Insight

Saving Our Ocean

June 15, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

The global Ocean covers 72% of the Earth surface, and it does more than its share to sustain life on Planet Earth. It feeds us, and is the source of the water we drink and the air we breathe. It provides precious minerals, metals and energy resources, and generates revenues and jobs in marine-related industries. Yet, we have failed miserably in protecting the Ocean from harm.

In fact, for too long, humans have exploited natural resources and misused the environment in such disdainful, foolhardy ways that as much as 40% of the world oceans have been severely affected by pollution, depleted fisheries, and loss of coastal habitats, and the escalating damage now threatens the survival of future generations. *Some sad facts:

6.5 million tons of litter enters the world’s oceans each year, and 50% is long-lasting plastic that will drift for hundreds of years before it is degraded.
80% of marine pollution comes from land-based sources.
Human health suffers from the contamination of coastal waters. [250 million/year cases of gastroenteritis and respiratory disease; 50,000-100,000/year deaths caused by eating infected shellfish]
60% of the Pacific and 35% of the Atlantic coast shorelines are eroding at a rate of one meter each year.
About 30% of the world’s reefs are seriously damaged and 60% could be lost by 2030.
75% of fisheries worldwide are fully exploited or overexploited. If habitat destruction and over fishing continue, the world’s seafood populations could collapse by 2048.

BIG, powerful (sometimes dangerous), and a beautiful BLUE, humans have a strong affinity for the Ocean. We love to play and explore at, in and near ocean waters as well as sit, walk and drive on a beach for hours. The sounds, smells and just the feel of the sea air seem to trigger a sense of peace and calm in the human brain, and there are also feelings of awe and joy in being so close to nature and wildlife. Unfortunately, the Ocean and sea life are suffering after many decades of human abuse and neglect, and there won’t be much left for future generations unless we stop the destruction and make big changes in how we live and care for this critical life force.

RIGHT NOW 💙 LET’S DO BETTER

You cannot get through a single day without having an impact in the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. —Dame Jane Morris Goodall

♥ Each and every day, Be Mindful about energy consumption at work and at home. Teach children about the importance of energy saving alternatives, and enact eco-friendly company polices.

♥ Choose seafood that is sustainable. Express your concern should you notice a threatened species offered by a seafood supplier, on a restaurant menu, or at a grocery seafood counter.

♥ Try to reduce/eliminate plastic containers, straws and bags from your life. Reuse and Recycle when possible. If you live or work in an area that does not provide recycling pick-up services and/or has not yet adopted a plastic bag ban ordinance, get things going by voicing your concern and the community’s needs. [Check out Emma Nelson’s 5 clever ideas to reduce the plastic in your life]

♥ Appreciate and Respect the Beach. Don’t litter. Clean up after yourself. Don’t interfere with wildlife. Don’t remove rocks or coral.

♥ Be Responsible when enjoying water sports and recreation. Brush up on ‘Ocean Etiquette’, and follow water and boating safety rules. Never throw anything into the Ocean. If you’re planning a cruise holiday, research to find the most eco-friendly options.

♥ Don’t sell or purchase products made of materials that harm marine life, such as coral, tortoiseshell, sharkskin.

♥ Be an ‘Ocean-Friendly’ pet owner. Look for sustainable seafood ingredients on pet food labels. Allow your dog only on designated dog beaches, never leave your dog unattended at the beach (keep on leash or under voice control), and if there is an accident, clean up the doggie poop. Never flush cat litter down a toilet. Avoid stocking aquariums with wild-caught saltwater fish, and never release aquarium fish into the Ocean or any other body of water.

♥ Support organizations working to protect the Ocean by giving financial support, joining campaign efforts, and/or volunteering Ocean Conservancy The World Ocean Network Green Peace The Ocean Project World Wildlife Fund O’Neill Sea Odyssey Sea Shepherd Sea Legacy

♥ Influence Change in Government. Research the ocean protection policies and voting records of public officials and platforms of political candidates before you vote, and let your representatives know you support laws that protect our oceans, beaches and sea life.

American voters: Click here to view environmental record of all members of Congress → National Environmental Scorecard Contact your state and federal representatives to let them know you support ocean conservation projects, and ask them to do the same (find your US congressional representatives → HERE

Australian voters: The Open Australia Foundation – Did I really vote for that? Discover voting records of politicians in federal parliament and official register of interests

Canadian voters: Keeping Tabs on Parliament – Find your MP, see what your representative is saying and what laws they are proposing

UK voters: They Work For You Search Parliament and Assemblies by name, party, position, and topics of debate

You’ll be surprised to see what lies
beneath the waves – Art Underwater

The “Underwater Discoveries” On2In2™ video collection
allows you to swim through the unique beauty of sea life,
without the dive gear. FREE to watch, on-demand

Notes

“Saving our Ocean” is an edited version of an article originally published on the “Zblog” by Zeester Media LLC

*Information/Statistical Sources: Ocean Conservancy, The World Ocean Network, and The United Nations (World Oceans Day)

⇒ June 8 is World Oceans Day Find an event & join the celebration of the world’s oceans→ HERE

⇒ International Coastal Cleanup Day is celebrated annually the third Saturday in September.
(Save the Date: September 21, 2019)

