The Art of Drawing

Drawing is a talent I have long admired. The ability to look at something and then recreate it on paper amazes me. Personally, the translation goes horribly wrong somewhere between my eyes and my hand. Drawing stick people is a challenge to me.

Alas, I will have to live vicariously through those artists that are truly gifted. I have an appreciation and awe of their talent.

Chinajoy is an artisit I found while perusing the Arts category recently. She's been with Squidoo for just over a year now and has some wonderful lenses -- both showcasing her drawings and teaching others to draw. (The image top, left is one of Chinajoys drawings on a postcard from Zazzle.)

She recently featured her drawings in the lens titled Chinajoy's Top 10 Drawings of 2010. The list is populated with the most viewed drawings from her website.

Her subject matter is diverse -- people, animals, flora, insects and even a bedside table. Each drawing is so detailed, I had to remind myself that they were not black and white photographs but drawings in pencil, pen or charcoal. With each drawing, she adds the story of what inspired her.

Throughout the lens, you get a sense of Joy, what is important to her and her strong spirituality. She is currently a missionary in China for a year. She is creating a visual journey of her travel throughout China with her drawings. Photographs are a necessity but the drawings will tell a personal story. I can't wait to see the finished products.

In addition to showcasing her work, she has numerous lenses teaching others how to draw things like -- baby portraits, travel, birds, dogs and more. She even has a lens dedicated to the story of how she learned to draw.

She credits prayer and God for for her gift:

I really enjoy the drawing and the purposes for which God has placed this gift in my life. A whole new door has opened, and I am walking through that door, eagerly awaiting to see where the road beyond it leads.

If you haven't had the chance to visit any of her lenses, please stop by and have a look. It's worth your time.

Image Credit: "Children at Play" A7 Notecard by Chinajoy

Dreams Deferred

Recently, my husband and I have become empty nesters - almost - our youngest just started college. And, I am not ashamed to say that I am really enjoying it. It helps that all three of our kids are currently happily doing what they want and check in with us regularly. I loved having them all home for Christmas. But, I definitely have dreams for a future without the responsibilities of raising children.

Sometimes, though, things happen that cause us to change our plans. This story by wordstock, Adopting a New Life, movingly shows how this can happen.

Wordstock dreamed of living in a 100 year old farmhouse and being a camp host in Yellowstone National Park. Instead, she and her husband, who retired early, are attending little league games and volunteering in their grandson's fourth grade classroom. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans."

After a difficult time with their own son, they learned a hard lesson - that the smallest child was the most in need of protection. After a year fighting for custody, and another year going through the adoption process, they are now responsible for their 10 year old grandson. Their love for and pride in him is evident throughout this page. Now, their travels revolve around places they think would be important for their grandson's schooling. Between February and August, their lives revolve around baseball instead of fixing up their farmhouse.

Sometimes, the decisions others make affect our own. Wordstock writes,

There is the sadness at the loss of the dreams. Somehow that changes and you realize that what you wanted can't hold a candle to what you've been given.

Isn't her attitude amazing?

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Image Credit: adoption congratulations card by doodles_daddles

Let's Take a Trip to Rochester, New York

Some of my favorite lenses to read are in the "Travel & Places" category. Having lived all over the United States myself, I love reading about places other people have been, and especially 'home town' stories

I lived in Rochester, New York for many years (and still have relatives there), so I couldn't resist reading about my city written by another Rochester native, Beth aka SoyCandleLover-Maker. It brought back so many memories!

Rochester, New York is located just south of Lake Ontario, less than 90 miles from Buffalo and Niagara Falls and a 30 minute drive to the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. Toronto, Canada is only 70 miles away, but it takes 3+ hours to get there (Lake Ontario sort of gets in the way)!

Beth describes many of the well-known sites in Rochester -- home to Eastman Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch & Lomb -- making the Rochester metropolitan area the second largest regional economy in all of New York State. She also talks about some of the gorgeous homes located on East Avenue (including the George Eastman house -- now a museum of photographic & film history).

