Journey with Janelle » Places I’ve Been

#80: Sleeping Under the Stars

Janelle K. Eagle — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 19:46:42 +0000

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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Funny Signs

Janelle K. Eagle — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 22:01:52 +0000

As I traveled the world this past Winter, I was often amused at how cultural differences also contribute to some HILARIOUS moments where posted signs mean different things to different cultures. I just re-discovered some of my pictures from the trip and thought I’d share:

As a member of the LGBT community, I found it shocking when I saw this sign… and then remembered that my own Irish Aunt calls cigarettes by the same name. Can’t believe the proud display!

I’m still not sure what “Chulo” is in Nepali… but I do know that if a Mexican traveler were in town, they’d get a kick out of this.

What cracked me up about this sign was the lack of certainty… PROBABLY?

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Let the Film-Fest begin!

Janelle K. Eagle — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 00:09:40 +0000

“Word and images matter!” That was the battle cry pounded into my head during the three years I spent working for a media advocacy organization called GLAAD (The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). I was part of a team of staff that holds Media accountable for what they put on the big screen, small screen, and in the papers and magazines decorating our coffee tables. The organization also famously celebrates the achievements of media that got it right in the form of their annual “GLAAD Media Awards.” I left the organization in order to become one of the filmmakers creating the culture-changing work that I had spent so much time celebrating.

In just the few short years since I left, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of working on not one… not two… but THREE films featuring LGBT content and filmmakers. I am incredibly humbled and honored to be alongside such talented artists and technicians. It’s amazing the bravery and vulnerability they all show each day they show up to work to tell these stories.

Given the talent involved, I was completely unsurprised when I found out that two of the films I worked on (the third being in post-production right now) called A Marine Story and Elena Undone were headliners at this year’s Outfest Film Festival in Los Angeles.

I was completely floored however when I was nominated to head up the Outfest Legacy Awards this fall and make an even greater contribution to the LGBT filmmaking world by protecting the images and stories in this canon of film for generations to come. If you live in Los Angeles and are interested in attending or joining me at my table… please inquire within.

In the mean time, I was asked by www.gaytravel.com (an incredible new website and social networking site which I highly recommend becoming a part of ) to share my thoughts about why I think Outfest (and therefore LGBT filmmaking in general) is important. Here are my thoughts:

Why is Outfest important?

- Because cultural change happens in our living rooms and around the dining room table, not in ballot boxes
- Because the diversity of our complex community and its allies is rarely even touched on in entertainment- so having a bevy of options celebrating that diversity is a rare treat
- Because some of the most talented filmmakers in the business are members of the LGBT community and they make good work!
- Because creating a legacy of moving images that tell stories that have the capacity to change hearts and minds is invaluable

Why am I involved?
- As a filmmaker and storyteller, I care how my life and the lives of my friends are portrayed
- Because I believe that film and television can reach beyond borders and walls and this is the way that I choose to create change
- Because the talented pool of individuals that are showcased this year are often undersupported and overlooked in the wider entertainment arena and it is my pleasure to be part of giving them their well-deserved spotlight

Why should you be involved?
- Because it’s one of the only places that you will get to see many of these films on the big screen
- Because your financial support in the form of movie tickets will actually go to a cause you can be proud of- encouraging more LGBT films and filmmakers to keep making incredible work!
- Because they throw amazing parties

I threw a lot of stuff out there, so here are the links for follow up items:

1. To learn more about the 2010 Outfest Film Festival, Click HERE
2. To purchase tickets to one of the films I worked on, click HERE:
(A MARINE STORY)
(ELENA UNDONE)
3. To learn more about the 2010 Outfest Legacy Awards, click HERE
4. To learn more about GLAAD, click HERE
5. To join me on Gay Travel’s incredible network, click HERE

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#85: A Visit to the Midwest

Janelle K. Eagle — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 01:31:36 +0000

This says it all...

When I created this “Life to Do List” and added #85: Visit a Midwest state I’ve never been to, I didn’t actually know what constituted the Midwest. I also had absolutely no idea when or how I would get there or why on Earth I’d be there in the first place. What I knew is that I’d never really traveled in the Midwest and it was an area of the U.S.A. that I knew little about. In my psyche, a lack of familiarity or exposure to a place is not a deterrent… it’s like a magnet. “Tell me more!” says my little brain. “Take me there!”

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

I did, however, get to taste Cheese Curds for the first time (served courtesy of Culver’s drive through)- which I didn’t even know existed before traveling there and asking the Facebook Universe what I should do while I was in town. For the record, cheese curds come in two forms- either fried or regular. The latter of the two is just small pieces of cheese- like the cubes you’d serve as appetizers at a party with toothpicks. The former fried variety is like mozzarella sticks, only in bit form. Not a bad design, really… just definitely not healthy. I’m more of a brie or dill havarti girl, myself.

Beautiful Wisconsin

During my stay, I was actually on site at a camp for Jewish children. We were in the middle of trees, wildlife (a.k.a. birds), and some of the cleanest air I’ve gotten to inhale in a long time. The company was an amazing group of Jewish leaders who were assembling to discuss ways in which they could make the spaces in which they work more LGBT inclusive. It was an inspiring couple of days, to say the least.

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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Gay Travel Guru

Janelle K. Eagle — Fri, 28 May 2010 03:04:44 +0000

Okay. So I’ve entered I don’t even know how many travel competitions. If you follow this blog, you know that the passion I have for telling other people’s stories, experiencing a world outside my own, and sharing the journey is profound.

Well imagine that an incredible website decides to create a JOB, where someone is paid to live openly, gayly, and proudly to travel throughout North America. That is a job that I want.

If you’d like to help me win this competition, join www.gaytravel.com , click on My Profile and show some love by clicking on the hearts on each of my travel tips. I’m one of the only women in the competition… so your support means A LOT!!!

If you’d like to learn more about the competition, look at this fancy video featuring the adorable Jon (whom I met tonight at O-Bar in WeHo at their Los Angeles kick-off event).

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My Dream Job

Janelle K. Eagle — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:24:35 +0000

A little over a year ago, I left a career in non-profit fundraising to become a freelance travel blogger, filmmaker, and photographer. It was the biggest career obstacle I’ve faced to date as I figuratively chose to become a starving artist and follow my passions.

The original company that inspired me to take this leap was STA Travel. Their brand is infectious, they cater to young travelers like myself, and they happen to have an incredible competition for what I would classify as my “DREAM JOB.”

In STA Travel’s WORLD TRAVELER INTERNSHIP, two young travelers are sent around the world, all expenses paid, for the entire summer. These travelers are asked to film, photograph, and write about their experiences… EXACTLY what I already do on my website!

Getting this gig would be a HUGE platform for me. And the good news is, you can help me with ONE SIMPLE CLICK!

There are a number of things that you can do to help me win:
1. Click It: Go to my competition page and click on the green button that says VOTE!

2. Forward the link (http://www.worldtravelerinternship.com/member/janelle-eagle/) to EVERYONE you know and encourage them to do the same

3.Share it on twitter, facebook, email, wherever!

4. Comment It: Once you’ve voted for me, leave comments on the page about why you think I’d be perfect for this job

This is the chance of a lifetime for me and as a recipient of this note, you are someone that has supported me, believes in me, and wants to see me succeed. Now… there’s a very simple way that you can help all those things happen.

Best of luck in all you are doing and thanks in advance for your suppport!

Best,
Janelle

Photo of the Week 2/23/10

Janelle K. Eagle — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:31:25 +0000

Paris’s underground metro system is one of the most efficient and advanced in the world. Train travel at it’s best, in this traveler’s humble opinion. Though very modern train cars roam along the tracks, I love the old time signs that appear every once in a while. This shot was captured on a rainy day in the Montemarte area of the city.

In this picture, I enjoy the way the ominous sky seems pierced through by an equally ominous font. Considering this sign appears at the top of a stairway going underground, the entire mood here seems to match the feeling one might get looking into the unfamiliar abyss of the Paris underground. The bright orange glow of the accompanying lamp post seems to indicate even further warning.

VIDEO: India’s Golden Triangle

Janelle K. Eagle — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:18:26 +0000

I have written quite a bit on this website about my travels in India and around the world. After coming back from my recent journey, I had a huge amount of film and moments captured that I wanted to share. My video editing skills have greatly improved… so now my readers get even better quality video of the journey!

Check out the latest:

Feel free to rate the video, add comments, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to continue to get notified when new videos are posted!

Photo of the Week 2/16/10

Janelle K. Eagle — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:14:54 +0000

In the northwest of Belgium is a quaint port city called Brugge. Referred to as “The Venice of the North” because of its canals and waterways, it’s also a great place to catch a sight of the famous windmills in this Flemish region. While I was visiting in November 2010, the Christmas festival was being erected in the city center. No such festival is complete without an ice skating rink and I couldn’t help but notice that the already gorgeous city sites looked brilliant in their reflection on the frozen water.

I appreciate the monotone slate blue of the reflection as it truly mirrors the sky from that cloudy and chill day. I appreciate that from where I stood, the reflection was inverted so it appears as though this picture is “upside down,” when in fact this is exactly what I was looking at as I stared into the ice. This silhouette itself is interesting as the tree reflected here in front of the city capital has so much character. The texture makes the visage looks like a painting I’d love to hang on my wall.

Photo of the Week 2/9/10

Janelle K. Eagle — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:00:50 +0000

The Brandenburg gate in Berlin is one of the most famous of tourist attractions in this capital city. Michael Jackson infamously dangled his baby off the balcony of the adjoining hotel. The embassies in the area regularly have protesters proclaiming their failures. The best location, however, is the grassy knoll in the middle of the causeway that is full of street performers and artists. Language barriers are irrelevant as most choose to have a word-free artform. For instance, the ones that pretend to be statues or the musicians that speak the universal language of jazz. My favorite was the man who spoke the universal language of bubbles.

This picture provides a rare glimpse of an infamous location and its human surroundings. This interesting character simply wanted to bring smiles to the faces of the wandering bikers and walkers crossing this path and I love that his own bubble frames his face. The sunlit gate still looks striking in the background, but in this photo it becomes a character looking over the people that pass through its columns on a daily basis.