I have some great books I am reading these days. I also have some major books to read too. No wonder I am reverting to my summer escape mood of forgetting too much I have to do, just not in that mood of always doing things.
On the East Coast it would get sweltering hot in the summer and chilling out was a healthy thing to want and do. Getting out of the city and to the water was even a better idea if you could. I was a cook and did work on the line as they say, in a few kitchens in the Boston area and it was a slow motion haze to work sometimes. Those cheffy uniforms were a shield against the heat of the fire and an airy tent to the sweat and steam.
So chilly chilled out in the Bay area, I am still thinking summer even if it isn’t the same. This is the first summer I even felt like summer. I have lived here since 1985, so what is up to get all sentimental about summer and wanting a vacation to read books and be in a forever mood? I am slipping it in for sure. Berkeley is a college town so summer has some slight change, a kind of absent feeling of people missing.
Books I am hung up on:
“The Lost Language of Plants”, by Stephen Buhner
“Insights of a Senior Acupuncturist”, by Miriam Lee (One of the first and brave acupuncturists in California. Before acupuncture became a profession as it is today, her patients stood up for her when she was arrested for practicing without a license. She passed to spirit world about 2 weeks ago.)
“The Spirit Cathes You and You Fall Down”, by Anne Fadiman
I will need to renew a few of these books again later, just return them now, they are stunning. There is too much of summer and transition to my new schedule now.
How many gigs do I have now? Just 4 now. There is a freedom to all the part-timey gigs I have. Also I am reaching for something and it is working so far. I am in a good place with Sarana Community Acupuncture. Imagine finding a place you love to be a part of and you have the chance to make it into something. Now is the beginning part and that takes more of my time in a different way, kind of like summer, time for change and growth.
I was inspired by a poetic type website of photos: http://unfurlingferns.wordpress.com, I would like to explore this type of journaling too.
Out of Metal
Photo by Avram Gimbel
I was reading my favorite poems of Mary Oliver to a poet today. She was under the weather lying on the couch. So fun, time stops and reading aloud I am discovering I enjoy.
From one of the seminars I sat through all last weekend, sleep deprived, I came away with a goal to go on a dairy fast. Let go of that and see how my body feels. The seminar was about autoimmune conditions and dairy was a big no-no. Think inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. Both classes spoke of pharmaceuticals in the mix. Both classes were about Chinese herbs. My license requires continuing education hours.
Next week is a good week coming. Give a presentation to three acupuncturists on an insurance class I attended two weeks ago. Then I train for clinic work at Sarana, I have mentioned before, a community acupuncture clinic. When I was reading “Acupuncture is like Noodles”, a new book out about community acupuncture, it was revolutionary to me. Revolution to me is seeing what is possible in a situation of unequal and in this case economic differences.
The little world we carry in our heads, it changes. Community acupuncture has possibility and has served many people struggling to have better quality life in their challenging health and living situations. Also being affordable, acupuncture can be experienced more often and perhaps our lives are able to balance with that healing energy in a group space. I will change these words while on this journey, I will learn much.
Been making changes once a-a-again. I was reading a revolutionary book, and I will get to that later..on some distant future post. I then walked to my email message box and…moved on by resigning from one of my gigs. I am feeling hopeful on one other gig I enjoy however they are not good at paying me and I already went ballistic on them and now I just want the rest of my pay for my bills. Freelance is hard, such a whim for not getting work or just the stress of trying to use time in my day well. I feel I am at the bottom of the barrel in some respects. I keep my sanity volunteering. Makes my schedule even more challenging yet it balances me toward my dreams. Small good things fill you up when you need it the most.
This photo is one of Annie Hallatt’s masks, probably a remnant from another gig this mask did, looks pretty spectacular hanging with the garden tools.
