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Fab Photos Friday: Fabulous Las Vegas

June 19, 2015 By Tam Warner Leave a Comment

Ah, Las Vegas. I have been there so many times, dating back to 1983 when I first went with mom and dad and my brother. I have wonderful memories of Vegas, girl’s trips with mom and my mother in law and my cousin, and various friends of ours who joined us over the years. We always teased my mother that we would put her ashes in the slot machines. Well, I did put some of her in the garden of the four faced Brahma at Caesar’s Palace…and I put a dollar bill with a bit of mom through her favorite slot machine, the Double Diamond. Of course I lost. Thanks, mom.

Burning incense at the Four Faced Brahma, Caesar's Palace. — Burning incense at the Four Faced Brahma, Caesar’s Palace.

I had a major treat this last weekend. I was offered a weekend in Vegas with free air for two, free suite, and all of my meals and incidentals are always comped. So I took my bestie, and she had never been to Vegas. I cannot tell you how I enjoyed watching her jaw drop every five minutes. She was in shock…an Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas?? Yep. And an Arc d’ Triumph, a Roman Coliseum, water fountains, flamingos, and Venice. That does not even begin to describe the wonders of Las Vegas…I enjoyed seeing it through fresh eyes. Oh, and we had fabulous seats for Jersey Boys at Paris! If you are going to Vegas, you have to see this production. Incredible!

vegas 14 paris — Paris Hotel and Casino!

the old fountain at Caesar's with Donnie and Marie overlooking! — the old fountain at Caesar’s with Donnie and Marie overlooking!

batman — We stayed in the Batman suite at Planet Hollywood!

We stayed in the Batman Suite at Planet Hollywood...remember the JOKER????? — We stayed in the Batman Suite at Planet Hollywood…remember the JOKER?????

My friend and I dining at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant. It is exquisite!

Amazing Women Wednesday: Diana Paboojian

June 9, 2015 By Tam Warner 19 Comments

How I love Wednesdays and the opportunity to introduce you to some Amazing Women! Meet Diana Paboojian, and look at her incredible photography.

diana herself — Diana Paboojian and friends!

Diana and I met on a dive trip exploring the Socorro Islands (very far south of the Baja) on the Solmar V. She caught my interest early…her camera equipment was obviously “serious”, and her husband, Shannon, was the videographer. I enjoyed viewing her images during the trip as most of us hung out in the dining area categorizing our photography. Her images were, and are, light years ahead of mine. I learned quite a lot from watching her.

Like my family of four, she and her family are all divers, and enjoy dive trips together. Her two sons are now in college, and she and her husband raise quarter horses and are organic Alfalfa/ Grass feed farmers who live in the northern part of the Central Valley of California. I’m trying to imagine something better….horses, diving, animals, traveling. Throw a dozen dogs and cats in the mix and that’s pretty close to heaven for me!

A natural in the water, Diana didn’t get certified until her younger son sought dive certification. I would have guessed during the trip to the Socorros that she had been diving far longer than 6 years or so. Photography is tough to do underwater…one needs to be a damned good diver before you add a camera into the mix!

When I asked how she became interested in photography, she told me, “I have been always been interested in photography. I loved taking my own pictures for my horse business and I am also an excellent sports photographer. As for under the water, once I mastered my buoyancy, it was a natural progression to take a camera with me. I started with a point and shoot, then upgraded to a micro 4/3’s camera, and now I shoot with a DSLR. I have taken many pictures and have had a few great teachers to get me where I am now.”

diana5 — These creatures are as small as your fingernail.

I also asked her about her photographic experiences, and which was the most exciting (I know that is a very hard question to answer). She replied, “I have had so many exciting adventures out of the water and in. Gorillas in Rwanda, Lions in Botswana, Leopards in Tanzania, Bull Sharks in Fiji, Mantas and Dolphins in Socorro, Whalesharks in Mexico! When we were on a safari with Derrick Joubert in Botswana, we were watching two painted dogs sleep. A herd of elephants with babies walked by. After the elephants disappeared in the distance, the two painted dogs stood up stretched and started mating. I took a few pictures, but then just sat and watched. Derrick was filming the whole time so we stayed as quiet as we could. Every experience has been exciting but the most important advice is to make sure you put your camera down every once in awhile to truly enjoy the experience!”

Diana doesn’t call herself a conservationist or activist, but an educator. She says, “People just do not know what is really happening in our oceans or in Africa. I want to use my photography and knowledge to educate them to be more caring. To make a difference. I always say you can’t un-know what you know so all I can do is get the information out there. Then we can only hope that the human race can evolve enough to save the world.”

diana2 — Isn’t this an exquisite photo? A great example of the detail Diana gets with Macro images.

