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Mysteries of a Galaxy

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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.

 

 

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.

 

Apollo 17 photo taken December 13, 1972 on the lunar surfaceSee 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.

 

 

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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

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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

A beautiful view of planet Earth captured by NASA satelliteTake 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.

 

 

Since its launch 20 years ago and 2004 Saturn orbit insertion, the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft has provided images that have led to significant discoveries.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

 

 

 

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

Earthrise photo credit:  NASA

Marathon Runners

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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.

 

Run Mama Run is an inspired story about an athlete's determination to train and not give up on a dream despite obstaclesFollow 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.

 

 

 

 


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Feature photo is courtesy of Martins Zimlickis, Unsplash CC0

Surfing the Greats

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It’s certainly not easy to surf Toronto.  Some would say impossible.  When you’ve got the passion and the right attitude, you really can do just about anything, and at the same time, have fun, make friends and inspire.

See what it takes to catch a wave in the icy cold waters of the Great Lakes in this short documentary On Days Like These We Must Surf by Jake Kovnat.

 

NASA photo of Great Lakes covered in snow and ice shows how brutal surfing the lakes is during the winter months.
Great Lakes 1/27/2005, NASA Visible Earth, PD

The Great Lakes are a series of five interconnected freshwater lakes (Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron aka Michigan-Huron, Erie, and Ontario) located primarily in the upper mid-east region of North America on the Canada-US border. By total surface area, the Great Lakes are the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth, and they are often referred to as ‘inland seas’ because they look much like oceans with rolling waves, winds, currents, great depths, and distant horizons.

 

Think you’d like to give lake surfing a try?  Surfing the Great Lakes any time of year is difficult.  Add the freezing cold winter elements, and it becomes brutal.  The best surfing, however, is during the winter months because winter storms generate strong winds that produce the biggest waves that come in super fast.  Other challenges involved with lake surfing include wind forecasting, getting the proper gear and board, and avoiding debris in the lake.  Not for everybody, and getting images of a sunny beach out of your head is another big challenge.

Information/Resources:
Surf the Greats surf shop,  sells gear and boards specifically designed for lake surfing, offers classes on lake surfing and wave forecasting, and organizes meetups and competitions.
NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory – Scientists study, monitor, and predict ice coverage on the Great Lakes
The Alliance for the Great Lakes, a non-profit organization that works to protect the Great Lakes

 

Nordurland is about surfing in the harsh, cold waters of the North Atlantic.  Watch as three friends from the subtropical northern rivers of NSW Australia travel to isolated, snow covered coastlines in search of remote waves, and discover the great challenges and rewards of a northern adventure.  Filmmaker Ishka Folkwell beautifully captures the vast and stunning landscapes, and you’ll see glaciers, mountains and powerful icy surf come to life on screen. 

 

 

Big wave surfing is an extremely dangerous sport.  So, who does it and why? — Free 2 Watch video documentaries capture epic rides as well as personal stories of big waves surfers, including Rodrigo Koxa’s record breaking ride on an 80 foot (24 meter) wave at Nazaré on November 8, 2017.

 

 

Watch the world's best wakesurfing pros compete in the 2017 World Wake Surf Championship

FREE 2 WATCH – On Demand Great surfing action and stories on the Cranking Surf video channel, an On2In2™️ selection of favorite videos.

 

 

 

 

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Featured image of surfer by George Nietsch/Unsplash CC0

FREEDIVING

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Underwater activities that challenge the ability to hold a breath until resurfacing is called freediving or ‘apnea’, and people have been freediving for thousands of years to hunt and gather food, harvest sponges and pearls, search for sunken treasure and assist navies in battles at sea.

Today, there are recreational freediving activities to enjoy — snorkeling, spearfishing, and underwater photography as well as competitions, including competitive apnea disciplines, underwater rugby, underwater hockey, underwater target shooting, competitive spearfishing, and synchronized swimming.

 

 

In “competitive apnea” disciplines of freediving, athletes attempt to attain great depths, times, or distances in a single breath.  Competitions are governed by two international organizations: the International Association for Development of Apnea (AIDA International) and the CMAS (Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques – World Underwater Federation), each with separate rules governing the recognition of world records in the competitive apnea disciplines. There are also ‘record disciplines’ that are free dives not held in competition, but performed strictly for the purpose of setting world records, and the Guinness World Records along with AIDA and CMAS preside over the record attempts.

Breath-holding ability is really just a function of oxygen stores in blood & muscle, efficient oxygen utilization, metabolic rate reduction, and hypoxia (oxygen deficiency) tolerance.  Most freedivers train to increase lung capacity in order to improve breath-holding efficiencies, and it takes practice and good technique to be able to control and relax the body for a freedive.

