the weekend...

Hey there...

   It is Saturday, glorious Saturday!  Later today some housemates and I will be heading out to Mt. Rainier for a campout.  It will be so good to get out of this darn city.  I'm finding myself almost living for the weekends.... perhaps that means this is not the job for me long term?  I think I've realized that already.  It is wonderful to work with folks with developmental disabilities.  They have such a different reality and it is great to share time with them.  It is less than great that I am getting in trouble at work for praying silently.  It is perhaps more overwhelming than I anticipated to work for a Catholic organization.... there are so many assumptions made and it certainly doesn't feel like a community when the expectation is for everyone to be the same.  I didn't realize how exhausting it can become to spend so much time inside other people's spiritual traditions.  The upside is that it forces me to make time for my own kind of prayer just to have the patience to deal with theirs (and the imposition of it into my life).  So every morning I spend an hour at the park walking, singing, and looking at plants.  I've been riding my bike home from work too, which is fun.  It's pretty darn crazy ridin' in this city... but overall I really like it, and admittedly feel a little cool about it.  On another note, I tried again today with the pictures, but I'm not allowed to do that on a library computer... A sad tid bit is that our beloved backyard of blackberries has been bulldozed.  Apparently the city owns that plot of land :(

 

Grateful list:

-plenty of water

-four leaf clovers

-camping trip

-weekends!

-that I will only be at L'arche for a year

-Friday night baking

 

good morning starshine

Howdy folks!

   Today looks like it might clear up at some point.  I wore my CCAT shirt in anticipation of seeing Zach (who went to HSU) today, as well as my super cool yellow fleece vest... I was feeling pretty on top of it when I left the house today... then I fell off my bike, woopsy.  Nothing broken, just a decent knee scraping and a reminder that cities are a bit much for the ol' meggie.  I continued the streak of uncoordinated-ness on the bus (nearly missing my stop, accidentally hitting people's heads with the helmet snapped to my book bag, hitting myself with the bike while taking it off the bus rack), and then on the bus ride (several close calls between myself, pedestrians, and the sidewalk)...Lately I've been feeling pretty overwhelmed.  I think the over stimulation of the city is one part... also that during work the pace is so slow and sooo much patience is required that after work I go into hyper-drive wanting to do one million things quickly.  I find it hard to live with 6 other folks, being a small group person.  My housemates are always looking for things to do and I might be craving down time and space (perhaps sharing a room is extra tricky?).  I feel that I am learning I am indeed not a city-folk.  There's always soooo much to do, but I prefer sitting on the porch playing some bluegrass and drinking tea to pretty much anything else (with the exception of course to looking at trees and plants).  But, alas, I was looking for a challenge.... and i can rest assured that I've found it. 

   Also found recently were two of my favorite trees, thanks to the book Seattle Trees which lists locations of trees around the city.  I found a big ol' sugar maple (Acer sacchrum) and a Dawn redwood ( Metasequoia glyptostroboides)... and boy was I tickled! 

   My goal is to spend some time every morning walking in the park... but being so rushed to make that happen might have the opposite effect of what I was hoping for (calm space). 

   Yesterday I had my camera with the hope of sharing pictures and the core members showed up about 20 minutes early, so I didn't get that accomplished... and today there is no camera with me... so thanks for patience. 

 

Grateful list:

-tea

-all things cozy (now that it is raining)

-quiet

-music

-water (for me and the plants in my life)

-my new carni plants

-the happy little worms eating our compost

-food

-blackberries (in their last days)

-seeing familiar folks (well, one, Zachory)

-funny uncoordination

-sewing machines found in basements

I wanna know... have you ever seen the rain?

The rain is here!  There's still a chance of a few sunny days before we go for the long haul, but today was misty as promised.  To update folks, recently I've:

-attended a Quaker meeting and learning the term "spiritual anarchist", which I certainly identify with as a person who questions organized religion

-found the mecca of all busking spots (who said 3rd ave was best?) at the space needle... bless those tourists... they just want to give money away

-made a few friends, hoorah!

-written a few more songs (one is pickin' the notes, so that's fun and new for me)

 

lots to tell... not much internet time... more later?

love!

megs

thankful:

-music

-rain

-leaves in the fall

-arcata folks

-packages!

-missy suzzana

-melvin hugs

the truth is... I miss you...

Today's subject is in appreciation of coldplay's song.  I am feeling a bit disconnected with my homes(Anna, Berea, and Arcata)... (please send snail mail love?)... perhaps that's in part due to the lack of phone conversations (caused mostly by livin' in a house of 7 with one phone line). 

   On the upside-I took a different walk to work from my bus stop today and found a pear tree as well as some eucalyptus to smell.  I've been really interested in figuring out these western plants.  I found a fantastic book about Seattle's trees, you can look up a tree and it will tell you where to find it.  The greatest news is that there are both Dawn Redwoods and Sugar Maples in areas I can get to!  Hoorah!  I am curious what tree will represent Seattle to me in the future. 

   I've been writing heaps of songs (about one a week... okay so that's only 4 since I've seen most of you, but it's been a delight). 