Nearly 800,000 volunteers collected more than 18 million pounds of trash during the 2015 International Coastal Cleanup project. (In 2016, 18.4 million pounds were collected). This graphic from Ocean Conservancy lists the top ten category items collected in 2015. Top of the list– at #1 is cigarette butts. Then, it’s plastic, glass and some metal: 2) plastic beverage bottles; 3) food wrappers; 4) plastic bottle caps; 5) straws/stirrers; 6) other plastic bags; 7) glass beverage bottles; 8) plastic grocery bags; 9) metal bottle caps; 10) plastic lids

How to turn plastic trash found on the beach
into a work of art → Art Transforming Trash

We’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’. Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

• The beautiful blue Ocean wave photo is courtesy of Emiliano Arano/Pexels CC0
• Ocean Heart photo is courtesy of Jeremy Bishop/Unsplash CC0

My Tree Swing

June 13, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Grandfathers are for loving and fixing things.
— author unknown

The tree swing my DIY grandfather made for me became my happy place. — Swinging © Zeester Media LLC

I was only 3 years old, but I still remember the day my grandfather installed a tree swing for me on a branch of one of the big pecan trees in the front yard. And, I remember the events leading up to that day as well as the feeling of pure joy while swinging in a very special swing.

Guess I was having a little trouble adjusting to the new baby sister situation in our house because my mother had her hands full, and I was feeling somewhat ignored as do most children when first realizing they are no longer the center of their parents’ attention. The final straw for me was when I asked my mother to swing me in the baby swing she had set up in the kitchen. It looked like so much fun, and I wanted to try it out. But, my mother said “no”, I couldn’t sit in the baby’s swing because I was “too big and would break it”. Of course, she was right, but I was more than just a little upset, and wondered why this baby got all the fun and attention. Life was becoming a drag.

Then, my grandfather came to my rescue.

He appeared one day carrying a couple of tools, rope and a piece of wood, and said “come with me”. Then, I watched as he set up a simple, but amazing tree swing. A swing just for me. No babies allowed.

Over the years, that tree swing became my happy place, and a reminder of my good fortune to be so loved by an understanding, DIY grandfather who knew exactly what I needed.

Benefits of Swinging

Swinging is a lot of fun, but there are also big benefits, both physical and emotional, for children as well as adults.

Motor Skills. Swinging requires using legs, arms, and core in a way that helps a child’s development of gross motor skills (locomotion, balance and coordination) and fine motor skills (hand, arm and finger coordination; grip strength; and arms and legs circling motions).

Feels Like Flying. Finding a sense of balance and spatial orientation while the body moves about in different positions takes a bit of physical exploration, and swinging is a sensory experience like no other because flying through the air on a swing helps a child learn to respond to movement and gravity and develop balance, coordination and body awareness.

Inspires Imagination. A swing is the perfect activity for imaginative play— maybe you’re a bird, on a magic carpet, or flying high in the sky like a superhero.

Uplifts Spirits. There’s just something about the easy rhythmic movement under a tree, breathing fresh air and feeling a gentle breeze that seem to trigger feelings of pleasure, relaxation and calm, and there’s also a rush of excitement when swinging faster and higher. This magic works for people of all ages.

It’s a Good Workout. Keeping a swing in motion burns off a few calories (200/hr) and helps condition ligaments, tendons, muscles and joints. The swinger controls speed and height of swinging, so you can do as much as you like at your own pace. For more challenging adult workouts, try kneeling or standing on a swing.

Grandfathers are for loving and fixing things — Opa & Me © Zeester Media LLC

In memory of Ben F. Kneupper “Opa” (1903-94), small business owner, barber, florist, volunteer fireman, gardener, baker of pies and cookies, fixer-upper handyman, cancer survivor, devoted family man, and much loved grandfather. He inspired all who knew him with his ability to overcome adversity and find joy in the everyday. ❤️

Want to build a tree swing?

Below are links to helpful ‘how-to’ information and DIY instruction, plus shop for tree swing assembly kits.

Children’s Tree Swings – A Guide To Good Practice, written by Monkey-Do, produced by London Play (downloadable pdf) — Expert advice on the safe sitting, installation and use of children’s rope swings in trees.

How to Make a Rope Swing, WikiHow

How To Make A Tree Swing, step-by-step DIY instruction on building and installing a backyard tree swing

SHOP Check out variety of tree swing assembly kits that can make construction easier here → TREE SWING KITS and SUPPLIES *Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a purchase you make via this Amazon link. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

A bicycle is so much more than a toy — The Power of a Bike

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Feature photo of swing is courtesy of Pixaby, CC0

Handcrafted Coffee at Home

June 5, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Those big beautiful single serve coffee machines — so much to love: the convenience of a cup of joe in only a minute, effortless clean-up, and a selection of every coffee flavor imaginable. My sister and I bought one for our mother after her stroke six years ago so that she could make her own breakfast in the morning despite her physical disabilities. She loves it. But, kinda knew from the very start that it was all too good to be true.

The little plastic 2×2 coffee pods (aka K-Cups) used in the machines have quickly become an environmental calamity because they are not recyclable and every year billions of them are incinerated, dumping poison into the air, water and soil. And, until we come up with a solution, there’s no telling how many billions more will end up in the ocean and on our beaches as so much plastic waste does.

