Korea Dreambus pilgrimage film blog

Walkway in Fairport, NY

I know I haven't been writing here as much.. mostly I'm working on my Korea Dreambus site and my new Patreon page.  I have to admit that the Patreon is new for me, so I'm still trying to figure out how to best utilize it.

But the good news is that I have a lot more of my itinerary nailed down, I've made a good connection to help me on the ground in Korea, and I've raised $1,300 to help me with this pilgrimage and film project.

Head over to the website to catch up with my updates and musings, and then to my Patreon for a membership to see videos and other content!

If you have prayer intentions you'd like me to bring with me to Korea, please contact me with those or leave in the comments.

Half way through summer... please, God, let the second half of summer feel as gloriously long as the first half has done!

Strawberry Moon

Today is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and the Strawberry Moon! What a glorious time to be alive.

I have a few sweet as strawberries updates for you, my dear reader.

And so it begins: summer produce!

First -- you should go to my new site that details my upcoming pilgrimage and personal documentary film in Korea! Yes, I'm going! It's happening!

https://koreadreambusdocumentary.blogspot.com/

Second -- I ended up leaving the secretarial half of my job, continuing on with the staff writer post. I will also add teaching theology part time this fall - this time to high schoolers. I am very pleased with the combination of writing and teaching. And yes, both jobs have cleared me to be gone for three weeks to go to Korea. 

Third -- My short film, renamed "Souled," is now very close to picture lock (final picture edit). I've hired a composer, a sound mixer, and a color correction guy. Post production is in full swing, and boy am I excited to get that picture lock so we can move on with music, sound, and color.

Fourth -- I'm thrilled to get back in Jayu, my inflatable kayak this weekend! I'm determined to get a lot more time in on the water this summer. With all the projects and jobs I've engaged with, I need the downtime and the physical closeness to nature.

And here, you can enjoy some very sweet and chill vibes looking out on the Han River. Happy summer, everyone!

Springing into summer

 There is a lot to report on, friends. Let's run down the list!

• My short film has been renamed "Souled," which fits the theme and style of the film much better than the long-standing working title Dream House.
• "Souled" is moving right along in postproduction. I'm in the process of hiring a composer, and I've secured a fantastic sound mix man and a color correction guy. The edit is allllmost picture lock... We're very close! Also the poster is well on its way. That will appear here and everywhere else I can post it as soon as it is ready.
• Another dream is about to become a reality! I'm headed back to Korea this September to make a pilgrimage to my former town of residence and to the holy sites of the Catholic Korean martyrs. And yes, I'm going to make a film about the experience. The project formerly known as "Korea Dreambus" is being resurrected...appropriately as a Catholic pilgrimage film. Much more on that in the coming weeks!
• Learning Korean again! I have a book, my flashcards, and a conversation partner lined up. I can do it!  할 수 있다!
• I'm now working solely as a staff writer at the paper, and I'm looking for freelance work to replace the circulation coordinator/administrive work that I'd been doing since last summer. This is huge. I realized after my birthday this year that I need to be done living the backup plan. So here we go! Filmmaking, writing, and other creative work. 
• After a few days of hot summer in the middle of spring, we are back to spring, for which I'm glad, and so are my tender young plants this season.

Lamb's ear plants rescued from bulldozed scrubby woods

Dianthus

Cherry tomatoes from seed, grand babies from
my brother's garden 2 years ago

Green peppers grown from seeds that came
from one of my nephew's plants a few seasons ago

Lavender up front. Behind the flag are wildflowers and cosmos,
and behind that is coneflower -- all back from last year.

Herbs!

Retreating...and re-entering

Regardless of our vocation – married, priesthood, religious, or single – the daily grind and the pressing worries that ever more hound us day and night can wear us down. Even when we love our families, our work, our ministry, our community, we can still become like a well that’s gone dry. 

And something must be said about our post-modern obsession with multi-tasking. Is that really how humans were meant to live? I don’t think it would be over the top to say that it is inhuman, even with all the tools we now have which allegedly assist with this frenetic, attention-splitting lifestyle.

In fact, it seems with all the conveniences and communication technology available to us, we are multi-tasking and doom scrolling ourselves into states of severe anxiety, depression, and poor health in which we lose sight of faith, hope, and charity. 

We lose sight of who we are. We lose sight of Christ.

A remedy for this lifestyle, found in ancient Christian tradition and modeled by Jesus, is to make a retreat.

