BLOG 204—Adventure in Life!

With my words, I hope to throw some oblique light upon your life.
I want to inspire you to see life in a different and/or better way.

*** To read past blog posts, go to >> kitsummers.com/blog/
*** If you are reading this through Facebook, check out my blog on my website.
*** If you are not my Facebook friend yet, please, befriend me.
*** Thanks, my wife, Beth, for editing and adding to each weekly blog.
*** I was hit by two different trucks, one involving a 37-day coma.
*** The happiness I am experiencing in my life is a marvelous thing!
*** I will have places to show you and tales to tell.
*** Secrets to unfold and good news!

BE TAKEN AWAY WITH ME
ON WONDERFUL ADVENTURES!

********************
TOPIC FOR THIS WEEK >> TRAVEL!

As you might know, I have traveled much of the world, often looking for wilderness areas. I think this is something that will add to most people’s lives. And, no matter your situation, you can always find a way back to the wilderness.

In 1977 I drove across the US from my home in San Diego to attend a juggling convention in Delaware. The excellent juggler Jon Held accompanied me on the trip. This was my first time driving across the US; since the first, I have gone on to make 31 round-trip drives across the US.

In 1978, I went to see my friend, Barrett Felker, who was attending college in Arizona. Also a great juggler, and we connected well. In just a few months, we decided to go to Hawaii to live, practice our juggling, and perform. We stayed for three months, and our performance paid for all of it.

Later in 1978, also through juggling and performing, I went to Europe with my friend, John Fox, a friend and performer. We met many great jugglers and had a great time of it.

Just the beginning of my travels. I would eventually travel much of the world. I discovered all the benefits of world travel.

Another drive across the US!
In 1979, I was hired as the juggling instructor at Ringling Brothers Clown College in Florida. Only 18 years of age, teaching clowns juggling skills is another highlight of my life. Can you imagine?

While at Clown College, I met David Crosby of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. I had no idea who he was; how wonderful, though. He did give me very nice compliments about my juggling. Recently Beth heard that Crosby has died, an awful thing. If I had known who he was, I would have taken a picture with him and saved it for the day I found Beth.

Here comes 1981, the year I got booked as a featured juggler at Ballys Casino in Atlantic City. Yet another trip driving from San Diego across the US. My contract was for one year; they liked my performance so well that they kept me on for an entire year.

Then, on April 3, 1982, I was walking to my performance at Ballys in the evening on a stormy night. I was struck by a truck and went through a 37-day coma. I ended up staying in the hospital for a few months, receiving therapy and help with recovery. As you would know, my traveling was diminished.

My accident was on 4/3/82. The International Jugglers Association (IJA)  had a convention coming up in July. I was still in a wheelchair, and my sister and a friend drove me from San Diego to attend the convention. Friends and caring jugglers were all around, quite lovely. 

Then, the 1983 IJA convention was in Purchase, New York. That provided my goal. I re-established my driving and drove myself to attend the convention solo. I was part of the show, and people loved it. In 1982 I was in my wheelchair; I had performed on stage, even riding my unicycle!

So, from being on four wheels (wheelchair) in 1982 to being on one wheel (unicycle) in 1983. 

You might think the accident ended my traveling, but it was just the beginning. I could not juggle as I did because of the accident, yet, I still knew jugging so vastly. I ended up developing a two-day workshop to help jugglers improve.

The workshops did well, as I helped hundreds of jugglers advance, first around the US, went to Europe three times with the workshop, and Japan three times to work with jugglers there, too.

In 2012, I brought the workshop to Australia, where I spent a month traveling and did five workshops around the country at circus schools and for juggling groups. Then, it was on to New Zealand, where I was there a month, too, presenting five workshops for jugglers there.

From 2013 to 2021, I hit the road. Living and traveling in my van, I mainly went to national parks and wilderness areas. I went to all the national parks and have been to every state in the US.

Traveling has been a massive part of my life. Marrying and settling down with Beth is also a big change. I guess my traveling has come to an end. I love my new life with Beth.

