Just Say No (on 8)

There are a lot of words to describe me, but “activist” isn't one of them. I don't even like to sign petitions.

But I was so outraged by the November 4th Yes vote on Proposition 8, banning same-sex marriage in California, (not to mention frustrated because I wasn't able to vote myself) that today I did something I've never done before—I attended a protest rally!

It started downtown at the San Jose Museum of Art, where maybe 100 or so people had gathered around 10:00 a.m.

We then walked about 1/2 a mile to City Hall... I even chanted along occasionally (SO not me!). My favourite one was, “Two, Four, Six, Eight... Teach your children not to hate!”

When we arrived at City Hall, there were several hundred more people already assembled, and more still coming. (I read later in the San Jose Mercury News that there were about 2,000 people in total—not quite the 7,500 that apparently showed up in San Francisco, but not too shabby.)

The rally was completely peaceful and incident-free—I didn't see a single person protesting from the other side. I didn't carry a sign, but lots of people did. Here are some of my favourite ones:

And here's a brief video of the event:

The rally was part of a nationwide effort. I'm looking forward to hearing how many people turned out altogether. It felt really good to take a public stand for something I truly believe in. I'm not suggesting I'm suddenly going to turn into a 60s-style radical or anything, but it's a start...

And next time, I'll be able to take the most effective stand of all... by voting!

Kiwi Kapers

Yes, I know, I know... It's been almost four months since my last post. But rather than bore you out of your mind regale you with all the reasons I've been MIA during this time, I'm simply going to proceed as if I never left. :)

I have my online writing colleague, Melanie McMinn, to thank for getting me back in the game. She's just started her own blog, Fat and Sassy New Zealand Travel, and that reminded me of some of my own adventures in that wonderful country.

I went to New Zealand for the first time in February 1994 as part of a longer trip in that region. Unfortunately, I was only able to spend five whirlwind days on the North Island, so that simply whetted my appetite for a longer visit. I was finally able to return seven years later and, that time, a friend of mine from Canada joined me. We spent two and a half glorious weeks driving—on the left side of the road!—around both islands. (I know that sounds like a lot of time for what looks like quite a small country on a map but, believe me, with so many amazing things to see and do, we were on the go practically every second of every day!)

While Queenstown is often referred to as “the adventure capital of the world” (it's the birthplace of bungee jumping after all), we actually didn't spend much time there. However, we didn't lack for adventure in the slightest, as you'll see in the pics below.

This first couple were taken when we went kayaking in Abel Tasman National Park, a gorgeous coastal region in the northwest area of the south island.

This next one is from Fox Glacier, further south on the same coast. The hiking pole was a HUGE help walking on the ice.

These next two are from the North Island. The first one is from Rotorua, home to natural hot springs and the heart of Maori culture. The picture shows me participating in a popular Maori game where you throw sticks back and forth in certain patterns. I was quite proud of the fact that I caught on to it quite quickly.

This last shot is from one of my all-time favourite adventures (despite the fashion requirements...). I actually did it on my first trip to NZ and loved it so much, I insisted my friend come with me again on the second trip (and she loved it as much as I did). We went blackwater rafting in the Waitomo caves, where you float along an underground stream on a rubber tube, gazing in awe at the millions of glow worms lighting your way from the roof of the cave. Breathtaking! (There's even a spot where you leap off a cliff, through a waterfall, into the pool below... sounds scary, but feels fantastic!)

As you can tell from the above, New Zealand offers a huge variety of activities for every kind of adventure. But this is just a small taste of what's available. If you're thinking of going there yourself and want more ideas on how to enjoy your visit, do make sure you check out Melanie's new blog. Completely coincidentally, in her post today she mentions her own experience blackwater rafting!

Yes He Did!

Despite my very strong political opinions, I have no intention of making this blog political—there are plenty of those out there already! However, I couldn't let this historic day go by without notice.

