I’m not sure how long it would have taken me to cross #80 off my “life to do list.” You see, sleeping under the stars (i.e. camping) is something I used to try when I was little. I’d set up a tent in my parent’s backyard, bring a book and a flashlight and attempt to be brave enough to sleep outdoors. Inevitably, a bug would fly near my head or the roar of the crickets and frogs nearby would freak me out and I run back into the safety of my childhood bedroom by the end of the night.

Then my dear friends Adam & Jen decided to have their combined bachelor/bachelorette party be at a campground in the middle of nowhere. In particular, it was at the San Pedro Lake in Northern California… oh and it was 107 degrees outside during the day. And there was no electricity. And no restaurants. It was just 20 of us… in tents… on a lake… and it was amazing.

We had such a blast and it was so amazing to get WAY outside the city and WAY outside my comfort zone- exactly the point of putting this item on my life to-do list in the first place. I cherish my friends and I cherish when they are present and supportive and challenge me.

And I had such a good time… I would even do it again sometime!

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This says it all...

Where is there? Well… there was Wisconsin. Specifically, the Wisconsin Dells. This quaint little area of the country is world-renowned, actually. For what, you might ask? Waterparks! This may seem like a very exciting thing to be in town for. However, I was there during a rainy storm in the middle of April Showers and did not get to hang out on or near a single waterslide.

Drive Through Cheese Curds

Beautiful Wisconsin

Many thanks to Keshet, the organization that flew me out for the training and on accident, helped me cross this item off the list!

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The fact that I would ever need to write an article about quitting smoking is surprising for anyone who knew the little girl version of Janelle K. Eagle. My father was a smoker, you see, and I was so vehemently against the habit that I pulled every heart string possible asking why he wouldn’t choose me instead of the cancer sticks. I didn’t understand addiction or how my presence in his life wasn’t enough for him to just stop. I blame that traumatizing anti-smoking ad where the woman smokes out of her trachiotomy tube in her throat for many a nightmare in my youth.

The Program that started it all

The young version of myself was constantly active, athletic, and though I had an aversion to brussel sprouts, I was healthy. When the D.A.R.E. program came to my school, I was singled out to lead the Pledge of Allegiance at our “graduation ceremony” because of my vocal support of a drug and alcohol free childhood. An overachiever, a daughter a parent could be proud of, I even sang in the temple’s choir. I was by no means a “bad kid” that was caught by the principal smoking behind the bleachers. In fact, I didn’t even pick up the habit until I was in college.

Like many impressionable young people, I started with what seemed like a noncigarette. It was a CIGAR. Eventually I slid over to clove cigarettes, thinking that a couple a day was something that cool artsy college kids did. Eventually I was hooked on the inhale, switched to regular cigarettes, and was suddenly something that “little girl Janelle” would be ashamed of: a Smoker.

Now let me stop here for a second and give a little love to those people in my life who are smokers. I hate how shame and smoking are so linked. Quitting is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. No one will be able to tell you how to stop. You’ll get there on your own if you want to, promise. I am writing this article simply to share my own story. Find your own way and go for it! You can do it!

And to all the loved ones out there that have a smoker in their life… Let me speak solely from my own experience. It never helped when someone attempted to guilt me into stopping. It never helped when someone gave me an ultimatum. I hated it when people would pass by and say “that’ll kill you, you know.” I never understood this as a child and publicly announce to the world an apology to my father for all the guilt trips; they probably only made his journey harder.

They say it takes the average smoker at least 10 attempts before s/he stops smoking. Oftentimes, a smoker may stop for a while and then may revisit their nasty habit when life’s larger obstacles rear their ugly heads (i.e. Death in the family, layoffs, etc.). I have attempted to quit the nasty habit a number of times, usually lasting at least of couple of weeks before I stopped. One of the attempts that lasted the longest was when I got an extremely severe lung infection that landed me in a hospital emergency room twice in one week. If you think that would stop me… you’ve probably never been a smoker.

I stopped for a while and then eventually went to a bar and thought “I’ll have just one.” Suddenly I’d be back in my groove and the habits would start again. I would wake up, smoke a cigarette. I would get ready for my day, get in the car, and light up. I’d eat my meals, have a cig, and then do it all over again the next day. My friends smoke. All the bars in Los Angeles that I frequent have built in smoking patios.While I have a strong spirit and am capable of dedicating myself to a goal, the familiarity of my life culture and smoking was too great for me overcome.

