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[kazakerswrites-blog]

Travel in Your Own Backyard.

I love to travel. I don't know many people who don't love to travel. Whether we travel worldwide, within our continent, our country, state or region, it's always worth it. Travel is GOOD for you. It opens you up to new cultures, cuisine, language, dialects, geography, attitudes, climates, and outlooks on life. It helps you relax, breathe deeply, and release stress and tension. When you choose wisely travel can be one of the most restorative things you do. (Mind you, you MUST choose wisely.  Travel can also be stressful, frustrating and anxiety provoking. Once you set your boundaries, know what kind of travel WORKS FOR YOU, and do your best to stick to those boundaries, getting "away" is replenishing and expansive. I,  personally, am done with the rush, rush, too many places in too few days travel.  If you travel abroad you can't avoid the red-eye travel. BUT get where you are going and ease into it, if at all possible.) What came to me recently when I was walking through a beautiful park about 10 miles from my home was:  "I feel like I'm far, far away from home. I feel like I'm somewhere exotic, unusual and refreshing." I was in the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve near Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. ​It was a cloudy day in winter and most everything was dormant, but it was still stunning. It felt like it could be ANYWHERE tropical. ​The landscape is lush, full of birds, lizard and, yes, gators. ​There are 5 trails of varying lengths - 2 to 5 miles - to explore. Take a short walk, take a long walk or one in-between. Languish by a river or sit on a bench on a marsh. Listen to the wind in the trees, the birds singing, and the water flowing. It can be so quiet that you almost hear the grasses grow. It was hard to imagine that THIS oasis was in my "backyard". ​No matter where you live there are parks, preserves, reserves, sanctuaries, forests, mountains, lakes, and rivers that are made for "escape" and renewal. Some of us spend so much time desiring to travel to far-off continents and lands we feel are much more interesting, or have much more to offer, that we miss places close to home. (I can't tell you how many friends of mine from New York City say they've never been to the Statue of Liberty, Staten Island, the Empire State Building or ridden a ferry around the island. That would include ME when I lived in NYC!!  I only visited the Empire State Building. I lived in San Francisco for several years and NEVER went to Alcatraz!) There IS a great, big, beautiful world out there. If you CAN explore it, then by all means HIT THE ROAD. BUT... ​... if for some reason you can't fly long, long distances, can't leave home for extended periods of time, have health issues that prevent you from trekking to parts unknown, don't have the (sometimes very costly) means to traverse foreign soil, THEN discover what is in your "neighborhood". ​I guaranteed there are a myriad of destinations much, much more within reach. ​You might be amazed at what your town, county, state or region has to offer.   Need some ideas? Don't hesitate to contact me and I'm happy to give you some ideas in your own "backyard". As always, thanks for reading.   See you again next time.

[kazakerswrites-blog]

Facing Your Fears Without Flipping out.

As we age stress, high levels of cortisol (the dreaded cortisol dump from the fight or flight response), people-pleasing, not standing up for ourselves in appropriate ways, and not living our best lives is, well, AGING!!! ​It shows on our faces, in our joints, in our digestion, through our concentration and through our emotional stability.   There is no reason we can't face our fears of others' reactions to what we need or want especially when it is not outrageous but just a part of living a healthy life. This means through ALL of our aging  - from the time we begin BEING in relationships until we are elderly. After 25 years of a really difficult relationship I decided to release my fears of retribution, abandonment, and judgment and be completely honest and transparent. By expressing myself genuinely, and with integrity (for the betterment of the relationship) it took letting go of my fears. When I addressed the pain in this relationship, and took responsibility for my actions, emotions and behavior, a magical thing happened. Don't get me wrong, the person was definitely resistant in the beginning. Typically there would be escalated yelling, walking away, slamming down the phone or non-communication for months on end. I refused to allow this to happen. I was very frank. And, BOY, did I set myself up for epic failure.  Not too many people  are willing or able to have a mirror put up to their face and take a good hard look.  I'll admit it took me a while to become a student of my own behavior.   It pays off in the long run. How could I stand around for one more minute without at least trying to make the situation better? How could I turn my back on all of my meditation and healing arts training without feeling a complete charlatan?  A fraud? "Do as I say, not as I do"? In the end things are changing and efforts are being made. Being honest and transparent, in a loving way, has had an overarching affect on my ENTIRE existence. Releasing the fear of confrontation and accepting that confrontation happens released fear in many areas of my life. Hey, better late than never. CLICHÉ but true. How has it manifested in other areas of my life? I’m not fearful of speaking up when I get bad service. I WILL send food back with a pleasant tone in my voice, a smile and a please and thank you. I’m not fearful of calling it out when someone is rude, unkind, discriminatory or out right nasty. Firmly AND kindly. A genuine smile, please, thank you, and NOT FLIPPING OUT, goes a LONG way. In general, this has been greeted with little or no pushback which surprised me on many levels. ​I have been gently warned by those closest to me that caring too much what others think can be paralyzing. I have asked myself numerous times: "How did you go for so long being a people-pleaser and FEARING the ramifications and repercussions of standing up for yourself and expressing yourself?" I used the excuse that I was in entertainment for SO many years and was trained to give people what they wanted in terms of my behavior. It's an industry of insecurity, of desperation and of awe-inspiring creativity. Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it? An industry where you may be flying high one moment and road kill the next. Remarkable highs and soul-killing lows. Yeah, so what?  So are most big industries. It's an excuse. Here's a non-sequitar: The incredible thing is my lifelong fear of spiders has disappeared. I love all of Mother Nature’s creatures, even the creepy ones. I have no problem with snakes and lizards, but I really struggled with spiders or centipedes. ....or any bugs from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I was standing in my driveway and a spider crawled in front of my toes.  Instead of stepping on it, screeching,  or running away I knelt down and watched it. Have you ever watched a spider? It’s nothing short of mesmerizing. I’ve started watching spiders build webs on my lanai. Now I gently wrangle them from inside the house and take them outside. It makes me think of Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. They are fascinating creatures. Granted, we recoil from anything with a myriad of appendages. It's just alien. NOW I’m excited and thinking "What’s next?" What other lurking fears  - conscious, subconscious or unconscious  -  can I acknowledge as unfounded when they bubble up? Of course, I don’t plan on being reckless. I still listen to my fight or flight responses... the dangerous ones. For instance... I live near alligators and sharks.  I have a healthy respect and admiration for them AND I keep a respectable distance. Even in my travels abroad a healthy fear includes staying safe amongst exotic creatures and unfamiliar peopled places. Maybe it’s because I watch the youth of our country stand up for their own safety, protection, and freedom of expression to live healthy, happy and productive lives. If they can do it, why can't I? That being said, I STILL deal with claustrophobia. I know EXACTLY where that manifested... ...from a mean little girl - the child of my parent's friends when I was young.   She used to lock me in the basement laundry room of our apartment building and turn out the lights. OR hold me under water in the swimming pool. I get it. She had her own issues. Luckily, I still love to swim. AND I'm not afraid of the dark. I made peace with those pesky little demons years ago.   Nevertheless, forget about getting me into one of those dark, haunted houses. Or an MRI machine... I'm not taking baby steps anymore but, unfortunately, all the shadows don't disappear overnight. BUT WAIT!!!!!!!!! ​You aren't going to tell a bunch of stories and end the article with no examples on what you do to address your fears, are you? No, I'm not! Mindset, Meditation, Movement, Music AND... ...learning to love myself. ​What fears are you overcoming to pro-age? As always, thanks for reading. See you again next week!

[kazakerswrites-blog]

Plants, Animals, Water, Mountains. Welcome to Nature.

