Friday brought a visit to Paia and lunch at Charley’s Restaurant and Saloon. There the bandanna posed with a replica, a wee bit larger than life, of Willie Nelson’s guitar.
15 May 2015
Category Archives: Family
New York City AIDS Walk – five updates
Five updates on the New York City AIDS Walk – Sunday, May 17, 2017
1. I will probably not walk on Sunday. I had not paid close enough attention to my flights and now know I arrive at JFK at 7:25 AM. I will give it a go, but it seems unlikely to me that I will be able to make it to registration. I will also try to find Sean and the Marie’s Crisis team.
2. I will walk 10K at some point if I do not make it on Sunday.
3. I will let you know when I walk and I invite friends to walk with me if they are so inclined and available.
4. Sean has pretty well crushed me in fundraising. That’s great because the cause is worthy!.
5. But you still have time to make a gift and decrease the margin of my fundraising defeat.
See you along the Trail.
Filed under Current Events, Family, New York
Maui – the bandannas
“Aloha!”
She gave the traditional greeting as I stepped into her display at the local artists store near the Maui Ocean Center.
“Aloha,” I replied.
“There’s lots more shirts over here,” she said.
“Thanks, I’m just looking.”
I had decided I wanted to get a bandanna or two in an Hawai’ian pattern. “I will know it when I see it,” I told Tricia, Bruce, and Nancy.
“What are you looking for?” she persisted.
“Do you have any bandannas?” I asked.
“No,” she replied. “A number of people have asked, but I don’t.”
“Oh, well. Thank you.”
“What size would it be?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” I said.
“Take it off,” she pointed to the bandanna I wore.
“Is it square?” she asked as I removed it.
“I think so.”
We measured. And it was not square. Close. But not square.
“I could make you one,” she said.
“Really?” I asked.
“Yes.”
We went to a table where she had fabrics. She moved through them. A red. A green. And then.
Black and gold. A traditional pattern. In Pittsburgh colors.
“This one,” I said.
“I don’t know,” she sounded concerned. “I could do red … ”
Her voiced trailed off. I did not understand. She turned and rummaged in a bag.
“Yes!” she said with a broad smile as she placed a skein of yellow string on the fabric.
“How many do you want?”
“How much would they cost?” I responded.
After we agreed on a price, she asked, “How long are you staying here?”
“Well, I could come back in a couple of days,” I replied.
“No. How long are you staying here today?” she asked. “Are you going to the restaurant?”
“We already ate,” I said. “But if you can make them today, I would wait.”
“I will make them,” she replied.
I went and found Tricia and told her what was happening. We wandered around the Pacific Whale Foundation and then each of us went our own way. I told her where to find my new friend and said I would meet her there.
After fifteen minutes or so, I went back. My friend was working away on a sewing machine. “Almost done,” she said.
I found Tricia. We bought a couple long sleeve shirts for our trip to Haleakala National Park. And then we went back.
“I made them a little larger than the one you had,” said the artist.
“That’s great!”
She started to bag them up. I asked her to stop and picked one up.
“You want to try it on?” she asked.
“I want to wear it out of here.”
She laughed and watched me put the bandanna on my head. “So that’s how you do it.”
“It’s my sunscreen.” She laughed again.
“I am Mark,” I said.
“I am Emi.”
“This is Tricia. And one more thing, if you are willing. I would like Tricia to take a photo of you and me.”
We ended up taking photos of Tricia and me. And Emi and me. We used Tricia’s phone. We used Emi’s phone. We laughed and smiled.
I got her card. We exchanged “Mahalo” multiple times. And Tricia and I left.
I knew what I wanted. I had seen it. And with Emi’s help, I have it.
See you along the Trail.
Maui – the shirt
Tricia and I arrived at the time share in Maui where Bruce and Nancy Eng MacNeill met us. After words of greeting, they told me they had a Hawaiian shirt for me.
I cringed a bit as I generally don’t like such shirts. But they brought it out and it was awesome.
