macophile

2amtomorning
If you find yourself at the crossroads of insomnia and insanity, this is the place to channel those demons that keep you sleepless. Vivid pictures, poetry, ruminations, and confessions from the nether hours between dusk and dawn. Originally formed to celebrate the city at night, there's a strong urban theme.

green_future
Dedicated to promoting global sustainability, this community offers a forum for discussing current environmental news, research, and issues with tips on how to make positive, pro-active changes to reduce carbon impact. You'll also find information on how to get involved in eco-activism and learn about events near you (i.e., act local; think global). Offering a wealth of data on earth-friendly products and practices, you'll be inspired to don an organic bamboo cape and save the planet.

wtf_sexism
Self-described as "a little community with a lot of rage," you can soak up impassioned vibes and read blistering exposes detailing sexist attitudes in the news, pop culture, and science! A must-join community if you are, or love, a feminist. (NB: the topic of whether a "man" can be a feminist is outside the scope of this spotlight, but will probably wind up on the Writer's Block.)

In August of 2000 I was traveling west on I-40 when the geography suddenly and dramatically changed. At the time, this is what I wrote about that experience:

West of Adrian, Texas the flatness ended. The road abruptly dropped down off of the North Texas Plateau into a region of mesas, dry gulches, and sage brush. All of a sudden I was in the American Southwest. This is what I had come to see.

Later on that same westward trip, I would arrive at one of the most beautiful destinations on earth:

At 4:03 a.m. I began my flashlight-aided descent. I followed the Bright Angel Trail for two miles down into the Grand Canyon and came upon a magnificent outcropping. Walls of rock towered above me toward the rim from where I had just come, yet it was another thousand feet down to the next plateau. This was a perfect spot to stop, putting me right in the middle of the canyon. Shortly after settling in, the real light show began when the rising sun started painting the cliffs. For an hour I simply sat on my perch and photographed. Everywhere I pointed my lens a beautiful composition was found. Clearly, this was the most visually stimulating hour of my life.

In March of 2004, I crossed the Sir Francis Drake Channel in the Caribbean Sea on an excursion to a beautiful cove known as The Baths at Virgin Gorda. The sand & sea, palms & boulders, and blue skies were incredible, but even more dramatic beauty was found underwater. For an hour I snorkeled throughout the cove, blown away by the vivid colors, approachable wildlife, and intense serenity beneath the surface. It remains one of my strongest and fondest memories of any place I have ever visited.

As part of a trip to Denver in 2006 to visit my brother, we ventured north to Rocky Mountain National Park. Here we followed the Emerald Lake Trail to the base of Hallet Peak and again I arrived at one of the most beautiful destinations on earth:

Prior to today, the most beautiful place I had ever been was two miles down into the Grand Canyon. Sitting today though, two miles high in the Rocky Mountains along the shore of Emerald Lake, I realize that the fullness of beauty here matches that of the Grand Canyon, or anywhere else on earth. Some places in nature just max out the splendor scale.

Throughout the decade I would regularly embark upon day hikes in the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains near my home. On a cold November morning in 2006, my hike to Tibbet Knob would stand out prominently as my favorite local adventure:

The last few puffs of my Macanudo cigar taste wonderful. I smoke it down to the smallest possible nub; the last draw nearly igniting my finger tips. At 2,800 feet, atop Tibbet Knob, I have clear views to the west over the Trout Run valley and to the north of Big Schloss. An updraft peels away a cluster of leaves from a pin oak in the valley below and swirls them skyward for a few hundred feet before they scatter chaotically and gently float back to earth. I’m inspired by this unique sight, grab my journal from my pack, sharpen my pencil with my knife, and start scribbling notes about this wonderful day.

Visiting interesting geographic sites has always fascinated me, but never more so than my trip in September of 2007 to Pingvellir National Park in Iceland:

Pingvellir is a natural wonder. It’s located along the mid-Atlantic ridge where the North American and European tectonic plates are separating. In effect, it’s a crack in the earth that has swallowed part of the Oxara River and created Lake Pingvallavatn, Iceland’s scuba diving hotspot. Everything about this place is magical - from the awesome power of tectonics, to its crystal clear waters and brisk fresh air, and to its isolation from the rest of the world. I have never been at a place and time that has felt more natural than Pingvellir at sunset on the 25th of September, 2007.

Here’s hoping the next ten years provide some of the same type of extraordinary travel opportunities for me. The memories of my travels are one of my most cherished possessions.

1. how did you spend the first day of 2000?

2. when do you first remember staying up for the new year?

3. what traditions do you observe on new years?

4. what do you want to happen in your life in 2010?

renaissance2010
Turning to photography as a creative outlet during a valiant fight with breast cancer at age 34, renaissance10 survived and set up a photo contest to help raise funds for the Lavender Trust, a nonprofit that provides information and support to younger women with breast cancer. In the first two years, the competition brought in over £65,000 (that's $107,260.73 U.S.!), with entries from 130 countries last year. Renaissance10 recently joined LiveJournal to meet other passionate photographers and find supportive friends.

curiouscupcakes
Holy buttercream frosting! If you have a sweet tooth for sugary goodness or a wandering eye for whimsical confection, this is pure ecstasy iced in deliciousness. Hailing the beloved cupcake as the artisinal canvas of choice, you'll enjoy recipes, photos, and bountiful tips to bake up a batch, whether your taste leans toward French classics or funky and flavorful.

mission101
With New Years in the offing, it's an ideal time to reflect on past accomplishments, make peace with disappointments, and refocus the lens on future goals. This community welcomes you to create a bucket list of 101 things you plan to accomplish in the next 1,001 days. Offering support, guidance, and inspiration, this is a great way to jumpstart those pesky resolutions.

The theme is change. I have noticed that there is an abundance of change going on in people's life, whether they planned it or not.

1) How do you cope with change? Does it make it easier if you get to plan it?

2) Has there been any major change in your life in the last year? Did you get much of a say?

3) The last time there was a major change in your life, what else changed that you didn't expect?

4) How are you at making lemonade out of lemons?

bonus: What Christmas 'tradition' do you now practice which is different from your previous generation?

Please reply as a comment on this post, and do not do a separate post.

I wish peace and love and good fortune to all of you and yours.

NOTE: My server is being taken down and replaced this weekend. I'll try to come back at the end of the day to look at the post. I am sure that there will be some lovely stuff, here. I just probably won't be getting emails about it.

My daughter found this in a second hand store.
It is the box cover to a familiar game - circa middle '60s.
Somehow I doubt that they would try to use this imaging today.

Happy Festivus everybody! My girlfriend moved in with me recently. That's from our whiteboard.