Life with Dylan

Year: 2013

  • Sunset Sunday – San Diego

    No words are needed for this spectacular sunset from Christmas Day 2012.

    Thank you Matt for sharing your beautiful sunset picture from San Diego, CA.

    Do you have a favorite sunset picture that you would like me to feature here? If so, send me your picture and the location it was taken. After all, what good is a beautiful sunset if you can’t share it with others?

    Have a fantastic week and don’t forget to take time to watch the sunsets.

    *Please only submit pictures you have personally taken and own the rights to.

  • I ignited a spark and now I want more

    After almost a year of talking about conservation and writing about how we can all make a difference, I finally saw that spark in someone’s eye. You know, that spark you see when something you said or did made another person think hey, I can do this too.

    The best part about this story – the spark I saw was in a child’s eye.

    A few weeks before Christmas a friend of mine told me that her son Riley (5 yrs old) saw a World Wildlife Commercial about saving the tigers and that he wanted to help save them, but he didn’t want to have to touch them. When I heard this I knew what I had to do.

    I would adopt Riley a tiger from the San Diego Zoo and give it to him as a Christmas gift. This way he could help save the tigers.

    Riley was so excited when we gave him his tiger. We told him that his name was Christopher from the San Diego Zoo and by adopting Christopher he was helping to save the tigers.

    Now Riley has a very special friend named Bear. Bear has been with Riley since the day he was born. Bear goes everywhere with Riley and there was a day not too long ago that Riley thought he had lost Bear. His Dad captured this beautiful image filled with emotion and a child’s love for an animal. So you are probably thinking what does Bear have to do with the tiger? Well, I had to let you know just how special Bear was for you to understand how special it was when I found out that Christopher (tiger) was traveling alongside Bear.

    Not only was Christopher hanging out with Riley and Bear, but Riley was telling people about his Mommy’s friend who adopted the tiger for him so that he could help save the tigers. A 5 year old boy creating awareness about the plight of the tigers as a result of something I did … you bet I’m on cloud nine!

    Oh, and he sleeps with Riley too.

    I’ve said before that educating children will change the world and when a child starts telling his friends and family about saving the tigers, well that just makes me more confident that I am doing something right. Riley brought Christopher to school today for share day. This, this is what it’s all about.

    iPhone pictures from today

    When I shared the news about Riley and his newly adopted tiger with a friend of mine he said, “Be careful … That feeling, the one you got when you saw that spark ignite because of you, it’s addictive.”

    Man was he right – I love it and want more! Every time Riley’s parents post a new picture and I see Christopher right there with him I get that feeling all over again. Riley is making a difference for the tigers by telling his friends about his adopted tiger and I am so proud of him.

    This is what I want from life – I want to make a difference and inspire others to do the same.

    Thank you Desi and Tammy for providing the pictures.

  • The simple beauty of a tree in winter

    I will admit that I have become a little obsessed with trees lately. Something about the cool crisp air we have been having and the bare trees takes my breath away. Good thing I always have my phone with me to capture these moments.

    Crisp afternoon skies
    And then there are those times when I just have to pull over – even if it means I will be a few minutes late to work. 
    Silhouette sunrise 

  • Quiet mornings, coffee, and making plans

    Today was my last day of winter break. For the past two weeks I have not had to think about work or schedules or being anyplace that I didn’t want to be. Two weeks of vacation that didn’t require packing a suitcase or staying in hotels. Exactly what I needed. I have enjoyed my quiet mornings with a cup of coffee and my late nights with hot cups of tea.

    My mind has been in overdrive, which is strange considering I took two weeks off from blogging and haven’t been writing. Instead, I have been thinking and making plans. Thinking is so much more than just solving a problem or getting a good grade in school. I am talking about really thinking – deep thoughts about the world and your life and what great things you will do next.

    Nothing is finalized yet, so I can’t give you too many details. However, I can tell you that I will be doing something very special to help with rhino conservation and that I will be taking on a challenge of something that I have never done before. It is all very exciting and a little scary at the same time.

    For now, I will continue to get lost in my own thoughts. I will enjoy the next two days – the weekend – before going back to work on Monday. I will keep taking life one day at a time and while my mornings may go back to being a little hectic, I will cherish my quiet mornings with coffee.

  • My hopes and wishes for making a difference in 2013

    I woke up this morning with a feeling of inner peace and complete calmness. The house was quiet and still. The first thing I did was open the blinds and look up to the sky. Good morning 2013 … I think we’re going to do some amazing things together. The sky was beautiful.

    I am ready to take on the new year with an attitude unlike those of the past. I’m not sure what happened last night, but somehow we said goodbye to 2012 and hello to 2013 as if we were in a bubble with nature. We took a walk down to the bay to watch the final sunset of 2012. Cameras in hand, we were exactly where we wanted to be – with Mother Nature.

    It was as if time was standing still. The air was crisp and the water was glassy. Patches of frost lay along the banks of the bay. The sun reflected on the water giving it a rosy glow. The view took my breath away.

    About this time last year I made some New Year Wishes (because I can never keep resolutions) and recently went back to read them – you know to see how I did. I  must say that I am quite proud of myself. I was able to make 4 of my 5 New Year Wishes come true in 2012. I found the time to read more and get my photographs organized. I think it is safe to say that I stopped worrying about what others think and I have definitely learned some new things. Why just last week I taught myself how to knit. The decorating bug never did bite me, but the photography bug sure did!

    Since I was so successful at making my wishes come true in 2012, I think I will make five New Year Wishes for 2013. Maybe this time I can make all of them come true.

    1. Spend more time outdoors with my camera photographing the world around me. Not just trips to San Diego, but trips everywhere. Day trips up the coast or to the mountains with one thing in mind – to take lots of pictures. 
    2. Volunteer my time at local non-profit organizations. I need to feel like I am doing something that helps the environment and this is one way that I can do it. Some places may even let Dylan volunteer with me.
    3. Continue to read more, explore more, and keep learning more.
    4. Spend more time relaxing and enjoying life and less time stressing about what needs to be done. Less deadlines and more impromptu activities.
    5. Do something that makes a difference everyday because like +Rick Schwartz said, Today, like everyday, presents an opportunity for you to Make a Difference. 
    Dylan and I plan on doing some amazing things in 2013 – we hope you will come along for the ride.
    Happy New Year!