and that is why you eat pancakes with a friend

May 25th

Today is a great day. I knew it waking up too. Not only have I decided that at this point for me Rubber Soul is the greatest Beatles album ever, but two things happened today. I was reminded of life before Bolivia (LBB) and it made me realize why I am so happy here.

One: Mom and Dad sent me some pictures I had taken last summer and fall of school friends and ropes course buddies in NY. I hung them on my wall and it was like I had forgotten everything I had been doing last year. Sad, but it made me happy to have a reminder and made me feel settled here in my room with pictures of my friends and of things past that were lovely. I realized I was busy and happy enough to be well involved in my work here, which is a really stupendous thing.

Two: After lunch today I helped with the bread. We make it once a week, enough to last the week. That’s a lot of bread, one roll per person twice a day. A lot of bread. Anyway, amidst the rolling, placing, transporting to the clay oven up the hill, quickly baking and testing the warm doughy goodness I somehow got to thinking about dance. And I decided I was quite lucky to be in this little valley as the sun was setting making bread and jokes with my friends and though I miss dance it just is a lot better this way. Plus I bought this felt bell shaped hat this weekend. It is so rad.

“ The future still looks good
And you’ve got time to rectify
all of the things you should
Do what you want to do
Go where your going to
Think for yourself ”
- Think for yourself, The Beatles, Rubber Soul

One problem with those lyrics is the word “should”. I don’t like it. I think that it has a negative connotation. Think about it, anytime you say “I should do this or that” “you should go here or there” it implies something that you don’t necessarily want to do but have to. The only time I can see the word doing any good is when you are working on something and out of confusion you use it. Example: this should work. But then again if it doesn’t work and you want it to that can be negative as well. So lately I have been trying to use the word less. Unfortunately it seems to be similar to when you learn a new word, it pops up everywhere. So now I think I am saying it more than I used to, I really should stop…haha see negative vibe, I know you felt it. Now what makes it negative? Seems to me this linguistic dilemma of mine stems from my recent adjustment to la hora Boliviana. Knowing that things will happen in good time and not worrying if they aren’t finished in time. In time for what? In what time? Is how the Bolivians live. Anyway I don’t limit myself and certainly don’t do anything I don’t want to. That is all. I still like the song.

I thought about “should” more. I guess it can be useful in some ways as a sort of motivator. Hmmm now I am torn.

Spotted: on a brisk fall morning, 7:30 am in the chapel. The Annunciation by Fra Angelico, tucked into a corner illuminating a small space with the glory of the angel Gabriel’s multi-colored wings.

June 1 2008

Don Hugo asked if I wanted to give art history classes! How awesome would that be little cultural sessions on Saturdays of course starting with the Venus of Willendorf all the way to what…anything I suppose, though I would probably load up on all my favorites! Not so sure it is something that would interest the gatos, but if I had enough pictures it may work. Really I just want to emulate Ms. Glynn, my high school humanities teacher who instilled the love for art in me. I remember her asking if we could own any piece of art what would it be. I said a Della Robbia blue ceramic piece from the Della Robbia factory in Florence. They made white ceramic busts and sculptures that had this deep blue background. No one could ever replicate the blue. They are gorgeous. I would still want that and a Matisse.

Made banana bread for mothers day somehow managed to feed 120 people that showed up
Danced barefoot circles in a maroon toga
Noticed excellent improvement in two bee hives
Started a community bank with the graduating class
Made pasta for the teachers who drenched it in ketchup and mustard
Managed the phone in site for a week, something I refuse to do again
7 layer dip with Helen for the potluck
Pancakes with syrup and jam
Chocolate with coffee