What exactly is a retreat and why would I make one?

Mount Saviour Monastery at dawn

What do we mean by a retreat? A strategic withdrawal from the battlefield when resources are dwindling, and the battle isn’t going our way? Well, in a way, yes. 

If we consider the Christian life on earth as the “church militant,” we can think of how our daily lives may indeed be a battle, or more precisely, a series of battles that are often waged on several fronts at once. These fronts are personal, emotional, financial, spiritual, and vocational. If we are to fight the good fight, how are we to do so with flagging morale and exhaustion of mind, body, and spirit?

Making a retreat offers us a time and place away from the daily grind, including the things that can distract us – even the good things – so that we can reconnect with the One who loves us, who offers us peace. 

Even Jesus stepped away from his active ministry to spend time alone with the Father. If he needed that time in his humanity, certainly we do, too! 

When Jesus healed the sick, spoke to the crowds, or taught his disciples, he was often found going off by himself to pray to the Father (Lk 5:16, 6:12; 9:18; Mk 1:35; Mt 14:23). He instructed his disciples to “go into your room and close the door” to pray to the Father in secret, who sees everything in secret. 

St. Paul tells us to “pray without ceasing.” Even if we are attentive to daily prayers and times for worship and adoration, we may need to unplug and reground in the Holy Spirit. That’s what a retreat can do for us.

How and where to make a retreat

Most dioceses have religious orders or even monasteries that offer private or group retreats, and many parishes offer day-long retreats during holy seasons of the liturgical year. 

There are guided retreats and individual retreats – either will be of great assistance, depending on one’s calling, life situation, and personal needs. 

If you can find a monastery to get to for a retreat, I highly recommend that option. Participating in the Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) of the monks or nuns will help unwind our twisted strains of thought that fly in every direction. The silence invites us to hear the Lord’s voice, and to quiet our own chatter, both inner and outer. 

Many monasteries may also offer accompaniment or spiritual direction as part of a retreat experience. This assistance can be helpful in gaining some perspective into questions, confusion, or difficulties we may be experiencing in our lives or in prayer.

Ora et Labora

I have found that a balance of silent prayer and vocal prayer, combined with some physical activity, whether going for walks or helping in a monastery garden, to be especially helpful. The effect is an opening of the interior to a listening disposition, to hear the Lord’s still, small voice. 

St. Benedict, the father of Western monasticism, wrote a Rule based in ora et labora, prayer and work, as the way to cooperate with God’s grace and to live a balanced and truly human life in community, as God intended. Of course, we humans constantly battle with our fallen nature, and no monastery (or family) is perfect!

But making a retreat where prayer, silence, and simplicity are the focus will certainly set the stage for us to draw closer to God, if made in the right spirit. This balanced approach can have the effect of simplifying our expectations of ourselves in the moment, and of refreshing our spirits, minds, and bodies so that we can carry on as followers of Christ in our everyday lives. 

Here are a few of my best tips for making a retreat:

• Pack lightly. I always tend to bring too many books, and invariably, there is some spiritual reading available in my room or offered to me that is exactly what God wants me to have for this retreat.
• Bring a journal. Even if you’re not the “journaling type,” having a place to write prayerful thoughts that the Holy Spirit places in your heart will help you bring back to your regular life something that God wants you to have.
• Don’t neglect devotions, but don’t forget to make time for contemplative prayer. Sit with God, open and receptive, and let the Holy Spirit pray in you. Doing this before the Blessed Sacrament is the best way!
• Go for walks! Even if it’s cold! Just bring appropriate clothing and footwear.
• Listen to your body – if you need to sleep, sleep! Napping is a time-honored monastic tradition, after all.
• Try to stay in the sacrament of the Now, being present to Christ as he is present to you. Another way to put it is to practice the Presence of God. Offer your busy thoughts to Jesus and ask him for his peace, surrendering the whirlwind mind and allowing him to enter in.
• Take your time. Don’t rush anything and remember to enjoy where you are.
• Be open to conversations or other happenings as a gift from the Holy Spirit. We often don’t know what we need to hear, to know, to feel… but God does!
• Decide that everything that happens on your retreat is perfect, as God intends it.

Returning to the world and our regular lives from a quiet retreat may in one sense be jarring, but with regular time set aside for this renewal, our daily lives become less fragmented, and more focused on Christ and the people who matter, rather than the distractions that enervate us.

