mermaidcamp

mermaidcamp

Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water

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Middle Class as History Lesson

July 10, 2013 — 3 Comments

The vanishing middle class in America is the subject of much discussion. In fact, tonight some of the internet’s finest minds will tweet brilliant ideas in a twitter chat on this subject.  How the advent of technology has reduced the need for big workforces that manufacturing employed in the past is part of our political history and our new economy. Pros and cons can be weighed, but there is nobody who believes our economic policies have not grown a very wealthy upper class with extrme privilege  at the expense of the rest of the population.  Our great divide grows larger each minute providing tax breaks, and a dream environment for big business while poverty grips our children and our elderly.  The new fat cat is fat indeed.  A generation of wealth has been wiped out and shifted to the wealthiest and most powerful of our citizens.

I had the pleasure of meeting Bill Moyers several times when I worked at fancy spas.  He was a spa bunny.   He is more charming in person than I ever imagined, quickly running to the top of my favorite celebrity list.  I learned one time talking with him down in Mexico that his mother was from Texas, like mine.  They both had the same first name, Ruby.  His mom, however, was named Ruby Jewel.  Wow.  Last night on Charlie Rose his interview reminded me of all the reasons I love him, but it also taught me that we were both in Austin when he was working for LBJ and I was protesting LBJ.  It’s like we’re connected.

Free Freedom

July 9, 2013 — 3 Comments

amaryllis

amaryllis

sunflower

sunflower

cactus

cactus

sunflwoer

sunflwoer

ice plant

ice plant

iris

iris

sunflower

sunflower

hollyhock

hollyhock

bee balm

bee balm

sunflowers

sunflowers

Our relative freedom is under our control. We are sometimes the prisoners in our very own jail of procrastination, judgment, and something we call, running around.  We often choose running around our decisions rather than making them, which, by default, makes them.  If we can send armies to fight for freedom in harsh conditions what is stopping us from personally liberating ourselves to feel happy and free?  Here are some places to look for or create more freedom in your life:

  • Decide – No need to be rash, and you can change your mind later, but just do it when you have decisions to make
  • Create – Any act of creation from cooking to sculpture to poetry writing gives us a sense of freedom.  We have made our own.  We do not have to settle for what everyone else has.
  • Move – Sometimes a tragic byproduct of depression or physical discomfort is reluctance to move.  Moving is freedom itself;the more you move and use your body in different ways, the more freedom you feel.  The body responds with greater flexibility and range of motion, which itself feels really good.
  • Choose – Make choices in your daily life to expand the horizon. If you have eaten the same breakfast for years, try something else.  Small changes and personal touches are the essence of freedom. Allow yourself to make new choices for no particular reason. Find your own favorites you have not yet experienced.
  • Allow – Free time is rare and fleeting with the electronic gadgets in hand all day and all night.  Free up some concentrated personal time to be spontaneous and discover new worlds.  Start small and build on this practice.
  • Garden – We may not all be able to grow our own, but visiting gardens and other botanical spaces give us an expansive feeling of being part of nature.  If you put in the hard work it takes to grow some food you like to eat you will be rewarded for those efforts.  Picking your dinner is liberating and empowering.

Culinary Weekend in Tucson

July 7, 2013

This was our first time to attend the Iron Chef Tucson competition that is held at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. We took our dog and spent the night to make a little staycation out of the event. It was  fun, surprisingly popular, and full of variety.  The competition was won for the third year in a row by Ryan Clark.  The trade show and competition brought out all kinds of people interested in cooking and dining.  A good time was had by all, especially the dog, who enjoys hanging out in hotels.

The trade show part of the even included samples, sips, and demos of many kinds of equipment, from knives to fancy stoves.  There were vendors selling Nambe, candy, coffee, and even personal training.  The most interesting thing I learned at the event is that our local food bank operates a culinary school that not only recycles food that would be wasted, but trains low income students to work in the food industry.  This program has allowed the food bank to expand the prepared meals program in the community while training new students.  I am so excited to hear about this.  It has been in existence for 2 years, and this is the first time I have heard of it.  I will follow up with a visit to the school, which is enrolling a new class next week.

One of my favorite vendors who installed a wood burning stove in my home is Val Romero.  He owns Arizona Grill and Hearth.  His company is an excellent source for all things grill, stove, and outdoor kitchen.  My stove is the best upgrade I ever made to my living conditions, and the project was done with the utmost professionalism, and at a good price.  He is a positive person with aloha in his attitude and fair dealing in his spirit.  You will have a good time if you do business with Val.

American Beauty

July 4, 2013 — 4 Comments


I do not defend my country right or wrong, but I am proud to be an American. Around the world the people love us for our culture, our style, and our unique energy. We are emulated at least as much as we are dissed. I wish our politics were not so crazy, and our resources were better managed, but I am American. When the government disappoints we have to ask, “Compared to what?”  We have much for which we must remember to be grateful.

Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit

June 29, 2013 — 2 Comments

Zappos Headquarters

Zappos Headquarters

The 7th core value at Zappos is about team building.  The social fabric of the Zappos team is strong and purposely flexible.  Diversity is encouraged; self expression is made mandatory; teams tackle problems in groups. The jolly team spirit is evident in the work environment at Zappos headquarters. I think it is closer to being the happiest place on earth than Disneyland is..but that is not saying much.  Family in the workplace means shared responsibility as well as camaraderie.

My specialty is teaching swimming.  In order to teach the skill an environment of trust must exist. This week I had the pleasure of teaching two young ladies who are friends.  They have a big age difference but get along well as friends.  The right atmosphere brings out the best in everyone.  The girls worked hard each day in lessons, and at the end of the week, they had their little doll family on the steps with them for a swimming lesson.  They had become the teachers, inspiring the dolls with their confidence.  This is how the positive team and family spirit works.  It is contagious, and uplifting for everyone. Cooperation and inspiration are natural partners in business.

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.

Symbolic Transformation, #

June 18, 2013 — 4 Comments

# is a symbol. It has meaning, and it conveys something like punctuation. It says, “This is digital, not linear, not even physical.” It says, “2013 is all about #.” Yet there are those who never use it and maybe do not grasp the power contained in the #.  It is clearly and obviously a make-believe entity, the digital reality.  If anthropologists of the future go through the twitter accounts of the most famous people in the 21st century to learn about our culture, they will be flabbergasted.

Knowing the code, from secret societies to Morse code has always been significant.  Writing code to make the computer world exist is a skill, an art, and a secret to those who do not know how to do it.  The dewey decimal system was the grandparent to the #.  We no longer have a paper file at the library, and there is no need to go to a library to find reference materials.  If we Google, Bing, or # we go straight to the stuff we seek.  Hide and seek is not played outdoors, but in search.  I have often expressed the opinion here that there is nothing evil about technology.  There is a big question about the morality of those who have access to the best technology to act in the best interests of society.

There is no conspiracy to push wealth away from most people and into the pockets of those who have the most data and the fastest computers.  The shift from placing value on material goods to mining information about people’s habits has been in play for a long time. The society has participated in this shift willingly, and now is starting to wonder where the path leads. I believe it takes the individual where they intend to go, much like telegraphs and libraries. The choice is wider, but the choice of how to use and misuse is still a personal issue. The broader society, however, is suffering from the concentration of wealth and power in too few #’s.

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!!

Transformational Groups and Language

June 13, 2013 — 1 Comment

I am in a chat group with some people who have been to est training or the Landmark Forum, but I have not done that. I enjoy their point of view, but am amused by much of the jargon. Recently somebody in that group asked if others had alienated others with special transformational language. I had to laugh and think of what my own transformational groups and languages have been:

  • childhood neighbors
  • early childhood school friends
  • summer camp buddies
  • petroleum camp amigos from Venezuela
  • high school choir and drama students
  • hippies
  • spa bunnies
  • swimmers
  • vegetarians
  • Swiss

There are sub groups,but these are the majors.  I have recently been united with my early childhood neighbors and school friends, one of whom went to summer camp with me.  I have also gotten in touch with many old friends and neighbors who lived in San Tomé, Venezuela in the early 1960’s.  This mostly bilingual group has a language and a culture that is unique.  I am not in contact with any high school or college friends, but a small group with whom I worked in a theater company in Cherokee, NC in 1968 has been drawn together through social media.  The hippies, spa bunnies, swimmers, and vegetarians all switch places and morph into the current culture.  I know a few of each group from the past.  I stay in touch with Swiss friends, although I have not visited for a few years now.

The language, slang, and meaning of these transformational groups imprint on us as individuals, and as a collective groupthink.  We share memories that fit together like jigsaw puzzles.  In the last month I have been amazed to learn some of the things my elementary classmates remember about me, and what I know about them.  The past plays back like a very funny movie, missing lots of dialog and motive.  What seemed insignificant is memorable, and what was important at the time has lost   significance. We do have a thread of common language, and some common ideas.  Although we may no longer be a group who hangs out in real life, we somehow are still transforming each other. Even learning about the death of some of our old comrades shakes the foundation of mortality, the ultimate transformation.