mermaidcamp

mermaidcamp

Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water

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Fabulous Feds

October 9, 2013 — 3 Comments

Just when I thought the Federal government had no redeeming qualities I was proven wrong.  My friends and I had the privilege of touring one of the classiest buildings the US taxpayer owns, the US Court of Appeals of the 9th Circuit in San Francisco.  We were invited by my friend, appellate commissioner Peter Shaw , who has worked in the building for many years.  We knew we would see one of the oldest buildings in the city, but none of us was prepared for how cool it actually is.  When it was built it also served as the main post office, so some of the teller windows and details that belonged to the post office era have been included in the design today.  We met very gracious people who were  distinguished and personable to us. The courtrooms are  ornate and full of fine stone carving, wooden furniture, and mosaics.  The metal throughout the building is beautifully formed. Many of the lighting fixtures are brass, shined to perfection.  We truly loved the feeling of being treated to the luxury of the surroundings without being involved in a court case.  The big thrill of the day was dressing in Peter’s robe and sitting for photos on the bench, flanked by the babes of justice.  He had done this before so he knew how popular this would be.  We felt like the luckiest taxpayers in the country.  The commissioner is more than an esteemed member of the court.  He has a pride and sense of history that he was able to convey to us as we examined the evidence he presented.  We all felt much better about our government, if only for an afternoon.  I will always remember this opportunity to peek into the distinguished and artful world of jurisprudence.

I Endorse Michael Ray

October 1, 2013 — 2 Comments

Michael Ray is a friend and colleague I met in  a business development forum offered by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Tucson.  A small group of us continue to meet once a month to focus on the model we learned and the progress being made by individuals.  Michael’s project is interesting to me because I garden in the desert with more and more difficulty myself.  I also like to watch the way he solves his design problems because I too am an inventor.  Some serendipity and some  failure accompany all inventors.

Initially one may not even plan to invent a product, but an issue or problem starts to fascinate the inventor.  Failing fast has a lot of merit when you don’t know where you are going anyhow.  Eventually the prototype will show/teach the creator new ways to  remedy design problems.  I endorse Michael because his core concept is strong, and his creative spirit is guiding him to keep experimenting until he finds solutions.  I know the long and winding road through “one size does not fit all”  from my own work.  I believe when the Nursetree Arch comes on the market it will benefit many gardeners, both new and experienced.  I know I want one.

shade

shade

Environmental Creativity #DooFrudumpsdogdoo

September 29, 2013 — 4 Comments

message for dog owners

message for dog owners

practical design

practical design

Our midtown Tucson neighborhood has pride of ownership issues. The landlords are not prone to take care of  rental properties and the residents have become used to a very low level of environmental pride.  Tagging of gang signs is chronic and dog owners leave waste behind everywhere.  Doolen-Fruitvale Neighborhood, or DooFru for short, has an elementary school, an art college, and a Boys and Girls Club all adjacent to each other.  I am asking the kids interested in art and design to enter a competition.  The DooFru Design Derby  will be an annual competition to design the best small enhancement to our neighborhood environment.  We want to create a positive artful outlet that says we care about the space in which we live. We don’t have a place for mural art or sculpture, but we can do small, individual projects that make a difference.

This year we are designing dog doo bag dispensers out of used plastic containers.  When filled with plastic bags, they not only remind dog owners to do the right thing, but provide the means with which to do it.  Some other neighborhoods have employed the bag dispensers with great success.  I walk my dog in one of these adjoining areas and have noticed a big improvement in the waste problem since they put up the bag dispensers.  We hope by involving kids and art we will have an even bigger impact to create a cleaner and more well cared for environment.  The kids from Boys and Girls Club have joined in many neighborhood clean up efforts, only to see the same trashy behavior arise.  I believe they can have a bigger influence than adults if they sincerely take on the #DooFrudumpsdogdoo initiative.   They can shame the adults and set a standard of awareness simply by making art for the good of the neighborhood.  My own design is designed to give the idea to the kids, but definitely not to win the derby. My #DooFrudumpsdogdoo lady is a neighborhood spokesperson in need of kids’ art.

Tori-no-Ichi in Tucson November 2, 2013

September 27, 2013 — 3 Comments

We are fortunate to have an excellent specialty museum in our neighborhood, The Mini Time Machine.  Because the miniature art requires great concentration to appreciate the work, it is a perfect place to have a party.  While enjoying food and music one can also study the museum’s well protected displays.  I am a very slow and detail oriented museum patron, but really prefer the membership arrangement so I can come an go all year at my whim.   I adore the doll houses with all manner of intricate trim and realistic design elements.  Like other art, it is possible to discover new aspects of the work each time you observe it.  Unlike most pieces, the minis always draw you in to examine the tiny achievements of scale and artistry.  My museum membership is shared with my neighbor Heidi for maximum pleasure.  It is a short ride from our homes, and enhances our ‘hood in a special way.  We can drop in or stay all day if we feel like it.

On November 2, 2013 at 6:30 pm Vergrandis will celebrate a traditional Japanese day of the rooster known as Turi-no-Ichi with a lucky rake festival.  This coincides with the fall exhibit of Netsuke and diminutive carvings from Japan.  We will have a chance to enjoy foods from east and west, musical entertainment, and a silent auction that includes some desirable items.  The whole museum will be lit with lanterns for the evening.  I hope we will get to clap and make lucky rooster baskets like the Japanese people above, but that remains to be seen.  We do have a great troop of traditional taiko drummers who will be on the scene.

