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favorites life nepal thailand

In Search of Beauty in a Challenging World

I’m currently in Kathmandu, Nepal where I’m making my annual pilgrimage of sorts to Nepal Orphans Home, a charity I serve, where I do my best to be supportive and make my presence worthwhile. It’s always been my happy place here, and in this my sixth year of coming here, it still is. Yet I […]

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england growth home

Coming Home to Self

I’m finally returning. Not home, but to myself. I’m in London where I’ve been, outside of that 3 day jaunt to Belgium, for the past couple of weeks. I had been struggling some lately, some of which you may have read about here as regards a lack of ground (see “Losing Ground“), as well as […]

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on traveling

Losing Ground

I’m writing this from the air, a strange place perhaps to write about “ground,” I know, but as I leave my ground in California heading for other places and lands, I recognize the tenuousness with which we tread on this planet. Most of us take our ground for granted, for the place we live is […]

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life

Good People

I sure appreciate having good people in my life. If nothing else, my epitaph someday could read, “Here lies Ted. Managed to attract really good people into his life.” Good people are a treat to be with. They mean well, lend a hand (or a supportive ear), say kind things, contribute to community, and try […]

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home on traveling

Leaving the Homeland

It’s time for me to leave my home again.  As many of you know, I rent my home out often as a vacation rental and since summer is peak season (folks from the ungodly hot Sacramento Valley love coming over to the coast to chill in the summer), for the past couple of years I’ve […]

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home life

Holiday Rains and Stillness

It’s Christmas eve and I’m having a very lovely and still evening by myself in my home. Earlier in the day I felt some pangs of not wanting to be alone. Funny the effect that Christmas music can have as it lays out all sorts of expectations for what Christmas Day is supposed to look […]

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on traveling poems & stories

The House of Belonging

I’m so glad to be home. I wasn’t fully expecting this, but it’s just so nice being back here. I love this place, this ocean, the stars at night, the silences, the seals, the birds, my friends. Yesterday evening I walked out to the beach and went for a nice stroll. I’ve been craving getting […]

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favorites home life western europe

The Constellation of My Life, in an Onion

I was just eating lunch here at Karma Ling in France, and something sweet and wonderful happened. We spend the first 15 minutes of lunch in silence (which I very much appreciate), and after taking a bite of some veggie stew with rice, I started to tear up. It was predominantly an onion bite, but […]