I hope and pray that you can find a place to make a retreat, to reconnect to the One who never stops calling, healing, and loving us. Make the time, whether it’s a few hours or a few days. You won’t regret a moment, and you’ll probably wonder why you hadn’t done this ages ago.

Update on Dream House

The film is now in the capable hands of an editor in L.A. The first cut looked good, and we continue to work on honing the vision.  We are still in need of finishing funds, so if you are so inclined, please take a look at our Go Fund Me campaign and give what you can. Any little bit helps!

Thank you!

Dream House Fundraiser

Time to move on

It's time to round up 2023 and cast a gleaming eye toward 2024.  

Quickly, because it's cold, and I have to go find a cup of hot tea in the kitchen to warm up:

• published my short story "Vinny and Luca" in the June issue of Lake Effect Magazine. This was my first short story publication, and it's one of the stories I've written as part of a collection.
• shot my short film "Dream House" in October after one postponement and a reschedule. We had an amazing cast and crew, a beautiful location, and a lot of generous help. The footage is now with an editor who hopes to have a rough cut in the next few days.
• started as a journalist for our diocesan Catholic paper, writing features and briefs on the happenings and people in the county.
• learned how to create video content for Instagram.
• learned T'ai Chi Yang style 32-move sword form
• started with a new spiritual director (who was then reassigned to someplace far away and with a far busier schedule... this seems to be the way of things for spiritual directors and me).
• completed two screenplays that had been needing a final draft and closure
• started two new screenplays 
• started a new short story in collection mentioned above
• started pre-production in earnest for my documentary on Catholicism in Korea
• successfully pitched a film club to my former school employer
• made the itinerary and chaperoned for a class trip of nine 7th graders to Boston in the spring
• directed a middle school play I adapted from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
• student loans forgiven!! (thanks, Joe, but I'm still not voting for you)

Here's what I'm looking forward to in 2024:

• shifting all my professional eggs into the writing/media basket
• finishing "Dream House" and getting it into festivals (and winning something, I hope!)
• moving ahead on the Korea doco.
• building up the nest-egg that wasn't so large to begin with and which was decimated by car repairs, physical therapy, new glasses, and the cost of making an indie film
• more little video projects/content
• learning Premiere
• teaching T'ai Chi as assistant instructor at the Y with my teacher
• singing in the Cathedral Polyphony and Chant Choir
• facilitating a middle school film club
• more stories for the short story collection (maybe even finish it!)
• being able to stand up more readily and calmly to bullies and other people without an ounce of self-awareness 
• more beach time 
• definitely more kayaking this summer!!

We'll just have to stay tuned to find out how 2024 amazes and thrills. All of this is of course very personal. I'm not commenting on world events or an upcoming U.S. election. Let's just put all of those things in "the world is on fire" need for prayer (quoting St. Teresa of Avila).

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

at my BFF's house, Christmas 2023

Frammin' at the Jim-Jam, Frippin' at the Krotz!

You win a prize if you catch the reference in this blog title. Comment or message me and we'll work out what the prize will be!

I'm currently at my main digs for writing these days, a place in Fairport called Junction 361.  Coffee house and beer bar all in one. And steps from the Erie Canal. New artist show every month. Barista with a thing for K-dramas. Can it even get any better? I think not.

I come here with my writing partner on Monday nights (most weeks), and on a Saturday night, this is where I need to be to get sh*t done.  I'm working on getting an editor for Dream House, and I'm writing a new screenplay that involves... wait for it...  a time travel emergency at a mall in 1973. I know! Trust me, it's going to work.

I've been creating video reels for Instagram at work and can say that I'm now feeling pretty comfortable editing on the Instagram app.  Not bad for a Gen-Xer with a Boomer brother and Greatest Generation parents.  Yes, I'm happy and proud of this little achievement.  Here's my latest effort:

It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas

Tomorrow is the 2nd Sunday of Advent: LOVE.

Doing Advent

In recent years, I've approached Advent at a breakneck speed, hyper-aware that I'm supposed to "do Advent" before I "do Christmas." The years I spent teaching and working for parishes were the ones I felt the most disconnected from Advent, ironically, because I was so busy preparing Advent liturgies, crafts, and activities that I missed out on the prayerful, silent, wintry season leading up to Christmas. (And let's not forget the excitement and stress of hurling myself across the NYS Thruway/MASS Pike every December to be home with my family.)

