Sunny, in the 20's F, snow in the canyons and mountains, none on the valley floor.

It has been my good fortune to have this time to move at my own pace, to work on projects in my fashion which is to have many going at once and gradually work a little on each thing...moving from project to project. The online class Healing Magic is set to start in a little more than a month. The materials are in good shape. It's a joyous opportunity, to put together and offer material that will, hopefully, be transformative as well as informative for the class participants.

I wonder what it would be like to live in a society where we were all encouraged to move at our own pace, to work on projects which inspire us. In my position of privilege as an American I have been able to carve out niches of time and space to live in this way. I know others who do so as well. It seems to me that one either has to have so much resource that one can afford to set one's own pace, or have so little that you are not beholdin' to a job or rent or mortgage. The folks in the middle are certainly being squeezed.

When I meet people who appear to be living less "in the box" they tend to be folks who have chosen to follow a path that is true to something inside of themselves. That takes courage, especially when there is so much encouragement, even demand, for conformism. Courage is interesting. Using my own life as a frame of reference (the best one I have!) I am struck in moments with how I have changed my life in the last few years, and how it could be scary except it isn't for the most part (notable exceptions having to do with physical health). It's pretty exciting.

Then I think about the trip I am about to embark on and go...whoa! What the...?! Can I really do this stuff?? I know I can, and it's exhilarating to keep realizing that.

The snow has mostly melted here in the valley. There is still plenty in the mountains though, and I can see that it is still snowing in the mountains.

It's good to have this time with Lasky. I see her age is catching up with her. She was 15 human years old in December. Now she is a little less strong, and appears to be slightly disoriented occasionally. She's still pretty much herself, but it is like watching her start to run down, knowing that eventually she will stop. She's still a love.

I'm working out my money and infrastructure for getting across the country and to Italy. Things are coming together. It's a process.

My days here are pretty quiet. I'm not doing much media in the way of news.

It's cold and partly cloudy in the Bitterroot Valley tonight. There's some snow from a few days ago and a dusting from last night. It's quiet.

I'm here with critters for the month housesitting for a friend who has gone off on a mission. She's a nurse herbalist street medic who's gone to join The Longest Walk 2 to provide a mobile clinic for marchers and people they encounter along the way needing free health care. I met this person in New Orleans at Common Ground Health Clinic. She's pretty awesome and does a lot of good. As it is she can go on the walk for a month. The walk is 5 months long. My friend needs $500 a week to pay her bills at home since she has to take time off from her work in an ER to do this. Any donations would be extremely helpful and would go directly into providing patient care along the walk from Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay to Washington D.C. Please email me for info on how to donate, or just go to their website, The Longest Walk 2.

There are a lot of projects for me to work on and complete before heading east in a month. I am finishing up the curriculum for my class Healing Magic and for the workshops abroad.

I've been watching the media coverage of the presidential race. I can't help but feel hopeful about Obama. I know it's probably a mistake to do so, but what the heck. I saw Hilary with her makeover, eyebrows plucked, more eye makeup...wow. She looks and sounds exhausted.

EAT ended Saturday. It was really good, exhausting as any 2 week intensive can be, and inspiring as ever. The most difficult part for me has been the nerve pain in my legs, and the occasional moments when my legs give out from under me and I start to go down. So far it's a short enough moment that I recover control of my legs before I hit the ground. May it get no worse!

I'll be sticking around here for the rest of this week and then heading to the Bitterroot Valley in Montana for the month of February, then on to VT, and on to Netherlands and Italy etc.

I haven't jumped back into the media stuff so I have nothing to say about any of the latest shenanigans of our mentally ill government.

Some words about the folks who attended EAT; there were 23 people, mostly women between 20 and 30 years of age. Most of the group was queer identified. The group included amazing musicians, poets, filmmakers, artists, teachers, and more. This was such a low drama group, I would even venture to say no drama. They pitched in and worked their butts off. The class comes to an end with small groups working together on permaculture design projects. This EATs batch of projects was great; realistic, significant, creative. There are so many amazing people out there, and I tend to focus on the younger ones, overflowing with ideas and willingness. Any community would be fortunate to have an EAT grad settle there or come through offering what they have to offer.

Public appreciation to the folks who have been underwriting my work with donations! I don't name names in this blog, but you all know who you are. Thank you for being willing to support my rendition of traveling priest and teacher. I know for some folks the apparent lack of convention in what I'm doing brings up some discomfort. I want you to know that you are supporting the flow of work that comes through me, which is all designed to serve. Helping me to buy gas and food now actually supports the folks in Israel and Europe who will attend my workshops in April. In Israel especially people do not have a lot of money. Flying me in, driving me around, feeding me, and maybe putting some shekels in my pocket when I go, is a lot of financial wrangling for those folks. Helping me to get there makes a difference.

Cash flow continues to be an issue I am focused on. I am looking for $1000 to get across the country at the beginning of March. There continues to be the option to make tax deductible donations. For more info on that email me.

Love and Gratitude, gets me through every day!