I love nature. Suffice it to say, I'm a nature fanatic. I love the flora and fauna.   Being in nature is the highest form of meditation for me.   I'm the most at peace and the most at one with everything when I'm in nature. I adore the ocean. I am transfixed by mountains. Rivers? Majestic. Lakes? Serene. Wild creatures?? Exciting! The smell of herbs, flowers, and grasses? INTOXICATING. It seems that I have a way with animals and kids.   Since I was very young I've been around animals of all kinds, both domesticated and wild. When I travel I do my best to visit animal sanctuaries and schools.  I make room in my suitcase for some supplies for struggling  youth and students and for animal rescue and rehabilitation centers. On our next trip to Costa Rica we are making a contribution through a program called "Pack for a Purpose".   If you ever go to CR and want to help, here's the link: www.packforapurpose.org/destinations/central-america/costa-rica/ You actually can help schools throughout the world through this program. I have a way of communicating with animals and children that seems to work. I can just BE with them, doing my best to "get them" without putting too much effort into it or without forcing it. I've walked into dog parks with our dog and been surrounded by every dog in the park.  The owners wonder if I smell like treats OR have treats with me.  They jump around me and play as if I'm an old pal. It's pretty uncanny AND it took no getting used to.  It seems I was made for it. On my lanai geckos and lizards will let me stroke their bellies without fear.  I think it's their way of thanking me for the limitless bugs they find in the crevasses of the lanai. Children will walk up to me and just start talking. It happened to me at a doctor's office recently. A little girl of about two and a half years old made a bee-line for me once I sat down, and said, without taking a breath: "Hi. What's your name?  Why are you here? Are you sick?  You have nice hair. Do you like my dress?  Is that your dog?  I have a dog." At that moment I saw her family looking slightly distressed. I told them: "This happens to me all the time. AND, yes, I understand "stranger danger". I may be a stranger but there is no danger here. And, no, she's not bothering me." I turned to her and answered all of her questions. "Hi, I'm Ms. KaZ.  I'm here with my husband.  No, I'm not sick and neither is he.  Thank you, I like your hair, too.  I DO like your dress. Yes, that is our dog (my husband has a service dog). What kind of dog do you have?" I answered her questions in rapid-fire succession and she got it! She took it all in. Kids are remarkable. AND so are animals, plants, flowers, trees, bugs, birds -  you get the point. What we can hear, see, feel and learn from them is mind-boggling. AND... I'm taken aback by what they hear, see, feel and learn from us.  You might be VERY surprised. If animals interest you at all I recommend that you pick up a copy of the magazine: The Ultimate Guide to The Animal Mind from Centennial Media published by Ben Harris and Sebastian Raatz.  If you have any interest in animals it's eye-opening. From flowers to frogs, egrets to echinacea, belugas to birch trees... THAT'S exactly what I'm going to talk about in my newest blog “KaZ Talks About: Nature”. 

https://www.kazakers.com/nature

As always, thanks for reading. See you again soon.

[kazakerswrites-blog]

“Who Wants to Live Forever?”

"Who wants to live forever?" "Who wants to live forever?" An interesting question posed by Queen. Written in 1986 by Brian May for the film Highlander, and recorded by Queen with Freddie Mercury singing lead vocals. The Highlander, Connor McLeod, had to endure the aging and subsequent death of his beloved wife, Heather, because he himself was immortal. The song became a sort of private anthem for Mercury due to his battle with AIDS. Today it’s the fifth most requested song at funerals. Wow. Who DOES want to live forever? Wouldn’t it be remarkable to see the advancements in our world through science if we lived indefinitely? To watch our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow and mature. To see illnesses cured and the environment healed. Yes, and no. If no one died it would certainly be a very crowded planet.   And at what age would we stop aging?  In our 20’s,  30’s, 40’s, 80’s? An entire industry - the anti- aging industry -  would be wiped out. Perhaps even the vitamin and supplement industry. What about hospitals, physicians and medical researchers? No need for them if we are immortal. BUT could we still get sick or injured and would we be relegated to live sick and injured forever? Trust me, I’ve spent a bit of time thinking about this. On the other hand, what if we were able to live long, healthy, extended lives, into our 100’s? Then one day the body just gives out or we decide we're done. We feel complete. We have accomplished goals, made contributions to the planet and our community and family.   We have lived life fully and with gusto. We haven't taken our time, our health, our planet or the people around us for granted. What if we knew exactly what we have and used that time wisely? We taught each other the value of a life well lived. A life that is not simply ego-centric, ethno-centric or money-centric. Life lived without fear of judgment or ridicule. We didn't harm ourselves, or harm others. We didn't get our good off of the backs of others. What if exercise is a pleasure and done to keep the body healthy and happy. It’s a big part of what we naturally do and not what we HAVE TO do.  We incorporate it into our lives effortlessly. The planet is respected and protected because we know it has to sustain us for the long haul. Alternatives to plastics and fossil fuels are the norm, and not the exception, to keep us and our world thriving. Imagine how many diseases this behavior would eradicate. Farmers would farm organically and use natural means to prevent pests. We wouldn’t be putting pesticides in our bodies, water and air, therefore, preventing cancers, and lung, heart and digestive diseases. We could live longer and do more. Build more schools, homes, wells, and sanitary disposal methods. Clean drinking water for all. The few would not need to hoard or amass untold wealth because simple pleasures would be easily attainable, respected AND appreciated. If you knew you were going to live for 100 years or more would you want to live with hate, filth, and corruption KNOWING it was a long haul and you would have to endure those conditions for centuries? Then WHY do we do it now knowing our lives are relatively short?   Don’t we know that aging is a precious gift and not everyone around us will have the luxury of aging? Instead of being so nonchalant about our lives, bodies, minds and environment we need to nurture ourselves to have the best life possible, for as long as possible. It reminds me of the song by Blondie: “Die Young, Stay Pretty.” You CAN live long, live healthily and, yes, stay pretty, if that is important to you. (Remember beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That would be YOU!) It’s possible. It’s MORE than possible, it’s achievable. I hear people saying right now “but I haven’t taken care of myself. I have all these problems.” There's no time like the present to turn your life around to be the best it can be right now. It may not be perfect. But what is perfect?  It WILL be better.   I have a picture of myself at age 2 or 3. In the picture is me, my father, my grandmother, my great-grandmother and my great, great grandmother. Five generations!!! Not many can say they have lived long enough to have a photo taken of five generations of their family. My earliest family was from hearty stock. They lived at a time where medical advances were taking hold AND when life wasn’t full of toxins, disposable conveniences and distractions. They also lived at a time where money and stuff wasn’t the sum total of your worth. Exercise, healthy food, a sense of community and  a positive outlook were integrated into their lives.  These were not elements they had to seek out, pay for or make time for in the course of the day.  This WAS the course of the day. WHO HAS TIME TO LIVE WELL AND BE HEALTHY?? YOU DO! WE DO! We now have modern conveniences to help us live simpler lives. You can pick up a bread maker, food processor or air fryer at a local thrift or consignment store. Most likely they’ve barely been used and are a fraction of their original costs. These machines practically do all of your chopping, kneading, blending and cooking for you. Set it and forget it. The next thing you know you have healthy, no preservative or additive bread wafting delicious smells throughout your kitchen.   Do some of the prep on the weekends. "But I don't have time."   YES, YOU DO.  Get the kids to help. It's fun and good training for them. Listen to your favorite music or a class lecture while you slice, dice, blend and bake. I am by no means a goddess in the kitchen but with a few inexpensive and simple machines assisting me with meal prep we eat a lot healthier. Grow some herbs on your balcony, patio, or in your garden. Inexpensive and easy. A little tending and you have fresh basil in your pasta sauce. It’s other worldly. Basil from a plant instead of a bottle! Park your car farther away from the entrance to a store and get a little walk in. Climb the stairs. If you can’t do that turn on your computer and find a chair workout on YouTube. What interests you? Read about it. Can’t afford a book? A library card is free and so are the books. Or spend a quarter at a library book sale. You can hack the heck out of life to make it better. Aging doesn't need to be a slog. It isn’t forever.   You say you were dealt a crappy hand of cards? You have the power to change the hand you were dealt. You get the whole lemons into lemonade thing, right? There are people much worse off than any of us and they are - as they say- CRUSHING IT!!! If we just sit around feeling sorry for ourselves we rot. We disintegrate and fade from existence. There is so much out there within our grasp to make life better. Not perfect, but better. “Who wants to live forever?” Forever can be lived in a day. One beautiful day. ​SO... Live it. As always, thanks for reading. See you next time!

