Not to wax dramatic, but this painting captures what my life has felt like to me over the last 3 months. Ok, I’m waxing a little dramatic. (For more information on the artist, click the image.)

After returning from a wonderful 15 months of backpacking, teaching/living in China and more traveling, I returned to Boulder and proceeded to look for my next job. Weeks turned into months; potential opportunities evaporated; ideas were explored and passed over. Sometimes I felt like I was casting about for any buoy that looked hopeful. The movement and energy that came so easily for over a year, turned into a gradual slide toward an unseen block.

Then, after weeks of stops and starts, several positive things transpired all within a few days:

I was offered a part-time position at a lovely retirement center; a couple of library jobs were posted that sounded hopeful (but I didn’t pursue for practical reasons); and… I was offered a job teaching English in Tokyo in the late spring! (I’ll write more on this later as the details are confirmed.)

I’ve also decided to put my condo on the market. These last two years have reaffirmed my love of international work (either as an ESL teacher or librarian) and I value having the freedom to move easily if there is the opportunity.

All of this feels incredibly liberating and exciting to me – I thrive on change and new experiences. I no longer feel like I’m being tossed about, but enjoying the calm before the next chapter begins.

So for now I’ll remain open. The options continue to roll in. It’s a season of patience, observation and steadiness. When it’s time for committed action, I’ll know.

A winter's day

Ah, Friday into Saturday – my favorite day of the week. This one has been filled with ideas and possibilities. For someone who thrives on change, this is a blessing and a curse because every scenario brings with it a set of circumstances to be considered. I’m with Emily Dickinson – “I dwell in possibility.”

And out of that possibility will come a new season of experiences and growth. That is what I choose.

Hanging on a wall at the Crested Butte Hostel in Colorado, is a large, framed collage of some beautiful and interesting postcards. I’ve been in this hostel many times and love looking at these images and wondering who went to these places and what they experienced. There’s one postcard that has always captivated me, and succinctly sums up my love of travel. Against a mystical and surreal-looking backdrop, a young woman is peering over a mountainside, at what, the viewer doesn’t know. The words on the card read, “Sometimes it’s difficult to describe the places you’ve been and the things you’ve seen.” I thought of that image many times as I traveled through China (and elsewhere), often alone with my thoughts, taking in the sensations around me.

Inspired by that collage at the hostel, I created my own collage on my hallway wall.

(More have been added since this was taken.)

Some highlights…

Sent from Judy, Pakistan, '00.

Monhegan Is., Maine with Jamie, '06.

On trek in Nepal with Jan T., Everest, '04.

From Chris, to remind me of the peaks in CO while I was on the AT, '98.

From Jan when I was living in Yakutat, AK, '00.

Saddleback Mtn., NH, on the AT, before I was there, pre-'98.

From a coffee shop in Suzhou, China, '11.

There is a website called Postcrossing where a person can sign up to send and receive postcards from random people all over the world. I haven’t done this, but I think it would be a great way to collect a lot of cards from very interesting places. I’d love to include a postcard from your area in my collection if you’d like to send one. Just let me know! I’ll post an update later with new additions.

Snow on the Flatirons

The beautiful, sunny weather of this past week turned into a different kind of beauty today. It snowed most of the night and during the day but began to clear during the afternoon. I drove up the road which leads to NCAR (the National Center for Atmospheric Research) to get some pictures of the Flatirons this afternoon. After getting a couple nice shots, I began to drive down. I pulled over to get another picture and to let a minivan pass by. But it didn’t pass. It just waited, staying some distance behind me.

Then I noticed some lights on the top of the vehicle, but they weren’t turned on. As I began to drive, so did the van, still staying at a distance. Then I realized this was a security van. As I drove down, the van continued to follow for the mile or so to the main intersection. Then it turned left where I turned right, the driver never looking at me. Perhaps a car stopping near the NCAR building and a person taking pictures was enough to get the attention of a security guard. Or maybe he was just going home.

Looking north

Then I went to the Southern Sun Pub, just around the corner, to meet my friend, Kari. We met when I started working at the library several years ago and have been tight buds ever since. We are also committed backgammon-playing-coffee-drinking fiends, so after a bite at the Sun, we always walk over to Caffe Sole for a game (or nine) and some java. Tonight was no different except that this time I actually won! Watch out.

An evening at the Southern Sun