The Archives Crawl in Everyday Ramblings

This will be the first time since I started teaching yoga that I am taking a short break. I have taken a few classes off because of the weather or surgery during the 3 ½ years but never a whole twelve-day block of time. It will feel odd.

I have scheduled and paid for a massage for next Monday evening during the time I would normally teach and may go to the movies the following Wednesday even though the temptation will be very strong to stay home and putter.

In December, (which is not that far away at all) I am taking a 4 day intensive yoga anatomy workshop from a teacher who I have never met but have been reading (and watching) for years and I am very much looking forward to geeking out on the subtleties of knee placement and shoulder rotation. :)

In the meantime I plan to focus on my own practice, something that has a life completely independent from my teaching.

And my history/poetry/neighborhood appreciation project.

I feel so sad sometimes that I am not working on poetry. 2 years ago when I started this particular project I joined the Oregon Historical Society but haven’t actually made it to their fabulous research library.

This week they had a book launch of a book written by an author who teaches at the University right near where Kes and Most Honorable live. It is about the Jewish story in Oregon from 1950 to 2010.

I went to the launch thinking it would be just a normal reading signing event but it turns out it was this huge big deal in the life of the contemporary Jewish Community with wine and catered food and it was packed.

The author was a good reader and engaged well with the audience and what was also fascinating was the story behind the development of the book, which was done by committee and inspired by a local Rabbi, who looked like he was about 94. (I just looked him up and he is in fact 94 this year, wow.)

I started chatting with the lovely woman sitting next to me who turned out to be passionately involved in the Architectural Heritage Center here and she leads walking tours of my neighborhood twice a year. I knew lots of stuff she did not and it was great fun talking to her.

She gave me her card and told me that the weekend after next they are having The Portland Archives Crawl, where representatives of 15 different local archives will be available to talk about what they have available for people like me!

It is all downtown, close by. How cool is that?

So I am all jazzed up and down the rabbit hole. I need to develop some specific questions for the archivists so that my time can be effective. I am particularly interested in the Italian side of things, where I have not found as much info.

I miss having my sister around to share this all with but I hope in time to make friends who share my interest…

Work is crazy busy…bleh…

Last updated September 29, 2016