Write to 12 people I don't know but whom I admire in 2007

I see that I really do need to have this as a goal because otherwise I probably wouldn’t get around to doing it as often as I should. They sort of bunched up at the end of the year, here.

The return rate is much better when contacting a person through email. There are probably a lot of reasons for this, not the least of which is that it might be creepy to get fan mail at your home address. 4 years ago

The creators of Medicine Cards

I just did a Medicine Wheel spread for myself, and it was very encouraging about my path and amazingly, addressed the fact that I am entering a new phase in my life, and basically encourages me to take the reins of my creativity and ride joyfully.

I did the spread, then wrote about each card and how it applies to me.

If you have the cards, here’s how it came out:

EAST – bat
SOUTH – hummingbird
WEST – whale
NORTH – eagle
SACRED MOUNTAIN – mountain lion

Huh…when I Googled Medicine Cards / images about the fourth hit was “one of my photos!”:
images.43things.com/entry/00/00/a7/42945l.jpg 4 years ago

Wrote to thank him for his photographs and online journaling about the Pacific Coast Trail and others. I just needed to know a couple of things about section G from Walker Pass to Mount Whitney for my novel, and I found his wonderful site, www.phlumf.com

These pix and stories were very helpful. Seems he’s also hiked in Iceland. So have I. I am but a lowly dayhiker, but I so admire backpackers.

[Edit: Received a response from him today 1/6/2008. He has hiked the Pacific Crest Trail about 10 miles from where I live. Nice guy.] 4 years ago

Wrote to compliment him and the writers of the website, which is going to help me enjoy my next visit even more. It’s been a long time since I’ve been there, but it’s a great day trip from the L.A. area.

Wow, that was quick!

Dear Sally,

Thanks so much for taking the time to send your wonderful comments! As at many scientific facilities that are focused elsewhere and often have limited resources the web site is something of a labor of love. There is always more planned that never seems to make it online so your comments are a welcome affirmation that it’s doing a good job as is.

Don Nicholson will be very pleased to see your note when I forward it to him, as am I as the other author of material you specifically mentioned. I’ll also pass it on to other staff and volunteers.

We hope to be making some improvements in visitor facilities (again, long-planned) soon. Most likely you didn’t fail to retain information from the museum; it really doesn’t have nearly enough to offer visitors. The museum will be one of the first to gain from the new focus on public outreach that will be taking place soon.

If you haven’t already taken part in one of the regular public walking tours of the observatory then I highly recommend that you do so on your next visit. They are held every weekend day (and some holidays) at 1pm starting at the Pavilion above the main parking lot. The docents that lead the tours are all highly trained and knowledgeable and volunteer just because of their love for the place and a desire to share it with others. Don Nicholoson and I do them ourselves at times although I more often find myself busy with other tasks. All the guides have a different slant on the observatory because of their own particular interests. None are right or wrong but there is so much information available to share that we all accent what interests us most.

There are other good resources that you might be interested in as well, such as the definitive biography of George Ellery Hale, founder of Yerkes and Palomar Observatories in addition to Mount Wilson, by Helen Wright titled Explorer of the Universe. A fantastic documentary on Hale’s life, Journey to Palomar, will air on PBS in the spring and I can highly recommend it for anyone interested in topics like those in my articles on our web site (see http://www.journeytopalomar.org/ for information on the documentary and some clips).

Please feel free to write with any questions or comments.

Again, my sincere thanks.

Mike Simmons
Webmaster
Mount Wilson Observatory

At 09:50 AM 12/14/2007, you wrote:

Hello,

I just visited the Mount Wilson Observatory site and am very pleased with it. My husband and I have visited many times, especially during our first years in Los Angeles in the late eighties when free entertainment was about all we could afford. The observatories of California hold some of our earliest memories of living here and exploring the mountains and parks.

Although I’ve visited the museum in the past, there was a lot I didn’t know (or retain, maybe?) about Mt. Wilson’s history and current operations. The virtual tour was a real treat and I’m sending a link to former Californian who is sure to get a kick out of it too.

If it’s possible to extend my gratitude for a job well done to Don Nicholson and Mike Simmons for their historical perspectives, I’d appreciate you forwarding this email to them and anyone else who might like to know that the site is much appreciated.

I’m looking forward to revisiting the observatory in the spring armed with some print outs from this site!

Thanks,

Sally Charette
Acton, CA 4 years ago

How cool!

This goal spreads more good will, I swear, and it only takes a little time.

I need to get going on the last 3! 4 years ago

Wow! I stumbled onto this site this morning and was able to identify the bird that’s been serenading me for hours: a white crowned sparrow.

I sent them an e-mail of appreciation for the work of creating and maintaining this excellent database.

To check out the database and hear what I’ve been hearing follow this link4 years ago

I’m so glad I wrote. She wrote back and said that only I and a reviewer in Israel had noticed what she’d done with the lettering in her comic. I’ll bet more people do but never mention it.

Hee! 4 years ago

The creator of a lovely comic in the Best American Comics 2007. It was so well constructed and such a surprise. 4 years ago

Hmm, I must be getting better at this. I had a great response from Eric Blehm! I’ll post it on my blog tomorrow, with his permission, as a response to what I posted there.

Pretty cool. 4 years ago

Author of The Last Season

What a great story. I kind of gushed. But I also told him about the several things that his book made me think about. I expect that any author is happy to know he inspired further contemplation of his subject matter. 4 years ago

The author of the graphic novels/memoirs I’ve read lately. I wanted him to know how much I enjoyed Carnet de Voyage especially. I would read another of his travel diaries. 4 years ago

What fun! He wrote back. The Internet completely rocks.

Sadly, he said that US Congress and INS have made it just about impossible for “small potatoes” like him to get work visas, so he doubts he’ll be touring the States again. What a shame. He’s a delightful performer.

He said he’d keep writing songs as long as people like me continue to sing them. [grins] 4 years ago

I was writing about his song The Dalai Lama’s Candle, that never fails to brighten my day when I thought I should just write and tell him how much it means to me. He’s written about six songs that Hydra and I sing together. Some are funny, some are warming, some are hard to get through because they’re such tearjerkers. He’s quite a talent, and a joy to see in person. Very funny and self-deprecating. 4 years ago

Saw him in concert at a small venue last night and wow, what an amazing performer he is. At 80, still filled with energy and wit. Laughing and thinking! Quite an experience.

Wrote him a note thanking him for a great evening. 4 years ago

I received answers from both of the authors I sent notes to, Amy Sutherland and Michele Wildgen! Maybe there’s something special about writers who cook. 4 years ago

Editor of Food & Booze. It was a fun read. Basically thanked her and let her know that I am sending copies around the country as gifts.

Photo from her website4 years ago

Author of Cookoff: Recipe Fever in America, the book that I just finished reading. I enjoyed it a great deal. It was inspiring both as a writer and as a person who likes to cook.

Just wrote to her via her website. [Photo from said website] 4 years ago

This local ABC anchorman announced this morning that tomorrow morning he’s going to undergo surgery to donate a kidney to a friend of his. He made it all about the friend who’s life he’s hoping to improve. It was moving and inspiring. So I wrote him a note of support. 4 years ago

I will help you find contact information for the people you want to write to. I do research for living, so I have some resources and some methods available to help! 5 years ago