it seems my blog has been having an averse effect on some people, so i put a warning up. just trying to be a conscientious blogger.
leaving in about an hour for the hospital to have another useless organ removed, this time by choice. say goodbye to my gall bladder - we hardly knew ye (except for those moments you caused us excruciating pain).
stuck in a post-vacation hangover - will have to wait to update my blog for this weekend when i'm recovering. but my vacation was amazing, thanks to the great hospitality of alexa and ryan and shannon and paul. i couldn't imagine having a better time. i got to do everything i wanted and then some. stories to follow, as well as some pics.
be back soon!
Æ
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Now playing: Mugison - Mugiboogie
via FoxyTunes
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Somewhere over a bunch of red states....
Joy! I'm in a row by myself - the businessman assigned to the seat next to me moved to an empty row. I was toying with the same, but being by the window made it a bit trickier to offer. Amazing how much better a trip can be when you can cross your legs.
E-mail from Brenda today - seems she might be in Cincy end of August and we're going to try and do dinner. She said we'd try and avoid talking about remarriage and divorce, though she did read my post and said I made a persuasive argument. Me, I'm still dealing with my own recent doubts. I wonder what love requires. Brent boiled it down to John 3:16 and love, which raises more questions in my head than it answers. What is the most loving action? Does love mean we can ignore the teachings of Christ? How do we determine if it's God's love or our own desires? We humans can rationalize anything - I know I don't trust myself to know what is most loving in a given situation. I'm more likely to go with my will than God's. Which I suppose is why I'm trying to sort this out now, relying on "religious dogma," instead of waiting until a situation arises.
Or maybe I'm just in avoidance mode.
The sun sets behind me and along with it my journey west. Was tough to leave - though I am looking forward to my own bed, I can't say I'm excited to be coming back to Ohio, with its heat and humidity and bugs and lack of mountains. I wonder how different life would be if I'd ended up in Colorado for grad school. Perhaps I'd have ended up back in Ohio anyway. I think part of my heart will always long to be in the mountains. They heal me and cleanse me in ways I do not understand. I know God can do the same in Ohio - I need to find those spaces. And I need to use them.
Will be interesting to see how sleep goes when I get back. Toward the end I was sleeping seven hours a night, give or take. Of course, I was on mountain time, so I was going to bed at 2-3 AM normal time some nights. Hard to believe I've only a couple weeks to get my act together. Where did my summer break go?
Still, lots to do before the 18th - gall bladder surgery, MST3K party, King's X/Extreme concert, trip to Kent, plus house church and flash fiction and as many activities as I can jam into my remaining time. Have to say though - this trip to Colorado certainly pushed this summer over the memorable edge. Glad I did it. thankful for friends who are willing to let me crash their lives for days at a time. Couldn't have asked for better hosts.
Another hour, hour and a half before we land. Think I'll try to read some and maybe drift off to sleep. Jen and James are supposed to pick me up - dad's still in the hospital. Hope they figure out what's wrong with him soon. He ate yesterday, which is a good sign. Night.
Æ
E-mail from Brenda today - seems she might be in Cincy end of August and we're going to try and do dinner. She said we'd try and avoid talking about remarriage and divorce, though she did read my post and said I made a persuasive argument. Me, I'm still dealing with my own recent doubts. I wonder what love requires. Brent boiled it down to John 3:16 and love, which raises more questions in my head than it answers. What is the most loving action? Does love mean we can ignore the teachings of Christ? How do we determine if it's God's love or our own desires? We humans can rationalize anything - I know I don't trust myself to know what is most loving in a given situation. I'm more likely to go with my will than God's. Which I suppose is why I'm trying to sort this out now, relying on "religious dogma," instead of waiting until a situation arises.
Or maybe I'm just in avoidance mode.
The sun sets behind me and along with it my journey west. Was tough to leave - though I am looking forward to my own bed, I can't say I'm excited to be coming back to Ohio, with its heat and humidity and bugs and lack of mountains. I wonder how different life would be if I'd ended up in Colorado for grad school. Perhaps I'd have ended up back in Ohio anyway. I think part of my heart will always long to be in the mountains. They heal me and cleanse me in ways I do not understand. I know God can do the same in Ohio - I need to find those spaces. And I need to use them.
Will be interesting to see how sleep goes when I get back. Toward the end I was sleeping seven hours a night, give or take. Of course, I was on mountain time, so I was going to bed at 2-3 AM normal time some nights. Hard to believe I've only a couple weeks to get my act together. Where did my summer break go?