“It’s an XL,” said Nancy.
“Not sure I can wear that,” I replied.
“It’s cut a bit larger than other XLs,” she responded.
I took the shirt. Tried it on. It fit!
An XL. An XL. A year ago, I would have needed a 3X or 4X.
Much work remains. But I have made progress.
A great shirt from good friends and an XL. Good stuff.
See you around the Trail.
The day draws to a close
The day draws to a close,
yet another day
after.
The day draws to a close,
yet another day
without you.
The day draws to a close,
the pain of friends
who grieve at death,
who mourn for the dying,
touches my grief
and sends my spirit flinching
as when a child
pokes an open wound.
The day draws to a close,
the love of friends
who reach out in kindness,
who share their sorrow,
touches my soul
and sends my spirit soaring
as when a bird
rises to the air.
The day draws to a close,
grief and love mingle;
I think of you and ache.
I think of you and smile.
The Shire
Manhattan, New York
28 January 2015
Smiles remembered after all these years
I know this day well; I never forget it; it invariably sneaks up on me and grabs me unaware; and when I pause for a moment to reflect, I remember why things feel so raw. After all these years. And then I smile.
People have been posting on Facebook about remembering this day because of the Challenger disaster. I remember that.
But I remember this day for an event that took place twelve years before the Challenger. An event that also claimed the lives of educators.
Forty years ago this day, on January 28, 1974, William Koenig climbed into a small plane with another educator from Grove City. They planned a trip to Harrisburg, the state capitol, where they were to advocate for funds for the Grove City Public School system. At the time of his death, Bill worked as the assistant superintendent for the Grove City Public School system. But he was a musician. He played string bass in the pit orchestra for the high school musicals. He directed the town band. He was a tennis player. He was a photographer. He was also a private pilot. Though they had tickets on a commercial airline, the two colleagues decided Bill would fly. The plane went down near Emlenton, Pennsylvania, the crash site only located the next day. When I arrived at JFK a day later, after a college choir trip to Europe, family members met me and broke the news and shattered my heart.
Because grief lasts, I raise a glass to remember loses and acknowledge pains. And because love never ends, I raise a glass to give thanks and to celebrate love shared past, present, and future. On this anniversary, I raise a glass to William Koenig, to his life, to the time, the far too short time, we shared. To all I learned. To laughter and tears. To music made well and badly. To a multitude of remembered smiles.
Goodnight and joy be with you, Dad.
Goodnight and joy be with us all.
See you along the Trail.
Companions
When the moment comes
and we realize that the fault is,
truly in us and not the stars,
we can but work to put right
what we have done wrong
and trust the community
will rally to our side.
See you along the Trail.
As the year turns
In terms of self-care, 2014 proved a good year. I am down 80 pounds from my highest weight and 50 pounds from my starting weight when I got serious again in the Spring. I have, however, hit a bit of a plateau over the last three months. Hence, it is time to renew my efforts. Yet again. You can follow my efforts on Steps Along the Trail. My goals have changed a bit. Each day I want to eat well (between 2,000 and 2,200 calories); do 30 minutes of cardio of some sort; and walk for 12,000 steps. I will try to add the stretching exercises my massage therapist wants me to do. I have a couple new wrinkles to provide motivation and jump start this initiative. I have increased my goal for steps. It had been 10,000. I have instituted a reward program for when I meet all three goals for seven days. I have set a goal of running or walking or walking/running a 5K this year. I have signed up to do the virtual 5K to benefit Cutch’s Crew/Pirates Charities. I have set a tentative date of April 11 to do my 5K. I have set up steps challenges with family and friends. Most step wins. In January, the losers will donate $10 to the charity of the winner’s choice. I have resumed using My Fitness Pal to track eating and am using Run Keeper to track my outdoor walking. You can become my friend on either of those if you want to track my progress there. Another wrinkle or two will pop up as the year unfolds. It all starts tomorrow! Wish me luck. And again, feel free to follow. Or not. See you along the Trail.