For about a year, I substituted a re-usable plastic pod in my single serve coffee maker in an effort to reduce plastic waste at home as well as coffee making costs (the price of those pods add up over time!), but discovered the process of filling, cleaning and re-filling the small pods significantly reduces the convenience of a single serve machine, especially when making more than one cup. Also began to realize the taste of the coffee is not that great when using single serve machines, and the machine takes up a lot of counter space. Then, I had a brainstorm while visiting a friend in France — why not use a french press at home?

I love the rich taste of coffee made with a french press, but hadn’t used one in years as the latest and greatest technology took over the coffee making in my home kitchen. Decided to make a change– go back to basics and simplicity. So, I dug the thing out from its hiding spot on a top shelf, gave it a try and became a fan once again. It’s a good feeling to do just a little something to help save our beautiful planet while enjoying a hot cup of coffee with maximum flavor first thing in the morning. Easy clean-up, too.

It's surprisingly easy and quick to brew coffee using a french press. — Kettle and French Press © Zeester Media LLC 2019

Don’t know how to brew up a cuppa using a french press? No worries. It’s surprisingly quick and easy, and you don’t have to be a coffee expert or spend a lot of money to enjoy the process of brewing handcrafted coffee. Here are the basics in French Press Coffee tools and technique:

What you need to start:

Kettle — for heating up water. Any kind (both stove-top and electric) will work perfectly, and maybe you have one. If not, I recommend you check out the electric kettles. I like that they free up stove-top space and have automatic shut-off. I’ve been using a Capresso model for two years without a problem, but the Hamilton Beach Electric 1.7 Electric Tea Kettle/Water Heater gets good reviews and costs less.

A French Press (aka cafetière, press pot, coffee press, coffee plunger) — is a coffee pot in the shape of a narrow cylinder with a lid and plunger made of fine stainless steal or nylon mesh. A french press can also be used to make cold brew coffee and brew tea. My favorite is by Bodum as they are well made, seem to retain heat longer than other less expensive brands, and come in all sizes and styles — even single serve and a travel mug version for on the go coffee drinkers → Bodum French Press Selections

Coffee Bean Grinder — Your favorite, coarsely ground. I love the taste of deep dark coffee (and chocolate), and go for the dark roast beans (a friend once told me the best coffee comes from beans that are almost black). It’s typically recommended you grind coffee beans for a fresh pot every day as freshly ground beans make better tasting, flavorful coffee. Whole coffee beans stay fresher longer (a few weeks, if stored in air tight container). I sometimes buy pre-ground french roast (dark) coffee to save a step in the process when I’m in a big hurry to get that first cup or serving coffee to a group of friends, but I can also taste the difference — too bitter for some coffee drinkers. If you’d like to grind beans at home, you’ll need a grinder. There are two types of electric grinders: blade and burr. Krups makes a good blade grinder, and you can purchase from Amazon right now for less than $20 → KRUPS F203 Spice and Coffee Grinder (Tip: Not a good idea to use same grinder for coffee and spices because your coffee will pick up the taste of spices.) Electric burr grinders are typically more expensive, but they do a better job of grinding the beans into consistently sized coarse particulars that are best for using with a french press. Burr Grinders

Instructions: (Tip: Everything you do or don’t do affects the taste of coffee with a french press (good & bad). Take advantage by experimenting and adjusting this process until you find your perfect cup of coffee.)

1. Boil water in the kettle. I use filtered water from the tap, but water selection, just like coffee roasts, is really a matter of personal preference because tap water differs by location. Experts recommend using ‘fresh water’, in other words, don’t re-use previously boiled water.

2. Add coffee grounds to french press. General rule: 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of ground coffee for every one cup (8 oz/30 grams) of water. Adjust this ratio to suit your personal taste — use more ground coffee for stronger flavor.

3. After water boils, let it cool about a minute, then pour evenly over the grounds. There are two methods. i) Blooming method — gently pour hot water just to cover grounds (filling pot 1/2 – 3/4 full), and you’ll see foam start to appear (this is the ‘bloom’). Let it sit for 15-20 seconds. Then a quick stir around before pouring more hot water to fill the pot ii) Stirring method – pour hot water evenly over the grounds and stir. For stirring, I use a chopstick or cocktail stirrer. If you use a metal spoon or stirrer, avoid hitting sides of glass pot of the french press while stirring because that could cause cracking of the glass.

4. Cover and let steep. Place the lid/plunger on top of the french press (careful to allow a little space between coffee and plunger), and let coffee steep 2-4 minutes. The longer the steeping time, the stronger the coffee. Here again, you should experiment until you find exactly the right steeping time for your perfect cup of coffee. Here’s a general guide:

Standard – 4 minutes; 2 minutes for small french press (3-4 cups)
Extra dark & strong – as much as 10 minutes
Short/No steep – 30-60 seconds or no steeping time (produces a less bitter coffee taste, but you’ll probably need to use more coffee grounds to get full flavor)

Tip: It’s easy to forget the time when multi-tasking in the morning. A timer helps. Use kitchen appliance timer or phone app.

5. Plunge and Pour. Press down slowly on the plunger using one hand until the mesh filter reaches the bottom of the french press (just above the grounds). Now. it’s ready to pour and serve! Tip: If you aren’t going to drink the brewed coffee immediately, keep it hot by pouring into an insulated carafe. They come in all shapes and sizes → Coffee Carafes

6. Clean it up. Dump out used coffee grounds in trash or compost because pouring down a drain could cause clogging. Follow manufacturer’s instructions as to how to clean your french press for use the next day. Most can be washed in dishwasher. It’s important to remove all the oily coffee residue because it will quickly turn rancid and ruin the taste of the next pot of coffee.