Me on the balcony formerly known as "The Smoking Balcony"

Eventually, I knew myself well enough to know that if I tried to become a casual smoker, I’d get looped back into my habits eventually. My routine in Los Angeles was so tied to when and where I lit up that I didn’t know how to enjoy my balcony’s sunset view of the Hollywood Hills without a cigarette in my hand. I even called the locale my “smoking balcony.” Having a beer in one hand automatically meant having a cigarette in the other. It seemed I didn’t even know how to live in Los Angeles without a pack of cigarettes. Every time I would leave town with the intention to quit, I’d come back to Los Angeles and light up again. My home seem inextricably linked to a habit I hated.

My brother Jason, unimpressed by a two week non-smoking stint that I was bragging about, mentioned to me once that “It takes 90 days to make a habit and 90 days to break one.” Always game to prove my brother wrong, I was heartbroken when I couldn’t get to that goal time and time again. Never one to give up though, I decided to add it to the Life to Do List, and thus entered #18: “Do not smoke a cigarette, not even one, for at least 90 days.”

About to light up in Bali

What finally allowed me to cross #18 off the List was a two-month trip around the world. Travel is not only my passion, it’s where I am in my groove. On this particular extended trip, I was out of my familiar surroundings long enough to break all of my habits. This was not the case in August 2008 when I traveled to Bali for 10 days (along with a carton of cigarettes). I smoked the entire time and hate that many of my travel pictures include me with a cigarette in my mouth.

On this trip, I knew I was lucky to be traveling in the first place. I knew that I would be viewing sites and meeting people that would change me. I had plenty to distract me. Nothing would be familiar, so habits weren’t applicable. It seemed like a perfect excuse to stop.

I fumbled quite a few times when I first got to Nepal simply because I hadn’t mentally “let go” of my habit. My local guide and dear friend in Bhaktapur is a smoker. Being around him while he smoked was a tease, so I lit up with him a couple of times in the spirit of camaraderie (or so I told myself). Slowly but surely during the month I lived in Nepal, I smoked less and less. I left that beautiful country on November 1st for India, smoking only twice during the five days I was in town. I enjoyed neither cigarette that I had and mentally felt the moment where I was done. On November 5th, 2009, I left India for Europe and left my smoking habit behind.

Today, the 3rd of February marks 90 days cigarette free. It was hard to come back to Los Angeles, but as soon as everyone got used to being around me without a cig in my hand (and I got used to not smoking while others did), it became markedly easier. I learned to love the Hollywood Hills view even more without the cigarette. It is still hard to not smoke when I am drinking, but I choose to focus on the company I keep or the music playing instead of how bad I want a cigarette at that bar. The longer I go without smoking, the easier it gets. Now I’m more used to not smoking than the opposite.

For those of you wishing to get inspired to stop smoking, feel free to adapt my story to work for you. There are a couple of disclaimers that are relevant (especially because I believe we all have our own journey):

1. You need to have a lifestyle that allows you to GET OUT OF TOWN! You need to be gone long enough (and far enough) so that your habits are broken. Any other big life change or move might actually be a perfect excuse (new apartment? new city?)/

2. Instead of saying “I will quit smoking,” consider the 90 day option instead. I may light up again in the future, but knowing that I’ve already gone this long makes me think its unlikely.

3. I had supportive friends and family that didn’t make me feel like I’d be a failure if I didn’t make it. They congratulated me along the way but didn’t pressure me.

4. I refused to bring cigarettes with me and none of the countries I was traveling in were going to carry my brand. I’m pretty loyal, so this was a big advantage. (If you travel to Europe, the sticker shock of extremely expensive cigarettes also makes it easy to pass up)

A Travel Picture sans smoke!

5. There were some advantages to my European travels that made it easier for me to stop. I was constantly moving, traveling by train to a new city at least once ever three days. Nothing was habitual. Focus on catching the next train or tour rather than the location of the closest smoke shop.

If you have any of these options, take them. Getting to see the world is a wonderful side effect of crossing this item off the list. I had the time of my life and got healthier at the same time. Not to mention, I think I look much better in my vacation pictures without a cigarette in my hand!

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1. The Newest To-Do’s
2. #51: In the Flesh
3. #20: Going Back to Paris

Some of the items on my Life To Do List were simply put there because I knew I had to get them out of the way. When I set about becoming a documentary filmmaker/blogger/photographer/starving artist a while back, I was aware that I had certain responsibilities that I needed to take care of in order for me to be legit. Call them “career errands.”

