“All writers are vain, selfish and lazy, and at the very bottom of their motives there lies a mystery. Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness.” — George Orwell

 

During these last years I have discovered that I collected a lot of quotes and only recently have I sat down with old notebooks that go back in time to what preceded our children Lydia, Casey and Skyler.

I’m mostly talking about quotes from Carol Bly. One quote reads, “Naming what is bad or sad is vital not just for the sake of sturdy opinion but because of a mysterious property of the dynamic called repression. If one can build up the muscle openly to disdain things deserving of disdain one frees up — wonderfully! Gratefully! — The muscle to praise things and to praise people who are worth praising.” This was from the preface of “Letters From the Country” by Carol Bly.

Recently I subscribed to The Sun again; however, after reading the first pieces I wonder if I erred.

I attended my second Tai Chi class recently, something I have missed the past few years. It’s a small group, and that’s okay.

My niece Jana who resides in Cloquet has provided support for my effort to complete “You Beau Coup Dien Cai Dau. She has been and is being helpful. Her help and Betty Benner’s has given the book a chance. We’ll wait and see.

In the meantime I have added a half a pill at night designed, I’m told, to maintain a slightly better way of remembering. I prefer to think that I live, “In the now.” I’m not as concerned about the names I forget.

A physician at the medical center sees it in another light.

I have recently taken an early morning ride to the VA Center in Rochester where I am getting support and regaining confidence.