Information/Resources:
Kill the K-Cup – a non-profit organization committed to bringing attention to the growing waste created by K-Cups
Pressed Coffee Is Going Mainstream – But Should You Drink It? by Heidi Godman, Harvard Health Publishing (April 29, 2016) – recommended to limit to no more than 4 cups a day and keep a watch on cholesterol levels as pressed coffee may raise “bad” LDL cholesterol levels

This page includes affiliate links to Amazon shopping. If you purchase a product or service directly through one of the links, Zeester Media LLC may earn a small commission. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Feature photo is courtesy of Quincy Alivio/Unsplash CC0

Enjoy your perfect cup of coffee with a German Chocolate Cup Cake

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Art Underwater

June 5, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

For Art may err, but Nature cannot missJohn Dryden, The Cock and the Fox, Line 452

Underwater public arts projects created by the visionary Jason deCaires Taylor are not just unique exhibition spaces for divers and snorkelers to enjoy. They’re also examples of successful marine conservation efforts as the sculptures serve as habitats for all sorts of sea life which transform Taylor’s work into living, constantly evolving art that inspires an appreciation for the natural beauty of the mysterious world underwater. This video takes you there.

He had a very big idea — create giant cement sculptures and place them on the ocean floor in areas with barren sea beds. Then, in 2006, Jason deCaires Taylor founded and created the world’s first underwater sculpture park off the west coast of Grenada in the West Indies. It was a great success, and has been listed as one of the Top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic. In 2009, he co-founded an underwater sculpture museum, Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), that includes a collection of over 500 of his art works in the waters of Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc, Mexico. More underwater sculpture gardens followed in the Bahamas and Spain, and he’s currently working on a new project in the Maldives. In this TED Talk, Taylor shares his story and breathtakingly beautiful photography.

Jason DeCaires Taylor talk is courtesy of TED, CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International

Information/Resources:
Gallery: The sculpture garden at the bottom of the sea, by Kate Torgovnick May, Ted.com blog article (December 23, 2015)
Locations Map of the underwater sculpture exhibits around the world (Jason DeCaires Taylor Projects)

Underwater Sculpture Park – Granada, West Indies, Molinere Beauséjour Marine Protected Area

(listed as one of the Top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic)
Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation (BREEF) Sir Nicholas Nuttall Coral Reef Sculpture Garden (Included in the sculpture garden is, Ocean Atlas, a young Bahamian girl who appears to be holding up the ocean, and at 60 tons/18 ft tall, it’s the largest underwater sculpture in the world.)

Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), Museum of art under the waters of Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc (Viewing via glass bottom boat, scuba and snorkeling)
Museo Atlántico, Located near the south coast of Lanzarote, in the Bahía de Las Coloradas, Spain
Alluvia, Sculpture lies at bottom of the river Stour running through city of Canterbury in Kent, UK
Pemuteran Temple Garden (statues of Buddha, Ganesha, Turtles behind an ornate Balinese gateway, constructed as one of three Bali Reef Foundation/Australian Aid funded projects)

Dive In2 deep waters and explore the otherworldly beauty of ocean life Watch: Underwater Discoveries, an On2In2™ collection of short videos, Free-to-Watch, On-Demand

BIG, POWERFUL (sometimes dangerous), and a beautiful BLUE, the Ocean does more than its share to sustain life on Planet Earth. Saving Our Ocean

We’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this post, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’. Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy.

Feature photo is a screen shot taken from the Jason DeCaires Taylor Ted Talk video

Marathon Runners

June 5, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

I run because long after my footprints fade away, maybe I will have inspired a few to reject the easy path, hit the trails, put one foot in front of the other, and come to the same conclusion I did: I run because it always takes me where I want to go. — Dean Karnazes, Ultramarathon Runner

Since the ancient Egyptians, there has been long distance racing, and today, countless marathons take place around the world each year. In 2017, more than 18 million people ran in organized competitive road races in the USA, and millions more participate in social, non-competitive organized running events.

Why run a marathon? Some people run a marathon for the physical exercise or the challenge. Others for the competition. Then, there are those that run for very personal reasons.

Johnnie Jameson, a Vietnam War veteran and US Postal Service employee, runs to heal, and he’s been running the LA Marathon since 1986, earning him the title of ‘Legacy Runner’. Mr. Jameson shares his story and explains his unusual backwards running style in Mile 19, a short documentary video by Big Pup Film.

English long distance runner and marathon world champion, Paula Radcliffe, finds beauty in running, and believes it’s a gift as well as an art– a way of expressing yourself. Take a run with Paula, and listen as she shares her thoughts about running.

And, there are those that just love the feeling of that runner’s high and get hooked on testing the limits of their bodies.

An ultramarathon (aka ultra running & ultra distance) is any foot race longer than a traditional marathon distance (26.2 miles/42.2 kilometers). There are two types of ultramarathon events: distance (the winner runs a specific distance in the shortest amount of time) and time (the winner runs the most distance in a specific amount of time). Ultra distances are typically 50 kilometres (31.1 mi), 100 kilometres (62.1 mi), 50 miles (80.5 km), and 100 miles (160.9 km), but distances as well as race courses and terrain vary. Timed ultramarathon events range from hours (6, 12 & 24 hours) to days (known as multi-day or stage race events). Self-supported ultramarathon stage races where each ultrarunner must carry all supplies needed to survive the race, including food, are considered the most demanding.

