Words and Wealth

This week’s A Sense of Place post is up.  It’s a refrain of an older post I wrote seven or eight months ago here, regarding the particular meaning of the spaces in-between, as well as a certain sense of the world I am most aware of while traveling.

I have felt spirits and presences when I did not expect them, more so (I admit) than when I was prepared to meet them.  In ritual I’ve found myself waiting to no avail, and just as my patience has ended I am made to know what I almost missed.  Like leaving a place quickly and forgetting one’s keys or notebook, I’ve lacked the presence of mind to notice what I’ve forgotten to notice.  Like searching frantic minutes for a train ticket as the conductor comes through, then finding it just as he began to register my fine, I’ve found myself fumbling for something that is right before me.

Speaking of traveling, it’s been eleven days since I left my dear family’s home in Florida.  I’m currently in Portland after having spent 6 days in Seattle.  Those days were rather fantastic, desperately needed after so long in self-imposed exile from the throbbing life of the urban.  I got to see FAUN, meet several people I’d wanted to meet : Michael Strojan and his lovely partner, as well as Tony Rella and I all shared libations in the gravel pit of a leather bar, I got to briefly meet T. Thorn Coyle, and I got served an excellent stew over fascinating conversation with Niki Whiting.  I sadly missed PSVL due to snow, and really could have spent many more hours with everyone.  Still, excellent trip thus far.

On Satyrday, I finally arrive at my destination: Eugene.   From there?  Who knows.  The same stuff as now–writing, dreaming, drinking too much tea, meeting people.  All those things which mean life.

And on the matter of writing: I’ve already finished a rough draft of the introduction to the book on Capitalism, as well as drawing up a general outline.  Over the next two weeks I hope to have a thorough outline of each chapter and a good idea of how much time each will take.  I’m hoping to have it ready by mid-summer, an easily-achievable goal seeing as I’m sort of addicted to writing anyhow.

The response to the project has already been quite overwhelming, and I apologize if you’re one of the folks who has already emailed me about contributing or helping otherwise and you haven’t heard back from me yet.  I hope to reply to you soon.  In addition, in two weeks I hope to have enough ready to put out an official call for contributions, 400-1000 word essays from various traditions regarding the matter.  Expect more soon on this.

And finally, I feel I ought to publicly acknowledge that I’ve some of the greatest friends ever, particularly amongst my co-religionists.  The support, kindness, encouragement and inspiration you folks give me is something I could not possibly have ever expected.  One of the questions in a series regarding devotion to the gods asks what wealth your deities has brought into your life.

I’ve never been much for money.  Rather, I measure wealth in flesh and blood, in friendship and kindness, and as such I’m a very, very rich man.