Rochester is famous for it's annual free 10-day Lilac Festival held every May in Highland Park. Over 500 varieties among 1200 lilac bushes are planted there. It truly is a sight to behold.

Located in the Rochester area is the 3rd oldest Rollercoaster in operation. It's wooden and located at SeaBreeze Park, an amusement park on the lakefront since 1879. Rochester also has sports teams: Hockey, Soccer, Lacrosse and my all-time favorite, "The Rochester Red Wings" minor league baseball team. Ah... the many Red Wings games I watched there!

My very favorite part of SoyCandle's lens is her list of "You know you've from Rochester, NY when..." because I can relate to every item on the list -- it's ALL True!
Examples:
#13. It can be 70 degrees one day, below freezing the next, and you think nothing of it. (I actually experienced this in a 4 hour span of time one day!).
#16. You order a white hot and a pop, and the counterman knows what you're talking about. (If YOU don't know what they are, just ask me or Beth and we'll explain)! :-)

Even if I wasn't a former Rochester, New York native, I would have enjoyed this very well-written informational, educational and entertaining story by Soy CandleLover-Maker.

Image Credit: I love Rochester, New York by cityshirtsUSA

Professional Photography Projects by hlkljgk

This week most of my attention has been on photography. Trying to set up a new editing program, writing 2 different articles that were full of photos, and spectacular sunsets has had me thinking of photography.

Squidoo recently changed their categories and now it's easier to find photography related articles. I love photography and wanted to see what was in the new category besides all the articles full of links for different photo related sites. It was hard to find articles with actual photos, but that is what I was looking for.

This article, Photography Projects by
hlkljgk was one I found, and was hooked immediately with the Flickr module. Beautiful, sometimes breathtaking photos captivated me, and once again made me wish I could do nothing but take pictures and learn photography better.

Heather, aka hlkljgk, is a self taught photographer who has a good eye for beauty and composition. I first saw a couple of her photos in another online group where she entered a weekly photo contest. I was impressed then, but more so now.

The article, Photography Projects not only has a sideshow of some of hlkljgk's best photos, but has a list of some photo projects she recommends. I bookmarked this so I can go back to it. It is well worth the trip over to her article to see her photos.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!



Image Credit: Camera Lens on Binder by CarriesCamera

The Giving Of Red Packets

The Chinese New Year will begin next week along with the giving of Red Packets during the 15 day celebration. The custom of giving these Red Packets or red envelopes is quite a lovely tradition in Asian countries. They have other names such as Ang Pow, Hong Bao, and Ang Bao. Here in the United States we might refer to them as money envelopes or gift envelopes.

This giving of red packets is new to me and I'm thinking it might be new to you, also. Draik introduced this tradition of the Ang Pow or red envelopes to me in her article Red Packets. She tells us who should receive a red packet during the Lunar New Year celebration and who should give a red packet. Draik also explains to those of us who are new to this tradition a proper amount of money to place in the envelope. Although, an even amount of money is appropriate, the number 4 should be avoided. I'll let you read why.

While reading her informative article, Draik also shows her readers examples of these red packets. Some are lovely and elegant while others are whimsical and cute. Being an Antique Specialist, my first thoughts were collecting these wonderful Asian pieces of ephemera (paper items that were meant to be used once and then thrown away). The collector gene in me would want to frame them and preserve them. Draik has a different idea. She plans to take some of her red packets and craft decorations for the next Chinese New Year. In fact, she has done an entire series of craft ideas using red packets.

Finding articles that introduce me to a tradition that is unfamiliar is exciting and I hope that you will enjoy reading about the giving of red packets during the celebrating of the Lunar New Year.

Image Credit: Red Envelope Motif by oph3lia

Vietnam - Agent Orange Effects Live On

In May of 1983, I went to Washington D.C. for my senior class trip. I was excited to see all the historical sites up close and personal.

The night before I was to leave, my dad and I were sitting at the kitchen table as he read through the standard tour list: Arlington Cemetery, the Smithsonian Institute, the Lincoln Memorial, the Capital building and more. He had been to D.C. a few times and was sharing his thoughts on each historical landmark. However, he stopped dead on the last item on the itinerary - The Vietnam War Memoiral. [The memorial was only 6 months old at the time, having been opened on November 13, 1982.]

