Monarch Hotel & Conference Center Clackamas

... with a large cold cup of milk for each of us. That made a lovely bedtime snack. The room was tiny, but cozy and warm. Kermie doesnt take too much extra space and we all slept really well. The next day, I had to be at the Red Lion Jantzen Beach for a Relay For Life training. EJ went to the movies with Emily and Jacob while I was busy. He picked me up that night and we came home.

A slight modification on the first noble truth.

As I prepare for my journey, an important shout out to this virtual world that the perfectionist in me will be letting go. On the path to my true Self I will be letting go of (hopefully) the noise pollution ...

... Thanks to you both for a great evening. Dave slow down mate your are really giving me something to live up to! And I just can't do that Irish dance as well as you! After an early start we drove around the bay to board our flight down to San Francisco. Dave I really do appreciate you getting up at 5.30am to cook us breakfast, just so sorry the tooth was still playing me up and I couldn't indulge, but Julie very much enjoyed hers!

... windmill-gossiper Jeff Bishop (of Rice U. fame, and soon to be starring in the Gay Rodeo circuit) who was in town for a meeting. I biked the very pleasant 20 blocks or so across the river to downtown like a true Portlander, and just to complete the cliché, we walked to a coffeeshop to sit on a street corner and mock the roller blading-in-circles guy and the woman who wanted to sing us a song for some spare change. That ...

... Grandpa Christensen for a brief visit. It was very nice to stop off in Mountain Home, Idaho and see Curt and Carol Ann Vial, high school buddies of mine. It's hard to catch up on so many years with only a few minutes, but we enjoyed the visit Vials! Then a late arrival in Jerome, Idaho where we boon-docked in my Uncle Paul and Debbie's back yard. As new RV ...

... starting to pack my things i was overwhelmed with anxiety. But i think it's a good thing, i look at it like that feeling you get right before you go on a roller coaster. Your constantly second guessing your decision of getting strapped in, but once you up and over that first hill you're having the time of your life. I hope that analogy rings true for my trip.

... into my eyes and mouth and nose. movement by motion, meditations long unpracticed leaving me gasping for air. breathe, breathe. half naked skins drenched in our bodies' purged toxins and salt...cleansing, renewing, becoming....embracing our human abilities. final savasana i close my eyes and my mind stops racing, but wanders to my questions of the future. it will be another week ...

... of times. I had my favourite Chinese Chopped Chicken Salad & Bang Bang Chicken & Shrimp. Love their food!!!


Another day trip took us to Astoria on the coast not far from the Washington border. After dropping Adam & Kristina to the airport we had about 8 days to drive the coast from here to Los Angeles where we were flying out from.

... past. The theme of a well-known road-movie, starring country singer Kris Kristofferson, came to mind: 'Cause we got a little convoy Rockin' through the night. Yeah, we got a little convoy Ain't she a beautiful sight? Come on and join our convoy Ain't nothin' gonna get in our way. We gonna roll this truckin' convoy 'Cross the U-S-A. Enveloped in a cloud of spray, pummelled by a forceful back draught, I ground to a halt again. As the back of a truck receded into the ...

... point my body would have been "ok lazy butt get up now". But after much concentration, I forced myself back to sleep until 8, when I finally gave up and got up. For once, I didn't miss the included until 10 am continental breakfast of an hotel. My first day was pretty much spent in here, boo. I still had some editing to do on my paper, to make sure it was under 20 min. I also needed to fix some images on my PowerPoint. I used my kitchen though :-D But no ...