Her photos are amazing, and they make one care about the creatures she photographs. From sea horses no bigger than your pinky finger to gorillas in Africa, the photos keep you interested, and curious about the animal itself. You can find Diana’s work on Zenfolio, and the link is www.dianapaboojianphotography.zenfolio.com. If you are looking for fantastic wildlife photographs, you won’t have to look any further than Diana’s photos. Her Macro underwater photography is particularly engaging. She captures the tiniest sea creatures in incredibly detailed shots.

diana4 — The largest fish in the ocean…the beautiful Whale Shark!!!

So, what is next for this traveling, empty nest, shutterbug? “Heading back to Indonesia in July. We will be going to Villa Markisa in Tulumben, Bali to get a little muck diving! We will then head to Komodo on the Liveaboard Damai. We will finish off with Cenderawasih Bay to see the Whalesharks!”

There is never a dull moment in Diana’s life…she embraces all experiences. Her son is studying Marine Biology so who knows where that will send her family? I can’t wait to find out…and maybe go along!

I always enjoy following Diana’s travels around the globe, and hope to meet up with her again on a liveaboard somewhere…or a dive resort. Or a safari. She is an inspiring figure, and a great role model for young women. Since Travels with Tam is participating in the #AcrossWomensLives initiative, I’ll be sending this post over to them to demonstrate the strengths and talents of women! It feels good to be able to share positive stories about women’s lives!

Push Me Pull You

June 8, 2015 By Tam Warner 7 Comments

Do you remember the Push Me Pull You two headed llama from Dr. Doolittle? If you do, you must be close to my age! I don’t think the Eddie Murphy Doolittle had the llama. Anyway, that llama is a good image for how I feel much of the time.

Learning to be flexible in this crazy world is a must, but I have to confess, it can be tougher than I thought. I would never have anticipated that my husband, who has always been perfectly healthy, would have faced death 18 months ago, or that our lives could have changed to such an extent. (Randy suffered a sudden respiratory failure and ended up with a double lung transplant from a disease called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. I blogged about there experience under Our Transplant Journey. Go to the very last page for the beginning of our very unexpected journey).

Randy and I on a special night. — Randy and I … we are so fortunate that he is alive and with us. A true miracle. 2015

Randy and I had planned an empty nest life of travel, much of it adventure travel and diving. We also wanted to spend time on a lake here and there, or a river, kayaking or rafting or paddle boarding. A lung transplant brought complications to our plans. Lakes and rivers are no longer allowed…you can imagine the bacteria, right? Last summer we went to Lake Tahoe and rafted in the Truckee and boated in Lake Tahoe because these are alpine lakes and rivers, crystal clear and cold, without the risk inherent in the rivers and lakes of Texas. I wanted to go to a friend’s lakehouse this weekend, but Randy was uncertain…I understand it, he cannot go in the lake. I could paddle or kayak or swim, but Randy couldn’t do any of that. We ended up not going. It’s okay, like I said, I understand it would not be much fun for him.

While he has been cleared to dive in easy environments, like most Cozumel dives, he cannot do any type of “challenge” diving. Truthfully, he won’t be able to do some of the Cozumel dives, and I worry about it…what if he gets stung by a jelly, or scrapes against coral? He hates to wear wetsuits, but he is going to have to, just for protection, even when snorkeling. Randy has always been a sun worshipper, staying dark and laying in the sun for hours. He is no longer allowed in the sun without hats and sunscreen…he is 50 times more likely to get melanoma than the average person because of the anti rejection drugs he is on. Yes, life is different, and there is a lot to consider when making any kind of plans.

We are planning to go to Cozumel, where we have a second home, in 3 weeks. They do have medical flights, and Houston is only an hour or so away, but the medical care on the island is bare basics. Yes, that worries me. A trip to Vienna, Prague and Budapest has been planned for December so we can see the Christmas markets and displays. Again, one has to plan: The Department of Thoracic Surgery at the Medical University of Vienna runs a high volume lung transplant program with more than 100 transplantations per year. So, Randy will never be more than an hour’s flight from Vienna while we are traveling. It is doubtful we will ever travel to Africa (except perhaps South Africa) or Asia again, or remote locations like Antarctica. He has to be within a reasonable distance of a transplant hospital.

I am a passionate scuba diver, and I want to volunteer for scientific trips and go on trips to review dive services all over the world. I don’t feel too guilty about the science trips as Randy wouldn’t want to do volunteer diving anyway, but I am torn on other travels. However, I have made the decision to go on these trips, and to fulfill my aspiration to make a difference in ocean conservation. Randy supports that decision, he does not want me to give up the trips I have wanted to go on since our kids flew the nest. I appreciate that support, because I feel compelled to do as much as I can, as long as I can. I have a two week trip the end of July with the Marine Megafauna Foundations’s Ray of Hope to help with ID of mantas and whale sharks. These trips mean so much to me.

Many of the activities Randy loves will have to be curtailed, or stopped completely. I encourage him to find other things to try…there are many things he can still do. He has had two serious illnesses this year, for both he spent weeks in the hospital. Randy is doing great right now. I am so looking forward to his first trip to Cozumel in 2 years, but I will take him to get a wetsuit. Safety first.