He stared at the page for a while, though I don't think he was reading. When he finally looked up, he asked me to do something for him. He asked me to put my hand on the wall and say a prayer. He wanted me pray for all the veterans listed on the wall, those not on the wall, and all the families of the veterans. He got up from the table and went to bed.

I did as my dad asked and have a memory I will never forget about visiting the Vietnam War Memoiral.

This week, Carmen - aka capriliz - answered my Jenga game challenge to write a lens about Agent Orange and Vietnam Veterans. The resulting lens blew me away. Her research was thorough, including facts, videos, photos, maps of the areas sprayed and much more.

She explains that the long term effects of exposure to Agent Orange has been debated for decades. She lists the illnesses attributed to the exposure and others that are still being considered as caused by the toxic chemical.

One of the most controversial parts of the lens is the duel that Carmen included. The way it was worded made it hard to answer: Do you think using Agent Orange was a justified decision at the time?

There are answers on boths sides but, truth be told, I think we all wish there had been a middle ground - and maybe a crystal ball during the war.

She shares information about the class action suit against the manufacturers and the fact that only about 50,000 Vietnam veterans ever recieved any compensation before the settlement ran out. At that time, many of the affected veterans didn't have symptoms yet. This topic hits home with me. My dad is a 100% Agent Orange disabled Vietnam Veteran. He has been through so much health-wise in the last 10 years -- almost all attributable to exposure to the chemical.

The amount of information Carmen included is substantial -- but not overwhelming. Her reporting of facts raise questions in the reader's mind -- one of which is, "Were the consequences worth the risk?" We may never agree on the answer but we should learn from the experience.

Image Credit: Veterans Card by LivingLife

A Life in Landscape Painting

Throughout the year 2007, I completed a photography project where I shot a picture a day. It is amazing now how clearly I remember that year so much more than others, because I have the visual reminders. If someone brings up something that happened that year, and are not sure when it was, I can tell them the exact date.

I was so touched when I came across this page, John N. Stewart - My Landscape Watercolours, which showcases 50 years of paintings.  It is a memoir of sorts in that he can clearly remember the context surrounding each of his paintings.

John showed artistic promise at an early age, painting his first picture in Junior High. He went on to art school and has created an incredible body of work over the past 50 years. On this page, he highlights the artwork, with just a few sentences describing how he came to paint the picture.

But from those few words and his paintings, I learned that he spent a great deal of his time out west, mostly in California, and developed a deep reverence for nature. One of my favorite pieces in this collection is "Avenue of the Giants," which shows two people among the giant redwoods of California. Apparently, he lived only a short distance from these magnificent trees and loved to spend time with them.

Stewart also tells us that he is drawn to shape and texture, and calls rocks his friends. As a matter of fact, he has many paintings which show the beauty of rock formations. The Oregon coast is another favorite landscape to paint. John is also a pianist and includes a video slideshow of his paintings and music. Very relaxing!

You can find Stewart's paintings on ebay and Zazzle. He also writes a blog called "A Drawing Per Day" and has several other Squidoo pages on drawing and selling art.

---

Image Credit: Still Life with Brushes by jonart

The Scottish Wildcat -- Once a Symbol of the Scottish Highlands

My ancestry is Scottish and my college mascot was a Wildcat. Combine the two and you have a wonderful story about 'The Scottish Wildcat'.

Nicki - WordCustard on Squidoo - tells us that Scottish Wildcats are a native British species and is now Scotland's only remaining native feline. Once seen throughout Britain, the last of the Scottish wildcats today are found only in northern Scotland where they were once known as a Symbol of the Highlands.

When I first looked at a picture of the Scottish Wildcat, I thought 'but that's just a Tabby Cat!' While it does look like a domesticated tabby cat, the wildcat is a larger, stocker animal with a broad face that looks rather angry, and a broader tail. It is 'wild in spirit' and can never be tamed.

