Monday, January 1, 2007

first foot

We threw coins for the I-Ching last night. I was a bit drunk, he was very drunk and the signs were not auspicious for either of us – something about stagnant ponds and the darkening of the light. But I have survived the year of the sagging ridgepole and understand that care of the cow brings good fortune. And the oracle may have been disgruntled because we were drunk. In any case it is my experience that continuing to place one foot in front of the other tends to lead to all kinds of unexpected things and is a necessity, if one is able to keep doing it – and I can, being one of the lucky ones.

Beginning this blog is a step. I think I know (but can’t be sure) why I’m doing it: things have been a bit – how can I put it – “stagnant” in the pond of creative endeavour. I am having a gap year from teaching work for health reasons (see profile) and it is good to have time to stand and stare at the darkening of the light as the sun goes down into the trees on the forest, but many days without writing is no life for a writing person. So I set myself a New Year challenge to turn up here as a way of giving myself a bit of a kick in the right direction.
Last year I discovered the world of blogs – reading them has become my distraction of choice – and I felt like joining in.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just coming up to midnight and the end of the first day of this year. There are signs all around to read. I have enjoyed the beginning of your blog and look forward to more interpretation, cows, digruntled oracles and many things I do not know about yet. Today on a long walk I too found that the only thing we can do is keep putting one foot in front of the other, and so I go, onward into January with your blog to keep me company.

Reading the Signs said...

Thanks for the second-footing liz, I'll see if I can spot your footprints.

Ros Barber said...

Give Way indeed! There's a pertinent sign. Welcome to the blogosphere. And a happy (and let's hope, auspicious), New Year.

Reading the Signs said...

- and to you, Ros. The signs are always a-changing - and I'll be reading tea-leaves next year.