Take for instance two recently completed items on the list:

#12: Wipe old PC harddrive, convert to my MAC, and sell the oldie

and

#35: Set up an email signature

These may seem like silly tasks to prioritize, but I also feel that these easier items balance out larger goals on the list such as #2: Travel to Africa. If everything were too difficult to attain in the reasonable time frame I gave myself (5 years), then I would grow disinterested and unmotivated. At least when I cross off these items, I feel like I’m accomplishing something!

And in fact, completing #12 was a big and long overdue feat. My old PC  had been sitting in my closet since college. I never used the thing because I’ve had access to a MAC laptop for the last 5 years. Nonetheless, many old music files, old pictures, and old documents were on the PC and I couldn’t simply throw it away. I knew that I had to somehow get the courage to plug the thing back in and get the files that I wanted to keep onto my new computer (or at least an external harddrive). The process took hours to complete, but by golly I got it done. And it’s a huge relief!

#35 on the list was initially added to the list purely out of jealousy. Because my emails had consistently come from a business account for so many years, I was suddenly struck with a sense of confusion when I quit my job and personal emails I sent didn’t have a signature at the bottom. Many of my independent business people friends had cool signatures that linked to all their fancy sites that allowed them to maximize their self promotion. The end of my emails just looked so… empty.

What also perplexed me about being on my own is that I suddenly didn’t have a “title” that I could easily reference on the signature. I had to ask myself, “what exactly is it that you do?” Was it appropriate to put documentary filmmaker/blogger/photographer/starving artist on the bottom of an email? After realizing that I do a lot of things, but all of them have something to do with me in a Producer role, I decided to own that space and call myself what I am: a Producer. Well count me in! The abridged version of my signature is below and I am two items lighter on the list!

–
Janelle K. Eagle
Producer
http://www.twitter.com/janelleeagle
www.journeywithjanelle.com
http://unatti.blogspot.com
http://www.youtube.com/jkeagle

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1. #42: I’m officially on IMDB

The Eiffel Tour

When you travel the world, you come home with lots of good stuff. There are people that amass refrigerator magnets. There are people that collect jewelry. The most “hard core” travelers will scoff and lecture you on the difference between being a traveler and being a tourist. Theoretically, souvenirs fall into the “tourism” category- the less cool category.

Well I have an embarrassing thing to admit to all of you: I collect Hard Rock Cafe glasses. I find this embarrassing because HRC’s tend to be the most cliche of travel stops. Why for instance, while traveling in Prague and surrounded by incredible culture and food, would you stop into a greasy American hamburger joint laden with rock star memorabilia?

My answer is simple: because the Hard Rock Cafe is what introduced me to the idea of travel to begin with. Some people have maps with dots that show where they’ve been around the world. Well before I had a passport, my first travel collection was a set of Pilsner glasses from San Francisco, New York, and other American cities I randomly got to visit through school trips or mini vacations. I thought it was so cool that I had souvenirs that were a testament to the fact that I had been somewhere other than here.

I’ve since embraced the idea of travel maps, I have a growing collection of puppets from around the planet, and now collect other more meaningful memorabilia that actually reminds me of the indigenous goods that are made in the incredible places that I’ve been lucky enough to visit around the world. However, through my high school graduation trip to Europe (which was only my second international venture), the Hard Rock Cafe glasses were still important proof that I had in fact been where I told people I was going.

Le Moulin Rouge in Gay Paris

After the summer of 2001, when the high school graduation trip was complete, I had three new glasses to add to my collection: Barcelona, Firenze (Florence), and Paris. My collection had gone international! Imagine my disappointment when I opened my suitcase upon my return from the trip and discovered that my Paris Pilsner had been shattered on the airplane (this was of course before I knew anything about packing). And thinking back, I had also accidentally slept through the tour of the Eiffel Tour. All in all, I felt I had not done Paris any justice.

The feeling of failure doesn’t sit well with me, so I always said that I had to go back to Paris. That I had to scale the Eiffel Tour and I had to replace my broken Pilsner. I said it for so long that I actually added the item to my “Life To Do List;” #20: Return to Paris (Scale the Eiffel Tower & replace Broken Hard Rock glass). I guess I was hoping that I’d somehow manifest a trip to Europe in the next five years.

