Shared this on another group already, but the question fit so well a repeat is in order:

Last night I had over a gathering of true friends. Looking about the room I realized that the handful of folk gathered for dinner, were those who I’d let go to the bookshelves and take home about anything. They were the few select that, after the meal, could sit around without TV, video games, or even movie and actually converse. The type of friends, that could talk and share their thoughts about literature, music, and life with equal ease and enjoyment; a small handful of friends that make life so much more interesting.

Some had returned books and movies. Some left with books and movies (and food). Some came with gifts of books and left with the same (Christmas in February). One of the girls read one of the shorts I’d written; comments were made and laughter ensued. All ‘round it was a relaxed evening with people who enjoy literature, with people I truly love.

Serving up desert and coffee, more names were passed, books suggested, stories and music discussed. By the time we’d gotten to bemoan the decline of certain author’s we were full as ticks. Relaxed in the living room we sat around watching one of my friend’s one-year-old eat one of his baby books.

Some may think this simply dinner and desert, but for me, it was pure magic.

cruised Death Valley, climbed the sand dunes, got lost in the milky way when it was dark, was in awe of the the vastness, let my mind become empty with the canyons. all that with heat rash as a souvenir!

I explored some military ruins along the Oregon coast with a co-worker/friend.

Photos here: www.flickr.com/photos/koa...4543617849/

Spent an entire day hanging out in the desert with some
friends who had kids (like we do) and watching our kids
recreate a mini Lord of the Flies in the surrounding sand
dunes. It was really fun...

Sunday night - attended a drum and dance meditation with dh and friends. It was completely in the moment, improvisational, everyone adding layers of melody, harmony, rhythm, singing, chanting, movement. It was amazing.

friday night dinner in Turin, Saturday dinner in Brussels.

*burp*

that was good stuff.

Well, I sat here and went through my collection of computer magazines and transcribed a lot of information onto a Zip disk. I've been wanting to do that for ages. By category and in order by dates. Ate a complete large 6 topping pizza and injested a 12-pack but didn't realize i'd done that until I finished at 5:30 am Saturday morn. Felt good about it and made a resolution to do the same for each magazine as I get them. If it piles up, you're behind already.
Saturday evening I spend some time with the Imp and the Pixie. Imp being Seth - 6 and a handfull with ADD, Pixie is his little sister Taylor. They are survivers of a bipolar mother and crack-head father. I ain't much but I'm a man in their life and sometimes I do good. The Pixie flirts with me unashamed. They were given an old computer for a game machine. Hot Wheels Stunt Track and the like for him and something like Dora the Explorer for her and various non-violent things for him and educational things for a Head-Start kid like her, y'know?Well, the power supply went belly up. $47.95 later plus 1/2 hour running time the hard drive did the same. Not a big deal, just inconvient. Hell, a dinky lil' 10 MB H-D would suit, but then you gots to have an OS. .WinXP Home. there's recovery disks so I save $99. I'm going to upgrade the memory while I'm at it. What the hell? I got my tax refund. This will only cost me like $150 -200. Oh Yeah! I forgot that Becky has here games too, also. She's the aunt/sister. Aunt be birth; sister because Becky's mom adopted Seth and Taylor. A squeeze of mine I've know since she was 8 and I was 12.
I can ramble on.
I can smell the Spring coming.

The best thing I did this weekend was hug a couple of children that needed a hug. Not just with my arms, with my heart.

I went to San Diego and ate fantastic Mexican food and enjoyed the warm sunshine.