desert life
A Perfect Day
Following a pretty rotten day, the universe will sometimes throw you a nearly perfect one. Or maybe it’s just that, for me, two consecutive rotten days are unacceptable. In any case, yesterday= pretty dang crummy. Today, however, rolled something like this: Day started, per usual, with a small girl crawling into bed with me and [...]
Unwound
First, confessions of an English major: I was totally thrown off my zen today by my yoga instructor’s improper use of the word “invaluable.” I could not release the error to its own beautiful truth or whatever, and focus in the present moment. That out of the way–best class ever today. We focused on twists. I’m sure [...]
Under Pressure
God spoke to me today. I love when that happens. I hate when that happens. I love when that happens because hearing the voice of God is the simple reward for living a (reasonably) spiritual life. When you move through the world looking for something holy at every turn (translation: looking for sermon material), then eventually, [...]
Take a Load Off
Maybe I’m too young to claim The Band as part of the soundtrack to my life. But the death of Levon Helm has me thinking about the first time I heard “The Weight–” or at least the first time i paid attention–and well, i do believe it did some shaping of me that Debbie Gibson, Guns n Roses, and [...]
Songs from the Wilderness
I spent the morning of Good Friday roaming about in the desert with my dog. If you ask me, the desert is the only place to spend this day–literal or elsewise. Last year I wrote a piece about the proper sound track for Holy Week, and this year, the good folks over at The Salt [...]
A Primer for New Life: Painting Over Pastels
…it is time to get rid of the 16-year-old carpet. Because ultimately, at that point the place is alive and breathing, and the house itself has to say so. It’s not so much that we CAN afford to do these things…it’s that, there comes a time when we can no longer afford not to.
Day 2.5; New Mexico
Continuing with my English Major Diet, wherein the narrative matters as much as the food… Like i was saying yesterday, hard to believe that i had 2 of the best meals ever on the same day, but travel is like that sometimes. Of course, travel food is hit or miss. It can be the best [...]
Day 2; Burgers, Burritos and Beginnings
Ok, so we start. Read back a day if you want to know why i’m recounting the best meals i ever ate. Basically, I figure that reflecting on the divine dining experience will keep me from eating crap like, you know, cheeseburgers. So why am i starting my ‘best meals ever’ series with a cheeseburger? [...]
Dreaming of a Green Christmas
Yes, the glaciers are melting, and those sad little polar bears on the commercials are trying to remind us. But this is not that. This is a note about living in the desert, where all things green are about as elusive, magical and mysterious as Santa. Last week it rained. I mean ALOT. Alot for [...]
Week 4: Welcome
It was dark. Rainy. Cold. I’d been in the car for about 12 hours. Alone. Intermittent radio signal through the West Virginia Mountains, nothing but wheezing preachers and country (not the good kind) for much of Virginia, over an HOUR sitting still on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge because i lacked the foresight to plan around [...]
