d. j. g.

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2011-06-09T18:31:00.000-07:00

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Bday Betty

2010-04-13T10:26:00.000-07:00

Stckers from Pax

2010-04-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

He gave this many stickers because "I REAAAAALLLLY love you uncle Dan"

Testing our wine

2009-12-31T19:14:00.001-08:00

A sweet looking ebulliometer, to test alcohol level...we're @ 15.4%
awwww yeah.

Testing our wine

2009-12-31T19:13:00.001-08:00

Free Sulfur test here:

multnomah falls

2009-11-28T13:52:00.000-08:00

man, beautiful day today. hiked up and around the falls. great to have my folks in town getting a taste of pdx!!

an amazing run last weekend

2009-10-20T12:06:00.000-07:00

here's how i describe it:

today I had one of the most exhilarating runs I've ever
had...

I set off into Portland's Forest Park, just as the rain began to come
down. Excited, I had to restrain myself and run a bit slower than I
wanted to, because there were still a couple of hours separating me
from the end of this run. The rain came down harder and harder, the
trail became slippery, roots twisting out of the ground, the trail
looking more and more like a stream, a river in places. The path
snaked upward, and in just moments, I was running in the clouds; they
had descended into the forest, continuing to mercifully cool me off
with large, pristine raindrops. Steam was now rising from my
shoulders and head, crimson, brown and orange leaves rained down
around me, and I felt alive. 19 miles later, my feet hurt, but the
smile on my face had grown only larger.

On a technical note, I'm thrilled with my KSO Treks (worn with Injinji
socks). Great protection against the various obstacles on the trail,
but not so much that one could neglect the choice of foot placement.
Although soaked, they still performed perfectly, not shifting at all
on my feet. They were great on the slick sections. No blisters or
spots of discomfort. Feet communicating with the ground has truly
changed the way I'll run from here on out.

All in all a magical experience

I welcome the fall

2009-10-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

Holly named these my Dandals. Been doing a lot of my running in these
guys. Interesting and really fun!!

Good Morning

2009-07-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

settling in

2009-07-15T07:13:00.001-07:00

Things are starting to come together for us here in Portland. I feel very fortunate and thankful for the job that I am about to dive into, the days have been beautiful, we love our apartment and we are fortunate to have some friends close by (upstairs in the house, that is:). Some friends are coming into town, but I thought I'd share a couple of good vibes and random photos of our apartment, the new kitchen table, and the sunflowers which were waiting for us when we arrived. C'est une bonne vie.

2009-07-10T23:32:00.001-07:00

Camping;)

Interview day!!

2009-07-10T07:44:00.000-07:00

Two days ago I had my 9 hour interview day with Concordia University for a clinical faculty position in their Nursing school. Holly was kind enough to cut my hair, and I wore the first suit I have ever owned for the first time. Here's the evidence:)

Oh, still waiting to hear on the job....man, I hope this pays off.

Ready for the 1065.6 mile journey

2009-06-30T14:02:00.000-07:00

Hillbilly style

2009-06-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

Impeccable packing job

2009-06-30T13:58:00.001-07:00

some changes

2009-06-22T13:41:00.000-07:00

what a great summer it has been so far...looking forward to what the future has to hold:

this week i'll be fulfilling a decade-old dream of doing a music project with my long time friend tim....i'm very excited about it.

at the beginning of July, we're moving to Portland, OR to live in the basement apartment of our dear friends ryan and holly sharp.

i'll be doing my next triathlon in August in p-land.

some fun camping in mammoth and shasta planned for the month of july.

hopefully i'll land my job as a college professor in about 2 weeks.

this has been a refreshing season of rest, exercise and exploring my inner landscape....fun stuff.

here's a really sweet picture of me and my niece Violet that bethany took as we waited for Carrie to finish her recent marathon in San Diego. carrie just gave me a framed print of it yesterday. i love it.

5 years today

2009-06-05T19:53:00.000-07:00

Breakfast at the same spot we came to immediately after getting
engaged in July '03

Rest.

2009-06-04T21:38:00.000-07:00

Betty and I are so thankful to have amazing friends like Tim and Meggan, who have welcomed us into their home and allowed us to stay here for the last few weeks. The days here have been incredibly restorative, with much time spent in the kitchen making meals together, playing with sweet little Biruk, and drinking wine in the evenings together. I think for the first time in a couple years I am beginning to move toward feeling balanced and content internally.