[kazakerswrites-blog]

You Don’t Need to Anti-age. Welcome to Pro-aging.

On recommendation of my acupuncturist I've decided to start a new blog about what it means to age and what it has meant to ME to age. In my humble opinion, everyone needs an acupuncturist.  They're remarkable. Part therapist, part holistic practitioner, part nutritionist, part friend.  ALL BRILLIANT. (For those who are reticent it's virtually pain-free, relaxing, transformative, healing, and so much more.) No two aging stories are exactly alike. BUT... so many stories are similar and have similar components. I 'm NOT into the whole "anti-aging" movement. You may have read that on my other blog. I'll repost it here soon. I am into PRO-AGING. I'm all FOR aging. Gracefully. Healthily. Realistically. AND... ...with a plan. You plan your vacations. You plan your retirement. You plan your work SO... why aren't you planning your positive aging? If you take a look at the side bar to the right you'll see that I've lived a BIG life.  A life that was not sustainable for the long haul. I sustained it for about 35 years and that was plenty. THEN I realized in my body, mind, intellect, spirit, and emotions that I needed to transition to the next phase of my life.  I have taken many elements with me and have left many elements to fond memory. Face it, we can't do everything forever. Of course, you can teach, consult and write until you drop (if you so desire and if you so desire). You can travel with a long list of conveniences for comfort.   In addition, the most wholesome things you can do are read, learn, perform appropriate exercises, meditate, volunteer, spend time in your community and eat a clean and healthy diet.  Making the most of those components age may not really be an issue for you. I do recognize that many of you are facing health challenges and adjustment has become your middle name. SO adjust! I adjust all the time and when my ego gives me negative feedback I tell it to STICK IT and continue on my merry way. I've even been experimenting with chair exercise. Not because I'm relegated to exercise in a chair but for variety and to give my battered body a break. PLUS IT WORKS! If you can't exercise standing up, SIT DOWN! And if you can exercise standing up, MOVE IT! PLEASE don't be like generations of my family who reached their 60's or retirement age and proceeded to sit in front of the television and let the world pass them by. They weren't particularly debilitated or ill. They just gave it all up. AND THAT is when they began to deteriorate.  None of them ever had anything major wrong with them UNTIL they stopped moving and didn't eat food with substance and didn't keep their minds active. Some things took their toll quickly but with others it was a slow burn. All in all the inactivity, inattentiveness to healthy eating, and disuse of their brains contributed MORE to the onset of illness and disease than anything else.   Just because you retire or transition from your original, active occupation doesn't mean it's over. Far from it! I'm in AWE of people in their 70's, 80's and beyond who are still very active in all aspects of their lives. They are living life by example to all of us..   We can all be examples to each other in our outlook on aging. Aging is not a curse, or a malady. Those who dismiss us will be lucky to age with health, dignity and wisdom.   Move it or lose it is not some kitschy catch phrase.  It's essential to longevity. Start where you are. You may be in your 40's or 50's. If you didn't start caring for yourself or you were burning the candle at both ends in your 20's and 30's, TODAY IS THE DAY to start.   Start with your mindset then bring your body along.   You will be amazed what a few positive thoughts about the beauty of aging will do for you inside and out.   YOU are the person people will come to for advice, insight, feedback and input. You are a wealth of knowledge whether you know it or not. Time on this planet gives us a cornucopia of insight regardless of our walk of life. I plan on getting into the nitty-gritty of aging from my personal perspective and from the perspective of my elders and teachers in the articles to come. As my grandfather would say on each of his birthdays "I'd rather being having a birthday than not."   Happy birthday to us! Each and every year. This week's article is dedicated to my remarkable beyond words acupuncturist, Mimi Vreeland. Thanks for everything! As always, thanks for reading. See you again soon. Happy aging.

[kazakerswrites-blog]

My Son Saved My Life.

Today I want to talk about my son.   Right about now he’s rolling his eyes, but that’s ok. We all love our children and want the best for them, and I’m no exception. We brag and we dote. HOWEVER, I owe my son a debt of gratitude because when he was 14 years old he saved my life. I don’t mean it figuratively or as a “saying”. I mean, he LITERALLY saved my life. It was because of his quick thinking that I’m here today. Here’s what he did: I was very active in health and fitness. At that time I was dedicated to fitness for myself and for others. I ate right, exercised 6 days a week to my optimum level, took supplements as needed, and meditated.   I was doing EVERYTHING right. BUT… The one thing I did OH SO WRONG was take a lot of supplements at one time. I had done it more than once before. (That may give you an inkling of where I‘m headed with this story.) About six years ago I was in the kitchen of the townhouse he and I shared. He was watching television in the adjacent living room. I had done my workout and was eating my morning oatmeal. I loaded up my hand with a fistful of vitamins. I put the entire handful of vitamins in my mouth, took a big gulp of water and swallowed. TRUST ME when I say this was a VERY BIG MISTAKE. I quickly realized they weren’t all going to go down. I drank more water. They wouldn’t go down. I drank more water. No water flow and… no air flow. I tried to cough. Nothing. I grabbed my throat knowing I was choking. I couldn’t call out to my son because… no air, no sound. SO… I stepped around the corner of the kitchen to face the living room and banged hard on the wall. He finally looked over at me and saw the international sign for choking. (if you don’t know it, it’s two hands on your throat.  Pretty simple, eh?) THEN… As calm as a Buddhist monk he walked into the kitchen and immediately, AND PERFECTLY I might add, applied the Heimlich maneuver to me. It took several attempts and then the vitamins catapulted out of my throat across the kitchen. I gasped for air. I just looked at him acknowledging the implications of what might have happened and what actually DID happen. He hugged me, looked at me like a wise old soul and said “You ok, now, Mom?” With tears streaming down my face I nodded and hugged him again. I said, ”You just saved my life. Do you realize that?" He said, “Yea, ok, just don’t take so many vitamins next time.” Then he walked back into the living room and sat down and watched tv. I thought to myself. “THAT GUY IS SO COOL! I want to be that cool. What did I do to deserve such a cool son? And WHERE did he learn the Heimlich?” I'll never forget those moments, or the details. Time slowed down to a crawl.  I can see it frame by frame even today. AND… To this day I’ve never taken more than one supplement at a time. What does this have to do with travel? That incident goes with me wherever I go.  I‘m ultra careful with food and supplements when I travel.   Not to mention that right after the incident I marched down to the nearest Red Cross for renewal of my First Aid, AED and CPR certifications. I’ve used them more than once. Most recently, two weeks ago, on a motorcyclist who crashed on the highway I was traveling… He lived. As always, thanks for reading. See you next time!

https://www.kazakers.com

[kazakerswrites-blog]

Meditation and Travel. Stay Calm on the Road. Part Deux.

