Before the sun winks, I am on my way to start another day and wondered, is this what summer smells like?  The air is damp and thick with moisture that has encased fragrant flowers.

The trip to Alaska is coming up quickly now.  I find myself in the same predicament as the trip to Mt Rainier, knowing I need to train more, but not.  Writing, or an hour on the treadmill?  Now that is a dilemma!   Writing has been winning lately, as the Story of Joline has taken a few twists and turns, and what started as introductory prose to the poems, is fast becoming chapters of a longer story, pieced together by individual days.  I know better than to wait and push it aside.  I will forget the words if not written now.

I guess getting older is about priorities, and within those priorities, balance.  To some degree, getting a dog, forced the issue, much to my chagrin.  While at first glance, having another responsibility, seemed counter-productive, and would get in the way.  As time progressed, I find it has flipped, and I am more delicate with how I spend my evenings, and often I am plugged into music, keyboard at hand, puppy asleep or eating dinner.  Again.

This weekend is a poetry conference at the Loft Literary Center.  I am fortunate to be in the same city, and have spent much time there writing, attending events, classes, and drinking my fair share of coffee.  I have chosen breakout sessions focusing on writing about historical events, publishing, and building community.  Featured artists are Mark Doty and Tracy K. Smith, who was just awarded the Pulitzer Prize in poetry.  Those artists in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota are fortunate souls.  If you are attending the conference this weekend, I will be the one that looks like me.

In closing, write because that is what you are and to deny that is to close part of your essence, a part of you that is engrained, that is a gift given to you.  The treadmill is not going anywhere on its own.