Longshot.

Where faith finds you...

If I had a calling card, an image that most represents who, and I suppose "what" I am...

This is that image.

The photo is by Ron Ulrich, a talent artisan in his own right.

I am always telling him this: that he is gifted, I mean really super, amazingly gifted.

Not because of anything like looks, although yes, he's got that as well.

I wonder at his brilliance and the way at times, he's able to capture things that most people probably miss.

I am grateful that he got this shot. I didn't even know he'd taken it.

We'd parked up along I-25, overlooking Santa Fe.

All this admiration is what it is...hard to fit into any sort of sense other than acknowledgement and respect.

Ironic, cuz I can piss this boy off like no one on the planet.

I have this gift with others as well. They just get this look in their eyes, which are already rolling to the back of their heads. Always trying to cram me into some sort of form that I just can't fit into easily.

Creativity meets creativity. Oil and water. Liquid and liquid. Not easily molded. Not easily contained. Capable of erosion, and destruction.

Capable of quenching thirst. Capable of lubrication. Capable of reflection.

I realize this is a bit random, but I am thinking over many of the things I exprienced over these last few days. Especially NYC, which I'd never experienced without 18 wheels under me to make things one hell of a beautiful mess.

Anatasia my host kept telling me to quit smiling.

Said I looked like a tourist.

No one makes eye contact. Unless they want something.

The pan handlers are aggressive-just like in the south central market in LA. I didn't care, and I know I am hopelessly naive and trusting. Easily rolled.

But as I saw all this humanity, refusing to look at one another but looking at one another just the same, I could not help but grin and smile.

I made us miss the subway train once because I needed to listen to the musical performers.

They were good.

Again, more rolling eyes. But, actually my New Jersey girl smiled as well. I think she gets that I am hopeless. Which is a starting point when you come to think about it.

Mission accomplished.

Yesterday I was in New Jersey. Today I am in Jetlag.

It's snowing here, and I am getting ready to hit the road for work. Back to the 75 miles of ice and snow and where did my clean underwear go?

This morning, as I woke up and lay in bed watching the sky, the flurries, I felt that sense of purity and cleanliness that I always feel during that initial burst of white. Still the silence was deafening...

It's not just a cliche in this case. There are no birds riverside. No coyotes on the move. No wolves on the peak crest calling out, birthing echo.

Just that deafening nothingness.

Our first snowfall, with measurable accumulation came Oct. 28.

My next journey, is already afoot in my mind. I'll try to keep you posted.
We didn't have a single guess for October, so that hat goes back in the pot. I'll try to think of something...

Until then, embrace hopelessness.

:)