The proceeds will be used to provide outreach and museum field trips for every second grade student in Pima County.  I imagine there are plenty of kids in Pima County who have never been to a museum, so this one would be a really good starter experience.  The $60 tickets are not tax deductible, but one can add an extra $40 which is deductible, to be a Lantern Luminary.  The Luminaries are given a choice to designate their donation to a particular school or teacher if they like.  It might seem like a miniature donation to give $40 toward a field trip for kids, but you will not know how big the impact might be.

#Hashtag It

September 26, 2013 — 3 Comments

#Pumpkin

#Pumpkin


Those who do not use the blue bird for communication often say some amusing things about twitter. What is funnier is reading twitter streams to feel the pulse of the twittaverse.  I recommend @Pontifex to any twitter beginner just to get the feel of the thing.  I tweet less than I did when I first began to explore the possibilities of twitter. I have not joined a chat for months, but leave that option open for the future.  I do still enjoy joking and being silly with other silly tweeps, but spend less time engaged in #sillyhashtagfun.  I recently tried to explain the use of hashtags to my neighbor but I failed miserably.  Now I will be able to send her this video clip so she can understand fully the grave importance of #hashtagging and tweeting itself.

Sand Mandala in Tucson

September 20, 2013 — 5 Comments

We are lucky to have a tradition of sand mandala making at the U of Arizona Bookstore. Monks have been visiting to draw them on the floor in the basement for years. This is the third one I have been lucky enough to witness.  This time they are making the Buddha of Compassion.  After they create the image the sweep up the sand and dispose of some of it in water, in a ritual representing the cosmos.  This demonstration of attachment and enlightenment is illustrated clearly when the sand is swept and the American viewers rush in to get a bag of the magical sand to take home and keep.  The monks don’t need to do that; they are off to draw and destroy many more mandalas all over the world.  They do it to show the futility of attachment. It is a beautiful way to illustrate the point.

Conquering Fear

September 17, 2013 — 7 Comments

At the end of summer when I teach kids to swim I like to hold a show off party so they can impress themselves and others.  I had two students this year who worked hard, and came to lessons almost every weekend day all summer.  The mermaid blue belt was awarded and the official last call for swimmers to enjoy a dip took place.  Conquering fear of water is a metaphor for all new environments that will face these young ladies for the rest of their lives.  Being safe and cooperative are the key elements of water fun.  Performance skills are not as important as the news that practice works and changes everything.  They are in the deep end with appropriate safety measures having a good time, which was not possible in June when they began.

I Endorse Julia Keller

September 14, 2013 — 3 Comments

Julia Keller is a skilled and talented bodyworker with a specialty not often found. She is a licensed aesthetician and massage therapist, but her passion is Ayurvedic medicine.  I enjoyed a beautiful 90 minutes of bliss on her table yesterday during my shirodara treatment.  Her office space is quiet, spacious, and inviting. The feeling in the body after the treatment is spacious and free.  I left the sesame oil in my long hair until bed time, which was a very healthy drink for my hair and scalp.  A day after I enjoyed the lovely feelings of being on the table I still notice a mental peace and a revived sense of energy in my thoughts and body.  The only part of shirodara that is difficult is the end. Eventually all the oil runs out of the vessel, just when the only thing you want for the rest of your life is to have the stream flow on your forehead.  It is like the end of a fireworks show; it has to end.  Lucky for me, Julia practices near my home in Tucson.   This treatment is very beneficial after a cleanse or a trauma, jet lag, or a shock.  It has a very balancing and stress reducing effect.  You can find Julia’s business, A Glowing You, near River Road and First Avenue in Tucson.

What’s on Our Menu?

September 12, 2013 — 2 Comments

squash blossom

squash blossom

Although this well produced story is actually an ad for Chipotle Mexican Grill I believe it is worth sharing with everyone who buys and eats food. I believe cruelty and waste are built into the American economy and fed to all of us; this is not inevitable or even reasonable.  Cruelty and waste are the root cause of our environmental problems, including the human obesity epidemic.  While I would love to see more whole foods produced and eaten locally, just stepping away from heavily processed and transported foods is the first baby step to liberate the energy we spend freezing, storing and shipping our nutrients.  American kids are not familiar with the sources of food, other than the drive up window. The entire society pays for the ignorance in the form of what is known as health care.  It is time to put self-care and prehabilitaion on the menu in the United States.  It is easy, clean, and leads to tastier dining. Stop feeding the industrialized food monster and start nourishing your home and family. Eat something raw and local today, Gentle Reader.  Sorry it is so hard for most of you Americans to find.

Glass Kaleidoscope, Oakmont, PA

September 10, 2013 — 4 Comments

I was surprised to find my old school friend, Marcia Irwin,  in her glass studio in Oakmont, PA, the Glass Kaleidoscope.  She has become a skilled master of stained glass art.  I bought out the earrings an found a nice gift for our hostess of the weekend reunion party.  I did not know who the glass artist was when I decided to check out the shop.  It was really fun to see her as well as her art.  She does custom work and has all kinds of beautiful pieces on hand at her shop for gifting or treating yourself..I enjoyed both.