The end of last week saw my annual Finger Lakes vacation with my aunts and mother. This year, we went to another new lake: Skaneateles. For perspective, Skaneateles is one of the furthest-east Finger Lakes; only Otisco (much smaller) is farther east. It’s about 15 minutes from Syracuse and was about a two-hour drive from Buffalo.
Project 365: Complete.
After having it on my bucket list for several years, I can finally say now that I’ve completed my Project 365 initiative. One photo each day for a year…. and I’ve done it! It wasn’t easy at times, some days I struggled to figure out what to do my photo of, but now that I’m done, I just wanted to collect some quick thoughts on the project.
Some days were easy. Those were the days when I was busy and had things going on, whether it was a hockey game, a concert or a vacation. The photos for those days were no-brainers and made the project super easy. The struggling days were those where I didn’t do anything of significance, or all I did was work and go straight home. I couldn’t very well take the same photo every day, so I really had to get creative. This project pushed me to take more walks around the area and see different things in order to get different photos on these days.
This past year saw me through a lot, including:
- Several concerts, including Warped Tour, Demi Lovato, Big Time Rush, Ke$ha, Cody Simpson
- Many, many hockey games in various cities (Buffalo, Rochester, Toronto, Erie, etc.)
- Lots of different food
- Three trips to New York City
- A trip to Washington, DC and Arlington, VA
- The birth of my youngest nephew (and his first year!)
- An internship with the Red Cross
- My first times donating blood and horseback riding
- Several other sporting events, including a Jays game in Toronto, two football games & a lacrosse game
- Getting my first full-time job
- ….. and more!
It’s really neat now to look back over those 365 photos and see all that happened. As I said, some photos are more interesting than others. Some days, I dreaded trying to force myself to find a photo to take. But other days, it was really fun, and I had a number of photos to pick from for a single day. Either way, it was a neat project and I’m glad I was able to stick to it. My mom asked me if I was going to start it up again, and I said…. not right away. I think I should take a little break and then maybe I will do it again someday.
For now, it feels weird to not have to think about a photo every day.
The Extensive Powers of Social Media Networks
So last night I was thinking about social media. Lots of people will be quick to point out the negative aspects of it; to say we’re “addicted” or “obsessed” with technology and social media. Those people will also point out things like “catfishing” and other deceptive situations. But there are so many wonderful things about social media networks, including Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. The possibilities are truly endless. Here’s five benefits that I can see with these such networks. While each of these may have negative bits attached, I think they’re generally positive.
- Starting a conversation about literally any topic. This is especially true of Twitter and Tumblr, where a conversation between two people can spark and develop into a conversation between 10, 100 or even 1,000 people — and it can be about any topic. Whether you want to talk about how that hockey game went last night, what that celebrity was wearing this morning, how it’s the anniversary of a book release, what you thought of that movie the other day or literally ANY other topic, you’re almost guaranteed to find someone else out there who can talk about that, too. The expansive wealth of topics for conversation on any social media network is ever-changing and constantly expanding. It’s a nonstop conversation.
- A marketplace for sharing artwork, writing, ideas. Draw something neat? Share it. Snap an amazing photo during your vacation? Share it. Write something and need opinions on it? Share it. Social media is a great marketplace by which people can share any materials they’ve created. It’s a great way to start getting your work – and your name – out there and get people to notice your work and share it with others.
- Finding like-minded others across the world. One of the great things about social media is that it allows you to connect with people from all around the world. No matter what your interests are, you’re bound to find someone else out there who likes the same thing you do or has a similar opinion about something as you. I have met a lot of wonderful people through social media who have similar interests to myself; the difference is that we all live around the world, but are able to come together in one place on the Internet, and I think there’s a certain beauty in that. We all live our own lives – working, going to school, maintaining other friendships and relationships – and we all come from these completely different places, joined together by a common interest, on social media. It’s also a great way to delve deeper into a topic you’re interested in and learn more from others who are more involved or experienced in that field.
- The ability to stay connected with friends and family — or even to find them. How many stories have we heard about people who have connected with long-lost siblings or relatives through Facebook or other social media? It’s also a wonderful way to stay connected with someone after they’ve moved away for a new job or to attend college, gotten married, etc. So many people are on social media nowadays; all you need is a name and a general idea of their location and you’ll be able to contact them. Not only does social media allow us to create relationships with people around the world, it allows us to stay connected with friends and family worldwide. Of course, reading someone’s Facebook status shouldn’t be a substitute for a phone call or in-person visit, but it’s a nice way to keep tabs on each other in between visits or phone calls.
- A venue by which people can share their opinions and have open debates. If you have strong opinions about anything, there is probably someone on social media who is willing to debate with you about it. Whether it’s a political issue, environmental issue, something in the news you want to talk about, or even a controversial sports play, there’s bound to be someone out there with an opposing viewpoint who’s willing to chat — and I think that’s a great thing. Social media allows us to connect with others who share our opinions as well as those who don’t, taking us out of our “box” and pushing us to consider the opinions and thoughts of others. Yes, there’s going to be those people who harass others for their opinions, but I’m talking about healthy debates, a healthy sharing of ideas and opinions.
So next time you’re thinking about social media, be sure to consider all the wonderful opportunities it offers people — this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Being a Tourist In Niagara Falls
Sometimes, it’s fun to do “tourist” things in a city you may have been to a handful of times already; maybe even being a tourist in your hometown could be fun. It gives you a chance to see things from a different perspective, try out some other/new/different things, and see your city from the eyes of a visitor.
