i demand you experience every manifestation of “funk” — as a verb and noun

[While my sister and brother in law were here, musical expressions of the funk variety were on heavy rotation. At one point, I dreamt the three of us were tasked with kicking a small infant out of Parliament-Funkadelic. The baby, I think, was not keeping up his end in the rhythm section.]

fauxnique dances to "rain song"

I think I have to thank Karl and Kevin for throwing the most wonderful, creative, love-soaked, universe-vibrating wedding that I have ever attended, back in March. I have tried and failed to put into words what a magical experience it was (you can see a paltry selection of pictures here).

I do believe that experienced unjammed a few windows in my soul, kicking off a really lovely spring full of change and growth and renewal and commitment.

WUV OO

The above-mentioned sister and brother-in-law came to see me last week and it was a solid week of laughs and beauty and fun and togetherness. Words are failing me again, and again, I’m awash in gratitude for the people that have been helping me in the big Soul Spring Airing Out.

scorpion anchorage

By the way, don’t let us tiresome locals to try to talk you out of a visit to the Channel Islands. In true townie fashion, I had not taken a boat trip out there for at least 25 years, and oh what I was missing. Santa Cruz Island was stunning. And, on the way out there: we saw a humpback whale and her little baby whale, cavorting in the waves. I won’t forget the collective happy moan made by all the humans after Mom directed her gigantic tail right at us, and splashed it down. [photos but not of the whales here]

Then, during that week of loveliness, my job situation changed. There’s no more part-time schizophrenia: my nonprofit here in town is able to hire me at full time, and soon. No more 5am wakeups for that bus. No more physics department — which makes me sad, but I’d much rather have the bittersweet feeling after leaving a job that I like than escaping one I don’t. And it was nice to pop the bubbly with family, for once. And nice to have them hold my hair later, too.

And I got a tax refund. And I bought a digital SLR camera. And I’m going to the International Improv Festival in Seattle in June. And! And! And!

me in a hole

So, yeah, things are pretty good right now. I wanna testify: I can feel the ice melting!

9 Comments

  1. regina on May 2, 2009 at 3:40 pm

    Thank you for sharing your hope and excitement… I’m smiling and feeling giddy just reading of your recent blessings!! I am beyond excited for you. xoxo



  2. t_love_pdx on May 2, 2009 at 4:39 pm

    so much good news, i can’t stand it! congrats on the whale, the camera and of course the job!! and you’ll be in seattle in june? ack we should try to connect! i’m insane with work events for june, but maybe, just maybe…



  3. Krissie Cook on May 2, 2009 at 5:04 pm

    Congrats on the “new” job! That is really good news. Especially good if it means you’re not running around like a mad woman getting a certain lecture organized…
    Also, Santa Cruz Island is amazing. Back when I worked at a non-profit full-time, I got to go out at least once a year as part of my job. I miss it now that I’m 2000 miles away; the Bahamas are nice, I guess, but who can match the desolation and wilderness of the Channel Islands? (Don’t mind my partial sarcasm. And it’s really only partial. I love Santa Cruz.)



  4. hambox on May 2, 2009 at 9:44 pm

    Thanks all. I’m glad I can unload my BOOs and occasional YAYs on you. Regina, can’t wait to get together with you before I leave campus.. Miz Maritoni it would be incredible to see you in Seattle, let me know (at least we have August!) .. Krissie, I’m in the middle of that lecture planning! I stayed specially to see it through, can you believe it? And hey, if I can’t have the Bahamas, I’m pretty content with the CI.



  5. cardiogirl on May 3, 2009 at 6:40 am

    I love that the baby was kicked out for not keeping up with the funkalicious beat. There are no exceptions where funk is concerned.

    Also, congrats on the new job, the big tax return and the new camera. I expect to see some photos appear more often on the blog. Hey! There’s a challenge. Find a scene around your town once or twice a week, photograph it and write a post based on the photo.

    I cannot deliver in terms of doing the same on my blog, but I think you can. On your mark, get set …



  6. Tamar on May 3, 2009 at 8:27 am

    Yay for the full-time job in town! Though I await the completion of the physics quilt.



  7. hambox on May 3, 2009 at 5:16 pm

    I rise to that challenge, C-girl! Perhaps I can get some other flickr-friends interested, hmmmm? And Yes, Tamtam, that quilt WILL be done. The laws of physics say so. xoxo



  8. cloudy on May 4, 2009 at 9:26 am

    No more 5am wake up for the bus is celebration enough.



  9. moyalynne on May 5, 2009 at 7:17 pm

    (hard as it is to hear that there are OTHER people’s weddings you attend –) i’m so happy for you. I love that you are out on the water making peace with the fishymammals and basking in love that you TOTALLY got coming to you. Let the Solar Year Party Begin!. May the Sixth be with you!