1. Is this the beginning of the end for this blog?
No! This is the...interlude. The intermission.
2. How are you feeling? (illness-wise, and otherwise too if you want)
Illness-wise, I've reached the long period of mostly-fine-still-a-little-sniffly. Otherwise -- the acute bout of loneliness I was feeling a week or so ago has mostly abated. I'm still living in near seclusion -- I'm more motivated to get out more now, except first I was sick and now my car's broken down. But I think once all of that dust settles, I'll start being more social.
3. Excited for upcoming trip to Chicago?
Yes! I'm excited to see everyone and to get a chance to train, and of course it's always exciting to witness/be part of a shodan test.
4. Do you plan to have a car at SDIC/ST?
I plan to have a plan about it sometime before it happens. Maybe we can talk about it in May? I've set up my internship so that it ends the week before SDIC/ST, so I actually have a whole bunch of question marks around that week. Well, not so much question marks as one big black void. Like, I know what my life is like now, and I can predict more or less what it'll be like next month, and June, and then July comes and...hrm.
5. What's the most inspirational thing you've heard recently?
Huh. I don't know. I don't feel like I've heard anything specifically inspirational, in the forms of quips or witticisms. I'm inspired by my clients, but it's more their lives than anything specific that they say. I'll have to keep an eye (an ear?) out.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Week 12: ...and Amy
1. Will you answer Week 11 now that Week 12 has been posted?
Yes. Yes I will.
2. Since you seem to have so much free time, any chance you can still work on a website for me?
What, all this free time not updating the blog, you mean? Anyway, yes. We should talk about getting you a url and hosting, and also what you want.
3. What's the most interesting thing you've read in the past week?
I've started reading When a Heart Turns Rock Solid, which is about three boys/men (it follows them through that transition) who live much of their lives right here in Springfield. I've only just started, but it has me thinking about dignity, and how important it is to people, and how if they don't have it in one social milieu, they'll gravitate towards another.
4. How was your trip to New York?
It was mostly really great. I saw Hands on a Hardbody, the musical, which was in previews. I did two classes at Honbu, and went to the top of Rockefeller Center, which is very high in the air indeed. I revisited my push-pull relationship with heights there.
5. Do you have a roommate for Special Training?
I don't! Would you like to be my roomate? You can help me wake up! One of my best early-ST memories is of you being my wake-up call.
Yes. Yes I will.
2. Since you seem to have so much free time, any chance you can still work on a website for me?
What, all this free time not updating the blog, you mean? Anyway, yes. We should talk about getting you a url and hosting, and also what you want.
3. What's the most interesting thing you've read in the past week?
I've started reading When a Heart Turns Rock Solid, which is about three boys/men (it follows them through that transition) who live much of their lives right here in Springfield. I've only just started, but it has me thinking about dignity, and how important it is to people, and how if they don't have it in one social milieu, they'll gravitate towards another.
4. How was your trip to New York?
It was mostly really great. I saw Hands on a Hardbody, the musical, which was in previews. I did two classes at Honbu, and went to the top of Rockefeller Center, which is very high in the air indeed. I revisited my push-pull relationship with heights there.
5. Do you have a roommate for Special Training?
I don't! Would you like to be my roomate? You can help me wake up! One of my best early-ST memories is of you being my wake-up call.
Week 11: ...and Amy
1. How's the weather up there?
It's spring! Which, here, means more sunshine, and days that mostly get into the 50s -- though it allegedly hit 60 yesterday. But then the temperature dropped. I think the overnight low was mid-20s.
2. What did you have for breakfast today?
Uh. Leftover chicken wings from the Chinese I ordered last night. I was going to go shopping, I really was! But then my car broke down. So I have very few groceries.
3. Did you take any time off to observe spring break this week?No more than the two days a week I have weekly. Which, frankly, seems like a lot -- though never enough to get the homework done I have to do for capstone.
4. Have you been to one of those Meet Ups yet?
I went to one. It was in Connecticut. Didn't really seem worth it. But I'm thinking that some of the outdoorsy stuff is going to start happening now that it's Spring (they take this spring thing seriously up here).
5. How's the femme thing working out?
Well...I got my eyebrows waxed for the first time ever. And now I have this gaping wound on the bridge of my nose. So not that well at the moment.
