QuickPost - May 10, 2011

You know you're personal geography is chaos when you get a phone call from the library telling you your library card is in.

The library in the town in which you lived.....2 home-places ago.
Yes, the library in the town in which I lived two towns ago called me today. It's only 4,000+ miles away....

PoemPost - April 25, 2011

Ode to the Red Rocks!
Shining bright
when the varnish reflects
and the smooth coals of rocks
glow

it fills the soul with warmth.

A Poem from the Trail Rondy about Shared Use (nerd I am)

They came together with motors and soles
voices together discussing their foes

the challenges, each other, creatively woven
talking together, it's touchy, they've chosen

to attend a place the others will be
and they find it's the haters and aggressors they seeth

the idiots who disregard their fellow humans
"Your work ain't worth a dime," their treads yell as they're zoomin'

without a face to step up to the plate
admit that the action involves lots of hate

the do-er, aggressor, whatever you call 'em.
Did they know what they're doing, when they tore up a trail that day then?

Is it ignorance that an idiot makes
or malice that feeds the idiocy debate?

If we saw the action could we stop them, would we try?
Would they understand when they see the white in our eyes?

The potentials for salt water tears welling up saying "this trail is forever, we hope, we want
your action may ruin it all for the rest on foot or with motor, we all like the jaunts

but one day done wrong because you didn't know
or worse--didn't care that your action would show

and last for decades--year at best
unless someone comes, heavy equipment to test

if the trail needs rebuilding it might be ruined
but if not we'll come together like bruins

tough and ready, to tackle and restore
come together and unite, to make so much more

we'll conquer the idiocy and ignore the idiots
focus on family and friends, really it's

all about the future--not years but tomorrow
to retain our neighbors and the land that we borrow.

My Vision

Scribbled on a scrap of paper, as inspired this day: Everyone has at least 2 trial experiences (opportunities) in the out of doors (or, at least 1 positive) and subsequently pursue experiences at one's desired (and well-informed) frequency and difficulty. No one feels excluded from natural places even if they feel challenged or uncomfortable. Everyone has a baseline feeling of what a positive outdoor experience might be.

QuickPost-Snot Rocket Slip'n'slide

Today, I almost fell on my butt while trying to snot-rocket (blow my nose) while walking on ice. 'To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."

QuickPost- Momentary Insight into Dichotomy

Today I wrote to an acquaintance:
"Sometimes I drop off the face of the email-earth for a bit and usually it just means the inbox was deluged and an email sunk beneath the visible screen. So feel free to repeat sending an email, any time, ever. Sometimes I get back wicked-fast! I apologize for that inconsistency because I am still trying to balance in my life active-engagement-with-community-and-the-world and active-dis-engagement-from-technology -and-speed."

Urban Phenology Observation-February 21, 2011

Towards the end of last week, I saw my first tourist downtown. Heard, actually, as they were discussing which way they thought they should walk to a place they've never been. Then today, wandering around downtown to get to the conference, I noticed multiple parties that were coming in and out of the kitchy stores or pointing which way to go or speaking a foreign language and giving other indicators. How quickly I had forgotten what that was like.....

QuickPost - January 7, 2011

Wow. It was a good and busy but not too busy week. The opportunities to be creative, thoughtful, proactive, reactive, and conscientious all existed. There were some times I thought I should be doing more than reading existing emails or reviewing various materials. But I wasn't doing that all the time, either. I wasn't watched or harped over. There was lots of discussion of impending future work (lots!) and lots of talk of opportunity. And I didn't cause any big trouble, yet.

QuickPost-December 31, 2010-January 1, 2011

Accustomed to the solitary hibernation of Koyuk (AK), I settled in to my new apartment (as of 4 hours ago) for New Years Eve. I put on my pajama pants as fireworks crackled outside. At midnight, when the sounds of fireworks increased exponentially in quantity, I found myself leaning over the heater and looking our my very own bedroom window at no less than 7 distinct fireworks displays. I stared for a while, as my eyes glittered and I began to feel pretty good about living in this place that's small for a city but surely big enough for this small-town girl.