mermaidcamp

mermaidcamp

Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water

You can scroll the shelf using ← and → keys

Look at This Instapam11

August 5, 2013 — 7 Comments

I recently joined instagram when I learned the 15 second videos became truly instant.  I enjoy the challenge of making a real statement in that period of time.  I haven’t done it yet, but have seen others who do.  It will be challenging to story board and shoot some funny, informative, or entertaining 15 second shows. I have just entered the zone, but can see the potential.  I do do see some feet and selfies, but there are also cool things and places I want to see.  However, after hearing this song, I feel pressure to stop posting grams of my food and be purposeful and creative with the new toy.  We shall see how that goes.  It seems like the wave of the future. Careful preproduction has never meant so much.

Protagoras, the Gods, and You

July 17, 2013 — 2 Comments

Writing twenty-five hundred years ago, the Greek philosopher Protagoras (c. 490-420 BCE) might provide wise counsel to our troubled, conflicted age, and offer some hope: “Concerning the gods,” he wrote, “I have no means of knowing whether they exist or not, nor of what form they are; for there are many obstacles to such knowledge, including the obscurity of the subject and the shortness of human life.”

When a pantheon ruled many dramatic events took place between gods and goddesses, as well as between the immortals and the mortals; life was more exciting. The potential for anything to happen was greater in the collective consciousness before pesky science invaded religious belief.  Philosophy turned a corner when Protagoras, a sophist who died when Plato was young, brought forth his teachings.  He wrote and taught from 490-420 BC, and is reputed to be the first Greek to make money in higher education.  His fees were reputedly very steep. He wrote, but none of his written work survived.  He was itinerant, traveling all over Greece to find students.  The new ideas he fostered and taught were:

  • Relativism- there are two sides to every story
  • Orthoepeia- it is possible to convince the majority that the the lesser choice is the better one with rhetoric
  • Agnosticism-there is no way to have direct knowledge of any of the gods

This has meaning today as we see those who defend absolute truth of any kind. Modern courts of law have their foundations in these three ideas. Law schools teach orthoepeia as part of trial training.  Reasonable doubt is relativism.  Before Protagoras all earthly events were explained by relating nature to the gods’ whims.  Once there was reasonable doubt of that, the world started to look more controllable. Justice, however, is not served when these valuable teachings are not spread equally and given to all citizens. We still have giant problems with democracy and education.  What would Protagoras teach the Congress of the US???

Flunking Personal Branding, Scribe Archetype

July 5, 2013 — 8 Comments

I have been advised by Vizify that I am failing personal branding by not using my key words. I could not be more thrilled to hear this news. If there is one thing I want to avoid it is personal branding. This word counting cousin of Klout wants to publish yet another profile and share it all over the place.  I have had other analytics of my public content which arrived at the conclusion that I was an expert in mangos.  I am an expert in swimming and aquatic exercise, but am not intending to make all of my content prove that point.

I wanted to be a travel writer long ago when one had to actually get published by someone else.  Now that I can say and do what I like when I like, I prefer to take up more than one subject.  Travel still interests me, but I stay home more than I did when I was an agent in the good old days. I am a scribe, an historian, a reporter with my own beat.  I sometimes write political opinions, but think it would be boring to do that regularly.  I feature my ancestors, one at a time, to show my direct relationship to history.  Botany is a passion, so I often photograph plants to share in this blog.  I try not to create a diary of my life, but to share what I think others want to know. I am scribe at large.

I appreciate the chance to meet others and exchange thoughts and information.  I have been very lucky to make the acquaintance of other family members here who have offered data about our common ancestors.  That has been a happy unintended consequence of writing in public.  Triberr has introduced me to a world of bloggers I enjoy reading as well as posting in my twitter stream.  Our system allows us to syndicate each other through Triberr.  It facilitates the flow of ideas, art, and information.  I am pleased to live in a time that gives us this access to the previously closed world of publishing.  I appreciate every gentle reader who reads, shares, and comments here.  Thank you all  for helping me fail personal branding.

My American History, Plymouth to Tucson

July 4, 2013 — 6 Comments

My single Wampanoag ancestor, Quadequina is the only true American in my tribe. My DNA tests out at 96% from the British Isles. My pedigree is what is known in the US as blue blooded.  My ancestors almost all left Europe in the early 1600’s to colonize America.  They had a religious problem with the locals who were freaking out all over Europe in different religious ways.  Suffice it to say the move to Plymouth or Jamestown was done with more than a little religious arrogance.  The locals here had a perfectly adequate religious practice, but the Pilgrims and Virginians were bound to convert and enslave them in an exciting new monotheistic way.  The God who sailed over with the Pilgrims was that angry, vengeful ,all by himself God who just had no patience or tolerance for the beliefs of others.  This God provided for the English on American soil by making sure the king back home had power to scare the beJesus out of any non-believer.

