Another excerpt - This time from Chapter 4

Hi friends!

The book is coming along fantastically. I am enjoying the process immensely and each day finds new challenges and new joy.
It is weird recalling so many events and conversations from my journey -weirder yet to take my own experiences and embellish them in pseudo fictional form. Half real, have fiction - half me, half fiction. Half dream, half fiction. Its been fun - Here is a small piece of Chapter 4 - FIRST DRAFT of course...

“Oh good lord! What are you doing?” she said when she stepped out onto the porch and saw me lying facedown in the yard, my right ear pressed to the ground.  

“I couldn’t hear anything, so I thought I’d try this,” I said. 

Really, I was just teasing her. The fact was that I had zero idea of what I was doing. I didn’t know how to listen to the ground or hear the bugs moving or how to talk to dew drops or anything. I had been outside for an hour and still did not get what Zhou had told me to do. 

I had sat in the quiet. I didn’t say anything. I listened but all I heard were the neighbors having a loud cookout full of drunken laughter and I heard three kids from the house behind ours. They were playing football. I heard a fire truck go by and I heard the traffic from the neighborhood as people did their weekend comings and goings. What I did NOT hear were bugs and molecules and the wind in my hair. 

“I give up,” I said as I stood and brushed the dying grass from my clothes. “None of this is me. I feel like an idiot.”

Another Excerpt

This is from CHAPTER THREE of Truth Warrior - my book that is due in the winter. I am shooting for a December release--so ya know, would make a great stocking stuffer for that "searcher" in your life.

I am sure that twenty or thirty minutes passed while I just sat in silence in my leather recliner. I don’t recall if I spoke to my wife that afternoon or later in the evening about my conversation with Zhou. I do recall very vividly what her reaction was. In fact, I recall it verbatim.

“Are you high?” she said. 

Then the conversation kind of devolved into an inquiry into my sanity. 

Riveting eh?

Be nice to each other -

Kit

Leaving so soon? Maybe.

There are times, like today, when I have the distinct feeling that I don't have much time left here on earth. I don't say this while depressed or melancholy - In fact, I am actually pretty happy -

I say this because it is just a feeling that I get every now and then.

It does make me sad to think of the people who keep expecting that we are going to have all kinds of time. They are wasting it by making excuses with their lives.

• I don't have enough money
• I don't have enough time
• I have too much work to do
• I can't just do whatever I want

Ok then. That's fine if that is how you want to live--but don't expect me to think that way. Because I do not think I will be here much longer. I hope I am wrong. I am not ready to go just yet. I want to finish my book. I want to see my son grow into a man. I want to get married and have a home. I want a dog. But I am pretty sure I am running out of time. 

I just don't see the point of waiting. 

The world is full of cowards and excuse makers. 

I can't do that. I would rather that others think of me as irresponsible or a dreamer or whatever other negative that people have decided to use to describe me. That's ok. Think what you want...

I am not going to leave worrying about another paycheck or getting a better car.

So I might be gone soon and if I am - Well---its too bad what we missed.

Be nice to each other

Kit

Noise - So much noise

As I am writing this, my living situation is one that I have never experienced before.
I have roommates.
I never had roommates, outside of an actual relationship. I had always lived alone or as a couple.
My roomies now are kind enough to rent me a room in their house. Actually, I have the whole basement to myself. I think they are kind of ripping me off money wise. I found out that their rent is not even double what I am paying them and I openly have access to only 1/4 of the house. But I needed the place and I am grateful for the space to sleep right now. I think they are taking advantage of me though--but its temporary.
The biggest problem is that they told me that they basement was ridiculously quiet.
This is not, under any definition of the word, true.
They are the noisiest people I have EVER experienced.
The music is loud (and TERRIBLE taste, by the way).
The talking is not talking, It is yelling.
The walking is not walking. It is stomping.
In truth, I don't know how two people can not know how loud they are being.
But it is not my house so I don't say anything.
I simply close my door, center myself and let it go.

This is much the same that we all have to do with whatever is bothering us throughout our day. We have to find a way to find a way. We need to find our peace. Whether it is external noise or internal noise, there are many distractions in life to keep us unfocused. Finding a way to find our peace is a constant struggle.

Do I have an answer for this one? No I do not. I am venting now and searching for that answer. It is bound to be there.
Maybe if they ever shut up, I will meditate about it.

The first paragraph

As promised, here is an excerpt for the first draft of Truth Warrior - For no reason whatsoever, I have decided that I might as well give the opening paragraph. Why not start from the start huh?

I have been writing most of the day today--well, ok, PART of the day. I have also eaten lunch, done some shopping and walked around downtown Portland soaking in the energy.

So here you go....as we begin this journey together: Here is the first paragraph of Truth Warrior.

Sun.

Sun.

Sun.

Dear God! The FREAKING SUN!

When you live in New Mexico, especially southern New Mexico, you learn very early on that the only way to escape the sun is to simply be inside. The presence of the sun is striking when you come from other parts of the country. There is no shade. There is no cool ocean breeze. From late March to late October, there is only THE SUN. It follows you like a giant, all seeing, all glowing, all heating, flaming eyeball. If you even peek your head outside, the sun says “THERE YOU ARE! HAVE SOME FIRE! HAHAHAHAHA!” Trust me. The sun laughs maniacally at everyone in southern New Mexico. 

Doesn't tell you much...I know. We gotta start somewhere.

I am back to it now. Maybe I'll have a beer and completely talk myself out of that paragraph. Now that I read it here, I am not sure if I like it. HA!
First draft--remember that. FIRST DRAFT!

Be nice to each other!

Kit