bits
Yesterday Dan and I were taking a walk in the neighborhood, me jabbering away as I tend to do, him glassing people’s backyards for familiar bucks as he tends to do, when he crossed the street and walked right up to a large, funky deer antler that had just been shed. After doing a little ceremonial ritual on Crestview Ave, Dan picked up the antler, studied it for a moment, and announced “Ahh, it’s The Limper.”
Finding one of The Limper’s antlers is pretty exciting, but the big bonanza will be finding “Obsession-Buck’s” antlers for a third year in a row. Will keep you posted.
Col made some retro technology greeting cards (thank you Brooke at Basin Printing, Patron Saint of children’s creativity). He would like you to know that you can buy 5 cards for $5 or 10 cards for $8. He would also like you to know that although he had to look up an Atari game console and Walkman on the internet, the flip phone was found in his mother’s pocket. See them on Dan’s etsy site.
Stack o’ hides–tails included!–also on Dan’s etsy shop, for that special person in your life.
Also, I have been so strengthened and soothed by the work of Natalie and Nathan at the Center for Emotional Education. Getting on their e-mail list is a short path to excellent support and soothing wisdom.
In the span of a couple months I have lost all my steady work, and a good portion of my income. The magazine, Edible Southwest Colorado, for which I’ve been managing editor and staff writer for eight years has folded. And my ten year parenting column at the Durango Herald is also history. You can read my last column here. I’ve been a little adrift lately without these anchors. I’m grateful for the nonviolent communication workshops I’ve been giving for organizations and businesses. (That was an ever so subtle plug. Do you, your marriage, your organization, workplace need some communication support? Testimonials here). Info on upcoming classes for individuals here.
(I am doing a 1/2 NVC workshop in Mancos in mid-March; if you’re interested let me know).
I’ve been reading a ton, as usual, and loved these three novels, An American Marriage, Unsheltered, and The Mars Room, all of which are in some way about how–as one of my middle school writing students wrote–“Life is like baseball, you never know what kind of pitch you’re going to get.” Some of those unexpected pitches end up changing our lives.
One more thing: I am in need of a very simple website for my nonviolent communication work and would love to trade someone their time for my time. I can offer editing for your writing, some communication consults (via phone works great), or entrance into one of my upcoming classes.
Last night:
Col: What video games did you play as a kid?
Me: Ms. Pac Man as a kid. And, I played a lot of Tetris in college.
Col: In your fraternity?
Me: FRATERNITY?
Rose: (scoffing) Col, that’s for pregnant women.
(Thank goodness for the younger children, for they will always be younger.)
Big Love. Stay warm,
Rachel
You make us laugh a lot. Kids say the funniest things.
Maybe Art linkletter said that
LIATI!
Love Is All There Is!
You got this Bardo…
head bowed to ALL the AMAZING unconditional love, support, connection that you have so deeply engaged to penetrate so many of our inner lives! long live the Printed Word!
Namah!
Rachel,
I am sorry (for you and for us) about Edible and your Herald column. But I have no doubt that something bigger and better is brewing for you, as you are an amazing writer and an incredible person!
Col’s drawings are awesome! Tell him that your friend, Pam, has a “slide phone” (w/o a texting keyboard). And also that she has never played a real video game, except for a bit of Atari Pong, when it first came out. But that she was a pretty great pinball player, back in the day. Maybe that is his next drawing.
Keep bringing the great stories of life and family,
xox Pam
Oh yeah, and I loved, loved, loved my yellow waterproof walkman that I got in college. I’d walk around University of MD campus, listening to Grateful Dead bootlegs, singing along and pretending that I did not realize that I was singing out loud!
Younguns, they’re so funny!
How simple a site do you need? I’m not a website professional but if your needs are quite simple, I might be able to help you.
Revanche – thank you for the offer. I think I have it covered though.
(so this isn’t really the most right or relevant post for this comment, but after reading multiple posts about your passionate love for where you live, i had to share, and i didn’t feel like searching through the entries for a related one)
in the shalimar gardens in kashmir, there is a stone plaque with a quote from 13th century perisan poet amir khusro: “if there is a paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this.” it rings so true for me. maui is my heart’s home, and this line echoes frequently in my head as i look around here, sometimes with tears in my eyes because of how unbelievably much this land, this place, means to me. before i moved here, i never knew it was possible to have this level – of connection, of devotion, of attachment, of identification, of meaning, of love – with where you live. i think that a lot of people don’t ever find that, and i feel very lucky.
(side note: been binge-reading all your old entries for hours a day like you’re my new favorite book. a lot of the old links, especially all the old mamalode ones, don’t work, which is disappointing but i guess not altogether surprising, being that it’s now 2019. i find myself thinking about col and rose (circa 2013, cause that’s where i’m at right now) while i’m washing dishes.)
Sometimes I wish I were in circa 2013 too. Sigh. So happy that you’re finding enjoyment in the old entries. :)