Halfway thru the Spring Session

Westwind. Outdoor School. I think our spirits have been bruised after last week's debacle with thug counselors and emotional over-investment. Oh, and the whole calling-the-sheriff incident didn't help either. So we've moved on to this week, where we have an overall great pool of counselors, students who are excited and not too rowdy or rude, and some rain to dampen the mood a little bit. But we're burnt. Slow. Draggin'. Overall morale is sinking like a piece of driftwood picked up by the high tides. And I'm not sure how to turn it all around. We'll push thru this week, and hopefully all get recharged for the next. In the meantime, Kayak, Xena, Cowpie, and I went out to the cave yesterday during a rather low tide. I took a few pictures...

Notes on Perú

I´ve had a few conversations with Peruanos and my fellow Americans about life in our two countries. It has been observed and expressed that Peruanos do whatever the fuck they want. Driving is nuts. They throw trash outta the bus window. There´s full-on construction in the mall area in busy hour. Guys have been witnessed pissing on the street. And shitting! And, they look right at you as you observe in somewhat a state of shock. Open holes in the sidewalk, fish-tailing busses, and trashcans for dirty toilet paper. Differences.

So the obvious question arises: what´s better? In the US, hundreds, nay, thousands of laws have been written to protect our way of life, our lifestyle. I, and others, can´t help but wonder if the overprotection is suffocating the quality of life it´s supposed to protect. Kinda like my friends who, when growing up, had parents that did not allow them to watch MTV. Or sugar cereals. Or nudie mags. What´s the first thing they did? They went to hang out with friends who had more liberal parents. They found their way around it. They hoarded it. They took in as much as they could. They lashed out, if you will, through overindulgence.

Where´s this discussion going? you ask. I don´t know. Observations, really. Reminders that extremes aren´t better. That restriction breeds overconsumption. That fear breeds fear. But then again, gotta have my Pops.

Running

Well, I'm getting ready to go to Peru (see my other blog), so this will be short. I'm new to this, and it has become an interesting thought process trying to figure out what to write about. For some reason I've been thinking about this while I've been running. That's right. Running. With the 'team'. I bring up the rear, and occasionally abstain from conversation for a mile or so and think about lines to write: how to start off; what direction in which to take it; pictures with captions. (Actually, one team member came up with the idea for the Clawg.) Running in the woods, in Forest Park, brings me back to the simplicity of what my life needs. And yet it always teaches me something about myself. Outside. Interacting with that environment is natural, often subconscious, to me. Why do we build ourselves in? Why separate ourselves from the life from which we are a part?