I think it's pretty safe to say that anyone who runs for President of the United States has to have an adventurous spirit, which of course I admire. (Although why anyone would WANT the job is beyond me...). But throughout this campaign, as I watched Barack Obama work to arrive at this momentous occasion, I've also come to admire his grace and dignity under difficult circumstances, his respectful behaviour toward all his opponents, and—most of all—his ability to unite, inspire, and bring hope to millions of people across all divides: race, gender, age, economic status... why, he even has Rupert Murdoch lavishing praise on him!

So congratulations to Barack Obama, Democratic nominee for President of the United States!

And now, on to November...

Adventure in the News

For anyone that thinks adventure is purely about self-indulgence, this story tells an entirely different tale.

> A Life-Altering Adventure

Having an adventure + making a difference = one powerful combination.

Blog of the Day

I've mentioned Linda Formichelli and her Renegade Writer blog in the past. At the beginning of the year, Linda launched a fabulous new project, creativePAW, or Creative Professionals for Animal Welfare. Her goal is to match volunteer writers, designers, photographers, actors, marketing specialists, and a whole slew of other creative types with animal welfare organizations that need their services but who are budget-challenged.

As someone who loves animals myself (really?! :), I applaud Linda for this wonderful initiative. And I encourage my multitalented friends and blog readers who are passionate about animal welfare issues to register with creativePAW. (And if you know any organizations who could use this kind of help, point them in her direction as well!)

Buddy, Can You Spare Some Marrow?

A writing colleague, Marijke Durning, blogged yesterday about registering to become a bone marrow donor. It's a very comprehensive post about how important it is and what's involved, so I'm not going to repeat all that information here. I urge you to check out the information on her blog.

I registered to be a donor about 15 years ago, after the husband of a friend of mine passed away from lymphoma at the much too early age of 31. He had received a marrow transplant, but unfortunately he developed an infection before his immune system had fully regained its strength.

Shortly after I registered, I got called in because I was a first-level match for someone, which is a 1 in a 100 chance. They took blood from me to do more detailed tests and I wasn't a close enough match to move on to the next stage.

Then, a few months later, I got called again because this time I was a second-stage match, which is a 1 in 20,000 chance! They drew a LOT more blood this time and, again, I wasn't close enough. Of course, now that they've run that level of tests on me and have it in their records, they would never call me again unless I actually was the best match for a specific patient. That hasn't happened.

In the States, you can learn more about marrow donation and register at the National Marrow Donor Program Web site. In Canada, the OneMatch program is run by Canadian Blood Services.

Blog of the Day

Since I've already highlighted the two blogs that would have some relationship to this topic, today I'll simply post a link to Sue Poremba's blog, I Breathe; Therefore, I Write. Sue is another freelance writing colleague and her posts reflect her personal experiences and thoughts about the writing life.

The Play's the (Adventurous) Thing

Today's guest blogger: Charmian Christie

In my post from a few days ago, I selected Christie's Corner as my Blog of the Day. Today, the blog's author, Charmian Christie, and I are having a “blog swap,” where she's written an entry for my blog and vice versa. (So be sure to check out her site to read mine! :)

In addition to writing about food, travel, health, and more for magazines, Charmian is also a produced playwright. Recently she workshopped one of her plays and I'm thrilled that she's chosen Embrace Adventure to share her story!

*****

I've jumped out of an airplane, been forced to make an emergency landing while hang gliding, and driven a twisty-turny mountain range on a gravel road only one-car wide and with no guardrail. But the scariest thing I've ever done was have my play workshopped.

Playwriting is all about giving up control. There's no safety net, emergency chute or roadside assistance for your ego. In a workshop, you hand your words to a group of professionals, who not only read them aloud, but comment on them—in your presence. As if you aren't there.