It's spring! Which, here, means more sunshine, and days that mostly get into the 50s -- though it allegedly hit 60 yesterday. But then the temperature dropped. I think the overnight low was mid-20s.
2. What did you have for breakfast today?
Uh. Leftover chicken wings from the Chinese I ordered last night. I was going to go shopping, I really was! But then my car broke down. So I have very few groceries.
3. Did you take any time off to observe spring break this week?No more than the two days a week I have weekly. Which, frankly, seems like a lot -- though never enough to get the homework done I have to do for capstone.
4. Have you been to one of those Meet Ups yet?
I went to one. It was in Connecticut. Didn't really seem worth it. But I'm thinking that some of the outdoorsy stuff is going to start happening now that it's Spring (they take this spring thing seriously up here).
5. How's the femme thing working out?
Well...I got my eyebrows waxed for the first time ever. And now I have this gaping wound on the bridge of my nose. So not that well at the moment.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Week 13: Questions
1. Is this the beginning of the end for this blog?
2. How are you feeling? (illness-wise, and otherwise too if you want)
3. Excited for upcoming trip to Chicago?
4. Do you plan to have a car at SDIC/ST?
5. What's the most inspirational thing you've heard recently?
2. How are you feeling? (illness-wise, and otherwise too if you want)
3. Excited for upcoming trip to Chicago?
4. Do you plan to have a car at SDIC/ST?
5. What's the most inspirational thing you've heard recently?
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Week 12: Questions
1. Will you answer Week 11 now that Week 12 has been posted?
2. Since you seem to have so much free time, any chance you can still work on a website for me?
3. What's the most interesting thing you've read in the past week?
4. How was your trip to New York?
5. Do you have a roommate for Special Training?
2. Since you seem to have so much free time, any chance you can still work on a website for me?
3. What's the most interesting thing you've read in the past week?
4. How was your trip to New York?
5. Do you have a roommate for Special Training?
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Week 11: Questions
1. How's the weather up there?
2. What did you have for breakfast today?
3. Did you take any time off to observe spring break this week?
4. Have you been to one of those Meet Ups yet?
5. How's the femme thing working out?
2. What did you have for breakfast today?
3. Did you take any time off to observe spring break this week?
4. Have you been to one of those Meet Ups yet?
5. How's the femme thing working out?
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Week 10: ...and Amy
1. Hey, what happened to Week 9? (oh yeah, that was my screw up, sorry)
I think asking a question and answering it yourself is cheating. However, your answers to my questions at the end make up for it.
2. What's seeming more likely at this point: heading straight on to PhD program or getting some practice time under your belt first?
It comes down to UIC. I found out that Cure Violence (nee' Cease Fire) is based out of UIC, which makes me even more excited to get a PhD there. I'm on the waitlist, you'll recall. I think if they don't accept me, I'm going to defer my UT acceptance and try to work for a year in Chicago.
3. Have you actually done any work inside the jail or only in the transitional program? (I ask because I've started my trauma group at the detention center and am curious about how jail atmosphere/regulations might compare with detention center atmosphere/regulations.)
Both. I'm doing an anger class in the jail once a week. I'm doing two anger groups at the re-entry center. I'm also seeing individual clients at the re-entry center, but not in the jail. One of my current challenges is finding a way to encourage practicing mindfulness in the jail. While doing some work around that, I noticed that Travis County Jail and Travis County Correctional Complex (I do not know the difference between these two; maybe it's a county/city thing?) are both participants in the Prison Yoga Project (http://www.prisonyoga.org/mission/prisons-involved/). Please to be investigating that and reporting back? Might be useful for your work, too (I'm assuming you're working at an immigrant detention center, which is a different thing...?)
4. Still doing your New Years resolution push ups? (we are)
Yep! I'll confess I've missed a total of 3 days (2 in a row and then one sometime later). I made up for them by doing them later (so when I missed two days in a row, I did 30 on the third day, etc). I've also been gradually upping the difficulty -- I started out doing all 10 from my knees (what KJ taught me to call "junior pushups," because fuck calling them "girl pushups"); in Febuary I went to 5 from my knees/5 from my toes, and now in March I'm doing all 10 from my toes.
5. What's your favorite color?
Blue, mostly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
In answers to your questions:
-Yes, you can stay with us in May (though not really room for your friend to stay here too unless you guys want to camp in the yard in our tent)
I figured. 'Sokay, she's a big girl.
