One movement of the clock hand doesn't change who you are.

Then again, clock hands can give you something to think about.  A reason to reflect.

But when have I ever needed a reason to do that?

Even so, they say on that certificate of paper that I began living thirty years ago.  But here's the thing: at 11:41 pm.  Tomorrow.

So I really still have one more day of my 20's.  What should I do to celebrate my youth?  I think that first I'm going to eat breakfast like I always do, and then I'm going to travel through a city lived by people from around the world.  Then I'm going to lead a group of people from around the world in a discussion about travel.  After that I'm going to teach different people in a class about the art of storytelling.  When I am free from work, I'm going to go on a road trip somewhere beautiful, and with some friends.  I will listen to magic music and ponder the poetry of our story as I go.

That is the story of my 20's.

I've got one more "20's" day.

I can enjoy walking in the rain

Water kisses the trees

A light shines in you

I enjoy this view

I hope you do too

wherever you are

with the green and the blue

Eat, Enjoy, Energize

This is great!

I am working more than I have since harvest 2012.  43 hours in five days.  I know many people work much more than that.  I am not competing.  I am happy to be able to work and do something I enjoy for now, and keep going toward what I really love.

I celebrated at a Phish concert with a friend tonight.  I had never seen Phish in New York City before.  I usually think of the country when I think of them.  They played "Golden Age," which was the true meaning of the word awesome.  I know people say that word very often, but I am happy to say it anyway.  How else could I feel?  The entire New York City skyline was behind the stage.

Today I had a new class that meets once every seven days.  We are given a topic to discuss, without a textbook.

Luckily, the topic was "food."

I hadn't had time to prepare, but just like all of my favorite improvising musicians, I go with what feels right based on what I know, and do my best to help those in the class to express what they want to say.

Everyone has their own taste, but we all love food.

World: I'll keep it coming if you do.

Go Forth, Jewel Eyes

The journey of independence from coast to coast and back began at Seneca Lake in June 2012.

Thanks to my friends and my willingness to go along for the ride, I returned for Independence Day in July of 2014.

Thank you, moon!

A Comeback

I'm having a great evening.

I was having a dream that I didn't like when I woke up this morning.

This morning was very hot, but that's normal.  What wasn't normal was going to the shower and finding that they had shut the hot water off.  Then again, that happened yesterday morning without warning too, so maybe it will become normal.

Luckily, the cold shower woke me up more and cooled my core so that I could endure what the day had in store.

Then the internet didn't work.  The internet always works.  So that's how it was going to be.

The iPod worked though.  So did my 600 song "Wordless Music" playlist, which I had fallen asleep to on "random," and which happened to be on Errol Garner.

I went to the subway and got on the train, and it wasn't that crowded, and I even got a seat!  But the air conditioning wasn't on, which isn't normal.  That happens, but it's not fun to go through, especially when you are in your work clothes and going to be in front of classes of students for six hours in a row.

Right as I decided I would like a drink of refreshing water, I realized that I had forgotten my water bottle at home.

I didn't get angry (if you don't count the shower part).  I just wiped the sweat from my brow just like everyone else and knew that the morning rush would pass.

As soon as I got to work, the day went well.  I was early, so I had time to relax and prepare.  The first lesson was a temporary private lesson that began today and will continue for a few days.  The student is very advanced and has all sorts of graduate education that makes me wonder why I'm the one teaching him.

Then I had a private lesson with two more students who will also leave the city in a couple days.  I laughed as I told them about my morning, and they laughed and told me that the day would get better.

The third lesson is the main lesson of the day, which began this week and will supposedly continue for the next eight weeks.  The class is three hours a day, intermediate level students, about half of whom are from Japan, which is always fun.  We're discussing advertising this week, and making up "attention grabbers" for ads.  Tomorrow we will create products and advertisements for them.

Once the day was complete I got to go home for a few hours.  Fortunately the new schedule has a 30 minute break for lunch during the third lesson, so I'm more energetic at the end of the day.  Although it's far from the end of the day at 4 pm.  Three days a week I have a private lesson on the Upper West Side beginning at 6:45, and then I have the same advanced group I've had four days a week for the past five weeks, from 8-10.  I enjoy the students, I am earning my stay in this city, and I'm able to be healthy and write.

When I walked up from the underground following a long day of work, I felt and saw the forces blowing through the trees, swirling everywhere around everybody.  I removed my headphones, walked a little out of the way to a pathway where I was sheltered by a canopy and could see the leaves above me, and enjoyed something that's not only free, but also one of the greatest gifts from the cosmic sea: the sound of life's winds in the trees.