The Ham Museum, Madrid
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My New Art Kit!
I’m enjoying wandering around Madrid during these few preparatory days before the official start of our retreat. I went to the Prado today to drink in art for a few hours with my co-leader Andre. She and Brenda and I are meeting every day to go over last minute details. Our group starts arriving tomorrow
First Walk in Madrid
I arrived at my hotel jetlagged, grubby, and tired (I only let myself sleep 4 hours on the plane to help me adjust to the time zone here). But it was a pleasure to unpack, do a bit of handwashing in the sink, take a shower, step out of my airplane clothes and into shorts
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The Camino Walks You
It’s my last full day at home, time to let go of months of preparation and to embrace the actual experience before me. Regardless of what I hope this experience will be for myself, my two co-leaders, and for the women hiking with us, I have no idea what it actually will be. For instance,
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Last Hike Before the Camino
At Bryne-Milliron Forest in Corralitos today with our visiting daughter Eliza Bristol Davis. Walking again felt great. I can’t imagine better company or better weather. It was a perfect day.
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The Value of Excellence
“All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” —Martin Luther King, Jr. Tell me about something you do or have done with excellence. Describe it in detail, and with pride.
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My Feet
I’ve had the funny experience of going around Santa Cruz the past couple of weeks and when I see people I know, they often greet me with, “So how are your feet?” My first thought is, “How did you know?” But then I realize—oh yeah, I wrote about it! Two weeks ago, when my feet
Welcoming the Editor
“I have made this letter longer than usual, because I lack the time to make it short.” —Blaise Pascal Take a first draft of something you have written, that you like, and cut it by a quarter. Then cut it by another quarter. Do four revisions, each time cutting it further. (It’s okay to add
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Foot Bath. 6 AM.
This morning, I’m soaking my feet in epsom salts and lavender essential oil while reading a terrific book I was gifted for my birthday: The Emerald Mike by Kevin Fedarko, all about the history of the Grand Canyon and the river guides who run it. And the politics of dam building and conservation and a
My Feet Hurt and I Haven’t Even Started Yet
Okay, I’m leaving for the Camino in two weeks and I’m really freaking out about my feet. My two reliable pairs of shoes that I trained in were worn out by my training. And so I’ve been back and forth to REI, trying out all kinds of shoes. After tons of advice and many fittings,
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Five-Minute Sprints
“I give assignments to my writing classes because it’s hard to make something up out of a clear blue sky. . . . It doesn’t have to be anything. It can contain a character who shows up out of breath. It can contain a lake and a bunch of swans. There can be conversation or
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Prepping for the Camino: What the Hell Should I Do About Shoes?
In the past ten months or so, since I started actively training to walk the Camino de Santiago, I’ve walked hundreds of miles. I write that with a lot of pride. I’ve walked in the woods, on trails, up mountains, on city streets, on the cobblestoned streets of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. I’ve hiked
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When I Stop My Momentum
“In the center of our speed, in the core of our forward movement, we are often confused and lonely. That is why we have turned so full-heartedly to the memoir form. We have an intuition it will save us. Writing is the act of reaching across the abyss of isolation to share and reflect. It’s
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The Gifts of Age
“I was at a wedding Saturday with a lot of women in their 20s and 30s in sexy dresses, their youthful skin aglow. And even though I was 20 or 30 years older, a little worse for wear, a little tired and overwhelmed by the loud music, I was smiling. I smiled with a secret
Living Happily Ever After
“It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day-to-day basis.” —Margaret Bonnano Reflect on this quote and its meaning in your life.
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