OK, now try a simple breath-holding test on dry land.  You’ll need something to measure the time —Use the stop-watch on your smart phone or sit next to a clock with a second hand.  Take a deep breath, hold, and watch the clock.  How long could you hold your breath?  Most of us struggle to hold a breath for more than a minute.  By comparison, the AIDA International-recognized world record for Static Apnea (breath-hold endurance while floating on the surface or standing on the bottom) is an astonishing 11 minutes, 35 seconds by French free diver, Stéphane Mifsud.

What motivates a freediver to push the limits for world records, and how do they do it?  Watch these videos, and you’ll learn about the demands and motivations of the sport as three very different freedivers tell their stories.

 

Information/Resources:
About Freediving – history, competition, physiology, recreational, education, CMAS website
What is Freediving? – introduction, education, sport, AIDA International website
8 Tips For Beginner Freedivers by Emily Bates, PADI (March 20, 2017)
The 4 Best Groups and Forums for Freedivers by Sarah Russell, PADI (April 5, 2019)

 

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Feature photo ‘One Breath’, courtesy of Marco Assmann/Unsplash CC0

Among The Trees

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“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

On2In2™ is celebrating Earth Day with a moment of silence because noise pollution is a health hazard for humans and wildlife.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.  

 

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Word Play

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Many of us have felt that urge to write ‘something’ at some point in our lives.  Some follow through on the idea, while others never quite get started or start but never finish because creative writing is a challenging endeavor requiring passion and perseverance.

“Creative writing” is described as the process of creating a literary work of any type, including memoir, essay, short story, novel, poetry, and screenplay.  While some aspire to write a best seller, the joy for many writers is in the writing process, its practice and development, or they have something to say and hope to have an impact on the lives of others.

 

The poem “Where We Dwell” was written by Arian Foster, professional athlete and poet.                        Video from Todd Martin

 

If you’re feeling it, explore and learn more from these online resources: 

⇒  Modern Poetry – FREE to Download  This Yale College course, taught on campus twice per week for 50 minutes, was recorded for Open Yale Courses in Spring 2007.  It covers the body of modern poetry, its characteristic techniques, concerns, and major practitioners. The authors discussed range from Yeats, Eliot, and Pound, to Stevens, Moore, Bishop, and Frost with additional lectures on the poetry of WWI, and the Harlem Renaissance.

⇒  FREE online creative writing courses are offered by Open University:  Start Writing Fiction & Writing What You Know

⇒  Wesleyan University offers via online classes that focus on elements of three creative writing genres, short story, narrative essay, and memoir. [Access to some video lectures and assignments are free so that you can evaluate a course offering prior to purchase.  If the course fee is beyond your budget, financial aid may be available.]

⇒ Find More FREE Creative Writing Classes – a list of online creative writing courses offered free by top universities and educational websites (provided by learningpath.org)

⇒  9 Simple Activities to Inspire Your Writing, by Emma Johnson, Writer’s Edit (online literary magazine created for writers and book lovers)

 

Robert Fullerton found inspiration to write poetry in the shipyards of Govan, Scotland.You’ll find creative inspiration from Robert Fullerton’s story of life in the shipyards, how he learned to write, and his creative process, A Thousand Sparks 

 

 

 

Poetry reading for On2In2™ inspiration is liveTake a look at the On2In2™ article Contemporary Poetry. You’ll find both live and recorded readings featuring unique and inspiring literary voices of today.

 

 

 

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Feature photo courtesy of Taner Argali/Unsplash CC0

A Thousand Sparks

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“If you watch a thousand sparks cascading,
They’re all wee thoughts,
or possibilities,
or ideas;
And, if you could think like that……….”

                                                                               Robert Fullerton

At 13 years old, his formal education ended, and at 17, he started working at a shipyard in Govan, Scotland.  An early start to a life of grueling labor, but Robert Fullerton looked through the reflecting glass visor of his welding helmet and found inspiration in the spirit of the shipyard.

In the video documentary, “Mining Poems or Odes” from the Scottish Documentary Institute (produced by Jack Cocker, directed by Jack Cocker), Robert Fullerton reveals how he learned to write, his creative process, and ‘tools of the trade’.

 

 

Robert Fullerton’s story reminds us that sparks of inspiration are everywhere, and the real magic is in a book.  His passion for books and writing began when his workmate and mentor, Archie, gave him a copy of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists* by Robert Tressell**, the pen name of author Robert Noonan (1870-1911), an Irish-born house painter.

The novel is set in the fictional town of Mugsborough, and based on Noonan’s personal experiences of poverty and exploitation and his views on the relationship between working-class people and their employers, the gross injustice and inequalities of society, and workers’ acceptance of the status quo. Out of work and ill, Noonan was in dire straits during the writing, and there are traces of the anger and bitterness he was feeling in the Ragged story, along with compassion and a sense of humor.

Widely regarded a classic of modern British literature and ranked as a ‘best loved’ novel in a 2003 BBC survey, the completed manuscript originally called, The Ragged Arsed Philanthropists, was rejected by three publishing houses before Noonan died in 1911 at age 40.  His daughter was able to sell the book rights to a publisher for £25, and an edited version (with most of the socialist ideology cut out) was published in 1914.  Forty years later, Robert Noonan’s original manuscript was found, and the unabridged edition was published in 1955.