I’ve lived my entire life in Buffalo. I’ve been going to Niagara Falls since I was a kid – it’s only about a half-hour drive up from downtown Buffalo. Sometimes, I think I’ve gotten used to it, and then other times I’m struck by the fact that my house is less than 30 miles from this amazing thing that puts roughly 3,160 tons of of water over the Falls every SECOND and produces over 4 million kilowatts of electricity for the United States and Canada.
It’s easy to forget just how incredible that is… but wow, it’s incredible when you really think about it. So yes, it’s certainly fun to take a tourist-y trip up there every once in a while.
A few weeks ago, I took my father up there to celebrate Father’s Day. He hadn’t been to the Falls in years, so it was something different for him; here’s what we did.
First off, let me note that there is plenty of parking in the area, but be prepared to fork over a good couple of bucks. When we went, the official State Park lot was full (that’s usually where I park, but this WAS a beautiful Saturday afternoon.) So we parked in a lot not far from there, still in a convenient location…. but it was $20 for the day! I think that’s a little crazy, and I especially didn’t like how the lot didn’t have signage out in front, so you only found out once you had already pulled in and had five cars waiting behind you that you were expected to fork over the $20. What choice do you have then?
Anyways, I digress. It was an absolutely beautiful Saturday morning, the sun was shining and no clouds in sight. We started off the day by walking around Niagara Falls State Park for a bit, eventually making our way to the Maid of the Mist ticket booths. It’s currently running at $17 per adult, which I found quite affordable. It’s truly a unique experience that you’ll never be able to get any other way, so for that price….. it’s not bad.
For those who have never done the Maid of the Mist before, here’s how it goes. Buy your ticket, go through the turnstile, and take the elevator up to the observation deck. This is a great view in and of itself; look to one side and see the Falls, look across and see the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, look to your other side and you’ll see the Rainbow Bridge and the Niagara Gorge. You can stay up there as long as you’d like, but don’t stay too long – the real adventure awaits!
Once you’d had enough of the observation deck, you take an elevator all the way down to the dock area of the Maid of the Mist. Wait in line, hand in your ticket, get your poncho, and (eventually) board the boat. It’s a 20-minute ride and no matter where you are on the boat, I can guarantee two things: 1) you’ll get a great view and 2) you’re going to get wet. Even on the lower deck, you’ll still get wet. Don’t think you can avoid it — trust me, you can’t.
The ride is a short but incredible one, taking you by the American Falls, the Horseshoe Falls and the Canadian Falls and back around. It’s so difficult to describe it in words — it’s just breathtaking to get that close. Everyone, particularly those who live in WNY, needs to do the Maid of the Mist at least once in their lifetime. I’ve been fortunate enough to do it twice (2012, 2014) and I’d like to do it once more and try to convince my mother to go. And for those who might be scared — you’ll be so fascinated by the Falls that it’ll be hard to think about anything else.
After doing the Maid of the Mist, we walked across the Rainbow Bridge to Canada. If you’re going to do this, make sure you: a) have proper ID to get into Canada and back into the United States b) take a photo at the border line c) have 50 cents for the toll you’ll pay on the way back to the States.
Lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe was good, with live outdoor music being played just feet away. (A bit loud for my taste, but that’s certainly the aura of any Hard Rock.) Poutine was good, but not the best I’ve ever had. We also walked up to Clifton Hill and did a bit of sightseeing and shopping before going on the Niagara Skywheel.
I’ve been to Clifton Hill plenty of times, but this was my first time doing the Skywheel. It was an incredible view of the Falls; I could also see downtown Buffalo from the top! I had hoped to get a glimpse of Toronto’s skyline in the other direction, but that didn’t quite work out. Either way, it’s a pretty neat tourist attraction and I can certainly see why it’s so popular.
A walk back over the Rainbow Bridge and a drive back to Buffalo completed our trip. It was a nice little tourist day in Niagara Falls, a beautiful Saturday in June and overall, a good experience that I’d certainly recommend.
Your Morning Links to Brighten Your Monday
Happy Monday, everyone! Today is the beginning of a new week; anything is possible today. Who knows what could happen in the next seven days? Start things off right by taking a deep breath, getting focused and preparing to charge in the week that lies ahead. Here’s some links for further reading to get you started off this week.
Angie is just four years old and she’s already making a splash on the Internet — you see, she makes dresses out of construction paper and tape. You might be envisioning some craft day horror, but these are legitimate. Many of them are modeled after high-fashion dresses seen on the runway or on red carpets, and they’re pretty amazing. Especially when you recall that she’s just FOUR YEARS OLD. [Huffington Post]
Want to get your mind going this morning? Here’s a blog post from Marc and Angel on 40 questions everyone is afraid to ask. Why not check it out and start by asking yourself even one of those questions today? Write about it. [Marc and Angel]
Anyone who’s a bit of a history nerd like me will enjoy this Soldiers and Sailors database, which contains information about those who served in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. There’s all sorts of information on this website, and it’s really interesting (or at least, it is to me) to just browse through even a bit of it. [National Park Service]
Last night, the annual Tony Awards were held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Miss the winners? Here’s the full list, and here’s a CBS video of some of the highlights of the show.
Finally, here’s 10 infographics and cheat sheets that will make your life a little bit easier. Isn’t that handy?!
Dictionary.com’s Word of the Day: strident.
Happy Monday!
thoughts of Melissa 