Naked Camping in Vermont

Naked camping in Vermont

~Oh My!~ 

(But You Thought Vermont was "Pure")

I have written many times in the past about some of the most cherished camping trips. They range from early childhood all the way to recent. Almost all of my most cherished involve freedom, acceptance, and complete bonding with nature. Some feel camping is all about connecting with nature. Some think it means packing all of your house, and going to spend time with your possessions someplace else. 

When I mention “freedom”, what comes to your mind? For some it is something connected to the country we live-in. Yes Some flat-out believe their “Freedom” is somehow a United States of America thing. They are welcome to believe this. For me, America is not the symbol of freedom. To Me, Freedom is what we each do to bring balance to our own spirit, mind, and soul. For me, Freedom means peace, unity, and connected spiritually with our world, our universe, and most important one's own self.

Yes, Freedom to me is Not about laws, rights, and what America says it stands-for. For me, most of America is actually not free. If we were truly free, simple nakedness would not be a rarity, but rather an every-day, normal, accepted, and not hated thing. In most places in The U.S., there are not laws prohibiting nakedness, but people seem to think there are. Yep, Americans somehow have come to view the human body as two things: First they see it as sexual. Second: they see it as shameful, illegal, and that it should be hidden. I cannot understand how either of these have come to be “The Normal”.

If America was truly the land of the free, we would be allowed to be naked (which is fully LEGAL) and not be treated like we were the ones breaking the law. Most police officers will admit they would arrest someone for nakedness, yet they would not have a lawful reason for this action. When discussing this with police, they are convinced naked is illegal. When you show them the laws, and show them it is not illegal, they still say they would “Find another reason to arrest you”. Now you tell me, is this Truly the “Land of the Free?

So, You ask: Why am I bringing this up right now? Well, I happened to come across an old writing from long ago (9 Years ago!) that I never published about camping Naked in Vermont. In My search for what life truly is all about, I have found many things that bring life, joy, and freedom. Also interesting is how The path to attempting suicide actually became the path to Life! I am in the process of puting together my views and reasons why attempting suicide many years ago actually was THE BEST thing I could have done in life. Until you have actually gone down the path of attempting suicide, you can never truly have an opinion about it, nor can you understand it. One of my greatest treasures is that I can share these feelings, thoughts, and struggles with others. Even if I help one person along the way, My struggles are worth it. But even bigger is I Have Learned to Help Myself. 

Sometimes, The Greatest gems are not the thoughts we have on a subject from nine years ago, but rather the thoughts we wrote about that subject nine years ago, and are just now re-discovering. Nine years ago, August 2005, I Discovered Life....

I Discovered a campground that I knew I would love to Die at. Sounds morbid, right? But instead of death, I found life. 

In Vermont, one campground had pit-toilets, yet had a large unisex shower-building, with no roof. This shower-building was one large open square concrete room with shower heads all around the walls. There were no partitions, and not even a full set of walls. The concrete floor was moss-covered and had assorted leaves, twigs, and pine needles all over it. It was almost like the natural forest floor. The entrance was a large, wide opening simply facing the forest, with no partitions to block it. Just one wide-open square gang-shower for all to share at the same time. There were no benches, or even an area that was supposed to remain dry. With no roof, and not even full-walls, I expected cold water. I was surprised to find it had plenty of hot water! It was unusual in how it was built.

It was a campground, yet there was not even a place to pay for a night of camping. The showers were free, too. The camp was very primitive, and seemed like maybe it was long ago designed as camp where only boys or only girls (Or men, or women) camped without the opposite sex. Only camped... Like a retreat, or something like that. It was not far from a major (well two-lanes was major in Vermont!) Highway, and got a lot of traffic from day-travelers, yet few camped. The place was not even marked with signs on the highway, but the mossy, forested little road was inviting. There was a "Camp-symbol" on the map, but nothing indicating this place existed on the road.

It seemed it was currently used more as a day-rest-area along a small-country road, although it was still listed as a campground. As soon as you pulled off the highway, you felt like you had escaped, and were totally in nature. The paths and small roads were mossy, covered in fallen leaves, branches, and seemed very peaceful. You could see where previously large buildings existed, also seeming to have a past that invited groups for special retreats. As you drove up from the highway, there still existed a sign about the "rules" of this campground, but that was the only proof it really was a campground. 

From the moment you entered, you knew this was a place of freedom. I did not hesitate one minute. I Knew I would camp here. I also knew I would find a way to die here. ... Or so I thought. At the time I actually was angry that I was finding life, but now I am glad.

I parked just a few yards up the road. It felt so free, I immediately stripped all my closthes except my hat and boots. I knew this place was safe, free, and comfortable. I walked up the road, discovering the camp extended many acres in many directions up the hillside, and again down into a hidden valley. As I entered the valley, I discovered a couple of families were camped here also. The shower "building" was near the highway, yet far enough that it was not seen from the road. The "main parking" area was also right near the shower, so it invited the day-travelers, and rest-stop seekers, yet did not discourage the feeling to be totally free. As I walked around I saw one family coming out of the showers, completely naked, except for shoes, and walk back to their camp, over the hill and into the valley. They showered and walked about completely naked, not caring if anyone else came along. The couple of families I encountered did not blink or give a second-look at me while I explored naked. They said their normal friendly greetings, but nothing more. I was glad to find friendly people that were not overly friendly, nor nosey about what I sought in life (or death). 

Oddly enough, while seeking death, it is amazing how much of a facade I placed all around me. Some who do not understand suicide think it is shocking, or beat themselves up for "not seeing the signs", when in reality, there ARE NO SIGNS, and the one seeking death will NEVER let another know. That is the irony in suicidal thoughts. To anyone not completely tuned-in to the suicidal person's soul, NOBODY can see they are extremely sad. 

One of the beautiful things about a place like this is that nobody would care if I was naked. Nobody here would care if i wanted to die. It definitely had true freedom. Often families would pull-in to rest a bit, have a picnic, play, and have a relaxing afternoon. The kids always delighted at the idea of being allowed to shower "in a forest", and would beg their parents to be allowed to do exactly that. They delighted in the idea that they could view a naked human and it not be considered shameful, scary, or forbidden. Here, people easily shed their "societal imprisonments". They loved the idea that it was a safe place where they could be allowed to play naked.  The parents were funny in how they would react to their kids’ desire to shower naked in the forest, but a shower should be no different than any other form of water outdoors. The pure and simple joy of enjoying water without bulky fabrics making it uncomfortable, and awkward should never be a surprise, but for some reason many adults forget to enjoy the simple and pure pleasures life gives us freely. Once they would give-in, it was hardly just a shower naked. The kids were given their freedom, and often the parents would forget to make them be so hidden, allowing them to actually play. It also is amazing how it takes nature, and children to remind adults how to relax.