Traveling as much as possible will add to your life; travel when you can.

About traveling, studies show that being outside in nature is relaxing, reduces stress, you will find lower cortisol levels, better muscle tension, and an improved heart rate – all of which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

HAVE >>
Less stress.
Improved sleep.
Accelerated recovery from surgery or illness.
Better vision.
Improved relationships.
Higher self-esteem. You will find >>
Improved short-term memory.
Reduced inflammation.
Awareness of conservation.
Boost your immune system.

Also, being in the wilderness >>
1. INCREASES PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
As you would know, we move more when we’re outdoors. Do you know that every hour spent outdoors is associated with seven more minutes of heart-pumping physical activity, taking 762 more steps, and spending 13 fewer minutes being sedentary?
  This is in our backyard (see Dolly, the cat?) 

2. IT WILL LOWER YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE.
Compared to city environments, getting a 30-minute dose of walking in nature can lower your pulse and blood pressure and, of course, put a smile on your face.

3. BEING OUTDOORS, YOU WILL FIND IMPROVED AIR QUALITY.
Indoors is often worse than outdoors in air quality. In fact, spending large amounts of time indoors increases exposure to infectious diseases and common allergens (like pet dander and dust.) Indoor air may even lead to the development of chronic respiratory conditions.

4. BEING OUTDOORS WILL HARNESS IMPROVED SOCIAL INTERACTION.
Being outdoors enhances our desire to seek and improve social connections. Improved social interactions help fend off excessive feelings of loneliness while generally boosting mental wellness.

5. IT WILL BOOST YOUR MOOD.
Forests and natural environments are considered therapeutic landscapes and have demonstrated many positive mental effects. Exposure to forests and trees leads to increased liveliness and decreased levels of stress, hostility, and depression.

6. BENEFITS YOUR IMMUNITY.
Breathing air in the wilderness is healthy. Essential oils from the trees, leaves, and soil help improve your immune system function.

7. IT CAN DECREASE YOUR LEVELS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY.
Increased exposure to the outdoors, including forested environments and beaches, has been shown to decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Essentially, in the outdoors, people feel less stressed and more rested. Interestingly, some doctors even prescribe walking outdoors as part of their patient’s treatment plans for managing stress and anxiety.

Get out in the wilderness as often as you can.
This will only benefit you. For me, all I have to do to be in the wilderness is to walk out our back door.

What new stories are you ready to write? 
********************
WORDS TO INSPIRE YOU! >>
Inspirational quotes and motivational sayings have a unique ability to change the way we feel about life and can change our thinking.

I find them so interesting, challenging, and essential on our path to joy and happiness and finding ways to inspire ourselves and others.

Inspirational quotes and ideas give us a quick and timely burst of wisdom to get our focus back, offering the inspiration needed for the day or occasion.

I hope to inspire you with my words.
Words have power.

Are you accomplishing what you want before your eventual death?
At any age, you can (and should) make changes to make your life better.

How you think and feel about yourself, including your beliefs and expectations about what is possible for you, determines everything that happens in your life. It all derives from your quality of thinking.

When you improve the quality of your thinking,
you change the quality of your life—sometimes instantly!

Just as positive words can make someone smile, and/or a well-timed amusing quote can make someone laugh, your thoughts react to the world in real time. You have this control!

You have complete control over only one thing in the universe — Your Thinking — and that’s where motivational quotes come in!

To keep your motivation, you have to use each day as an opportunity to improve and get closer to your goals. It might sound like a lot of work—and with your busy schedule—next to impossible. But you can do it!

Self-talk is so essential—THINK RIGHT!
Motivational words, yes, they’re just words.
But they’re positive words; they will keep you on track.

EVEN IF YOU START LATE, ARE UNCERTAIN,
OR ARE DIFFERENT –
YOU CAN STILL FIND SUCCESS!
Don’t forget that you are only as young as the last time you changed your mind!
Keep your thoughts and self-talk fun and productive, and always reach for more advancement.
REMEMBER, VERY LITTLE IS NEEDED TO MAKE A GREAT LIFE.

