Back in the US, we visited Mom in Princeton and took in the
summer in Brooklyn. It feels so good to be home, to see friends, to walk the
streets of New York City.
As soon as we got back, we heard about the earthquakes in Italy.
My friends Donald and Brownie once left a hotel within hours of a
tsunami hitting it. We hiked through Reiti, where the quakes hit, a month ago. Its one of the
most beautiful parts of Italy, a majestic land bursting with active
volcano, earthquakes and the like. My heart goes out to those suffering
out there. The devastating beauty of Italy is haunting.
Saturday we rode to Prospect Park and then made our way to
the Roller Derby Championship between the Brooklyn Bombshells and the Manhattan
Mayhem.
The Bombshell fans were the best dressed.
The girls rolled through the halftime game, busting and
bruising their way through the match.
And the Mayhem took the day.
With lip gloss and lots of eyeliners, the crowd cheered. What
a scene!
Its great to be back in the US.
Sunday, we swam for hours and hours, enjoying the end of
summer.
Monday, we made our way back to NYC, past the mostly
complete Jay Street bike like, which seems to stop in the middle of nowhere,
before Fulton. The lane is mostly great moving to Tillary. Coming back however, the new lane seems to stop, forcing drivers to move back into traffic. Its a mess, as everyone vies for space. Cars were everywhere, as
were people, pedestrians, cyclists, police. I got a text saying my arm really was broken
that first day of hiking five weeks ago. But we made it. We kept on hiking, zipping through Italy and
then back to NYC. Across the street, Fracking activists were zapping Con Edison on the other side of Jay Street. NYC was in
full swing. Its great to be home.
Full professor. Just got the letter. Wow. Its a crazy feeling. I am breathing a sigh of relief that that worked out and getting back to editing two books all day. I am relieved to have gotten to this point after years of dyslexia, two years at Atlanta Speech School, one at Dean Memorial learning center, all euphemisms for special needs education programs I was lucky to be enrolled in in the 1970's. I am relieved to have had parents, brothers and family who supported me, John Shepard Will Shepard, a mom and dad who supported me, the best spouse ever who supported me, Caroline Shepard, teachers who supported me and between typos pointed out a few of the decent ideas between the bad prose. I am relieved they saw it was dyslexia and not that i was just stupid for not keeping up or flunking out of first grade, or getting a 44 in English sophomore year in high school. Thanks to Dr B at Greenhill, Barry Sanders at Pitzer, Irwin at CUNY, etc. To everyone that teaches and supports, remember you have huge impacts on the lives of those around you, even decades later when you don't realize it. Thanks everyone. Ron Hayduk Greg Smithsimon Now its time to chill out and enjoy it for this year. Its been a hectic spring and summer, I promise to enjoy the fall in peace, in promise. Its time smell the roses for a minute.
We celebrated with friends after the big letter. Thanks for being there for me everyone!
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