Grand Canyon Do Your Dreams

 Located at a Latitude: 36°15'N Longitude: 112°30'W; across of 4,926 km2 or (1,902 sq mi), resides one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.  With its astounding depth in character, years and adventure, the Grand Canyon is an experience that will extract you from the cloak that shelters your spirit.  The real question on any journey you take is will you emerge as the same person you were when you began; is the reasoning for the journey a quest for transformation?

It is early February; a moderately packed blanket of snow speckles the forest at nearly 2133 meters (7000 ft) of elevation over the Grand Canyon's South Rim.  A mixture aromas from high desert-like forestry fills one's nasal cavities, the freshness of air somewhat unspoiled by the presence of mankind is omnipresent.

6:30 in the morning, and my eyes slowly opening from a body that has been passively alert since 2:00 a.m. which marked my arrival.  The thoughts of a solo adventure on my mind, into this time capsule, demand my attention.  It is a journey that is or should be on everyone's list to do before they die; not that death is the precursor to motivate anyone for this journey, but that the reality that life is not forever.  This being true, time is of the essence, relative to experiencing this extraordinary geological structure.

Back pack ready for my overnight in the valley of this natural treasure, adds roughly 20 kilo (45 lbs.) to my journey ready to accommodate my nourishment and insulation needs.  And the photographer in me would not allow my camera to be left behind.

Because it is mid-winter, the tourist population is light, making the journey to the bottom of the Canyon a low traffic trek-- no more than eight people did I see, on my descent.  Such conditions made the exploration all the more meaningful and  introspective.  Vast views from vertical and lateral perspectives provided the perfect landscape of analogies for how far and wide I would look within myself for questions and answers.

Switch-backs along the early part of the Kaibab trail were swift going, with the exception of 4-8 centimeters of ice for the first 500 meters of descent.  Mud quickly took over just below this elevation and made for a messy but more interesting hike.  It wasn't long before I began to explore the very questions that make hiking a most fulfilling experience, and result in a longing for more. Why?  There is a type of concupiscence with the natural environment when this begins to occur.  One journey simply isn't enough.

Brief encounters last long enough to increase your motivation to press on, or in some instances, step up your pace.  Whether it is to arrive at your destination sooner with a greater anticipation, to avoid the night fall, or push your physical and mental limits-- there is a shift.  These encounters, for all their similarities, also create mutual bonds among hikers.  I can only explain this as individuals on parallel journeys.  Some encounters last only a minute or two and turn into lasting friendships, others are simply passer byers-- a brief "hi", and acknowledgement of the journey you are both on in opposite directions, though sometimes the same direction.

The camp site was inviting after the joint pounding descent, the relief of the weight under my back pack was also a welcome change.  Surprisingly I took another 5 mile walk after setting up camp- just before the sun set.  Narrowing canyon wall in the valley of time, almost pull you in, resulting in a slight struggle to convince yourself to stop and preserve your energy for needs over wants.  I pass by the Phantom Ranch on a pleasant walk back to my Bridal Trail camp ground, the PR reminds me why I do not prefer to stay at sheltered location but desire something more rugged; I'm here because I am seeking a certain amount of lack of comfort not to be confused with discomfort.  The open air, sounds of the natural environment and wide open  sky, help me understand not only this space but my space.  Amazing night skies plastered with stars provides another explanation for this journey, to learn what we miss in the more modernized environment.

Temperatures dipped below freezing, yet another threshold I would have to adjust for; one I would overcome.  And so I learn more about myself.  Sunrise would be at 7:29 a.m. and though I planned on a 9 or 10 a.m. departure, my stirring soul would not accommodate such a request.  By 7 a.m. I was  back on the trail again, on my journey upward.

On these journeys I find that I don't always go in looking 4 answers, but that I often emerge with answers I did not know I was looking for.  I suppose it is the solitude which empties the space in my mind, the absence of the minutia in daily life; it is at times the prospect of encountering new friends; a discovery of new physical and mental level, a personal triumph etc.  It is always to at least to be in a place I have not yet known, within and without.  This journey is often undefined, yet always fulfilling.

For a complete slide show of the photos from this hike go to this flicker link.

How to Stay Happy

Happiness is a quintessential emotion in our lives.  We thrive when we are happy, we perform at our best when we are happy, we naturally engage people around us when we are happy, and our life seems to be able to open new doors to where we would like to go next, when we are happy.   A January 3 2013 article in Scientific American says "Mindfulness meditation-- which has been around for well over 2000 years..." has a Mindful Based Stress Reduction"

Here approaches to help keep you in a happier frame of mind and a way to apply them into your own life, if these things present a challenge.  One of the first steps in being happy is to take time out to learn about yourself; from recognizing when emotional shifts are occurring to when chemical reactions occur inside that allow you to achieve what you thought to be impossible, truly understanding your emotions and recognizing barriers that impede your happiness-- no matter who or what they are.

