Facetime Instead of Facebook: 36 Hours in Honolulu

The Sunday New York Times had a feature in its Travel Section today on how to spend 36 hours in Honolulu.  It singled out some of my favorite places like Kapiolani Park, Chinatown and the drive from Hanauma Bay to Waimanalo with stops at Sandy Beach and Makapuu.  With no disrespect to the author, Jocelyn Fujii, I would like to suggest my own itinerary based … Continue reading Facetime Instead of Facebook: 36 Hours in Honolulu

The Power of Words

As a writer I’m impressed by how powerful words can be.  As a producer I’m awed by the power of images to tell stories.  This little video about how words evoke compassion left me speechless and a bit teary eyed too. For more information on Vicky Collins visit Teletrends Television Production and Development. Continue reading The Power of Words

“A Homeless, Homeless Advocate”

Thanks to my friend, Randle Loeb, for sharing this inspiring story with me.  Randle is a tireless voice for the homeless and wanted me to see this Washington Post article about Eric Sheptock, a homeless man in Washington, D.C.,  who is advocating for those like him using social media, Facebook and Twitter. People can make a difference anywhere. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/12/AR2010121203509.html?hpid=topnews For more information on Vicky Collins … Continue reading “A Homeless, Homeless Advocate”

The Grapes of Wrath: The Next Generation

Even with 500 TV channels at our fingertips my 12 year old son, Blair, and I could not come up with a movie to watch.  He manned the remote flipping from title to title while I played God saying “next” and “pass” until we had gone from A to Z.  He grew impatient and started lobbying for “Family Guy” instead.  I was undeterred.  We would … Continue reading The Grapes of Wrath: The Next Generation

Enlightened Canada

I walked out of my hotel room this morning carrying a plastic bottle of water and by the time I was at the front desk it was empty.  I handed it to the concierge and asked if he could throw it out.  Before I could correct myself a hotel manager did it for me.  Recycle!  From what I can tell, Canada is an enlightened country.  There are as many … Continue reading Enlightened Canada

New Year’s Resolutions

Each year I vow to do things differently.  Lose weight, cut down on the wine and Starbucks, stop worrying so much.  But this year I resolve to look inward.  Oliver Thomas suggests that’s the way to go in his column for “The Forum” in USA Today.  A trifecta of resolutions that seem much wiser and easier to keep. http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/12/column-its-time-to-look-inward-.html For more information on Vicky Collins … Continue reading New Year’s Resolutions

Slum Tourism

My story on slum tourism or “poorism” has been chosen by Ode Magazine as one of its top 10 positive stories of 2009.  It ran in the April travel issue.  This is my first magazine article and it came as a result of stories I introduced on my blog.  http://www.odemagazine.com/doc/62/slum-tours/ http://www.odemagazine.com/exchange/13599/ode_s_top_10_positive_stories_from_2009 For more information about Vicky Collins visit http://www.teletrendstv.com Continue reading Slum Tourism

Does Money Buy Happiness?

Daniel Suelo believes he has found the key to happiness.  Live without possessions or money.  His spartan life in Moab, Utah fills his soul and he doesn’t even think of returning to the life most of us lead.  “We use all our energy to maintain our possessions and it becomes an ugly cycle,” he says.  So he lives in a cave, gets his possessions from … Continue reading Does Money Buy Happiness?

The Faith Club Part 2

My son, Kyle, was born with a bump on his head and it terrified me.  As a first time mom I was certain he would become gravely ill and I would not be able to hang on to him.  Perhaps it was the postpartum imbalance of hormones but I found myself crying in the shower.  Then and there I surrendered.  I conceded I could not do … Continue reading The Faith Club Part 2

A Denver Death Examined

I was particularly moved by Denver Post reporter Karen Auge’s story about the death of one homeless man and the efforts to uncover his backstory.  What probably made people notice this death is the photo of a trio of maintenence workers on the 16th Street Mall who were trying to revive him.  To the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless each of these lives matter but how often … Continue reading A Denver Death Examined