As a side note, the other day, out of the blue this ridiculously sized hail came down like crazy for about two minutes. Weird. But cool:

Del Mar sunset.

2009-06-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

I like this picture.

2009-06-03T11:50:00.001-07:00

an old church in Pittsburgh PA

2009-05-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

As I Lay Dying show in Pittsburgh, PA

From the top of the Rock

2009-05-09T18:34:00.001-07:00

Tim & I went to the top of the Rock yesterday before their show.
Beautiful afternoon, good time to catch up.

metal.

2009-05-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

Morocco

2009-04-29T00:16:00.001-07:00

These are some of my favorite photos from our 1 day, 15 hour, interesting, but humorously disappointing day in Morocco. Decided we're definitely going back for a longer stay, probably to Marrakesh. The pics are from Tangier, just across the strait from Spain:

Morocco 2.

2009-04-29T00:11:00.000-07:00

The crew. Frigiliana for wine tasting. The crew.

2009-04-25T22:00:00.000-07:00

Beautiful town on a perfect day.

Notice Pax here. Great.

Pax

2009-04-25T21:55:00.001-07:00

It is impossible to get enough of Pax. Bethany and I in particular had a great time shooting photos of the little guy. He was a great traveler...and we loved having him along.

my Betty.

2009-04-25T21:52:00.000-07:00

This woman is incredibly beautiful. Here she is, overlooking the valley from a hilltop town called Frigiliana.

Haircut.

2009-04-25T21:47:00.000-07:00

I started the trip like this:

And morphed into this:

My hair really was too long, and getting a bit annoying. I like it a bit shorter.

more Spain.

2009-04-25T21:36:00.000-07:00

Here are a bunch of pictures from our 10 day stay in Andalucia on the south coast of Spain. I'm glad I didn't go through these photos all at once....it has been so great to go through them slowly and relive some of the magic.

The Rock of Gibraltar

2009-04-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

While in Spain, we took a day trip to the UK's Rock of Gibraltar. Very fun place, especially the collision of British and Spanish cultures creating a unique vibe.

The rock. A very british looking phone booth.

We grabbed lunch at the oldest bar in town. Pretty phenomenal fish & chips.

These are the famed apes of Gibraltar. I know they look like monkeys, but they are in fact apes. Cute, yes, but we did in fact see one very cute ape attack an unsuspecting tourist. I definitely remember a few sideways looks I got from them which made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

A couple shots of St. Michael's Cave in very low light.

Amazing Tea and scones after exploring the rock. Really amazing scones.

Looking down on the main square from atop a Moorish castle; the castle.

A cool cathedral we found on our walk through town.

The silhouette is our first live view of Africa.

2009-03-30T15:17:00.000-07:00

Some pictures of Barcelona at night.

We bought some amazing cheese at the market in the plaça of the monastery at Montserrat.

Walking the trail at Montserrat.

The Cathedral at Montserrat.

Adam. Need I say more?

It was truly beautiful...a monastery in the sky. Peaceful day, beautiful views, Adam, Ryan & I enjoying each other's company.

Montjüic

2009-03-30T09:57:00.000-07:00

Hit Las Ramblas for some Catalonian cheese, sausage, fruit, bread and some local wine this morning, then headed to Montjüic for a ride on the skytram and a picnic in the castle overlooking the sea. Betty took some super cute photos of Paxton befriending a sweet Italian girl named Maya. Here's the pics:

2009-03-29T13:29:00.000-07:00

Betty, Adam & I had a few extra hours to kill in Málaga before we caught our flight to Barcelona. We were able to wander around town, explore the wall to the castle, and check out the Málaga cathedral. Beautiful...the weather was stunning. Loving Spain like crazy.

More to come. Other pics here.

My Location

2009-03-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

Just had tapas & vino tinto around the corner from our apartment here
in Barcelona...magical.

Las alturas of southern Spain

2009-03-24T02:25:00.000-07:00

Ryan posted a great description of our magical day yesterday here. Spain is absolutely breathtaking; being here with this group of folks has been as it usually is: filled with laughter, refreshing and beautiful. These are the photos of us enjoying the rosé in the valley looking up to Ronda, a city with a history dating back to the 9th century bc. Beautiful.