Happiness vs Emptiness: Have you ever noticed when you are really happy, how nothing else seems to matter in that moment.  Maybe it was because of something your children accomplished; a vacation you deserved and you are caught up in the moment of that once-in-a-lifetime euphoria; or perhaps participating in  an activity like sky diving you though you didn't have the courage to do-- but you did it!  It is a wonder that as much as we love to be happy, how little of our time is dedicated to being happy.  Here are a few tips: 1) identify 10 things that make you happy, promise yourself each day you will do at least one of them and spend the rest of your life being happy 2) know that takes you to that emotion level 3) spend time around other people who are happy and you will find that you will become that way more often 4) don't spend your life doing something that doesn't make you happy just because it feels like security or an obligation.  One of the reasons people are trying other career choices is because there are so many resources to help us do and explore that using technology or auditing a graduate course etc.

Relaxation vs Stress: Relaxation is an important function to be able to achieve.  An April 2012 article in Scientific American stated "Stress, in fact, can cripple our most advanced mental faculties".  In our lives we can either reduce stress or make ourselves stress free.  Meditation is a great retreat into yourself that requires no outside forces.  Start with simple 30 second cycles and only one is necessary to begin with.  Remember you are working your way into to this process.  If you can be still in your mind and physically, then I encourage you to do so.  Find a quiet place, all devices that make sound should be turn off, and you may want meditation music or a gentle bubbling fountain in the background.  The easiest way to describe how to achieve the stillness you need, is to not process any thought; if a thought enters your mind, allow yourself to not process the next level of that thought.  So if you are thinking of blue, don't go the the next phase and connect it with the sky or your car etc. just let it be and see if you can stop yourself progressively from thinking any further.

Clarity vs Clutter:  Clarity exists in many forms, mental clarity, our physical space, our homes, or our lives. Organizing our lives is a great was to begin.  We have so much stuff (emotional, physical etc.) that we can't often decide what to do with it all.  Start by asking yourself what I can do without.  When you begin to unload the burdens of friend's expectations of you you also free up some of that space to be a better you, and find other ways to support friends.  Cluttered home space?  Start to post some things online and either give them away or sell them for a few bucks and get a little fuel for your car or buy a public transportation pass

Social vs Isolation: We are social creatures by nature.  Case in point; I sat down with my laptop in the courtyard just the other day; a neighbor was standing on his patio looked over and asked, "can you get online?"   He continued, "...because I can give you my password if you would like to get online" I affirmed that I was already connected, and thanked him- along with an explanation.  Random acts of kindness often can remind us of what a meaningful experience socializing can be.  Though it is easy to get caught up in Web,  take time to get out and connect with others.  A simple greeting, kind gesture, an unselfish act, are ways that reinforce our connection to other people, without obligation but with a great degree of satisfaction.  There are also great social groups that get together such as meetup.com, where you can connect with like minded people for just about any activity you have an interest in.  Individuals in these groups exist in every major city and many minor ones.  If you haven't been to the theater in years, find where they might be doing free public performances, most cities have them

Peace vs Chaos:  We need little explanation for this one; we all recognize whee things are crazy in our life, but peace of mind differs from happiness in subtle ways.  Feeling good about decisions you make really depend on how you want to feel.  Another way to look at peace of mind is balance in your life.  Here you are fulfilling your obligations while also meeting your personal needs-- which by the way should include being happy.  Yoga, meditation, or just quiet time are excellent for this.  There is not a religion in the world that doesn't talk about the importance of inner peace.  Start with 5 minutes a day if you are way to busy!  Stop everything that is around you from disturbing you and just stop.  This does not have to be meditation time it can just be you time.  You might take a moment to walk outside and appreciate the warmth of the sun on your face, the brisk air if that is your fancy; sit and enjoy being with just yourself.  You will be amazed at how rewarding this activity can be, we don't often stop everything just for nothing.  Remember Chaos can't exist if things aren't moving

Health vs. Neglect:  In a January article in Time magazine researchers state that "...a specific signal that at its peak-- say, when your muscles are screaming that you can't do another rep or your brain refuses to focus on that page-- prompts you to quit.  Managing your personal health is crucial.  A daily health routine can help you get back to center.  Walking, cycling, aerobics, running, weight lifting, are among the most popular activities to partake in.  The great thing about these activities is once you begin the investment is very little.  By a comfortable pair of running shoes and start a conversation with a friend about walking or running regularly.  If you're looking for a little more tempo, purchase a bike on Craigslist to see your level of commitment then step up your game.  You will begin to feel as though your lifestyle cannot do without.  Start your routine of simply and set weekly goals to increase your activity.  Stepping up in 15 minute increments a a really good idea.  Reward yourself when you reach a goal and then step up your level after doing so until you get to where you want to be.

