Soar
Looking up in the sky in Tulum, Mexico one day, I noticed this juxtaposition of a tern (any ornithologists out there: corrections please!) and the half moon. The half circle shape of the moon mirrors the half circle shape formed by the soaring wings. The...
Miss you
We have been in the US for only a few days and are already missing Merida. While we do enjoy seeing family and friends, we find the incessant focus on media and marketing tiring and wears us out. Having now been without a TV since October, we tried watching something...
25 and counting
Next week will be my silver wedding anniversary to Lea. When we first met in late 1987, I was in a particularly tough spot. I was recovering from the break-up of my first marriage, trying to be a good dad to three little girls and working hard to sustain Meyer,...
Vacuuming
One of the consequences of moving gradually from full-time working to retirement is the need to travel and be away from home. This is something I do not like. I miss our new home. I miss the rhythms of working in the garden, daily shopping in the market, tending to...
Rhythms of Opening and Closing
Over the past several weeks, an interesting pattern has started to emerge in my life. When we first decided to move to Mexico full time, we had many questions. We knew that we would not be able to completely answer every question in advance. We were aware that there...
Planting is done
Here is a brief description of my raised planters: I have 9 self watering planting beds that are each 75cm W X 110 cm L X 20 CM D) The planting beds are composed of 5 parts:1: The concrete and CMU block structure of the raised beds (so I do not have to bend over). The...
Types in Stereo
Been back in Minnesota for about 168 hours. Since arriving, heard the following comments and questions about Merida, Mexico, our new home (from shop keeper, my barber, a bar tender, a casual acquaintance): Are you scared there? Can you get good health care? How many...
Labels: Use them wisely
In my "Great Decisions" study group last night, we discussed the rise of terrorism in Africa. While the discussion was centered on the rise of "Islamic terrorism", I objected to the pairing of the word for a world religion and an act of violence perpetrated by an...
Getting close
This is the last week in January and the end of the 3rd month since the house in Merida was supposed to be finished. If I had to bet, and I will not, it will be "finished" by the end of February. Lea and I long for the day when a) we do not have workman showing up and...
Objects + Perfection + a Table
Milton said "First there was chaos, the vast immeasurable abyss, outrageous as a sea, dark, wasteful, wild." From this chaotic beginning, humans began to craft objects to deal with health, safety, utiliity and pleasure. Each one of us has a different relationship to...
Time for Time
Why is time measured? We know the practical reasons. We know the business reasons. But when the internal clock is beating and we are in tune with our own rhythms one can simply decide to move beyond these reasons. Living in Mexico is teaching me that artificial...
2014 The Year of the Pause
The time has come. It is time for a pause from politics. I am unsubscribing from my politcal emails and list-serves. Moving on to the task at hand. Pausing to look deep inside. Who knows what will transcend over the next 10 years or so, but I want to be aware of the...