The Ultimate

This James. He's from Australia. He's a cross country cyclist that came by a few days ago. He stayed the night with us before pushing on to Albuquerque. We had an enjoyable encounter and he has gone. You know there was a time when I thought that the Ultimate was some kind of blissed-out state (high) that one got when he or she was able to "give up" this life. (Ahh, my misunderstood Buddhism). I'm sure that most good Christians would call me an atheist. (I'm not) but I sure as hell can't see the Ultimate as sitting around and breaking bread with God and Jesus, talking about pious stuff. I'm sorry, but I can't even make myself believe, and I've certainly tried, in an anthropomorphic god. But what I do believe in is relationships. Whether they are brief encounters like James floating through our lives or like Kamala who profoundly and deeply effects my here and now. That delicious pressing together of two or more spirits, not possessing or capturing. but simply EXPERIENCING the suchness of other sparks of life in the currents of space. Those experiences of relationships, good or bad, (And, frankly, at the risk of being out of touch with my Zen nature, I have greatly preferred the good even though I realize those assholes in my life have added luster to all the others) brief or long, deep or superficial seem to me to have a greater value than any possession, or destination, or even my very soul .(should one actually exist along with Santa and the tooth fairy) I just want to thank all of you out there who have ever shared that touching of spirits with me and, by damn, I think we ought to do it again before it's too late.

Why is Kamala hiding?

Why is Kamala hiding?

She's hiding from work! After 8 months of retirement there is still that gnawing feeling that we are supposed to be at work. Even here, on this mid-week hike in the Franklins, when all of our friends are busy at work, there is that touch of guilt that we are playing hooky or something. The other day we were over in the Northeast, near Irvin High School, where we worked (and played) for many years and we both had the urge to check around and see if anyone had spotted us so we could duck if we had to. Added to that feeling that we are enjoying ourselves while others toil away are these comments by people we know.

"Where are you working now that you have retired?"

"Are you substituting?"

"That's great Kamala, now you can use your CPA background to do taxes at Tax Time."

Just what part of RETIREMENT do they not understand? I feel sure that these "naughty" feelings that we are getting away with something (not working) will eventually fade, but for the moment, we are keeping a low profile and relishing them.

Discovery: Dragon's egg

Hi guys, I thought I'd let you in on this discovery before I go public with it. On Christmas day this year we were exploring a huge, dry arroyo just east of Presidio Texas. And then, there it was, right in front of us, a strange object that looked like a rock inside a rock. We did not realize what it was at first, neither of us having seen anything like it before, but then, bang, an eureka moment, and we realized that we had discovered a dragon's egg. It was obviously shaped like an egg and as hard as it was, what could burst out of an egg like that? Yep, it has to be a dragon. So now we are just waiting for it to hatch and I'm sure that won't be long because the rock like, outer layer is already starting to peel. We've sit up a little area in the workshop with a heat lamp on the egg. I can hardly wait. I've always wanted a pet dragon. I wonder just how long it will take before it's big enough for me to ride and it can take me flying. I'm just not sure whether I should call the National Inquirer now or wait for the hatching. I'll keep you posted.