Here are a few more meditations I wanted to share with you (in addition to my article two weeks ago) to take on the road or to use at home. My definition of "on the road" is while traveling, at work, at school, or anywhere in between. I have used these exercises in places like the New York Subway (Although, I don't close my eyes!!), the Rome train station (busy, chaotic, and a wonderful crash course for my stilted Italian), near the roaring Hawaiian surf, AND... in line at the grocery store. (Sometimes you REALLY need it there!). Since the death of my friend last week I certainly have been digging down into my bag of meditation tricks and treats! HERE WE GO!! 1) Smile Exercise: With your eyes closed, sit still and do your natural breathing in and out of your nose. Curl the edges of your mouth up in a little smile or grin. Breathe slowly and naturally. Think of the Mona Lisa, the Buddha. or someone with a peaceful, content smile.  This releases the feel-good hormone oxytocin.  A perfect time to do this is before bed, or when you wake up, or in the middle of the day. Actually ANYTIME!  Continue with this exercise until you feel a natural conclusion. 2) Hallway Visualization: (Read this through once so you have an idea of where you are going with it.) Close Your Eyes and take 3 deep breaths. Don’t heave your chest, just do it naturally in through the nose and out through your nose. You are standing at the end of a VERY long hallway.  It appears as you picture it.  It may be light or dark. There may be candles, windows, flowers, birds, trees, paintings, a fish tank, photographs – this is however YOU see it. Begin by picturing yourself walking slowly down the hall noticing everything along the way. Take  your time, there is no need to rush.  Enjoy the walk. When you reach the end of the hallway, there is a door. You really want to open the door because there is something important behind it.   What? Only you know. Open the door and walk through. Take a few moments to experience what is past the door. You may see yourself in a life dream you have. ...a new home, a new pet, a new or current relationship, traveling, swimming.   You name it. This is YOUR visualization. Enjoy the experience.   ​Stay there as long as you like. ​When you are ready open your eyes and come back to the room.  Wiggle your fingers and your toes. Take a few deep breaths. Allow your body to assimilate the experience. 3) ​Energizing breath: (Also known as Breath of Fire in Kundalini Yoga) This breath is done in and out of the nose.   Inhale, expand your stomach or diaphragm. When you exhale pump your stomach inward pulling your belly button in. Start slowly then increase the speed.   Because we are shallow breathers you may feel a bit light headed or tingly. That is common. It is actually very energizing and exhilarating.   If you feel dizzy, stop the exercise and come back to your natural breath. Repeat the breath until you feel you have maximized its benefits. Slow down, then stop and normalize your breathing. Return to your natural breath.   Whenever you need energy or to wake up, this breath is very effective. ​4) Happy Person’s Stance: (For confidence) Stand up,  hands on the hips, one foot in front of the other. You are grounded in the now and also have one foot ahead of you in the future OR whatever is coming next. It’s a confident stance that you can do at any time.  Hold it for a moment. Breathe naturally then take a few deep breaths.   Add a smile or grin. Look ahead. Look OUT THERE. Stand there until you feel that wave of confidence. (You may feel a little like Wonder Woman or Superman.) Again, you release those feel good hormones. When you are done rub your hands together, quickly, for a minute or two, breathing in and out deeply. Now shake your hands and arms. Breathe in deeply and exhale with force shaking down your hands and arms.   ​Return to the room. AND THAT'S IT!! Enjoy the feeling! Have a wonderful day and week! As always, thanks for reading. See you next week.

https://www.kazakers.com

[kazakerswrites-blog]

Tell Them You Love Them TODAY! You May Not Have the Chance Tomorrow.

Today I was going to continue with a few more meditation exercises to use while you are on the road. BUT I decided to talk about something more pressing and more important. Friendship. Thus far in my life I've moved 46 times. I've met a lot of people and many marvelous people. I have made short term, for the moment or situation,  long term and life long friends. I’m fortunate that my friends are spread throughout the world. It’s heartbreaking when you find out that one of those beautiful people has a terminal illness. I just found out that my friend is in hospice. I wondered why I hadn't heard from her in a while. My first reaction was tears. Then ANGER. (BUT anger does me no good. Who am I going to blame?) Later Sorrow. NOW? JOY!! Joy because I know her. Joy because she is in my life. AND Joy because when she is gone she leaves an INDELIBLE impression on my heart.   How many people can we say that about? For me, quite a few. You know who you are. You are in Spain, Germany, France, South Africa, Canada, California, New York, Florida, Missouri, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Ontario, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, and Tennessee, I have very little family left in the world (I started off with a really small family to begin with) and these friends ARE my family. Just to make sure there is NO misunderstanding. I love you. I love each and every one of you. I do my best to say it as often as I can in person, by email, text, What's App, Signal, etc.   If there is a mode of communication to use, I am going to use it. Does it scare me to express my love? Absolutely not. Not everyone can express it as openly as I do, and that's ok.   I have friends who, culturally, it's not in their nature to hug and express verbal love. BUT THEY DO WITH ME!! My mother used to chastise me when I was a child because she said that I never met a person I didn't like.  (I 'm a little less like that now. You know time and experience has a way of shaping you. I do my best to be open AND cautious these days.) My friend is a kind, caring, generous, funny, and compassionate person. Why her? So many questions and most, I know, will never be answered. Sometimes answers are REALLY overrated. Does she know how much I treasure her friendship? In this fickle world of here today, gone tomorrow friends, this friendship stuck, even when I moved out of the country, thousands of miles away from her. She vacationed in the town where I moved and I got to see her every year. She made a point of letting me know when she was going to be in town. We would have lunch, breakfast (she always insisted on paying. I tried but...generous) or would make me a scrumptious meal at her home. The last time I saw her she had mutual friends over for dinner and we had a blast.   Whenever I was in town we did our best, given our schedules, to see each other. We became even better friends once I moved than we were when we lived in the same town. It’s funny how that works. Some friends simplyfade away when you aren’t in close proximity. Life has a way of moving forward and despite our best efforts friendships just fade. AND THAT'S OK!  It doesn't mean you are loved any less. Then when you least expect to there are some friends who make an effort to stay in touch. Or to visit. Her illness and rapid decline have left me in shock. And... In tears. That is NOT what she would want. I stayed awake most of last night thinking about her. About us.   She would want me to CELEBRATE her! Lift a glass of wine to her. (Preferably Prosecco.) Name an outfit after her. She would want me to dance the day she leaves on. her continuing journey. So... I will. Although I know she cannot see or speak due to her advancing illness, still, I wrote her an email. An email she will never read. I did it anyway. It’s the best way for me to say “bon voyage.” Tell them NOW how you feel. Without fear. Give them a generous hug. Who cares who hears or sees it? My friend would not want me to be kept awake at night grieving for her. ("You need your beauty sleep." Then she would laugh this raucous laugh.) She would tell me to live my best life. To be the ambassador of my own happiness. To celebrate every precious day and NOT to forget how precious every day is. She loved to travel so I will continue to travel carrying her with me in my heart - seeing it through her eyes. I won’t say I miss you. I know by just thinking about you that you are always here with me. *NOTE:  I was just now on the phone with her best friend and we were talking about our relationship with our mutual friend. ​Immediately after we hung up she got the call that our friend had passed away 10 minutes before. ​While we were talking about her. So.... ...guess what I'm doing now? ​DANCING!! ​

[kazakerswrites-blog]

Meditation and Travel. Stay Calm on the Road.