If you’re serious about this extreme sport, the training requires intense dedication. In the short video Ultra Man, Robbie Britton talks about his mindset and why he does it.

“If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon.” — Kathrine Switzer, Marathon Runner

Information/Resources:
Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS)
Find a Running Club in USA, Road Runners Club of America
How to Start Running by Tara Parker-Pope, The New York Times Well (why run, how to train, and tips on picking your gear, fueling your body, hydrating, and preventing injury)
Why Stretching Might Not Make You a Better Runner by Richard Gray, BBC Future (March 28, 2019) – Research provides some surprising findings and tips on how runners can improve performance
Training Programs for Marathons and Half-Marathons (beginners-intermediate-experienced), Chattanooga Track Club
International Association of Ultrarunners – promotes and develops long distance running worldwide by encouraging events and activities and sanctioning competitions
10 Things No One Tells You Before You Run an Ultramarathon by Damian Hall, The Telegraph (May 4, 2017) – Take it slow, eat a lot, and enjoy the sport of ultra running.

Follow Sarah Brown as she trains for US Olympic trials in the short video documentary series, Run Mama Run. You’ll be inspired by her story of determination and family.

Feature photo is courtesy of Martins Zimlickis, Unsplash CC0

Lost in Wars

May 21, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

“The sun has gone
A long time ago
We’re waiting for the dawn
That will never show
Our hearts are getting hard
Souls covered by scars
We are made of stars
But we are lost in wars”

— Battle Beast, Lost in Wars

2^nd LT John Robert Holt, Jr (1978-2009) was a graduate of Luther Burbank High School in San Antonio, Texas and the University of Texas – San Antonio. He served as a US Army combat medic in Iraq, and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.

In the short video documentary, Vincent Valdez: Excerpts for John, produced by filmmakers, Mark and Angela Walley, Vincent tells the story of his friendship with John Holt while he works to create a memorial to John and all the soldiers ‘lost in the fog of war’.

San Antonio native, Vincent Valdez, is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, and a recipient of the Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant for Painters and Sculptors. He focuses his creative work on cultural and historical themes with contemporary portrayals of human struggle, loss, sacrifice, war and injustice. In recognition of excellence in the arts, Valdez was designated a ‘Texas State Artist’ in 2015 by the Texas State Legislature. Exhibitions and collections include: Museum of Fine Arts Houston, The Ford Foundation, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The National Portrait Gallery, Blanton Museum of Art, Parsons Paris, Bullock Texas State History Museum, OSDE Buenos Aires, the McNay Art Museum and Southwest School of Art. [Vincent Valdez website →here]

John, oil-on-canvas by Vincent Valdez, 2010-2012. It’s an intimate portrait of Vincent’s friend “in the midst of battle, an explosion and billowing smoke behind him, his eyes focused on an ominous sight that is invisible to the viewer and that anticipates John’s demise.” (Taina Caragol, co-curator, The Face of Battle: Americans at War)

Excerpts for John (2012) depicts the unfolding sequence of events and emotions Vincent Valdez experienced during his friend’s military funeral in a series of paintings created as an homage to Lieutenant Holt and “a eulogy for those who can’t find their way home”.

Information/Resources:

After more than a decade of war in the Middle East, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has become a critical health concern among American war veterans as the number of veterans seeking help for PTSD has dramatically increased and an estimated 18-22 veterans die from suicide each day.*

Soldiers of Conscience, Q&A What is PTSD & how to get help, PBS (October 2008)
PTSD Treatment for Veterans (treatment options & barriers to care) article by Miriam Reisman, NCBI, US National Library of Medicine (October 2016)*
National Center for PTSD: US Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Families United: PTSD healing resources and helpful reference materials for veterans & families

Artists reveal thoughts and feelings about their work
and living a creative life in “Creative Perspectives”,
an On2In2™ collection of videos– FREE To WATCH, On-Demand

Go to next → Watch: Introspection, an On2In2™ collection of videos featuring personal reflections on life that will move and inspire you — FREE To WATCH, On-Demand

Feature photo is a screen shot taken from the video, Vincent Valdez: Excerpts for John, produced by Walley Films

The Last Bookstore

April 27, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

This short documentary video focuses on the life of Josh Spencer, owner and operator of “The Last Bookstore”, located in downtown Los Angeles. Watch and you’ll discover that Josh and his bookstore are nothing short of remarkable.

Despite closures of mega bookstore chains as well as small independents and the rise of eBooks and online shopping, Josh was able to develop his passion for books into a successful business buying, selling, and trading books from a brick and mortar retail space. Since 2005, The Last Bookstore has become the largest book and record store in California and one of the largest independent bookstores in the world. There are over 250,000 new and used books on two floors, including an art & rare book annex, and tens of thousands of vinyl records and graphic novels. Most importantly, Josh enjoys the work (not easy to sort and organize thousands of books every day), and he’s created a unique place for the printed word to thrive and book lovers to explore.

