Life is feeling like a crazy whirlwind. It's kind of always been that way, but feeling a little more intense now.
I'm back in Moab after my trip to Durango, Colorado and a visit with my parents. I've come here with an unusual friend named Derek I met hitchhiking through Montrose, Colorado.
This post is an overview of what's happened the past couple months, since I haven't blogged in that time.
But, first, these announcements.
I'm fairly soon to be back in Colorado, on the eastern slope:'Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out'
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Recent Happenings
At the invitation of the high school teacher Matt Dooley, I also did a presentation at the Animas High School in Durango, Colorado last Wednesday, Feb. 11th. The Durango Herald did an article on it, albeit a very inaccurate article, which got some of my main points completely opposite. But the comments on it are pretty interesting. It started out filled with negative comments by adults who hadn't attended. Then the students started responding. One of the high school teachers, Libby Cowles, posted:"My favorite part about this front-page story on Daniel Suelo's visit to Animas High School yesterday is the dialogue happening in the comments section, and, in particular, the way our AWESOME students are responding to people's questions about what exactly we're trying to teach those kids."
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| The "Million Dollar Highway" |
I stayed with Matt and his girlfriend, Meggie, as well as meeting so many of Matt's other splendid friends in Durango. I was also pleased to see my old friend Nate at the potluck after party. I now have some new good friends.
From Durango, I decided to hitch to my parents' house via the spectacular old "Million Dollar Highway". I was given rides over the pass with two really friendly human beings, the first a local going on a ski trip in a beat up old Volkswagon bug, and the second was an ex policeman from Montrose who had worked in Iraq for 7 years.
In Montrose I randomly met a young chap named Derek, and we seemed to connect on a spiritual level. I got another ride to Delta, slept in a field the night, and hitched here to my parents' in Fruita the next day. It turns out Derek's aunt in Delta brought him to my parents' house in Fruita. My friend Max then gave us a ride to Moab, where Derek has been camping with me.
Anyway, here's an overview of what's happened otherwise the past couple months:
Past Couple Months Overview
All my co-inhabitant friends and visitors left after the New Year, and I realized I was by myself for the first time in nearly a year. On the one hand, I was enjoying my solitude, on the other hand, I missed everybody. This is an exercise on not getting attached to people.
One of my last public posts (If you are considering staying with me...) was announced that I couldn't take more visitors, both due to not having the capacity to accommodate folks (getting pushed around on public land) and to a need for time to myself. I'm still discouraging folks from coming, for now, until further notice.
I already mentioned that, in the early winter, Matt and Ariella and Cat came to stay with me for a while. Later, Raven (a.k.a. Steph) and Freebird showed back up in town for a couple weeks! They had been hiking the Pacific Crest trail, among other adventures. Check out Raven's blog with her incredible photos: Spreading My Wings.
Also, two wandering Buddhist practitioners Gabriel and Jonathan came to visit me. They're French Canadians from Quebec, who had just hitch-hiked here to Moab from the Southwest Vipassana Meditation Center in Texas. Gabriel actually had given up all his money over a year ago. He and Jonathan decided to go on a pilgrimage to different Vipassana Buddhist centers in Canada and the US.
Funny thing is, I had very briefly met Gabriel at the end of 2010 in Slab City. Back then, he had dred locks. He said when he'd learned I lived without money he'd thought it a bit odd. But he then had a kind of epiphany and was inspired to eventually renounce money years later!
Another intriguing synchronicity: Readers here might remember Mika, who joined us on our moneyless tribal walk the summer of 2013 (see The Moneyless Tribe Becomes Reality). It so happens that Gabriel and Jonathan had just met Mika, because, unbeknownst to me, Mika was a course manager at the Southwest Vipassana Meditation Center in Texas!
Here are random pics to tell the rest of the story:
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Stephanie Raven, Me, Matt, Gabriel, Ariella, Jonathan
at Rotary Park, Moab. |
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| Freebird, Suelo, Matt, Gabriel, Ariella, Jonathan |
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Matt, Ariella, Suelo, & Hawkeye the dog
in the canyon |
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| Cat & Tucker the dog |
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Suelo, Jonathan, Freebird, Ariella
at Rotary Park |
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Suelo & Matt at my parents' for Christmas.
We made nearly the entire Christmas dinner from
a dumpster score. |
Jammin with Matt
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| Matt, Ariella, Suelo, Freebird, Hawkeye the dog |
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| Freebird, Suelo, Matt |
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| Julia & Tucker the dog |
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Gabriel & Suelo
jammin' on the freenotes at Rotary Park |
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| Gabriel, Freebird, Suelo |
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| Matt, Gabriel, Ariella, Jonathan |
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Sam & Suelo
Wall-painting party at Trina's house |
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| Here's what I finally came up with |
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Pemo's art to the left and
the cougar is Julia's art |
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| The 2 faces are Matt's work |
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| Ariella |
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| Derek's masterpiece |
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| Derek at work |
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| Trina, who hosted the painting party |
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Stephanie Raven's gift of art to me
& my dad right before she left. |
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Suelo, Ariella, Matt
right before Matt left |
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| Pemo |
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A sculpture I made in a canyon.
It's mentioned in "The Man Who Quit Money".
BLM rangers had toppled it onto its face. I thought it was
destroyed. It was too heavy for me alone to lift back up.
But over a year later somebody (2 or more people?) propped it back up again,
warming my heart. |
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My latest work in a secret place, while Daryl was here,
inspired by what he taught me about the Kabala. |
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Johnny, who took Matt away & brought him to Slab City.
This is Salvation Mountain outside Slab City. |
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Jeannine, Isa,Fen, and Cullen.
They live in Fruita, Colorado (my parents' town)
and Cullen (who is a master craftsman with everything he touches)
has been working on a documentary about me,
and we've grown to be the best of friends. |
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