Baruch's Blog

I'm having a blast in Montana. It's real winter, which is beautiful (and Lasky is loving it!) and the Bitterroot Valley is one of my favorite places.

I put out a fundraising appeal earlier this week, and some folks have responded (thank you!!). I went through an interesting process sending out this appeal. I asked myself a lot of questions like, why should anyone give me money? Why don't I go out and just get a job? Am I entitled so being supported by others? It's a weird, somewhat uncomfortable position to be asking for support, and I wanted to really look at what I am doing. The answers I came up with, to those questions, are...no one SHOULD give me money, no one owes me anything. If it feels right to someone to gift me, then I accept that gift because it allows me to do my work (see below). If I go out and get a job, it would take away from the work I am doing, which feels valuable and important. I am no more or less entitled to support than anyone else. I am fortunate to know people who see value in what I do in the world, and who care to help me do it. I've said it before and I'll say it again; I am so fortunate to know the amazing people I know.

The work right now consists of putting together curriculum for the various classes I am preparing to offer in Europe and Israel, as well as the online course. It is a wonderful gift to have the time and place to sleep, eat, be warm and dry, to sense and think my way through creating these classes so that they can be valuable for others.

The work is progressing nicely. I just sent a bio and class descriptions to Israel. The online class materials are coming together. I'm getting excited for this next teaching tour to get underway.

Here's a song for you from Billy Bragg called The World Turned Upside Down.