Instead, my best friend and I had suddenly booked a trip to Nepal to shoot our documentary about the Unatti Girls. She joked about also wanting to go to Italy. I told her about my need to return to Paris at some point. I teasingly suggested that since we were already over there (there being over an Ocean but in fact, nowhere near Europe), we might as well add a month of travel and go backpacking from Italy to France after shooting the documentary. Why not, right? And then all of a sudden we were booking tickets from Nepal to Italy, with an unexpected stopover in India.

Striking a pose at the Hard Rock Prague

Once arriving in Europe, I added a couple of shot glasses to my Hard Rock collection when we were in Venice, Prague, and Amsterdam. We always happened upon the HRC’s, even when we weren’t looking, and once there, I couldn’t fight my ingrained urge to collect. Not to mention, the Hard Rock Cafe is one of the only places I got to eat avocado when I was in Europe… and I love me some avocado.

When we got to Paris, getting that darn glass was just as important to me as scaling L’ Tour Eiffel. But after a few days, I forgot about the Hard Rock and became entranced by the beauty that is Paris in the wintertime. The day before we were set to head back to the States, I was having a miserable evening after purchasing a new pair of shoes (having worn the same pair for two months straight). We declined to follow our good friend Dorit to the next stop on the party train and instead searched for the nearest subway stop to get back to our hotel and soak my poor miserable feet. Wouldn’t you know it that the closest subway station was smack dab in front of the very same Hard Rock Cafe I had been in almost 10 years ago! I call it Fate.

Call it silly, but I was extremely excited to get that glass. I was stoked that I had written down a goal over a year ago and that suddenly I was in Paris, had scaled the Eiffel Tour, and was soon headed back to my home in Los Angeles with new glasses to add to the very collection that had ignited my desire to travel so long ago. Embarrassing habit or not, my devotion to the Hard Rock Cafe collection literally landed me Back in Paris, so I guess it’s not a bad collection to have.

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Bottles of Pinot Noir from the Laetitia Winery

Obviously I’m a bit addicted to traveling. In particular, I get a kick out of experiences that feel fancy but, in fact, are rather affordable. When my dear friend Patty asked me to travel with her to Central California in order to support a mutual friend’s theater project, I thought, “Let’s kill two birds with one stone!” And alas, we decided to cross off #13 from the “Life To Do List” and go wine-tasting as well.

The drive from Los Angeles up to Santa Maria is about 2.5 to three hours up the 101 Freeway. The views of the famous cali coastline did not disappoint and we truly couldn’t have asked for better weather. While singing along to whatever our iPods threw at us, we made the following “Journey with Janelle” videos about visiting Laetitia Winery.

Grapevines at the Laetitia Winery in Santa Maria, CA

We were particularly lucky in that the day we arrived happened to be an “Open Cellar” day on the winery. They had live music and had opened all of their cellars and brought out their professional staff to tell us about everything that goes into making their incredible product. The entire experience cost only $10. We brought along our $5 footlongs from Subway and after buying a couple of bottles for our own expanding vino collection, had spent about $50 for an incredible and lush experience.

As a Pinot Noir lover, I can tell you, Laetitia makes one of my favorites. If you’d like to take a similar adventure, you should visit their website and find out more about the next time they are opening up for guests!

http://www.laetitiawine.com

EPISODE 1

EPISODE 2

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1. #14: Call me Farmer Janelle

I knew I kept those overalls for a reason. They’ve been sitting in my “save for a random day” drawyer for at least four years. This trip to my Uncle’s farm in Canada was the perfect occasion to bring them out of hiding.

After arriving here in the evening last night, I had missed all the day’s farm work that had already taken place. I got to relax and visit with my family for a while and woke up ready to join in right on their busiest work day. Monday is spent preparing for Tuesday’s farmer’s market, so a little bit of everything grown on the farm gets picked (harvested).

Inevitably, I am here during one of the hottest days on record on Salt Spring Island. While their home thermometer read 111 degrees, we are thinking it was more like 90. It definitely FELT excruciating. I didn’t anticipate how sunburned I was getting and thus didn’t put sunscreen on my shoulders until the later morning. Alas, I have quite the burn on my shoulders.

The most rewarding part about coming to work on this farm is spending time with my loving family while they’re in their element. They understand food, commerce, health, and business from a completely different perspective than I do. When they want to prepare lunch or dinner, they decide what they’re hungry for and then GO GET IT. Right from their land! It’s all organic and delicious and healthy and amazing.

There was a DEER that broke onto the property today. A HUGE deer just bounded right by us as we picked cherry tomatoes. Not to mention the wild bunnies that remind me of times back at UC Irvine where they too had a hare problem.

There are three dogs (including the puppy Ruby, pitured), two cats, a ton of chickens, and three llamas. There are vegetables galore that are the most colorful and beautiful I’ve seen. However, the REAL reason I am here (beyond seeing my beautiful family), is to harvest GARLIC.

Bright Farm Garlic is renowned. Each year there is a produce competition, and the other growers don’t stand a chance. When I was 10 (and had a very infamous episode where I was attacked by moths), I came to the farm during garlic harvest and never forgot it. Sitting with a group, listening to the blues, and peeling garlic. For years I talked about making it up here to participate again, but it just never fit in.

Bright Farm's fresh and organic tomato varieties

The beauty of my Life To Do List, as I’ve stated on multiple occasions, is that the Virgo in me can’t stand to see a goal that is written down and un-accomplished. I long to cross an item off. It bugs me to stare at a list and not tackle item by item. I knew that if I put down a goal of getting up here, that I’d make it happen. And it was SO worth it.

There is photography and video gold up here. There will definitely be a Journey with Janelle Episode about this one. I am eating some of the healthiest and delicious-est food I’ll ever have. I am facing my moth fear. I’m playing with puppies and kittens. It’s ridiculous in the best way.

I feel so lucky to be at Bright Farm and to cross #14 off the Life To Do list.

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1. Life on a Farm
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3. #41: Shabbat Shalom

Me on a ferryboat en route to Salt Spring Island

I was hoping to cross off #71 on the Life To Do List by taking a cruise somewhere exotic. I didn’t expect that Travel somewhere on a boat would mean riding on not one, but TWO ferries in Beautiful British Columbia.

To get to my Uncle’s Farm on Salt Spring Island (which helps me cross off #14 on the list), you have to enjoy the splendor that is the BC Ferry system. It’s a hassle, but provides some of the most gorgeous scenery possible if you get great weather. Luckily, my day full of ferry-ing was on such a glorious and clear day.

Checkout some of the pictures:

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1. #73: Challah fo yo dolla!!
2. My Canadian Training Day
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My Photos on IMDB

For those of us who attempt to make a career happen in the Entertainment Industry, it is a goal to have an official listing on IMDB, the Internet Movie Database.

Theoretically, this is your online professional resume. You inevitably are asked to pay a fee to have your picture and personal resume listed as well, but it’s well worth the charge. Networking, as they say, is the only way to make it in this business.

With my recent work on A MARINE STORY and an old listing from when I worked on Cornerstone Theater’s film SHARIF DON’T LIKE IT… It’s official!

I get to cross of #42: Have my name listed on IMDB from the Life To Do List.

To check out my page, click HERE

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My Fair Trade Loot

This past fall, after finishing my stint as a volunteer for that one guy (Barack Obama), I was honored with the opportunity to travel to Washington DC and work with an organization called Free the Slaves (www.freetheslaves.net). As it’s name clearly states, their mission is to eradicate slavery.

Yup… there are still SLAVES in the world. The majority of the communities that still commoditize human beings are also deeply effected by poverty. The poverty is usually tied to grossly discriminatory wages. Take for instance, the communities of Africa that make it possible for you to enjoy your Triple Grande non fat vanilla latte.

When I learned about the concept of “Fair Trade” products, I was intrigued and excited that there was something I could do in my every day life to be cognizant and aware of my impact on a world level. While I still get myself a little carmel macchiato every once in a while, I notice the signs on the wall that state that Starbucks is buying more fair trade coffee. Read more HERE.

If you don’t know, “Fair Trade” means:

Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as social and environmental standards in areas related to the production of a wide variety of goods.

The Coffee section at my local Grocery Store

In the mean time, whenever I go to the grocery store to refill my coffee supply, I now choose to purchase fair trade. It’s not an option for me, it’s a promise. Depending on the store, it is surprisingly easy to find fair trade options. And the good news is, it’s not necessarily more expensive.

If you’d like to learn more about buying FAIR TRADE, check out the following website: http://www.transfairusa.org/content/WhereToBuy

In the mean time, I’m finally going to cross #36: Choose to drink fairtrade coffee when available off the Life To Do List.

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3. #5: Blog This