- All jobs are going well for all of us. I have five or six of them right now and am hoping there will be a way to consolidate that down a little soon!
Per our conversation the other day, you actually have 8. I feel like that's too many jobs.
- Kids are good. Garin has advanced yellow belt + patch so will likely have green the next time you see him. Nyle takes soccer classes and is the coach's favorite (we think). Nyle is also fascinated by making "hand weapons" and can recite several of them (he goes around muttering: seiken, uraken, koken, tetsui, shotei, shuto, heito, toho, nukitei)
It's interesting being at VWMA and hearing their different words/pronounciations. For example, what we call 'tie-key-oh-ko' they pronounce 'tie-oh-ko.' They also have, as part of their ritual, something that has the word (or root?) of gassho, and the hand position is the same, but it's a longer word (or maybe it's two words). To bring it back to hand positions, they have a uraken (no break in the wrist), and the word they use is recognizably related to 'uraken' but is slightly different. Mind-boggling in that 'similar-yet-different' way.
- Garin is now reading Spanish at a 1st grade level (though he isn't good yet at generating his own thoughts in Spanish); English reading is at 3rd grade
I am so impressed by bilingualism at any level; I wish I had a second language at the 1st grade level! I'm surprised his reading is only 3rd grade level, though. I bet it doesn't stay there for long.
- Nyle asks about you frequently and wants to Skype
I want to Skype, too! We should set up another Skype date.
- Scott's fine, enjoying his last couple months of independence in the garage apartment before having to move in with us as a cost saving measure for everyone
Are y'all still moving in July?
- The dojo is good (including Amy Jones Bike Rack) although I haven't been recently because Jess was out of town last week for a conference so I didn't get non-kid time
You should bike there! It's only, what, 14 miles? Assuming you stopped by my old apartment on the way, which I don't know why you would do (except maybe to give my landlord grief on my behalf, I've seen nary a cent of my deposit). Anyway, if you took a more direct route (I'd suggest taking Guadalupe down to MLK, going through the Capitol grounds, Congress down to Mary, and Mary to Lamar), it'd probably be slightly shorter. Of course, from your place to Sun Dragon puts you crossing the bridge at approximately half way, so you'd be going uphill both ways, which would suck a bit.
- We all miss you lots but will understand if you don't move back (that's Mel - Jess would say "waaahhhhhhaaaaaa, you have to move back! - not because she likes you more than I do, just because she likes to keep her people close -note locations of her family members versus mine- and I want to live vicariously through you)
See, I like this -- this way, no matter what I do, I'll get the approval of one of you.
As you can tell from my answer to your second question, it's seeming less likely that I'll move back this summer. But Chicago's not that far, and the Thousand Waves/Sun Dragon connection will work in our favor. And of course, that's all assuming I can make the Chicago thing work, which is not at all assured. And if I don't, I'll be back in Austin. And if I do, I'll be back in Austin...eventually.
- You should buy primitivo, negroamaro, or beaujolais if you want something lighter.
I should remember to write this down is what I should do. I got a nice, smooth Cabernet Savingon (sp?) last week.
If you send the plane ticket, we will come drink it with you. Hell, if you send the plane ticket, we'll bring the wine!
Don't tempt me! Actually, if it was just one plane ticket, I'd probably have already bought it. I'm not sure if I can swing 4. But I'll see you in May, at least!
I think asking a question and answering it yourself is cheating. However, your answers to my questions at the end make up for it.
2. What's seeming more likely at this point: heading straight on to PhD program or getting some practice time under your belt first?
It comes down to UIC. I found out that Cure Violence (nee' Cease Fire) is based out of UIC, which makes me even more excited to get a PhD there. I'm on the waitlist, you'll recall. I think if they don't accept me, I'm going to defer my UT acceptance and try to work for a year in Chicago.
3. Have you actually done any work inside the jail or only in the transitional program? (I ask because I've started my trauma group at the detention center and am curious about how jail atmosphere/regulations might compare with detention center atmosphere/regulations.)
Both. I'm doing an anger class in the jail once a week. I'm doing two anger groups at the re-entry center. I'm also seeing individual clients at the re-entry center, but not in the jail. One of my current challenges is finding a way to encourage practicing mindfulness in the jail. While doing some work around that, I noticed that Travis County Jail and Travis County Correctional Complex (I do not know the difference between these two; maybe it's a county/city thing?) are both participants in the Prison Yoga Project (http://www.prisonyoga.org/mission/prisons-involved/). Please to be investigating that and reporting back? Might be useful for your work, too (I'm assuming you're working at an immigrant detention center, which is a different thing...?)
