I hate taking unplanned breaks from things, but as happens on occasion, we're not always in charge of everything.  In fact, I suppose it happens all the time, the not being in charge thing.  Suffice it to say, I've missed the writing and I know I'll regret not having the record.  After all, it's when we're most stressed that we're most inclined to be living things we want to remember later. Oh well.

In the past several weeks, I've been directly involved in creating two web sites, in recruiting members of a national working group on homelessness prevention, been to Vancouver and Edmonton for homelessness- related work, completed a proposal for a computer simulation game on the policy making process in Canada, spent US Thanksgiving in Chicago, and tried to have a life, including having seen at least two movies I may yet try to review (The Insider and Being  John Malkovitch).  I've spent too little time with friends, but more than the usual allotment with family on both sides. And when December 1st rolled around, I wondered where November had gone.  When I document it, it feels less like it disappeared into thin air!  Just in the past week, we've been trying to finalize the second web site noted above, and I've spent a day on Parliament Hill "selling" the homelessness project. 

Among the craziness over the past month was an evening spent with my brother and eight or nine of his friends, enjoying a wonderful meal, and the company of food- and wine-lovers who are enormously comfortable together, after dozens if not hundreds of such dinners over the past several years.  On that evening, I yearned for a group of such people in my own life, and continue to have that on my "wish" list.

I've also been vacillating over "doing" Christmas.  Sometimes, I don't even want to think about a tree, much less all the trimmings.  Other times, I relish the notion of the Christmas Day brunch, with its annual cholesterol-fest, including the gorgonzola strata that some in my circle lust after all year, but only get to actually enjoy on that day.  I haven't decided yet how far to go, but I do want to get cards done.  I can't remember if we did any last year, but I know we didn't for the two years prior to that.  What a sad thought -- especially for someone who values those who have shared important moments in life enormously, but apparently not enough to send a card once a year.  Sigh.

Next weekend, I'll be on Canada's east coast, in Halifax and then in St. John's.  I love both cities, but I'm resenting having to be somewhere other than here.  I think I need an attitude adjustment, that might just arrive once I finally get to spend all of ten nights in a row in my own bed.

Through all this, I try to discern patterns, to learn lessons, to find better ways to do the same things or to find ways to do fewer things, or to find ways to decide on different things that should take priority.  So, it's been a hiatus born of necessity and that afforded little introspection.  But I'm happy to be back.

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