Sunday, December 28, 2008

Hey Kids! Let's Go Botanizing In Turkey!

I'm serious.

I've always wanted to botanize in Turkey and see the world's most popular flora at home in the wild. We're talking tulips, iris, orchids, lilies, crocus; somebody stop me! The thing was, I couldn't get my favorite plant hunter to go with me and I didn't want to go alone.

But thanks to a woman I've only read about but never met, I'm leading a botanical tour to the Aegean in April and I get to invite 17 of you.

Alas, I can't foot your bill since even I'll have to sing for my supper, but I'm told quite the botanical and culinary feast awaits us by a woman with impeccable credentials.

The best news is that I've been relieved of all administrative duty so there's nothing for me to screw up. Instead, I'm leaving it all to an expert who has decades of experience getting plant lovers to Turkey: Holly Chase Middle Eastern Travel.
at 8:06 PM

25 comments:

  1. I'm a trained journalist (gone corporate in recent years to fund the kids' college) and I was so disappointed to hear the news. I've listened to NPR for years and have always enjoyed your repartee with Scott Simon though I have no interest in doing anything with plants other than looking lovingly at them and wishing them the best. I wish the same for you.
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  2. hey, ketzel. i met scott at the miami book fair a few years ago and told him yr segments were my fave part of his show. i know little abt. plants but love love them and have a big succulent garden on my porch since they're so beautiful and easy to keep alive.
    i saw in nyt today you had been laid off, which only adds to my sadness abt. the state of journalism. until 2 weeks ago, i was an editor at the miami herald. my job was eliminated too. so i'm where you are, trying to figure it out. was just in israel visiting relatives, wish i could come to turkey with you!
    maybe we'll meet in a reincarnation of the federal writer's program. meanwhile, i'll keep up with you here. happier 2008.
    e. (spieglere@bellsouth.net)
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  3. I note with some irony that the link you've given us is: http://hollychase.com/ketzal-levines-2009-botanical-tours/

    Don't you spell it ketzel? Ms. Chase does.
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  5. Sounds like a wonderful trip! Turkey is simply glorious. My wife and I backpacked across Turkey from Istanbul to Mount Ararat back in 1999. It's got some of the most stunning landscape I've ever seen. Try to get to Cappadokia and visit the Ilhara Valley - simply beautiful....
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  6. Hugs and well-rooted cuttings, Ketzel! I got laid off from the NH Council of Churches and today my state informed me that since it was work done for a religious organization, it doesn't count toward unemployment... felt like work, got paid and vacations and everything. But I don't even get to be a statistic!

    I hope I get something I like that pays and makes me feel useful soon, and that everyone else does too. I can't decide if being a in BIG boat with lots of company is comforting or competition.

    I hope you get something worthy of you and public enough to delight the rest of us soon -- incidentally, the winner of the 2007 car from NHPR adopted a little Guatamalan girl and named her Quetzal; different spelling, appropriate for her origins, but mostly after you.

    Hang in and cheer the rest of us, too,

    Laura
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  7. Hang in there - all of us! I've started a website that is similar in mission to your 'moxie' series. http://www.rebuildusanow.com is focused on stories and resources to help us all drag ourselves out of this 'mud'. We are always looking for (and paying) writers, bloggers, etc. You can also add a resume or post a job opening!
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  8. with the nytimes story, you may get enough traffic to monetize your blog.
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  9. Dear Ms. Ketzel:

    I wish you well and want to assure you that there is life after NPR, though I only say that to sound positive.

    By the way, I have been looking for your final sign off on NPR, the final Moxie segment in which you were the subject. I am intriqued ever since I read about you in the New York Times today. Is it available for download anywhere.

    Thank you, Amal Morcos
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  10. At the risk of being a pest, I still see http://hollychase.com/ketzal-levines-2009-botanical-tours/ which leads to an error page on hollychase.com
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  11. Hey Ketzel,

    As another laid-off botanist, I would love to join you...unfortunately $$$ is not there. Best to you and thanks for the good years and invite.
    ReplyDelete
  12. Our hearts should go out to poor ignorant Anonymous.
    Just returned from 6 days in FL visiting elderly parents-- posted picts on: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosetry845/ --and catching up on Ketzel's moxie adventures.
    Your talking plants site saw me through a dark period of illness & loss. I've since strutted through the portal into the unknown & found, to my astonishment, an amazing path fringed with blooming friends, family & fauna-- including Gentians.
    Ketzel, your humanity, creativity & intelligence are the gifts which will continue to nurture yourself, our plants & peeps.
    Thank you
    Rosetry845
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  13. Ketzel;

    Heard your last show, nice work.

