renewal. making new again. funny to consider, considering this blog is one post old. months have now passed. again. somehow. so here i go, beginning again.
ah, to have the discipline to practice writing. to have a writing practice. like katy, who's as busy as i, but who is infinitely more productive. i still think for me it's a question of time. i need time for the percolation of ideas. and then i need time to write it out, but finding blocks of time for focused, concentrated thinking and writing presents strong challenges i've not been able to overcome. there are occasional moments of synchronicity -- primarily, my mood and dead time at work where i am uninterrupted. these are but occasional moments, like i said, and more often than not i'm "out of sync".
so i begin again.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
voyager
Northeastern Brazil. Carnaval. Frevo, marcatu, foro. Of, by, and for the people. In the streets. Day and night.
Arrival: ATX-ATL-RECIFE. A new route with special promotional fare. The plane was half-full, room to stretch out. Broken audio in the middle of Manu. Sadness. So little sleep. Much anxiety. First overseas trip since France 2002.
Reflections on that life past. Summers, entire summers, broke, yet abroad for weeks. Lacking certain financial resources, but possessing a surplus of time, nothing but time. A month or two away. Annually. Easily. Normally.
Semesters no longer ever really end in this still-alien life that has become me. Time is at a premium. It is accrued. Subsequently spent frugally, rarely, cautiously.
I recall my first time to take time in this new life. October 2004. Nervousness at asking permission for three days. Asking permission. From two different supervisors. Really? Daring to request to be away from it for three entire days in a row. 24 consecutive work hours. Following 14 months of being there. Fourteen months straight.
The guilt of it all.
Fast-forward, July 2006. A whopping 10 day-long trip, with seven work days missed.
Still not enough.
June 2008. Five days to Albuquerque and back. First drive across West Texas.
Two weeks feels downright extravagant. Certain administrative staff insinuate that it's nearly excessive. But it had to be done. I'm sorry, a week is not enough to drive to Montana and visit Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons before driving back. The longest time away since this all started in 2003.
It leaves me thirsting for more.
There is so much to see and to learn. With weeks at my disposal, there was time to do it fittingly. Appropriately. On one round-trip plane ticket.
If driving to Glacier, how can you not stop at Yellowstone? If at Yellowstone, how can drive past the Tetons? If in West Texas, how can you cruise by Balmorhea?
Slow travel!
Arrival: ATX-ATL-RECIFE. A new route with special promotional fare. The plane was half-full, room to stretch out. Broken audio in the middle of Manu. Sadness. So little sleep. Much anxiety. First overseas trip since France 2002.
Reflections on that life past. Summers, entire summers, broke, yet abroad for weeks. Lacking certain financial resources, but possessing a surplus of time, nothing but time. A month or two away. Annually. Easily. Normally.
Semesters no longer ever really end in this still-alien life that has become me. Time is at a premium. It is accrued. Subsequently spent frugally, rarely, cautiously.
I recall my first time to take time in this new life. October 2004. Nervousness at asking permission for three days. Asking permission. From two different supervisors. Really? Daring to request to be away from it for three entire days in a row. 24 consecutive work hours. Following 14 months of being there. Fourteen months straight.
The guilt of it all.
Fast-forward, July 2006. A whopping 10 day-long trip, with seven work days missed.
Still not enough.
June 2008. Five days to Albuquerque and back. First drive across West Texas.
Two weeks feels downright extravagant. Certain administrative staff insinuate that it's nearly excessive. But it had to be done. I'm sorry, a week is not enough to drive to Montana and visit Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons before driving back. The longest time away since this all started in 2003.
It leaves me thirsting for more.
There is so much to see and to learn. With weeks at my disposal, there was time to do it fittingly. Appropriately. On one round-trip plane ticket.
If driving to Glacier, how can you not stop at Yellowstone? If at Yellowstone, how can drive past the Tetons? If in West Texas, how can you cruise by Balmorhea?
Slow travel!
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