SheSue Experience

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When my children were very young, I refused to put them in daycare. That meant that my husband and I would have to find work at different times so that one of us could always be at home. My husband took a job working from 6:00am to 2:00pm. I found production jobs working the swing shift from 3-11:30pm.

Production Factory

At first, I signed up with temp agencies, taking any production job that came along. Working the swing shifts, you don’t get clerical jobs. The jobs lasted for just a day, some a few weeks. Some of the jobs I worked were:

1. Jelly factory – The first night I was assigned to clean out giant tanks where the jelly was cooked. The next night I watched the equipment controls to ensure they were all running smoothly and at specific settings.
2. Factory that made cardboard boxes – Sheets of cardboard were cut to size, then put into a machine that made cuts and folds for flaps. My job was to bundle them and clear the machine when it jammed.
3. Factory that made packaging – The night I was there, I ran a machine that made little insets to be filled with fresh fruit for gift boxes.
4. Computer software – I worked on a conveyor belt stuffing a box with a disk and documentation.
5. Printing company – I packed books into boxes, that were then put onto trucks and shipped.

Boxed and Ready to Ship

In between each job, I sat at home waiting for the telephone to ring with another offer. Sometimes I would work a full week, sometimes only a couple of days per week. Since I needed the money, I began to look for a permanent production job. I wound up at Oregon Glass (currently out of business), which cut, tempered, beveled, etched and wrapped pieces of glass. This glass was used for windows, tabletops and car windows.

I worked in the wrapping area where window glass was prepared for shipment. There were several tasks that had to be performed and I did them all at one time or another:

a. Feed glass into a machine that adhered plastic onto the glass as it passed between two rollers.
b. Removed the wrapped glass from the other side of this machine and stacked it.
c. Load pallets with the stacked glass.
d. Wrap the stacked pallet with giant plastic wrap and wheel it to another section of the factory.

My co-workers were a very eclectic bunch, similar to all the production jobs I held. Some were there to work their way through college. Others had no direction in life, had no special skills and just needed work. A few had had medical tragedies and were content hiding in a low profile job. And me, who needed a swing shift job so I could keep my kids out of daycare. When I was first hired, a bet was placed unbeknownst to me, that I wouldn’t last a week. I guess they all through I was too meek to last, but I proved them wrong. I lasted nearly six months.

The turnover of employees was pretty high and I added to that when my husband went back to college while working full time. Once again I became a full time mom. I was glad to have had the opportunity to work in the production field. It was fascinating to learn about all the different industries and what happens before products make it to store shelves.

Hawthorne Street Fair

Every city in America has street fairs, said to be a celebration of the neighborhood’s character. I visited the Hawthorne District Street Fair in Portland, Oregon.  The Hawthorne district is considered bohemian in style; the streets are lined with coffee shops, antique stores, cafes, pubs and trendy clothing shops.

A street fair is a great way to get to know your neighbors and introduce others to your business.  Local businesses offer sale items on tables in front of their stores allowing locals and unknowns to get to know their products.  On the streets and in the alleys, you will find tents covering vendors selling their hand made products.  The Hawthorne Street Fair provided all this and more

Kids at Heart Puppet Show

Music and entertainment was found on three stages with blues, rock, steel drums, country and old-time string band music as well as a fashion show.  The Kids at Heart Toy store put on puppet shows, dancing, juggling and martial arts demonstrations.  There was also a whole parking lot filled with kids activities like face painting, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, coloring and more.

The Bagdad Theater, a renovated theater built in 1927, offered movies, wine tastings and coffee tastings.  Anisha Holistic Health Center offered classes in alternative health solutions.  Voodoo Tattoo put on tattoo demos while spinning soul, hip hop, funk and blues music.  The local Fred Meyer Store has clowns, samples, and music by the Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band.

Portland Metro Youth Band

I’ve tried to find out the history behind street fairs, but can’t seem to come up with anything.  An article in the Fulton Sun talks about the history of the Fulton Street Fair and it seems to be similar to other stories I have found about other long running street fairs.  The Fulton Street Fair began in 1899 and resembled a small county fair.  Booths sold food and displayed handwork and sewing.  It gave the locals a chance to show off their accomplishments and honored veterans returning home.  Parades were big in the early 1900’s complete with floats, as well as carnival rides and competitions for farm animals.

There were no carnival rides or farm animals at Hawthorne Street Fair, but there were lots of fun things to do, great bargains to be found and vendor booths showed the imagination and hard work of local artisans.

Emu at Wildlife Safari

Imagine an emu pecking at your front windshield or lions fighting for territory 20 yards in front of your car.  You might be out in the wild, or you might be at Wildlife Safari in southern Oregon.  It is the only place in the U.S. where you can drive your car through the park.    The experience can be so up close and personal that you are not allowed to drive a convertible, even with the top up.

Bison at Wildlife Safari

Set on 600 acres, you can drive a four mile route through Wildlife Safari entering different habitats including Africa, Asia and America.  You will see camels, emus, tigers, bears, bison, elephants, cheetahs, hippos, giraffes, lions and more.  These animals are allowed to live just like they do in the wild.

On my drive through the park, it took some time get past several emus that were standing in front of our car and pecking at all the windows.   We also had to wait before entering the lion area as there were two males that were vying for dominance.  It was fascinating to watch them size each other up, circling and growling.

There’s a lot more to do than just drive through the park at the Safari.

