Weather: It Happens

It's subzero again!

There definitely is a threshold somewhere, between 13*f to 25*f which just feels awfully cold, but below 13*f its just cold, and then exhilarating. I have now come to love it, but aah the finger and toe pains. It may be frost bite setting in, but its manageable if you find a place to thaw.

Going to watch "Frozen" today... how apt is that?

Anyway, we always let weather affect us, our moods, our chatter, how about we affect weather! Be happy at it... if anything the happiness will just bounce back and make you giggle. Just don't let weather get you down, cause then things just go downhill from there.

Yeah am pretty sure this crazy weather is a culmination of many factors, geographic, environmental, etc. In the end we have to just deal with what we are handed, so let's make the best of it? Complaining, blaming, and signing petitions... (that last one might help, I don't know), won't really stop the coldness from freezing, or the heat from droughting, so suck it up, pull yourself together and be!
Then choose to be happy!

Breathe!

Life

My office plant that now survives on earl grey tea! :-P

Green buds ... new life!

Aliens and Hexes

As a child, I always loved climbing stuff. Maybe humans have a natural inclination to climb. I climbed buildings, football goal posts, trees, walls, rocks/boulders etc.
Then somewhere the climbing stopped as it was inappropriate all of a sudden.
I wanted to start climbing again when I saw the rock wall at the University of Akron and wanted to get in shape to climb. I thought it was all arm strength. Little did I know it involved so so so much more.

So I wanted to have a strong upper body, but it was actually the whole body, mind and spirit. It all had to be in tune in sync with each other - this is what I learned much later.

I finally began climbing in 2009. I would do easy routes at the rock gym. I bought my own shoes and harness, but didn't learn to belay until 2011 summer. Therefore I really got into it in 2011. In 2009 I didn't push myself, mental conditioning was lacking a lot, technique lacked, and didn't handle the challenges enough.

As of 2011: I climbed outdoors, indoors and have see and experienced great heights. Mental conditioning - there is no end to that. Our minds are brilliant yet we have a lot of barriers to overcome. It is much like the matrix - you HAVE to "free you mind" so you have to get over the fact that "I can not" and just do it, because you can! (there are many proofs that one CAN do it, no matter what).

Seneca rocks - The beauty and intensity was mind numbing. I'm still reeling from the experience which I loved, but filled me with a 1000 different emotions, all as intense as the other... love, hate, anger, frustration, fear, self loathing, determination, exhaustion, warmth, cold, dread, fear, dread, love...

I was nervous the whole trip... irrational fears filled me: KKK, aliens, satanic worshipers... yes... I was "fear vomiting", cause I knew I would be stressed by the exposure of the cliff face we would be climbing. We were studying the book of the routes, self saving techniques, etc... funny thing was both aliens and hexes were mentioned on the same page (Seneca Rocks Climbing Guide). So the book makes it sound easy, but you know reality is different. Reality! Its just not a climb, its you, your mind, your body with the earth - doing together, getting to a higher place of consciousness and overcoming obstacles which include the above (your mind, body, spirit and the earth).

I also had a deep drunken conversation with Keith about eating animals, vegetarianism... which gave me a lot to think about and question, about respect, love, friendship, life and death. YES this is LIFE! We think about what nourishes us, where it comes from, it makes us do what we do, and we need to respect it (the food), ourselves, and our bodies.

So in tune with nature, body, mind and deep deep feelings, thoughts, beliefs... = Intense and beautiful.

The beauty and the intensity made me shed a tear or two, but I know its a catharsis I still need to face and let flow.





Breathe.

My Response to "Climate Change" Skeptics and Opposers

Sure people maybe skeptics about climate change... but there are those without voices who FEEL the climate change change. I'm sure if you had no voice and had "NO RIGHTS" things would be different in your mind and your perspective. 

However you are not in that unfortunate position. So you will write to "whoever" the pope or the president and make an issue of how the "climate change" is something we in the here and now shouldn't focus on. 

We don't live in the Poles, or in coral reefs, so delicate and sensitive to the slightest temperature changes. 

Most of us don't live in an area which is affected... extreme heat and drought in the tropics, or melting glaciers.

It's not just about climate. It's more than just climate, its OUR world. 
When we start deciding which species lives or dies based on OUR actions, then we should worry that in the future there is a possibility when humans decide which humans live or die. 