...and tomorrow we launch

2009-03-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

we leave for spain and france tomorrow. can't wait to see some of our dearest friends and experience new places together. this trip will also serve as a marker for the end of this current chapter in our life in San Francisco. somewhat suprisingly, yesterday i was having some intense feelings of loss, of missing this neighborhood and all that we have enjoyed while living here. it's time to make some room for what will happen next. both betty and i feel like we have grown and changed a lot in our last few years here. we're ready for what's next, ready to continue the pursuit of our dreams. i wonder if we'll be back.

took a few photos on my walk around the neighborhood:

Elton John's Greatest hits

2009-03-13T23:04:00.001-07:00

here it comes.

2009-03-12T22:08:00.000-07:00

change. i love it! i think.... in fact, this season of transition has given me pause, and has been quite enlightening. i am learning a lot about my self: new anxieties/insecurities, new interests, new areas of maturity & immaturity, new efforts to connect with some of the things that have lain dormant for the last 2+ years.

i am trying to live into clarity rather than certainty.

one week until:
**we move out of our apartment in San Francisco
**we go to Europe with great friends
**we wrap up our jobs here and prepare for the next season

we're headed to San Diego to regroup, connect with friends and dream about the future.

here are a few photos i snapped today with our new camera that arrived in the mail:

Culinary exploration

2009-01-26T22:40:00.001-08:00

Mmm

2009-01-26T22:39:00.001-08:00

Grilled polenta and sirloin Thai lettuce wraps. Oh yeah, some Hendry
Bordeaux blend. I've come to realize more and more that one of my
love languages is my labor in the kitchen for those I love.

Dinner with Adam

2009-01-22T21:04:00.000-08:00

Pesto shrimp pasta with spinach, walnuts, bleu cheese and tomatoes
washed down with Mariposa cab. Nothing like the sound of the rain,
good food, the company of dear friends, and pushing forward into new
seasons of life. Cheers!

More Napa

2009-01-22T20:59:00.002-08:00

@ Hendry winery

2009-01-22T20:59:00.001-08:00

My Mama at Blue Bottle

2009-01-22T20:57:00.000-08:00

Mom & Dad came to visit about a week ago...we had a fabulous time
enjoying some of the best San Francisco & Napa have to offer. Here's
mama relishing the unparalleled espresso of Blue Bottle.

Happy Birthday Biruk!!

2009-01-18T11:47:00.000-08:00

Last night, we had the chance to drive out to Chico California and meet up with Tim and Meggan because As I Lay Dying was playing a show at a pretty cool little theatre called The Senator:

AILD rocking

Last night also happened to be the first birthday for a precious little boy named Biruk, Tim and Meggan's son, who awaits his family in an orphanage in Ethiopia. Bethany and I felt honored to share a toast to Biruk, for a speedy and safe journey home. We toasted with some primitivo from Hendry in Napa, a fine wine indeed, and worthy of the circumstances:

our artifact from Biruk's 1st. we can't wait to meet you!

The rest of the night was filled with ponderings, processing and dreams of what good things the future might hold, ways we can collaborate to make the world a better place. Exciting things, I tell you.

morning

2009-01-16T08:29:00.001-08:00

after sleeping a hearty 19 out of 24 hours, i am up with the sunshine, allowing the beauty and warmth of a crisp, sunny winter morning to enter me as i drink exquisite ritual coffee, thanks to Adam's christmas present. i love the degree of clarity i feel when i am well rested. i don't want this to be the exception to the rule anymore. it will be a good day today.

wow.

2009-01-10T23:05:00.000-08:00

this book has me enraptured. it is simply amazing. naomi klein blows wide open the secret history of "unfettered free market capitalism" the economic clarion call of the last 50 or so years. great writing, sobering content on such things as economics, politics, foreign policy, torture, repression and widening wealth gaps in our world. if any of that interests you at all, i highly recommend this book!

been doing some thinking

2009-01-06T16:09:00.001-08:00

this has been such an interesting season....this last year. yesterday, i was at a friend's house at 8:00 p.m. and he said "dude, you look messed up". after conjuring up a witty and no doubt hilarious retort, it struck me: i feel messed up. i feel tired...perhaps i have reached my capacity in so many different ways.

