Me against the world

Magnet #799 - Me at Cliff Walk

So many years ago, my friend Lynn and I did a weekend girls trip to Rhode Island. I don't even remember why, and I feel like it wasn't gonna be a weekend trip, just a day trip, and we ended up having to call her fiance to let him know we were spending the night. (Odd what you remember...like the J'ai Alai neon-lighted signs. Really? J'ai Alai? Who were we? I wasn't even a Mad Man at the time!)

We ended up doing a couple of mansion tours - if you haven't gone, you should totally go. Everyone should see the Breakers...and yes, I have a separate magnet for that.

But, along the water, they have this Cliff Walk, a 3.5 mile recreational trail. Now, ya'll know I hate nature. Ya'll know I hate hiking. Shoot, ya'll even know how much I hate the beach.

But, this trail? This hike? LOVE. Seriously the coolest thing ever. No particular reason, except that it's just you and the waves crashing against the rocks.

Lynn just happened to take this photo of me, right at this moment, and quite simply I love it. It's why I had a magnet made of it. It's a metastatement that just speaks volumes to me.

It's me against the world. Depending on how I feel, sometimes the world's winning. And every so often, I am.

So today, just for my birthday, let's all pretend that the tide's turned my way, and I'm winning.

Wu-hooooo!

Smallest in size, biggest in heart...or religion, as the case may be

Magnet #230 - Joy in Rhode Island

So, today in 1635, Roger Williams (the founder of the first Baptist church in America) was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony - something about speaking against authorities looking for punishment of religious dissension and confiscation of Indian land.

Roger then hooked up with the Narragansett tribe, and founded what eventually became the state of Rhode Island. Well, actually, first, he settled a bit of land and welcomed all dissatisfied Puritans... I do love that he thought it was a sign from God, and he named his settlement Providence.

For some, RI is a pitstop along the 95 corridor between Connecticut and Massachusetts. And for others, RI is famous for its playground of the rich - Newport - where all the uberwealthy have their summer cottages, etc.

For me, it's both. Oh! And it's home to the second most fun city name to say: Woonsocket. C'mon, say it with me: Woooooooonsocket!

Save the dolphins

Magnet #60 - Newport, RI

So, today's Earth Day, and I've picked a little dolphin from Newport, RI, arguably one of the most flagrant displays of consumer excess in America, if not the world.

Part of me really wants to celebrate Earth Day, but the other part is worried that Earth Day week has become yet another marketing/social responsibility bandwagon. Which would be ok, except that I can't figure out if that bandwagon is going to save the world or desensitize humanity to all green and blue messages from any and all corporate entities.*

At any rate, that's not Newport's fault. I do so love visiting Newport because it truly is the playground of the rich and long-ago famous. And, their gorgeous vacation homes (yes, there's a magnet forthcoming) are just the most ostentatious statements of wealth ever.

The other best thing that I love about Newport is the cliff walk - the 3.5-mile trek along the water, giving you some of the best views of the mansions and the ocean. I'm totally not one for nature, but walking along those rocks, where waves crash against the earth reminds us exactly how small each of us really is in the grand scheme of things.

So, my personal plan for this Earth Day is to make an effort to start living a little bit greener...not just today, but every day.

*Addendum: An experiment. Not including this blogpost, count how many green and blue Earth Day messages you get bombarded with today, and report back. In the last few hours, I've counted the green FOX logo (and at least 4 green-focused in-programming ads), the green YouTube logo, the green Google logo, and a Best Buy email.