Or are we already there? 

It's more than science. Its understanding, empathy and compassion. 

Perhaps many in our country don't have it - empathy, understanding, compassion...

Many in our country don't know how much worse it can get - yes a warm winter is wonderful and welcomed, but to experience drought, or the loss of land due to floods...


We have it good so far.


Do we care about 10 years from now? 20 years from now? 50 years from now? 100 years? No. We live in the NOW and plan only for OUR futures.

Breathe!

The airs will get polluted, and there won't be fresh air to breath. We can pay for air like we pay for gas now.

Wrote this in 2009 10th Dec... Posting it now!
:-P

Climbing! Climb On!

Climbing is something which comes natural to humans as is breathing, walking, running, swimming and sleeping.
When I was a child I did not know how to swim, or so I thought. I remember I never liked going to my swim lessons at the age of 3 or 4 because my swimming teacher was fat, and she had a weird coffee stain on her swimsuit. I always thought that it was so strange. Anyway she would make me put my face in the water, and it was always very scary because her stained swimming suit was in it too. Years later when I was 11 I learnt how to swim. The swim teacher  to jump into the deep end of the pool and if I didn't I saw what he would do. He would say ok go back to the line, however when you turned around, he would grab you and throw you in. Miraculously you already know how to swim! You'll automatically surface and get to the side of the pool. I think 1 in 15 kids didn't swim and they quit and sank to the bottom, in that case the teacher would cuss, and jump in after the kid. The kid would be fine. I jumped in and swam, my sister was thrown in.
Climbing came naturally to my sister and I. She started it however, she would climb doors, walls, anything that went upward. Her problem was coming down. She would begin to cry, and usually jump into my father's arms. I enjoyed climbing trees and interesting shaped buildings. However one day our teacher told us that it wasn't ladylike to climb. The whole fun of climbing trees was the fruit of the labor - tamarinds, palm, mangoes, coconuts, dates... so much yummy fun!

Years later, I have no more upper body strength, and developed fear of heights. I doubt that I can climb anything whatsoever. I wish and wish I could climb the rock wall in the University of Akron rec center, but I never have the guts to or find a buddy to go with.
Recently though I got the opportunity to at Kendall Cliffs, in Summit County. I have been climbing with my friends Renee and Mark. It has been quite the learning experience. In its entirety it is an exhilarating experience. You get a full body work out with the adrenalin rush, team spirit, trust building, strength building and mentally, physically and sometimes intellectually challenging.
The first few times I learnt the "codes" we are supposed to say such as "climbing" "climb on" "belay?" "belay on", how to tie the No. 8 knot. and to secure the harness. Then how to start the climb and use my arms and legs, following the color.
Recently however Renee/ Mark and Jeff stepped it up a notch, and taught be how to use my belay instrument, tie a few more knots, the secret to trying knots, also new techniques in movements, and holds. It sure made it more interesting and challenging. Realization to how much more I need to work on my core muscles, and arms. Also how we must use our arms and legs together. Usually Renee forgets to use her arms, and I forget to use my legs. So we learn from each other. I realized I trust Renee and Mark for belaying and everyone has different belay techniques. It all takes practice.
I started a new wall, and it was a puzzle and challenging. I would climb up four feet and then slip and fall to be caught by the belay person. Swinging like Tarzan (by mistake) from the rope is actually kinda "whoa". This wall had a very slight overhang and it had different kinds of holds... and now my thumbs hurt. Relearning how to climb again, and its fun and you use parts of your brain that we forget to use. We use muscles we didn't know we have!

Exciting! Intriguing! Believing! Achieving!

About LOTRO

So as some of you may know i play an MMO called LOTRO.

For those of you who are not l33t/ computer game savvy:

MMO = Massive Multiplayer Online Game ... which could include role playing if they wished. there is PvE and PvP (player versus environment and player versus player) game play.
RPG = Role playing game
FPS= First person shooter (which lotro is not)

LOTRO = lord of the rings online.

in this alternate world of middle earth I am known as Eva (short for Evariyun, which is my main character or toon). She is an elf minstrel. She does not look like Liv Tyler as Arwen, however she does have the ears and pale skin. She is a healer, and damn good at it. I have alternate 'toons' as well such as Evastarr a runkeeper who is also an elf. Nausica who is my Elf Loremaster, she can have pets. Right now she has two a raven and a bear. The bear is cuddly! Lusheeta is my Champion, and a human. She hails from the land of Gondor! She deals damage and is fun and easy to play with. Loremasters are tough because you have to do crowd control while fighting mobs (many enemies at one time, whether a pack of wolves, or a 2+ orcs).

