dVerse – Growing Up

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…this is my first contribution to the blog, dVerse, on the topic of growing up…

you died

i awoke

you said nothing but a raised hand from a darkening sleep

i saw you

the corner of your eye telling me you heard me

once, finally, you listened.

acknowledged my pain

never again did i live that life i’d lived before.

you were dead, and

i was

(finally)

alive.

Magpie 151

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It’s just one year, he said.  One year and everything will be okay.  One year and you’ll be amazed, I said.  Comforting himself in the thoughts of lemon and rosemary, that kitchen of hers on a spring day where she sat next to her window, words and more words stretching from her pen.  There was nothing she could do other than see herself.  No more, no less.  Her skin breathed tomorrow, her muscles ached from how yesterday appeared.  Did she learn? Yes.  Did he learn?  Who knows. It mattered little anymore because she had changed.  The sun beckoned and when she walked, she was taller, looser, trembling only at the way the wind brushed through the spreading wings of the new tree she’d planted the prior winter.  I’d left my past behind when I saw they lived in deep gray, and yet I opened their eyes to the sensation of time.  They never knew me anyhow, and it was okay.  Always, more than okay.  Better for wear and under Oregon skies, she breathed out loud those words on a mic, HERE, I am to be HEARD.  No hiding, the way she put her face up against his neck when he saw her, the way he unselfconsciously drew her near – she knew there was only one today.  One year of grass and sea and words and she was okay.  More than okay.  She was loved, and for the first time, she stood and said it out loud.  Again.  There was a whistling in the wind that night and he remembered all that he’d promised her, how there was more to her than met the eye, how he was seen by her in deeper ways than skin, than heart, than blood.  The walk continued, the story never ceased, the tide still rushed in, the cold still surrounded her in the mornings and drifted off as the days went on.  I don’t know, she said, but maybe, you never know, perhaps, someday…and he buried his face in her neck, where she was warm.  Her sanctuary, his home, their unknown.

Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake. 
~Wallace Stevens

EcoGrrl-icious

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love her stuff

love the work of northwest artist Nikki McClure – this is my 2013 calendar that’s on the wall in my office

We’ve seen the winter and we’ve seen, well, other weather – the other day it was in the mid 50′s, tonight it’s supposed to get into the upper 20′s.   The new year is off to a busy start in my world, and yet so incredibly different from the busy I felt last year.  Last night I looked up walking home and saw the stars, the most beautiful stars that took my breath away.  The same stars that have always been there but the mere act of stopping, gazing up into the night, it settles me somehow.  Today I met with someone just to talk about my writing!  I’m living out loud. I can feel the evolution.

Here’s what’s meandering through this week I want to share with you…

* Know those things that are not “you” but that you absolutely love to see exist?  Along with all the other “master” programs (recycling, gardening, beekeeping, etc.), there is the incredibly cool Master Naturalist program one can enroll in in our state.  You can even specialize in the Oregon Coast.  How cool is that?  If I were more science-y, I’d be all over that…

* The last of the resolution-related posts for 2013 that I’m going to mention is pure EcoGrrl – the Oregon Environmental Council’s Top Green Resolutions for 2013 is something we should all be taping to our refrigerator door. Got it? Good.

* I’ve been fortunate to begin a new relationship with local nonprofit Lettuce Grow, creating gardens and gardeners in the state correctional system.  They respect the concept of rehabilitation rather than the black and white concept of pure punishment.  This work has also led me to the GreenPrisons.org website, a fantastic source of information on what people are doing to serve one of our most forgotten – and costly – segments of our society.

* And on a very different note, I’m excited to have recently discovered the ridiculously tasty Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider, made right in my own neighborhood.  Special shoutout for the Hallelujah Hopricot, which like they say, is “not dulled by any sweetening”.  Oh yeah, hallelujah is right.

* Today I saw the incredible film, Promised Land.  Great story, great acting, really great plot twist – and exceptionally thoughtful.  It’s a serious look at community, business, and how we all are changed by what we do.  And with that, I came upon the NRDC article, Fracking the Amish.  It is another perspective of the way natural gas companies are taking advantage of our people and our land in the name of profit.

* Finally, in the name of simplicity that I adore, check out 10 Simple Things to Make You Happier at Home. And be happy.

Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.
~Joseph Addison

Workin’ 9 to 5 (go dig my guest post on Silicon Florist!)

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Hey y’all!  My guest post on Silicon Florist is up HERE – go check out Leaping into 2013: A recruiter’s thoughts on startup hiring for job-seekers and hiring teams (which by the way has great tips for anyone looking for a job or hiring an employee, in any industry).  And check out all the other cool stuff on this site! I’ve got an invite to guest post on some other sites as well, so let the fun begin… thanks for stopping by!!

The EcoGrrl Interview: Claudia

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Claudia

Claudia in White Tux at Norse Hall May 27, 2011

Claudia is an account executive by day, a singer for The Pranksters Big Band by night, right here in the Portland area.  She has been like an older sister to me ever since I met her five years ago when she came to my then-employer to offer her company’s services.  Claudia has a ton of energy, a tremendous heart, and a phenomenal voice.  It’s so fun knowing her.

What or who inspires you most?
Music, creativity, positivity and love.

What do you turn to when you need strength?
Music, the outdoors, friends.

How can women best support and/or empower other women?
Share their stories, triumphs and tragedies, be there to listen and care not necessarily have an answer but definitely an open heart and mind.

What do you love to grow? What would you like to try growing someday?
Elephant garlic!  It’s a constantly blossoming magical experience – I keep trying everything and anything….I find the whimsy of nature and all of the effects of weather, soil, seed and nurturing including the random chaos of the universe continually amaze and mystify!

What are your creative outlets? Is there anything you’ve always wanted to try but you haven’t?
Music, gardening, art, cooking, travel, reading and lately volunteering and mentoring  middle and high school kids to introduce them to IT careers.

In what environment(s) do you feel most in your element?
Anything having to do with people or nature.  I’m comfortable in myself and consider new opportunities to experience new environments and people a gift to be experienced!

Who are your top three nonprofits you support and/or volunteer with?

What recent “green” change have you made in your own life? What’s next?
Do away with plastics.  Someday get off the grid…completely.

Where in the world do you consider a sanctuary? Why?
My backyard.  It’s my garden of earthy delights both flora and fauna :0)

What advice would you give your younger self?
“It’s easier done than said”, meaning just go do whatever inspires and you’ll find a way to succeed.  If you think about it and rationalize too much you can stop the creative flow and never take a chance.”

How can we as a society be more radical in supporting a healthy planet?
Learn about nutrition for one which will dramatically alter how we eat – which will completely  impact how we farm/procure/consume/lobby/govern/politic…which will affect the health not only of our bodies but our planet.

What sparked your interest in environmental issues? What’s the first “eco” thing you ever did?
I started recycling, then composting.

How do you live simply?
I wake up and count my blessings, go to bed and count some more! I try to be a positive influence,  bring joy and goodness to everyone and everything I encounter.

Could you leave us with a favorite quote of yours?
“Living is my Specialty” ~ from my high school yearbook.