tatterdemalion

As some of you know, I have an Irish clonmacnois cross tattoo on my back (incidentally, although inked myself I can't watch TLC's Miami Ink without wincing...ask Kate: as much as I wanted/planned for/dreamed of my tattoo, it HURT LIKE A MOTHER and her poor, consoling, hand was crushed when I had mine done).

I've had an affinity to the Celtic cross' symbolism for many years and just the other day a regular Starbucks patron gave me a quote that made me like it even more. Dennis (or "Dennecha" - his Gaelic name - which he prefers to be called), of Irish decent, who sports a golden claddagh ring (pointed outwards, to signify "single, and searching"), with two fiery, red-headed ex-wives to his name, who sports a turned-up corkscrew moustache, who orders his coffee in a deep, sultry voice ("I'll have a tall, dark, bold, fulllllllll-bodied..."), and who tells me I'm the most beautiful girl in city (liar...*blush*) handed me a photocopied piece of paper with "Celtic Cross of Journeys & Meetings" as its title. It read:

On the journey of life our paths cross a multitude of opportunities, the most challenging can be those encounters with other human beings. The meeting that may bring us fulfilment or even frustration depends on the most startling chance and circumstance. The cross, joining the vertical and the horizontal, is a symbol of the importance and pain of the encounter.

Once it is acheived there are so many obstacles in its path amid the prosaid and petty demands of life. Unions missed, unions broken, uncompleted unions, disasters, misunderstandings, estrangements. The journey from the very first meeting to true union and love, is long and arduous.

"People destined to meet will do so, at precisely the right moment."
(Ralph Waldo Emerson's Law of Spiritual Gravitation)

It makes me think of a previous post of mine where I mused about chance encounters. My life has been absolutely peppered with them. It's comforting to think they aren't haphazard.

merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream

Has it really been nearly a month since I last posted?

I can't count the amount of times I've wanted to scream "STOP THE TRAIN, I WANT TO GET OFF" over the past few months but, alas, the train continued on its tracks and, rejoice! it has brought me to this rather (comparitively) enjoyable and peaceful moment on Monday, November 27, 2006.

November at a glance:

• Went to Kate's cottage with Paul and Sudburian friend, Steve. Had delightful time. It will be noted that, during a rousing game of Scattegories, Paul tried to use "automobile" as mode of transportation starting with "o". To his credit, he pronounced it "ooooooohtomobile".
• Attended youth concert, Kairos, as a groupie of the Youth Network Band. Emo band "Hello Kelly" played before the YN Band so I tried my hand at being 16 again. Unpleasant. Discovered that one Hello Kelliest is oldtime childhood friend, James Watts.
• Susan and Noel had a delightful housewarming soirée at their place in Burlington. Wonderful evening. And the only reason I would subject myself to setting foot in Burlington.
• With the dashing A, went to Roy Thompson Hall for the symphonic presentation of Rimsky-Korsakov's Shahirizad. Forgot to breathe. I'm not joking.
• Still working at Bucks. Wait. Did I tell you all that I'm working at Bucks? Well, I am. Still. Another job pending. Keep praying. Because as charming as 5:00 a.m. openings are...

I've been up since verrrrry early, have had a little too much caffeine today, should probably work on my teacher's college application, but wanted to get the news out to all you lovlies that, yes, I am still alive. In addition to the craziness recently, my beloved 12" G4 iBook (nicknamed "Baby"...for obvious reasons - it takes after its mother: small, white, and cute) has suffered a severe stroke and might not recover. Making emails/blog postings/etc. even more difficult than before. Your patience during this time of grief is appreciated.

when it rains, it pours

For those of you still following this tale:

On Tuesday, September 5th, with pineapple still digesting in my stomach from the Hawaiian BBQ at the Gaz's the day before, I was let go my job.

Now, nearly two full months later - two months of more resume editing, printing, and handing out, more phonecall follow-ups, more "help wanted" sign scouring than I have ever done in my life - I have an interview. At Starbucks. Followed by another interview tomorrow, at a dentist's office. Accompanied by another promising job offer at Berlitz, and three similar administrative positions, at clinics, design firms, and consultant companies, all looking for help.

What? WHAT? Zero to six? In a day? Must be God.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."

Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.


(Luke 5:4-7)