Fab Photos Friday: Do you love Anemones?

June 4, 2015 By Tam Warner 3 Comments

Long fascinated by anemones, I take photos of them on almost every dive. Other photographers look at me like I’m crazy (probably am, I admit), but I think they are incredibly beautiful. Anemones are close relatives to corals and jellies. They have stinging polyps and spend most of their time hanging out on coral reefs waiting to take in the next prey. “Their bodies are composed of an adhesive pedal disc, or foot, a cylindrical body, and an array of tentacles surrounding a central mouth. The tentacles are triggered by the slightest touch, firing a harpoon-like filament into their victim and injecting a paralyzing neurotoxin. The helpless prey is then guided into the mouth by the tentacles.” (http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/sea-anemone/). I have seen them hitch rides on other creatures, and close up their body. You’ll often find crabs nearby, and anemone fish. There are over 1000 types of sea anemone, and obviously I have only seen a few, but take a look and see how lovely they are, and how deadly (but not to humans).

05 coz creatures march 05 anemone mouth — Beautiful Giant Anemone with mouth showing.

para 14 corkscrew anemone best — I LOVE Corkscrew Anemone. Cozumel.

coz cp 12 sun anemone — See the tiny blue Pederson shrimp lower right on this Sun Anemone?

10 sc 10 para anemone mouth and cleaner fish — Anemone mouth and tiny cleaner who is immune to the sting…or is he a goner?

10 sc 10 sr branching anemone goatfish — This is Branching Anemone.

07 isla anemone — Soft white anemone in Isla Mujeres, MX

coz 11 pnight anemone open - Copy (1)X — You can really see the texture on this Giant Anemone.

coz 10 jan fran knobby anemoneX — Knobby Anemone. Cozumel.

coz 10 jan cardona branching anemone2 — Branching anemone in Cozumel

coz 13 sr h anemone — See the tentacles folding within the body? Also look to the left….and at the next photo…

coz 13 sr hairy clinging crab and anemone — There’s usually a crab or a shrimp near an anemone! This is a Hairy Clinging Crab. Cozumel.

Magnificent Anemone in Thailand, Andaman Sea.

wr 14 caves humbug damsel in anemone — Humbug Damsels in Anemone

moz 12 ma clownfish best — Clownfish in anemone, Mozambique.

moz 12 giant id anemone and 3 spot humbugs juvenile — Huge anemone! In Mozambique

coz paradise night 09 hermit and anemones on board — FOUR anemones are hitch hiking on a Starry Eyed Hermit Crab! Not sure the anemones do anything to help the crab, though!

The Sun is Finally Shining in Texas!

May 31, 2015 By Tam Warner 16 Comments

After three solid weeks of pouring rain, flooding and storms, Dallas is sunny. For the first time since 2012, Texas is not in a severe drought, which is good, but the rains have cost people in the state both lives and property. Texas can never do anything in a small, reasonable way…if it is going to exit the drought, it’s going to do it in a BIG way.

The weather says sunny for several more days, and I can only hope that is true. I now understand the concept of depression without sunshine. I love rain and storms, but even I am completely sick of the weather. Sunny weather, please do stay!

The famous Oasis in Lake Travis during 2013 when the lake was 52 feet low on water.

Lake Travis is at its highest level since 2011, but Texas is still not out of water trouble. Some cities were within 90 days of running out of water. It only took Texas 5 years to draw our water supplies down to critical drought level. Hopefully, Texans will be a little more conservative with water use now. If we go back to months of relentless sun and heat, our water supply won’t take long to dry up again.

Texas is such a conservative state that one never hears anything about critical water levels (except water restrictions for lawns), and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality won’t comment on whether or not water conservation will continue. Hopefully it will!

So, here’s hoping for several sunny days…but we will hope for rain on and off throughout the summer to keep water supplies topped off!

Fab Photos Friday: Elephants

May 28, 2015 By Tam Warner 13 Comments

Donald Trump Jr holding the the tail of an elephant he killed this past week (yes, I know holding the tail is an African sign of respect) caused quite a ruckus online. For this Fab Photo Friday I thought I would share elephant photos from my safaris and from my volunteer experience in Thailand. Elephants are charismatic animals…touchingly close and maternal, majestic and often friendly. I still think it is an oxymoron to say that in order to save a species, hunters need to pay to kill a member of that species, but that’s just me. Even when the herds are too big, I can’t say I am enthusiastic about hunting. Since humans seem to have screwed up nature’s balance, I suppose hunters are needed…but I could never kill an animal myself. Yes, I feel badly enough about chickens and turkeys and pigs and cows…factory farming not only harms our environment but is cruel and unnecessary. Anyway…here are some of my favorite elephant photographs. The Asian elephant numbers are down to about 2,000 in the wild in Thailand…their extinction is almost a sure thing. Notice how elephants ears take the shape of the continent they are from?

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