Sunday hiking

I tried another buddhist meditation place this morning. There is a meditation center not far from my apartment that offers "prayers for world peace" meditation every Sunday morning. I went and the place was deserted. The same thing happened when I went to the Tulerosa meditation place in Alamogordo. Is the web that outdated? I did go to a meditation group last Thursday which was really good so I'm planning to keep that going....

During all my trips to NM in the past, I had never made it West of the Rio Grande to Petroglyph National Monument. Today was the day... The way it's described in the brochure is: "The silent volcanic boulders are yearning to speak to those willing to listen." Geologically the volcano's last erupted about 150.000 years ago. The petroglyphs images were made about 400 to 700 years ago with some likely more than 3000 years old. The pueblo elders believe the petroglyphs themselves choose when and to whom they reveal themselves...

I ended up hiking for more than 3 hours; the weather was great, it felt like spring with 62 degrees!!

Google maps and old town

Those were the focus of my Saturday. Playing around on Google maps on Saturday morning, I re-discovered the feature of calculating distances by just clicking on map points. So I clicked and clicked and clicked and plenty of time later came up with a nice 7 mile run exploring my new neighborhood. I hadn't run in quite a while so the only demand I put upon myself was that I wasn't allowed to stop. So I wouldn't say I ran 7 miles, I think I plodded 7 miles but it's a start again.... I'm sure I'll pick up speed soon....

In the afternoon I played tourist and visited old town. I really did enjoy browsing around the cute little art stores. I barely stopped myself from buying a necklace and some great photography art. I came home just with a pair of long inseam jeans.... I also did check out the new REI on my way back and had my first dinner at "the flying star", around the corner from my apartment, I have a feeling it was the first of many to come...

Some of my patients....

Work is growing on me... although I don't feel all that connected to the other staff. There are definitely some friendly, fun and interesting people but there's a whole bunch of mid to late 20's girls talking a lot about getting drunk and partying, and to make things even more challenging for me; they are republicans, and not the real informed kind!! Not exactly my peers!!!! The way the Buddhists would look at it: I should be grateful for the opportunity to practice tolerance, loving kindness and patience...... Not easy but I'm trying!!!

I do have some great patients that I look forward to seeing every day....

I am spending 1.5 hours daily with a 55 year old Mexican illegal immigrant who fractured his pelvis, sacrum, femur and some vertebra falling from 40 feet tall scaffolding.. Here's the kicker: he does not speak one word of English (well, he can count to 10 and say hi) and I do not speak a word of Spanish. I can really only get somebody to translate for a few minutes here and there but I have to say, we communicate really well.... it does work!!! I'm sure it looks quite funny seeing me treat him but who cares?!?! I think it's a great professional relationship and he's getting better!! A fun side note? We were obviously on the same page on inauguration day and high-fived each other watching the swearing in ceremony in the communal dining area!!!!

I'm treating a lady in her mid 60's whose husband was a diplomat in the foreign service his whole career. They lived all over the world, 2 of her kids were born in Africa and 2 in Europe. She has some amazing stories about Africa in the late 60's and 70's! Her rational for choosing the Albuquerque area to retire definitely resonates with me: climate, mountains, variety of cultures, close gut connection feeling to the 3rd world... I can't explain it but I get it!

One of my patient's sons has a popular Mexican restaurant downtown Albuquerque. Her family has brought me in lunch 3 times now (and It's really good, you know how I love good food!!!!). And her son brought me a Starbucks coffee this morning!!! The funny thing is, she fires me every night.... I treat her 3 times a day for about half an hour each and at the end of every day she tells me that I make her work too hard, that she can't do it anymore and that she doesn't want to see me again. Every next morning she greets me with a smile... You just gotto love it!!! Her family thinks it's pretty funny too!!!

WE have a new president...

Yes, I'm writing WE, remember, I did become a US citizen and voted!!! So I feel at least partially responsible for the wonderful event that took place on Tuesday: the inauguration of our new President: BARACK OBAMA!!! I wish I would have just taken some days off and flown to DC to watch this extra ordinary event!!!



