Abstinence

 I want to inform the few viewers who still grip onto the little remaining existence of this blog that I will be back. Life, as it often times seems to do, has thrown some unexpected bumps, turns, spirals, elliptical patterns, and any other circular formation that does not continue in a straight path my way. The laws of inertia are tricky. Life is tricky, but I will endure. I will return. A quick synopsis. Life is great, but the devil of all challenges in providing a log shelter for us. We are grateful, but confused why karma seems to want to keep us in our cold, metal building of compartmentalization. Why must karma be so confusing? I will take it as a personal hint to change my manners and way of life, well kind of. My brevity will soon end and I will return to a deep conversation about our life, reflections, and daily activities (if you so choose to care). Anyway, stay warm. Stay close. This is a promise. I will soon provide your life again with meaningless insight into my everyday life. Our everyday life. Did I mention I still love my family?

Mayan Peace Labyrinth

It all began when I was aimlessly wandering the halls of my school trying to find a printer that would actually ink my documents, when I ran into one of the most mystical men on this Earth. He had an almighty aura that inadvertently commanded respect and attention. His traditional dress defined his artistry. His name was Ahcto, and he was a Mayan Shaman. He had visited the Taos Pueblo earlier that day and they informed Ahcto that he should visit our school. I was captivated by his presence and could feel his importance without a spoken word. Later that evening, I was told he would be building a Mayan labyrinth and holding a peace gathering. When we first entered the room, everyone was frantically filling bags with the soil from the Earth in order to fill the labyrinth with brilliant luminaries. One by one, everyone who attended the gathering assembled the labyrinth with Ahcto's guidance. We, the people, created the space for peace. When the ceremony began, Ahcto explained the meaning behind the labyrinth and called out for groups of people to perform within the seven different circles of the labyrinth. While those in the circles sang, played drums and flutes, meditated, performed dance and yoga, and others just illustrated their happiness; the rest of us walked through the labyrinth dancing and singing to the music created by those within the circles. As the moments went on, the music grew louder and more passionate. We began to feel united with everyone else in the room. We were all there for no other reason than just to be happy and to be peaceful. The luminaries were most definitely a symbol of the purity in the room.

Cornhole Tournament

Remember that cornhole tournament I told you about? You know, the same tournament that I carried my team to the semi-finals, while Drew's team drowned in the abandonment and disillusionment of his middle-aged partner? Here are some photos taken by one of the contenders that capture the event in all of its glory.

Shawna and I. Strategizing.

Swish. No Biggidy.

Nothing like embracing with your "enemy". You know what they say, keep your teammates close, but your competitors even closer.

 

Ned, focused for the win.

Shawna and Ned reign supreme. They shall forever remember the day they were victorious at cornhole. It is no small feat. Believe you me.

Enchanted Forest

Lancelot has come all of the way from Camelot to throw a large stick and win the championship for the sake of his village people.

And he has brought along his trusty companion, Justinian.

And then there is Theodocious. The "special" one.

Justinian could not refrain from also competing in the village wide hurdle jumping contest.

She prevailed.

Hook' em Homeless

In lieu of some minor details, which I will explain further on in this post Drew and I had one of the best weekends. The fact that I had a four day weekend might have played into this a bit, but the Natives needed to celebrate their traditional doings and I, selfishly, benefited from their feast days. And, to my further benefit was able to attend the Pueblo Feast Days and see the rich culture that a large majority of my students have grown within. There were traditional dances, great indigenous foods, and beautiful pottery on display, and of course that I bought. Every family leaves their door open and spends days preparing a feast for you to enjoy at your own will. They were so welcoming.
Then Drew, myself, and some of my fellow teachers celebrated the Horns game by attending a corn hole tournament. My partner was rumored to be awesome and I ended up carrying our team to the semi-finals, who would have thought? Drew, the much more versed corn-holer, was paired up with Amy, the middle-aged, non-competitive, but fun, woman. Needless to say, they were booted out pretty quickly. We made a lot of new friends and grew closer to my fellow teachers and their prospective love partners. It was a blast. After a few too many swigs of beverage, we headed to hear my student play some music at a local sports bar. It was a great weekend, which was much needed, considering the next few days of obscurity were a lot to handle.
Today ends our four day binge of homelessness. Despite the negative connotations, the disorganization, and the lack of having any sort of safe haven, we survived and thrived through a great weekend. That was until last night when I needed, we needed, to be tip top dressed and refreshed for school and work and ended up in our car, because the propane detector in the trailer was going off due to a low battery. Whew. I am at school now and feeling the pain of automobile bumming. The great thing about it is, the first sip of scotch and the first hints of sunset will erase all recollections of pain and misery. We move to our new trailer park today and we look forward to 360 views of the mountains. We also just look forward to having a home, again. Who knew nomadic life would have such challenges?

Denver, Colorado

Well, Drew has been in Denver for two weeks, you know, just hustling. Needless to say, I've missed him greatly, especially after my backpacking trip. So, I decided to take a road trip to the good old state of Colorado so I could be with him. And, as I will later realize...enjoy some amazing cuisine. I should also be more specific. By cuisine, I do in fact mean food and drink. We went to an unbelievable sushi restaurant on Pearl St. in Eaglewood, CO that took our taste buds on such an extraordinary ride. We then found ourselves in downtown Denver, where we enjoyed an unthinkable reggae-jazz band that delivered a completely new rhythm to my memory. It was that night that we met Steve. One of Denver's top food critics. He was such an interesting and kind foodie. He told us of all of Denver's top restaurants for, well, people like us. We, in exchange, made some serious recommendations for our top Taos favorites and Steve now plans to come visit so we can show him the ropes of the real Southwest. I am just kidding. Steve, if you read this, no offense. And, moving on, if you find yourself in the Denver area the top spots for us as well as the top recommendations from Steve were: Sushi Den, Jax Fish House, Breakfast on Broadway, Marco's Coal Fired Pizza, Fruition, and the waitresses at Chinook are worth the drink. Drew, come home.

Tres Piedras, NM

I am now the 9th grade math and 12th grade physics teacher at Vista Grande Charter. Wait a minute. Me? Educating the youth? Yes, yes I am aware of the irony. Nonetheless, it has been an amazing adventure so far and I do not expect it to change direction anytime soon. However, working for a living has resurfaced the excitement for the weekend. So, in the spirit of friday Drew and I have started a tradition. At 2:35 on the dot, when my school lets out, we head on down to Tres Piedras for climbing, drink, and an unbelievable picnic. Tres Piedras is a nice little climbing spot used most frequently by the crazy, traditional people who decide it is better to place their own gear in small cracks and "chaussy" rock than to use more reliable metal bolts. But, Tres Piedras does offer a nice boulder full of challenging problems. And in the spirit of labor day, cheers Tres Piedras! 

Why hello Bela, how is that pho treating you?