A Deep Breath (#28)

"A lifetime of fulfilling achievements is on the horizon."

On April 5, 2020, six years out from a teaching career that ended poorly, I was volunteering my time as stage manager and prop master at a dance studio, and making new friends. My life was taking shape again. Then Covid upended the world. I had to adapt. So, I uploaded two posts to this blog, and began a new journey. Its five-year anniversary is in two months. In preparation for this special day, I am taking a sabbatical from blogging. During this time, I hope to answer a question hidden among the two-hundred-and-forty entries on this site: how am I going to begin the next twenty-five years of my life?

Meandering Thoughts (#25)

Jake the Cat attempting to hide from the post-holiday doldrums.

Four. More. Years. My current struggle? Figuring out how to resist this madness. And getting on a plane by myself, again. At least I produced a blog post.

Meandering Thoughts (#24)

https://projects.seattletimes.com/mlk/bio.html

Another political post. Someday I will elaborate my thoughts about heroes vs heroism, saints vs saintly deeds. Also, a discussion about "common sense" and why I hate the phrase, is in order. In addition, my view that lawyers and activists have been the greatest defenders of our rights and freedoms, while soldiers have protected our national security and interests, and police have served a different purpose, deserves an explanation. But all that will have to wait. For now, the topic is heroes and saints.

If you want something more professional direct from an historian, here is Heather Cox Richardson's post about heroism. 

On Dreaming (#24)

The Desperate Man by Gustave Courbets

You would think after last week's announcement, I would have been motivated, and produced something profound. That is not how I operate. Not even after all these year. Also, change takes time. Incremental steps. Yet, I need to write something. Since my last dream post was back in August, tonight I will share a few from the last three months of last year.

Apologies for (Another) Long Silence...

My last "long silence" lasted several months". This past one, eight weeks. I received this note in my fortune cookie from Christmas Eve. Now, here I am blogging again. Hey, if a slip of paper is my motivation, so be it. After all, a wildfire can begin with a small spark. 

Apparently it was a Long Intermission

Breakfast Table Political Argument by Norman Rockwell
Sorry, kid, it won't end with the election...

Tonight, I logged into my Blogger account believing it had been two weeks since my last post. Not exactly great, but well within this year's blogging habits. I assumed that I had only slipped up a little. Only upon seeing the date of my last entry (September 29th), did I realize my short slip had turned into a long slide of four straight weeks. Nowhere near as bad as my fourteen-week-long sabbatical at the beginning of this year. Yet, it feels a lot like I have given up on this project. A part of me wants to stop completely. However, another part clings desperately to a hope that whatever blogging I do will bear fruit someday. Since I am sitting here at my desk typing away, that optimistic part of my brain has won out.

Meandering Thoughts (#23)

I explain this image towards the end of this post.

“Sucking at something is the first step to being sorta good at something.”

― Jake the Dog, Adventure Time

The End of Act 2

If you're interested, here is "The End of Act 1" post.

“Yes, I have tricks in my pocket, I have things up my sleeve. But I am the opposite of a

stage magician. He gives you illusion that has the appearance of truth. I give you truth in

the pleasant disguise of illusion.”

― Tennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie

Meandering Thoughts (#22)

I need to start heeding these fortune cookies.
(And, now, I want Chinese food...)

Today is the first of September. Tomorrow, Labor Day. Later in the week, my children begin a new academic year. And, on this day, a decade ago, after thirteen straight years of teaching, I experienced my first September not having to think about school. I have not entered a classroom since.

Apologies for the Short Silence (Again)...

For me, writing cursive is like riding a bike. I'm not referring to the skill aspect.
There are deep-rooted childhood memories locked up in both practices.
I should write about them. Not today, though.

Slips, not slides. That is my new mantra. Whenever I come up short, I say this phrase to myself. Spent a day without exercising, or going for a walk? No worries, it's just a slip. Ate a pint of Ben & Jerry's Mint Chocolate Cookie?  Again, a slip up. Consumed twelve Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut chocolates, in addition to the ice cream? Okay, that's more like sliding. Missed a week of blogging? We're back to a s slip. We can recover quickly from slipping, but stopping and recouping from a sliding can be debilitating.