While there are a few Scottish Wildcats in captivity, in its native settings, the Wildcat is rarely seen by people. It hunts at night and lives in very remote areas. Its preferred habitats are the woodland edge, rough grassland, and the moorland fringe. Therefore, seeing one is a rare privilege. You need to be in an area that holds good prey numbers (rabbits, for instance), around dawn or dusk, and be very quiet & still. And, of course, it helps to be in Scotland!

WordCustard writes about the Scottish Wildcat to bring our attention to the fact that it is now an endangered species. There are many contributing factors, including an unexpected source -- interbreeding with unneutered domestic cats. It is estimated that the wildcat has a population of only about 400 left in the wild. This is rarer than the Bengal Tiger.

Nicki wrote this story with the hope it will help to spread the word about how we can save the Scottish Wildcat. To that end, she has donated 100% of earnings from this lens to Big Cat Rescue. You can also donate directly to the cause of the Scottish Wildcat via the Highland Tiger's Cairngorms Wildcat Project. The Highland Tiger is a website dedicated to the conservation of the Scottish Wildcat. You will find a link to it on Nicki's lens.

Our world cannot afford to lose, forever, any more wildlife species. It is hoped that this beautiful animal, the Scottish Wildcat, will always remain a part of our ecosystem. As the Wildcat Project states, it's time to 'Save the Forgotten Cat'.

Image Credit: Wildcat Contentment 2 card by karenhartswildcats

New Squidoo Writer Vikk Simmons Wins a Purple Star

Sometimes we find gems in the least likely of spots. Recently I ran across a new writer and immediately knew this was someone worth watching. Vikk Simmons only had one article at the time, and as of this writing she has three.

I love watching people soak up new knowledge and Vikk is everywhere reading what she can in order to learn. She reads, comments on others work, and now has 3 articles including Going to the Dogs which has already won a coveted Purple Star.

Going to the dogs is an easy to follow story of adopting and living with 6 dogs and a few cats that belong to her elderly mother. The writing style flows as if you were sitting next to Vikk and she is just telling you a story. We learn about her first dog, a German Shepard all the way through her current babies, 5 males and one tiny female.

I laughed when she said she tried to incorporate everything she learned in the previous 10-12 days in her article, and as you can see, Vikk has definitely learned about using polls and interactive modules.

Please join me in welcoming Vikk to the Squidoo Community, and go meet her 6 babies that are now "fighting over bragging rights on that purple star!" At least that was the last word I heard.


Image Credit: RESCUED IS MY FAVORITE BREED by MishMoshTees

Planning A Party For A Movie Buff

Every once in a while we find ourselves in charge of planning a party. It might be for the Super Bowl or Oscar Night or perhaps we know a movie buff who is celebrating a birthday or a retirement. Planning an event with a theme might seem a little daunting to many of us, myself included. And then there are others who step up to the challenge and immediately start putting that event together with really fantastic ideas.

Over the weekend I was challenged in the Virtual Jenga game to write a movie review. After completing the lens and posting it, my next task was to challenge someone else to write something on a topic of my choosing. Since I had just written about a movie, my mind went to a cast party. I decided to make the challenge of writing about planning an event with a movie theme. Since I don't know of anyone who plans an event quite like her, I challenged DecoratingforEvents. If you haven't been keeping up with the game, the person challenged has 48 hours to complete it or the tower falls and the game would start over.

I was confident that Mandee would come up with a great idea to meet the challenge but she exceeded my expectations by a couple of miles! Hollywood Themes: Movie Theme gives some knock your socks off ideas on planning a party or event with a movie theme. She gives suggestions on narrowing the party theme down to a specific topic such as a general movie theme, academy awards, a specific movie, and even movies done by a specific actor or actress. Ideas for really cool invitations, table decor, and even some props to decorate the room with. The girl has thought of everything, right down to the confetti for the table. Now, I see how a pro would plan an event and I'm impressed to no end!

I would like to publicly thank Mandee for accepting the challenge this weekend and for her superbly written article! Go on over and check out her suggestions, I think she will inspire your next party whether it is for a movie buff or a cast party of your own.

