Astoria: a mini-San Francisco?

Okay, I know it's a stretch - San Francisco and Astoria, OR in the same group!  But, think about it, both places are very hilly, covered with cute Victorian homes on the shores of the water (a bay or river) where bridges and water dominate the view.  Astoria usually has a few ships anchored just offshore, and an active (albeit small) port.  There's a tourist trolley that runs along the river's edge, complete with ringing bell and friendly conductor.  It has a long history of fires, and much of the downtown area was built on pilings.  The fishing industry is still present, but renovated canneries now host a lot more espresso shops, breweries, and museums.  Sounds more and more familiar, huh?  Okay, Astoria only has about 10,000 people, and is certainly not a thriving cultural center, but I can't help but think of San Francisco when I go on my morning run or meet friends downtown for coffee.  This article from the NY Times got me thinking, so there you have it - my waxing poetic about my current hometown!


http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/travel/27overnighter-astoria.html


http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/03/27/travel/0327ASTORIA.html

Lucky

Fort Stevens State Beach, Oregon Coast

Sometimes it's good to just sit back and get some perspective.  I got that tonight, as I was doing my monthly beached bird survey.  When I started doing these surveys I thought "once a month?  No problem!"  Well it turns out volunteering to do even one thing every month can be kinda hard for this girl.  If you haven't noticed, it's already Jan 31 - the last day of the first month of 2011!  - and I found myself rushing out of work at 4:30 pm to quickly do my beach survey before the sun set on January 2011.  At times like these I wonder why I volunteered at all.  I mean, the purpose is to monitor dead birds that wash ashore on local beaches, as a way to assess the overall health of the ocean and respond to catastrophic events like oil spills.  As a marine biologist, I get it.  Long-term datasets on what "normal" is - even in the dead bird world - is invaluable when something like the Horizon Deepwater Oil Spill happens.  Scientists can tell when an unusual stranding event is happening and react.  But when I'm rushing out at sunset, with plenty of other stuff to do, it just feels like more work.


That is, until I get to the beach.  Then I'm reminded of how lucky I really am.  As I prepare to get married and move (hopefully) in with John - probably in Seattle - I know that my time on the Oregon Coast - at least as my current permanent residence is concerned - is limited.  The beach at Fort Stevens State Beach is long, flat, and wide.  Sand stretches north and south out into the hazy distance, with the wild ocean waves crashing all along the shore.  Tillamook Head peeks out through the low-lying clouds, miles away, and the mouth of Columbia River looms to the north, marked by the long jetty with saltwater spray bouncing off the tops of waves.  I'm usually one of only a handful of people out on the beach - sometimes I'm literally the only person - and essentially have the big wide beach all to myself.  Luckily the shipwreck of the Peter Iredale serves as a good reference point on this long beach.  I can't imagine there are many places left like this in the world.  As I walk the beach, scanning for carcasses (and glass balls), I get lost in my thoughts.  The wind and waves are the soundtrack as I reset my mind and perspective.  I gaze out to sea - sometimes there are crab boats on the horizon, sometimes pelicans soaring above the waves.  Sometimes the wind is pelting rain into my face so hard it hurts, sometimes the sun is so bright it blinds.  But every time I'm on the beach, I feel lucky.  To have this place within 20 minutes of my house, to be able to witness Mother Nature at her finest, at the place where the ocean meets land, I am happy.  The sand I track back into my car, and the wet rain gear and soggy datasheets are all byproducts of the lucky life I have. 

Moms

I just saw a photo of Emma Claire - Elizabeth Edwards' daughter - online while trying to figure out why (why why why?) anyone would want to picket her funeral.  I didn't get too far, as the photo of John Edwards comforting Emma Claire brought tears to my eyes.  It made the passing of Elizabeth Edwards real to me. 

I can't say that I know exactly what Emma Claire is feeling, but I know how I felt when my mom died.  It's so complicated, all of the emotions coming and going as quickly as they arrive.  It's painful - really truly horribly cramping and crippling, all-encompassing...  I remember chewing a chip - one small potato chip - and thinking "I can't taste this, why is it in my mouth?" and wanting to spit it out but someone was talking to me so I forced it down.  I didn't eat again for a day and a half.  I laughed and cried and laughed while crying.  It was lonely, scary.  And there were so many plans, too.  More than once we accidentally called the funeral a wedding.  It seemed the same - flowers, announcements...