this chapter of our life has been so meaningful, productive and forward-moving in multiple ways. on the other hand, it has been draining; more and more days lately i feel the toll which has been taken on my body, my soul and my mind.

i have ventured into new territory internally, reaching new limits, conversing more fully and honestly with myself, and trying to gain new language and framework with which to see and interact with the people and the world around me.

this holiday season was amazing. i worked all night on my birthday, went to the airport directly after, and flew to southern CA to spend a wonderful day celebrating Christmas and my birthday. i think i totaled 34 hours up without sleep. ouch. a couple of restful days later, we headed up to napa with ryan, holly and adam for wine tasting and mineral pools. It was great to see a bit of Craig and Lora as well, in town from Paris. we did some seriously helpful life processing with these folks. we'll again join them in southern Spain in a few months! came back from napa to throw holly a birthday/new year's eve party...it was grand. the best holiday season i can remember. i'll post a few pics.

fragmented post with too many ideas? yes. i just don't know how to distill what has been swirling around in this head.

Happy birthday to me!!

2008-12-22T17:55:00.000-08:00

I love my boys.

2008-12-12T07:00:00.001-08:00

Adam, Juan from Charleston and I went to the anchor brewery yesterday
for a tour...interesting to do so the morning after working all
night. It was super cool. Their holiday ale was killer good.

I'm now sitting on a plane waiting to go down south to celebrate my
Pops completing his MBA in international development....a dream coming
to fruition for him. It'll be great to share the joy of this
accomplishment with the fam.

Copper brewing chambers

2008-12-12T06:50:00.001-08:00

Anchor brewery, SF

I love good, cheap zin

2008-12-01T21:42:00.000-08:00

Had Lars & Jane over for dinner tonight; tried my hand at red curry,
listened to good music and enjoyed one another's company. I love this
time of year.

Dinner with friends

2008-11-30T20:05:00.000-08:00

View from our hotel window

2008-11-18T18:37:00.001-08:00

Wow. This place is ridiculous.

22 month resting place

2008-11-15T08:08:00.001-08:00

Second growth

2008-11-14T17:35:00.000-08:00

After the harvest

2008-11-14T17:34:00.000-08:00

Napa

2008-11-14T17:33:00.001-08:00

2008-11-04T22:48:00.002-08:00

2008-11-04T22:48:00.001-08:00

cops retreating from the hipster mob.

2008-11-04T22:47:00.000-08:00

election night madness

2008-11-04T22:43:00.000-08:00

just took some photos.....people are flooding the streets in San
Francisco's mission district, clogging traffic and defying the police
when they tried to disperse the throngs. Fireworks are exploding,
chants of O-ba-ma reverberate through the night....the air is electric
with energy.

Some photos I took moments ago on the trusty phone:

Aunt betty & Pax reading

2008-11-03T21:20:00.000-08:00

proud godparents of a small monkey

2008-11-02T10:39:00.000-08:00

Bethany & I are proud to announce that we have become Paxton's
godparents!!! Ryan & Holly asked us yesterday up here in Portland, and
we are honored to accept. We love you Pax ( and Ryan and Holly:), and
are so thankful for our connection to your family. Cheers to this and
many future visits to P-town!

our minestrone creation, washed down with chianti

2008-10-31T19:11:00.000-07:00

the turning of the season.

2008-10-31T18:13:00.000-07:00

pax.

2008-10-31T10:19:00.001-07:00

autumn in Portland

2008-10-31T09:34:00.000-07:00

woke up to this

2008-10-31T09:08:00.000-07:00

it's great to be in Portland with great friends.

some marin triathlon pics

2008-10-29T20:38:00.000-07:00

the water was brisk, the sunrise was beautiful.

getting ready to rock.

yes, yes, some might say that it is hard to look good during such an event as a grueling triathlon.....but i'm sure you'll all agree i managed to pull it off.....

triathlon. check.

2008-10-27T08:51:00.001-07:00

the marin triathlon was amazing...it was a beautiful course on a cool
but sunny day, the saltwater was refreshing (in my wetsuit of course),
and Adam and I both had great races, finishing in 2:21 and 2:24
respectively. without planning it we ended up finishing the swim at
almost the same time, biking the course together and running almost
the whole run together. we decided we wouldn't have pushed as hard if
we hadn't done it together.