Image Credit: Antique Camera Man, 1918 by Photoblog

Finding Avalon, King Arthur and Camelot

Kings and sorcerers, castles and swords, faeries and caves -- these are what populate the legends and folklore surrounding King Arthur, Camelot and Avalon. Is he real? What of the legends and stories?

Following the assignment from RocketMoms to write a personal lens MissMerFaery recalls her travel to Tintagel -- a life long dream come true -- and explores the island and castle ruins in her lens titled Finding Avalon - Legends of Camelot in Tintagel, Cornwall.

I know very little of the history and legends surrounding King Arthur. But, from the first words, I know I am in good hands for this trip:

I stand stock still, my feet upon the ground where legends once walked... where an ancient Cornish duchess succumbed to magic and enchantment, to conceive a child who would one day become the most legendary king of all...

How could I not read on?

She tells of a facsination with King Arthur and Merlin since she can remember. She would like to credit her mother visiting Tintagel when she was six months pregnant with Louise as the reason for her enchantment with Avalon. She says:

And now, as I finally stand in this ancient place for the first time, my heart soars. This is more than just a special visit - this is spiritual.
I feel like I have come home.

A shiver runs through me. I continue on my guided tour of Tintagel Island. The photos from her trip are showcased in galleries with captions descibing the scenery and feelings they evoked. The history, legends and folklore attached to this place are phenomenal. Visiting through Louise's eyes is a gift. Her words, eloquent yet full of information, guide the reader in her quest of spirituality.

Though believing or not believing in King Arthur and the legends is a personal choice, Louise's lens is written with such passion and feeling that it gives you cause to wonder. The reader polls/questions throughout make you an interactive participant on her trip. She quotes history and fairytales and leaves you questioning what you once believed to be true.

Louise knows the legends and shares them with us as she travels along King Arthur's Trail. Characters and places like Morgan Le Fay -- Queen of Avalon, King Arthur's Stone and Nimue - The Lady of the Lake. The trip is filled with breathtaking views, historical tidbits and feelings of awe at visiting a place where perhaps sorcerers and faeries did walk. Do you believe in Avalon?

I saw Camelot with Richard Harris at the Starlight Musicals Theatre at the Butler University campus years ago, and one line has stuck with me and seems appropriate to Louise's lens:

"Don't let it be forgot
That once there was a spot,
For one brief, shining moment
That was known as Camelot."

Image Credit: Tintagel Castle, Cornwall Postcard by SabineSt

Wear Red for Women's Heart Disease

Did you know that heart disease is by far the leading cause of death for women in the United States?

The sobering statistics can be found on this page by kab, National Wear Red Day: Heart Disease Awareness. kab shows 329,000 women dying every year from heart disease, with the second highest being stroke at 87,000. Breast cancer is fifth at 40,000.

According to kab,

One in four women dies from heart disease. It's the #1 killer of women, regardless of race or ethnicity. It also strikes at younger ages than most people think, and the risk rises in middle age. And, two-thirds of women who have heart attacks never fully recover.

National Wear Red Day is coming up on February 4th. Sponsored by the American Heart Association, it is a day to bring attention to heart disease by wearing red. The red dress is its symbol, but you can wear anything red, including a red heart pin available at the Go Red for Women site.

Kab's beautiful red page explains the importance of this issue and directs us to resources for action. There is even a page about red dresses!

Being over the age of 50, and spending much more time on the computer has not helped my fitness level. It has become essential to make the time to get in better shape. That is why I made the commitment this year to walk a mini-marathon in May. Training has already begun and I hope it will not only help to get my heart in better condition, but also help me to look a lot better in that red dress.

Do you have five women in your life that you think should be aware of this day? At the Go Red for Women site, they challenge you to email those five women, telling them about National Wear Red Day. Will you do it?