In the game you can form a fellowship, sadly not a fellowship of nine. That would be nice. I believe a full fellowship is six. However the story line within the game, and the quests do follow the actual story line written by JRR Tolkien. Questing is the main way to advance in the game, and you can either do them alone or in a fellowship. Some quests can only be completed in a fellowship, but a few daring players have done those solo. A good way to socialize or make new friends is to join random groups or to join a Kinship/guild. I have been in 2-3 guilds, and the one I am in now is called Knights of Numenor aka KoN. This kin is laid back, and close knit. It was once a huge kin, but I think some switched to WoW and some just left the Kin altogether due to drama. Like everywhere in life: ALL kins have drama. Right now and hopefully forever more, there is no more drama, and there won't be ever.

Recently there came a new expansion pack... Seige of Mirkwood. The story in the Two towers and The Return of the King, show that Mirkwood the dark forest (from where Legolas hails) has been invaded by the forces of Mordor, and just basically all the evil in Middle Earth have woken up. In Return of the King (RotK) they try to avoid going through Mirkwood when they (the good guys) travel from Isengard to Minas Tirith (I may be mistaken).

It's a great game, with great graphics, and I love my friends I have made in game. Yes and they are real friends. here are some pictures of my alternate life ;-).

The Men Who Stare at Goats

"A reporter, trying to lose himself in the romance of war after his marriage fails, gets more than he bargains for when he meets a special forces agent who reveals the existence of a secret, psychic military unit whose goal is to end war as we know it. The founder of the unit has gone missing and the trail leads to another psychic soldier who has distorted the mission to serve his own ends." - Rob Harris

This movie was bizarre yet intriguing. It made me think about how ridiculous this Hippie Cult in the army was. How could something so ridiculous be funded by the government? However in the end of the movie I realized to begin with the whole idea of any war is ridiculous. People like fighting, its primal instinct to fight and survive. However humans are conscientiousness beings, that separates us from the animals. Since we have the ability to rise above the "fighting to live attitude"... and we have such great intelligence then why can we not create a peace, rather than create guns and bombs? So although this movie was hilariously absurd in all aspects, it had a deeper message. I didn't get the whole movie until Hrishi pointed out there is a profound meaning in the movie. It's something to think about (for those who wish to ponder) even though it is a laughable comedy.

The Dilemma: Compassion to people ... compassion to animals

So the past couple of years I have been working as a Park Ranger for the National Park Service, then as a GIS intern at the Metro Parks around Akron, now the land planner at the one in Cleveland. I help conserve natural areas, for the enjoyment of people and to help save species of animals. Ohio, may not be a Sundarbans, or great barrier reef, it is a makeshift home to many migratory species. It's waters drain into the Great lakes which eventually drain into the Atlantic Ocean. The environment and the quality of the environment is a shared responsibility. Some of us work more actively in the field than others.

However what is the COST of conservation? In Northeast Ohio people are concerned we are taking away their land. The land which they rightfully own, for some dumb birdies. In India Medha Patkar and Baba Amte stood up for the tribal/village people who would be affected by the dam which was to be built across the Narmada River. Did those people really matter? Did that whole environment really matter? Is not renewable energy for the overpopulated cities of India more important than some people in a village, who farm, they could farm or do whatever they do elsewhere right? Do these peoples' sentiments really matter?

I have been reading this book called "The Hungry Tide" by Amitav Ghosh. I highly recommend it if you have any interest in Indian culture, environment, tigers, culture in Asia, philosophy or just really good piece of fiction. The story is set in the Indian section of the Sundarbans. This is a real area, and all the facts that follow are true. The Sundarbans are the largest mangrove forest in the world. A Mangrove forest is a special habitat created where the river meets the sea, the depositing silt creates temporary and changing landforms, this process gives birth to semi-aquatic flora and specialized fauna. This area is also the humble abode of the Royal Bengal Tiger. WWF, and other such organizations have listed the Tiger as a threatened and endangered species. This animal is subject to loss of habitat, and poaching.

The Sundarbans is also home to a very popular species that inhabits the earth: Humans. So two great predators occupy this dense jungle, or whatever is left of it. As the humans make way for more homes, the tigers fight for survival... the people who live here are mostly refugees, living in abject poverty, poor, fishing in the little streams and rivers that form this vast delta. Who has rights to this land? WWF and people from our class are all for SAVE THE TIGER. The tiger is dying. However, where will these people go? Do they matter?

Then again there are people like me who work hard but for no great compensation, to protect these areas, quoting the book (at this point two characters are discussing the difference between conserving habitats for animals and keeping animals in captivity): "the difference (...) is that is what it was intended, not by you or me, but by nature, by the earth, by the planet that keeps us all alive. Just suppose we cross that imaginary line that prevents us from deciding that no other species matters except ourselves. What will be left then? Aren't we alone enough in the Universe? And do you think it will stop at that? Once we decide we can kill off other species, it will be people next. Just the kind of people you were speaking of, people who are poor and unnoticed."

This made me think that perhaps preservation does draw the line from us killing off the earth and then killing each other for more of it. When we create preservations, reservations, conservation areas... It is because we acknowledge the fact that this is a place that must be shared not only with humans but reserved for animals who would otherwise have no home. WE as a species are selfish and greedy, taking the best and leaving the rest to the lowest. Some might call it survival of the fittest, but most of us are more than fit. So since we are the dominant species and class why not help the "less fit" more often.

However there is still the line between helping poverty stricken people and helping the environment. When the Narmada Bachao Andolan (Medha Patkar and Baba Amte's non-government organization) began a movement against the dam, it aimed at preserving habitat (trees etc) and people. Then there is an area like the Smoky Mountain National Park, which preserves a small portion of the smoky mountains and is home to the Cherokee Indians. So how do we find a balance in countries countries in Africa, South America, and South Asia to strike a balance between helping the poor, but helping the animals too. Maybe even separating the two. We can not afford to lose the earth's second greatest predator (being the Big Cats). However can not ignore poor people and cast them aside. However conserving the nature is my job at the moment. There are both sides of the coin, which can go hand in hand. Which side of the coin are you? and what have you done so far?

Under The Stars

Man creates his own world; dazzling and glamorous. Cities bustling, filled with pop-culture, entertainment, foods, music, cars, technology... its full of life. In the process we, mankind, miss out on the entire universe. When I mean the Universe, I mean the serenity of silence, the vastness of it all, what are we in the big picture. The Universe is glamorous, larger than life, too great to behold... but the little bubbles we create for ourselves, we never step out from it, we forget to look up and understand our place in it all. We are out own universes, we our own gods. We live a lie.

We went to the Allegheny Mountains and camped in the Allegheny National Forest. It was my first time. We camped Minister's Creek trail to a camp site. There we set up camp, and made our own fire pit. It was very nice. We collected fire wood, and it is something which came very naturally to me. I was born to do this.

At night, the embers glowed dimly in the dark, and the other campers around were quiet and settling down around their fires, or their tents for the night. I stepped out of mine to look up and be caught by the magnificence of the sky. I stood stunned by the glory of it... the stars.

Have you ever seen the milky way? The entire milky way... in the silence of the night?

I froze and did not account to how much time passed, I think I said "OMG it's amazing!" Many times. It was as though someone had shut out all the light in the world by draping a thick black cloth over it. However someone had made holes in it... and through that the light shined - bright. Like jewels on black leather it was beautiful, anyone could have cried. That's how the sky should look, but many of us do not know it can look that beautiful from earth itself. Standing there I imagined, if it looks so beautiful from here, Imagine the other wonders out there.

There are so many beautiful things to see in the Universe... and even on our planet. And truly they surpass human beauty, and material things... waterfall such as the Niagra Falls, wonders such as the Grand Canyon ... just to name a few. They are there for a reason, and we miss the message.

That night I realized looking out my window with city lights shinning up, it wont ever be the same. Another time when I had seen that kind of beauty was when I went to Sedona and saw the rock formations there. It was unbelievable.

The National Parks program is on PBS this week, and it should remind us all that there is the beauty of America and the World which we have to live for. There's so much to see, it truly is a beautiful world a beautiful life... once we see the bigger picture.

by popular demand

So some of you have been reading my blogs regularly, which is surprising and nice!

I was walking through the zoo today and Christina (my co-worker) and I always make it a point to walk past the primate and cat building every afternoon. It's good exercise plus we take advantage of the fact that we work in the zoo. Yes, we see the huge tortoises, the cheetahs, the kangaroos, wallabies, and then walk up a fairly graded hill, which we all call "the hill" up to the primate and cat building. There we pass the snow leopard, the mandabay monkeys, the red panda. Then comes the Gorillas, my favorite!

The tortoises are fairly active, and they actually lift their heavy shelled bodies off the ground and crawl about, curious about the visitors. They have these brown wise eyes, I do not know how old they are, but they look very old in their wrinkly skin. They are quiet and calm!

The cheetahs pace forever, but on very HOT days (very hot is relative in Cleveland), the cheetahs lounge about staring into the distance. Their eyes have a look of longing for open open Savannah which they could run their max speed, stretching their legs one last time.

Down in the valley, after walking down the boardwalk, we come to the zoo's version of the land down under! The Kangaroos are always lounging about, one can imagine them leaping across Australia with all the force of their strong legs, and heavy tail. They are cute, yet powerful in their own way - large bunnies with pouches. I once read in a fact section of the Young World in "The Hindu" newspaper, that when the British made port in Australia, they saw these large animals jumping around. They asked the Aborigines. " what are those?" and the Aborigines not understanding them said "ganga- roo, ganga-roo" which apparently meant "I don't understand you"!!!! Down Under they have a lot of cool terms and phrases much liek slang here in US and other parts of the world. However the Aussie slang is waaay cooler than anything i ever heard (all respects to Steve Irwin, and the term "Crickey Mate"!!!).

Moving on to the snow leopard, he always hides behind a rock, however today he was laying ontop of the rock so we could see him! The monkeys are always active, and there are many more monkeys inside the building, but it is usually crowded and noisey so we stay out of there! Then some the Red-Pandas. They are small and red ofcourse, and UTTERLY adoreable like stuffed animals! THEY LOOK LIKE TOYS!!! Recently they gave birth and the youngen are in a safe place, out of human sight.

Finally are Mokolo and Bebac. The Gorillas. I love these guys, they are huge, stealthy in the jungles of africa, yet powerful and deadly. One swipe of their hand could knock a grown man out cold. Their Palms vs. our measly hands, its amazing! Yet we are a like and eerily so, though their eyes are filled with sorrow, longing and boredom. I feel they need female company, for both are male. I feel for them so much, and I have grown to love these beastly men. The children always go to the cage and make fun of how ugly they are, or yell "hoo-hoo-hoo!" at them while mimicking ape gestures. I feel resentful toward the children - if it were them inside there, it would not be too funny then. I'm sure if Mokolo or Bebac could talk they would say you ugly filthy kids, didn't your w*@#$% mother's teach you any @!#@%$ manners!??! If mankind hadn't sought to take control (and whether it is natural order or not, HUMANS ARE GREEDY B@$%@#!$), the Gorilla's would be happily abound and not in cages, there wouldn't be such severe issues of endangered and extinct species.
Whatever, I never thought I would be a Gorilla Lover (as Polloy put it!) but you can't help but realize how much like us they are, but more emotion, they are just spewing it all over. At least I feel it.

Whether you share the views or not, I just want you to know, Animals are beautiful people too. Look deeper, and you'll see it. They are not different from Human babies, except they do not grow up and speak and work. However their hearts seem to be in the right place, except labradors which suffer from constant gluttony! (just kidding!)

(I think this needs editing, too much raw passion. Seems amateurish. What do you think?)

Image courtesy of National Geographic - Picture of the Day - Michael Nichols

Environmentalism and the economy

The solution for this "economic crisis" is not more oil/drilling in alaska/giving money to auto industry
but we should: give money to education; let people educate themselves.
money for research in HOW TO BE GREEN; green technology; green products; green lifestyles
its the future.
if we destroy the earth now... because we want to live like fat-fast food eating-vehicle driving mushrooms then sure. why not.
but if we want to be healthy-active-and live in a beautiful planet then we have to WORK for it.
Green living will create jobs.
sure most people may argue. but some of you will agree it is the right way to go.

Image: courtesy of National Geographic - Pictures of the day- Boza Ivanovich. International photo contest 2008. Thank You! But now we know what we need to work towards. what we need to save!