I gotta say, it was pretty funny to see the looks of disgust on
people's faces when they saw me, a guy about 50 lbs heavier than most
of them, passing them on my bike:). I am thankful for the opportunity
to push my body to new limits, and thankful for a friend like Adam.

Adam, doing what he does

2008-10-24T01:27:00.000-07:00

@ the ABOLITION art show

2008-10-23T21:05:00.000-07:00

a little flavor of the political climate here

2008-10-14T17:39:00.000-07:00

i wish it were this easy. i am disappointed in the choices before us
this election; mccain is pulling publicity stunts as he slips in the
polls and yet obama seems to have lost his nerve about many issues.
this two party system where one is simply forced to vote for the
lesser of two evils is unacceptable. i'm not sure if i'll choose the
candidate who will leave the smallest river of blood behind him (and
perhaps rabies if sarah "lipstick pitbull" palin is involved)-- or if
i'll forego the whole thing and spend my time dreaming and working
toward a different world.

i want to remember this one

2008-10-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

today it was adam and I running again. it was sunny and beautiful, a gentle breeze coming off the bay to cool us as we made our way down the embarcadero.

oh, and we ran 9 miles in 66 minutes.

i wouldn't have done it alone--

my feelings exactly

2008-10-13T17:07:00.000-07:00

betty resurrecting the sewing machine

2008-10-07T19:11:00.001-07:00

who knew?

2008-10-06T21:33:00.001-07:00

this morning.

2008-10-05T16:08:00.001-07:00

.me.
.adam.
.160 minutes.
.5400 feet elevation.
.14 miles.
.coastal forests and stunning ocean views.
.perfect.

EZ is ridiculously cute.

2008-09-26T14:26:00.001-07:00

Darts at the pub

2008-09-03T22:08:00.001-07:00

Kyle just beat me with a blind-turnaround bullseye

Scotch Club

2008-09-02T21:48:00.000-07:00

Good to be back

betty

2008-09-01T12:28:00.000-07:00

2008-07-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

i was trying not to laugh as i took this picture......i think it looks like i have a wig on.

*cleaning house*

*trying to write music* (officially recorded my first song a week ago..thanks to tim)

*enjoying a small reprieve from writing my final paper for school*

*last night, had the chance to spend some time with SEVEN folks and our friends the millheims and the snyders, who just moved to oakland together, and are starting a non-profit called shalom; we were able to help them work on their house/yards a bit*

*spending some good time with my betty*

*peace*

more pics

2008-06-22T20:02:00.001-07:00

the waterfalls were ridiculously amazing. this one is nevada falls, if i am remembering correctly.

scout got a bloody nose, and being the hardcore male nurse that i am...i sprang into action. it was kind of sweet...she let me pinch her nose pretty hard to stop the bleeding.

more yosemite pics

2008-06-22T19:52:00.001-07:00

yosemite

2008-06-22T19:16:00.000-07:00

had a great time in yosemite with bethany's folks, her sisters and fa

mily, and the browns as well. i especially had fun with my niece scout, who is my kind of girl....constan

tly wanting to run "faster, faster!" and jump off of rocks with no regard for what lies below. we did half dome among other beautiful hikes, and spent a lot of time hanging out around the campfire.

these two are on the road into the yosemite valley, with half dome in between us. very serious business. i actually got out of the car and ran into the valley from this point....very beautiful. this place is totally amazing.

this is us on top of half dome.

me, sporting my socks/sandals 1-2 punch fashion innovation. i have no idea where the other 13 people on the camping trip were at the time of this picture.

scout, bethany and "aunt daniel" as she calls me, next to some of the giant sequoias.

got a new home.

2008-06-02T16:56:00.001-07:00

we are now moved into a new apartment on the other side of the mission district, the same neighborhood we have been living in. it is awesome! sunny, underground parking, heated pool...these are hard to come by in this city. anyway, i'll try to post some pictures when bethany and i can finally get organized. it is a liiiiitle bit ridiculous right now...but we are having fun going through our stuff and getting rid of things we don't need. i am feeling nourished by the sunshine and cool breeze, the company of my wife (of 4 years this thursday!) and the aftermath of a 7 a.m. swim in the 53 degree water of the aquatic park with my dear friend adam this morning.

also exciting....i am going to start brewing my own kombucha this week. i will DEFINITELY post pictures of that.

new address:

240 dolores st.

