Dear Fabulous.
The last 2 days have changed my life. You can track my progress in the title of this letter. Stretch it in two more directions, 4 more directions, all directions and that's where I am. The people I met, the homes I built, the love I felt, the love I see, the hope I cultivate. The storms, the roads, the cold, the wind, the white, the plains, the planes. The dream I am living. It's painfully clear that words are not enough. That once again language, especially fails, and it will take me three days to process what it is that I am trying to say, realize, enact and share.
Thank you for those who have read. I appreciate you. Reach out to me if you want to share or hug or smile or especially dance!
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Monday, December 5, 2016
Vets like their coffee
Dear Fabulous,
I have just a few words for you...
VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS. Amazing. powerful, peaceful prayer.
I have just a few words for you...
VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS,VETS VETS VETS COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE VETS. Amazing. powerful, peaceful prayer.
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Milk of Magnesia Mountain
Dear Fabulous,
Today is going to be short. Yesterday was not. I successfully made it in and out of camp! (mom can rest easy) My first order of business was drop off donations. Check. Volunteer at Med tent. Check.
Milk of magnesia is used to counter the affects of pepper spray in the eyes. No flavors. Check.
My job: sort through the mountain, create and maintain stack, transfer from cardboard to plastic bin.
surrounded by milky white ladies, I found my self working quickly and making choices towards efficiency. Something I'm good at.
We can see the floor again. After two successful stacks and two hours I was off...
...To a press conference, to the two spirit camp, and then to Yuwipi ceremony. Where Patricia Arquette was in attendance...
My night ended in a good way. Warm in bed, telling my mom I love her, and sleeping deep into the night.
On to the next!
Today is going to be short. Yesterday was not. I successfully made it in and out of camp! (mom can rest easy) My first order of business was drop off donations. Check. Volunteer at Med tent. Check.
Milk of magnesia is used to counter the affects of pepper spray in the eyes. No flavors. Check.
My job: sort through the mountain, create and maintain stack, transfer from cardboard to plastic bin.
surrounded by milky white ladies, I found my self working quickly and making choices towards efficiency. Something I'm good at.
We can see the floor again. After two successful stacks and two hours I was off...
...To a press conference, to the two spirit camp, and then to Yuwipi ceremony. Where Patricia Arquette was in attendance...
My night ended in a good way. Warm in bed, telling my mom I love her, and sleeping deep into the night.
On to the next!
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Sitting Bull Visitor Center
Dear Fabulous,
A white blanket coated the ground as the plane touches down on the landing pad. I find my luggage, my rental car, all three are blue. My favorite color and I think... "This is a good thing". I overhear the rental car clerk explaining on the phone they have no more vehicles due to the "protesters. This journey already feels blessed when my flight gets us into Bismark 25 minutes ahead of schedule. Early?!? That's a first. Then again when my cell phone navigation stays working after I've been warned to go a different route due to road closures.
My blue bubble bobs solo along the road. I think of my little brother, playing with toys as my mother sews in batting to the blankets she makes for all our loved ones. How similar the loft is to this coat of white on the ground, I relax a little and turn on the radio. I jam out to "classic rock" and can't help but think of Vanessa and the Studiomix crew, some how knowing more songs than I did before.
I smile deep into my snow boots and go slow, slower then the speed limit sometimes as my blue bubble is 2 wheel drive and the roads are looking and feeling more like 5 wheel drive. I make a mental note "See Amelia, you'd love to be rocking a 4 wheel drive truck right now!"
The road is absolutely beautiful, and although its sleeting out I roll down my windows to get a clearer picture.
My first stop. Visitor Center, as I am a visitor and I need to pee. A group of people are also "visiting" sitting around and chatting. I do my business and sit quietly... patiently. Virtual reality goggles are being passed around, I'm offered to see and find myself in the middle of a march, there are people singing. Those in the room tell me to look around and I find a man at my feet recording. "oh, hello down there" He fails to hear me. I am pulled in and almost hit my head on the, now invisible, couch as I roll around trying to see from all angles. Head, up, head down, to left to the right. A little motion sickness.
I tell the group, I've come to work. They tell me where to check in and warn me my 2 wheel drive might not make it back out of the camp. I choose not to risk it tonight and head to my lodgings.