As a freelance writer who gets edited regularly, I am used to a flat-out critique. But actors and directors aren't discerning editors who give your copy a spit and polish. They're motivation vultures, scavenging for subtext. Not content to merely skim the surface of your script, they sift through your words, line by line, looking for meaning. Snappy dialogue with no substance will delight actors on the first reading, disappoint them on the second, and bore them on the third. During this workshop, we'd potentially read my script six times. Would my pride survive the scrutiny?

The first day was unnerving. I wasn't allowed to explain my script, just listen. And I sat mute and frustrated while actors delivered lines in the wrong tone, or approached a scene from a misguided angle. I wanted to jump in, correct them, give them the direction they clearly needed. But the goal of a workshop is to let the actors and director “peel the onion,” digging deeper and deeper into the text to see if there's anything underneath. They were mining my script and I was beginning to worry they'd find nothing of value.

At the end of the day, the director suggested I go home and write monologues that addressed some of his questions about the characters. I did. Although I thought the exercise was unnecessary.

The second day, they read each scene different ways, testing various scenarios, to see which resonated the most. As they explored the possibilities, the actors stopped asking questions about their characters and started defending them. My newly written monologues went unused. Part of me was relieved since the ones from the main character were weak. Part of me wondered if the director was just trying to keep me busy while the pros sorted things out.

At the end of the second day, the director suggested I go home and reread the script for hidden motivations. I didn't. This time I “interviewedᰵ my main character to see if she would open up more. She did. But I still questioned the relevance of such an exercise.

On the third and final day, the director asked me to insert some of the monologues into the script. With the addition of these “unnecessary” scenes, the actors went from thinking about the characters to owning them. Throw away lines resonated, the pauses were powerful—not dead air—and plot holes big enough to drive a Hummer through were now minor bumps on the road.

Initially, the workshop was unnerving. When asked why I chose one word over another or why a character says this instead of that, I was sure they were telling me I'd failed as a playwright. But watching actors embrace a role and plunge deeper into the text than I thought possible wasn't just rewarding. It was the biggest, longest-lasting adrenaline rush imaginable.

Who needs airplanes and mountains when you have words?

*****

Blog of the Day

Since I've already highlighted Charmian's blog, today I'll select one from another great “foodie” (as we call them): Monica Bhide's A Life of Spice.

Monica debunks the popular expression, “Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.” While she teaches an online food writing class, she clearly CAN and DOES.

She's also a fabulous essay writer. Here's a lovely piece she wrote for the Washington Post about teaching her son Hindi, her mother tongue, while shelling peas together.

Water, Water, Anywhere?

(Probably not surprisingly), I'm a huge supporter of the space program. Even when the money could be used for more immediate concerns right here on Earth, I believe that exploration is one of the most important—and defining—attributes of humanity.

And it's days like today that really drive the point home.

> NASA spacecraft successfully lands on Mars

I just LOVE the picture of the guys in the control room—I can't imagine how fantastic they must be feeling right now!

Blog of the Day

The official NASA Web site for the Phoenix Mars Mission includes a blog section with posts by various members of the project team.

Taking "Leap of Faith" to a Whole New Level

I realize this is not the most important point in this story but, if you were going to parachute 40 kilometers to Earth, would you do it in Saskatchewan?

> Frenchman poised for ‘Great Leap,’ a 40-kilometer-
high adventure

Blog of the Day

While you're waiting for Monsieur Fournier to come down to Earth, check out writer/editor Trish Lawrence's blog, What Came Down Today, which she describes as “mostly blather about my writing, gossip, and my opinions on things as opposite as Gossip Girl and James Frey.” She just moved it to a new server Friday, so you can find her archives at What Came Down Yesterday.

What's Your Fantasy (Camp)?

This Forbes article points the way for people who want to live out their wildest dreams, from playing in a rock and roll band to playing basketball with Michael Jordan!

> Eight Places To Live Out Your Fantasies

Blog of the Day

This is my last full day in Canada this trip, so I'll highlight two of fellow Canadian Marijke Durning's blogs, Marijke: nurse turned writer, and Help My Hurt. The former covers a variety of health and safety topics, while the latter focuses on pain prevention and management.