Meditation and mindfulness are the new, old buzz words. Everyone is meditating or trying to meditate or taking meditation classes or watching meditation videos. I say, GOOD FOR YOU! I've been meditating for 27 years and teaching for 24 years. I have tried all sorts of styles and techniques. When I get away from meditation I'm less calm, and allow less to roll off of my back. What works for YOU, works for you. Here are some recommendations.   I use these exercises on the road, and have taught them in class. They feature various techniques . Take what works, and leave the rest. It's YOU on meditation. *Always remember that meditation is NOT a substitute for medical care or medical advise. It is one of many tools for your health and well-being.  Please see your doctor if you are experiencing any  emotional or physical challenges that remain with you or come on very suddenly.* Meditation has a myriad of reactions in the body and mind.   ​You may feel relaxed, fall asleep, laugh, cry or simply feel content. It is all normal and there is no need to judge your experience. Those who are participating in meditation techniques are part of a growing population tired of feeling tired or stressed. You don't have to believe anything or NOT believe anything. Apply what works for YOUR life. Meditation is a terrific way to relax.  Who doesn’t want to relax? Or need to relax?  By relax I mean doing something more than watching tv, having a drink(s) or scarfing down big plates of nachos. The term "Mindfulness" is also used often in business and in professional sports. YES!  Your favorite athletes are most likely practicing mindfulness. Whether you use the word meditation, mindfulness or relaxation it’s all about the journey. You can call it paddling up the Mississippi for all I care. As long as you are taking the time to DO IT is all that matters! The technique I developed focuses mainly on breathing. That sounds pretty simple, right? And it is. If you are alive you are breathing. What do you expect to get from doing these techniques or what would you LIKE to get out of doing these exercises? If you've been curious, and have never done anything like this before, you might feel a little awkward at first. I don't insist you sit in lotus position (just sitting upright and comfortably works) or repeat a phrase or word, or put your hands in certain mudras (hand positions). This is about focus and as long as you stay AWAKE you will get a lot of benefit.   There are some breathing exercises that may seem weird but they all have a point. Just go with it. We are in this together, and no one is watching. You may ask “How long do I need to do these exercises? That is an indication that your brain is resisting. That’s hard, right?   Control issues? Who me? You need to go with it and release control. Do one exercise until you feel you are ready to go on to the next exercise. If you work with customers, and sometimes challenging or irate customers, certain types of breathing will get you through tough situations and help you keep your cool. ​If you travel (and we all know travel can be REALLY stressful) keeping a cool head will go a long way with the flight attendants,  the check-in staff and the counter staff at the gate.  Plus, it might even get you a decent upgrade!! One artist I worked with came to see me in a terrible panic about his upcoming concert.  He knew that I did breath and relaxation work.   I gave him simple counting breath and body relaxations exercises. His anxiety was greatly decreased by the time he left my office. We all come in contact with all kinds of people, all the time.  Knowing what calms you down translates calm to others.  When you are calm, those you encounter may become calmer, too. When you do some of the exercises below you may feel a bit light-headed and that is perfectly normal. If you feel dizzy, stop what you are doing and return to your natural breathing. ​We are getting a lot more oxygen into our bodies and our cells with these breathing exercises.   Our bodies aren't used to that unless we have been practicing for a while.  We talk quickly, take shallow breaths, run around during the day, not to mention that the body is used to quick inhalations.   Keep this in mind. When you are consciously breathing your mind cannot run amok.  It's very hard to focus on two opposing things at once.  Your mind will try to pull you away from what you are doing.  It will struggle, argue, tell you that you are bored and you aren’t getting anything from this. BUT if you continue, you WILL feel a difference. Make sure you put your phasers to stun. (Turn off your phones for non-Star Trek fans) Place yourself in a comfortable position making sure you can stay awake and engaged.   Read through the exercises FIRST then do your best to duplicate them with your eyes closed. Move from exercise to exercise at your own pace. Asking yourself "does that exercise feel complete?" before you move on. ​You may do these exercises with your eyes open or closed. I find I get more from them with my eyes closed. Here we go!!! 1) Put your attention in your feet. Relax your feet.  Moving up relax your legs, relax your hips, relax your torso, relax your chest, relax your shoulders, relax your arms, relax your hands, relax your neck, relax your jaw. Breath through this for a few minutes. 2) Breath naturally in and out through the nose.  REALLY focus on the breath. Stay here for a few minutes. 3) Put your hands on your rib cage.  When you breathe, in you expand your ribcage, when you breathe out you release your ribcage.  Repeat. 4) Breath in the through the nose and out through the mouth. SLOWLY. Repeat. 5) Ocean breath – breathe in through the nose. Open the mouth and breathe out from the back of throat.  It sounds a bit like water rushing out to sea and then coming back to shoe,. or like air rushing through a cave. Repeat. You can take a break here or continue. 6) Take deep breaths through your nose for a slow count of 5. Then exhale through your mouth for a slow count of 5. Repeat. 7) Breath to the beat:  Inhale through the nose for a count of 4, pause for a count of 4, breathe out through the mouth for a count of 4, pause for a count of 4. Repeat. 8) Cannon Ball Breath or Cooling Breath – form your mouth in an small O. Draw air in through your mouth slowly then release keeping the lips pursed. Repeat. You can take a break here or continue.   OR do the next exercises at another time. These breath exercises originated in Qigong.  They have been shown to be effective in different parts of the brain where particular emotions reside.   Do each exercise for a few minutes OR one at a time to relieve impatience, worry, sadness or depression, fear and anger. All these breath exercises start with inhaling through the nose. Each breath is released SLOWLY. 9) To Release Impatience – Inhale through the nose, open your mouth and exhale as if you were going to say HAWWWW.  Release the breath without vocalization. ​10) To Release Worry  - Inhale through the nose and form the word WHO. Release the breath as if saying WHO without sound. 11) To Release Sadness or Depression – Inhale through the nose and exhale forming SSSSSSSS -  like steam escaping through the mouth. 12) To Release Fear – Inhale through the nose and exhale as if blowing out a candle with a long exhale. Note: this is different than #10. 13) To Release Anger – Inhale through the nose and release the breath while similulating SHHHHHHH through the mouth. Return to your natural breath. Open your eyes slowly. Come back into the room. Stretch. I hope you can use some, many or all of these exercises in long, medium or short sessions. They can be done anywhere inside or outside but do not do them while driving or operating machinery. Take them on the road for a calmer and more peaceful journey! As always thanks for reading. See you next time!

https://www.kazakers.com

[kazakerswrites-blog]

“Inspiration is Everywhere. Quotes from the Road.”

I don't know about you but for me other's experiences, insights and wisdom really inspire me.

Inspiration is everywhere.

I've even made random comments that seem to resonate with people. They weren't pre-meditated. They just seemed to pop out of my ever-active brain.

So here are some quotes I've either heard, mentioned or read while traveling.  

I hope one, some, or many resonate with you.

Enjoy!

1. "Not another hour to your life will worry add."

2. “Everyone and everything is an opportunity to serve. The filament of your destiny lies not in your awesome capacity but in your capacity to love and to sacrifice." Both quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (I read these on the wall of a cafe in Portland, Oregon)

3. "Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world." Gustav Flaubert. (From travels in France).

4. "I'm in love with cities I've never been to and people I've never met." Melody Truong (incorrectly attributed to John Green. Not sure where I read this, but I love it!)

5. "Take only memories, leave only footprints." Chief Seattle (Seen in Colorado.)

6. “If it’s all gone to shit, lets have a dance.” English singer Paloma Faith. (I heard this on the Graham Norton show. It made me think of the story below.)

The preceding quote reminded me of a poignant story I heard from the taxi driver who picked us up at the Copenhagen, Denmark airport. He was a  very personable and REALLY content person.  He was also a tour guide and had a million stories about his Copenhagen home.

He was born and raised in Copenhagen. He moved away for a brief time and returned home because he said there was no place as relaxed and easy to live as Copenhagen. We discussed what it was like to be a citizen and the advantages they have economically, in healthcare, for families, and financially.  It was definitely enticing to fantasize about living there. The story he told, to emphasize their happiness quotient, went something like this:

"I have a friend who as an adult lost his eyesight. Regardless, he is the happiest, most easy-going person I've ever met.  He has a little daughter.  One day the daughter came up to her father and said 'Daddy look at me in my pretty princess dress.'  Her father reminded her that he could not see her dress but said he could imagine that she looked very beautiful. He said "I can't see your dress SO let's dance!'  Then they both danced around the room."  No matter what your concerns and challenges - go ahead and dance!

7. "It’s not right or wrong, it’s sense and nonsense." Carl Jung Originally heard in a discussion of morals in Scandinavia. I believe it was in Stockholm, Sweden.

While staying in a Marriott hotel in Moab, Utah these are the messages that played over and over again in a video loop:

8. Make indifference a forgotten word.

9. Human being - Be good at being human.

10. Neighbors be neighborly.

11. Share! Greed is absurd.

12. Do everything you can.

13. Mankind = Kind men, kind woman.

14. "Let’s see what the universe is going to do."  

(I took this to be a message about patience.)

"You can’t make a mistake, because you don’t have to conform."  

"Always be a tree growing a different branch."

"An oak is an acorn’s way of becoming other acorns."