It was funny how for the showering, nobody was concerned about being naked, but when the kids would want to run free all over the forest, at first, the parents seemed surprised. The joy that a kid (or any human) has when they are allowed to run naked, play and experience nature in the forest is unmatched by any other experience. The feeling of being allowed to get dirty, completely, without any clothes, or worry of “making mom upset about dirty clothes” was a freedom any kid would cherish. The joy, wonder, and feeling of actually being allowed to truly connect with our Earth, without blocking it with unneccessary fabrics, or other barriers is unmatched in discovering "Pure". Of course what started as a desire to take a shower in the forest became a full-day of showering, then getting completely filthy and then showering again. 

The parents would watch in bewildered amusement, thinking how silly the children were. It usually did not take long for a child to ask the parent why they were still wearing clothes, and sitting on a log watching, instead of enjoying the day. Most adults just laugh those inquiries off, not quite grasping how much the child knows and can teach (or remind) the adult who has forgotten what is truly important in life. Occasionally one or both of the parents would strip, and join the freedom. Oddly, it is usually the mother who would join, seldom the father. 

Now, I ask you, What in Your Mind is "Pure"? Sure we all thought Vermont was "Pure". But some think "Naked" and "Vermont-Pure" could not belong in the same sentence. I guess ya gotta ask yourself why you would view simply pure nature as somehow not-so-pure. Have you ever allowed yourself to learn to live? I have ... But it took dying to learn to live. I Hope you find life before you die.

Death... Why Complicate it?

Death… Why Do We Fear and Complicate it?

What is it about Death, Dying, and the Dead that we insist on making so complicated?

Why do humans insist on getting scared, fearful, irrational, or shocked when the topic of death is at hand?

Why do we have such a hard time grasping, understanding, and accepting death?

Why is Death A topic To write about today? Well, it is always a topic, daily… But recently I have been seeking more answers. Nope, not because I have recently encountered more death. But rather, because I have recently moved to a new neighborhood. Yeah, yeah, I know that will throw ya! You wonder how a new neighborhood could be more about death? Well, it really is about that. My walk-to-work daily now passes many things which bring this topic to the surface. The very first thing I saw the day I moved here is this:

This is a “memorial” that has been created on a street-corner. I absolutely hate these. (I will explain later).

The next thing I noticed was this:

It is a cemetery I walk past daily. (I will go into more detail about how I feel about these later).

But the reason I stopped to write about death today is because of a walk I took last night. (I will tell about that later, too ).

It is no secret that I accept, embrace, and even love the topic of death. (Note, I said “the topic of”… I will explain how that is different from loving death a little later) I do not get freaked-out, shocked, or even question death one-bit. Some would go so far as to say I am insensitive, unfeeling, and not caring about others’ lives. Some would say I am morbid, even a freak. It is easy for them to say these things, because they want to quickly dismiss my views without attempting to understand, or grasp what I know. If they have lived, and experienced what I have, they also would likely embrace my way of accepting death. They say ignorance is bliss… I disagree. I say information, knowledge, experience, and understanding are bliss. As a good example, I can compare how death affects most people, verses how it affects me. I am not the one who does irrational things when death is near. I am always balanced, accepting, and understanding. Those who do not have knowledge, understanding, and information are the ones who are in shock, disbelief, and have a hard time functioning.  

Now, Let me make it clear: I am never happy about a death, Never. Also, some think death does not sadden me just because I am not seemingly sad on the surface: My level of sadness when a living being dies is much deeper than just an outward- appearance for others to simply see on the surface. To understand and grasp the sadness I feel, one would have to tune-into my soul, my spirit, my energy, my every-cell. The way I am tuned –into feelings, energy, spirits, and souls, unless you look into the same areas, you will never understand what I feel every time a life ends.

Just because I love the topic of death, does not mean I love death. There is a huge difference.  The topic of death means learning, understanding, grasping, accepting, and being at peace with it. Because death is something that happens all around us, all our lives, and to every living being upon this earth, I choose to learn about it, instead of choosing to hide from it.

What I do not understand is why so many people seem to be shocked when death happens. I also do not grasp why so many pretend this is something they know nothing about. Why do so many think one kind of death is more of a loss than another kind? Why do some think it is so much worse if it is a child, compared to an adult? Why do people think a death occurred “too soon”, or “unexpectedly”? Why do some people think someone “left us too soon”, or that an age, any age is “Too early”?  There is no such thing as “dying too early”. It is not possible. A death can only happen when it is meant to happen. It cannot happen too early, or too late. No matter the age, when a death is supposed to happen, it will. Never a moment too soon, never a moment too late. A death is never “unexpected”. We learn from the moment we are created that this world is not ours, not our time, not our decision as to what happens, and when. We learn early in life that things happen when they are supposed to. If we choose to say it was “unexpected” that is only because we seemed to think we somehow had control over our universe. We do not. We must expect death, since it will happen to all life. This is something most choose to not admit, and why they are shocked when it happens. Every Life ends. It is not unexpected, unless we choose to not accept the truth.

Why do the news-agencies focus and highlight one type of death over another? (Such as a story that features the headline “Nine-people died, and One Child was lost”, or worse, they divide our humanity, based on country of origin: such as “In this horrible event, twenty people died, Five of them were ‘Americans’”. Or they even divide further to say what someone’s “ability” or “disability” was, such as: “In this event, Six people died, One was Deaf” (Or “in a wheelchair”, or had “Chrones disease”, or “had cancer”) Chooses any topic, and they seem to think they should label that person according to some special category. This is absolutely ridiculous! EVERY LIFE IS EQUAL. EVERY DEATH of ANY LIVING being is Equal. It is NOT a GREATER LOSS because someone was (Fill in the blank). We are all the same in the sense of life. Once it has ended, it is not a greater loss, or somehow more tragic. Stop dividing us. We Are ALL HUMAN. No age, no gender, no religion, no sexual-orientation, and no nationality is more important than another. Death does not change that.

The same is true, if not more-extreme, for actors, actresses, or famous people. Why is it when someone famous dies, so many people really freak out over it? Most of the time, those who are most-affected have never met that person.

EVERY DEATH IS THE SAME: It is a Life that has ended. It is Not a Greater loss, or somehow more important.  One of my biggest complaints about our world is the way people attempt to divide, instead of attempting to unite, and be as one world.

