You seem to have embraced, consciously or not, a way of life that your generation may have to adapt to in order to be successful — a world citizen with the flexibility, language skills and sense of adventure necessary to travel, adapt and succeed. Very impressive. It takes courage to do this.

I read many of your posts. I envy you your nation/worldwide lists of friends and contacts. It is almost as if you have found a way to make a version of home portable.

I’m glad you had a chance to climb, and doing so in Panama would have only added to the sense of awe. I found climbing to be one of the best experiences of my life.

Are you thinking of staying with teaching for a while. I think you might have the trifecta gift of confidence, seriousness and a sense of what is most important to kids. I liked what you had to say about ethics.

You mentioned wanting to talk at some point about teaching. I’d be happy to do so, but for now look at the Teaching portion of my site. There are two documents available there that run to about 20,000 words. When I knew that I was retiring, I wanted to set down everything I knew about the craft.

I will continue to read your blog. I like your design very much and the ambitious nature of your postings.

Take good care of your self,

Mr. Wall

How are you? I know I can ask that most personal of questions by, simply, calling you to chat. Yet somedays are not so simplistic as to pick up the phone, dial (the landline) the phone, and hope one answers. I’m not big on leaving voice messages.

Anyhow, this is my first ‘peek’ at your Blog since we last corresponded prior to your leaving for China to pursue your studies. I’ve not thought about going to your blog, then realized only TODAY that I’ll give it a try to learn whether you’ve continued sharing your adventures via the blogosphere. So, I am pleasantly surprised to know your blog is active and you’re doing what brings you happiness, healthiness of mind/body/spirit, and being productive too.

And with the most incredibly consistently sunny, warm summer ever in my life I moved as far from my writing as possible! I actually felt guilty by denying myself the ventures that naturally — and, spontaneously — arise when the day starts sunny and warm and stays that way until sunset. Though I still wrote my column for the Boston Post-Gazette as well as write/edit MRC’s newsletter, my leisure writing I set aside for the rainy day(s) that virtually never came.

I met an English woman/late 30ish who has taught English during the past 12 summers at MIT. She teaches foreign high school students heading for college somewhere in the United States. They converge on MIT for two six-week groupings. She (Vicky) and I grew close, realizing we’re rather compatible.

Interesting that two people meet from different nations with different backgrounds and, yet, there we were bumping into one another as I sought shade from the searing sun under a tree at MIT. She walked up to me as she made her way to her dorm and asked: “How do you hydrate?” I told her, then she assisted me with my bottle of Poland Spring water. Her accent proved even more delightful as she spiced it with words I’d never heard before to describe mundane daily occurrences.

So, part of my summer’s activities centered around meeting Vicky. Always I hopped the trolley and met her at certain of my Oases in Boston and Cambridge. Other times we met at her favorite “spots” at MIT.

Summer’s splendor also brought death of my final surving uncle on my Mom’s side. She’s the only surviving member of her generation of our family. Only my Dad’s youngest brother and sibling remains of that grand and glorious group of aunts/uncles. He’s 12 years younger than my Mom, so he isn’t truly from her generation — America’s Greatest. Uncle Jim resides in western Pennsylvania in a small town called Loretto.

My disability rights advocacy brought me to a roiling issue in Newton, where I live. Because I’m one of the two Co-Chairs of the Committee for People with Disabilities, I needed to tackle an issue brought by a concerned citizen/taxpayer about a two-story house being rehabbed for two veterans and their families. Well, the nonprofit developer is using Federal monies, but NOT making the house accessible! This scenario is screwy at best; at worst, it cannot grab my support as under Section 504 you must include access. I’ll not write more because it’s a lengthy path that caught the ear/eye of Newton’s new mayor and his support of our efforts to make the house accessible at least on the first floor. Articles that hit Newton’s weekly newspaper I will share with you. The issue involves many citizens and we’re not done yet.

Your blog is filled with interesting asides, insights, and your keen observer’s eye keeps your trek alive for the reader! I enjoy reading and ‘catching up’ in a sort of informal, indirect way. Talk to you soon. Be well.

Peace,
Girard