A very Merry January 4th to you!
I hereby officially extend the Holiday
(Holiday = Holy Day) season until
further notice, or until Valentine's
Day. Whichever comes first.

I don't really see why it should have
to end now, do you? I'm still feeling
mighty jolly, and the snow is sure to
be back in a few days.

Whatever Lisa.

Over the break I spent some time
with some of the most important
people in my life thus far. Though
not all the family was able to make
it, there were good times with mom,
dad (till he left for Israel trip #...what
is it now? 5, 6?), Mae, Mark, Mary, and
of course Abby and Renee. I cannot
possibly begin to describe the many
instances where I realized just how
blessed I am to have these people in
my life.

There was a walk with mom where she
shared some of her personal burdens,
and I felt beyond honored that she
considered me someone worthy of
these personal thoughts and feelings.

There was a night out for coffee where I
was stuck in my own personal cloud of
blah, but my buddies still loved me and
put up with my foul attitude, and forgave
me the next day when I snapped out of it.

And those were the "downer" moments! So
funny that those are the kinds of moments
that stick out to me - the moments that cause
me to love life all the more, because they
helped me to see something true, or to grow
or watch someone else grow.

There was also a conversation with Renee
where she shared with me a problem that she
struggles with, and that is: she can't stop her
brain from thinking!! I've known a few people
in my life who have described to me the panic
that they sometimes feel because they can't
make their brain shut off, even for a little while,
and they wish they could.

This is a fascinating thing to me, because I have
a someone slow moving brain that tends to filter
through a lot of different images and movie screen
type pictures, but then usually focuses in on just
a few concepts at a time until it has made some
peace with those concepts or issues. But
sometimes, I don't have any words with which to
describe the things in my head, and sometimes, I
would even say I can stare off into space and think
about NOTHING.

Like today. I went out to the new park I discovered
on my drive home to Lawrence (Riverside), and found
a completely isolated part on the outskirts of the
park. I think perhaps it was the most solidly alone
I have ever been. I walked up to this hill, and then
on the other side, all I could see were barren fields
and some farmhouses way off in the distance, and
a train farther off than that, and then finally, some
hills, who knows how far off. It was so quiet, with
so nothing around. And then I just sat, and what
was going through my head during those minutes
before I opened "Augustine's Confessions"? Just
about nothing. A few thought fragments at best.
I contemplated expanding on them in my journal,
pencil in hand, but I decided they weren't really
worth the effort, and I would rather think nothing
for a few more moments, and then read someone
else's thoughts.

Sometimes my brain just needs to sit out for a few
days. Just like when you make Sauerkraut, or Beet
Kvass, or when you sprout beans. Oh, and that
brings me to my new cooking obsession.

If you get a chance, read about the cookbook and
thoughts about the American health crisis entitled
"Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon. Apparently,
we would do ourselves favors by letting our food
sit out a few days. Well, it's a bit more complicated
than that. But the idea of lacto-fermentation seems
to be catching on because of its immense health
benefits.

I'll stop there.
Enjoy the January.

Tomorrow I get up at 6:30 am for the new job.