Still, lots to do before the 18th - gall bladder surgery, MST3K party, King's X/Extreme concert, trip to Kent, plus house church and flash fiction and as many activities as I can jam into my remaining time. Have to say though - this trip to Colorado certainly pushed this summer over the memorable edge. Glad I did it. thankful for friends who are willing to let me crash their lives for days at a time. Couldn't have asked for better hosts.
Another hour, hour and a half before we land. Think I'll try to read some and maybe drift off to sleep. Jen and James are supposed to pick me up - dad's still in the hospital. Hope they figure out what's wrong with him soon. He ate yesterday, which is a good sign. Night.
Æ
Denver Airport - Third and final time
No idea if this flight will be packed, but it probably will be. Timing's been good - got to the airport, ate a quick bite, moved smoothly through the security theatre, grabbed a Snickers for the flight, emptied my bladder and now am waiting to board. Should have started by now, but no such luck.
Ah, I wrote too soon. There's the announcement to board. More on the plane.
Æ
Ah, I wrote too soon. There's the announcement to board. More on the plane.
Æ
the last day
Last day in Colorado. I'm sitting in the Old Colorado City Library, killing some time before Paul comes to pick me up. And I just decided I can do this outside. And I just got a call from Paul, so this will be a short burst.
Yesterday, I rented a bike at a little place called Colorado Kite and Ski in Old Colorado City, which is why I'm here today, returning it. If you ever find yourself in need of a bike, I highly recommend the place - cheapest rate in town and they were willing to work with me so I could keep it overnight. No credit card deposit required. Made it quite enjoyable. OK, enough with the free advertising.
Took a ride out to Garden of the Gods, then down into Manitou Springs again, then back to the Springs and Paul and Shannon's. Lovely way to see the Garden, though that first hill exhausted me. I always think of Singles and the biker guy who claims "I like the way the world looks from a bicycle." Not even the threat of rain could ruin the ride. Lightning in the mountains made it more interesting. I was last at GotG on my personally infamous trip to Denver a decade ago. I still have pics from then, so I didn't take too many this time. Quite the view - and quite crowded. Glad I was on my bike. I am constantly amazed at how rocks can be beautiful (no offense, Scott). A different kind of beauty than the wooded mountains, but capable of stealing my breath nonetheless.
Am hoping to spend some time writing tonight at the airport, processing the trip a bit, trying to draw a line of story through what happened. Seems so long ago since Ft. Thomas, but it's only been a week. And the flight out even longer. I'm glad. Better than it feeling short.
Sarah wrote yesterday - she had talked to Shannon and knew I was here, but thought I had driven out. She asked if Shannon had done her married duty and tried to set me up. Had to laugh when I read that. I did get the chance to spend a couple of evenings with two lovely friends of Shannon's, but they definitely did not feel like set ups. Perhaps I've been too successful at cultivating the image of the content bachelor....
Paul is here. More later. Æ
Yesterday, I rented a bike at a little place called Colorado Kite and Ski in Old Colorado City, which is why I'm here today, returning it. If you ever find yourself in need of a bike, I highly recommend the place - cheapest rate in town and they were willing to work with me so I could keep it overnight. No credit card deposit required. Made it quite enjoyable. OK, enough with the free advertising.
Took a ride out to Garden of the Gods, then down into Manitou Springs again, then back to the Springs and Paul and Shannon's. Lovely way to see the Garden, though that first hill exhausted me. I always think of Singles and the biker guy who claims "I like the way the world looks from a bicycle." Not even the threat of rain could ruin the ride. Lightning in the mountains made it more interesting. I was last at GotG on my personally infamous trip to Denver a decade ago. I still have pics from then, so I didn't take too many this time. Quite the view - and quite crowded. Glad I was on my bike. I am constantly amazed at how rocks can be beautiful (no offense, Scott). A different kind of beauty than the wooded mountains, but capable of stealing my breath nonetheless.
Am hoping to spend some time writing tonight at the airport, processing the trip a bit, trying to draw a line of story through what happened. Seems so long ago since Ft. Thomas, but it's only been a week. And the flight out even longer. I'm glad. Better than it feeling short.
Sarah wrote yesterday - she had talked to Shannon and knew I was here, but thought I had driven out. She asked if Shannon had done her married duty and tried to set me up. Had to laugh when I read that. I did get the chance to spend a couple of evenings with two lovely friends of Shannon's, but they definitely did not feel like set ups. Perhaps I've been too successful at cultivating the image of the content bachelor....
Paul is here. More later. Æ
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