"The chicken is one egg's way of becoming others."

"It doesn't matter what other people think about you."

​From the inimitable Alan Watts. I was watching a video about him on a long train ride from Rome to Verona, Italy.

From my personal experience:

15. "The only real way to affect change is by living by example. Words are, well, words. You can influence more people by your positive, change-making actions. I admire people MORE for what they DO and how they live their lives, over what they say."

16. “Life is so...life”

I recently wrote this to a friend in Vancouver, Canada. We were discussing some challenges we were facing in our lives. She said "That needs to be on a t-shirt." It’s kind of my mantra. Similar to the Tibetan monk who answered every statement made to him, whether it appeared to be positive or negative, with:  “We’ll see.”  

(Refer to quote 14. Maybe Alan Watts got it from a Tibetan monk??)

17. "Always look for someone’s motivations and agenda."

Yoruba Chief, Luisah Teish, when I visited her in Oakland, California.

I don't see this as a negative or pessimistic quote.  When my intuition starts to raise doubts then I refer to this quote. It's never wrong. When we follow our IMMEDIATE intuition we are always lead in the perfect direction (as long as we don't second guess it). Or at least, that's MY experience. When I ignore my intuition, I end up purchasing some TERRIBLE piece of property in a barren desert! (Metaphorically speaking.)

18. La Vida tranquilo - the peaceful or calm life. (Sign me up!!)

"As long as you do your part, the earth is going to accept you."

Overheard on a Peru Rail train ride from Aguas Calientes (at the foot of Machu Picchu) to Cusco, Peru.  In my estimation, a peaceful and calm life is when Mother Earth is happiest. Right now I think she needs a lawyer!

​That's it for this week!  I hope you enjoyed this offbeat post.

As always, thanks for reading.

https://www.kazakers.com

​See you again soon!

[kazakerswrites-blog]

Check out this week’s article:  “Inspiration is Everywhere. Quotes from the Road.” 

[kazakerswrites-blog]

Keeping Healthy on the Road

Travel can be hard. We get out of our routines. (Not always a bad thing, but can really disrupt your system.) We sleep in beds we aren't used to. We eat things we don't typically eat at home (more junk and  packaged snacks on the run or maybe we drink more alcohol and caffeine). We overschedule. We rush. We're off kilter. We don't speak the language. We don't recognize the food. We are crammed into economy seats on airlines -  unless you are fortunate enough to travel first class.  That does not happen very often for me, but when it does I relish more space NOT more food or alcohol. BUT... all in all it IS worth it IF you can keep to some healthy habits. The most important of which (to me) are: * some kind of exercise. * some semblance of decent sleep. (I ain't 25 anymore. Hostels, couch surfing and sleeping in the airport don't work for me.) * regular, healthy meals. (That doesn't mean don't try the local fare.  Just be careful of the hot Thai food, the oily Greek food, the saucy French food, and the meaty English food if you aren't used to those cuisines.) SO... this is what I have found to keep me as sane, healthy and happy on the road as possible. GET OUT AND WALK! The single best exercise you can do. AND IT'S FREE!!! Many, many cities are not only walking friendly but encourage walking. Some of the Hop On Hop Off buses are really expensive, so walking can be a better alternative.   Pick up the pace, slow it down, alternate, swing your arms, climb the stairs, park your vehicle far away from the entrance to a building you're visiting.  JUST WALK! I practice Qigong everywhere I go.  Qigong is a moving meditation that works on flexibility, balance and strength. It's the mother of Tai Chi.  You perform the same movement over and over again.  No need to memorize a long series of movements. OR you can string movements together. There are many simple warm-ups that get your blood flowing.  (Videos on the way!) It's unbeatable for stress, tension and relaxation. It's fun, easy and portable. Like walking, there is no equipment needed but your body.  The best place to practice is outdoors.  BUT you can certainly practice in a small space like in a hotel room, hostel or wherever you happen to be staying. Meditate! I suggest meditation because (again) you need nothing but your mind and body and a place to sit.  Just focus on your natural inhalation and exhalation. Take deep, cleansing breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. OR... Stare at the sky, focus on a lake, the ocean, the mountains, wandering wildlife, or a flower. The options are endless. Ride a horse, pet your dog, dance, do some rhythmic, gentle exercise. It's all meditation. I once meditated in the New York Subway.  As detached as possible I watched the trains rush in and out, and the people scurry AND I did it with a smile on my face. I may have looked a bit demented BUT the simple act of smiling releases oxytocin, the feel good hormone. If you need more ideas for meditation, feel free to message me. I've got a million of 'em. While traveling I always seek out vegan restaurants.  That's because I'M vegan. Luckily, they abound in nearly every place I've been, or at least vegetarian restaurants or vegetarian choices. Even if you AREN'T vegan ditching meat and dairy for a day or two won't hurt you, as a matter of fact it may help you. Meat can make you lethargic, disrupt your digestion or make you out and out sick while on the road. Vegetables and fruit are often locally sourced -  farm to table - or organic.  A vegan eating program is full of fiber, vitamins, mineral, and phytonutrients.  Many of which we may lack while we are traveling. We ALL know what happens to our system when we're on the road.  It's important to keep the pipes running smoothly. (Hey, that's the best way I could possibly put it!) My cardiologist says he never does blood tests on his patients after the holidays because the results are always too high or too low.  He lets his patients get back to their regular routine before he feels he can make an accurate assessment. I'm one of those people who traveled then had a scheduled routine blood test just a few days after I returned home. The results weren't stellar compared to the previous year because I was out of my eating, exercise, and sleeping routine. As soon as I got back to my clean eating, exercise and sleep hygiene everything went back to normal. No need to have the life scared out of you because you mistimed your annual blood work. AND... Don't forget your supplements, or medications, because vacations are especially not the time to wean off of medication. Most of us need at least a multi-vitamin, copious amounts of water and to be extremely careful with caffeine and alcohol while traveling. It's TOO easy to celebrate, party and overindulge on vacation. Need a pick me up in Peru or another high altitude South American country?  Drink Coca from Coca leaves.  It's unparalleled for altitude sickness and a perfect replacement for caffeine without the jitters, nervousness, anxiety or acid.  It's perfectly legal in South America.  How do you think the terraced Andes mountain farms and Machu Picchu were built? Yep, Coca! Children can safely drink it, too. The reputation of this life affirming tea has been decimated because of the chemical process that it has been subjected to to make cocaine. Leave it in its pristine state and it's a miracle herb.   If you are interested in more tips to stay healthy while seeing the world, don't hesitate to contact me.   https://www.kazakers.com As always thanks for reading!

[kazakerswrites-blog]

Take the Pledge to Preserve and Protect Hawai’i.