#323

san francisco, ca

94103

triathlon pics

2008-05-22T14:46:00.001-07:00

this is me, intimidating all of my competitors with my long hair, slightly-too-small flannel, and skull & crossbone socks. (or...maybe i just look constipated?)

dude, that swim was hard. i am running 0.05 miles per hour here.
crossing the finish line for the highly coveted 87th place.
cheers to a race well done. it was so great doing this race together with Jason, not just the race itself...but also the support leading up to it, and knowing that someone else is training as hard as you are. we are looking forward to our next tri together!

lots of new stuff

2008-05-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

dude, lots of new stuff happening.

on may 18, i completed an olympic distance triathlon in auburn, ca with my bro in law jason...1.5 kilometer swim, 40 kilometer bike, 10 kilometer run. 100 degree heat. suicidal ideation during the race = positive. actually, in all honesty i think i miiiight be addicted to this triathlon thing. it is an exhilarating feeling to push the limits of my body to new heights; not to mention that i love all three activities. my dear friend adam was there to cheer us on. he has been my training partner for several months now; i DEFINITELY wouldn't have trained as hard as i did if it weren't for him. i'll post pictures soon.

we graduated! May 15, bethany, my mom (sherry) and i all received our MSN (master's of science in nursing). the local papers even did a story on us! in fact, doing that and one other interview was a great way to bring a (near) close to the last 3 years of frenetic life-pace. it was a great exercise to reflect on the simple truth that has taken us down this path and sustained us : we are attempting to follow Jesus with our lives, to labor and strain for a more just, whole and beautiful world, giving our lives to the oppressed and marginalized in the work that we do.
i look forward to a season of refocusing, of recovering parts of this vision we may have lost sight of.

we will be moving to a new apartment here in the same neighborhood in the mission district this week. it's close to dolores park on a tree lined street, with coffee shops and cafes in abundance. it should be fun.

that's it for now. peace.

experiment

2008-03-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

so for forty days, i and some others in our community up here are doing some experiments in truth.

for forty days:
*i will restrict all use of the internet except for essential schoolwork, email and my own personal blog (no online TV shows, wikipedia, other blogs, news, etc.)

*i will sleep for at least 7 hours each day/night, no matter what it takes

*i will meditate & deep breathe for 10 minutes each day

i hope to restore my center during this time...life's rhythms have thrown me pretty out of whack lately.

my sister carrie had her baby a few weeks ago; she's a beautiful baby girl named violet grace prince.

i am about to start an advanced critical care training course at work...which i am pretty excited about.

i am still hard at work training for my triathlon in may....found a new bike on craigslist which is doin me just fine, although i must confess, i have plans to do some mini-stakeouts on 16th & Mission, the purported spot for selling hot bikes.

the continued sunshine is restoring my soul, making me feel alive these days. just biked to sausalito yesterday, one of the clearer days i have seen in this area...sometime i have got to take a camera with me.

the US death toll in Iraq recently reached 4,000....a fraction of the numbers for iraqi civillians. please stop. washing a country in blood will not yield peace. please, no more.

bummer.

2008-03-09T16:58:00.000-07:00

my new road/triathlon bike got stolen last night. snap. the feeling that someone was able to break into our garage and steal my bike is a bit disquieting. oh well, i guess i'll go out and get another one. another opportunity to support pedal revolution, a local, nonprofit bike shop that gives vocational training to at risk folks; however, i'd rather not make it a monthly tradition (bikes are pricey these days!).

sis carrie had her third baby two days ago; a perfect, healthy little girl named violet grace. looking forward to seeing my new niece in a few days. carrie had her totally naturally (at the hospital) the way that she wanted to...rock'n'roll.

more good news: bethany's mandolin and guitar are both fixed and in perfect condition, so we are starting to play music together...super fun.

hit a stall in my creative energy these days. thank you, irrelevant, petty and soul-sapping accounting and health systems classes. soon the pain of this master's program will be over. we have started dreaming about what might be next...stuff like learning tropical medicine and agriculture while we finish putting our school debt out of its misery. i'm excited about how the next few years are going to unfold.

that's the update for now.

peace.

