Jane Stillwater -- History Maker

I have come across a story in my SF Chronicle that is delivered to my door about five days a week. Sometimes I don't get a chance to read them, and sometimes....well they start to add up in a big pile on my front porch. BUT TODAY, as I was taking a pile of the papers from my front porch to move them inside, one story jumped out of me. Thank the goddess it was on the front page. I can't tell you how excited I am about this story. It was so good that as soon as I read about it, I had to blog about it myself.

It's about a woman who lives in Berkley Ca, just around the corner and down I80 from me. We all know there are some pretty eccentric people who live in Berkley. However if you've seen the movie Infamous you'll already know that eccentric people are actually just interesting people who are a lot of fun to be around. And Jane Stillwater happens to be one of these people.

Jane is a young 64 years of age. She lives in section 8 housing and eats peanut butter sandwiches so she can save up her money to do things like, go to Iraq for three weeks to get embedded with a military unit so she can blog about the goings on over there. Last year she went to Afghanistan on a Global Exchange tour. This is the first trip she's taken solo, but she's not scared.

Jane is in Kuwait as I write this waiting for a flight to Baghdad. She left the States on Wednesday. She didn't take a computer with her and plans to blog from Internet Cafes. She doesn't know if she'll actually get embedded. She does have all the qualifications to make this happen, but there are so many journalists over there right now, it's hard to find a spot.

She has already started blogging, her first was from a Kinko's in Kuwait. This woman's writing style is such a delight to read. I have a hard time believing she is 64 years old. Jane seems to have the belief that I do that the Universe will take care of her, and whatever happens, will happen.

Less than a week before she left she put a plea out on her blog that someone might let her borrow some Kevlar. I don't think she actually got any, she hasn't mentioned it.

This is one woman who has decided to live her life by not following the set rules that everyone THINKS they are supposed to follow. Jane is NOT a well behaved woman, that is for sure, and I wish her all the best on her adventure. I can't wait to read her blog.

You can read all about Jane and her adventure at: http://www.jpstillwater.blogspot.com/

A Lady Ump?

This last Thursday (March 29) Ria Cortesio was the first woman to ump a major league game since 1989. Ria is a great example of not giving up on a dream, and doing something you love.

The following link is a story that was written about her in 2003, check it out!

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/04/07/Floridian/Behind_in_the_count.shtml

Attention Ladies in Northern California

Announcing:The benefits of Wilderness for Women
Free Panels in Northern CA, April 12, 14 & 15th

Introducing three extraordinary women for a discussion of the benefits of Wilderness for Women

Discover a world of wilderness, joy and hope in your own backyard. Join Amy, Catriona, and Susan as they speak to the benefits of wilderness for women. In a world of ever increasing demands and widening circles of communication, women struggle with the balance of home and family, relationships, work, technology, cultural pressures, community, social causes, and personal goals. More and more women are turning towards the wilderness, inspired by a desire to evolve a more satisfying rhythm, or to reclaim what is missing in the busyness of our lives.

Women embrace the solace of the wild places for many reasons. They go seeking personal empowerment, to conquer their fears, for spiritual illumination, for the growth of consciousness, for a time of solitude, or simply to reclaim their own inner peace.


We find again some of the joy in the now, some of the peace in the here, some of the love in me and thee which go to make up the kingdom of heaven on earth.
-Anne Morrow Lindberg –“Gift from the Sea”


Catriona MacGregor experienced a profound spiritual awakening at age 12, in the forests near her home. Since then, she has dedicated her life to sharing her vision and helping others to work with the transformative power of nature, to find their inner voice, live more creatively, and carry out their life’s purpose, on an international, national, and personal level. www.naturalpathfinder.com.

Catriona is the co-author of Healing the Heart of the World: Harnessing the Power of Intention to Change Your Life and the Planet along with Masaru Emoto, Carolyn Myss and others.

Amy Racina, ultralight solo backpacker, faced one of the greatest challenges of her life in August 2003. 140 miles into an extended trip, the ground crumbled beneath her, and she fell sixty feet onto rock. Utterly alone in deep wilderness, with both legs shattered; Amy kept her body and spirit alive for four days and nights. Hear the story of Amy’s miraculous rescue; share her joy in living, and her enduring love of the wilderness. Amy’s essays and short stories have been printed in numerous publications, including the best-selling award-winning anthology Healing the Heart of the World. “Angels in the Wilderness” is her first full-length book. www.AngelsintheWilderness.com

Amy Racina’s inspirational story has been featured in The Times (London), The San Francisco Chronicle, The Press Democrat, and on The Montel Williams Show.

Susan Alcorn, author of We're in the Mountains Not over the Hill: Tales and Tips from Seasoned Women Backpackers, began backpacking when she was 48 years old. She set out to climb Mt. Whitney, at 14,196 feet, the highest peak in the lower 48 states. Since that time she's completed more than 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, 900 miles of ancient pilgrimage trails in Spain and France (Camino Chronicle: Walking to Santiago), and reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,340 ft.) in January 2007.

Susan is a motivational speaker who has encouraged and inspired thousands to discover for themselves the rewards and challenges of wilderness exploration. She believes that the wilderness has important lessons for us – for example, even the highest mountains are scaled by moving forward one step at a time – lessons that serve us well in our day-to-day lives. And, we discover that the simplicity of life on the trail provides us with the opportunity to quiet our minds and frees us from the demands of our "everyday" lives. Finally, Susan encourages wilderness travel as a means of finding moments of great joy – seeing beautiful wildflowers, alpine sunsets, and roaring waterfalls – that most people otherwise never experience in their entire lifetime.

Dates and locations for Women and the Wilderness

April 12 (Thursday)
6 - 8 PM
Panel discussion
Fairfax Women’s Club
46 Park RdFairfax, CA 94930
FREE Light refreshments will be offered

April 14 (Saturday)
11:30 AM - 2 PM
Introduction & hike
Samuel P. Taylor State Park is 15 miles west of San Rafael
on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Parking fee applies(415) 488-9897
FREE Light refreshments will be offered
For info: catriona.macgregor@comcast.net

April 15 (Sunday)
1:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Panel discussion
Sebastopol Community Center – Youth Annex
425 Morris StreetSebastopol CA 95373
FREE Light refreshments will be offered www.seb.org

For info: aracina@sonic.net (707) 433-6686

For more info, and to reserve a seat, contact Catriona MacGregor catriona.macgregor@comcast.net Amy Racina aracina@sonic.net (707) 433-6686Susan Alcorn backpack45@yahoo.com (510) 339-3441

Seating is limited and reserved on a first come basis

More Females Playing Football

The first EVER football camp for girls sponsored by the NFL and the Independent Women's Football League has finally happened. About 150 girls went to the event at the New Jersey's Giant Stadium and made history.

More and more girls are playing football. Girls are wanting to get into this sport. So the NFL has taken noticed and actually started a football camp for girls to go to.

Women have actually been playing on all women's football teams since 1950. The IWFL was developed some years back and now boasts a roster of 35 all-female teams.

I say go for it girls. If you love playing football, why shouldn't you play? I get a chuckle when I see girls in my town who are all dressed out in a football uniform who play with the boys. They basically don't have a choice since there aren't all girl football teams. These girls must REALLY want to play ball.