I have a number of interests and pursuits in life and thought I would share some of them with others through my web sites.  As will become obvious, one of my hobbies is writing web site pages.

• I enjoy photographing many subjects but gravitate towards scenic and historical subjects.   I use a  4X5 large format view camera and 6X7 medium format camera for my photography.
       
• I have inherited the family collector gene.  My maternal grandmother collected small San Francisco street cars and swizzle sticks from Nevada, my mother collected salt and pepper shakers and I collect Aladdin Kerosene Lamps.
   
• I am and always have been a dog person who enjoys having a large breed dog sharing my life.  These days the dog of choice is an Irish Wolfhound.
   
• I love going out on long vehicle dependent camping trips with my dog to see new places and pursue the perfect photograph. I enjoy gypsy style travel where destinations are optional and not necessarily desirable.  Just exploring where whim takes me.  I have learned a lot through my travel experiences.   My vehicle is a 1960 Land Rover Dormobile that  I have driven for over 30 years now.  I have some thoughts about vehicle dependent expedition travel in North America and Series Land Rover technical information that I would like to share.
    
• About me  I am a woman of many interests and a product of my life experiences.

Oh, and I'm one of those people who thinks that life is to short not to drive a classic roadster.  I'll let someone else drive mundane cars.  So, when I'm around home  and the weather is good I drive this Triumph TR3A  I have some web pages containing technical information on the Triumph TR 2 through 4A.   "How can life grant us the boon of living if we do not dare to live?" Amelia Earheart

A friend emailed this to me.  It is something that some women are forwarding to each other
regarding how the woman's magazine industry, the diet industry, along with a few clothing & image elite people are getting rich by causing women untold grief and low self esteem.

I don't know the original source but I thought it is something every woman should read and take to heart.

Be nice to yourselves, ladies!

Did you know....

If shop mannequins were real women THEY'D BE TOO THIN TO MENSTRUATE.

There are 3 billion women who don't look like super models and ONLY ABOUT 8 WHO ACTUALLY DO.

The models in the magazines are airbrushed-- THEY'RE NOT PERFECT!!

Models who twenty years ago weighed 8% less than the average woman, today weigh 23% less.

Marilyn Monroe wore a SIZE 12.

The average American woman is 5'4", weighs 144 lbs. and wears between a size 12 and 14.

The average fashion model is 5'11" and weighs 114 lbs.

One out of every 4 college aged women has an eating disorder.

A psychological study in 1995 found that 3 minutes spent looking at models in a fashion magazine caused 70% of women to feel depressed, guilty and shameful.

There is no sense in our generation of women and future generations of women killing themselves to look thin. We're simply being lied to. Love yourself for WHO you are, not what you look like.    But don't forget that obesity is also not healthy. Along with loving everyone for who they are we must also love ourselves. That means we should strive to be healthy so we can be active in life and take full advantage of life.

And for those of you with daughters - please be careful about the messages you're sending them.