on the children killing each other issue, but that's only a small part of the larger story.  The problem is the government that put them there; they do what they need to do to survive for themselves and their families, and in the long run the series is about how much will you sacrifice of yourself to fight injustice.  If you watch the clip below be aware it gets a little disturbing but I've seen way worse in other movies.

Katrina and I watched "Catching Fire" at the theatre when she was home for Thanksgiving and it met my expectations.  I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up!  Jennifer Lawrence is an incredibly talented actress.

What could be wrong with a movie that has a strong female hero?  Not to mention those hilarious performances by Stanley Tucci as Caesar.  Loved him in "America's Sweethearts", too.  Getting to watch Lenny Kravitz act is just a bonus.

But I digress.  Let's say you were stranded on a desert island.  Yeah, that old scenario.  And you had your basic "survival" gear.  You could get clean drinking water, you had shelter and a way to get food, and tools to make a fire.  What would you need emotionally to survive?  Say you were allowed five things, actual things, not people.  What would they be?  Of course this theme was tackled in "Castaway".  What do you need to keep your wits about you when you're lacking human companionship for a long period of time? What do we really need...an intriguing thought at this time of year when people are spending money on tons of "things".
Here's my list.

1. Camera (battery and SD card included, I'll cheat a little)
2. Solar camera battery charger
3. Since I couldn't have my blog I guess I'd have to include a journal and pen
4. Smartwool socks
5. neti pot

Didn't expect the neti pot, did you?  If I couldn't have my allergy pharmacy on hand I'd have to at least have the neti pot! I know no one would see my photos, but that's okay, I mostly take them for my own pleasure anyway.  Sharing them is just the icing on the cake.  Normally chocolate would make the list, but not very practical for the long term and I don't think I'd crack under the pressure of a life without chocolate if it were necessary.

Well, not a very exciting list, but maybe some of you will have some more creative ideas.  May the odds be ever in your favor!

Seeking Advice

I was told to "get on the computer with my Blogger friends" and see if anyone has any advice regarding TV reception for the RV.

We had the digital converter box hooked up to the TV and at the dealership we got 2 channels and the picture was very clear, but now we're not getting a clear picture and only a couple of channels in our driveway but with the other fifth wheel and the same digital converter we got quite a few channels with a clear signal and picture.  Here's a shot of the antenna.

I'm putting networking to work for me...any ideas???  Times like these I'm wishing I had worked on expanding my audience instead of just waiting for others to find me.  Not that it matters too much at the moment since we'll have cable hookup in Gatlinburg.

I just checked the 10 day forecast for Gatlinburg and it looks like they're expecting it to be in the 60's with no wind just about every day.  Sounds like perfect hiking weather to me!

We'll be staying at Camping in the Smokies RV Park, and when I called yesterday they said they're busy so I'm happy their business isn't suffering.  I had to cancel the reservation for my parents who were supposed to be joining us but I've got Wayne convinced we'll still be going.  I'm pretty sure this budget mess will be fixed before the weekend and if it isn't I'm thinking the governors of Tennessee and North Carolina will get the money together to reopen the park and head off any more decline in tourism dollars and tax revenue.

As for the shutdown itself, I found a really good link at the Washington Post website that explains about the medical device tax issue.  Click on the video toward the bottom, it's short and easy to understand, which is something that is sometimes hard to come by when the topic of anything politically related comes up!  I think it makes sense that a small tax on devices will pay off in the long run due to increased sales by people who now have coverage.  The reality is that the money has to come from somewhere, and all the better if the ones paying taxes see an eventual increase in revenue that will offset the initial drop in their profit.  And sometimes it's okay to spend more money to help others even if there isn't anything to gain personally, but that's just my little ole opinion.

Feeling A Bit Glee-stalgic

Okay, okay, okay.  I do not currently watch the TV show "Glee", but...I did used to indulge.  Why?  The musical theater, of course.  Being an ex-band and choir member, not to mention childhood tap lessons, this was a phenomenon that just couldn't be completely ignored.

My taste in musical theater runs toward "Chicago" and "West Side Story" not "Cats" or heaven forbid "Phantom of the Opera".  I like it peppy!  The only musical I've seen that wasn't community theater was "Wicked" in Chicago.  A lot of money and I couldn't see most of what was going on.  Give me the movies or community theater anytime was my take on that experience.

For some reason, the actual Glee music videos that used to be allowed up on YouTube are no longer available for me to re-enjoy.  The show itself was only good the first few seasons, and then only when they were singing or Sue Sylvester was causing havoc.

Anyway, here are my top 5 Glee videos, or the closest thing I could find to them.

#5 - Technically from "The Glee Project" and not "Glee", I couldn't neglect to include "Under Pressure"in this list.  Nothing says Glee like slushies.

#4 - I actually found an older video on the Fox website of a video clip of "Singing in the Rain" featuring guest star Gwenyth Paltrow, which I happen to have on my iPod, along with their version of "Thriller/Heads Will Roll".  That one I could not find, a huge disappointment for this ex-marching band girl.  We didn't do anything quite as cool as their marching band rendition, but I remember enjoying performing was "Tusk". So since I can't give you that, here's Glee's send-up to one of my favorite musicals, just follow the link.

#3- Probably the best overall episode was Glee's tribute to "Rocky Horror Picture Show".  Ah, that's the stuff! And even guest appearances by John Stamos...what could be better?

#2 - "Vogue" featuring Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch).  The best character of Glee, undeniably, is Sue Sylvester.  Whoever writes her dialogue has the best job in the writing world.  The quips about Mr. Schuster's curly hair are enough to keep me laughing for days.  Unfortunately, the rest of the show's writing has dropped dramatically in quality with every passing season.

"I don't trust a man with curly hair. I can't help but picture little birds laying sulfurous eggs in there, and it disgusts me."

"I thought I smelled cookies from the tears of elves weeping that live in your hair."

"I thought you might wanna put all of us of our misery and shave off that Chia Pet."

"Oh I will bring it, William. You know what else I'm gonna to bring? I'm gonna bring some Asian cookery to wipe your head with. Cause right now you've got enough product in your hair to season a wok."

"Your hair looks like a briar patch. I keep expecting racist, animated Disney characters to pop up and start singing about living on the bayou."

Anyway, here's a link to the official Glee "Making of Vogue" clip

#1 - "Single Ladies" featuring Kurt (Chris Colfer) - This is a mix of clips someone put together, if you're not a watcher of the show the B&W snippets are from the TV episode where when Kurt's dad finds him dancing to Beyonce in their basement he passes off the black leotard as "exercise" clothing and announces he's going to try out for the football team.  Funny part is he does try out, and even makes the cut oddly enough.  The blond, Heather Morris, used to be a back-up dancer for Beyonce and landed a role on Glee when she was called in to teach the dance routine to the cast.

On a non-Glee subject, my email notifications that I've got comments on Blogger now include a "reply" option that I've been using instead of the link in the comments section on the post.  Are you guys getting my replies I've been sending the past week from my email???