Image Credit: Red Dress Magnet by krhc45

Learn to 'Really' Listen

cdcraftee aka Christine describes herself as an Australian wife, mother, grandmother, and General Dogsbody, who is a handcrafter, writer, and Mature Age Student of all manner of things..including Squidoo. As a fiber arts crafter myself, I was drawn to Christine's stories about her crafty creations in knitting, crochet and beading written in a delightfully witty style.

But wait, that's not all Christine writes about! Her story Please... 'Really' Listen describes her time spent as a volunteer Telephone Crisis Counselor, Listening...Really Listening to callers who were feeling desperate, feeling needy, finding themselves in so much solitary pain, frightened and vulnerable, and helping them by listening with all her heart and soul.

As a trainee, she was first reminded that humans are born with two ears and one mouth - an indication maybe that we should listen twice as much as we talk? Sometimes a caring voice on a 24-hour helpline presenting “an empathetic ear always ready to REALLY LISTEN” is all that stands between the caller and 'disaster'.

cdcraftee has filled this story with soothing, peaceful photographs, and calming words such as “When you listen with your heart... There's a change of view - from Grey to Blue” as she shares a variety of 'crisis' stories with good endings because someone was there to LISTEN.

She ends with “LISTEN.... and you just may start a brand new day for someone.”

With the gift of listening comes the gift of healing, because listening to your brothers or sisters until they have said the last words in their hearts is healing and consoling.
—Catherine de Hueck Doherty

Image Credit: Learn To Listen by mindprint9

FREE Stock Photos and other Graphic Resources

An excellent article on where to find FREE Photos and other graphic related resources to help bloggers and others that need to use images on the web.

Who hasn't been confused with adding or working with images? We talk about not plagiarizing (stealing) others work and yet every day people are still confused over which images they legally can use, where to find them, and how to give credit.

A couple years ago I started a group on Flickr where several people put their own pictures, and anyone could use them. The idea was to have pictures that had no criteria for use, an easy place to find photos. Photos that could be used for blogging on commercial sites was the objective

That was about all I knew at the time of how to get creatives commons photos. Since then I have read many articles, and gone to many places to find graphics that could be used on blogs, Squidoo, or any other online site.

One of Squidoo's veteran writers Greekgeek has a whole mini series on graphics and this one in particular FREE Web Graphics is full of resources and explanations that are easy to understand.

Learn where to get FREE Stock Photos and Public Domain Images. Learn where to get royalty-free clip art that you can actually use for commercial purposes (and Squidoo is a commercial site).

Did you know that most images on government sites are in the public domain and can be used by anyone unless there is a specific copyright notice?


Greekgeek's article is definitely one that you will want to go back to several times. If you are new to blogging, or not sure about how to legally use photos and graphics, this article has something for you!




Image Credit: Orange Butterfly Upclose by WhiteOak50

Baby Carriage Shower Ideas

When you don't know for certain which gender the soon to arrive baby is going to be, a Baby Carriage Shower would be a perfect choice. Baby Showers are suddenly on my mind as I've just found out that I will have another precious little darling who will call me Grandma sometime in August of this year. My daughter and son-in-law will be first time parents and at this point have decided that they don't want to know the gender until it is born. That got me to thinking about themes for baby showers that are not gender specific.

I love the old style baby carriages and prams. I know they aren't built with all of the safety standards that are called for today. They are big and clunky and difficult to fold up and throw into the trunk of your car. So, I know they aren't really practical now a days. The design sure works for a theme of a baby shower, though. Don't you think?

I stumbled across an article called appropriately Baby Carriage Themed Shower that really has some cute ideas. Janices7 gives some very cute ideas for invitations and stamps with the baby carriage theme. She shows some really cute partyware and decor ideas to fit the theme. There are baby carriage cake ideas and even some game ideas in her article. Janice has laid the entire article out in a very pleasing way too. So, even if a baby isn't in your near future; I think you will enjoy this delightful article...it will make you go "Aahhh!"

Image Credit: Retro pram Card by coconutpie

Learning to Beg - New Year's Resolution

It's 2011! I can hardly believe it. The days, months and years are flying by. Traditionally, resolutions are a big part of starting a new year. We look back on the previous year and find things we want to do better, more of, or decide to follow a dream -- creating our resolutions for the new year.

