About Me
- About Me: I thrive in wilderness. I am very grateful to live simply in a small rustic cabin situated cozily in a lovely oak-hickory forest with abundant wildlife near a little river. Disabling depression inspired me to undertake the spiritual journey which brought me here and taught me, among other things, that financial frugality can be surprisingly enriching. Though my lifestyle and path diverged from conventional models for modern living and traditional success, it became clear that striving toward those norms was extremely unhealthy for me. Despite arguably lowered social status, learning to honor my soul and live with authenticity has done wonders for my wellness and peace of mind.
Books
- Favorite Books: The Dance, The Invitation, A Year to Live, Care of the Soul, Hope for the Flowers, The Secret Life of Bees, The Tao of Inner Peace, The Celestine Prophecy, The Wisdom of Depression, The Fall of Freddie the Leaf, The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight, Soulcraft - Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche, The Lorax, Old Yeller, The Yearling, The Bone People, The Wilderness Family, A Walk Across America, My Side of the Mountain, The Education of Little Tree, The Monkey Wrench Gang, The World According to Garp, A Prayer for Owen Meaney, Atlas Shrugged, Don Quixote
- Favorite Authors: Alice Walker, Barbara Kingsolver, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Nevada Barr, John Irving, Carl Hiassen, Dr. Seuss
- Favorite Genres: multiple
- Favorite Characters: The Lorax
- Favorite Quotes: "Now I see the secret of making the best persons, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth." ~ Walt Whitman; "For me, becoming 'mentally ill' was always a spiritual crisis, and finding a spiritual model of recovery was a question of life or death. Finally I could admit openly that my experiences were, and always had been, a spiritual journey -- not sick, shameful, or evil." ~ Sally Clay in The Wounded Prophet; "In the depths of winter I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." ~ Albert Camus.
- Recent Reads: multiple
Travel
- Places I love: Ozarks rivers, Appalachian forests, Florida wetlands, coral reefs and tidepools, waterfalls, caves, springs, mountains, unspoiled beaches, unspoiled wilderness, Belize, Costa Rica, and the Havasupai Indian Reservation in Northern Arizona.
- Places I've been: The places mentioned above, and Tikal, Guatemala; Lima, Peru; Barcelona, Spain during the 1992 Olympics; London; Paris; a very large number of places across the USA and Canada including many national parks and natural areas.
- Places to see before I die: Machu Pichu, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Galapagos Islands for starters...
- Dream Vacation: Some combination of wilderness, backpacking, hiking, kayaking, caving, snorkeling, wildlife watching, nature photography, yoga, stillness, reading, creative expression, and intimate connection with another gentle loving soul... oh, and really good vegetarian food!
More About Me
- Religion: A non-denominational blend influenced by buddhism, taoism, shamanism, paganism, deep ecology, and ecopsychology.
- Interests: Wilderness (!), nature photography, yoga, backpacking, kayaking, hiking, swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, reading, writing, and watercoloring. Solitude. Connecting with others. Spirituality, soul, sobriety, sensitivity, serenity, mindfulness, compassion, kindness, sensuality, intimacy, love, tenderness, deep ecology, conservation, creativity, coping effectively with depression and anxiety, finding meaning, authentic and simple living, gratitude, and experiencing great awe, wonder and joy.
Television
- Favorite Shows: I don't have television!
Style
- Where I shop: Goodwill
- Brands I love: Levi's, Columbia
- I like to wear: Blue jeans, cotton shirts, polarfleece, and hiking boots
- Can't live without: Vasque hiking boots
- Prized Possessions: Smartwool socks
- Guilty Pleasure: Gore-tex raingear
Music
- Favorite Artists: Joan Armatrading, Sade, Enya, Aretha Franklin, Tracy Chapman, Toni Childs, Fleetwood Mac, Enigma, U2, Bob Marley
- Favorite Albums: Joan Armatrading's The Classics Vol. 21, U2's The Best of 1980-1990, New Order's Substance 1987
- Favorite Songs: U2's The Sweetest Thing, Joan Armatrading's Love and Affection, Aretha Franklin's You're All I Need To Get By, Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart, Robert Gass' Om Namaha Shivaya
- Favorite Lyrics: U2's Pride (In the Name of Love)
- Guilty Pleasure: Arrowsmith, Boy George
Movies
- Favorite Movies: Emerald Forest, Dances with Wolves, Winged Migration, Thelma and Louise, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Jungle Book, The Ice Age, Finding Nemo, Plains Trains and Automobiles
- Favorite Actors: Whoopi Goldberg, Ellen DeGeneres, Lucille Ball, Kevin Costner, Harrison Ford
- Favorite Genre: comedy, drama, and documentary
Food
- Favorite Cuisine: Vegetarian, Mexican
- Favorite Desserts: Ice Cream!!!
- Favorite Drinks: Decaf Coffee, Herb Tea, Sparkling Water, Juices
- Favorite Junk Foods: Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Best meal ever: Vegetable Pizza and Salad
- Favorite Restaurants: Sweet Tomatoes, vegetarian cafes
- Foods I hate: Salad Dressings, Mayonnaise
WildernessLiving
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- Name: WildernessLiving
- Gender: Female
- Member Since: 11/4/2006
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