one year

2008-02-26T21:21:00.001-08:00

yesterday marked the end of my first full year working full time as an emergency nurse at highland hospital in oakland, ca. i am finding it hard to believe that i have been there for an entire year, about as long as i have been living in san francisco. i am so thankful for this job. i feel honored for the opportunity to spend some time in this sometimes dark place. i have learned an immense amount about the human body and the way it responds to disease, trauma and emotional stressors. i have learned about society and its systems which favor some and keep others down. i have been challenged to be a champion for those who are vulnerable and poor in an environment which may actually be hostile toward their plight at times; i have not always been this....there are days that i replay at times, and feel like i failed those whom i could have helped and empowered more fully. there are days when i feel like i am bringing love, bringing life, and there are days when i acquiesce to the darkness which attempts to infiltrate....spitting cynicism and judgment, fearful of what others may think of me if i say or do things differently. may God forgive me for those days.

i have passed a milestone today. bethany & i are going to be completely done with school debt within this year, progressing forward in living into our dreams of doing humanitarian work among the world's poor.

in spite of the beautiful sunshine and crisp, clean san francisco air, i am weighed down today for some reason. i am going to go for a nice long run, let it all go, and enjoy the good creation, breathing in wholeness and life.

that's all for now. peace. i'll post a drawing a bit later.

food, for me, is art.

2008-02-20T16:09:00.000-08:00

last night there were several people here for dinner, and i volunteered to make dinner. i decided to do jamaican jerk chicken and homemade naan. as i was in the kitchen, i was struck by how therapeutic, how spiritual making food is for me...especially when i sit down to share it with friends. making food is one of the ways i express my creativity....i have vivid memories of being in the kitchen with my mama , soaking up her amazing skills in the kitchen. anyhow, it was a great night to be with friends and share food together.

thats all for now.

peace.

zinfandel country

2008-02-13T15:08:00.000-08:00

just got back from a couple days tasting wine at the base of the sierras with ryan, holly and some other friends for ryan's 31st b-day. tasted some pretty good zins.

the sunshine felt so nice....i feel so much more alive when the sun is shining on me.

i've also been doing a lot of biking around the city; one of the great things about this dense city is that you can see a lot of it in not too much time. just today adam & i rode through the mission to the embarcadero around the marina, past the golden gate bridge, through the presidio, through the richmond district, down the great highway at ocean beach, through golden gate park and finished up through some of the haight and the mission again. it was amazing.

gotta go take a nap...working tonight.

peace.

that's right

2008-02-07T17:52:00.000-08:00

goodbye for now, my dear friend....until easter.

peace.

acupuncture

2008-02-05T08:24:00.000-08:00

was amazing. i loved it. bethany & i went to the american college of traditional chinese medicine's $5 community ear acupuncture session yesterday. there were about 20 people seated in chairs against the wall, soft instrumental chinese music playing, and a small water fountain trickling in the background.

one of the students comes over to you with the short questionnaire you filled out and asks some additional questions (e.g. how is your energy? sleep? digestion? etc.). Then comes the actual acupuncture. the entire body can be accessed via the ear in chinese medicine. based on what the practitioner deems most important, they will take a small, dull dental-probe looking thing and probe particular areas of the ear to find the most painful/sensitive spot, and then insert a needle. i will say this: it hurt a bit more than i expected it to; even so, the pain was therapeutic...i'm not sure how to qualify that further...perhaps pain is a reminder that we are alive.

i had 6 needles in one ear and 4 in the other. as i sat drinking tea with my eyes closed, i could feel waves of calming energy move down my body, from head to feet. it was awesome.

the serenity of the place was nothing short of striking, especially as i contrasted the way that these professional healthcare providers practice versus the chaotic, compartmentalized, cold and clinical environment of the hospital. i feel like i have a lot to learn from eastern medicine. there are so many intuitive connections, which make so much sense, but are never spoken of in the western medical model (from which i have been and continue to be trained). oh yeah, and they have thousands of years of practice.

peace for now.

pics

2008-01-29T16:40:00.000-08:00

as promised:

i took these on my cell phone immediately after Sasha finished the tattoo. i'll take higher quality pictures after its done peeling/healing.

peace.

almost forgot

2008-01-29T12:35:00.001-08:00

bethany got a tattoo!! i'll post pictures soon.