So, you might wonder what makes me such an expert on death? Ha! Hardly an expert. I just choose to learn from every experience in life. I choose to understand what life is all about. I choose to learn, and know what I have control over, and what I do not. From the moment each of our own lives was created, we are headed toward death. What we choose to do between creation and death is our own choice. Some choose to never learn, never grasp, and always be shocked by things that are common occurrences. I choose to find a way to be at peace with my world. I have been accused of noticing more details than most do. That could be by my own choosing, or it could be that I was gifted with an ability that enables me to focus on those things. One of the most important things I choose in life is to learn. I choose to learn from every moment, every experience, every feeling, every encounter. I choose to understand the things that were once a mystery. There is not enough time in a life to grasp everything we do not understand, so we must choose the ones we feel are most important to us. Why have I chosen to study, embrace, and understand death? Because of how it affects us if we do not. I can choose to not study how an engine of a car works, and continue to be baffled by it. Not understanding an engine will not send me into a tail-spin if suddenly it stops performing. Likewise, that is why death is something I have chosen to focus on. Not understanding why a life ended can have a major affect on my own life. We each must choose what areas of life we want to grasp. Most never want to grasp death, that is why it affects them so horribly.

For me, not learning about Death was not an option. I am not sure if it would be considered a blessing, or a curse to have experienced death often early in my life.  But I did. I had many deaths around me from the moment my own life began. Many do not believe a human understands what is happening around them from the moment they are born. You are welcome to believe anything you choose. I have always felt, seen, and grasped more than most think is possible. I was told as a child that I blew people’s minds by what I noticed, felt, and understood.

We ALL are surrounded by death from the moment we are created. How much we choose to notice, or are tuned-into is what varies from each of us. Sure, some are people we never knew. Some are close, and some just happen to be somewhere near our own little world. IF you wish, you can google lists of those who have died in your own lives. For me, the list is quite long. I Do not recall at exactly what age I was conscious of what exactly death was, but I know I learned and began to undertand it from the moment I was created.  I know that from the age of three, I DID ask why people were so weird about it. My parents were a bit surprised that I grasped what death was, and asked how I knew about it. I explained how many people had died that we knew, or knew of. They asked lots of questions about what I understood. I seemed to think it was weird that I knew about more deaths in our city than they did. I told them how I felt the deaths.

By the time I was five, I freely told people why I hated wars, and why I would never join the military. I do not like the idea of looking for conflict, and looking for reasons to kill others. I understood early how people joined militaries because they enjoyed conflict, and wanted a reason to kill others. Then they would pretend to be shocked and upset that they actually killed others. I never bought their excuses, and never pretended to either. I told them how they went looking for conflict, and they found it. I would tell them that no military exsits to create peace, and the only reason militaries exist is for war. People who join any military are doing it for conflict, killing, and to be more powerful than others. Death is part of military life, and when those who freely join seem shocked that they killed others, to me this is not a good excuse to pretend to be shocked. Yes, I totally understood the difference between those forced to join, and those who voluntarily joined. But even, so, Nobody joins any military with the impression it is for peace, or could claim to be shocked they had to kill someone.  

By the age of nine when Elvis died, I was not at all shocked. Yes, I knew who this famous person was, and listened often to his songs. I knew plenty about death by then. There were plenty of deaths in my life prior to that, and I remember asking why people were acting so strange about his death. So many told me “because he was famous”. Well, to that, I asked, “Isn’t Every Life Equal?”

I have learned that people do really weird things when a death happens. People do not understand how a soul, a spirit works. This, too, baffles me. Because I have always been tuned-in to what a living-being is, I had thought everyone understood this. But in life, I also have learned that the things that baffle me, also baffle others in different way. For each thing each of us understands, there is something we do not. 

Death, souls, spirits, and life are some of the things many do not, and never will understand. I do. No, I am not boasting, or saying I am better than anyone in any way. I am simply aware of what I grasp. This is one area of life I was gifted with that others were not. Each living being is gifted in different areas. That is what makes each of us all the more important in others’ lives. We must all join together to help each other learn, understand, and survive. My areas of strength are often the same areas that isolate me from others. So many people do not understand my strengths, and it scares them away. So many see my reaction (or more importantly- lack of reaction)- when a death occurs, and it makes them push me away, instead of them coming closer to learn more about how they could better understand what death is.

How does any of this have anything to do with my recent walks? Well, last night, I got an answer to one of my own ponderables that has perplexed me for the whole time I have lived in Vegas. Last night I decided to go for a walk through Sunset Park. From the very first time I visited Sunset Park three years ago, I have gotten an odd-feeling about it. Much like so many places in Vegas that are called “nature” it is hardly something I feel fits “nature”. Nature, to me is not sports-parks, bright lights, concrete, and man-made. To me, nature is a place where the earth is free, not built by man, and the vegetation, animals, and spirits are free to be as they would without man-forcing their own upon it. Sunset Park, to me from the moment I entered it should be Called “Sunset Memorial Park”.  I heard all about how this park had a lake, had lots of nature, and was a great place to escape. The very first thing I noticed when I got there was a feeling I could not place. It was a kind of eerie-un-resolved spiritual conflict. To me, it felt much like a mausoleum, modern cemetery, or one of those road-side memorials.

I have visited Sunset Park many times, and each time, it has the same feeling of spiritual imprisonment, and conflict. Until last night, I could not place why it felt that way. Last night, it hit me. What I noticed last night, was not what I could see, but rather what I could not see. The entire park recently had a complete renovation. What I noticed last night was the lack of what I thought so odd the first time I visited. Three years ago, Every tree in the park had a memorial plaque at its base. Now that the renovation has been completed, many of the plaques have been removed. (Whether removed just by accident as machinery re-shaped the ground, or by choice I will never know.) I also noticed many of the older trees had been removed, and many new ones were added. The new lighting, the concrete paths, and the way the park is now made, is a complete conflict, and has absolutely nothing resembling nature. It screams of man-made, removing all that is natural and free, and purposely placing what this culture wants to call “nature”.

This brings me to why Death is a topic today. I recently noticed how our culture has changed. It used-to be that when someone died, they were buried in the earth, and the cycle of life continued. 

As death occurred, humans used to place the body in the Earth so it could give back, and add the nutrients it once received. Cemeteries used to be places where you could feel the energy of positive release of the spirit. Even before cemeteries, once a body was placed into the Earth, it was allowed to be absorbed, and become free. Often a burial took place in a spot the life had thrived. This was the cycle of life. Even those who were cremated, gave back to the Earth. When their body was burned, all that was solid became the air we breathe. Their ashes were spread, often in a place that person had loved, lived, and thrived.  Farmers often would bury their dead in their own fields, knowing that it would bring greater harvest the following year, and years to come. You can even go back further, and look at how our Natives used to do burials. They understood how the cycle was supposed to go. Death Gives life.

My friend Andrea recently visited upstate New York, and posted pictures of really old cemeteries. In her pictures, you could feel a freedom, a peace. Here is one of those from Her:

 

Yup, I stole this photo from Andrea! (She knows) :)

 It feels like a place where the bodies were freed, where they are not sealed forever. A place that is not sterile, but healthy, full of energy, and has free spirits.

When did our world begin to treat a body as if it was somehow something bad, something that should be sealed up, never to again rejoin the Earth, never to become nutrients, and give life? It was her photos that made me realize what was wrong in today’s deaths. Now when a body dies, it is sealed into box, and placed in a vault. Some are buried in the earth, and some are sealed into a concrete structure above ground. 

