busy

Just passing through. Been busy. You, too? As usual I've given more thought to what I'd say here than actually doing it.

E-mailing back and forth with friends and "What are you reading?" inevitably comes up. I just finished Sue Grafton's "S is for Silence", following Ruth Rendell (just went blank on title, but her latest. She's one of my favorites and I hope she'll forgive me.). And I'm telling folks about Amy Krouse Rosenthal's "Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life" which won me over with its Reader's Agreement. Haven't made it much further, however, as I focus on those books due at the library tomorrow. Quickly read the first chapter of "Rules for Old Men Waiting" by Peter Pouncey and I've decided I must try to renew that one...twenty-four hours just isn't long enough for me anymore. Ah, the days (and nights) of staying up until 2 a.m. to finish a good read.

However, I kept forgetting the title of the book at the bottom of my pile. What a surprise, it's David Allen's "Getting Things Done". This is only the second time I've taken it out of the library and I can see the writing on the wall already; I'll probably return it unread again next week. This is by no means a commentary on his book, but obvious testimony to my unconscious priorities.

Funny, without formalizing it much, I seem to have comfortably slipped into the mind set of this being the gift of a year to myself. I've been knee-deep in (or up to my knuckles typing) end-of-year creative projects. I love to give Time to people and this year it's been numerous variations on a calendar theme. I've had a blast tinkering with a new software program and have noticed the complete absence of tightness in my shoulders and neck tension that normally comes from spending hours at the keyboard. Hmm.

I've been reading more for pleasure -- not unusual except for the "more" part. I'm aware of savoring the quiet with no TV or radio as background and hearing only the rustle of pages turning. Peace. The only thing missing is a hammock (and warm weather to sit outside). I'm just not trying so hard to stuff my head with information -- a potential side effect of the Internet as well if you haven't noticed.

So while I still think that Allen has something to teach me, I might just pick and choose among his chapters (heresy, I'm sure) and not obsess about it. So what if I have to return the book only slightly read this time. That's progress.

By the way, the overarching theme of my 2006 calendars is AMAZE YOURSELF -- and that starts at home. Taking another look at that collection of titles: Silence, ...Ordinary Life, Rules for...Waiting. And I guess I can stop worrying about Getting Things Done. Again, Hmm.

Solstice Greetings from here, and I wish you an abundance of that which this ancient season of light brings: HOPE.