I got a new camera!

I'm going to have to step up! My new Nikon D200 is many levels above my humble, ever reliable CoolPix 4300, and I have so much to learn!

The D200 is used, but appears to be in perfect condition and the previous owner added 6 extra lenses, flash, tripod, cases and other accoutrements to the deal. I won't be taking the new camera to Georgia next week, but you'll start to see photos taken with it here, and on the TMT Daily Photo Blog here: http://www.texasmountaintrail.blogspot.com/

The Tradition Continues: The July 4th Kazoo Band

Click the photo for a better view. Sorry for the late posting, I'm still catching up!

And I'll be leaving again on Friday for our Board's strategic planning session and then off to Georgia for Tourism Marketing "Camp," which will be fun, I think. I hear rumors there might be an opportunity to go kayaking!

My gratitude to Betsy and Nic and Leah and Anne and Susan

All those years reading your editorial copy at the Foundation prepared me for some heavy press release production here in Texas. Thank you. You not only tolerated my suggested edits with good cheer, you taught me a more than a few lessons in putting words together. There is still so much to learn. My grammar could be better. My sentences leaner. I could not be so enamored with commas, putting them, well, everywhere, in every sentence, at every breath. HA! Right here, right now, I know I could use your editing skills.

Lately, we've been given free distribution of a handful of releases as introductory offers with PR firms, and my releases are getting quite a bit of attention, which makes me extremely happy. I love seeing my releases on the Reuters website, on international travel email newsletters, and big city newspapers and financial journals. The articles appear suddenly and disappear just as fast. Here's an example, read it while you can! They're doing so well, one firm is profiling us in their internal newsletter. When the sales rep at PR Newswire says, "Obviously your writer has a journalist background," I owe you my thanks.

So thank you.

Solo Mountain Hiking

One of the things I never seriously thought I'd do was solo mountain hiking, but my experiences in Texas' wild spaces primed me perfectly for adventure in the Scottish Highlands. While the family was off exploring other parts, I tackled #69 from the book, 100 Walks in Scotland, "Around the Small Shepherd." There was nothing "small" about it, nor dry for that matter, nor tame. Nor was it a mere "walk." But it was wild and exciting and exhausting and I left the 8 mile hike (not including the 4 mile trek back to the hotel afterwards) feeling so accomplished, I know I'll never HAVE to prove my physical stamina ever again. Though the elevation was just about the same as Van Horn's 4000 feet, the scale was massive, and the climate unforgiving, though completely different from the challenges at home.

Waving goodbye to the family at the trailhead, before heading through the Lairig Gartain. On the right is Stob Nan Cabar; on the left, Stob Dearg. It was spitting wet out, just shy of pelting cold, needlesharp rain. Wonderful.

The white tufts in the Glen are cotton grass; at upper elevations, the white is snow. Diminutive wildflowers are everywhere, but so small they're barely visible underfoot. They're tucked next to patches of green, brown, khaki and maroon spaghnum moss, which makes up much of the unmarked trail. So wet and loose and spongy, parts of the route could barely be called soil. Step after step, my boot would sink into the moss and suddenly I'd be standing in an inch or two of water. Thankful our guide advised me how to get out of a truly unstable bog before I headed out...you spreadeagle face down, distributing your weight so you don't sink quite as fast....it was advice I was glad not to have to take.

The trail was marked only in spots, just boot-worn stretches and an occasional rock cairn. This satisfying little detour offered a well-constructed pathway. It begged to be taken and did not disappoint.

Pure clean water.

Many tributaries to traverse, and waterfalls everywhere. Plenty of opportunities to hop boulder to boulder, the river roaring at my feet.

Ordnance maps are sometimes a challenge, so when you think you might be lost, take the time for a goofy self-portrait! And smile like you don't have a care in the world. (Turns out, I'd followed the trail perfectly! Yay! I hadn't been lost at all!) Do I have a Himalayn sherpa look going? No?

The view of Dainess Estate far below in the Glen.

For awhile, I was hikingin the clouds. Here I'm near the end of the actual hike; so I head back to the hotel. That's four miles back in the cold rain. But for this hot desert dweller, that was tremendous fun, too. I knew a hot shower, a warm pint and a hearty venison casserole was waiting for me.

Portions of our Times Square Ad

CBS Morning Show appearance

With national weatherman, Dave Price.

the next challenge

There I was, standing with my colleagues in the Random House lobby last week, surrounded by the entire history of the legendary publisher. We were in a temple of corporate achievement--thousands of volumes glowing in a huge space of sunlight, polished wood and honey-colored marble. I was in the company of books I'd loved as a child, trashy best-sellers, and classics I hope I have the time to read. It was an architectural statement about vision, greatness and achievement.

In two days, our team had meetings in editorial offices all over the city. We'd been in the test kitchen of a leading food magazine, successfully cold-called the editor of a travel journal at a rarefied publishing empire, engineered a cheesy but fruitful appearance on the CBS Morning Show, and even used the bathrooms at Men's Vogue. Our trio had been a success in just about everything we'd tried; West Texas was getting noticed in the Big Apple. It was heady and exciting and exhausting.

And surrounded by Random House's temple of achievement--all those books--I'd had a rather cliched moment of clarity: I found myself saying, "life is there for the taking, all you have to do is reach for it." I'm a bit embarrassed by the unremarkable and saccharin sound of that statement, but most of you know I'd been stuck for years. Though there was evidence to the contrary, especially concerning my artwork (exhibitions, residencies, publications, etc.), I felt unable to reach terribly far. And now I realized I'd gotten much, much better at seeing possibilities instead of obstacles...and that I clearly had found my "second mile."

I haven't made an entry here in more than a month because (happily, amazingly) life has been filled with signature moments. They have been BIG moments of challenge and achievement; experiences I'd never even dared to dream for myself. But there they were and I was going for them, aggressively pursuing LIFE with a comfortable confidence. But, frankly, these BIG moments have come in such rapid succession, they've worn me out. (I'll post about them and you'll understand why) So after a rare week of short work days and long naps, I'm back to running, cooking, giving Daisy and others important to me quality time, and maybe, maybe posting new blog entries.