At long last...another post

I've been negligent in keeping this blog going.  I hope to remedy that, beginning with this brief post.  I'm about to begin my 3rd year in Bellingham and I remain glad that I moved here from PA.  This small city has proven to be an oasis of liberalism, of community cohesiveness, and community activism.  The university (Western Washington U) is large (>14,000), attractive, progressive (4 gay-related groups, fully recognized and funded by the institution), with a very fine reputation in many fields.  The geology dept is very good, a fact that delights me.  And now that I've developed some friendships, I'm getting to Seattle for symphony performances regularly, I've a walking group that meets to circle Lake Padden every Sunday (2.6 miles), I've a membership in a fine gym and make it there regularly, though i do have to increase my cardio efforts, and I've become a board member of the local PFLAG chapter.  My lover, Zar, is nearly a Canadian citizen, and may be able to visit me in the near future.  I go to Vancouver, BC at least monthly to have lunch with him at our favorite Malaysian restaurant in Kitsilano.  I venture to my favorite bookstore every day that I'm in town...often more than once/day...I love the place and manage to feed my book addiction there, often with used books.  The proprietors are marvelous folks, and all the staff are wonderful people.  The farmers market runs from late April through December, and in the summer, there's a second one down in the neighborhood of Fairhaven, behind Village Books.  Good fish is available too...this is salmon country.

I did find that I brought some of my old baggage with me, though.  I still struggle with my diabetes and find sticking to a proper diet very difficult.  I do find the many cloudy, rainy days difficult because of my SAD, but I do appreciate not sweltering in excessive heat.  I've developed foot problems and a nagging hip problem that interferes with sitting long periods.  And my propensity to pessimism can keep me in a state of mild depression from time to time, especially as I contemplate the potential effects of climate change and the total lack of commitment of the U.S. to doing anything to mitigate it.

I read a lot.  Every day.  I gave away a library to come here...and it seems I'm going to build another, though I really can't afford it. I have done some lecturing about dinosaurs...even got paid a small amount through the continuing ed program at WWU.  I hope to do that more. 

Well...enough for now.  I'm going to try to write at least something, if only a short book review, each week.  To those who were good enough to follow my early efforts, I hope you will return to follow me once more.

Cheers!