Lifelong Learning

I had drinks tonight with one of my friends who has gone back to school this year to study environmental science. I'm always so impressed by people who continue to pursue their dreams throughout their lives.

We talked a lot about how different it is going to school as a “mature” student. (I did my MBA part-time a decade after I'd graduated the first time.) Our life experiences really change the attitude we bring to any new studies we undertake.

For example, my friend is taking an introductory biology course as a foundation for her program. When I started university, I was studying life sciences, and I found biology labs really boring—I could never figure out what was so exciting about all the cell activity going on under the microscope. But now I think I would be fascinated by it, partly because of the work I'm doing with squirrels with the Wildlife Center and what I'm learning about the various illnesses they suffer from. It would be really cool to see what's actually going on in their little bodies!

I'd also love to hear about any educational adventures you've embraced, perhaps a little later in life. What made you decide to go back to school? What did you like about it this time around, and what was still annoying? Do you have any plans to do any further studies, either for career purposes or simply personal interest?

Blog of the Day

If learning more about writing is one of your dreams, check out The Renegade Writer blog, which is run by two very successful freelancers: Diana Burrell and Linda Formichelli. Not only have they written two excellent books on the business of writing—The Renegade Writer and The Renegade Writer's Query Letters that Rocked—they also offer several e-courses there as well, including magazine writing basics, food writing, and travel writing.

Not Your Parents' Vacation

One of the main purposes of this blog is to show that adventure doesn't have to include exotic travel or extreme sports. But that doesn't mean those types of activities don't count at all. So with that in mind, I thought I'd share this item I found online today.

> Top 10 extreme vacations

The list includes adventures that can take you from the depths of the ocean to outer space. And for those of us who aren't quite ready to go to the very edge, it also suggests less heart-pounding versions of each activity.

And here's something cool: I've actually done one of the adventures on the list! Can you guess which one?

Blog of the Day

If trying to find ways to keep your kids active and engaged is your idea of an extreme adventure, check out Toni Klym McLellan's blog, Bring the Family. With three sons of her own, she knows whereof she writes!

Adventure in the News

It takes a LOT to make me cry. This did it.

> Touching Them All

I can't imagine how proud the parents of these young women must be.

Blog of the Day

Dara Chadwick really put herself out there last year, when she very publicly chronicled her diet and fitness journey as Shape magazine's Weight Loss Diary columnist. Now she publishes her own blog, Fit in Real Life, where she discusses the challenges of maintaining her new, healthier lifestyle when she no longer has to report in to 1.5 million readers each month.

Games People (Used To) Play

I don't know why this always happens, but I had never heard of Cape May before yesterday, when I blogged about
Jen A. Miller's book, The Jersey Shore: Atlantic City to Cape May. Then, when I did a Google search on “adventure” to try to find a topic to blog about today, I found this article on the Web site for the Cape May County Herald.

> “Props, An Adventure in Theatre Workshop” at Court House Library

The article is an announcement of a mini-workshop designed to “bring more joy into your life through play.” Participants are instructed to bring a hula hoop and a crate to class. Sounds like this could be fun...!

I used to be pretty good at the hula hoop, back in the day, although I could only do the regular spinning-it-around-
the-waist movement—none of the fancy throws or crazy multi-body-parts tricks (which, somehow, at some point, managed to become an Olympic sport...?).

I also loved hopscotch and skipping, although I never could get the rhythm right to do double-dutch properly. And I really liked games where you threw a ball against a wall using different types of throws and catches, usually accompanied by some instructional song. (“Ordinary movesies... One hand and the other hand... One foot then the other foot... A clap in the front and a clap in the back...” Well, you get the idea.) Now kids probably only play that on a Wii!

