There’s no good way to admit that I’ve spent the last two weeks crying every day as I sift through, once again, Hook’s things including the mounds of files with his handwriting on them. Many times, I don’t even understand the pages of notes that I’m reading… Chimila sp. nr San Rafael. Cumito Road, 1♂, … Continue reading Fourteen Days
Processing the Sabbatical
Three great things happened to me yesterday. The first was getting a swim lane to myself when I showed up at Deep Eddy, the oldest swimming pool in Austin, where frigid water temperatures begin at 65 degrees. Me and bunch of other die hard swimmers lined up with our caps and goggles at 7:55 AM … Continue reading Processing the Sabbatical
Vices in Week Two
Last Saturday, I created a dinner out of organic peanut butter, leftover chipotle sauce, and two scoops of Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream that had been forgotten in the back of the freezer in a decaying container. As a dessert, I added a freshly peeled carrot – a real carrot and not one of those tasteless baby … Continue reading Vices in Week Two
Artists in Week One
Stand-up comedian, Jen Kirkman, quipped when describing her wedding day which she said is supposed to be the best party of your life, "There's no party that begins with church." And there is no sabbatical that begins with filing taxes and writing a check to the Internal Revenue Service but that is where I am today. In … Continue reading Artists in Week One
Pre Sabbatical
I’m still trying to figure out how to write a blog post that doesn’t involve 3,000 words or 30 hours. I’ve decided to post weekly from now on even though I know that what I write in Week 1 might not be true by Week 4. Like, how my sabbatical landing spot will probably begin … Continue reading Pre Sabbatical
Everything Happens for a Reason
Two nights ago, I finished a three-week painting class in Austin. Actually, I'm not sure my work can be considered painting as much as wild stroking of a brush. Will you keep painting, our instructor asked each night as she walked back and forth in front of our easels, the ones we stood behind as we … Continue reading Everything Happens for a Reason
Living in the Now
I said something to Allan almost a year before he was ever diagnosed that haunts me not because I wished I wouldn't have said it but because I wished I would have acted on it more. I repeated it to my mother in her last month’s visit with me. I’m sharing it today because I want you … Continue reading Living in the Now