My New Word of the Day

As a writer, I'm often on the lookout for - or at least open to - language opportunities. New to me phrasing. Picking up a new word. Seeing or hearing what Jessica Morrell calls "firefly words" (or phrases). Catching a linguistic gem which crosses my visual or auditory path.

Today I received one of those in an email. And the email has nothing to do with writing or writers - except it was, obviously, written.

The email came from Chef Glenn of BackpackingChef.com. This is the place where I learned about making bark and other handy snacks in my dehydrator; no, I'm not planning a long backpacking trip where I need to be concerned about the weight of my body's fuel for the trek. But I do need some portable foods for those long days where I'd rather not have to go to a restaurant all the time or my schedule changes and I need food fuel on hand.

The word was right there, near the top of the email. Perfect. And, no, I don't really know how to say it. But here on the page you don't have to listen to my lack of accent mimicability!

Here it is - my new word, yes, it's German:

Naherholungsgebiet

... a natural or recreational area nearby where one can relax.

See? Isn't that a very good word for where I am? Perfect. Thank you, Chef Glenn - for your recipes and the word.

Lester's naherholungsgebiet is as close as the front porch.

On the Road



Back Mt Tabor Stairs.  photo by Dot.

 Sometimes the higher road is very steep.

I'm trying to walk that path right now.

I have a post written; ready to go. I haven't decided if it's the higher road. No, that's not it either - it's not the higher road but I haven't decided if it stoops to the inciting incident. No names are used but. Well. Some will know.

That is not the higher road. Right?

Must I always remain silent and just take it? Or is this another test of letting go?

Must the higher road always be silent?
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Learning From Students

Today was the final event of the special summer tutoring class I taught for the interpreter training program.

The students who participated in this event showed up ready, smiling, nervous, dressed appropriately - on time. There were a few technical snafus, as there often are. But everyone kept their cool, the proctor was awesome, it went really well in spite of some significant alterations.

A few years ago I participated in a couple of mentoring and teaching-mentor trainings. I believe that we learn from the students - in being the "guide on the side" instead of the "sage on the stage." But one thing which stuck with me from one of those trainings was that we *always* learn from the students : at the very least, we learn how they need to be taught.

Today, after each student was finished with the final event, they stopped to chat for a bit. I was sitting outside of the room, assisting the proctor, troubleshooting, protecting the things which needed protecting.

And they each thanked me for teaching the summer session. For being there for them during today's event. Told me how much it helped them; how their confidence improved or their skills improved. They let off tension and laughed or cried or shared a story.

Today they reminded me why I teach and why I turned my schedule a little topsy turvy to be able to do this special tutoring class this summer. Not for the thanks. But for their insights, their questions, their progress toward becoming interpreters and their pleasure at moving closer to their goals.

Thank you.

A Time of Change and Wonder

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My massage therapist, Cydney, moved away last week; she closed her practice the week before that. I've known for a month that she was leaving and was able to get one final visit with her in her last week. She was amazingly gifted, insightful, intuitive and had helped me so much over the years I'd been seeing her.

My previous massage therapist, Simone, who I'd been working with for a number of years - first as a colleague at the health care clinic, then as my massage therapist - committed suicide. She was also very sensitive and intuitive, but she didn't have the tools to protect herself and there are many details I don't know. She went through a tough time due to a mental health condition and took time off work. She went back to a small private practice and not too long afterward, she killed herself. It was traumatic for many in our community. Many questions, no answers.

I got a referral to Cydney from someone I trust; Cydney has been an amazing massage therapist/body worker. So, while the transition to a new LMT was unexpected and the circumstances were emotionally hard, all turned out well.

Cydney's reasons for leaving are vastly different - she is very much alive and thriving. And it was still unexpected and I wasn't ready to change. But she did give me some names of other massage therapists in the area, told me about how they work and gave me recommendations. She put a lot of time and thought into making good referral matches for her clients.

I talked to Cydney's top two referrals for me on the phone. I'd scheduled an appointment with the first person - but after I talked with the second LMT, it "felt right" - more right than the first person, whom I'm sure is skilled and would do good work (and was highly recommended by Cydney, too).

So the end of last week I went for the appointment with the new LMT, Daria, and - wow. Her work was amazing. I feel that she was definitely the right choice for me and all of my nervousness about starting over with someone new has dissipated. I think this new bodywork experience is going to take me into a new direction and a new relationship with my body. I would have happily continued with Cydney and am going to miss her - and this feels like a right and good transition.

And I also would like to tell Cydney "thank you," for allowing me the opportunity to heal from my transition to her by providing an opportunity to transition out to a new LMT in a healthy, thoughtful, and respectful way. I don't blame Simone - I know she suffered and she did a lot of good for a lot of people, she was very kind and loving and caring, almost too much so for her own good; but it was hard to lose her as a friend and provider. I didn't realize there was a little residue of the loss of Simone until Cydney told me she was moving away; now I feel I've had the opportunity to heal that residue.

