November 7, 2012
Yeah, Obama!
Now on to my comments:
My intention was to give equal attention to the Travelogue section of this blog as to the Reflections section. However, I have discovered just how labor intensive it is to keep a blog up-to-date. Especially when faced with interruptions in the technology needed (like running out of battery power, no wifi, slow wifi, exasperating wifi, etc.) Plus, there is the challenge of finding the time to write and then transcribe it to the computer and then sufficiently edit it for global consumption on the internet. And there are all the steps needed to take, download, organize, prepare, and select photos. Whew.
The tasks of traveling and camping are also time consuming. Cooking, cleaning, reorganizing (endlessly), planning, driving, getting supplies, finding gas, looking for cell reception, navigating Super Walmarts and the like. Chris is constantly engaged in “home improvement” projects. Plus, we want to relax, go slowly, take it easy, do nothing, meditate, practice qigong and yoga and just gaze into space some of the time. And maybe hike, bike and kayak, too. Being on sabbatical is a busy life!
The upshot of this is I may need to downsize my own expectations. Maybe for now the Travelogue is enough. It is disciplining me into writing regularly and giving me practice at playing with language and developing my writing voice. Writing descriptively about the “outer” experiences of the senses is much easier than writing about ones “inner” world, about feelings, subtle perceptions, ideas, insights, about wisdom and meaning. Spiritual experience is notoriously difficult to write about with clarity and without cliche.
I will no doubt drop in reflective comments here and there.
Also, I appreciate getting your comments and I read them all (there haven’t been that many yet!)
Lastly, I have previously posted the Travelogue in chronological order. I may occasionally go out of order; I hope that doesn’t confuse anyone too much.
November 8, 2012 at 10:04 pm
I can well imagine how busy sabbatical life is! And having to downscale expectations. I’m loving your blog and look forward to each and every one.
Your writing is clear, descriptive, and beautiful.
November 9, 2012 at 10:42 pm
I say: Do what ever it takes to enjoy yourSelf as much as possible on this journey!!! oxo
November 28, 2012 at 4:47 pm
Carla, I’ve been away from your blog for a few weeks (including some time away from the internet while Robin and I stayed at Paul & Ellen Mintzers’ lakeside cottage in Jacksonville VT) and delighted to return to it. I wouldn’t worry about writing a whole separate “reflections” blog. Just let whatever you want to say emerge in the descriptions, if you’re prompted. You can always come back to longer inquiries. But you can just record the observations (outer and inner) that come naturally. You’re already being both descriptive and reflective in lovely ways.