Here, in a home, I am greeted with warm food, sweet smiles, new friends, tea and an invitation to a ceremony tomorrow. Tomorrow is a big day. I'll travel to camp, blue bubble and all.
A white blanket coated the ground as the plane touches down on the landing pad. I find my luggage, my rental car, all three are blue. My favorite color and I think... "This is a good thing". I overhear the rental car clerk explaining on the phone they have no more vehicles due to the "protesters. This journey already feels blessed when my flight gets us into Bismark 25 minutes ahead of schedule. Early?!? That's a first. Then again when my cell phone navigation stays working after I've been warned to go a different route due to road closures.
My blue bubble bobs solo along the road. I think of my little brother, playing with toys as my mother sews in batting to the blankets she makes for all our loved ones. How similar the loft is to this coat of white on the ground, I relax a little and turn on the radio. I jam out to "classic rock" and can't help but think of Vanessa and the Studiomix crew, some how knowing more songs than I did before.
I smile deep into my snow boots and go slow, slower then the speed limit sometimes as my blue bubble is 2 wheel drive and the roads are looking and feeling more like 5 wheel drive. I make a mental note "See Amelia, you'd love to be rocking a 4 wheel drive truck right now!"
The road is absolutely beautiful, and although its sleeting out I roll down my windows to get a clearer picture.
My first stop. Visitor Center, as I am a visitor and I need to pee. A group of people are also "visiting" sitting around and chatting. I do my business and sit quietly... patiently. Virtual reality goggles are being passed around, I'm offered to see and find myself in the middle of a march, there are people singing. Those in the room tell me to look around and I find a man at my feet recording. "oh, hello down there" He fails to hear me. I am pulled in and almost hit my head on the, now invisible, couch as I roll around trying to see from all angles. Head, up, head down, to left to the right. A little motion sickness.
I tell the group, I've come to work. They tell me where to check in and warn me my 2 wheel drive might not make it back out of the camp. I choose not to risk it tonight and head to my lodgings.
Here, in a home, I am greeted with warm food, sweet smiles, new friends, tea and an invitation to a ceremony tomorrow. Tomorrow is a big day. I'll travel to camp, blue bubble and all.
Night before launch.
Dear Fabulous Friends and Family,
I notice that time travel is real. On the trip Amanda and I took to Tokyo, we discovered it by mistake. Missing our carefully planned hotel stay. A day too late.
Today I experienced a new phenomenon. This one isn't as easy to identify (like time travel) this one is about the power of people and perceptions. I say I'm traveling alone. This fact terrifies my mother. I tell the story that on this journey I purchased a plane ticket for one, a rental car for one, eye mask and neck pillow? I count one of each.
But this is a false claim. I travel with so many. All of you who are reading. You are with me. All of my co- workers covering my shifts, my students, my connections, strangers who don't know me but who donated warm winter cloths at the request. Stuffed into the nooks and crevices of my being. Like my suitcases, I am full. I'm surrounded by a cinnabun of people; I'm that warm gooey center we all go for first. I guess that's it. The warm feeling of community. That collective power of love. Although, I have much to do before I launch into the sky. I am thankful. I am humbled. I am not alone.
I notice that time travel is real. On the trip Amanda and I took to Tokyo, we discovered it by mistake. Missing our carefully planned hotel stay. A day too late.
Today I experienced a new phenomenon. This one isn't as easy to identify (like time travel) this one is about the power of people and perceptions. I say I'm traveling alone. This fact terrifies my mother. I tell the story that on this journey I purchased a plane ticket for one, a rental car for one, eye mask and neck pillow? I count one of each.
But this is a false claim. I travel with so many. All of you who are reading. You are with me. All of my co- workers covering my shifts, my students, my connections, strangers who don't know me but who donated warm winter cloths at the request. Stuffed into the nooks and crevices of my being. Like my suitcases, I am full. I'm surrounded by a cinnabun of people; I'm that warm gooey center we all go for first. I guess that's it. The warm feeling of community. That collective power of love. Although, I have much to do before I launch into the sky. I am thankful. I am humbled. I am not alone.
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