This week, I have read many lenses concerning goals and resolutions for 2011. One lens title, in particular, made me giggle. It's titled My New Year's Resolution - To Beg More. If you know Susan, BuckHawk on Squidoo, you would have giggled too. We have fun posting at RocketMoms, trying to make each other laugh. This title did it for me.

Susan runs a rescue center called The BuckHawk Center Animal Rescue. Her New Year's Resolution is to beg for more donations to help run the non-profit organization. In the introduction, she explains her title choice like this:

"No, I'm not homeless, jobless, or starving. My begging isn't for my own comfort. Well, maybe it is in a way. You see, if I can beg more, I can sleep better at night."

Throughout the lens, you feel her absolute passion to help animals. She tells stories of rescues, abused and neglected dogs and how BuckHawk Center provides for these helpless animals. Since begging is not in her nature, she laughs at herself throughout as she learns how to beg. (The begging part is hard for her, unlike the jumping in and helping part.)

Then, the most wonderful part of the lens, she shares the outpouring of compassion and donations made by the wonderful Squidoo lensmasters and community. One of the main purposes for Squidoo when it was first founded in 2005 by Seth, Megan, Corey and Gil was to fund donations to charities.

Does it work? Do people really respond to lenses written about deserving charities? Can a lady from Southwest Missouri running an animal rescue center really receive donations from around the world through Squidoo?

Ask Susan. Hers is a success story in the making.

Image Credit: Begging Pug Birthday by sunrisern

60's Music - A Memoir

The oldest baby boomers turn 65 this year, so there has been a lot about them in the news lately. I have a page about baby boomer music and, this week, someone left a comment that said if you don't love music, you can't be a boomer. I agree!

We were fortunate to grow up in an age where there was an explosion of new musical genres; the age of the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, and Motown. The 60's had some of the best and it's always fun to come across a page that, not only has the music from this era, but the associated memories as well.

One of my favorites is by reasonablerobinson, who grew up in England. On his page, 1960s Music and Memories, the memories are just as important as the music, and oh so interesting. He equates the music with his own search for identity. Would he be a mod or a rocker or a greaser? And he tells us about the clothing styles that each entails.

The page begins with "Build Me Up Buttercup," one of my favorite songs ever from the 60's. These early songs bring back memories of a youth club he frequented where they played table tennis and darts. He recalls the first 45 single he bought to play on the record player that his Dad won for sales performance at his job.

I don't want to give away his other great stories, but you will find out about the song that was sung on a train out of Czechoslovakia right after the Soviets invaded. You will hear about how he managed to hear Black Sabbath play and his foray into reggae and glam rock. A girlfriend got him interested in Motown and "You Can't Hurry Love" describes their relationship.

There are a lot of videos to listen to on this page (and some need to be updated). But I know you will love the stories. They are what makes this page especially great!

Image Credit: 60s Music Lover by TLArnold6

Susanna Duffy and I've Been Everywhere, Man

Do you remember any of those fun songs from childhood? The ones that rhymed, or were just plain fun like this 1960's song "Don't Let The Rain Come Down" or better known as the Crooked Little Man.

"Uh-huh, oh no, don't let the rain come down
Uh-huh, oh no, don't let the rain come down
Uh-huh, oh no, don't let the rain come down
My roof's got a hole in it and I might drown
Oh yes, my roof's got a hole in it and I might drown

There was a crooked man and he had a crooked smile
Had a crooked sixpence and he walked a crooked mile
Had a crooked cat and he had a crooked mouse
They all lived together in a crooked little house."

These songs made us smile as we sang along with the nonsensical lyrics. Well, today I saw that Susanna Duffy had put up an article telling about a song called "I've been everywhere, man" that goes really quick, with names that most Americans have never heard. She made this lens after her brother was telling her all the places he had to go just to get around the recent floods in Australia.

