April 27, 2012

A creature that draws the life force out of someone on their journey to enlightenment. Doesn't that just seem like a strange thing to dream up? A kid maybe, who didn't want to go to Sunday School, or a husband trying to get out of going to church with his wife. Or someone weary of trying, who'd about decided that each step just strengthened the monster who was trying to bring him down. 

I never would have even heard of A Bao a Qu, I don't think, if it hadn't been for Anne Lamott. Did you see her post last week? "If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better." Got me to thinking. While I'm not entirely sure that I want to throw away the concept I was taught as a child, that everyone has good in them, and that we should try to see it, the truth is that I do not find all casual acquaintances to be equally lovable. Writing them as I actually see them might make for useful character sketch practice. But the names, oh the names. I always have the hardest time with names. 

The danger here was that I would spend more time trying to come up with a name than I would on the writing and the thinking about the writing. Since the name really, really didn't matter, I picked up my copy of "The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures," and used the first name.

Which happened to be A Bao a Qu. A Malaysian myth, it may be obscure for a reason, and may have a little more to it than I learned from my encyclopedia, or so my web research shows. Apparently, he's just trying to get back where he belongs, and can only do so when someone attains enlightenment by climbing the tower where he resides. It doesn't seem to be a win-win situation. Since rumor has it that he is still stuck there, he might want to work on that.

April 12, 2012

Allo, dear! How are you this morning? We still have a bit of a chill in the morning air, but that's okay. It'll warm up before day's end. On the mornings when I wake up and it is already hot --- well, that's when I know I'm in for a squelcher. We'll have a plenty of those, and it is okay with me if we don't get started on them just yet.

I did learn something this week. I'd call it "Three Letters," but I'm saving it for our Girl Journal. (Partly so I'll make sure I have something, and partly because I haven't thought it through completely.) ;-)

Airline and hotel are booked, so Iowa is a done deal. Something --- and I'm thinking maybe it is this --- has me a little off my game, distracted. Excited and scared, by turns. When Barry and I travel together, I am forever double checking him, to make sure he is steering us to the right airline gate, or has the tickets out, or knows which seat is ours. You'd think that, since I think I'm so smart, I wouldn't have any qualms about travelling alone, but I do. Plus which, I never worry when I'm in the plane because I know he would take care of me. 

I have my first assignment: Describe a work place. When I first read the e-mail, I read "Describe your work place." I can still do that, I suppose, but "Describe a work place," has had an interesting side effect. At the small, locally-owned nursery, filled with locally-grown plants; at the big box garden center; at the pawn shop --- I found myself scanning for details. "If this were my work place, how would I describe it?"

Barry goes back to the doctor on Monday, for the results of the MRI they did on his back. I've stopped going to all of his doctors appointments with him, but I think I'll go to that one, just in case he misses something. 

But other than that, things here are trundling along about the same. 

As always, you and yours are in my heart and prayers.

Big loves,

Vickie

April 6, 2012

I had given up. It wouldn't be the first time I'd read a whole, entire book for one single useful nugget, but it seemed that I had already gotten all of the good out of this one, and the rest was going to be a drag. It is a book of daily readings, and this is either the second or third year that I have tried to read it. According to my page turn-downs I must have a rhythm --- stopping and then picking it up again at the same point. Last year though, I let it go sometime in February and never picked it up again. I'm tired of it being on my do list, so useless or not, decided to finish it.

All of which brings us to April 4.

Making Amends.

Too potent to be summed up in a sentence, I had to save the whole essay in Evernote. So yes, I'm glad I didn't give up on the book.

Hotel and flight are booked for Iowa, I had a rare geese sighting yesterday, the recent rains have turned everything green, the pecans are almost in full bloom (bloom? What do you call it when a tree's leaf buds have almost all fully opened?), and a chameleon tried to hitch a ride to town --- on my windshield. 

But other than that, things have been about the same. :-)

I hope that you have a wonderful Easter weekend.

Big loves,
Vickie

P.S. Evernote will let you post to Facebook now, so I'll put the essay there  --- you can tell me what you think.