********************
I HOPE THE FOLLOWING WORDS INSPIRE YOU >>
1. “At some point in life, the world’s beauty becomes enough. You don’t need to photograph, paint, or even remember it. It is enough.” – Toni Morrison

2. “Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.” –Edward Abbey

Why look, there’s Gary!

3. “Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

4. “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” – Henry David Thoreau

5. “The antidote to exhaustion isn’t rest. It’s nature.” – Shikoba

6. “Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” – John Muir

7. “Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” – Ashley Smith

8. “Now I see the secret of making the best person, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

9.“In all things of nature, there is something of the marvelous.” – Aristotle

10. “Hiking’s not for everyone. Notice the wilderness is mostly empty.” – Sonja Yoerg

11. “All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
I love the wilderness. See Dolly, the cat?

12. “Hiking and happiness go hand in hand or foot in boot.” – Diane Spicer

13. “After a day’s walk, everything has twice its usual value.” – G.M. Trevelyan

14. Backpacking: An extended form of hiking in which people carry double the amount of gear they need for half the distance they planned to go in twice the time it should take.” – Anonymous

15. “Hiking is not escapism; it’s realism. The people who choose to spend time outdoors are not running away from anything; we are returning to where we belong.”
– Jennifer Pharr Davis

COMPOSE A NOBLE BOOK AND WRITE A BEST-SELLER.
YOU ARE AMAZING—PLAY YOUR PART!

********************
MY DAILY JOTTINGS >>
Each week goes by so quickly, don’t you think?
And time seems to be going faster all the time.
Do you keep track of what you do each day?
Do this for a few weeks, and you will see your time differently.

1/14—Every week, I feel relief after I publish my blog for you, which was released yesterday. Knowing my words are out there to benefit you as you read.

1/16—I worked on the six raised-bed gardens that I built. I usually purchase already-started plants (tomatoes, lettuce, and such.) After checking out Amazon, I found that I could buy 25 excellent seeds for about a buck, for example. My future gardens will be started from seed from now on.

Also, today my new chainsaw arrived!
Big enough for all I need, an excellent tool. 

1/17—We have almost 20 rabbits, quite a bunny menagerie. Today Beth sold six of the little creatures. This weekend six more will be finding new homes. I had some bunnies when my daughters, Jasmine and April, were young, one of which had little ones. The girls loved it.

1/18—Off today to find wood for the fire. Of course, I feel terrible when we have to pay for wood. Recently, I purchased that small battery-powered chain saw that I can bring with me out to cut wood. This is working excellently. I did find a scary face in a piece of timber; see the photo.

1/19—Cold days are upon us. I’ve developed a good way to use the fireplace to keep us warm. We also have electric heat. We have not had to use the heater much, saving us money.

1/20—The new showerhead came in! I’ve hooked it up, and the new head is working well. But, I think it puts out too much water. I will look into getting another that is more water-saving.

How about you, are you handy?
Can you fix simple things?
Remember, videos on YouTube can teach you anything.
I’ve become quite an expert is fixing things around the house.

Is it time to “make” things happen and live a fuller life?
“Make” a great week for yourself.

******************
YOUR CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK > >
Every day this week, try something new.
Suggestions >>
A new meal that you prepare.
Start learning that new language that you want to learn. Japanese anyone?
Begin your garden that you need to develop.
Take a day to thoroughly clean you house (you know it needs it.)
Start that exercise routine that you have been meaning to commence.
Remember, something new everyday.
Then, make it a habit to learn new things constantly.
Do something new, daily, then keep doing it for the rest of your life.
*******************
NEXT BLOG
Our garden is going in.
You will hear of the progress.
*******************

THIS WEEK,
MAKE YOUR LIFE
SOMETHING
THAT YOU CAN
WRITE ABOUT!