The Moon getting ready for Advent
(taken over my house this morning)

The focus of Advent is to prepare for Christ in his Second Coming as well as commemorating the coming of the Second Person of the Trinity into Earth's history.  The liturgical season of Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas, and this year, it starts on Dec. 3, which means the Fourth Sunday of Advent falls on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24. In essence, this crunches Advent into three weeks for 2023.  

Yet this year, I've noticed that Advent started early for me - and not by my own doing.

Silence has beckoned like never before: setting aside my phone and my inner chatterbox to consciously surrender myself to Christ. Even my Advent reading presented itself weeks ago when I happened upon a book I'd received earlier in the year: Jesus and The Jewish Roots of Mary (from colleagues at my former school employer, no less!).

With my new job as a staff writer (and the other half of my job as circulation coordinator), the flow and tenor of my life is exceedingly different from when I worked as a full-time teacher.  There is more open space in my mind, heart, and spirit needed to grow both creatively and spiritually, as it turns out.  Things are not perfect, by any stretch, but I would say that there is definitely more room to receive and respond to God's graces.

God always makes the first move, the advent of grace in our lives, as he did toward Mary Our Mother. My prayer is for all of us to become more open, more receptive, to his gifts of grace in the quiet moments of Advent.

Dream House is "in the can"

Moving on to post production now, searching for an editor to work with. It's been an incredible ride, humbling and exhilarating. The cast and crew who came to create a film with me have been rock solid, every one of them a superstar. I couldn't ask for anything more uplifting!

It's good to have a creative project that requires me to keep moving forward because we're entering that time of year when I fight seasonal depression in a big way, even more so living where I do with so little sunshine. Something's gotta change there, folks, that's the only way I see it.

But until then, full steam ahead.  Makin' a movie!

Help me make a movie!

"Dream House" in the news

Spring Has Sprung

Of course, here in Rochester, we expect our extra winter days in spring, but still things have been greening up rather nicely. Although I had to bring my potted tomato plantlets in because we have a frost warning tonight. Which, if I'm honest, just ticks me off. I mean, really, May 17 frost? Dude.

Some good things are afoot, though, including a new job as a staff writer at the Catholic Courier, getting Korea DreamBus into the next phase (only took me 13 years), and a short story being published next month. One might say my late-blooming bloom is starting to, well, bloom. I'm still not sure what's going on with my short film Dream House, as my DP had to back out and I'm still trying to work out equipment for a shoot in June. If it doesn't happen then, I'll have to reschedule. 

Tonight I got to see one of my favorite musical acts play again, the tremendous Old Blind Dogs. What a way to celebrate! I love these guys. I also reconnected with an old friend while at the show, and we agreed that we would start playing fiddle together. Since my musical friends moved away last summer, I haven't played much. I prefer to play with someone than by mine own self (one of the few times I'd rather not be alone!).

Old Blind Dogs at Lovin' Cup, Rochester NY 5/17/23

These creative outlets are finally finding their proper place in my life. And speaking of which, I've been learning T'ai Chi sword 32 form, and it's pretty much the most amazing thing I've ever done, I think. I'm still in the phase of just learning the moves and trying not to fall over with all the one-footed stances. Ultimately, I hope to be able to add my own expression to the form. I firmly believe that all martial arts are about self-expression, as the mighty Bruce Lee said. Sadly, after an experience of an upset parent at my school when I taught a class of T'ai Chi Yang style for PE class, I know that not everyone appreciates martial arts. For my money, the focus, balance, self-awareness, and mind/body connection cannot be beat. I'm sure every athlete could say that about his or her sport. But I watched jock students struggle with balance and the left/right shifting of weight, and it was apparent to me that the awareness of our bodies in space is something we sorely lack in the West.

As we approach the end of the school year, I'm striving to take everything in and enjoy it. It's a crazy busy time with added joys such as Ascension Thursday (tomorrow!), special presentations and events, a spring concert, and a 7th grade trip to Boston (which I'm pretty much planning) the week before finals start. I'm praying for the grace to be present, as always, and to be fully alive in the moment where Christ is, where we can all meet each other in a unique way that will never be repeated. 

Here's to blooming!

News to Share

My short story "Vinny and Luca" will be published in the June issue of Lake Affect Magazine. 

I am so grateful and excited for this.  Another step in the right direction, with many more to follow closely!