Follow your passion in life:  This section gets a certain level of dedication because of its importance to each one of my readers; not so much because I know you but because almost everyone has a passion for something, they just have not realized that passion-- yet .  Remember what it felt like when you were a kid and had your first thought or big dream about what you realized you wanted to be when you grew up, however real or unreal it feels now.  Two things 1) Are you following your passion and 2) It is not too late.  Passion is a very powerful force; it seems to be able to summons something inside of us we do not realize is there, enabling us to rise above any occasion.  Don't spend the remainder of your life or even another moment postponing your passion.  Even if you only find a way to fit a piece of your passion into your current lifestyle, you will be better off than never following it at all.  Nothing is more rewarding than to do something you have always wanted to do.  Chances are that if you find a way to allow even a pinch of that passion into your life, you will find a way to make it grow.

Happiness depends a lot on self awareness and change.  Be aware of the ebb and flow internally and externally, these are the two systems that are affected by the events that occur in your life.  After you have that awareness be prepared to make incremental changes to bring you closer (without disappointments) to your goals.

Networks and Economic Struggles?

Online the Economist wrote, "The IMF has cut its forecasts for economic growth in its twice-yearly World Economic Outlook. It expects world GDP to increase by 4% in 2011"  .  The research suggest that growth rates have been revised from .1 of a percent to .9 of a percent in different countries.

Evidence of this hard to accept reality, hit home when someone very important in my life, informed me that they would be filing for bankruptcy.  Sometimes the seemingly most unfortunate choices are the best choices, if in such a troubling predicament.  But what has this to do with networks?

After speaking with this friend, she informed me that she went to the federal tax collection agency and stated that the very first question they asked was if she had any affiliation with any social network.  Really!  Since when is who I socialize with or what group I am connected with related to my reconciliation with my back taxes?  As far as I am concerned federal agencies including our political leaders and revenue collection services could just as easily be investigated for malfeasance.  Why? Simply because the wealthy are paying a smaller percentage of taxes than ever before.  At one point in the U.S. the tax rate for the wealthy was nearly 90%. Today with tax loopholes and write-offs, the expense for the wealthy is significantly reduce.  And they pay (at least in the U.S.) is 15% on capital gains.  In contrast, more than 15% of the U.S. population is at or below the poverty level ((2010 U.S. Census), granted that our poverty level is still well above undeveloped nations).

Essentially if you are poor, you are required to reveal more and more about yourself, losing control of your privacy, than if you are wealthy.  However I do not like to use scare tactics to address an issue.  Both Fox and MSNBC hosts of various programs do plenty of shouting and finger-pointing-- attempting to drive fear, while also providing some useful information.  But fear should not be the driver behind making tough choices.

Networks play an important role in our society.  From Palestine to Libya, from Sudan to the United States, from Japan to the Caribbean; social networks help us learn more about what is happening in the world around us.  Maintaining that privacy is critical to feeling a sense of security.  Despite that exploitation of online organization like Facebook and others, networking gives us a sense of interconnectedness.

The fact that I can touch people in Estonia, Japan, Africa, the British Isles, and different parts of South America, from my blog indicates that technology is not really separating us (as was once thought with personal electronic musical devices and mobile telephones).  I respect the confidentiality that my followers deserve, and expect to some degree- I would imagine.  At the same time ( and I don't want to sway back and forth here) I understand the importance of security from violent acts, in any form; from groups that want to act out maliciously, to individuals who bring harm to innocent members of society.  So monitoring is important.  What do I hope for then and where do I stand?

It would be great if the public were more involved in the decision-making.  Just like successful corporations, the government could crowd-source top decisions to come up with truly democratic decisions.  Granted that not everyone has access to technology, but there could potentially be ways to address that as well by looking at algorithms perhaps.

With all of the challenges we face as individuals, it is important that we continue to monitory decisions that are affecting our lives- especially with the advent of so much political turmoil in effect.  When chaos is in play, it is easy to look for answers from people who are purporting to be experts and leaders who are suppose to be performing on our behalf.  This is in no way a request that there be any type of civil disorder, rather that we maintain a watchful eye on policy changes that circumvent the people process.  There was an excellent piece on National Public Radio (npr[ a U.S. broadcast), about how susceptible we are to opinions, when we are seeking answers or disorder is present.  Don't panic, do your research, and use your voice by being active in what actions by anyone (friends, politicians, or experts) influence your life.  Doing so will help curtail the negative impact regulations have on open social networks.

ps happy birthday Jim Henson

Japan Earthquake: Signs of Climate Change

An 8.9 scale earth quake rocked Japan generating a tsunami that is moving homes, cars, planes and having an earth shattering office buildings.

This is obviously a terribly disturbing event as hundreds are already reported dead; at what point do we recognize the correlation between what is occurring in the natural environment as a result of the accelerated impact of human activity?

Condolences and well wishes for those who are experiencing a significant loss- it is unimaginable.

Here the ocean moves large boats and vehicles as though they were leaves in a stream.