I love Hawai’i. It's a place where I feel free. My son and I learned to surf with Titus Kinimaka's school in Hanalei Bay on Kaua'i. I had my honeymoon on Hawai'i. I became entranced by the Kilauea volcano. (This was when the eruptions were minor in from 2008 - 2016.  Now the road I drove on  surrounded by lava fields created by previous eruptions is gone!) I learned it was ok to be a "Haole". I learned to respect the coral reefs. I met many aunties and uncles. I climbed Diamondhead. I stayed in a cottage on the ocean at the Pacific Missile Range at Barking Sands on Kaua'i, AND for the first time saw the Milky Way as clearly as you are reading this now. (It's a remote military installation. We are a retired military family with some spectacular perks.) I stood waist deep in a cove outside my rented cottage in Kaneohe Bay on Oahu surrounded by sea turtles while the rain came down and a  double rainbow appeared over my head. I snorkeled with sea turtles the size of large dining tables in Poipu. . (They followed me, I did NOT follow them because that is illegal and upsets nature's balance.) I ate the most delicious macadamia nuts I've ever experienced. AND butter mochi... ...and avocados the size of my head (for ONE dollar!). I visited the most spectacular farmer's market I have ever experienced in Hilo on The Big Island.  There was quite a bit of produce I had NEVER seen before.  I did my best to at least TRY most of it. (One in particular smelled like dirty feet, Yes, that is known as Durian, and it's an acquired taste, to say the least.) ​ The list goes on and on and on. I will do what it takes to help keep Hawai'i's integrity. If you have been to Hawaii I'm SURE you know exactly what I mean. If you have not been to Hawaii, my hope is some day that you see it. Regardless, no-one whether they have visited the islands or traveled there from their living room can ignore its splendor. There is NO PLACE like it. I have taken the PONO PLEDGE to keep its culture, environment, ocean, land, residents and wildlife intact, safe and thriving. Take this beautiful, heartfelt pledge with me! * I pledge to be pono (righteous) on the island of Hawai‘i. * I will mindfully seek wonder, but not wander where I do not belong. * I will not defy death for breathtaking photos, or venture beyond safety. * I will mālama (care for) land and sea, and admire wildlife only from afar. * Molten lava will mesmerize me, but I will not disrupt its flow. * I will not take what is not mine, leaving lava rocks and sand as originally found. * I will heed ocean conditions, never turning my back to the Pacific. * When rain falls ma uka (inland), I will remain high above ground, out of rivers and streams. * I will embrace the island’s aloha spirit, as it embraces me. * Lawe i ka maʻalea i kūʻonoʻono. “Take Wisdom and Make it Deep.” Click below to officially join millions of individuals who believe Hawai'i is worth preserving. ​ https://www.ponopledge.com/ As always thanks for reading. ​

[kazakerswrites-blog]

What is all the Talk About ANTI- Aging?  PRO-Aging is the Answer!

With all of the traveling I've been doing I see a lot of different faces, in a lot of different cultures and countries. Most are NOT so obsessed with looking like they are 25. MOST are into aging gracefully, or as I like to call it PRO-AGING.   Why would any of us want to ANTI-age? I know there are many people who don’t want to age. THAT is IMPOSSIBLE no matter how hard you try. That's one of those things we just have to "get over". Wouldn't you rather age than the alternative? And by the alternative, I mean death. Or is “die young, stay pretty”, the preferred option? I am extremely passionate about aging intelligently. What do I mean by that? You can age intelligently by caring for your skin, your mind, your body, your relationships, your career and your health. We have to get out of the mindset  that "aging is a curse".   I have seen gorgeous women (and men, for that matter) in France, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Spain, China and many other locales, who are absolutely stunning inside and out..   And over the age of 50. Or 60. Or 70. Or 80! They are living a good life, having fun, and taking care of themselves.   ​They are loving, making a contribution to their communities, wise, knowledgeable and resilient. That is REAL beauty! I'm just one of those women who can’t wrap her mind around “anti-aging”. And it isn't just the entertainment industry that is obsessed with the clock not moving forward. It's everywhere. Is it Vanity? Fear? Ego? Insecurity? Societal pressure? All of the above? We can all spot, from a mile away, the person who has had so much work done on their face or their body that they don’t look real. And let’s face it (lol, pun intended), a 70-year-old woman with an extreme facelift still does NOT look 40. Plus,  no 50 year old who has overdosed on fillers will ever look 25. ​Don't get me wrong I wholeheartedly support taking care of yourself. Get facials, Dermabrasion, Dermaplaning, some Botox, muscle stimulation and any of the non-invasive procedures that you fancy. Along with that exercise, eat healthy foods - be a health advocate - but going under the knife, sometimes again and again and again, seems to me to be another addiction. Is one ever REALLY satisfied after they get on that merry-go-round? Have we become such an insecure society that we only care about how others see us and that influences how we see ourselves? My West Virginian grandfather, on every one of his birthdays, would always say that he would rather be having a birthday than not! It took me a while to get there and now I feel exactly the same way. As we age, granted, everything isn’t still in its original place. We may not have what we had in our teens, twenties or thirties. However,  if we really think about it most likely we have more. Some of the most inspirational people I know and observe are not in those age categories. That is not because I'm of a certain age, either.  I have friends in their 20’s to their 80’s. When was it decided that only youth was beautiful? Is it a North American or western phenomenon? In my teens, twenties, and 30’s I didn’t give aging a second thought. I was too busy with my career, and in my VERY late 30's having and  raising a child. The sad thing is that today those groups are getting bombarded with the notion that one tiny wrinkle or a grey hair is a fatality. AND... Keeping up with whomever is the only way to beauty or self-worth. We weren’t inundated with the products on the market today to keep us perpetually 25. When did that happen? Skin care IS important. Mostly so we don’t get skin cancer, which is a hell of a lot worse than a wrinkle. I have never met anyone who died from a wrinkle. With age comes wisdom. YES!  It's CLICHÉ but it's true. Maybe wisdom doesn't come to everyone over the age of 40 but those years are life experiences and life experiences teach us. Who decided for me that my laugh lines were ugly or that my silver hair makes me old? (A guy on YouTube did last week but he was just asking for trouble online and I happened to be there.) The fact that I'm not still wafer thin makes me less than? Honestly, I'd rather be healthy and strong than skeletal. BUT the pressures I have felt and see my friends experiencing are an uphill battle. When did we lose our talent, creativity, abilities, and exuberance because we turned the corner of 40,  50 or 60? I was out one evening in Vancouver, Canada with girlfriends between the ages of 40 and 60. We were having a great time going dancing, hopping from restaurant to club, to coffee house. We were laughing and joking and having an AMAZING time. At one point in the evening, we were all crossing the street, and a group of 20 something women was crossing the street at the same time. They started pointing at us, laughing and making jokes about us. One of my friends turned around and shouted “What are you laughing at? We’re YOU in 20 years!” Well, that shut them the bleep up. If those ladies are LUCKY they will be anything like us in 20 years. We were a group of attractive, accomplished, talented, vital, vibrant and SEXY woman. We had life experience. We were walking, talking, living, breathing, oozing experience. ​Everywhere I go I learn something new from other women in other cultures.  I love going into a European drug store to pour over the shelves of creams, notions and potions. Most which ultimately end up in my suitcase in the convenient travel size.  Europe is light years ahead of us in self-care. Eating right, exercising, meditating, being grateful, making a contribution somewhere, going for it, going with the flow and making your mark (whatever that is) at ALL ages  - THAT'S the ticket. It's wonderful to have older women friends to learn from and to absorb THEIR wisdom. What is NOT wonderful is to have pressure to be someone else’s idea and image of perfection.   AT ANY AGE. So go ahead and use those potions and lotions (cuz soft skin feels terrific), but don’t lose sight of your beauty inside and out. Don’t let someone else tell you what is aging and beauty. (I'm also talking to the men out there, too. Pro-aging is not just for women.) Find your support system and nurture it. “Smell the roses.” ‘Grab for the gusto.” ‘Carpe diem” “Go for it.” ‘You do you.” Be YOUR best self. AND never let someone else define you  - at ANY AGE! My wish for you is long and luscious PRO-aging on whatever continent you reside. ​As always, thanks for reading.

[kazakerswrites-blog]

“Y’all Travel So Much, Why Don’t You Write A Travel Blog or Vlog?”

The above quote is from my sweet next-door neighbor.

She's right. We travel.

A LOT.

We are away from home about as much as we are at home.

As we move forward in life we decided to "get it while the gettin's good."

PLUS, we are REALLY fortunate that we CAN travel.

So WHY am I transitioning into a travel website?

It's not REALLY a travel website.

Travel IS one of the great joys in our lives AND because we travel worldwide we have amassed a TON of information about travel.

All kinds of travel.

AND we have experienced so many facets of travel...

retreats with meditation, water sports, nature, wildlife, soaking in hot mineral water, dealing with health issues while traveling, visiting friends and family, making new friends, cuisine, culture, the arts, history, language, traveling with a service dog, eating right, exercise, and the delays of travel.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. (And by the way I just saw a mind-boggling number of icebergs in Alaska recently. Get yourself to Alaska, if you can!)

