Welcome To My
Inner Child!

This is Where I Play

This is the lighter-side of me. Here you'll discover virtual worlds, political debate, and occasional witty remarks. As time and inspiration allow, I'll ramble about different topics here.

If you want to ramble with me, click the My Online link for how to reach me in virtual space.

The Well Rounded Woman

So, here we are, on the precipice of a New Year. Standing high on a cliff, it’s easy to see the path that brought us to this point while the horizon ahead remains shrouded in a cloak of uncertainty.

The start of a new year is an opportunity to revitalize the inner adult and replenish the inner child. By December, both of my inner selves are throwing tantrums and ready to be spanked. So I look forward to sending them to their rooms and taking a little time to review where I’ve been and cast an eye to the big picture of the future.

2006 will be a year full of challenges and changes. My work with the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial ends in March, which means the next few months are being spent closing out books, grants, and archives. It will be a bittersweet time of saying goodbye to many friends and thanking all our volunteers and supporters.

Astoria is a small town tucked into the hillside overlooking the mighty Columbia River. My tiny one-butt bungalow has a sneak view of the cargo ships gliding by and barn-red warehouses that jut out from the piers. Across the river are the lush green hills of Washington. Elk, deer, bald eagles, blue herons, and sea lions are common sights. We don’t live near an eco-system. We live in the eco-system. Mother Nature is always close at hand, reminding us that she will always be here.

My hope for 2006 is to remain here in Astoria. But jobs are few and at the dawn of the New Year the realization that I may have to leave this community came into full view. So the net of a job search is being cast further out into the communities of Salem, Corvallis, Portland, and across the river to Olympia, Tacoma, and Seattle. All wonderful cities that allow me to remain in the Pacific Northwest.

The future also offers new opportunities for personal and professional growth. My goal for 2006 is to enroll in college to finish my Bachelor’s degree. With an Associates degree in communications already under my belt, along with twenty-five years of work experience, I hope to earn a Bachelor’s before I turn fifty. In this day and age it’s important to keep improving, advancing, and developing new skills. Those who grow complacent with their accumulated knowledge can be trampled by the stampede of changes taking place in our world.

So here I sit, on the edge of the world, preparing to take a big leap of faith before the stampede reaches me.

January 4, 2005
Cyndi