1. You can attend animal keeper talks – Learn all about cheetahs or wolves
2. Visit the petting zoo – You can pet, and even feed a llama, deer or goat
3. Ride the train – Don’t have a car?  Ride the train through part of the park
4. Take a ride on a camel
5. Have your car washed by an elephant – Guaranteed to Not get your car clean
6. Have your photo taken with  a Cheetah – Learn about Taini, and have your photo taken with her

If you want to really get into the thick of things, check out the Get Inside Events.  You can feed a giraffe, take a walk with a cheetah, feed the lions or bears, be an assistant to a park ranger for a ½ day, meet an elephant or help bathe an elephant.  These events have to be reserved ahead of time and are very popular, so I didn’t get a chance to attend any this time.

Zebra Family at Wildlife Safari

If you go to the park, plan on spending several hours there.  The drive through is very slow paced and you have to stop before entering each section.  Be sure to take your camera for some memorable shots.  Most of the programs are aimed at small children, but can be fun for everyone.  The park also has a café and gift store.   Best time to go?  The animals are most active in the morning and on days when the temperature is cooler.

Just as your mother’s singing brought you comfort when you were a baby, your voice today can bring compassion to those who are struggling. Kate Munger, founder of the Threshold Choir in the Bay Area, has found joy through singing all her life. It began when her mother sang to her as a child. She took up the practice of singing in Girl Scouts and school. In 1975, she began writing and leading singing rounds groups. Finally, it was singing for her dying friend that helped to forge the idea for the first all female Threshold Choir.

Singing Maiden

If you have a passion for singing, go to Threshold Choir to find more information about choir locations and how to join.

Wild flowers along the PCT trail

If you live on the west coast and enjoy hiking, you’ve probably heard of the Pacific Crest Trail.  2,650 miles of trail stretches from Mexico to Canada, passing through California, Oregon and Washington.  Along the way, you will climb nearly 60 major mountain passes, pass through 19 major canyons and come across 1,000 lakes.  You will encounter desert, old-growth forest, arctic-alpine, and rain forests.

My daughter along the PCT trail

Thousands of people hike the trail every year; some for a few hours, others hike the entire trail in one season.  Known as ‘thru-hikers’ around 300 people begin this long journey every year while 60% finish.  It takes five – six months to hike the entire trail averaging 20+ miles each day.

The history of the trail began in the 1930s by some men from the YMCA.  Clinton Clarke and Warren Rogers lobbied the federal government for the trail, but had to settle for several disconnected trails.  It took over 30 years before the entire trail was completed, mostly due to hikers and equestrians.  It was designated as one of the first scenic trails in the National Trails System in 1968.

Meadow on Mt. Ashland

We also met a man who had divided the trail into four parts; one section each summer.  He was on his third section.  He told us stories of getting caught in rain storms, days without fresh water and having to wait for his food drops.  Thru-hikers have someone back home who ships out their food to post offices along the route.

The tower on top of Mt. Ashland

All of the sections of the PCT I have hiked were well marked and maintained.  One section I came across a trail maintenance team.  These were volunteers who were spending a week doing trail maintenance.  Just as the trail was brought into existence by the love of hiking; it is also maintained by those who love being out in the woods.

Okinawa, Japan

The AARP/Blue Zones Vitality Project would like to see you live a longer, healthier life.  They have put together a program to help you do just that.  It is all online, so you don’t even have to leave your house to participate.  You’ll find lots of useful tools plus support to help guide you.  Instead of focusing on just diet and exercise, the Vitality Project encourages you to live like communities with the world’s greatest percentage of longevity.

Dan Buettner, an educator and explorer, is the co-director of the Vitality Project. The idea for the Project came from his Blue Zones Quests which he launched in 2005 in order to research the reasons people in small geographic areas live so long.  The term ‘Blue Zone’ came about by accident when a demographer used a blue marker to highlight a region where a lot of centenarians lived.

Costa Rica

So far, Buettner has studied three regions:  Okinawa, Japan; the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica; and the Greek island of Ikaría.  He found  that not only do these people live longer; they also have a much lower rate of heart disease and cancer.  Some of the lifestyle habits he finds common among all the regions are:  eating lots of greens, drinking herbal tea, napping daily, plenty of exercise, close friends, eating produce fresh from the garden, spirituality and not stressing about time.

The Vitality Project has chosen a small American community to become America’s healthiest town.  In January, Project experts began working with the town leaders of Albert Lea, Minnesota to change the way the residents eat, work, exercise and play.   In May, the residents were asked to sign the Vitality Project Pledge.  In September, Albert Lea will go online for six weeks issuing videos, photos and narratives on their progress.

You are invited to join the town of Albert Lea.  You will be asked to sign a pledge agreeing to follow the guidelines set forth by the Vitality Project.  Next you will be asked to take the Vitality Compass which consists of answering questions about your current lifestyle.  Using your answers, the compass calculates your biological age, life expectancy, Blue Zones years, and extra years of life you can add if you optimize your lifestyle.  Once you have completed the Compass, you qualify for a Vitality Coach who will guide you via email through your lifestyle changes.  You can also sign up for Longevity Tips, a weekly email giving you tips and information about the program.

The Vitality Project is sponsored by United Health Foundation.  With the desire to help people live healthier lives, the foundation provides information and support to the project.  They hope to see other towns follow in the footsteps of Albert Lea in pledging to become healthier.

Are you ready for a longer and healthier life?  Head on over the Vitality Project!

Ikaria