Articles written by statesofminds

What is Helium

About me - statesofminds

I love the little pleasures life brings, whatever one considers "little," like a smile from a passerby, a courteous driver letting you merge, a warm spring rain that enhances the smell of new flower blooms, an empathetic police officer who gives you a warning

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Travel > Travel Diaries & Adventures (Other) Travel experiences: Off the beaten path: 2 of 84
The darkness seemed oppressive, keeping me from finding the trail I needed. It was August in the Pennsylvania Wilds state park region and I was attempting to find part of the Qeuhanna Trail, which is a moderately sized but difficult rated trail stretching anywhere from 16-75 miles, depending on the exact path taken. My plan h... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Spiritual: 41 of 656
Wings Weather the Vast Void As I gratefully gazed at the shining sunset,Taken lifetimes away from material goals,I had not yet at that moment in space met,Lost in the last red rays radiating as coals.Admiring the peacefully perfect reflection,Savoring the love of all life in connection,Shimmering solidly up from the cool calm... More..
Sports & Recreation > Hiking & Backpacking Wilderness survival: Finding water to drink: 1 of 13
Finding drinking water in the wilderness can be a difficult and daunting process, but it is possible, even in the desert. From best to worst case scenario, there are several tips to help people outdoors with the most important aspect of wilderness survival-staying hydrated.The best case scenario is for the person to carry a f... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Brotherly love: 1 of 12
Love, as common convention, is far over-rated; a better term for this phenomenon would be lust. True love is a much more powerful feeling, although it seems to be overlooked and trivialized by many modern societies. Love for all others, or what I would call brotherly love, has the potential to make many positive changes in ou... More..
Sports & Recreation > Hiking & Backpacking What to do if attacked by a bear: 1 of 11
There are two basic methods to surviving a bear encounter or attack: to be aggressive or to be submissive. Unfortunately, that is where the simplicity ends; since every situation is different, and there are many different ways to be aggressive or submissive, no one answer exists for how to respond to a bear. One point is clea... More..
Sports & Recreation > Hiking & Backpacking How to prevent blisters while hiking: 1 of 10
The average person likely walks less than a mile per day, while the average hiker goes ten miles or more per day. So, what happens when the average person goes hiking? A person hiking over uneven terrain who is not used to it will get blisters, but luckily there are ways to prevent them.The first thing to remember is to wear ... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Spiritual Insights Spiritual awakening: Thoughts shared: 11 of 104
I silently cursed the heavy night rain which began again in earnest. I was not upset by the rain, but it proved a harmless scapegoat to direct my many frustrations toward. Most were work related and since I worked so much, life related. Little did I know that my frustrations would lead me to an insight that would change my li... More..
Creative Writing > Humor Humor: Nature: 7 of 45
I smiled as the blood curdling scream pierced the noisy summer evening, thinking to myself that one of our campers had just had the crap scared out of them. Not wanting to be left out, I set my course towards the action, taking advantage of my night vision in the dim moonlight on the trails and emergency roads instead of usin... More..
Sports & Recreation > Camping Dealing with bears, coyotes and other uninvited guests while camping: 3 of 18
Not everyone venturing into the woods has to deal with lions and tigers and well, maybe bears...but wildlife, for many people, is one of the things they go into nature to be closer to. Is it safe to share your environment with wild animals? Are there dangers, or simply fun with some occasional nuisances? The answers depend on... More..
Travel > North & South America Travel experiences: Wonderful wildlife encounters while traveling: 3 of 14
I crept slowly up the side of the dirt road, using the terrain to help me remain unobserved, all but invisible to the two deer browsing about 100 feet in away in a large clear field. As I stalked closer, I silently slid my battery powered remote control predator call from my back pocket, turned it on and set it on the ground.... More..