The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining

~ John F Kennedy 

Aho…Another Bright & Beautiful Day here in the land afar (Cleveland) hahahaha

Marshmallow snow sparkles in the glorious sunlight bringing Joy & Perseverance

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.  ~Meister Eckhart

         Thank You All!

~~~ I simply love Holidays…Celebrations…Feasting…~~~

SING YOUR HEART OPEN
with
William Hannibal Means
February 14-15th, 2009
10:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Malibu, California
Suggested Tuition: $375

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Ralph Shapira has generously offered to host the workshop up at his place in Malibu. We’ll be meeting from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday of President’s day weekend. Ralph tells me that he can provide indoor sleeping bag accommodations, outdoor camping, and a couple of bedrooms for those who wish to stay overnight. We’re still working over ideas for meals, so please feel free to bring something pot-luck style, as we’ll likely be sharing lunch and dinner together on Saturday, and perhaps all three meals on Sunday.

Please RSVP to me at this email address (jdwheeler75@yahoo.com) or phone me at 650/804-8717 to reserve your space and to get directions if you’d like to attend.

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About Hannibal:

December, 1947: My Dad's first Christmas home after the war. The doorbell rings, the delivery is a four-foot crate, heavy and awkward for him to manage. He lost nearly 100 pounds in the war; at 6' 2" he returned at 118- but he returned. Still gaining weight under my mothers' determined assault of pies, gravies and big steaks, he calls his 14 year old son to help him wrestle it under the tree. It's for my mother, pregnant with me.

I'll say, boastfully, that I'm a good friend. I revel in both the small attentions and grand gestures, the planned and sponaneous meetings, the bond of shared experience. Lately I've noticed several friends are available if I call. They say "What a great idea!"; we get together, and that's that until the next time I think of them.

So, this is my resignation letter, not that the women in mind read this blog. I don't need regular, perfect symmetry and can enjoy the years-go-by-then-we-connect kind of friendship. I'm either going to ask for what I would like, without blame, or in a few cases, see how the current flows. I don't want friendship to carry obligation; I'd like several of mine to have more mutuality.

Jane Cooper, a contemporary of Grace Paley's, died yesterday, and the NYT obituary included her poem "Rent". Thought you might enjoy it too.

Rent

I never saw Working Girl, so it never clouded my vision about this song.

Let the river run

Let all the dreamers wake the nations.

Come, the New Jerusalem......