May 31, 2009

Is it time?

I'm thinking it's time to start blogging again. I got out of writing anywhere on anything for a period of time. I even stopped writing in my journal. I just shut it all down. It coincided with not reading, or more accurately, not being able to read. In the past week I have begun writing more than the date and time I woke up in my journal, and I am currently back to reading - my minimum of 3 books - simultaneously.

I am reading Amrita of Eloquence, a biography of Khenpo Kathar Rinpoche; In the Land of No Right Angles. by Daphne Beal; and The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen. I am enjoying them all. They are each wonderful reads.

The bio of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche is very moving. It is a simple book, with little stories of Rinpoche's life, but so revealing of his compassionate spirit. I have not had the priviledge of reading a biography of a great master, that I actually know, have met, and have had teachings from. He is gentle, patient, loving.

In the Land of No Rght Angles is about a woman's last days in Nepal. She meets a young Nepalese woman as a result of a favor for a western man she knows in Kathmandu. This woman challenges her and forces her to question her assumptions about herself , others, and her future.

The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet is about a young cartographer, about 12 years old at the start of the book. His mother is a Ph.D, his father a cowboy in modern day Wyoming. He gets invited to the Smithsonian, as a result of an illustration of the Bombardier Beetle that he submitted and had forgotten about. It's a terrific read, epic in many ways, with sidebar illustrations and notes, and destined to become a classic. Just terrific!

What else? Well, I've been working my ass off. What else is new. I'm so grateful to actually love my job. If I had to work this hard and hated what I was doing, I think I would just drop out of mainstream life. Actually, that's something I can't wait to do when it is my time to retire. Another 10 years? If I'm lucky!

Next up, still missing family in a big way. Here are some new photos of the littlest in our family:




Conner will be 2 in August, and Kayla is 5 months on Tuesday. She looks much older. She is very physically adept at her young age and was so from the beginning. The other family news is that my nephew was released from prison the other day. Halleluah! with apprehension. He didn't belong in jail, though he did break the law and was not there by accident. He belongs in court mandated rehab, ergo, the apprehension. He did not get help while in jail, so as far as I'm concerned, nothing in his life has changed except it will now be harder for him to enter the world of mainstream society. I worried while he was in jail, I worry more now that he is home.

Recently had a very nice visit from my good friend, josh. We hadn't seen each other in 6 months, and she came to Jax for a family event. I think she was here all of 48 hours, but we got to see each 3 times. I also got to spend some time with her family, most of whom I know and enjoy the company of.

There's more I could write, but it will have to be at another time. Real life calls.