Imagine the dismay of the locals in Massachusetts when they learned that the colonists not only sucked down their erstwhile property and hunting rights, but planned to take more of the same.  King Philip , AKA my great uncle, planned and executed a revolution against the colonists, which is when things got ugly quickly and forever. When I visited Mashpee, the land that was given by the English to the tribe, by arrangement with the King in 1655, I thought I would see the graves of the elders who started Thanksgiving.  I was mighty upset with my Pilgrim ancestors, even though one of them married into the tribe, the group in general was highly rude and creepy.  I saw the graves of the Mayflower passengers, and their church….but not a clue as to the location of Quadequina’s resting place.  Bury my heart at Mashpee.

I learned  much about the way American history has been reconstructed, but I also got to meet some young Wampanoag people who have great pride and are reviving the language.  I became very angry again when I found out the wampum belts that document this history are in England…and the tribe asked them to return the property to Mashpee.  Wampum is a shell currency used to create agreements and make purchases.  The belt was a form of contract used to define, for instance, real estate deals made with Brits.  The state of Rhode Island was purchased with wampum.  I have no power to get the wampum artifacts returned, or change the facts of history.  I just wear the wampum I got on Cape Cod as a reminder of by beloved American tribe.  On behalf of 96% of my blood, I apologize.

Wurst, Weiners, and Weenies

July 3, 2013 — 4 Comments

hot dog

hot dog

Fast food has been known to the Euros for ages. They demand fast food everywhere all the time, but it is local and superb. They are all about the grilled wurst. It s everywhere, grilled outside and served with a piece of bread, but no hot dog bun. This snack/meal is the basic on the go food for German-speaking peeps, including the Swiss. Everywhere you go with Swiss people they end up with a wurst. It is not what I eat, but there are plenty of street foods that I adore.  My favorite dish on earth is vegetarian tandooori schnitzel at Hiltl.  The oldest vegetarian restaurant in Europe is in Zurich, in the heart of  downtown Switzerland; the schnitzel calls to me in my dreams.

How we fell so far from the wurst grilling street vendors to the Wienerschnitzel  chili dog is a sad story of linguistic and culinary decline.  A schnizel is a filet of pork sirloin, and not a hot dog in any way. Wiener refers to Vienna, a culinary hub where I assure you nobody would consider eating the chili dog or our famous canned Vienna sausage.  They just would not do that to their taste buds and bodies.  Beanie Weenies would be scorned as well because food that rides around in a can is simply not fast.  The first ingredient in these alleged fast foods is petroleum, since they are shipped great distances in freezing conditions or heavy packaging.

Ironically, on the most important weenie weekend of the year, 4th of July, I probably pay more for my vegetarian apple smoked sausage which I will eat with organic sauerkraut than most people pay for the meat hot dog, corn dog, or burger.  It too has traveled far in the so called health food supply chain.  I have bought these because I am lazy and have not made my own, which are always better than store bought.  At least when I want a chili dog I make the chili.  Truly taking care of body earth and soul means saying good bye, or at least see you later to processed foods that cost too much to produce.  These well traveled weenies are not good for anyone.  To heal the politics of the nation we need to pass on the used Weiners, and get back to basic whole civilization.

Leaving Oakmont

June 30, 2013 — 7 Comments

I spent my school career through the 8th grade in the small town of Oakmont, PA, a suburb of Pittsburgh. This tiny, close knit (nosey) community was about the Oakmont Country Club and Edgewater Steel, and some other stuff. For kids it was paradise with millionaire robber baron neighbors providing lavish recreational opportunities.  My parents were Republicans who disliked JFK and did not play golf.  On one hand they were non conformist, and on the other, very concerned with image.  I had a running battle with my mother for my entire grade school career about bangs, permanent waves, and white socks.  These symbols of culture and control were so important to my mother that my wishes were never considered.  She stuck my hair in the sink and put stinky stuff and curlers in it against my will, and with loud protest.  She always cut my bangs off, mullet style.  The most important symbol to Ruby Morse was the little girl’s need to wear white anklet socks.  This was truly the most hated of all conditions, the white sock purgatory. Ruby Morse believed that wearing stockings was a sign of loose morals.  I believed she inflicted the white socks as a crazed statement of micro management.  We had deep, basic irreconcilable fashion differences.

Management of any kind was about to fly out the window when the family moved to San Tomé, Venezuela in 1963.  My father became the general manager for Mene Grande ( Gulf Oil) for eastern Venezuela.  This meant that I lived in a big house with servants and my father was the boss of everyone in the town where I lived.  My teachers in school worked for my father, as did all my friends’ parents.  Strangers constantly gave me lovely gifts, and it was obviously too hot to wear white socks.  I was the lucky imperialist 13-year-old with everything.  I lived in a remote place so radio was a lot less available than it had been in Pittsburgh.  The strongest reliable signal came from Radio Havana.  Fidel would hold forth for hours and then they played some music.  Live music was everywhere.  I had a harp serenade at my window by a guy who wrote the song for me.  This could not have happened in Pennsylvania.  Although San Tomé had a golf course, there was no other commonality with Oakmont, PA.  Nothing could have been more drastic, really.  I loved it, but when given the chance to choose where I would go abroad for 10th grade, I chose PA because I still thought of it as my US home.  I have not visited Oakmont since 1964.