One day - one day - I am going to write a book about this.  It's my goal in life.  I took so many notes, wrote so much in my journal during this time.  Everyone said "It takes 5 years to get through all of the stages of grief".  I thought - 5 years??!?  - that's crazy.  But my oh my - it's been 4 1/2 years since my mom died, and now I see.  I guess that's why I feel for Emma Claire.  My mom's death is in the past now, and not nearly as painful, but just under the surface the tears are still there, ready to well up at any time. 

WATER: Blog Action Day 2010

   

Water, water everywhere...but where do I even begin?   This topic - WATER - is so close to me.  I'm a marine biologist, after all!  But, more importantly, issues like access to clean, fresh drinking water, water pollution, and ocean conservation are all very important to me - and, in my mind, intimately tied together.  Imagine a world where you couldn't trust the water coming out of your tap.  OH WAIT, that's the world we live in!!  How did we get here, and can it change?  I see positive changes all the time, including more awareness of reducing bottled water use --- and putting more pressure on our local governments to guarantee our water resources are safe.  Our disregard for the environment - and the interconnections of humans to our world - is changing.  We are much more aware of toxic pollutants in the water, in our bodies, causing cancer.  And here are some more facts:

The problem of scarce clean water:

Nearly 1 billion people lack access to clean water, which causes a litany of struggles, diseases and even death.

• 40 Billion Hours: African women walk over 40 billion hours each year carrying cisterns weighing up to 18 kilograms to gather water, which is usually still not safe to drink. More Info »
• 38,000 Children a Week: Every week, nearly 38,000 children under the age of 5 die from unsafe drinking water and unhygienic living conditions. More Info »
• Wars Over Water: Many scholars attribute the conflict in Darfur at least in part to lack of access to water. A report commissioned by the UN found that in the 21st century, water scarcity will become one of the leading causes of conflict in Africa. More Info »
• A Human Right: In July, to address the water crisis, the United Nations declared access to clean water and sanitation a human right over. But we are far from implementing solutions to secure basic access to safe drinking water. More Info »

Water over-consumption in industrialized countries:

While the developing world faces a water crisis, those in industrialized countries consume far more than their fair share.

• Food Footprint: It takes 24 liters of water to produce one hamburger. That means it would take over 19.9 billion liters of water to make just one hamburger for every person in Europe. More Info »
• Technology Footprint: The shiny new iPhone in your pocket requires half a liter of water to charge. That may not seem like much, but with over 80 million active iPhones in the world, that's 40 million liters to charge those alone. More Info »
• Fashion Footprint: That cotton t-shirt you're wearing right now took 1,514 liters of water to produce, and your jeans required an extra 6,813 liters. More Info »
• Bottled Water Footprint: The US, Mexico and China lead the world in bottled water consumption, with people in the US drinking an average of 200 bottles of water per person each year. Over 17 million barrels of oil are needed to manufacture those water bottles, 86 percent of which will never be recycled. More Info »

Water and the environment:

The disregard for water resources in industrialized countries impacts more than humans – it causes environmental devastation.

• Waste Overflow: Every day, 2 million tons of human waste are disposed of in water sources. This not only negatively impacts the environment but also harms the health of surrounding communities. More Info »
• Polluted Oceans: Death and disease caused by polluted coastal waters costs the global economy $12.8 billion a year. More Info »
• Uninhabitable Rivers: Today, 40% of America's rivers and 46% of America's lakes are too polluted for fishing, swimming, or aquatic life. More Info »

Water solutions:

The good news is that there are great organizations working on solutions and new tools that empower people to do their part to address the water crisis.

• Building Wells: Organizations like Water.org and charity: water are leading the charge in bringing fresh water to communities in the developing world.
• Technology for Good: Do you want to measure how much water it took to make your favorite foods? There's an app for that. More Info »
• Conservation Starts at Home: The average person uses 465 liters of water per day. Find out how much you use and challenge your readers to do that same. More Info »
• Keeping Rivers Clean: We can all take small steps to help keep pollution out of our rivers and streams, like correctly disposing of household wastes. More Info »
• Drop the Bottle: Communities around the world are taking steps to reduce water bottle waste by eliminating bottled water.More Info »

Blog Action Day: WATER

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Something to always keep in mind

Top 5 regrets of the Dying

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn't work so hard.

This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.

When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.

Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.

Bronnie Ware is a writer, singer/songwriter, songwriting teacher and speaker from Australia. She has lived nomadically for most of her adult life. Bronnie shares her inspiring observations and the insights gained along the way through the diversity of her work.

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