Josh’s story, however, is about more than books and the business of book selling. It’s also about personal challenges, changing lives, facing failure, and finding the courage to overcome great adversity. Yes, all that in just 11½ minutes! A gripping reminder that success in business and life requires the ability to “re-adjust” to dire circumstances.

I think books are going to become sort of like vinyl is now: the province of people who appreciate things that are well made, appreciate craft in graphics and creativity they can feel.Josh Spencer

Despite predictions of the inevitable death of independent bookstores, many are alive and doing quite well. The bookstore scene around the world is mixed, but they’re still treasured in communities, and in a number of European countries, independent counts have remained consistent in the last decade. For example, France, where laws protect against predatory pricing, bookstores in Paris can be found just about every other city block, including the famous English-language shop “Shakespeare and Company”, open 7 days a week.

Inspired to browse a local bookstore?

Use Indie Bookstore Finder to locate US independent bookstores in your area

In the UK, try the search tools at Local Bookshops

Find a bookshop in Australia via the Australian Booksellers Association online search

If you find yourself wandering the streets of an unfamiliar place, look for these unique bookstores:

Powys, Wales, Hay-on-Wye (small village on the border between England and Wales is “world renowned for books and bookshops”)

Porto, Portugal, Livraria Lello (a beautiful bookstore with a long history)

Mumbai, India, Trilogy

Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand, Unity Books

Buenos Aires, Argentina, El Ateneo Grand Splendid (Early 20th century theater, turned bookshop, and one of the most beautiful book shops in the world)

Venice, Italy – Libreria Acqua Alta (The “high water bookshop” you must see to believe)

Milan, Italy – Corso Como (a mix of art, architecture and fashion)

Lisbon, Portugal – Ler Devagar (a large space located in former printing shop, LX Factory)

Budapest, Hungary – Massolit

Mexico City, Mexico – El Pendulo

Books For Love – Zola’s all-time favorite love stories are full of lust, scandal, heartbreak, betrayal, and tragedy

You’ll find more inspiration from the stories told by
this diverse group of pathfinders on the video
bio-documentary channel “Life Inspired“, an On2In2™ special collection of short videos.

Bookstore photo, courtesy of Glen Noble/Unsplash

Among The Trees

April 26, 2019 By Zola Zeester 4 Comments

“No more walks in the wood;
This is the aftermath
Of afternoons in the clover
Fields where we once made love
Then wandered home together
Where the trees arched above,
Where we made our own weather
When branches were the sky.
Now they are gone for good,
And you, for ill, and I
Am only a passer-by.”

— John Hollander, An Old-Fashioned Song

The Life and Loves of a Tree

We start loving trees as children because they are so much fun to climb and offer endless playtime adventures and hiding-out opportunities. As we get older, explore and learn more about trees, we find more to love and cherish.

Trees do many good things for the world — like cleaning the air, providing oxygen, and protecting us against a changing climate (to name just a few), and trees have incredible healing and restorative powers along with an ability to spark creative and spiritual inspiration. Just a short walk in the woods can lift your spirits. And, take a look around along the way. You may be surprised at what’s really going on among the trees.

A forest is actually a lot like a community of social beings. Yes, that’s right — trees in the forest are social, sharing, caring and also smart, having evolved to live in cooperative, interdependent relationships through communication and collective intelligence. And, all this extraordinary interaction among trees is happening underground, just inches below the surface.

Suzanne Simard, a professor of forest ecology at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences in Vancouver, studies the below-ground fungal networks that connect trees and enable their underground “inter-tree” communication and interaction. In her TED presentation How Trees Talk To Each Other, Suzanne describes her field research (which included some tense moments with a bear) and the exciting discoveries during 30 years of study. [Ted Talk, courtesy of TED, CC BY–NC–ND 4.0 International]

Peter Wohlleben’s international best-seller The Hidden Life of Trees (2015) fascinated readers to the many wonders of the forest. In a new, illustrated edition, beautiful images provide the perfect complement to the original book, with striking close-ups of bark and seeds, panoramas of vast expanses of green, and a unique look at what is believed to be the oldest tree on the planet. [If you purchase a book via the link here to Amazon, Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase

FOREST THERAPY
Go To The Woods – Breathe Deeply – Be At Peace

In Japan, shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), is the practice of spending time within a forest to benefit from its therapeutic powers as well as to enjoy being surrounded by nature. Introduced in the early 1980’s as a Japanese national health program, it has become a popular healing practice throughout Japan and around the world.

Forest bathing activities may include relaxation techniques such as mindful meditation, yogic breathing (yoga deep breathing exercise) and aromatherapy as well as walking or simply standing in a forest absorbing it all through the five senses (sight, touch, smell, sound and taste). For the best experience, participants are encouraged to select a safe, secure forest and relaxation methods that best fit their needs and preferences.

Forest Bathing – Forest Therapy Society (Tokyo, Japan)
Association of Nature & Forest Therapy – find a forest bathing guide, workshops and programs

Technical Recreational Tree-Climbing, a style of tree climbing requiring special equipment and techniques, continues to grow in popularity as an enlightening outdoor experience with therapeutic benefits as climbers ascend into the crowns of tall trees and canopies of forests. Basic training is essential to learning how to use the ropes, saddles, and techniques safe for both the climber and tree.

Once a year, Tim Kovar, an adventurous arborist and tree climbing instructor, takes a few people on a climb up one of the tallest trees in the world — an 850 year old California redwood called the Grandfather. It’s a summit Tim says less people have attempted than Mt. Everest.

