Around the World and Back Again

I've been inspired to write a great deal over the past two and half months... but time was of the essence and there were few moments to sit and write much more than short emails in response to the people in my life. My photographic record and correspondence of my time away from home and blog exists so I hope to post a record of this time away during the next few weeks while the memory is still accessible... before the cloud of business and committments overwhelmes me.

It was hard, very hard coming home... even though I missed Mr. DD and my cats, family, friends, etc. Kathryn came to visit in March and told another friend here at home that I was so different in Paris... so relaxed. My monkeys were on hanging on my back there just as they are here - but for some reason they aren't the same burden there that they seem to be here. I felt more comfortable in my own skin... perhaps because what artists do is of significant value there and here, well, art's importance is rather dubious in our culture at large.

Still, it is good to be home. It was a productive, beautiful time which I'll be recording over the next few weeks so please scroll back and respond to anything that seems relevant. I am going to try and set up a blog roll so if you see that link and sign up for it then any updates would be emailed to you. I don't mind working backwards. Its my nature. I am very dyslexic and ambidextrous and can write as well backwards as forwards with either or both hands. Working backwards and parallel parking are just my nature. Its too bad these skills aren't something one can pad their resume with.

The day after I returned Mr. DD and I left for an annual reunion with friends and family at a bluegrass festival in NC. We drove south from there to visit with my grandmother and wound up in New Orleans in time for the last weekend of the Jazz Fest. It was my first time visiting friends and family since Katrina. The spirit of the people and their hope for recovery was very inspiring. The artists I know are working harder than they've ever worked and making progress - and others, friends and neighbors of my friends are losing all hope and committing suicide. They say there is a lot of post traumatic stress evident. Erratic driving, horrible traffic with tragic accidents, couples shooting each other and themselves. It takes a strong soul with a long term vision to see past the mess down there. People can still count their blessings... which confounds me... and inspires me.

Before leaving Paris I was worried that I had bitten off more than I could chew with the southern excursion tacked onto my return home. After four months away could it be the best thing to do? It was! Mr. DD and I had many wonderful hours talking in the car and we were both so happy to reconnect with our friends who have endured so much since Aug 31, 2005.

I've posted some images of our road trip... since I think these images communicate more than I possibly could.