4. Still doing your New Years resolution push ups? (we are)
Yep! I'll confess I've missed a total of 3 days (2 in a row and then one sometime later). I made up for them by doing them later (so when I missed two days in a row, I did 30 on the third day, etc). I've also been gradually upping the difficulty -- I started out doing all 10 from my knees (what KJ taught me to call "junior pushups," because fuck calling them "girl pushups"); in Febuary I went to 5 from my knees/5 from my toes, and now in March I'm doing all 10 from my toes.
5. What's your favorite color?
Blue, mostly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
In answers to your questions:
-Yes, you can stay with us in May (though not really room for your friend to stay here too unless you guys want to camp in the yard in our tent)
I figured. 'Sokay, she's a big girl.
- All jobs are going well for all of us. I have five or six of them right now and am hoping there will be a way to consolidate that down a little soon!
Per our conversation the other day, you actually have 8. I feel like that's too many jobs.
- Kids are good. Garin has advanced yellow belt + patch so will likely have green the next time you see him. Nyle takes soccer classes and is the coach's favorite (we think). Nyle is also fascinated by making "hand weapons" and can recite several of them (he goes around muttering: seiken, uraken, koken, tetsui, shotei, shuto, heito, toho, nukitei)
It's interesting being at VWMA and hearing their different words/pronounciations. For example, what we call 'tie-key-oh-ko' they pronounce 'tie-oh-ko.' They also have, as part of their ritual, something that has the word (or root?) of gassho, and the hand position is the same, but it's a longer word (or maybe it's two words). To bring it back to hand positions, they have a uraken (no break in the wrist), and the word they use is recognizably related to 'uraken' but is slightly different. Mind-boggling in that 'similar-yet-different' way.
- Garin is now reading Spanish at a 1st grade level (though he isn't good yet at generating his own thoughts in Spanish); English reading is at 3rd grade
I am so impressed by bilingualism at any level; I wish I had a second language at the 1st grade level! I'm surprised his reading is only 3rd grade level, though. I bet it doesn't stay there for long.
- Nyle asks about you frequently and wants to Skype
I want to Skype, too! We should set up another Skype date.
- Scott's fine, enjoying his last couple months of independence in the garage apartment before having to move in with us as a cost saving measure for everyone
Are y'all still moving in July?
- The dojo is good (including Amy Jones Bike Rack) although I haven't been recently because Jess was out of town last week for a conference so I didn't get non-kid time
You should bike there! It's only, what, 14 miles? Assuming you stopped by my old apartment on the way, which I don't know why you would do (except maybe to give my landlord grief on my behalf, I've seen nary a cent of my deposit). Anyway, if you took a more direct route (I'd suggest taking Guadalupe down to MLK, going through the Capitol grounds, Congress down to Mary, and Mary to Lamar), it'd probably be slightly shorter. Of course, from your place to Sun Dragon puts you crossing the bridge at approximately half way, so you'd be going uphill both ways, which would suck a bit.
- We all miss you lots but will understand if you don't move back (that's Mel - Jess would say "waaahhhhhhaaaaaa, you have to move back! - not because she likes you more than I do, just because she likes to keep her people close -note locations of her family members versus mine- and I want to live vicariously through you)
See, I like this -- this way, no matter what I do, I'll get the approval of one of you.
As you can tell from my answer to your second question, it's seeming less likely that I'll move back this summer. But Chicago's not that far, and the Thousand Waves/Sun Dragon connection will work in our favor. And of course, that's all assuming I can make the Chicago thing work, which is not at all assured. And if I don't, I'll be back in Austin. And if I do, I'll be back in Austin...eventually.
- You should buy primitivo, negroamaro, or beaujolais if you want something lighter.
I should remember to write this down is what I should do. I got a nice, smooth Cabernet Savingon (sp?) last week.
If you send the plane ticket, we will come drink it with you. Hell, if you send the plane ticket, we'll bring the wine!
Don't tempt me! Actually, if it was just one plane ticket, I'd probably have already bought it. I'm not sure if I can swing 4. But I'll see you in May, at least!
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