I was chatting with another writer friend yesterday and he said the subjects I can write about embodied in travel are practically limitless.

What better to write about than the things you enjoy the most AND the things that affect you the most, coupled with expeditions?

I've taught meditation and Qigong while traveling, had singing gigs,  percussion performances, taken care of family, rescued lost, injured and displaced animals and made sure, on many occasions, that families on the street got a decent meal.

We have connected with interesting and unusual people.

Not the least of which, we have benefitted from it all with a world view.  We see life beyond the four walls of our little town. THAT helps us to understand others and be more global citizens.

That being said...

You don't have to travel the world to get a bigger view of life.

Start in your town or city, then within your county, state, and region.

The U.S. has a myriad of discoveries waiting for you.

Some cities don't even feel like they are in the U.S. They have wonderful foreign influences.  New Orleans is one of those examples.

There is a lifetime of travel in the countries that border the U.S.

It's not difficult or bank-breaking to get to Canada.  Unless you are traveling to Vancouver, THEN you may need to break into the piggy bank. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE Vancouver. I lived there for nine years. But it's cheaper for me to spend a month in Thailand than a week in Vancouver. Sorry, Vancouver.

South of the U.S. there's Mexico, Central America, and South America. Gratefully, my limited Spanish goes a LONG way. ("Learn more Spanish" is on my list.)

A flight from where I live in Florida to Costa Rica is cheaper than a flight from Florida to California!

Keeping an eye on airfare has become a hobby and we have reaped the rewards by booking airfare to Europe with a combination of points and lower flash sale prices.  

Do you have a credit card? Most of them offer airline miles:

Chase Sapphire, Capital One Venture, Citi AAdvantage (we use this card), and Alaska Airlines Visa (we also use this one) just to name a few. (By the way, NO airline, restaurant, town, or business has paid me to recommend them.)  

On the flip side of travel:  We have seen unimaginable wealth and unspeakable poverty.  We have come face-to-face with a worldwide homelessness issue.  

Everything I have been addressing in my topical "human interest" writing I have also experienced through our travels.

We have learned to cut corners when necessary without EVER feeling we have cut corners.

We BOTH are also VERY "go with the flow."

We know so little is in our control that we don't get crazy about challenges that crop up in our travels. (Ok, sometimes maybe a little. And by that, I mean me.) It pays to keep your cool.

We have a family member who travels constantly and it never ceases to amaze me the compensation received for inconveniences, mistakes, bad service, bad attitudes and out and out bad business. There is a way to complain and a million ways not to complain.  Freaking out gets you nowhere except with a headache, stomachache, anxiety attack and possibly escorted out of the building or off of the plane, banned for life. (I've seen it!)

We have stayed in lousy to luxury accommodations. We prefer somewhere in between.

It doesn't mean we don't treat ourselves.  We do.

However, we don't take advantage of the higher end accommodations in certain extremely expensive cities or countries. It doesn't make sense for us.

I will talk about that in future posts.

I have "intel" on our personal explorations.  Some of the information came easily and some required a little blood, sweat and tears. Again, somewhere in the middle works best for us.

We shop deals and do a ton of research AND have the benefit of military perks since my husband is retired Navy.

By military perks I mean being able to stay at some military resorts throughout the world, and staying in incredible lodging on bases. A cottage in your own cove in Hawai'i? YES!  Saying "thank you for your service" is nice, however, the perks are even nicer.  My husband earned it!

When our schedule is really flexible, we can fly military flights to destinations all over the world. For free. (That's a lot more planning and flexibility and SO worth it!)

Not to mention we are frequent flyers with 4 airlines.

We watch websites like

hopper.com

www.airfarewatchdog.com

and the airline and cruise line websites.

We monitor them several times a week.

As far as cruise lines we have sailed with three and our favorite HANDS DOWN is Celebrity.

www.celebritycruises.com ​We highly recommend getting on a repositioning cruise if you can. We took one Transatlantic from Miami to Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, France and Italy.  It was reasonable and a great way to get a taste of several countries.  The upside was a beautiful cabin with a veranda, incredible food and peace and quiet. The downside was a freak storm from the Arctic that brought with it 30 foot waves.  As dishes crashed in the dining areas the band played.  A moment out of Titanic.  My husband showed me where the life vest was, gave me a sleeping pill and I slept through it waking to a beautiful, storm-free day. I was a bit anxious, but I'd do it all over again knowing we were on a ship engineered to handle rougher seas.  Again, kudos to Celebrity!

In a nutshell, although I'm focusing here on writing about our travels, I will include human interest, holistic health, tips, ideas, feedback, reviews, recommendations, photos, videos, and more.

I hope you enjoy traveling with us and that you, too, can hit the road in some way.

Regardless what I say -  go and see it for yourself.

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” - Gustav Flaubert.

“I'm in love with cities I've never been to and people I've never met.” – John Green.

“ Take only memories, leave only footprints.” – Chief Seattle.

As always, thanks for reading.

I'll be writing next week from Colorado!!

[kazakerswrites-blog]

This week’s article:  “ I left Facebook, Instagram & Twitter. Here’s What Happened.”

[kazakerswrites-blog]

When You Gotta Fart, You Gotta Fart.

"Comedy is there to basically show us we fart, we laugh, to make us realize we still are part animal."

Robin Williams

Picture you are teaching a one-on-one class with a student.

In my case, we were working on breath work and energy work in a moving meditation class.

We started by sitting in chairs facing each other.

We had closed our eyes and were taking some DEEP breaths to help us relax.

All of a sudden I felt that my student was not sitting across from me anymore.

I opened my eyes and he was standing in the back of the room.

I said, "What's up?"

He said, "I gotta fart."

I tried to be as cool as possible with that statement.

What I mean by that is I tried so hard not to laugh about it.

It was funny and endearing and...

FUNNY!

When is anyone so REAL with someone they don't know well; someone they are just beginning to trust?

Mind you, the young men who I taught in juvenile justice took my class after they having their dinner and a shower.

YOU KNOW that gas will sneak up on you after you eat; especially if you are eating a more institutionalized diet.

He said he wanted to be respectful of me and not "stink me out" with the smell. I said that it was perfectly OK and not to be concerned about it at all.

Then he said: “Yea, it's a natural body function."

I was so proud of him for having that attitude.

My students could be so real and genuine, that is why I loved teaching them. They've been through tough times and can still be honest.

Sometimes VERY honest!

So he stood there waving his gym shorts around and actually very discreetly taking a whiff to see if it smelled.

Can you imagine?

All out of respect for me AND so he wasn't holding it in struggling with pain for an entire class.

Maybe we ALL can take a lesson from that.

Then he simply came back to the chair and we finished up the session.

It happened to him again at the end of the class, but by then we were completely relaxed about,

I chuckled because little did I know that it would become an all too regular occurrence in ALL of my classes.

I would be teaching and all of a sudden someone would yell "Oh man, that's disgusting."  then there would be a parting of the Red Sea away from one of the students in the class. There was no hiding who actually committed the "offense".

"Sorry, Ms. KaZ."

"Come on, that's ok. It's natural.  I hope you are feeling better."

"Yea, A LOT!"

I would then tell the story about someone I knew who hated when women burped or farted. Women, not men, women.

Or maybe it was just me.

This person said it was gross and unladylike.

He could fart and burp away but for me or another woman to do it - absolutely not!

It makes it difficult being in a relationship with someone and not being able to be yourself. Much less get any kind of relief from holding in the building gases until the "opportune" time to release them.

To this day I'm pretty shy about that.

My student looked at me with a very quizzical expression and said: "well, that sounds stupid".

All I could think of was the quote from the film Forrest Gump about stupidity.   It says it all.

That leads me to the timeless and wise saying from the movie Shrek : "better out than in".

Maybe holding in our burps and farts is a metaphor for life.

Sometimes "better out than in".

Words to live by on many levels..

As always thanks for reading.

See you next week.

Or sooner!