Okay you guys, I’m tired and in the middle of moving, but I feel compelled to put up a blog, albeit a short one, just to prove that I still exist.

What a week! P came down to help with my move to Courtenay. We went to some great parties together, had a good time, then just when it was time to get to work with the moving part of the visit he fell into bed with a heavy duty flu, sick as the proverbial dog (and what is that saying about? aren’t dogs generally pretty healthy?) and is still there, poor hunnie.

I was meant to move in tomorrow, but at this rate we won’t be going anywhere until Saturday at the earliest. I need to wait for his muscles to come back online before I can get some of the heavier stuff down the stairs. I’m all about girl power, but some things require two pairs of hands and his are the only available other pair just at the moment.

That could change, of course; if it does, well and good. It’s not like he’s the only person I know who can carry boxes. I may have to draft a neighbour or call on another friend if too much time ticks by. And yes, that will be okay, too.
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It’s Earth Day today. I have a passionate love affair with Earth. I love Her even more than I love myself (if you can believe that). I’ve written love songs to Her. She’s God to me. Seriously. I also love photography, especially nature photos.

I know, you all think that all I take pictures of these days is me, but actually I only take one pic per day of self, everything else is Her. And I take LOTS of photos. I’m a compulsive shutterbug.

I can’t help it. She’s so stunningly gloriously variously gorgeous. I’m a dangerous driver under conditions of beauty, like sunsets or scenery. I have to pull over sometimes, where I can, and take pictures.

It’s the only antidote for my condition. My camera is my junk.

This is a slideshow of a random selection of my favourite earthy photos. If you enjoy looking at them a fraction as much as I enjoyed taking them, then we’ll all be happy.

To Gaia! To Mama Earth! To life! L’chaim!

Earth Day slideshow of photos

So I’ve been writing lately, the good stuff–you know, poems (or at least poemlike things)–but I haven’t been posting. This is not like me, as my loyal core dozen or so readers know!

So, why haven’t I been posting them?

It’s just, well, what I’ve been writing lately is squirmy to admit to. These are confessional poems that give up stuff that I’ve tried to hide from myself, and only incidentally from everybody else. I’ve held back posting because I haven’t wanted to look at the issues. But I’m also compelled by a different imperative. “Wrote it, must post it.”

It’s an addiction. Can’t help it. Let’s face it: I’m a blog whore. That’s why I write about myself. I don’t want to embarrass anybody else. I’m really a very private person with a nasty public habit.

And the people I care about are also very private people. So I generally don’t write about them, just as I imagine they would prefer. This is not to be interpreted as, I only think about or care about myself.
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I had a birthday; it was awesome. I dreaded it, coming up, that’s part of my pattern. It means things like ‘getting older’ and reminders of all of what I haven’t done yet and the dark side of age and yadda yadda.

Yet the day itself was nothing short of magical. And since then I feel great. Instead of feeling older, I feel renewed. Brand new, reborn. It’s luscious.

I had a party, of course; I don’t always, but somehow this year it seemed required. I invited a bunch of people, some of whom (just the right number, and just the right people, though there were a few I expected, and missed) showed up. People stayed late, participated in my game and had a blast, in a very good way.

One person got drunk and obnoxious, and what would a party be without that guy? Actually he was kinda sweet, in a sloppy kind of way.

The game I had people play was this: we had a microphone, an amp, a bass, a bass amp, a crystal bowl, several guitars, several drums, and a wide variety of talent in the room. I started, and we went around the circle, taking turns. Each person could choose to do something themselves or request something from someone else. The variety of what emerged was amazing! (more…)