Catching up after 3 weeks off

Hi friends… 

I take this blog too seriously, I always feel I should be saying something SIGNIFCANT, which is really not the idea of a blog, is it? I need to loosen up! 

That partly explains my silence the last few weeks. But it’s been several things: I got to the end of the music1967.com writing – 100,000+ words – and I was just tired of being on the computer. And writing. And then it was my birthday, and I tend to milk THAT for all it’s worth… 

And during the second week of relaxing, I discovered that my beautiful attic space has a new future planned for it; a contractor was here this morning, and there will be construction as my perfect redoubt becomes something else. And so I will be moving on. 

Not unhappy about that, though once again facing my ongoing homeless-by-choice-ness DOES tend to raise some anxieties, especially these days. But several places to go have suddenly presented themselves, and so I will respond. I still can’t go to Japan, which feels like home – mostly because of who’s there – and because I have a book coming out on the subject in January! But there are other options. It’s a big world.

First, I must drop all my stuff at my home outside of Portland. Then I will likely go to my home in downtown Brooklyn, I’ve just got to check in there before I go anywhere else (and the plants need watering). And THEN? 

Portugal is open, as is Greece. As is Vietnam, though I’ve done Vietnam in July…no thank you. But those are not-too-bad places to hang out for awhile, I imagine. And I hope to still get to Italia. I want some adventures, and I’m willing to take the risks.

I live precariously, you live vicariously! How ’bout that?

Here’s an aspect of the deal: I worry that if i don’t leave the U.S. soon, I will not be able to go anywhere else! We have the worst epidemic in the world and people still aren’t taking it very seriously in a lot of areas. I don’t want to be branded as coming from a diseased country! I may be over-blowing it, but it’s a concern. But one thing we’re all learning is that it’s nearly impossible to control things, isn’t it? 

I’m also contemplating attempting a return to another home: The Black Rock Desert. Our trip out there this past Tuesday, for my birthday, was a total washout, one of the two roads in (via Pyramid Way) was closed to traffic, as the Indian reservation is completely closed (until September!). But then I find out today from a friend that the woman at the road block was wrong, and Highway 447 is open. That was a heartbreaker, as we turned around and went home. But I may go back for the Fourth. That’ll be a first for me, after 20 Burns, and I think I need it. I need that connection, to that place.  

On the other hand, it doesn’t sound anything like Burning Man, so…it may just underline the loss of that annual gathering for me. There’s no substituting for it.

It was so weird driving up, on a public (state) highway, and being told I couldn’t drive through. I mean, a roadblock?!? That’s a rare occurrence in this country, isn’t it? I think of roadblocks in Central America or something. Now the person stopping us wasn’t a soldier, just a girl from Reno in a T-shirt and lime green reflective vest…but still…

Anyway, I’m still here, in Sacramento for another two weeks or so, still blogging, still fully alive and participating. Watching the news too much, working on it. Posting to music1967.com. Getting out a bit more, finding that one can really quite safely interact with people from a safe distance, and outdoors. I have some down days, and sometimes, I forget that I just need to REST. I’ve been pretty resilient through all of this, but it DOES take it out of you, especially if you listen to the news too much (or do too much Facebook). 

So…here’s a post, for what it’s worth. Nothing spectacular, but I’m here, and I want to keep connecting with you. There will be many, many more posts, and more adventures to report. Fingers crossed on all of it. 

I hope you’re well.