5 Things I Just Really Want To Say

 In no particular order:

1. God is not "the universe" nor is the universe God. God is a personal being who is defined as Love and who has revealed himself as Trinitarian: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This community of Love begets all of creation and all life. The "universe" doesn't create itself, nor does it reward you for being a good egg or making a vision board in your home office.

2. Putting man at the center of everything and relegating everything to man's thought is tantamount to declaring war on reality. "I think, therefore I am" (the foundational battle cry of rationalism and the un-deification of the Western World) means we create ourselves and our reality, which we do not, and that the human power to understand and manipulate the created world is the Ultimate Supreme (i.e. who needs a God and all those pesky morals?). The power of the mind to understand is posited as the only marker of humanness. Rather, "I exist, therefore I think" points to a Creator (which is not us) and acknowledges the inherent dignity conferred upon every created person regardless of whether a person's mental faculties are developed (as in an pre-born baby) or decayed (as in an elderly person with Alzheimer's). Existence with its inherent dignity is owed to a Creator, not to the power of the human mind to realize itself. 

3. I am eager to enjoy raspberry Jaffa Cakes at Easter. 

4.  I am quite enjoying Korean Dramas. Thus far I have watched:  Saimdang: Memoir of Colors, Dr. Jin, Moonshine, May I Help You?, Kairos, Doctor John, and currently I'm part way through Law Cafe. 

5. I need to keep writing. Don't lose the momentum!

Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine (N.A. Martyrs)

A month has slipped by, but before we head into Thanksgiving et al., I want to post a few thoughts about my pilgrimage last month.

First off, I have to tell you that I don't have any pictures of the pilgrimage. Why, you ask? Because my phone had a major malfunction a little over a week ago, and I lost all photos since June (which hadn't been backed up - my bad). So you'll just have to take my word for it when I say the beauty and peace of the North American Martyrs Shrine in Auriesville, NY was worth the 6-hour round trip in the bus with 35 middle school students.

The Shrine's grounds comprise what was the 17th century Mohawk village of Ossernenon. The Shrine itself is a massive Church built in the round and named the Colosseum, inspired by the Colosseum in Rome where so many Christian martyrs were maimed and killed in the persecutions. The museum there also provides information about St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American named a saint by the Catholic Church, who was born in the same village over twenty years after the N.A. Martyrs lived and died. Her story is also one of strength, courage, and love, although she did not experience a red martyrdom (of blood). 

Of special note for me was the Ravine, an area of incredible natural beauty, but also the final resting ground of Saint Rene Goupil. His remains were buried there somewhere in an unmarked grave by Saint Isaac Jogues, who risked his own life to do so. These men and the other North American Martyrs have inspired me to pray for more grit, less whining in my daily life. They suffered horrible, disfiguring torture by the Mohawks before being slaughtered and dumped without proper burial. Only Fr. Goupil was actually buried - what was left of him - due to the persistence and love of Fr. Isaac Jogues. 

Having this experience with the middle schoolers was precious because we were able to share some special moments, such as Adoration in the church and praying a Divine Mercy Chaplet together at the Ravine. It was a privilege to be with such young souls as they took in the historical events and the spiritual realities to which those events point. We have since had many good discussions about what it means to be a martyr for the Faith, and how our daily lives should be a testament to our faith and the glory of God. 

Whether you're looking for a spiritual pilgrimage or a historical place to visit, I say don't pass up the opportunity to come to this incredible place just northwest of Albany, NY. 

I just ran out of steam...next entry I will be writing about not one but two film projects I'm engaged with:  "Dream House," a short which we'll be shooting in June of 2023, and that old behemoth that has awakened and demanded my attention, "Korea DreamBus," a documentary 20 years in the making, in which The Jade Monkey rides again!

A joyful noise

Ah, the month has already started to get away from me! God has sent amazing opportunities and experiences in these last two weeks:

1. Seeing Old Blind Dogs in concert. A long-standing Scottish traditional (with a twist) band that comes to Rochester as part of their N. American tours, this band was last here in 2019. When they're in town, they come to Lovin' Cup at RIT (my alma mater). The show was intense and engaging; absolutely spellbinding. So much talent, passion and always with humor. I went with a group of old friends of mine, and together we were a rowdy crowd. Good vibes. You can stream OBD's latest album here.