Go Tree Climbing – The Global Organization of Tree Climbers provides information on training, climbing programs, and safety. Tree Climbers Rendezvous 2018 is a tree climbing event open to all levels of experience, scheduled to be held in Costa Rican Cloud Forest August 24-28.
Tree Climbers International – promotes tree climbing as a safe recreational activity for people of all ages, and offers recreational tree climbing courses from basic to advanced.

Information/Resources:

Do Trees Talk to Each Other? by Richard Grant, Smithsonian Magazine (March 2018)
Alternative Healing, A Walk in the Forest by Catie Liebeck, Pulitzer Center (April 25, 2016)
How Trees Calm Us Down by Alex Hutchinson, The New Yorker (July 23, 2015)
Immerse Yourself in a Forest for Better Health, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

When You Give a Tree an Email Address, by Adrienne LaFrance, Atlantic Monthly (July 10, 2015) The city of Melbourne assigned email addresses to trees so that citizens could report problems with a specific tree. Instead of reporting problems, people wrote thousands of love letters to their favorite trees.

Find a Forest Near You – interactive map & online search tools to help you find forests in US and Puerto Rico
10 Incredible Forest Walks To Add To Your Bucket List by Richard Madden, The Telegraph Travel/Tours (August 7, 2017)

Want to get involved and help trees? Here’s a list of just a few of the organizations dedicated to planting trees and restoring and protecting forests around the world:

National Forest Foundation – Nonprofit partner to the US Forest Service (chartered in 1993) that promotes health and enjoyment of America’s forests with community involvement, tree planting programs, collaborative research, funding grants, and information resources

Arbor Day Foundation – Nonprofit conservation and education organization that provides information and support for the planting of trees in cities and communities and restoring forests around the world. [Search for Arbor Day celebration dates across America and around the world → here]

Trees For the Future – public charity dedicated to planting trees around the world and helping farmers revitalize the soil.

Tree People – A nonprofit organization that inspires and supports the people of Los Angeles, California to plant and care for trees, harvest the rain, and renew depleted landscapes.

Feature photo is courtesy of Spring Fed Images/Unsplash CC0

Gordon Hempton is a ‘sound tracker’, traveling the world in search of vanishing sounds, including silence. He found a quiet spot in the Washington Hoh rainforest, and takes us there in the short video documentary, Preserving One Square Inch of Silence.

Mysteries of a Galaxy

April 24, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

A galaxy is composed of gas and dust and stars – billions upon billions of stars. Every star may be a sun to someone.Carl Sagan

The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy that contains our Solar System. — Milky Way, artist’s concept, NASA PD

Our Solar System is located within the “Milky Way Galaxy” about 2/3 out from the center, the name deriving from its appearance as a band of hazy light when seen from Earth. It looks as it does because the Earth view of the Milky Way is from inside the galaxy structure. The Milky Way is a ‘barred spiral’ shaped galaxy with a diameter between 100,000 to 180,000 light years, and contains an estimated 100 to 400 billion stars and 100 billion planets or more. Getting a good shot of the Milky Way is tough even with all the space telescopes floating around because of location and dust cloud coverage; therefore, the 2015 artist’s concept drawn using data sourced from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (“WISE”) was the best image available until the European Space Agency (‘ESA’) released the amazing Gaia’s Sky in Colour on April 25, 2018 showing an all-sky view of our Milky Way based on measurements, brightness and color of nearly 1.7 billion stars observed by the ESA satellite Gaia between July 2014 and May 2016. Now, we can see just how beautiful our home galaxy is!

Our first really good look at the Milky Way came from the satellite Gaia on April 25, 2018 — Gaia’s Sky in Colour, Copyright: ESA/Gaia/DPAC, 4-25-2018

Brighter regions seen on the image indicate denser concentrations of exceptionally bright stars, while the darker regions correspond to patches of sky where there are fewer bright stars. The bright horizontal structure is the Galactic plane (the flattened disc that contains the majority of the stars). In the middle of the image, the Galactic centre appears vivid and teeming with stars. In the lower right side of the image, the two bright objects are the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, two dwarf galaxies that orbit the Milky Way.

But, as incredible as it is, our Milky Way is just one of many billions.

It’s estimated there are 200 billion or more galaxies within the Universe, ranging in size from dwarf (containing a few billion stars) to giants with 100 trillion stars. In addition to stars, galaxies contain stellar remnants (endpoints of star evolution), gas, dust and dark matter, all held together by a gravitational pull while orbiting a center mass, and they are classified by their form and structure: elliptical (almost featureless, bright profile and stars orbit randomly), spiral (flat rotating disk shaped with spiral-like arms), barred spiral (a spiral galaxy with a bar-shaped formation in its center, e.g. Milky Way), and irregular (no shape, chaotic in appearance). About 25% of all galaxies are irregular, and while they may seem ordinary when compared to the other galaxies with symmetry and shape, irregulars are invaluable to the study of galaxy evolution and interaction.

The formation of a galaxy involves gravity, gases, star formation, and stellar explosions as well as a lot of time, but exactly how it happens has not yet been determined. There are different theories as to how spiral galaxies such as our Milky Way are formed that can be generally categorized into two basic types: 1) “top-down” which describes a large scale collapse of a large gas cloud during a period of 100 million years, and 2) “bottom-up” referring to small ‘clumps’ of stars (or globular clusters) merging to create a large galaxy.

