A Tall Tail or a Short Break ? ? ?

Well, I'm not going to beat about the bush, as it were . . . For the next two weeks or so, I'm going to be totally absent from the blogosphere . . . off on a desert island in the southern seas, returning to the origins of life on this planet, returning to volcanic powers and primitive flowers, getting away from industrial disease and other 21st century forms of madness. Going back in time. Way back. Getting to know my family again. Going cold turkey from the daily injections of blog posts and comments and counter comments and followers and site meters and visits to all your blogs. And hopefully will return all charged up and ready and raring to go again.
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What a year it's been. I can't tell you how much I've been enjoying the ongoing conversations with many among you. I never dreamed the blogosphere would turn out to be such a rich and vibrant community. I had no expectations when starting out with the blog, had no idea what it might lead to. Ok, it hasn't gone viral or anything, but you know... so what. It has led to some wonderful people, and I wouldn't trade that for anything. Thank you so much for everything over the past year, your companionship and friendship on this strange voyage means the world to me. And I'll be back. But right now, I need a breather... to go do some deep breathing exercises by the waterside. Or on top of a volcano.
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Now, yesterday it was a zebra, today it is a giraffe who has wandered into these pages. And it sure looks like she has something to say to us all. But the question is : what ? So if you have any ideas about what this gentle giraffe is saying to us. . . well, just go ahead, that's what the comment box is there for. . . (and it almost looks like her face has been tattooed. . .)
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Oh, and given that I'm going to abandon everyone for two weeks, I won't leave you empty handed. I discovered recently that a highschool classmate from way back when has taken to writing books, and getting published. I had to give one a try, and I'm awfully glad I did. The Blue Tattoo, by Margot Mifflin is one of the most fascinating and thought-provoking books I've read in a long time. Margot has done an exquisite job of researching the story of Olive Oatman, who was captured by Yavapai Indians in what is today southern Arizona after the murder of most of her family members, was then traded to the Mohave tribe along the Colorado River, where she lived away from white culture for several years in the early 1850's. While living with the Mohaves her face was tattooed, a sign of belonging to the tribe. Her "release" from the Mohaves was negotiated finally, and she returned to her native culture, bearing trans-cultural baggage she no doubt carried with her the rest of her days.
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This book provides plenty of food for thought about a wide range of subjects, including the expansion of America into the West in the 1800's, where Indian cultures were obliterated along the way, the notions of what it means to belong to a culture, fascinating insight into the Mohave tribe's civilization, glimpses of the Mormons, the literature of cross-cultural captives, tattoos, and more, much more. So, while I'm away, I'd highly recommend that you stop by Amazon.com, and order a copy of Margot's book, you won't regret it. And they make excellent gifts. . . so give one to a friend or two too. Well, I hope this has grabbed your interest. They say there is no such thing as bad advertising . . . see you in a couple of weeks !
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