Long remiss and foggy bliss

Notes of the present

Promises of the future, unborn.

Hello. Je suis venu pour te ‘dire que je m’en vais.

Maybe that’s right.

Today is my last day at Harborview as a Chaplain. I turn in my badge and pager in a couple of hours. It’s my last day on the West coast. I get on the plane to NYC in a couple of hours.

I’m going to a book launch party in NYC, the world Social Forum in Brazil (1/19-2/8), a conference on creativity and climate change in Mexico (2/8-3/2), and to my teachers, friends, and 1 billion brown lovers in India (march – august).

In India I expect to be meditating with Mukeshbhai, studying compassion (not out of books) with Jayeshbhai, playing music with Malavika and Denali, walking in the Himalayas (from Uttar Kashi to Gomuk), visiting the Futane farm in Maharastra (read: Mangos), and helping out with the Inspire 2008 trip.

I’ll be headed back to America in early September, towards the end of starting a residency here in Seattle, which would complete my formal education as a Chaplain.

There’s a lot of contigencies involved here, from continued sunlight to oil production to whether they want me for the job. But as always, we walk with faith day by day (at Matt says on “Spirited”

Also, we just published a book. Sometimes We Walk Alone. Please call 360 683 5398 and request your copy. It’s waiting for you, somehow. Also, if you want to help do some marketing (take it to your local bookstore) I’m super into that. I saw “we published” because I received more than the 5000 dollars from 50 investors that i asked for, and have, to date, distributed 457 books to investors, and another 100 besides. So, that’s good.

I intend:

1. to be sending culinary tips and nonsense regularly (weekly, biweekly?) to this list. be warned. god knows if it will actually happen, but i’m looking for ways to use the strings of marketing to help me be more consistent in contact with the rest of humanity.

2. to be settling and translating more reflections and stories from my time as a chaplain. there’s been so much, and i think some of it is really worth distilling and sharing.

3. to practice mindful and short email correspondence while i’m away. dear friend Microcosm suggested TELEGRAM as a form of correspondence that abridges verbiage without abridging love. so if i write to you in TELEGRAM know that i love you and do not be dismayed.

That’s all for now. Love always.

Ankur

15 jan 2009