Haiti

I'm gearing up for my trip to Haiti and feeling some trepidation. I'm not sure if it's just in the getting ready or something more. I know it will be an intense, important journey and don't really know what to expect. But that's ok. All I know is that I will be with a wonderful group of people and we will do a small part in helping out people who's lives have been so devastated. I wonder what they will be like? I wonder who I'll meet along the way. I wonder what it will taste like and smell like? I wonder how my life will change after this trip.... 


We had a benefit last week at the Cruising Club and it was fantastic. Lots of people came out to support us, we had a fun silent auction, good food and amazing music. The full moon rose up over the water and added a nice vibe to the evening. 

This Sunday we will be doing another event called Eat Pray Love and Yoga. It's at a private villa that has been donated and will have live Haitian music, 2 hours of yoga, wine, food and new friends. It should be great. 

I've been so busy with these events plus working on the Bali Film Fest and my volunteer work at Bread & Roses, I'm not even sure which way is up half the time. But I'll get it all done, all will be fine and all will roll out exactly the way it's supposed to. 


I have way too many clothing and other items to fit in one bag. Guess I'll have to take two. I want to bring as much as I can to help people there so I'll make it work. 


One week from tonight I will be in the air, on my way to a new land. I'm very excited and honored that I get to have this experience. 


Thank you to the universe and to the path that I'm on. And thank you to all my friends and family who are linking arms and supporting me as I navigate the unknown....


Namaste

Labor Day

I had a very fun labor day weekend that was full of surprises. Some great and some not so great. But that's the way life is and it seems that there are twists and hairpin turns on the road sometimes. It's in the learning what to do with those changes and bumps that's important (for me).

I went to a nice event at the DeYoung Museum with friends on Friday night. Live music, short films, henna tattoos and a special exhibit of Impressionist Paintings from the Musee D'Orsay. I was lucky enough to see these paintings on a trip to Paris a few years ago and they are still breathtaking. 

Saturday I rested up and worked at the Cruising Club at night. It was Girls Night (aka lesbian night) and it was a lot of fun. The ladies were great, all had a good time and most importantly were excellent tippers :)

Sunday was a lazy day spent on a sailboat, behind the main stage of the Sausalito Art Festival. I got to hear one of my favorite bands from the 80's, The Tubes as well as Dave Mason perform. It was a great perspective so nice to be on the water. I have found a new fascination with being on a boat and hope to do it more often. 

On Monday I listened to some excellent blues at the Marin City Blues Festival with many friends. Sugarpie Desanto and Pete Escovedo were the highlights. We all danced, ate good food and enjoyed the sunshine.

Now it's back to work for a short week before my friend Amber comes to town. Better get rested up for that!

September

Wow, here it is September already. 

It's now officially been one year since I packed everything up and have been living out of a suitcase. Last September I put everything in storage and lived for a month at my dear friend Sabrina's before leaving on my travels to Asia. I would have never predicted that a year later I would still be in travel mode, but I have had absolutely no desire to settle down and to get a place of my own. I feel nervous to sign a lease again after the disaster of my last apartment experience.  There is still more I need to do before I settle in somewhere. It looks as if I may be spending several months in Bali and I'm so looking forward to that. I feel like Bali is such a spiritual place and there is definitely something there for me. It so interesting how this opportunity presented itself to me. I had not heard anything about this job or this film festival before the job was offered. It feels very much meant to be.

I am still housesitting in Marin and it's all going well. I have been at a nice quiet place in the Peacock Gap area of San Rafael taking care of a huge yard of plants and trees and one little kitty. It has allowed me to get a lot of work done and to explore this beautiful area that is near the water at Point San Pedro. 

I'm looking forward to the holiday weekend and all that's going on here. I'll go with friends to the Sausalito Art Festival and the Marin City Blues Festival this weekend. Lots of great music and art to be had. 

I've been working at the Sausalito Cruising Club a few times a month and enjoy it there. The people who come there are all of a gypsy spirit like me. It reminds me of my days in Wyoming when there was a lot of oil drilling going on and there were free spirited people coming and going with the tide of the oil search. I have been out sailing a few times with friends I've met at the club and I just love it out on the water. There is a peace there and a calmness with nature, even when it's blowing like crazy and the waves are slapping me in the face. 

I have been working hard on the Bali Film Festival and getting ready for my trip to Haiti. I have a slight uneasiness about the travel to Haiti and hope I can get comfortable with it before I go. I think it's mostly because I haven't focused on it enough yet. But I have so much support from my friends for the trip and I'm sure it will be an amazing experience. 

My life is happy and blessed and I continue to be grateful every day.