I'm curious what other childhood games people think of fondly, or possibly shake their heads at today. Does anyone else remember that weird contraption that had a plastic ring that went around your ankle, and had a string attached to a bell-shaped piece? You would twirl it around in circles using the one leg, while skipping over it with the other. Do they even make that anymore? Inquiring minds and all that...

Blog of the Day

Speaking of things I loved as a child, writer/editor Sandra Hume administers Only Laura, a blog devoted to all things Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House book series. As part of the May Blogathon challenge, she's also running a commenting contest. Enter a comment on any post, and you'll be entered to win a really cool prize.

Let's Go Down the Jersey Shore. Alpaca Lunch.

I've mentioned before that I think writing a book is an adventure in and of itself, but when you're writing a guidebook in particular, you're bound to run into plenty more adventures during your research. Such was the case for Jen A. Miller, one of my writing colleagues, who has just published The Jersey Shore; Atlantic City to Cape May: Great Destinations: A Complete Guide: Including the Wildwoods (Great Destinations).

The book is a travel guide to the South Jersey Shore. It tells you where to eat, where to stay, where to play, and so much more. The guide entries are peppered with sidebars of Jersey Shore history and Jen's experiences researching the book, one of which—a trip to an alpaca farm—she's generously sharing with Embrace Adventure readers.

*****

At first, I didn't believe what she's said.

"You're going to see the Alpaca farm, right?" asked Mary Ann Gorrick over breakfast. I was staying at the Inn at the Park, a bed and breakfast in Cape May, N.J., which she runs with her husband, Jay. I was staying there while researching my book The Jersey Shore, Atlantic City to Cape May. The Jersey Shore is known for things like beaches, rides, ice cream and boardwalks, not farm animals, and certainly not alpacas.

"Excuse me?" I asked, almost choking on my pancake.

"Oh, yes, the alpacas. We'll call them and say you're coming over," she said.

Believe it or not, there is an alpaca farm located in Cape May, which is more known for its Victorian buildings than livestock. But as I pulled up to Bay Springs Farm, there they were, these mini llamas, curious as the who the newcomer was.

Fernando, a young, black alpaca (with a champion fleece, so I later learned) bounded right up to the gate to meet me. Warren Nuessle had waved me over and said it was okay to pet Fernando, but only on his back. The other animals gave me the quizzical eye, and I wouldn't dare pet them, but as Barbara Nuessle led me through the farm, they didn't lunge or try to attack (as had been the case with an ostrich farm I later visited in North Jersey for another assignment).

Barbara Nuessle had always been a knitter, and she loved working with the yarn that was spun from alpaca fleece. So when she and Warren were looking what to do when they retired, Alpacas came to the top of the list.

They moved from Bryn Mawr, Pa. to Cape May and now live with the alpacas. Nuessle still makes things from the alpaca fleece, and she spins the yarn herself. The goods are sold in the farmhouse store attached to the farm. They also breed and sell alpacas, and tried to convince me that they make good pets. It's not that I don't believe them, but I can barely have enough space for a 12 pound dog, though I wouldn't mind having my dog go to the bathroom in the same spot all the time, which is what alpacas do.

After I toured the grounds and gave Fernando another pat, I left to continue researching gift shops and restaurants. But that day stuck with me. And why not? It's not every day you get to pet a champion.

*****

Jen shares more of her adventures on her blog, Down the Shore with Jen. To learn more about the book and find out when Jen might be making an appearance near you, visit the book's Web site as well.

Blog of the Day

When she's not writing a book, you can be pretty sure that Jen will be reading one—one a week, in fact! For the last year, she's been reviewing a new book each week on her blog, aptly titled Book a Week with Jen. And I'm just in time in highlighting her blog—the review of book 52 of 52 should be coming out later this week!

(BTW, I'm definitely in awe of this endeavour. One of my goals for 2008 was to read two books a month and let's just say I've got some catching up to do...)