2. Having a 30 minute lesson with my fiddle hero Jonny Hardie of OBD. After the concert, I asked him a couple of questions, including whether he ever does workshops. To my great surprise and amazement, he offered to give me a lesson before the next night's concert. I drove home that night in the clouds, but the next day at school my stomach was all butterflies. I showed up and felt ridiculous with my ancient fiddle case and my old n'busted instrument. I sounded awful; I was nervous and unable to easily read the music because of my glasses (that's a whole, 'nuther story). Nonetheless, he was gracious and patient, and in the span of 30 minutes gave me some excellent pointers on my bowing, which I correctly knew to be my main problem. I came away from that incrediblely awesome lesson with a boatload of inspiration and focus. And no, I didn't get a picture. It was too precious to reduce to a photo op. 

3. Marching as colour guard for the Rochester Scottish Pipes and Drums band in an itty bitty homecoming parade.  One of the office staff (who will sadly be leaving us next week) is involved with this group through her husband and son who are both pipers. They needed someone to help to carry the banner, and I volunteered. It was really a blast. I'm going to start working with them more often, and hopefully next season will be able to function as a regular in their colour guard. Huzzah!

4. Pilgrimage to The Shrine of the North American Martyrs with 35 middle schoolers (and two other adults, thankfully).  This was just yesterday, so I'm still processing the experience. I promise to write more soon. For now, suffice to say I was moved to tears at several points during the day, feeling again a connection to St. Kateri and being powerfully impacted by the story of the martyrs. I was also impacted by the 6-hour round-trip bus ride with said middle schoolers - a joyful noise indeed.

Old Blind Dogs at Lovin' Cup 9/27/22

 Elias Alexander, whistle and Jonny Hardie, fiddle

The man and his fiddles

Gotta work on that footgear tho

Heading to Elmira this weekend to catch up with my new friends from the "Babbo" shoot in August and enjoy the foliage. I'm very grateful to have a long weekend! Oh yeah... and I have a ton of grading to do, as is usually the case.

On the Last Good Day of the Year

Hopefully not the last, but pretty darn close, I'd imagine. This last weekend of summer has been very summery. Yesterday after T'ai Chi class (I got to teach, again!), I decided to go kayaking. But I wanted to take out a hard shell kayak rather than my inflatable because I figured water levels would be lower this time of year, and I didn't want to run afoul of my skeg (fin on the underside of the boat to help it track straight).

I rented a big ole orange kayak from Bay Creek Paddling Center and headed first down Irondequoit Creek. The water was very calm, and yes, it was low, as the lady warned me when I registered my rental. I got to see schools of little fish, a turtle diving, and several common song birds. I did have to do some maneuvering to escape the people who chatter and talk while kayaking (as in, kay- YAK- ing); otherwise, a very peaceful little turn around the creek. I then headed out to the southern end of Irondequoit Bay that empties into the creek. It was here that the shallow waters were shallow, indeed.

On the Creek

On the Bay

There be swans!

I barely made it out past the area that held only a few silty inches of water, but it seemed fine. I was blessed to see a flock of swans floating around preening, as well as the usual shore bird spectacle. But soon it was time to turn and head back in, for Bay Creek was closing at 5:00. It was now 4:25.

As I turned and headed back down the channel marked by those enormous PVC pipes, I soon found myself stuck in water that was too shallow for me to pass. I dug my paddle in and pushed myself out, then tried again at a different spot. Same deal. I tried several areas of the channel and could not get through. People, I was absolutely panicking at this point. "What if I can't find that tiny channel that let me through in the first place? What if the place closes?" One guy was paddling toward me, and I warned him about the shallows. He stayed around and tried to help me find that slit of a path that would get me through. I freaked out. I called the Paddle Center and they said they'd send someone to rescue me (ha!). But just then, as Providence would have it, I found that little slip of a path and made it through to the other side of the shallows. I canceled my call for help and paddled like crazy to get in by 5:00. Boy, was I embarrassed. The guy who was my guardian angel paddled ahead of me; I said thank you, but then he was off. Imagine if I'd tried my inflatable!

I spent two hours in total out in the water, enjoying the brilliant day God gave us, and I learned a lesson on not freaking out when things seem to go sidewise. Hang in there, keep working at it. The path is there; trust in God's Providence and don't give in to fear!

Later in the evening, I built a fire in my little chiminea and enjoyed the warm evening with a friend. We ate garlic pizza and toasted "to summer." A fine ending to a fine day, even if there were a few blazing moments of utter terror!

My end of summer anthem: