TheWordWire.com

Photo Friday: Canyonlands Needles

2010-03-12T07:12:02Z

Tent with a view: We used Mike Matson's Moon Utah Camping guide to make decisions on where to set up camp. We wouldn't have found this perfect private spot within view of the Canyonlands Needles without it.

Southern Utah's Canyonlands National Park is divided into north and south districts. The North district is called Island in the Sky, which I shared in last week's post. Just 15 miles as the crow flies, but 137 miles by car is the south district called Needles.

Needles is a lot lower in elevation than The Island, so it offers greater opportunities for extended hiking and 4WD exploration.

We took the Elephant Canyon Trail, though we did not hike the length of the 11-mile loop to see the famed Druid Arch. Even still, our 2ish-mile leisure walk did not disappoint.

Once you get beyond the steep, but short, Elephant Hill, you find yourself on a level trail in a maze of interesting rocks.

Then you get some perspective and get to see what you're walking across the tops of. I don't know what these pillar-like features are called, but it's pretty surreal to walk along them.

Once The Needles are in sight, you start to feel like you're looking at Oz. It reminded me of the skyline of a distant city, but too dreamlike to be of this world.

The Needles themselves are massive red and white eroded sandstone pillars that extend for miles beyond this shot. We were losing daylight and expected rainy weather, so this was as close on the trail as we got.

Thanks as always to Delicious Baby for hosting travel-inspired Photo Friday stories.

One Size Head Fits All Hats

2010-03-11T19:19:00Z

Today's Theme Thursday topic is HAT. And my first thought was: just one?

What hat you wear symbolizes profession -- a visual representation of that thing you do. You know -- that thing -- As if there's only one, for which one size hat fits all. Of course, anyone in the workplace will tell you it doesn't quite work like that. It seems more likely your one size head needs to fit all hats.

I bet you can relate to this...

Photo: Paida70

You put on your thinking cap to solve a problem or come up with a new idea.

Photo: Cooperis

You must then pimp the idea to secure funding.

Once somebody in an accountant's visor peers over the top of his or her glasses to approve, your work is really cut out for you then...

Photo: jmtimages

You wrangle the details...

Photo: GregWake

Detect the potential pitfalls...

Photo: KayVeeInc

Put out the fires...

Photo: Robin Hutton

And police the rules.

Familiar? Sure it is. Bet you've worn even more hats than that. Count your roles as parent, spouse, child, and citizen, and you better have one over-sized hat box. It's good though, this variety. I happen to like lots of costume changes in a day. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to put on my thinking cap. I need to solve some problems and figure out some new ideas.

How To Make An Impression On The Woman of the Year

2010-03-10T15:00:00Z

Photo: Hustle Roses

You know I can tap dance right? Hey, I'm no Gregory Hines, rest his soul, but I've got some moves.

I don't know how this came up on my second day of work. It was a tid-bit I threw out during a game of "Get To Know The Newbie." My new teammates were gathered round my cube interviewing me to make sure I was their kind of people.

The feisty one with the fun-loving smile asked me to prove it. Her adopted catch phrase around there was, "Love your show!" And she wanted to see mine right then and there.

"Absolutely not." I told her. I was a professional woman -- whatever I thought that meant at age 27. It was fine that she accused me of bluffing -- I would not be auditioning for the role of department clown.

Besides, it was clear the group already had one of those. Ms. "Love Your Show" sincerely loved people, which was obvious from the way they were all drawn to her. She made people laugh with her silly antics, never with catty jokes at someone else's expense. Even on my second day of work I could tell she was a kind soul.

Later that day I went to the restroom. And whose great shoes should appear in the stall next to me, but Ms. "Love Your Show's" This was private time, so I dared not interrupt her thoughts by announcing myself and saying hello.

But the clown in me saw an opportunity. The chance to prove I'm trustworthy and not a liar, at a time she would least expect. Please no Larry Craig jokes here -- I'm being serious. This is the moment we made lifelong friends:

I straightened my skirt and cleared my throat. I said nothing. Just moved my feet:

Tap, hop, step, fa-lap, step, shuffle, hop, toe, heel!

Other side!

Tap, hop, step, fa-lap, step, shuffle, hop, toe, heel!

Have you ever heard an uncontrolled laugh reverberate off a bathroom wall? Try two people laughing, because I started giggling in reaction to her.

That was a decade ago, and we've both moved on to other things since. She's still proving she's a good soul. Obviously, because the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of San Diego, where she volunteers a lot of her time, has nominated her for 2010 Woman of the Year!

"Don't be misled by the name of the campaign, as it is NOT about me or my team," she wrote in the email making this announcement. Humble, like all altruistic good souls are.

"It is simply about raising money to save lives."

Simply about saving lives. No big deal.

It's a ten-week national fund raising competition that kicks-off tomorrow. With your help -- if you're so inclined -- she and the team she's rounded up can reach their $50,000 goal.

Don't go away -- I know you may not have cash. They're planning a charity auction you might be able to contribute to. She's looking for:

"Anything from collector’s items, gift cards, service certificates, restaurant certificates, airline tickets, hotel stays, or even the donating of space for upcoming events."

If you would like to make an impression on this would-be "The Woman of the Year" without tap dancing in a bathroom, you can make a tax deductible donation of money or auction items to this cause. Cash donations are accepted starting March 11th, 2010. Please visit Gellie Go-Meyer's "Woman of the Year Campaign" Fund Raising Page.

Good luck, dear friend - I'm glad I met you. Knew you were an angel from day one. Love your show!

The Shape of Time and Progress

2010-03-09T17:06:00Z

photo: kapungo

Back when Ronni and I knew everything, we'd sit around reflecting on our vast real-world experience. We were old and wise. I mean, seriously - we were legal. So after classes and our minimum-wage jobs wrapped up for the day, we'd take our 21 year-old selves to the bar to talk philosophy.

Sometimes we'd engage in healthy debate.

I argued, essentially, that we were currently living the renaissance of our lives. As we entered the workforce after graduation, our careers would give us increasingly specialized knowledge.

Splat.

What I was describing was a pyramid - like an upside down ice cream cone, Ronni thought. She wondered why I'd want to know less as I got older. She thought the cone should be the other way -- biggest at the top after a lifetime of learning.

Hmmm...

We had a sip of cheap draft and went on to discuss other heady things like where to go for spring break and how it was better to date a guitarist than a drummer.

Like I said. We knew everything.

Now I believe -- read: I don't know, but I think -- we were both wrong about the geometry of knowledge. It's not a cone at all. It's a spiral. Have you noticed this too, or is it just me? Time may march in one direction, but progression through life seems to go in circles.

I don't know how many times I've been surprised to realize I'd "come full-circle" on something since the day I was so sure the shape of things to come was like a cone. I chalk it up to irony when things in the past on life's time line somehow come around again.

Nature goes in circles, you know. Tides, seasons, sunrises and sunsets... they all come and go in predictable cycles. I don't know what that has to do with the shape of time and progress, but it's somehow comforting to know I'm in good company.

Now that I'm older and sure of less than I was at age 21, I laugh at those conversations back then. Not about which way the proverbial cone is facing -- that's so abstract it sounds wise. But our vacation choices and thoughts on men? At least now, on those topics, we are wise, and that's what I call progress.

How a Shrimp Po-boy Solves Problems

2010-03-09T01:20:00Z

Photo: smaedli

I've got things cooking today -- figuratively and literally -- so I haven't made time to write. I was tempted to just order a pizza, but instead I put on a box of Cajun rice. It's on the stove now, and the smell of it reminds me of a story I'll tell quickly:

The day I moved in to my little New Orleans cottage, I tried to order a pizza for dinner. We were starved -- as you might imagine -- after a day of hauling boxes, and I sure wasn't in the mood to unpack dishes.

I called a chain delivery place. They did not service my new address.

"Try the one over on Esplanade," the pizza guy suggested.

So I did.

"No, we don't deliver over there," the guy on Esplanade said. "Try the one on Canal."

At this point, I was bound and determined to find us a pizza. Not just any pizza, but the chain we'd decided on. I refused to believe that it was not possible to have one delivered. I called the restaurant on Canal prepared to accomplish my mission.

"No, we don't go over that way," he said. Then he directed me back to the restaurant I'd just called.

I believe I kept my emotions in check as I explained that I'd already tried there, but mounting frustration coupled with hunger and fatigue is an ugly combination.

"I'm in the heart of the city -- surely you're not telling me I can't get a pizza delivered to this address," I said.

He matched my veiled-anger tone, and said: "Lady, people come from all over the world to eat in the French Quarter, so I don't know what you're calling me for. Try Verti Marte over on Royal. They deliver."

One beat. Two beats. I let that soak in. Then I thanked him for making a suggestion, and turned out to be glad he did.

I never did find a chain pizza joint that would deliver to that address. But I never tried again, because I didn't have to. Twenty-four hours a day any day of week, a guy on a bicycle would bring me a shrimp po-boy sandwich. A shrimp po-boy! Or oysters... or fried chicken... the list goes on. On the nights you're not cooking, it's hard for a pizza guy to compete with that.

Now, I realize it's not likely that you're reading this a stone's throw from Verti Marte. The point of my story is something else:

Try not to get frustrated when you face a problem, because there is usually some alternative solution. If you're inflexible and blind to other possibilities in dogged pursuit of "Plan A", you might well wind up disappointed. But the alternative option is not necessarily a compromise -- like the shrimp po-boy that solved my pizza delivery "problem", sometimes it turns out to be even better.

Wanderlust Sunday: Best Picture

2010-03-07T15:16:00Z

Which tuxedo and sequin-clad Hollywood buzz-makers will get to publicly thank their Moms and The Academy tonight? I make no predictions. I've only actually seen one of this year's Best Picture nominees, if you can believe it. Better to leave any prognosticating to the real insiders.

What I do know about is a different kind of picture: snap shots that become the coveted mementos of any trip. Thanks to artists and travelers who share their travel photos on Flickr, we can all see unique perspectives of places we know and love.

So I made a list. Places that the Deseret News reports are the most photographed places and landmarks in America. Here are my nominees for Best Picture among contributions to the Creative Commons. What other places might you add to this list?

Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon, AZ

It's no surprise to me that THE GRAND CANYON landed at the top of a most-photographed icon list. If you've ever been there yourself, you know that no photo does it justice. But it's so irresistible to try. Cobalt123 did a beautiful job of capturing a Grand Canyon sunset. One of the most magical things about this place is the ever-changing shadows and light.

Statue of Liberty
New York, NY

Laverrue took this shot of LADY LIBERTY, and I like this perspective of her face. Is it my imagination, or did Laverrue capture tear-stained cheeks? Looks like the rain streams down from the corner of her eye. It's kind of stirring to imagine THE STATUE OF LIBERTY crying.

Washington Monument
Washington, DC

zachstern

I like the dreamlike quality of this shot with the cherry blossoms in bloom. The photo has obviously been color edited, because you just know zachstern was there on a day the sky was bright blue. The color tone changes the mood of the scene, highlighting THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT as a bright, shining beacon.

Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, NY

Corey Ann captured this rainbow at the beautiful and iconic NIAGARA FALLS. I wonder what it looked like from the perspective on the boat below? Could the ferry passengers see the gift of color they were floating near or was it above their heads and out of view? Either way, I like this reminder that no matter how you see something, there's likely someone else who views it differently. Diversity in perspective is a good thing.

Yosemite National Park
Yosemite, CA

Ansel Adams famously captured YOSEMITE's beauty, and his work still doesn't compare to seeing the real thing. Half-Dome, pictured here, is one of the park's most iconic features. Mlhradio worked pretty hard to get this shot, because this angle can't be seen from the car tour. The photographer snapped this from the vantage point of a four-hour hike.

Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco, CA

Anirudh Koul must have been double-fisted when he took this interesting shot. If you've got one of the most photographed landmarks in your viewfinder, it's somehow poetic to take a picture times two. Forget poetry for a second. How about skill? Maybe others have thought of doing this, but not just anyone could pull it off. I know I, for one, couldn't achieve the same result.

Empire State Building
New York, NY

No doubt you've seen THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING in countless movies and pictures. This icon of the New York City skyline is recognized instantly. Punxutawney Phil took this photo through binoculars. Makes you feel like an oracle looking at the city through your crystal ball. If nice composition is an indicator of what's to come, I foretell good things in the future.

Green Thumb Against Backdrop of Brown: The Mojave Crop

2010-03-06T21:26:00Z

It's a nice day out today, so I've brought my computer outside for a bit. I'm sitting in "The Magical Forest." That's what we call our second-story apartment balcony, because half the space is occupied by trees.

See, Rufus likes to grow things. He's got citrus fruits going in every variety. Never mind that neither of us particularly like kumquats -- that's not the point. What's important to him is the fact that the plant that produces them is thriving.

It's one of about eight potted trees....

on a balcony...

in a city...

in the desert.

Then there are all the little pots with sprouts from pits of store-bought produce. Eat a piece of fruit in this house, and Rufus will want the seeds to grow.

Nurturing plants is quite a commitment in a place that's naturally brown. But Rufus would sooner cut off his nose than his green thumb. It's just a part of who he is. So he persists despite the surroundings.

Every other day for the two plus years he's cared for "The Magical Forest," he's toted gallon jugs of water from the bathtub to the balcony. These efforts have been rewarded. With two homemade lemons.

They were delicious, I tell you. We squeezed them over scallops for a special celebratory meal.

His first summer here, he tried his luck with tomatoes. He watered and cared for that plant like it was a family member. Success! Finally -- the heat-stunned baby bore fruit. Pictured is his Mojave Crop.

I really appreciate that about Rufus and find lessons and inspiration in his resolve. He reminds me that just because a set of circumstances requires more work, there's no reason to give up -- Even against a backdrop of brown, a green thumb can find a way to do what he loves.

Photo Friday: Island in the Sky

2010-03-05T07:00:00Z

Canyonlands Arch - Island in the Sky District
Canyonlands National Park -- 30 miles from Moab, Utah

My new Twitter friend @meganhilll2 got a screaming deal on lodging in Moab thanks to Delta Skymiles, so I offered public congratulations. She asked if I were there for a day, what I would do or recommend. This is not an easy question.

Answering it in 140 characters is almost as hard as imagining that area with a one day limit, because it's near impossible to take it all in with a week. In my opinion, Utah canyon country is one of the most incredible places in the American southwest.

Moab, in particular, is the perfect base-camp for exploring nearby Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Yes, yes - her question was hypothetical to make me name my top pick. Good thing. Because if you count the equally phenomenal state parks and other outdoor adventures this natural playground offers, you've got one tough choice for how to spend one day.

If I were absolutely forced to make a choice -- that one place in the Moab area to visit to the exclusion of all others -- I'd head for the north district of Canyonlands called Island in the Sky.

Do you see that road? The faint line along the left of the photo? I'm pretty sure that's the most spectacular scenic drive in America. Pretty bold claim, I know. Especially for someone who has not made the loop herself. We were in a rented SUV, but that's not rugged enough.

It's called the White Rim Road and you need four-wheel drive and nerves of steel to take it. The narrow, unpaved road begins at the elevation this photo was taken, and makes hairpin turns down the canyon. The park service says to plan for the 100-mile loop to take three days.

It's NOT disappointing to visit this part of Canyonlands National Park without taking the adventure road. There's mind blowing scenery to enjoy from the rim. In fact, that's why it's called "Island in the Sky." The north district of the park offers areal views -- The paved scenic loop and well-maintained hiking trails let you see the canyons from above. To explore down in the canyons, you can visit the south district of the park, called Needles, a two+ hour drive away.

I'll share pictures of Needles next week, because it's really like visiting a completely different park. This week I'm smiling at the memory of the Island in the Sky. I know @meganhilll2 is going to have fun.

Thanks to DelicousBaby for hosting Photo Friday. Check out her site for more travel-inspired photo stories. Happy Friday!

It's Not The Rocky Horror Muppet Show

2010-03-04T07:30:00Z

Photo: Shabibi

Kermit the Frog sang about how it ain't easy being green, but I bet Jim Henson couldn't have imagined having to perform it in soprano.

And what about Miss Piggy? She certainly couldn't have imagined something like this. Somebody somewhere is in line for a karate-chop if it happened to the frog of her life.

No, it definitely ain't easy being green -- Not with contaminants like Atrazine in the water. It's a common herbicide used all over the world. And according to researchers, it causes male frogs to grow lady parts.

Sex changes for frogs.

I'm not talking about some Rocky Horror Muppet Show. This is real science. Researchers at Berkeley recently released a study that found this weed killer to be the cause of male frogs under observation becoming egg-laying females.

Obviously Kermit doesn't have to worry about it, and neither -- rest his soul -- does Jim Henson. But I wonder about the rest of us. According to Inhabitat, Atrazine had been a suspected link to certain cancers, and outlawed in Europe since 2003.

Today's Theme Thursday topic is green.

Frankly My Dear, It's Not That Bad

2010-03-03T17:00:00Z

Great balls of fire! Don't bother me anymore, and don't call me Sugar. (Cue music).

I have been auditioning for the role of Scarlett O'Hara around here lately. Even the littlest ol' things can command Academy award-winning performances if you add the right amount of drama. It's exhausting, but makes things more interesting.

Fiddle-dee-dee! This is Rufus and my friend Roxanne collaborating to come to the rescue. I had car trouble. And left my house key with my car keys at the dealer.

I was on foot!

And locked out!

In the rain!

Here are my friends and family waiting with baited breath to find out what's next! They're gathered round to listen as I share cogent, productive thoughts about how to solve my own problems: Economy, economy, economy, all this economy talk's spoiling the fun at every party this spring!

But the truth is that I'm no Vivien Leigh. I'm not even a Lucille Ball, who was among 128 Hollywood A-Listers of the 1930's who wanted but did not get the part. I daresay that the competition for the role of Lead Drama Queen in a contemporary personal biography is even more intense. No thank you.

See, the Scarlett O'Hara thing is just a reflection of some part of me. It's a role I play when I lose perspective. Thankfully, it's easy enough to get perspective back. Those other photos are just figures in a doll house depicting Tara, but this one represents the real me. I'm the one with the creepy, vacant look on my face. Caught in some awkward situation, no one would ever hope to see themselves in.

But there I am. Do you see me? Above the fireplace? In the mirror? I'm the weirdo taking the picture.

Ah, perspective. That reflection of some part of me says, "Frankly my dear, things are not so bad."

These photos were taken at the Gone With The Wind Museum, Marietta, GA.