Ode to a force of nature

It's Miss Tracey's birthday today. We met in 10th grade and have been the closest of friends since. She is the most amazing friend that you could ask for - always giving of her time and thoughts, being there when it's really needed, continuing to inspire me day in and day out with what she does, how she does it, and her interminable drive to make a difference and constantly connect with others. I feel washed over by the good energy of this world that we've been close for all of these years. Can you tell I adore her?

Go on and check out her stuff. She is a professional photographer and an author of two baby journals that are perfect for a mother to be and for keeping all the important memories of a baby's first year of life. I've been talking to her about blogging for a while and she finally took me up on it. In a short three months later she's got her personal blog: Mother May I , is a writer for Minti where she's a natural star, her groupies hang out for her photo tips and contests at Picture This, and she gets creative on her own photo blog.

See what I mean when I say amazing? Let me just add prolific as well, ok?! But aside from all of this, and so important to me, is that she is a fantastic friend. Wise, loving, silly, open, ever-changing, strong, supportive, vulnerable, and aware.

Trace, happiest of birthdays to you, you force of nature. May this year be full of wonder, love, health, satisfying challenges, and a bit of personal quiet time every now and then. I only wish we lived closer so we could go out for lattes and share more of our everyday worlds.

Yay team sports

You can see my article in the Vail Daily today about our Ultimate Frisbee team.

Edited by the sports editor, he took liberties and used the word 'heck' which makes me cringe. Still, it's fun to see your words in the paper.

Peace.

To testify to love

You know I'm a fan of "Deadwood." The great thing about this series for me is learning about David Milch's creative process and what drives him. Often actors show up on set and don't have their lines. Often the next pages come from what the performances inspired the day before. It seems to be a constant mystery to everyone, including Milch, how the storylines will go. The one thing that doesn't change is the spine of the message: Although there is violence and greed in this lawless town, people are driven to build community and it is a place where, along with all the difficulties, love is created as well.

Or something like that. I'm sure someone can say it better, and has.

Here's what David Milch has to say about what drives him to create this:
"I'm a big admirer of our country. And I admire it so much that I love to chronicle it's shortcomings, it's disasters, it's unfairnesses and it's aberrations. Because I think that's the way you testify to love. I want to glorify America and my idea of how to glorify it is to show it whole, as best I can. I believe that it withstands that scrutiny. So I look at it hard, and that's a joy."

Isn't that beautiful? It's similar to how John Cassavetes glorifies love. I get these people, they speak to me. To see something or someone whole and love nonetheless; love can withstand the scrutiny. Love's fundamental aspect. Gorgeous and heartbreaking, the breath of life.

Love the fool

I saved this quote from somewhere - most likely my brilliant friend Tracey shared it with me. It is right on the money of how I feel today. We could all use some of this wisdom, don'tcha think?

"I must learn to love the fool in me - the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries."
- Theodore Isaac Rubin

Have a lovely day.