   I think of so much to share with y'all and then forget it by the time I get to a computer... well I had a fantastic weekend!  This weekend I'm hoping to go to a plant sale. 

   I'm learning a lot about how people become slow to love others... my wild heart tends to get my into trouble and I can feel it tempering itself these days... inquire if you are curious, there is of course a song to explain what I mean by that. 

   I've also been surprised at what it feels like to live with 7 folks... I'm much more of a small group person, and it has been a challenge to connect with everyone....but I did sign up for a challenge, that was the point of this whole thing.

  

Grateful list:

-music!

-water!

-my bus driver

-one on one time with housemates

-enough food

-the book Simpler Living Compassionate Life

reflections...

As always my internet time is very limited... and I don't have pictures and music to share yet...but I have been thinking a lot to try and comprehend the work I am doing here.  In trying to find a connection between my obvious passion (environmental issues) and L'Arche, I realized that both are about caring for marginalized things.  People with disabilities are often not even acknowledged as people to learn from.  Also, both seek to preserve diversity working under the assumption that things have value in their uniqueness and because they are regardless of it is a value recognized in the greater society.  One big change is that environmental work at times created tangible change in the world (however small my world is); whereas L'Arche work creates tangible change in me.  After a day at L'Arche I get on the bus and am so glad to see all of the different people.  I think more about how real it is that we all have our unique realities.  I am learning a lot about acceptance and community with diversity.  I hear furniture being moved upstairs (we do yoga on Friday mornings) so I'd better run along and try to lend a hand.  much love!

quick grateful list:

music!

water

berries

all things green

riding the 48 bus with the driver of the year (what a celebrity!)

housemate hugs

bedtime stories

howdy~

Hey folks...

    It's a delightful Saturday.... I found a working bike in our basement and hopped on it (and the sidewalks) down to Columbia City, not a long ride at all... but nice. 

    My heart is settling in here... Everyday at work it seems I am amazed at the core members.  Yesterday Paul was quick to forgive Elisa after she ripped up one of his sorry cards.  This was a big deal because for Paul's 46th birthday last week he received that new sorry game (his last one had worn out cards).  If only I could be so unattached to my belongings.  He also was very helpful at reminding me to give Elisa her cards while we played.  He's been lighting up when I sign to him.  I can't wait to learn more sign language so I can better communicate with Paul and Robin.  I decided that I would focus on the good at work... it is easier to get caught up in the silly office disorganization than to concentrate on learning from the core members.  So when the office writes my checks wrong, I get over it faster, so I can get back to making candles and hot chocolate.  Charlotte was out of the workshop Friday afternoon so we took the core members to Volunteer Park and I played them music while we ate chocolate cupcakes.  Elisa thought Sourwood Mountain was the funniest song she'd ever heard.   

    I am surprised at how much time a 40 hour work week and 10 hour weekly commute takes up.  I might start biking to work for variety, exercise, and to get off that darn bus.  The bus-ride is markedly more enjoyable now that I ride the anti-social way (some of the time anyway) with headphones on... I've started making bus-ride cartoons as well... let me know if you'd like a set... they are not really funny... but enjoyable to make on the long trek. 

   This weekend is full of fun plans- today might go down to Lake Washington after a few errands and go home to make jam.  I'd also like to stop by the super goodwill just off Rainier.  Sunday we're planning to rent kayaks and have a picnic.  Monday we all work at Bumbershoot (a big music festival) and then we can stay and jam (to the Wu-Tang clan, and other folks) after our volunteer shifts are over around 6.... then back to work on Tuesday.  Tuesdays are market days, so that's good too. 

   I am working on my list of goals for this year in LVC.  One is to reflect on  where I'd like to live next.  At this moment I miss the bluegrass of KY and the family in Ohio... but am glad to be escaping the highest ragweed pollen counts on record as I enjoy easy breathing here in the west.  I'm also curious about my beloved Arcata... as my friends graduate and prepare to leave that town.  Once I finish the list, I'll post it... so y'all can keep me accountable too. 

   Yesterday I was playing banjo downtown and I met a fiddler who was kind enough to give me some busking tips.  He gave me his spot on 5th Ave, in front of Tiffanie's, which is the best spot in town (I hear).  He was dressed nicely and this gave me the idea that maybe I should wear something other than tie-dyed old ratty tee shirts and hiking shorts with candle wax on them when I play downtown...I was really glad to make a musical contact, as I'm seriously missing the Berea music community. 

   I'll try and put up some pictures soon :)

 

Grateful list:

-blackberries!  To pick them you need some kind of peace to accept all the thorns... I do believe they are an extremely spiritual fruit for me

-basement bikes, in mostly working order

-water

-music

-core members: Bill, Elisa, Paul, Robin, Nancy, Christine, and Mike

-housemate hugs (to resume more fully once most folks get over their cold)

-children's books

-libraries

-beaten up pictures of Alix

-e-mails from Irene ;)

-locating the parcel and post shop

-not working on Saturdays

-spending a total of $22.25 in August (with the exception of communal food and bus pass)

-sunshine (who says it always rains here?)