mtyler77

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve started writing this post—probably a hundred copies have all ended up in the virtual trash.  I honestly don’t understand all the reasons for the way I am feeling but I know enough about psychology on both a personal and professional level to know that I am in the midst of a rather deep depression.  I know I should have posted something far earlier than now but every time I begin writing, I find myself paralyzed.   I am worried enough so that I’ve made... Read Full Story

One of the greatest things about having my blog has been my ability to reach out and touch others who are suffering from addiction.  I get emails from people who are former junkies and some who are still using, but most often, I hear from the people who love the addicts—those who are the evitable collateral damage in the junkie's path.  They feel the pain of the devastation, whereas the junkie really does not—heroin, after all, is the king of painkillers.  I try to help any person who asks... Read Full Story

Boats along the beautiful Nile at Sunset My time in Egypt really did have a deep effect on me, as I continue to pull up snapshots from my memory, reviewing them carefully.  Often, when I study photos, I notice things I failed to see upon the quick, first glance.  As I do with photos, the more I ponder my experiences in Egypt, the more I glean from them. I felt a strong connection with Egypt.  Standing in front of the pyramids, watching the process of how papyrus is made (to this day still... Read Full Story

I have been remiss and I apologize.  I didn’t keep up with my pictorial as I hoped I would but hopefully, you’ll forgive me.  During our stay in Egypt, Internet access was available but extremely slow and very frustrating.  Several days into our trip, I pretty much shut off my computer and left it off, although I did do quite a bit of journaling and note taking, from which I will base my next several posts.  Time seemed so precious—I really didn’t want to waste a moment of it on a slow... Read Full Story

Our visit to Egypt is a trip long overdue.  Throughout my childhood, my father promised to return our family for a vacation.  One year, we went so far as to have passports created and even made our airline reservations.  Then, when he learned that my grandmother, his mother, had died—the plans evaporated.  To this day, I am not quite sure why.  For many other years, he would always say, “someday, someday,” but that day never arrived. I knew it would have to be up to me to make this life... Read Full Story

I had hoped to write a long and heartfelt post about returning to Egypt, my long-lost birthplace, so many years.  However, with the disappearance of time (is 2010 really nearly over?) and mounting responsibilities at home, which awaited us after our Florida and West Coast travels, finding the time to write that post was impossible.  But, I did want to write a brief entry to sum up my emotions and feelings about this long-awaited trip.  In just a few hours, Les and I fly off to our dream... Read Full Story

In my last post, I wrote about one of my worst character flaws:  impatience.  It’s never a good idea to focus too much on the negative aspects of anything; so in this post, I’m going to talk about one of my better character assets:  the ability to think outside the box.  So settle in folks, and let me tell you a short tale that highlights this character asset. When I moved back to San Francisco in 2000, it was at the height of the dot com boom.  I had just finished school and was so looking... Read Full Story

The view from our hotel balcony in the Keys I cannot remember the last time I had an entire week with absolutely no responsibilities.  Usually when I’m on vacation, I’m still teaching online.  However, I finished finals the week before we left, so last week, I was completely free.  Most days, I didn't even turn on my computer--and how amazing is that?  I could become used to being a lady of leisure.  For the past sixteen years, I have worked nonstop—first in going to college and graduate... Read Full Story

I get a little exhausted just thinking about our travel schedule for the next two months—but as tiring as it sounds, I am also excited! Our first vacation starts tomorrow, when Les and I will begin what has become an annual vacation in Florida, where we’ll spend some time on the beaches in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami and then head to the Keys.  We love it all, but in particular, we love the energy—and nightlife—of South Beach and Key West.  It’s the perfect time to enjoy Florida; after the... Read Full Story

I’ve been resisting writing this post all week.  Some days, I have looked at a blank document for an indeterminable amount of time, then switched to work on my classes—or some other distraction like taking a walk or cleaning my bathroom.  Other times, I’ve begun writing, and then thrown countless copies into the virtual wastebasket (until it’s overflowing).      I wondered why this post is so difficult and realized it’s because I have to talk about the present—and the present involves some... Read Full Story