Mixing Business with Adventure

The main cover story for the May 2008 issue of Outside magazine is “The 50 Best Jobs.” Their criteria is probably somewhat different than a lot of other publications that publish annual Best Jobs features, which is why their list includes such drool-inducing options as Race Director, Gear Designer, and Libations Professional (!). The piece includes several sidebars titled, “How I got my sweet gig,” where they interview some men and women currently working at their dream jobs. I was particularly drawn to the story of Christina Heyniger, a 36-year-old adventure consultant, who had been a management consultant to government departments and who now travels the world using those same skills to advise adventure companies how to improve their businesses. Sweet, indeed...

The article also lists thirty companies who supposedly offer “the nation's most well-balanced workplaces.“ I choked a little, then, when I saw #2 in the 250+ employees category: Google. While they laud the company for offering employees three meals a day, on-site haircuts, and a state-of-the-art gym, it occurs to me that these “benefits” seem like they're actually designed to prevent employees from ever going, well, Outside...

Putting that little bit of weirdness aside, I still highly recommend checking out the magazine's Web site for an amazing wealth of adventure-related stories, pics, videos, blogs, and more.

Speaking of magazines, I had mentioned in my post a few days ago that earlier this year I had an article about exercise-induced asthma published in Women's Adventure magazine. At the time, the article wasn't posted on their site, so I couldn't link to it. But since then, the next issue of the pub has hit newsstands, so you can now read the piece online if you're interested.

Blog of the Day

If, like me, you enjoy hearing about famous people using their influence to make a positive difference in the world, rather than simply to get them into the hottest parties, you'll love Celebrity Do Gooders. The blog's owner, Lisa Iannucci, highlights artists and athletes in every field about the causes near and dear to their hearts, whether it's Dave Matthews and other musicians working to increase voter registration, celeb photographer Nigel Barker fighting to stop the Canadian seal hunt, or Patrick Dempsey launching a center for cancer treatment.

To Serve and Protect

If you've ever wanted to see what it's like to be a cop, you might get your chance if your local police department offers a Citizens Academy program, where you can take classes, participate in simulation exercises, and maybe even go on a ride along! (Oh, I would SO love to do this...)

I recently learned about these types of programs and have found ones for my neighbouring Santa Clara Police Department and Fremont Police Department, but none for San Jose itself. :(

If any of you have participated in one of these programs, we'd love to hear about your experiences. Feel free to add a comment below or send me an e-mail with your story, and I'll be thrilled to post it.

The two programs I've mentioned are free, but if you happen to have an extra $3,700 lying around, you might want to sign up for this Urban Ops: Hostage Rescue Team adventure. When else will you ever have a chance to shoot an AK47? (And despite my unwavering support of strong gun control laws, I would SO love to do this too... Must be my inner Rambo...)

NOTE: I have no first-hand knowledge about the company that offers the above trip, so please do not take this as a recommendation on my part.

Blog of the Day

As a proud Canadian, I'm also a proud fan of the great game of ice hockey (especially when we kick certain southern neighbours' butts in the Olympics, ha!...) But I must say I'm sadly ignorant about our other official sport—lacrosse. If you're a fan, though, check out The Lacrosse Blog, published by Barbara K. Adamski in Vancouver.

Barb is one of my Freelance Success buddies. She also lived in Japan for several years, so we have that in common, and she's my go-to grammar guru whenever I get stumped by the intricacies and nuances of cases, clauses, or commas, (which fortunately isn't often... :)

Sir Edmund Hillary, 1919-2008

Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb Mount Everest (accompanied by his Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay), passed away today at the age of 88.

Now, even though I'm always saying you don't have to climb mountains to be an adventurer, I'm definitely in complete awe of the passion and commitment he must have had to achieve such a momentous goal. (And I really gotta love the first words he said to the first person he met on his way back down: “Well George, we finally knocked the bastard off.” :)

Here's a link to Hillary's Wikipedia entry if you want to learn more about the life of this extraordinary man who truly exemplified the concept of an adventurous spirit.