Susanna put a video of the Australian, and the New Zealand versions of the song "I've been everywhere, man". I liked the record playing on the Australian one and used my imagination to visualize the places I couldn't pronounce. The New Zealand version had a slide show making it easy to visualize and personally I found the names easier to attempt to pronounce. But regardless of which version, this was fun!

Try to read the names and see if you can pronounce them, then listen to the video. Fun, Nonsensical song....and who doesn't need a little fun in their life! I still smile when I hear the song of the Crooked Little man and now I will think of this silly song from Susanna although I won't be able to sing it without a whole lot of practice!





Image Credit: Australia by Yolan10

The Year Of The Rabbit Is Coming

In a little less than one month (Feb 3, 2011) the Chinese will usher in their New Year. People will be saying goodbye to the Year of the Tiger and welcoming in the Year of the Rabbit. My boss gets really excited about celebrating the New Year as his paternal side of the family still lives in China, for the most part. He visits them once a year, which I think is pretty cool. So, before the celebration begins I wanted to find out what this New Year will bring.

Knowing that my friend AJ2008 would have probably already done some extensive research on the topic, I visited her profile page to see if she had written anything about it yet. She had not let me down! Sure enough she has published The Year Of The Rabbit explaining the significance of the rabbit in the Chinese Horoscope. Reading her article you will find out about the personality of a person born under the sign of the rabbit. AJ also explains about the elemental connection associated with each animal sign that rules over a year. I will let you read what she has to say about which element (water, wood, fire, earth, or metal) will influence 2011.

After reading AJ's article, I'll be able to talk with my boss about not only celebrating the Chinese New Year but the astrological significance of the rabbit and what that might mean for this coming year. I don't know about you, but I find this all very fascinating. Perhaps you have a friend or acquaintance who is from the Chinese culture and you could share what you have read about the coming New Year with them.

Image Credit: Year of the Rabbit Poster Print by Specialeetees

The Space Needle - Seattle

It was 1975, I was 10 years old and on a field trip to Seattle Center in Seattle, Washington. As we were loaded into the glass elevators at the base of the Space Needle, this small 5th grader was shoved to the back of the elevator and literally smashed up against a pane of glass in the wall.

I could see the ground vanishing as we ascended toward the observation deck some 500+ ft above. My heart was in my throat, and I think I left my stomach on ground level.

When the doors finally opened, the pressure of the throng of people holding me against the glass wall at the back of the elevator released so quickly, I almost fell. I exited the elevator and took a look around me. I swallowed my heart and got back on the elevator heading down. This is the story of my first (and last) trip to the top of the Seattle Space Needle. It was also the year I learned I was afraid of heights. After that, I stuck to the amusment rides at Seattle Center that never left the ground. The Matterhorn was my favorite...

When I came across VickiSims lens, simply titled Seattle Space Needle, these memories came rushing back and I was compelled to read.

Vicki lives near Seattle and enjoys writing many lenses about the city's sites as well as other sites in the Pacific Northwest. On this particular lens, she gives details, photos and the history behind one of the most recognized buildings in the country. The Space Needle was built as the centerpiece of the 1962 World's Fair themed "Century 21 Exposition". It's theme was a futuristic view of what life might be like in the 21st century. (Kinda funny now that we are in the 21st century.)

One of the first modules Vicki includes is a poll with a large photo looking up the Space Needle. My hand, shaking from the twinge of vertigo the picture brought on, clicked the radio button next to the phrase "I've been to the observation deck only". I assumed that my 10 seconds outside the elevator counted.

She also includes a great video of the elevator ride and the view from the observation deck. Honestly, I skipped through the rising elevator part, straight to the beautiful views at the top of the Space Needle.

The second video shows a fireworks display at the Space Needle for the 2010 New Year celebration. It starts with machine gun type blasts running up the structure and expoldes into colorful lights hearlding in the new year. Beautiful!

Vicki also points out the Space Needle will celebrate its' 50 anniversary in 2012. Hard to believe half a centry has almost gone by since that World's Fair icon was built. If you ever get the opportunity to visit Seattle, The Space Needle is a must see site. I know I will never forget my visit!

Image Credit: Travel Washington by skibbyb