    Tough times don't last, tough...............
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  14. I fully expect to see Ketzel's work sprouting up all over the place (sorry, hard to resist the botanical thing). Haven't met a spirited women yet who could be kept down for long.
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  15. From the New York Times story: “Every story that we all do, we’re always looking for the perfect ending,” she said. “And suddenly it was handed to me. It was not one of my choosing, but as a storyteller, what could make a better story?” I actually can think of many endings that I would have preferred -- I will miss your voice on the radio, and had I been asked to make the cuts, some others would have gone first. But I can see that good things will come your way; you deserve them.
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  16. "Anonymous", posting anonymous hateful messages accomplishes what? The Internet has given cowardly people like you a forum in which you can spew angry words and never actually face anyone. Grow up.

    Ketzel, good luck. As a laid off individual I know how scary it feels. NPR is not what it used to be and it will be even worse now that they are laying off vetran staff. I wish you well in your future ventures!

    M. Rose
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  17. Hi Ketzel. I'm interested in going to Turkey to bot'nize, photography & see the country. I don't know the word for culinarize - oh, I think it's EAT. I'd just need details of dates & price to commit.

    paddywales.com
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  18. oh wow ... I just found out about your .. ' liberation'. Sad for me ... glad for you. If I ever end up on a desert isle .. or the nut house .. I hope you're there as my room mate.

    Let your dreams and creativity flow forth .. as the Nile in Spring .. and we downstream .. will flourish and grow and bloom... after all ... we're your real garden.
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  19. from Jennifer Szweda Jordan...

    Well, I'm interested. I've been writing about food and the environment for radio for a couple years and I have a friend in Turkey. How much would this journey cost?
    ReplyDelete
  20. Daniel GisvoldDec 29, 2008 01:47 PM
    Well Ketzel, it seems that NPR has finally reached the end of their garden cycle and have become radio fertilizer. Spread it out over your life and I for one can't wait to see what grows. And, just for them, if they don't want you, they sure don't get me...click. Daniel
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  21. Sounds like a fantastic trip -- going to a nice country, guide gardeners, photo and collect plants!

    My son is an archaeologist and was in Turkey this summer. He tried to tell me about the plants there, but not enough photos for me to see!

    Best wishes,
    Cameron
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  22. when asked what one item she would want to take with her to the desert island?
    the chica replied, A BOAT!
    that's you, ketz. straight up and on your feet.
    turkey sounds like the best answer yet. wish we could come with you.
    love from my gang - lisa p
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  23. Sorry to hear about the lay off. So will we see some you tube videos of your reporting now?
    ReplyDelete
  24. (cr here) Journalism is in a sad state, and it has let us all down.

    Take a good look at the
    "US State Dept H5N1 factsheet"
    before you get too far in travel plans;
    it got re-worded, but, those warnings about stranding on short notice, with no food water or medicine from embassies in the event of panflu have been up since July, 2006.

    NPR also hasn't been properly covering H5N1 Pandemic Alert, nor the "Rapid Response and Containment" of 2005-definition Phase 4 & 5 human-to-human clusters (and, related coverups of test results by places like Indonesia)
    nor the 'garbage-in garbage-out' state and local "planning" caused by the CDC ignoring science and lowballing the CFR because real worst-case, "is too hard", and/or China getting control of the WHO before their Olympics) nor has the media been helping the public to prepare to be ready to cope with long-forseen firstwave disruptions,
    and avoid infection, though failing to do so will lead to 'bad outcomes'.

    Have you read the "Planning and Response" pages and links for "Individuals" & "Communities" on pandemicflu.gov
    - up since Oct.2005?

    Get out of any debt, if possible, and look for news online where they are translating local reports; such as "PFI Pandemic Flu Information Forum" or, the Flu Wiki.

    The US needs another "Victory Garden" movement, pronto. Maybe you can help.

    Free resources for the daunting task of Pandemic Preparedness (and better than the under-marketed feds' advice to the public) that at least will get one finally prepared for smaller 'emergencies' people have been getting hit with, have been
    complied by concerned 'netizens' and
    are hosted by the emergency managers
    of Nez Perce Co.Idaho at

    GetPandemicReady.org

    All the best to Ketzel and everyone in 2009!
    ReplyDelete
  25. best of luck to you ketzel. will miss hearing your voice on the radio...and if you need an ethnobotanist/entomologist for your trip to Turkey, my husband is willing to volunteer! Best of luck to you
    ReplyDelete

Why be Anonymous? After all, I've showed you mine.

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