ESA/Hubble & NASA image of elliptical galaxy IC 2006 — Elliptical Galaxy IC 2006, NASA/ESA Hubble, PD

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image showcases the remarkable galaxy UGC 12591. It is located just under 400million light-years away from Earth . — Spiral Galaxy UGC 12591, NASA/ESA Hubble, PD

ESA/Hubble & NASA image of Barred Spiral galaxy UGC 12158 — Barred Spiral Galaxy UGC 12158, NASA/ESA Hubble, PD

Galaxy NGC 2337 is an irregular galaxy located 25 million light-years from Earth. It was discovered in 1877 by the French astronomer, Édouard Stephan — Irregular Galaxy NGC 2337, NASA/ESA Hubble, PD

WATCH the video Galaxies Across Space and Time for a quick exploratory VR trip through the Universe to see galaxies via the Hubble Space Telescope. It’s a bit like taking a ride with Captain Kirk and a NASA tour guide on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.

See more wonders of the Universe on “The Cosmos Channel”,
a collection of On2In2™ favorite videos free to watch on demand,
and its cosmic mysteries at Explore the Universe.

Feature image is the Messier 74 galaxy (aka NGC 62) taken using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. Located about 32 million light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Pisces, M74 is a stunning example of a spiral galaxy with about 100 billion stars (making it slightly smaller than the Milky Way). M74 can be viewed from Earth nearly face-on, allowing observers to see its perfectly symmetrical spiral arms emanating from the central nucleus along with dotted clusters of young blue stars and glowing pink regions of ionized hydrogen. Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration, Public Domain

Image of Milky Way (2015 artist’s concept) NASA/JPL-Caltech, Public Domain

Images of galaxies in gallery are courtesy of NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, Public Domain

Information/Resources:
Galaxies, nasa.org
Wikipedia: Galaxies, Milky Way, Galaxy formation and evolution

The Overview Effect

April 21, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

The iconic Earthrise photo was taken in 1968 by NASA astronaut William A. Anders during the Apollo 8 mission, the first manned spaceflight to orbit the Moon. Never before had a human observed the Earth rising, and Anders’ amazing, first-ever color photo of our stunningly beautiful planet emerging from a lunar horizon still takes your breath away.

“We came all this way to explore the Moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth.” — William A. Anders

To See The Earth As It Truly Is*

It was very, very sobering to see this little blue marble in the middle of all that darkness. Frank Borman

The awe-inspiring effect of seeing the whole Earth from the vantage of space (known as “Earth gazing”) is most often described as an overwhelming sense that Earth is an “interconnected whole with one destiny”. An understanding that’s key to our survival. Of course, we can’t see it and feel it firsthand (only 24 humans out of 7.3 billion world population have had the experience) until space travel becomes practical for the general public, but innovative technology continues to provide us with more and better information and visuals.

The short documentary Overview (from Planetary Collective) explores a cosmic worldview with reflections from “Earth gazing” astronauts and philosophers as well as beautiful space imagery. Watch and be inspired by the “unity and oneness of all life on Earth”.

Earthrise: Remembering Apollo 8. Launched on December 21, 1968, Apollo 8 became the first manned spacecraft to reach the Moon, orbit it and return, and its crew became the first humans to see and photograph the Earth emerging from behind the lunar horizon. Watch as the Griffith Lab All Space Considered team recalls the lead up, events and discoveries of this historic mission in celebration of its 50th anniversary.

*”To see the earth as it truly is, small and blue and beautiful in that eternal silence where it floats, is to see ourselves as riders on the earth together, brothers on that bright loveliness in the eternal cold — brothers who know now they are truly brothers.” Archibald MacLeish (1892 – 1982) American poet

Take a virtual ride on a satellite for awesome views of Earth

Apollo 17 photo taken December 13, 1972 on the lunar surface — Moonwalk (December 13, 1972) NASA

Want to see more of what’s out there in space? The short video documentary, “The Last Steps” will take you to a ‘back to the future’ moment in time with original film footage, photographs and audio recordings from Apollo 17, NASA’s final Apollo program mission, and the last time a human walked on the moon. Watch more “out of this world” videos via the “Cosmos Channel“, free to watch, on-demand.

A retrospective look at discoveries and images of Saturn
captured during the 20 year Cassini Mission, plus some
info on when and how you can see Saturn in 2017

“The Overview Effect” is an edited version of an article originally published on the “Zblog” by Zeester Media LLC.

Earthrise photo credit: NASA

Insight

Saving Our Ocean

RIGHT NOW 💙 LET’S DO BETTER

My Tree Swing

Handcrafted Coffee at Home

Art Underwater

Marathon Runners

Lost in Wars

The Last Bookstore

Among The Trees

Mysteries of a Galaxy

The Overview Effect

MUCH 2 SEE

THINGS 2 DO

PLACES 2 GO

PEOPLE 2 MEET

FOOD & DRINKS

JUST LAUGHS

Insight

RIGHT NOW 💙 LET’S DO BETTER

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MUCH 2 SEE

THINGS 2 DO

PLACES 2 GO

PEOPLE 2 MEET

FOOD & DRINKS

JUST LAUGHS