*Editor’s Note:  The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is available to read free in ebook form or online, and is also free to download and print, courtesy of Project Gutenberg.  The volunteer organization founded in 1971 by American Michael S. Hart (1947-2011), inventor of the ebook, has created a digital library offering over 53,000 ebooks of literary works in the public domain that can be accessed, read, downloaded and printed—all free of charge.

Information/Resources:
Wikipedia: Robert Tressell, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Govan, Project Gutenberg, Michael S. Hart
“Welder Turned Poet….”, The Daily Record (February 14, 2016)

 

 

Exploring the history of black arts and activism in AmericaThe historical works created during times of social unrest and cultural change continue to inspire today Activist Arts

 

 

 

Still shot of shadows intersecting with space and thought during art exhibition was taken from video documentary "Intersections" by Walley Films. Artist Anila Quayyum Agha discusses her creative process and exploration of all human experience.There’s more inspiration here→  Watch:  Creative Perspectives,
an On2In2™ collection of short videos

 

 

 

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Feature photo of welder is courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels, CC0

**Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via the link to this Robert Noonan biography “One of the Damned:  The Life & Times of Robert Tressell” by F.C. Ball.  This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Artisan

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My father was an ardent hobbyist. You might also call him a “generalist” because he didn’t focus on a specific hobby or category of interest.  He was a music lover and amateur musician (trumpet), gardener (vegetables), BBQ master (with a killer secret sauce), meister mechanic, weekend golfer, and smooth social dancer (the waltz).  While he didn’t have a creative arts background or formal training and never thought of himself as “talented”, a few hobby classes taken while serving in the US Air Force sparked a passion for the creative process, and he spent many happy hours in his private studio (the garage), exploring his varied interests and testing his handcrafting skills while working on a variety of arts and crafts projects.

Arts and Crafts: Find your passion and the joy of creating a work of art here at On2In2™
Stan Reinshagen, inspirational artisan

Dad made really beautiful things in ceramic, wood, metal, and leather.
All are treasured pieces.  Most importantly, he found joy in creating, and inspired our family to love ‘making things’.
Let his story inspire you — Make your soul grow.

To help you get started on the search for your passion and the joy of creating a work of art, below is a list of arts and crafts hobby categories for inspiration (including a few links to topical articles) as well as Zola’s arts & craft photo gallery, and there’s a collection of video documentaries on the Art Works and Creative Perspectives channels that include insightful stories from artisans about their work, motivations, and approach to the creative process.

But, please….before buying a bunch of hobby supplies, do a little research and consider the things required for the crafting (time, money, work space, tools, supplies, basic skills and physical abilities) and what you’d like to try. Then, start small.  For example, it doesn’t take much to start coloring, and many find the creative process of ‘coloring within the lines’ to be relaxing and therapeutic.  Find FREE adult coloring books → HERE.  Also, look for arts & crafts instructional classes offered in your community by colleges, museums, art galleries, recreation centers, and local artisans.  If that doesn’t work for you, search libraries and book stores for crafting books, and do some googling.  You’ll be amazed at the variety of instructional books, online courses and ‘how to’ videos available.

 

 

The Arts & Crafts Idea List

Candle and Soap Making

Ceramics/Pottery

Crafting

Digital Art

Glass:  Cutting and Blowing

Jewelry Making

Model Building (replicas of cars, planes, ships, railroads)

Leatherworking

Paint/Watercolor/Sketch  [Check out 2017 Yosemite Conservancy art workshop schedule → Yosemite Art Center  ]

Paper:  Papermaking;  Decoupage

Photography

Recycled Plastics Art 

Sand Sculpting

Textile:  Sew/Knit/Crochet/Embroidery/Weave

Welding and Metalworking

Wood: Woodworking;  Woodcarving/Whittling;  Woodburning

For more crafting inspiration, click/tap these links:
Watch: Art Works
Rubberband Art
Watch:  Photography
Watch:  Digital Arts 

 

 

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’re the crafty social type. Please sign up via the ENGAGE page to join the conversation, share inspiration, ideas & creations, and network with On2In2™ playmakers.

 

 

 

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Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a purchase you make via the Amazon link within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Feature photo is courtesy of Gratisography CC0

Love Stories

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The course of true love never did run smoothShakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act 1 Scene 2

♥ Love is a complicated subject — full of comedy and drama, and that’s what makes it such a provocative story line in these On2In2™ selected videos — FREE to WATCH, On-Demand.        

[Editor’s Note: As with all media content within the On2In2™ website, this video channel is intended for adult audiences, not children. The content of some videos includes expletives and erotic scenes.]

 

 

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It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’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.

 

 

 

Candy box feature photo is courtesy of Gratisography, CC0

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