Home of the Wanderer

I’m originally from a small farm in the mountains of Vermont – in Addison County, between Bristol and Warren, to be precise – where we raised sheep and chickens, grew hay, and boiled the sap of maple trees into thick sweet syrup. By the time I was nine, my parents had tired of losing money on the farm, so we moved to the “big city” of Burlington, and my father went off to grad school in NYC for a degree in business administration.

My roots go deeper, though, and my branches are spreading farther. Some of the ashes of my mother’s father rest with her maternal grandparents in southern Vermont, where the latter had a farm that still remains in the family. I go back, each year, to visit the land, do my part to help maintain the place, and connect with other family members who also gather there. I still love the closeness of the mountains of my home, and sometimes miss the brilliant gorgeous snow or vibrant colors of fall. I’ve come to love the blues and greens of Portland, though, and am able to see more of those colors now than I used to. I’ve fallen in love with my new home, and consider myself not only a Vermonter, but an Oregonian as well.

I just spent a day adding books to my account over on goodreads.com. At over 450 books, it’s a fair stack. And yet, I probably have another thousand to add, at least, just from books that I own.

But at least I’ve finally got a good way to answer those “favorite books” questions on online dating sites.

One of the things that I noticed, looking through my list, (more…)

When I was sexually assaulted in 1998, it took me two and a half years to tell more than two people.

I just read the email below, and I’m uncomfortable because I want people to consider seriously any claim that a person has been subjected to sexual violence.

If you’re willing, the next time someone lets you know that he or she has been on the receiving end of sexual violence, please tell that person that he or she is not alone, say something like, “I trust you’ll tell me if I can do anything to help,” and then be quiet and listen.

Thanks.
– (more…)

I started studying Taekwon-Do in 1990, T’ai-Chi in 1996, Aikido in 2000. I took Judo for about two years, from ages 8 to 10. I got started in Taekwon-Do partly because I had a friend who was getting his blackbelt, and I thought that seemed like a neat idea - that, and my older brother was doing it. (more…)

A little at a time.

A memory comes to mind, of standing in my father’s office doorway, looking in, and watching him work. He sat there at his desk, framed by the window beyond. I could only see the sky, and sunlight pouring in, but he probably could see the barn, the garden, the pond, and the hayfields. (more…)

Walking helps me integrate my thoughts and emotions in my body, and sitting with nature helps me ground myself. Is it also simple to gather with friends and sing? I like to do that. I wonder – what is simplicity? What is pleasure? (more…)

My extended family is of moderate size – my mom has three siblings, all married, and through them I have five cousins; my mother’s mother is still living, as are four or five of my blood-related great-aunts and great-uncles on that side (as well as their spouses), and through them I have probably another dozen cousins, most of whom I rarely see.  My father has four brothers, and through them I have three cousins; both of his parents have died in the past six years, and I think their siblings have passed on as well.  I’m not as aware of most of my distant cousins on that side of my family, though I may have an opportunity to meet more of them soon.  When I spend holidays with my family, (more…)

I’ve wondered about this question - what sort of risks and explorations count as adventures? While I enjoy exploring the outdoors, I’m careful when doing so to follow standard safety precautions. I’m unlikely ever to wander off into the woods without so much as a compass. The archaic form of the word has connotations of financial risk, but (more…)

If my life is successful in all the ways I hope, “Democracy and Diplomacy in the 21st Century” is a documentary, featuring interviews with world leaders, my close friends, and members of my family, including my brothers, my wife, my children, nieces, nephews, and several grandchildren. (Most of those are as-yet unidentified and/or unconceived.) Its makers will have sifted through old love-letters, course notes, and journals to reconstruct my early life, (more…)

I believe that government derives its legitimacy from the consent of the governed; that the best policies are those that most help the least well-off; and that by thinking together, members of a community can gather their collective wisdom to discover good ways to manage their common assets. I believe (more…)