No matter where it is placed, it is placed in a way that it will never be free. It is placed in a prison, forever. I do understand why Cemeteries became common. We as humans have a need to group, categorize things. We as a whole feel we must have a place where we can call a “final resting place”. We also are lazy. Most people would not go to the effort to dig a hole to properly bury a body. The lack of proper-burial caused problems, and laws were created making it illegal to bury a body in the Earth. Some say that decaying bodies pollute the water and other places. The Earth is amazing in how it takes care of itself. The ground is a natural filter. The body is absolutley not toxic when reunited with the Earth in the right way. When a body is placed in the ground, it is reclaimed by the earth in a natural way. It only becomes a problem when it is encased in a box that suddenly allows all the decay to become free, and only then is it toxic. The old cemeteries are wonderful, because they still allowed the body to decay. You can feel the free-spirits, and rejuvenated life created from death in those places.

Now when a body dies, it is immediately sealed up, and forever held captive, never allowing it to be free, never allowing it to give back to the Earth it got life from. Each life we seal-up, and forbid to give back, depletes our Earth from all the nutrients it needs. Then, when the “catastrophe” happens (such as a flood, earthquake, or other event) which causes those sealed remains to open-up, we have sudden pollution, sudden toxic events, and sudden spiritual releases. These cause conflicts, which could have been causing peace many years prior.

Now, when people die, people flock to where the death occurred.  People go and make memorials in the place the death occurred, seeming to want to hold onto the death, instead of finding a positive way. Now people want to forever remain in this moment. People, Let the spirit go free, do not cage it. Allow peace to happen, not create conflict. Celebrate the life that had been. Treasure the love that was shared.  Why on Earth would you want to focus on the death, instead of where the person thrived, where life, love, and freedom occurred. These memorials created where a person dies is a cruel, selfish act.  It is saying to the dead, “I do not want to allow your spirit to be free. I want your spirit to forever be trapped in this moment that took your life.” When a life ends, we have a responsibility to embrace the life, not hold onto the death. 

Their death means they have done all they were supposed to do on the living side of this place we call Earth. Allow them to move-on, and continue as they need to in their spiritual journey. Caging a spirit will not bring peace. Seek peace, focusing on peace, embracing peace, you will have peace. Seek conflict, seek to hold onto death, and seek to embrace that place of death, you will always have conflict.

Now, back to why my walk through the park brought me to writing this today:

I have always felt that instead of these horrible memorials placed where a person died, you should do something positive to show that person you learned from their life, their love, all they gave. Do something in a place that will spread joy, free their spirit, and allow others to feel their love. One way I have always felt was very appropriate, was to plant a tree in their honor. Or you could do something as simple as take a picture of something they loved, and display it where others can see, feel, and enjoy it.

Well, here in Vegas, it is a common belief that people can do whatever they want. People believe here they can create their own reality. Vegas was created originally because people felt they could do as they pleased here, they felt there was no God here, and they could make things how they wanted. How people perceive “nature” here is a common example of this. Here, people have come to a desert, a place where “nature” is quite a different creature. But, they want to create their own version of nature, play God, so to speak.  To Vegas, nature means concrete, lots of harsh lighting, and water where no water would normally exist. To Vegas, nature is not what is natural, but what they can build and call their nature. Sunset Park is a prime example of this. Nothing you see in Sunset Park is natural here. It is all man-made, man-sustained, and as unnatural as could be. But this is what makes Vegas happy.

The first time I visited this park, I noticed all the memorial plaques at the bases of the trees. Last night, I noticed most of them were gone. I actually had to search to find any. I found a few. Some were buried and I had to dig them out to be seen. This one sums it all up quite well:

“Born of the wilderness, Free as the wind” … Harldy.

Last night I realized why this park always felt so much like a spiritual battle-field. Because it is. So, Yes, the people of Vegas did attempt to create a memorial using trees, and attempt to create a positive place to make the memorials, but they failed by forcing man-made creations and forcing “nature” where it would not normally be. For a spirit to be free, it must be how it would naturally. That is how sprits work. We cannot control them, nor create a place where we think they should exist. The creation of this park, plus the way it was recently renovated to make it what man wants, instead of embracing what nature provided, only created more conflict. What happened to the rest of the memorials that disappeared during the renovation? Simple: they were in the way of what man wanted, so they were removed.  Again, this falls into the category of why this park feels like a spiritual conflict. Because the humans were lazy, needed a place to group all their memorials together, and create nature in what they wanted it to be. None of these memorials was placed someplace a person had loved life, had found his/ her spiritual path, had taught others to be as free as the wind.  A memorial placed in a forced location, will always cause spiritual conflict.

Once I unearthed the above memorial, then looked around at how this park is made, it all made sense. This is what our world has come to. Today, people want something that is only what they create, not what The Creator has provided for them. Today, people do not want to embrace death, but want to create their own expectation of what that person’s life was supposed to be. When people say a person died too soon, they are being greedy, and had somehow convinced themselves they knew better how the Universe operates than The Creator. All the memorials that so harshly disrupt our land, at the place where a death occurred are creating spiritual conflicts. When did people decide they know more about life than our Creator? Why won’t people welcome and embrace all that is free for them to enjoy? Why do people not want peace?

This is how the park feels:

So much conflict, not natural...

I will never claim to be an expert about life and death. But If I have found peace, understanding, and acceptance of Death, don’t you think I might possibly have a grasp… even if only a tiny grasp? I learned early in life to find people who understood things better than you did, and pick their minds, their heart, and grow from their understanding.  I certainly do not yet grasp all there is to know about life and death… that is why I am still alive. None of us can grasp it all while we are on this Earth… on the living side of life.

I do know what causes conflict, what causes peace, and seek to learn more every day. How about you?  

Oh, and speaking of cemeteries: Why do people think they are morbid? Why do people feel death is scary? It is part of life. It is the cycle of life. 

I remember when I was 13, my Mom got a new apartment. I chose to go live with her.  I took the trash to the dumpster, one night at sunset. As I approached the dumpster, I noticed an old trail overgrown with ivy, and brush leading thru the dark forest. I set the trashcan by the dumpster and followed the trail, not bothering to tell Mom I was wandering off. Deep in that little forest, I discovered a pioneer cemetery. Yup, it was dark. But it was so peaceful, beautiful and filled with wonderful spirits. I felt the lettering on the moss-covered tombstones, and embraced how wonderful it was. It did not take long for Mom to realize I had not returned. She went to the dumptster and saw I had not even emptied the trashcan, but left it there. Of course she did not worry. Instead she asked herself what I discovered to do instead. She went back, got a flashlight, and looked around. She found the overgrown trail, and knew I had gone that way. She followed it, and came to the same place I was. She was not worried. She was happy. She knew me well enought to know I was safe, and found something wonderful to discover. That cemetery was so peaceful, and wonderful. it was like our own littel secret escape. We visited it often for years after that day. 

Care to take a walk through a cemetery with Me? You might just find peace :)

The Backyard is The Real Thing...

The Real Stuff Happens Off Stage.
If the saying “All The World is A Stage” is true, then I choose to view what is behind the scene.

One of my favorite creations I made in a back yard.
I created this bench, arbor, and firpit in a backyard I had in Beaverton, Oregon.
This back yard, and neighborhood perfectly represented what this blog is all about...
The Real life happens in the back yard!

It seems more and more people really attempt to put on a performance when they know others can see them. I prefer watching people when they are relaxed, and doing what they do without a known audience… Or more appropriately, when they know they are fully visible, but do not care one bit.

Have ya ever noticed that inside cars, or in backyards are perfect places for people to go about their lives without acting as if they are needing to put on some sort of performance?


In October, when I needed to take my computer in for repairs, I got a much-needed view of some real-life people behaving as nice, kind, caring, loving, happy humans. So much of the “performance” people in Vegas put on daily is the exact opposite. So many people in Vegas seem to think they need to act rude, violent, hateful, mean, and just flat-out anti-human. It baffles me how many people in Vegas really go out of their way to attempt to ruin another person’s day.

This particular day had started off the same way. It was Friday, the 21st of October. Because of how rude everyone had already been earlier in the day, I was not exactly looking forward to the trip to Best Buy. The people on the busses, and around town were in extreme mean, rude, and just acting in an awful manner this day. The trip to Best Buy means three different busses, each with at least a half-hour wait between them, and the transfer-points are not exactly places I enjoy hanging-out. It takes a full two-hours just to get to Best Buy from my home. I also knew that I was now going to be without my computer for a couple of weeks.

The Five Guys was well-hidden... I just happened the notice
the sign that makes me happy!
(I had previously searched, but there were none listed...)
So just happening to stumble upon it was
exactly what I needed!

While riding the second bus, I saw a ray-of-hope outside the window. There was a Five-Guys Burgers in Vegas! In the 9-months I had lived here, I had not once found a great place to get a good burger. I immediately got off that bus, and went to the Five-Guys! (I will write more about my love of Five Guys later). That stop seemed to be a turning point in the day. The people in Five Guys were the friendliest I had met since moving to Vegas! Then I went and completed the rest of the journey to Best Buy.

(Please visit my Blog about My Love of Five Guys! You can see it here: http://enterwithanopenmindorclosedeyes.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-love-five-guys.html



I have had plenty of experiences with The Geek Squad at Best Buy, and often they are pleasant, but frustrating, too. This afternoon, I happened to get the absolute nicest Geek Squad Guy Ever! With only one week left on my warranty, he set it up for basically a whole-new computer.

As I left Best Buy, I Knew I would just barley miss the bus to start the return-trip journey. As I rounded the corner to the bus stop, I saw my bus just starting to pull away from the curb. In Vegas, the bus drivers NEVER wait, or stop. It almost seems like they enjoy pulling away just as you approach the bus. This driver was half-into the lane of traffic, and stopped for me! I could not believe it… He actually stopped, and let me board!!

The Deuce Bus. You can see how the top level easily has a
a wonderful view! (The fences beyond the bus show how tall the bus is.)

This bus was a Deuce! The double-decker bus. I got a seat on the top-level, in the very front. This is the very best seat and view on the entire bus! You are seated thirteen feet up, with very large windows all around. Much like when you climb a tree, and can watch the entire world below, this is how it feels when riding in this seat!... With the exception, that in a tree, you are not moving, and have to wait for the world below to come past you. On this bus, you can watch the world go by, as you make your journey. From here, everything is a bit different.

Instead of seeing just what is visible at window-level in other cars and vehicles, you see down into the cars. Have ya ever watched what people do inside their cars? It is amazing what people do inside their vehicles! (Not to mention the items they have inside that are not normally visible when looking only above the window-line.)

Instead of watching people at eye-level on the sidewalk, you now are viewing them from above. When people board, or exit a bus, we are used to watching them from the same level. It is quite hilarious to see their antics from above!

We are used to watching birds in the trees, and on power-lines overhead. But when you are at the same height as them, they seem totally different.

Not only is the street-scene different when viewed from above, so too are the surrounding neighborhoods.

From the top deck, you can see every backyard, looking well above all the fences, shrubs, and other usual barriers. Backyards are magical. I have always been fascinated by the scene you see in a backyard. People put on a show in their front yard. They present what they think others want to see, or pretend to be what they want others to believe they are. Backyards show people in a real-way. In the backyard, all barriers are forgotten. People relax, go about life, and enjoy their own little patch of nature.

In the front yard, everyone acts like they are on stage, and put on a show. They act, dress, and behave in a way that is not how they would in the backyard. The back yard is where real life takes place. This is very much just like in the theater. On stage, the performers pretend to be what the audience expects them to be. Performers stop acting the very second they go behind the side curtain, and are then back stage. Back stage, they can relax. Just like the back yard.

In the backyard, everyone knows they are fully visible to neighbors, and passers-by. They know it is not even close to being a private place. But that does not seem to matter. The backyard is magical in how it automatically takes away all those ways we perform in the front yard. In the backyard, people are safe. It is their own little piece of the world where they can freely enjoy the outdoors without worry, fear, or concern. In the backyard, nobody cares about how others see them.

Often, The best views are only available from the tracks....

Have you ever taken a train trip, or just walked along the tracks? The tracks usually go behind the houses, or the backside of the city, or even behind the fanciest of places. Whether it is a home, an office, a country-club, a private estate, or a farm, you see a completely different side of life from the back side. But that also is what is expected. The people on those properties put on a show, and make everything look one way in the front, but on the track-side, they do not. I have always been fascinated by how comfortable, happy and relaxed people are on the back side. On the front side, it baffles me at how uptight, uncomfortable, and stuffy they are. When you see people outside from the track-view, they are very comfortable, and relaxed. If a house is in need of repair, it is often only fixed on the front-side, and the back is left how is naturally is. People are the same way. In the front of a house, people usually dress a certain way. On the side facing the tracks, it is not uncommon to see people naked, in their underwear, half-dressed, or even just wearing their most worn-out, yet comfortable clothes. Often when you pass by a house on the front side, the people you see will sometimes give you a half-hearted greeting, because they see so many people always coming past, it becomes a chore just to put on the show to greet them properly. When you pass behind a house on the railroads tracks, those same people will heartily greet you, and make you feel welcome. I believe this is because they are most comfortable, and relaxed, not performing, when they are in their back yard.

Backyards hold a truly magical wonderment for both the people using them, and the people who can see them. Backyards take on so many wonderful different qualities. Some become gathering places for things. Whether those things are junk, or treasures, they are welcome there. Many have odd collections in their back yards. Many have pets, some unique, some common. Some have cars, boats, and other big “toys”. Some have playgrounds. Some are used for storing needed supplies for their businesses. Many have pools, Jacuzzis, decks, patios, and awnings. Some are just plain dirt. Some are solid concrete. Some are wonderfully landscaped. Some have gardens. Many have barbeques, fire pits, or even fire places. Some have elaborate furnishings, entertainment systems, and even stages. Some have forts, and other hiding spots.

While there are so many different styles of backyards, they all have the one common feature. People relax in the back yard. Relaxing, and being comfortable is different for every living soul. But the one thing that seems to be common among everyone in how they relax, is that there is no dress code. It seems that relaxing has no dress code… except that one wear what they are comfortable with. Or, in many cases, not wear anything at all. This, too, is a wonderful thing about back yards. Even the people who would never allow another to see them naked out front, do not care if anyone sees them naked in the back yard. This applies to almost any form of clothing, too. Those who would never allow anyone to see them in their swim suit, underwear, or even any other possibly revealing clothing, happily will be seen in these in the back yard. (Well, perhaps, not happily, but they seem to not worry about being seen.)

On this particular day, while riding the bus, I was happy to see so many people outside enjoying their yards. I had noticed that during most of the summer, almost everybody stayed indoors, and the back yards looked abandoned. Seldom, if ever, did I see anyone enjoying their yards. I often wondered if I could knock on their door and ask if I could use these abandoned yards, since they did not. It saddened me to see so many beautiful yards, and not a single person using them. I was often told that the reason nobody is ever out, is because it was too hot to be outside. Even those with pools said it was too hot to enjoy the pool. Umm, excuse me!? Isn’t that the whole point of having a pool??... to enjoy it while the weather is hot??

This particular day was a Friday evening, and almost the end of October. The days had started to cool off a little, but it was currently 85 degrees, sunny and warm, with a slight breeze. It seemed that everyone was done with their school week, work week, and thoroughly cherished the magic a backyard holds. It also seemed like everyone was grabbing what little bit of summer still remained before the sun went further south. I saw people doing their laundry (hanging it out to dry), polishing boats, sweeping patios, and sorting accumulated junk. Others were building things from scraps. I saw people barbequing, and gathering socially. I saw groups of kids having swim parties. I saw old people relaxing on a patio swing. I saw single people relaxing in Jacuzzis. I saw kids getting their horses ready for Saturday events.

Every one of these people were comfortable, relaxed, and enjoying their back yards. Not a single person cared that they were visible to others. Not one person cared that they were visible to the world while naked, in their underwear, half-dressed, or in raggy-clothes.

All my life, I have loved the way people behave in their back yards. I like real people, and relaxed people. Every place I have lived, you see neighbors enjoying their back yards. They relax. They do not mind if others see them. They are welcoming, and comfortable. People enjoy life in whatever clothes, or lack of clothing is comfortable to them. People are always naked in their yards. Those who see them, or join them in their yards welcome, and often join in the same manner. Often, even when I was in most-hiding stages of life, I would happily relax in swimwear, or almost nothing in friends’ back yards. You knew that if you were welcome in their back yard, you also were safe, and they would not every consider making you uncomfortable. You also knew that anyone else who happened to stop-in was also safe. That held true until I moved to Vegas. Until this particular day, I had not seen one iota of comfort, or relaxed life in people’s yards. People in Vegas are the most uptight I have ever met. People in Vegas seem to be all about being in other’s business, and not wanting anybody to relax, or be comfortable. The views people have here about simple nudity is incredibly naive, ignorant, and seemingly feared. They somehow have the impression that ANY Nudity is all about porn. They expect to see people in the ‘sex-industry’ naked, and cannot fathom anyone else having a desire to not wear clothes. For the locals, if they see any skin, they cannot see it as anything but sexual. It really is sad how shallow they are. Everywhere you go in life, there are naked people, and nobody even blinks twice about it. Except in Vegas. I have never before met so many people that believe anyone seen naked is somehow connected to porn. I will often find places I can enjoy life nekkid, but I have to be cautious about it, because of the way they treat it here. It is not at all illegal, but everyone thinks it is.

This day, I was pleasantly caught off guard when I saw so many yards with naked people! After seeing the first yard with many naked kids at a swim party, I figured it was just a bunch of kids seeing if they could get away with it. But, I noticed the kids were very comfortable, and relaxed. They were not acting as if they were trying something for the first time, nor did they react when the bus pulled-up alongside their yard. If they had been trying it out for the first time, or seeing if they could get away with it, they would have all watched the bus to see what reactions they got. They saw the bus, and flat-out did not care. There were no clothes, or swim suits laying close-by for quick grabbing and cover-up. The towels were far away from the pool on the chairs, so they also were not used for cover-up. The kids had clearly come out of the house naked, and intended to stay naked. These kids also were not using the pool to hide their nakedness. There were easily fifteen to twenty kids in that yard, all naked. Some were in the trees, some were on the balcony, some were in the play-structure, some were swinging, some sliding, some in the water, and some lying in the sun on the patio. It looked like a big party for the kids. There were a couple of the moms inside the open sliding door. (They were dressed.) Likewise, there was a group of kids the same age right next door all wearing their swimsuits. The second yard was elevated, and looked over the first yard. None of the kids wearing suits looked at the ones who were nekkid as if it was unusual. When I later saw the old couple sitting on their porch swing, I noticed that they, too were comfortable, and did not react to the bus looming over their yard. They were no more than twenty feet from the bus. When I saw the naked guy in a Jacuzzi, he was just simply relaxing, and not at all trying to be creepy. He, too, had no clothing, or towels nearby. This indicated he was comfortable coming outside naked, and did not feel the need for cover. When I saw the lady hanging her laundry in only a pair of panties (they were bright yellow!) She did not care that the world could see her. She was a grandma-type, and very plump, and without a bra, her boobs hung below her belly. The funny thing was at this point a couple of teenage boys took a picture of her from the bus. Must have been quite a thrill for them. Then later I saw a crowded back yard that looked like some sort of family-gathering. (Family gatherings look different than friend-gatherings.) That gathering had some of the people nekkid, some in swim-suits, some in casual clothes. They ranged from very young to very old, and each age had a mix of dressed to undressed. Not a single person was acting weird, or even looked twice at the bus. They all went about their back yard activities in a relaxed, comfortable manner. This would indicate that none of this was new to any of them, and it was everyday life. Very Comfortable, Safe, and Relaxed. Next door to them was a gathering of what looked like country-club golfers, and there was only a low-shrub between the yards. The country-club golfers did not look uncomfortable around the naked ones next door…. Nor were they acting like it was somehow a thrill. They looked just like any respectable neighbor should… Comfortable in their yards. (But the funny thing was, the country club people looked a bit uptight and uncomfortable around each other.) A few houses down, there was a bunch of ladies sitting on the balcony in towels, while their boys played naked in the pool below. These boys all had their wet swimsuits right next to the pool’s edge, indicating they had been wearing them, then decided to take them off. (The only thing I thought was unusual about this was that there were only boys.) At this point a little girl on the bus started giggling, and had her mom, and sister look at what she saw. The mom looked horrified, and attempted to cover her daughter’s eyes. The girl said she just wanted to see them, and kept pulling at her mom’s hand. It was funny. The older sister in the seat behind her was grinning hugely. The two teenage boys who had taken the picture of the granny in yellow panties looked absolutely horrified, and could not wish the bus to pull away fast enough. The boys got off the bus at the next stop, so I would imagine they knew those boys they saw naked in that yard.

As the bus went further, we were more into wide-open yards, where the people had horses, cows, and assorted other farm-type animals. These were not so close to the road, and had only sporadic wooden fences around portions of the yards. The entire yards were fenced with wire, built for keeping animals, but not designed for any sort of privacy. As is true with anybody who has farm-type animals, they are not terribly modest people, nor are they easily made to feel shameful about being comfortable. But Even I gotta admit, that when ya see naked people taking care of their horses wearing only boots and hat, I did a double-take! There was a group of young kids about fifty-yards from the road seeming to be getting their horses ready for a Saturday event. There were trees and shrubs lining the road-facing side of the property, so they were fairly secluded back by their stables. But they also were not exactly hidden, either. That is the magic of back yards! This yard seemed to be a group-shared area for all those with horses. It seemed to have five houses that shared this area as a back yard. There were young kids who looked to be between the ages of five, and maybe thirteen or fourteen. They were each only wearing their hats, and boots. (Some were muck-boots, and some were cowboy boots.) They were washing, brushing, and tidying their horses. It made me laugh, because they must have understood the joy of being naked in the open air, with the sun shining, and how uncomfortable wet clothes were. They all had tan lines that were very obvious, so you knew they often wore swimwear when out in the sun. Of the six kids out there, only one was a boy. He looked to be about 10 years old, and not one bit uncomfortable around all those naked girls. The youngest girl was about five and she was riding bareback on a horse that was being led by the one who looked the oldest. On the other side of the stables, four older teenage boys, and one older teenage girl were fully dressed, and shoveling, moving hay, and doing labor-work to clean the place up. They were not looking at the naked younger ones, or even seemed to care they were out there. It would appear they had outgrown their freedom, learned shame, and their naked younger brother and sisters did not phase them one bit.

It was quite refreshing to see so many people doing real activities in their back yards. I had almost totally given up hope that any real humans existed in Vegas at all. I knew the magic of back yards existed everywhere… but had been wondering why Vegas was different. I could not imagine going through life so uptight that nobody ever relaxed. Perhaps I was spoiled by having so many wonderful experiences as a child. Perhaps by being around so many people who actually encouraged life, living, comfort, and safety jaded my views. As a child, I had the privilege of getting to see people and enjoy people in back yards. I wrote extensively about my childhood freedoms, and naked acceptance in the blog titled: “The Joys of Naked as a Child, then Lost”. You can see it here: http://enterwithanopenmindorclosedeyes.blogspot.com/2011/09/joys-of-naked-as-child-then-lost.html  My own yard was also as safe, and comfortable as a child. Everyone’s yards I was ever in as a child, and most of my adult life was comfortable, relaxed, and safe. The only exception was the family on my Dad’s side. For some reason the uptightness was always on the perimeter when in these yards. Swimsuits were allowed… only while swimming. Otherwise, you had to be in proper clothing. Naked was never allowed at any of my Dad’s family. Because these were so uptight, I never looked forward to spending time at these relatives’ homes. I truly liked people who were real, comfortable, and accepted people for who they were. I have never liked being around people who act like they are on a stage and putting on a show for others. (Leave that for the theater.) Live life as real humans, open, honest, and relaxed.

Meanwhile, I am living smack in the middle of a complex and neighborhood where I do not feel I can live life. I merely exist here, and will continue to look for places I can escape to. The thought of the freedom I saw in that neighborhood reminds me that there truly are real people who value life, safety, and comfort in Vegas. Even if there were apartments available in that wonderful neighborhood, I know the price would be so expensive I could not afford it.

I have been along that bus-route many times since then, and occasionally see a few people (both clothed and naked) enjoying their yards. But it would seem that day late in October was the one day almost everybody decided to make the best of the fleeting warmth of summer. It is early January right now, And I have noticed that the days are starting to get a wee-bit longer again. The sun seems to have come up a notch above its low winter arc. Soon the sun will shine on my balcony again, and I can start enjoying more time out there. Perhaps I will discover a place in Vegas that I could live affordably where I could enjoy a yard, too! Perhaps I must just sit-tight and wait until I get to my next place I will call home.

May you find the magic of a back yard near you! Whether it is your own yard, or you get to enjoy someone else’s yard. May you find comfort, peace, safety, and relax!

Fall is When...

Fall Is When…
Here is something I just found while sorting old stuff. I wrote this for Kathie in the fall of 2006, and wanted to share it.
I do not recall what exactly inspired this, or what was happening at the moment… But I do recall the feeling it created….
As I retype it, it seems to represent so many possibilities. Perhaps you will find it represents Life. Perhaps you will find comfort in a recent death. Perhaps you are blue from the onset of winter. Perhaps you find no greater joy then the onset of spring. I think this can fit any and all of these… And Much Much More! May you find what you need in the words I wrote so long ago…

Fall Is The Time of Year When…
…The Dark of night creeps into our light.

…All the critters are nesting and storing food away.
The time of frolic and play is going to go away.

…The warmth of the sun turns crisp and cool.
The comfort feels like it is on the run.

…Tan lines quickly fade away.

…All the beauty and color of summer begin to fade.

…The blooms will curl up to die.

…The greens will start to turn brown.


This surely feels like a good time to frown!
As we feel the dread of the loss of our true comfort of summer,

Everything seems to go grey and cold.
We realize nature must take away before
It can give us even more!

For as the night comes all too fast,
We suddenly have moon and stars to last!

As The critters retreat into hiding,
Snowmen and Snow Angels come out from
Where they have been residing!

As the warmth of the sun seems to abandon us,
Suddenly we are amazed at how spectacular the glistening
Of the frost fills our desire,
And we embrace the comforting warmth of the fire!
We remember the comfort of that old favorite sweater!




As the tree leaves are seeming to be about to curl up and die,
We realize the spectacular beauty they give us as they go!




As the flowers begin to shrivel & drop,
We surely notice what seems like a loss…


…UNTIL SPRING…

…It is then, we are suddenly surprised
By the gift of love those flowers so carefully left behind,
As they were all-to-eager to go away.
Somehow we always fail to notice how much we gain
As something we love goes away.
We quickly forget during the cold
What beauty we truly hold.

How we wish what we had,
Was still here,
Because, truly we become sad.
Those flowers that died
Left tiny little seeds scattered all around us.
After the snow melts,
We cannot believe how much that dying flower gave us!

Come the Spring,
We feel so loved and so blessed
By what seemed a truly great loss in the fall.
The sunrises are more spectacular than we remember!
The critters that went away created baby critters
To show us it is time to play!
The warmth of the sun that had gone
Is now warmer than before!
We have more flowers now,
Than ever before!
Fall and winter seem to be the signs
Of what we loved going away.
But instead it turns out to be
The Most Beautiful Way!

I signed the note with the following:
Written by JOn
Inspired by life!
Motivated by Kathie!
Kathie, You Created this writing…
You truly are a beautiful creation.
You are the flower spreading your seeds.
You are wonderful!
This is but just a small way to say thank you! Love, JOn

Happy Birthday To My Favorite Sister!

 Happy Birthday to My Favorite Sister!



Jodi and our cat in 1978

Okay, she happens to be MY ONLY Sister...
But she is still my favorite!

I have had the pleasure of having some of the most wonderful people in my life. Some have been life-long friends, some have been only briefly. Every single person who has been important to me has played an important part of my life. Each has had a special purpose, and a special connection. Each has fit into my life in different ways. Each has understood differing aspects of my unique personality. Seldom has any totally understood me. I treasure the bits each person does understand, and where we connect. There is only ONE who has been understanding, and even accepting of who I am completely.

 

Jodi watching Grandpa carve a turkey in 1980

 That one person is My Sister, Jodi. Today is Her Birthday. I can’t tease her too much about getting older, because she will always be younger than me, and when I tease her about her age, it seems I feel the effects of aging even more magnified. I won’t even say how old she is now. (I am 43, and she was born a year-and-a-half after I was…..depending on how you do the math she could be a couple of different ages today.)

It is kinda funny, though. She was (and is) NOT a Morning-person. I am Definitely a Morning-person. We often went places as kids that required us to be up, and traveling before the sun came up. Jodi would manage to always be ready to go, and barely awake… until well-after the sun had come up. Then she was unstoppable. Her and I often were buddies in so many of the activities we did. I ALWAYS Enjoyed the sunrises, and would tell her about how wonderful they were. We connected on many activities in life, but not the sunrise issue. What was always amazing was how we could go skiing, to flea-markets, road-trips, vacations, to the beach, to visit relatives, to amusement parks, and just about ANY activity you could imagine, and I would see such wonderful sunrises. Jodi never saw any. Then one day, as adults, she called me at 7:30 in the morning, and was excitedly telling me about the sunrise she had just seen. She was excited, and wanted to tell me she was up for the sunrise. She was thrilled to be able to finally tell me she saw one! I was thrilled, too, but I knew there had to be a catch! It only took me a second to figure out this phenomenon. For over thirty years, I had not succeeded in getting her to see a sunrise. I asked her if she was in Vegas. She said she WAS In Fact in Vegas. She saw the sunrise, because she had stayed up all night, and just happened to still be up when the sun rose that morning.



Caught us smiling...Again! 1991 in Glide, Oregon

Last week, Jodi was in Vegas again. I currently live in Vegas, and had not seen my sister since before I moved from Oregon in February. I probably had not seen her for many months before I moved. She came to Vegas, and decided to show up at my work to surprise me. It took her three attempts to actually find me, because my schedule is kinda whacky, and she was just winging-it, hoping to catch me by surprise. When she came and found I was not there, she had to make those who she talked-to promise not to tell me she was there. She was playing it the same way I often had when I stopped-in and surprised her. She finally caught up with me, and we got a chance to chat, and visit. Turns out she did not see the sunrise during this visit to Vegas, but She and I shared a good laugh about that one time she did see the sunrise.

Yup! Two Funny Faces... Do you see how people say We Look alike?

The funniest thing I always hear from people who meet my sister for the first time, is “She looks just like you!” (my apologies to you, Jodi). They reference the eyes, smile, and face. It makes me laugh, too. I remember one manager in Medford who had not yet met her. She came up to him and asked where to find me, and his reply to her was “Agh! It’s a Female-Jon!” (again, my apologies to you, Jodi.) There are some I am not happy to be compared to, but my sister is not one of those. I always find it to be a good thing.

When the topic of creativity comes up, she swears I took ALL the creative genes in our family. I think she has just forgotten (old age will do that to a person) all the fun we had doing creative things as kids. We once made play-doh from scratch, and subsequently learned to paint walls because of it. We often made play-doh, and had endless hours with all that we could do with it. We made it different colors, would shape it, and often let it dry in the different shapes. We would make some really thick, and see how tall we could form it. We would make some really runny, and see if we could still work with it as a liquid. There were times we managed to wear more of it than seemed possible, and of course the food-coloring would stain our skin funny colors, and often mom had the "pleasure" of teaching us how to scrub the residue out of our clothes before throwing them in the washer. It was not uncommon to make art, ornaments, or just blobs for others. This one particular day, we made HUGE amounts of it. We had a huge room downstairs with lots of counter-space for spreading-out our messes. For whatever reason, on this day, we decided to throw it against the walls, and see what shapes we could make stick to the walls. We did this with clay of every color, shape and size for endless hours. It was only after we had finished playing that the evidence, and damage of our adventure became obvious. It turns out that the oil in the home-made play-doh soaked into the paint on the walls, and permanently stained the walls. That was when we learned how to scrub, prime, and paint walls. Mom was always eager to teach us, along with making sure we learned from our mistakes.

Mom always encouraged us to play, learn, and even make messes, knowing we would always learn something new every time.



Spring, 1988 on Cannon Beach.
Yup! We went out to play in 100-mile an hour winds!

Jodi and I took swim-lesson, ski-lessons, cooking classes, and assorted craft classes together as tiny little kids. We learned together, and pushed each other’s limits, enjoying the thrills and challenges. We often could be found making wonderful art creations to sell at a card-table on the sidewalk. We were creative, and adventurous in our coming up with fun things in the kitchen. Sometime the messes we created were bigger than the total combined food we were attempting to make. But no matter what life threw at us, we always made the most fun out of it.



Spring, 1989
Jodi and I on Mt Bachelor Summit

Of Course, there were tons of differences, too. But, we always have had a wonderful connection, and shared many of life’s adventures together. I am sure I will share more wonderful stories of growing up with The Most Wonderful Sister ever!



Jodi, 1977

Happy Birthday, Jodi! May you see the sunrise… at least once more… and call to tell me!

For any of you who have not had the pleasure of sharing life with The Most Wonderful Sister, I might be willing to share mine! (of course she may have something else to say about this...)

~=:-)