Year of the Phoenix, Q2 Report
Slainte Chugat!
The Winter Solstice, Tuesday, December 22, 2015 marked the end of Quarter 2 in my Year of the Phoenix.
I spent most of this quarter commuting from Sun City, Georgetown. (Thank you Bill and Aleta for sharing your home.) I learned to have sympathy for anyone who has to spend two hours a day just driving to a job to earn enough money to afford a house to drive to. But, why was I commuting in the first place? We did some major remodeling that we couldn't do while Savannah was still alive. Though we still miss her, she would have been the first to want us to reconfigure our house to accommodate our needs instead of hers.
I continued to try new things, and say "yes" to opportunities that came my way:
1. I negotiated with my employer to go to 75%. Starting January 1, I will be leading a project for the Vice President of Instruction, rather than running an entire division (which was a lot of stress, not to mention work). I plan to use the remaining 25% time to pursue creative passions that fill my soul with happiness. All work and no creativity makes Dave a dull boy, indeed. I believe this change will reinvigorate my spirit.
2. I started writing comics again, which felt great! You can see a few on this blog by clicking on the "sketchbook" link to the right. While moving back into the house after the remodel, I unearthed one of the first comics I'd ever written: an epic, space opera in seven pages of Magic Marker glory, called "Frogs in Space." I estimate I drew it when I was about twelve years old. Ruby got a kick out of it. By the way, those of you my age will be able to date this publication from the Atari game console on the cover.
3. I won the Grand Prize in the Pen 2 Paper writing competition for a chapter of my memoir. As a result I was invited to read the chapter before a packed house at the Alamo Village Theater during a film festival. What a great night.
4. I performed another improv at the Coldtowne Theater with my pal, Nathan. We "killed" as they say in the comedy biz. People talked about our show for weeks, saying it was one of the freshest, most innovative, funny shows they'd seen in a long time.
5. Andrew and Rachel and her daughter came over for New Year's Eve. Andrew grinned as he handed me a kilt and all the trimmings. He was wearing the whole traditional outfit. He brought one for me because I'd hammed up an outrageous brogue over Halloween beers. He'd said my accent was very "Brave Heart," which is not a complement, I don't think. I told him we should open a food-fusion truck, which are all the rage in Austin: Jorge Mcloud's Haggis Tacos: No Underwear Required. When I emerged from my room in my ancestral costume, he broke out a bottle of single malt. Ruby kept asking, "Please tell me you're not going commando, Dad!"
This Christmas was the first year since 1977 that we had a full moon. The next won't be until 2034. On Christmas, I also noticed that some irises I planted in the front yard (when we first moved into this house 8 years ago) had bloomed for the first time, ever. What a strange ending to a strange year.
A Note on the Winter Solstice: It is the darkest and shortest day of the year. After the winter solstice, days grow longer again. Most religious traditions honor the winter solstice with celebrations. It is typically associated with the rebirth of the sun and the journey toward enlightenment.
#NewYear #ChristmasFullMoon #FullMoon #Kilt #YearOfThePhoenix #WinterSolstice #MagicMarker #comics #writing #life #inspiration #happiness
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| Andrew and David in kilts |
The Winter Solstice, Tuesday, December 22, 2015 marked the end of Quarter 2 in my Year of the Phoenix.
I spent most of this quarter commuting from Sun City, Georgetown. (Thank you Bill and Aleta for sharing your home.) I learned to have sympathy for anyone who has to spend two hours a day just driving to a job to earn enough money to afford a house to drive to. But, why was I commuting in the first place? We did some major remodeling that we couldn't do while Savannah was still alive. Though we still miss her, she would have been the first to want us to reconfigure our house to accommodate our needs instead of hers.
I continued to try new things, and say "yes" to opportunities that came my way:
1. I negotiated with my employer to go to 75%. Starting January 1, I will be leading a project for the Vice President of Instruction, rather than running an entire division (which was a lot of stress, not to mention work). I plan to use the remaining 25% time to pursue creative passions that fill my soul with happiness. All work and no creativity makes Dave a dull boy, indeed. I believe this change will reinvigorate my spirit.
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| Seven pages of adventure! |
2. I started writing comics again, which felt great! You can see a few on this blog by clicking on the "sketchbook" link to the right. While moving back into the house after the remodel, I unearthed one of the first comics I'd ever written: an epic, space opera in seven pages of Magic Marker glory, called "Frogs in Space." I estimate I drew it when I was about twelve years old. Ruby got a kick out of it. By the way, those of you my age will be able to date this publication from the Atari game console on the cover.
3. I won the Grand Prize in the Pen 2 Paper writing competition for a chapter of my memoir. As a result I was invited to read the chapter before a packed house at the Alamo Village Theater during a film festival. What a great night.
 |
| Irises blooming for the first time |
5. Andrew and Rachel and her daughter came over for New Year's Eve. Andrew grinned as he handed me a kilt and all the trimmings. He was wearing the whole traditional outfit. He brought one for me because I'd hammed up an outrageous brogue over Halloween beers. He'd said my accent was very "Brave Heart," which is not a complement, I don't think. I told him we should open a food-fusion truck, which are all the rage in Austin: Jorge Mcloud's Haggis Tacos: No Underwear Required. When I emerged from my room in my ancestral costume, he broke out a bottle of single malt. Ruby kept asking, "Please tell me you're not going commando, Dad!"
This Christmas was the first year since 1977 that we had a full moon. The next won't be until 2034. On Christmas, I also noticed that some irises I planted in the front yard (when we first moved into this house 8 years ago) had bloomed for the first time, ever. What a strange ending to a strange year.
A Note on the Winter Solstice: It is the darkest and shortest day of the year. After the winter solstice, days grow longer again. Most religious traditions honor the winter solstice with celebrations. It is typically associated with the rebirth of the sun and the journey toward enlightenment.
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| click to download your very own "Year of the Phoenix" Action Sheet |
#NewYear #ChristmasFullMoon #FullMoon #Kilt #YearOfThePhoenix #WinterSolstice #MagicMarker #comics #writing #life #inspiration #happiness
At least 25% of your soul is secure.
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