Whale Watching Tour

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“The Endangered Species Act has been remarkably successful.
Humpback whales, bald eagles, and brown pelicans …
are just a few of the species that are recovering quite nicely.”
Kieran Suckling

California Brown Pelican

Up close and personal with a California Brown Pelican.

On my whale watching trip today, I wasn’t able to capture any images of the whales we saw. But, it was a beautiful sunny day and we saw lots of dolphins and sea lions.

This California brown pelican was happy to let me get a shot of him. He was quite content perched at the pier in Redondo Beach, greeting all the crew and visitors before we launched for our whale watching tour.

Shine On

A State of Zen

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“In every chromosome and gene
Lie all that was, or might have been”
Ray Bradbury

Zen in WritingThe other day I finished reading Ray Bradbury’s book, Zen in the Art of Writing. This book confirmed why I feel I must write daily.

Whether it’s writing 200 word daily blogs or working on my novel, I always get lost in time while I write.

Mr. Bradbury states in this book, “First and foremost, writing reminds us that we are alive and that it is a gift and a privilege, not a right. Not to write, for many of us, is to die”.

He also goes on to say that writing similar to being a musician, you must partake in your craft daily. Because if a musician didn’t practice daily his music would suffer. If he goes two days without practice, the critics would know, and the third day of not playing music, his audiences would know.

So, every day I write. And every time I write, it not only helps my confidence, but I find writing allows me to be in a state of zen.

Shine On

Black – Top Hat – Cat

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“When I played in the sandbox,
the cat kept covering me up.”
Rodney Dangerfield

black-cat-with a black hat

I once crossed the path of a cat
Who was wearing a black top hat
I asked the black cat
Why he’d wear a top hat
He replied quite composed
He was dressed for a formal affair

I then asked the black cat
What kind of affair
Would a black cat attend
Wearing such a fancy black hat
He replied with great pride a black tie affair
But he hadn’t a black tie to wear

By: J R

Shine On

Live Your Dream

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“By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and
Third by experience, which is the bitterest.”
Confucius

Lessons of LifeThis is your life.

Do what you love,
and do it often.
If you don’t like something,
change it.

Stop over analyzing,
life is simple.
All emotions are beautiful.

When you eat, appreciate every last bite.

If you don’t have enough time, stop watching TV.
If you are looking for the love of your life, stop;
they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love.

Open your mind, arms, and heart to new things and people, we are united in our differences.

Ask the next person you see what their passion is, and share
your inspiring dream with them.

Travel often; Getting lost will help you find yourself.

Some opportunities only come once, seize them.
Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them,
so go out and start creating.

Life is short. Wear your passion and live your dream.

Shine On

In Harmony with Animals

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“I think of my life’s work as a celebration of all of nature,
an orchestra that plays not the sounds of one musician,
the music of one species, but rather
an expression of all of nature’s songs”.
Gregory Colbert

Gregory-Colbert

Elephant with woman by photographer Gregory Colbert.

The other day I read, Larger Than Life, by Jodi Picoult. It’s a wonderfully written novella about a young woman researcher studying the memory in elephants. It’s the first time reading one of her books, but the story made such an impact on me, I will surely read other books by Ms Picoult.

I’ve always been intrigued and in awe by elephants. It saddens me to hear in the news about poaching in Botswana and other African countries. The thought of elephants becoming extinct frightens me. Hopefully, with the help of numerous writers, celebrities as well as photographers raising awareness of the terrible threat to these noble prehistoric pachyderms extinction will not happen.

There is one man, a not so famous celebrity by the name of Gregory Colbert who is making a difference in saving the elephant. He is a Canadian photographer/film maker who created Ashes and Snow, an ongoing traveling exhibition of photographs and films focusing on the exquisite interaction of humans and animals. Better known as the nomadic museum, these images and films are displayed in purposely built temporary structures that travel the world.

Mr. Colbert started this exhibit in 1992 in hopes of exploring the relationship between man and animals from the inside out. Ashes and Snow has been viewed by more than ten million visitors to date, making it the most attended exhibition by any living artist in history.

He is fast become my favorite photographer. Not only for his heart warming images, but for his beliefs. He has discovered the shared language and poetic sensibilities of all animals, and is working towards restoring the common ground that once existed when people lived in harmony with animals.

Shine On