I'm not exactly clear how this relates to writing at this moment - except that it is another life lesson. And don't all life lessons help the writers and artists and dancers and actors? Even the CEOs if they'll listen, and anyone with a creative bone in their body?

Maybe this lesson, for me, is about being open to change. That saying about one door closing is the opportunity to open a new door. I know that's my own spin on the words, but that's how it is for me. Because I have been locked in the old place, shut in the room feeling like there is no way out, worried that if XYZ falls apart/falls through/breaks down then my whole life-system will crash and I'll have nothing.

So maybe now is the time to take this example and say, okay. There are options. Even tragedy, like Simone's death, can lead to a new opportunity. And sadness, like Cydney leaving town, can turn out to be an opportunity for growth and change I didn't even know was possible or needed.

And I wonder about other opportunities - presented or not yet, taken or avoided, how a loss is actually an opening to something else.

I have an application in for a program (IPRC's printing & publishing for writers) and am waiting for an answer; the deadline isn't until July 30th - I applied early. I really want to do this program - and I have this amazing clarity that whatever their decision, it will be the right thing for me right now. Yes, I want it; yes, I'm hoping they accept me; yes, it would be absolutely great and there would be so many opportunities opened up because of this new knowledge and skill set. And, if the answer is "not now" - I will be okay and there will be reason.
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from Tricycle: today's daily dharma

Tricycle

Daily Dharma

Our Deepest Well-Being

Our society provides no curriculum or schooling on how to notice love or to recognize the many people who have transmitted its life-giving power. Most of us haven’t been taught that to receive love deeply and transmit it wholeheartedly is a real human possibility, that it can be learned, and that to do so is the key to our deepest well-being, our spiritual life, and our capacity to bring more goodness into this world.

—by John Makransky, ‘Love is All Around’ c.

click on the article's title to read it in its entirety

The Annual Rock Creek Symposia on the Creative Process

...from Portland Community College...

This week a series of three symposia over three consecutive days brings together working artists from various disciplines—poets, novelists and visual artists-- to discuss their creative process. The three symposia follow the evolution of a work of art by posing questions such as how do artists begin a work of art? How do they develop it? What happens when they run into problems? When do they know a work of art is finished?

Wednesday February 17, 10 am RC TLC (3/102) “In the Beginning”
Q: What is the origin of a work of art and how do you get started?
Answers from: poet Peter Sears, novelist Stevan Allred, novelist Joanna Rose

Thursday February 18, 10am RC TLC (3/102) “In the Middle”
Q: How do you develop a work of art through doubts and unexpected turns ?
Answers from: fiction writer John Zackel, painter Christopher Knight, novelist Stevan Allred

Friday February 19, 10am RC TLC (3/102) “The End”
Q: When is it over and how do you know?
Answers from: painter Christopher Knight, sculptor Ben Buswell, novelist Joanna Rose

moderated by Mark Andres and Alison Apotheker

These symposia are free and open to the public. The series is funded by a generous grant from ASPCC.

coming to a screen near you?

I went to the premiere of "Papers the Movie" tonight with a couple friends. It was a moving story and very well done. This is an important issue that I will admit to being rather ignorant about prior to learning about the film a month or so ago.

This film is the story about undocumented students and what happens to them after they turn 18. They have no papers, so they have difficulty getting into colleges (are turned down by some flat out - no questions asked), getting jobs, can't get driver's license, and so on. Are deported. Are held in detention. This young people are born here in the US or come here as very young children with their parents. They grow up here, are educated here, are Americans, and yet, on their 18th birthday they become "illegals."

This is an important film and they did a nice job. They have a few more local showings scheduled and are taking it nationwide. They have been accepted into a couple film festivals and have applied for more.

Check it out. "Papers the Movie". Go if you can, when it comes near you or you are near a showing.
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gocco a go-go

My Gocco arrived a couple days ago. A few days before that, the extra bulbs, inks, screens that I ordered also arrived. And I just received an email that I will be able to get some private tutoring in how to use the machine. I've put that lesson off until May, when there will be two plays out of the way and my schedule is a little easier to plan.

Yay. I'm so excited! One thing I want to do with it is make a zine. And the content of the zine, you ask? I don't know yet. But I've been thinking about the Goccos for a while, looking at them. Wanting one. But not sure I had the time to play with it and do something more. Then they stopped making them and the Ebay and Etsy prices went sky high, so the should I or shouldn't I debate stepped up to another level.

But while we were at the coast a couple weeks ago, I was looking around and found one on Craigslist from another area. The price was reasonable (still more than double what I could have bought one for a year ago - but half of what I've been seeing them sell for on Ebay), so I bought it.

I'm happy and looking forward to adding a new creative adventure to my growing list.