One Fewer Adventurous Spirit in the World

I hadn't posted in two weeks so I was planning to write a bit of an update today. But unfortunately I learned a few hours ago that a very close friend of mine has passed away, so I wanted to honour her memory instead.

Lynn and I became friends when we lived in the same L.A. apartment complex twenty years ago. She looked like the ultimate California girl—tall, long blond hair, gorgeous smile. But she was so much more than a stereotype.

Although she died far too young (she was only 54), Lynn packed a lot of life into those years. She loved to travel (we went to Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand together in the early 90s, which is where the picture above is from). When I last saw her in mid-September, she had recently returned from a 3-week trip to Europe and she looked healthier and happier than I had seen her in a long time. She was in really high spirits, grateful that she'd had this wonderful opportunity before her life changed dramatically.

Lynn had been suffering from polycystic kidney disease for the last several years. She had just been put on the transplant list, but the wait was expected to be 5-7 years. She wasn't on dialysis yet, but knew it could happen any time, which would have meant the end to any kind of exotic adventures. I mistakenly thought that she would slowly decline until the point she would have to go on dialysis, but apparently the kidneys can just shut down at any time and it's also possible to have a heart attack if other things are going wrong. So here's my PSA to please, please, please sign your donor card (and let your family know that you want to be a donor) if you haven't already.

When she wasn't off exploring the world, Lynn taught ESL at an adult high school. She adored her work. In recent years, she had taken on the role of technology coordinator at her school and was really excited to find new ways to help her students learn.

She loved all kinds of animals, but especially birds. Her baby was a gorgeous parrot named Chico. He's gone back to the center where she adopted him so they can find him another loving home.

Lynn's family plans to scatter her ashes out into the ocean. I can't think of a more fitting final resting place for her.

I've lost a wonderful friend, who was always supportive of me during both the good and bad times. I won't be able to attend the memorial service next weekend but I know Lynn would be happy to know the reason: I'm going to a conference on wildlife rehabilitation. I also know I'll be thinking of her, though, both before and long after the service.

Rest in peace, Lynn.

"Cool" Contest

As a writer, I consider anyone who's taken on the task of writing a book to be an adventurer.

Well, my writing colleague, Rachel Weingarten, has written TWO, the most recent being Career and Corporate Cool: How To Look, Dress, and Act the Part—
at Every Stage of Your Career...

And now she's running a Go Back To Cool contest this Tuesday, September 25th, to promote it. Some of the awesome prizes include a diamond pendant, gift certificates for iTunes, Sephora.com, and Pottery Barn, custom printed cards, and more. (Note to my Canadian readers: Unfortunately the contest is only open to residents of the U.S.).

To enter the contest, you can either order a copy of the book between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on September 25th from any online retailer (the image above will take you to the book's page on amazon.com) and send a copy of your receipt to backtocool@careerandcorporatecool.com, or sign up for the Career and Corporate Cool newsletter. Once your purchase is verified, your name will be entered into a draw for that hour's prize and also for a chance to win the diamond pendant grand prize at the end of the day.

For more information, including complete contest rules, reviews, video trailers, and the Cool Quotient blog, visit
the book's Web site.

Also, check out Rachel's first book, Hello Gorgeous! Beauty Products in America,
'40s - '60s.

Adventure Knows No Limitations

This article is about Camp ACCESS, a sports camp in Washington state for children with disabilities. It was started by Ernie Butler, an Air Force vet who has been in a wheelchair himself since 1995.

“You can't confuse disability with inability,”
Butler said.

> Camp offers three days of adventure for kids with disabilities

The campers are paired with buddies from local high schools, giving the latter an excellent opportunity to get to know kids they probably wouldn't in their day-to-day lives, and discover how much they actually have in common.

You can find more information about camps for kids with special needs, in both the U.S. and Canada, at MySummerCamps.com.