Buddha v. Dad

I'm officially in count-down mode. This time next week, I'll be home! .... and I'm so freakin' excited, I simply can't stand it. Mississippi is calling my name (my double name, of course...).

Admittedly, If I were not a complete miser and were willing to dish out 'even more' money to Qantas to bump my flight up, I'd be coming home today. But, alas, I'm a cheapskate and am happy (ier) wasting time until 11:00 a.m. rolls around next Sunday....

So, I'm in Brisbane now with with my official pen-pal. Who has pen pals these days? I do. "Old school & Proud" should be my motto. Rebecca & I lived together for only about 6 months in 2005 in Melbourne. She is one of the best roommates I've ever had. We became fast friends and life was good.  After all these years, despite the international-ness of our friendship, we have managed to stay very close. I've spent Christmas with her family in New Zealand, ended up in Brisbane with her after her 2 years in Tonga with VIDA and we've written letters to each other for more than 5 years! I feel like we've barely been apart. We hardly ever talk, ever email, only letters. I love it.


Plus, as if I needed even MORE alone time, I've somehow come to the decision that I should spend this week at a Buddhist Retreat. This is interesting given that I've spent the last 6 months in a near silent mode with plenty of reflection and getting-to-know-my-soul-time. What am I thinking???
However, this place comes highly recommended to me and I'm very curious, so I decided to make the plunge. I've never really done the 'meditation thing' except for several weeks at an ashram in India. Meditation was not my goal there (doing medical work was) but indirectly I was brought into the folds of the place and the next thing I know I'm in silence, eating only vego food and dressed in white! Interesting times....

Anyways, I'm sure my time at the Buddhist retreat will be great and just as memorable as my last. My protestant-loving-bible-belt-thinking-Dad naively told me to tell Buddha Hi. weirdo. ha

Here's to even more centering...