getting away

i travelled out of the US on Feb. 1 because i needed to get out of my country, my state, my house and away from the computer and the news. Also, i needed to get somewhere warm. That wretched cold only lasted a day or two, but the after-effects were lingering and warmer climes are good for yanking out all the bad stuff.
it was a planned trip well in advance, something i knew that i would need after the cd release parties. a week-long rest and #1BB worked as hard, or harder, than i did on the parties, in addition to his regular job which keeps us in our house. we worked hard and we were ready to play with equal as much energy.

US Airways and Dick Cheney both did their best to muck up the traveling to and from Mexico, but once we got there, without TV, email and only 85 degree sunny days the entire time, it was easy to let go of Time, Responsibilities, and Other Things That Seemed Important.

I visited Chichen-Itza, a new Seventh Wonder of the World and was educated further about what an amazing culture the Mayans had. Resourceful, intelligent, fascinating and fascinated and curious about the world around them. It reminded me how distracted I am most of the time.

I was overwhelmed by ancient architecture and also swam in cenotes--real live aquariums. For a week, i was a fish and a bird, a grain of sand, a droplet of sweat. it was needed and necessary.


I read books about war and thought about the Current War. I thought about my own little wars. I wanted to let it all go. But I am a sentimental person. It is hard for me to let go.

It is nothing new or revelatory to repeat the idea: Time Passes. And so will I. So did all these people before me and all the people after me. Last night, I saw CenterStage's presentation of Rosencrantz and Gildenstern are Dead. I had read the play and seen the movie before, but not a live production. I was very moved by the part where Gildenstern talks about death. The state of not-being. The exit. How someone is and then isn't.

In my family, we had a bunch of funerals when I was young, so I got kind of accustomed to the idea that this is the way Life is. People are in your life, and then they aren't. Of course, those people didn't choose this.

In the course of writing this entry, my friend from my childhood, Josh, called and we talked and made plans for making music--something we have managed to do together off and on for the last 16 years. Thanks dude. You re-focused me on the tasks at hand and the future.

I'm making (and probably reminding myself daily of this) a pledge to put aside the tendency to be petty about things. It is small-minded and keeping me from throwing my mind and abilities and hopes and ambitions out into the wide, wide world, where they can grow and be seen and heard and bring me to other people and bring other people to me.

Thankfully and luckily for me, people who have petty resentments, jealousies and the like have removed themselves from my universe and it's up to me to fully extract them from my thoughts, as well. I have been surrounded by a group of incredible people, focused on positive things, who have helped me, been a part of what I am trying to do, encouraged me and inspired me. I'm truly grateful and lucky. And I hope I have returned the favor.