Streamin'...

The Reader's Digest Version
I guess it's not fair to those of you who have been continuing to check this space for something new, to make you wait any longer. I have a lot of catching up to do, and as is my bent, it won't be easy to get it out quickly. So in the meantime I thought I would literally take a few minutes (i.e.: I'm putting a fifteen-minute cap on this) to post a little stream-of-consciousness, spewing out as much as I can about what's been going on in my life since the lights sort of went out on April 4th.

Work.
I've been reassessing a lot lately. As I'll be writing about soon, things at my job took a dramatic turn at the beginning of this month, and I was thrust into a new job function, covering for a co-worker who suddenly left the company. It has been one of the most significant events in my life in a very long while, bringing with it change that may not ultimately alter my career path, but most certainly has altered my perceptions.

Life.
A funny thing happened on Father's Day. I got a big mirror as a gift from my family; I was able to see myself clearly for the first time in a long time. I saw what they saw, and boy was I surprised. It wasn't a pretty picture, but it sure was enlightening. Interesting thing; you never knows how bitter the medicine is until you've had a taste for yourself.

Love.
I love my family; that's nothing new. However sometimes it takes losing a family member to realize how important it is to maintain ties that have loosened over the miles and years. My last post was a tribute to my Uncle Jake. I had just returned from Indiana and was prepared to expound upon the reconnection I experienced with Aunts, Uncles and cousins I saw during that short three-day trip. Well now I have even more to talk about. I just returned from a second trip to the town of my birth for an annual cousin's reunion; an event they have every year but which I had never before bothered to attend. It was a fabulous experience. But best of all, I received an indescribably wonderful gift, a letter from my late Mother, Annie, that is just about too cool for words. Much more on that later

The Pursuit of Happiness
Lots of great concerts; Mowerly Musings; time spent with Michelle; mulling over the place that blogging has in my life. These are also the things that have been occupying a goodly portion of my time over the past two-and-a-half months.

I'll get to all of them, and if anyone is still listening, I'd love to hear your comments. Thank you for your patience, and special thanks for the comments and e-mails from those of you caring to check up on me. It's been a good break, but hopefully I'll be able to get back on the beam soon.