To grandpa busch

My dad told me that my grandpa prints off my blog entries and keeps them in a binder. If that is so, hello grandpa, thank you for your dedication, I love you and I look forward to seeing you next weekend!!!! Glad to hear you are feeling better!! You are in my prayers. And j love the photo of you and grandma you sent us each for christmas, it's on my desk. You two are so cuties!

New memories and old memories

The air changed today.  What yesterday was sharp and biting today is thick and dwelling.  Spring has sprung.  And the more I scoot around, hike up and run down the more I treasure the people and place of where I have been and the moments we have shared.  Scooting down my street reminds me of walks taken with sisters in portland.  Going out chuckanut dr and hiking pine and cedar lakes reminds me of peaceful Alaskan evenings spent with community so dear they are like family, sitting on my front steps brings back afternoons spent with the girls in Oklahoma laying on blankets in the grass reading and laughing.  While going out on the back porch is mirror to sitting on this same porch sharing food and drink with friends at the sunset before my last journey north, and driving past the country houses and farms on old samish Rd brings back the winding roads of north carolina and those suspended moments of time we spent there that will remain unscathed forever in our memories.  For even though I am spending these new moments alone I can never be fully alone when each new coffee shop brings me back to afternoons and evenings at crema, cuppies and Joe, starbucks on the corner of bryant and memorial, the only bakery on the only main road in town, a famous bagel place in town or waffle co out the road, a chocolate and waffle shop in brugge or a kaffeehaus in vienna.  The people I have lived my life with are never gone from me.  Trapped in my memories they shape the way I experience new things and how I capture the new things in life.  And while I am able to take new things for what they are they become more special to me because of the feelings they elicit from good times past. My life is a continuing compilation of the people and places who have shared themselves with me. 

Books I've Read

My life is mostly peaceful.  As i have said i spend a lot of time reading.  I have read a variety of books recently and thought i would share them. 

"extremely loud and incredibly close" by jonathan safran foer.  This was a second read for me and is my favorite book of all time, I recommend it for everyone.

"the life of pi" by yann martel which was gifted to me by a friend just before my trip to Europe.  I read this book while traveling on planes and buses and laying awake in hostels.  An interesting adventure story with a twist on perception and dealing with our actions.

"Edgar sawtelle" by David wroblewski, at first a beautiful book that turns tragedy and takes up way too much time before finally getting there.  I am sure you can squeeze good things out of it, but I was just angry when I was finished. 

"the time travelers wife" by Audrey niffenegger, a beautiful and heartbreaking love story that also ends sadly.  The writing is delicate and I couldn't put the book down.

Harry potter 1-5, I am currently on #6.  I started last night and am on page 120 already, so that speaks for itself.

"the shipping news" by Annie proulx was my most recent read, one I spent a whole dedicated day in my over stuffed armchair to.  The writing in this book about learning to love again is, like a teller told my friend ben, like butter oozing from her pen.  Every sentence has its own intention apart from the story as a whole, but is also essential to fully comprehend the magnitude of what is happening.  I am excited to read more books by this author.

I have also been reading poems by wendell berry and short stories by David sedaris and Leo Tolstoy.  Any suggestions are more than welcome!

Thought

I envy fisherman for their strong stomaches and beautiful scenery.

Another Blogging Attempt

Ok ok so I know I have great ambitions of being a great blogger and keeping all you friends and family informed and happy, but it often fizzles out to nothing. But I have done it before and succeeded. And yea, while i WAS getting paid for it, it still worked, so I know the potential exists and I plan to go after it one more time.

First to tackle the constant question of "where are you now", a fair question every time brought on by my own constant moving; I am residing in Bellingham, Wa.

For what? To go through Holland America Princess' cdl training program. (I am learning to drive big buses)

For how long? My training ends sometime in April, towards the end.

What next? I will be heading to Juneau, Ak once more, this time to drive tourists around in buses and tell them bits of history and cheesy local jokes. It may be my last time to go for the summer, though I say that every year, the call to the north is strong and the air is pure and the water just as luring as to a fisherman. But the call for community and family is now equally as strong. And people are beginning to return home.

So, what else am I doing now? I just moved into a postcard house on a puzzle box worthy street. I have unpacked my bags (finally, after living out of them for 5 months) and put things neatly away in drawers, desks and closets. I spend my time reading books, practicing piano, watching Gilmore girls, running, going to coffee shops and trying the brews on the town while borrowing their graciously offered wifi. I moved an overstuffed arm chair into my room that I spend a lot of time reading, thinking, and listening in, and I have a cute little desk right under my window to the bay where I spend my time writing. My goal is to be still, be alone, replenish, and learn the things one can only learn in silence, stillness and by being alone.

Another blogging attempt