I will return to Oakmont to see some of my school friends in a couple of months.  We have all traveled different paths, but mine diverged drastically and forever.  I am bringing back memories and enjoying the stories that my classmates remember.  Some scenes are vivid as I think of them, and some are gone.  I hardly remember any of the parents.  Our personalities are in tact, from what I can detect on our Facebook page.  We will go and physically be in the building where we went to elementary grades together.  I think it will be amazing..our own versions of what we remember.  I look forward to it with great anticipation.

The New 15 Second Rule

June 22, 2013 — 4 Comments

We have been liberated from long boring presentations we don’t watch anyhow. The new 15 second rule is not about food that has been on the floor. It is about editing. If you can’t express your idea in 15 seconds, you need editing. Instagram has met the public where their attention span is. It is a fun , effortless way to find if you really have content or if you are just taking up digital space.  Artemisia, coon hound, was keen to try it out to portray her content.

My Privacy Policy

June 19, 2013 — 8 Comments

single hibiscus

single hibiscus

single orchid

single orchid

solo

solo

privacy

privacy

free time

free time

Privacy and free time are the only true luxury items, in my book. They will not arrive on their own and they will not stay if not managed with care. We all have a privacy policy, and it is not like the one you get from your doctor. We either announce to the world where we are and what we are doing or not. The other branch of privacy is availability. Each of us decides if we are available to be called or texted all day and night. We let people know how and when to reach us, and based on those parameters our privacy policy is established.

I love technology and enjoy many facets of the world wide web and the power it contains.  I do not use GPS or smartphone.  I do not want to be tagged and given a free beer when I am in the hood.  I would rather retain the privacy.  I do no use my cell phone at all except for travel and odd circumstances.  I use Skype or my landline to make calls.  I do not text or receive texts.  There are some on my ancient cell phone, but I will never read them because they are from Virgin Mobile.  Some of my friends think this practice is wildly eccentric, and I suppose it is in 2013.  The reason I do not live my life connected to the internet or the phone is that I value my freedom and private life.

My filters and boundaries are clear to me, and obvious to others.  I publish 2 blogs, one of which is now mostly art.  I interact on various social media and in Triberr with a wide array of personalities and specialties.  I am active and interactive all over the world in this way.  I am a great navigator who does not use GPS because I think navigation is good for the soul.  I could never imagine giving up the thrill of knowing where I am and trusting some voice who has no idea where I am.  I had  GPS given to me in a rental car once, and it sent us drastically out of our way.  I did not even turn it on after that..how silly.  I have the same phone number at my home that I have had for about 20 years. There is a message system that works, and I respond when I hear messages that are for me.  I eliminate the spam and move on with life.

Tapas Fusion in Tucson

June 15, 2013 — 2 Comments

We are happy to have a tapas restaurant in our neighborhood.  Tapas Fusion is our new favorite place to go for food and cocktail adventure.  We had brunch there last Sunday with good results, so we returned yesterday for happy hour.  Firey Friday features flambé drink specials.  I tried one, and then had a pisco sour, both new to me.

It was a blast. The crew, including the friendly owner Mary Bellin, make you feel welcome.  The happy hour pricing and the all you can eat tapas menu has something for everyone.  I am vegetarian, and Bob is not, so we each ordered small dishes until we were full.  The cuisine has many layers of flavor, with creative garnishes and fresh sauces making each dish pop.  The flavorful variety gives your tastebuds a lot of intrigue for the size of the plates and the total of the bill.  We are huge fans, and will return to try more of the menu.  Mary has a generous frequent diner offer, and she doubles the points on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. For summer the restaurant will be closed on Mondays. She offers the all you can eat tapas menu every day, and it includes a lot of choices.  Additional menu items are available a la carte.  So far, we liked everything we ordered…a lot!!

Chiltepin, Mother of All Chiles

June 3, 2013 — 4 Comments

Here in the Sonoran Desert the precious chile tepin grows wild.  It has a distinctive flashy flavor that is desired by many on both sides of the border.  It is said to be the mother of all cultivated chiles.  I have recently replanted some in my garden after loosing some old ones in frosts.  They can live for many years when protected in the winter.  This promotional video from Sonora has chosen to use South American Inca pipe flute music, which has nothing to do with Sonora…but the chile is an emblem of life in desert conditions.  Our natural chile forrest south of town in Tucson is still the largest in the US.