Yes I did like Michelle Obama's outfit and thought Sasha and Malia were adorably cute in their bright J Crew coats. I found the parades fun to watch, the music performances greatly entertaining and the crowds of almost 2 million people just an amazing sight. But most of all, like so many people, I again feel an individual sense of connection to the country's leadership, I can feel a citizen of the global world instead of just living in the isolated island of power and arrogance, I feel invested in what I trust will be a very tough but fair and right decision-making administration.....

I'm not wearing rosy colored glasses; for the first time in my life I am actually personally linked to people affected by the current economic fiasco; friends losing their jobs or not being as prosperous, some even truely struggling to make it through tough times....
I also feel we have the the right man in the white house to coach us through what I'm sure will plenty of challenging years ahead.......

Anybody sick of the pictures yet??

How do these trees grow?????

Hiking again...

Well, I was getting withdrawal symptoms, I hadn't hiked for 2 weeks or so.... The best remedy? Just getting out there... Also. I felt my blog was in need of some more pictures....
After a little research I decided to go to "Tent Rocks", about halfway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. They are rock formations in the shapes of cone shaped tents, the product of volcanic eruptions 6 to 7 million years ago. Over time, wind and water created arroyos and canyons. It reminded me quite a bit of Bryce canyon in southern Utah.
I made a late start (I went to a spinning class in the morning and skyped with my parents) so didn't get there until almost 2pm. Luckily, there was really only one hiking trail about 3 miles long...

The fact that I took 83 pictures should tell you enough....

My first work day....

My commute took less than 15 minutes!!! Granted it was highway driving but still... What a treat, considering that was my main worry for today!!!
Most of my day was spent in introduction / orientation but tomorrow I'll have a full caseload of rehab patients! It sounds like the main caseload will be CVA's, general orthopedics and deconditioning; length of stay anywhere from 10 to 25 days. It will take a few days to get used to the paperwork and layout of the hospital and gym but I'm expecting to be up and running fairly efficiently by next week.

Here are some of my first impressions:
1- Although the hospital looks new from the outside, it's pretty old inside. The offices remind me of the old Children's hospital offices but I do have the best seat in the house: the only one with a window!!! The gym area is pretty neat; they even have a car to practice car transfers.
2- The hospital is CARF accredited and actually has quite a few rehab nurses (about 7 or so) for a 62 bed unit. The rehab department is very 'young'. Apart from just a few staff, most therapists are less than a few years out of school.
3- Stress levels seem to be high, I could sense the energy in the air. It almost felt like it would just take one needle stick into the bubble to make the whole thing explode... I guess the chronic staff shortage (they really do rely on travelers quite a bit) with high caseloads and some students at the start of their rotation would do that. I'm thinking taking in a few meditation cushions would be a useful contribution to the department but probably not particularly appropriate... On a guttural level, I understand it, I think it's probably close to the professional life I was leading in St. Louis!
4- People were friendly but a little reserved. I met one cool OT from Australia. Unfortunately she is leaving at the end of the week... What a shame... There are more travel OT's starting next week so we'll see....

I was scanning through my blog's entries of my last assignment and saw how it evolved... First all pictures of landscapes and the occasional self timer shot, ... It than evolved into more pictures and stories of people I met... It'll be interesting to see if this one will follow that same path....

I'm definitely getting excited about hiking this weekend; I have some hikes scoped out so stories and pictures will hopefully follow soon!!!!

Albuquerque....

Packing up in Alamogordo took a little longer than anticipated. I don't think I was quite as organized as last time and my packing was definitely less efficient. Combine that with some purchases and gifts from the past few months and it adds up to a MORE THAN FULL Subaru! Next time I might have to add the roofbox!
The drive was easy and very pretty as expected... 3 out of the 3.5 hous was deserted countryside,... Beautiful views I have become accustomed but not habituated to... they still make me smile, they still take my breath away, they still install a being-close-to-the-land-feeling... I hope I never get used to it.

This is a view of Sierra Blanca from Northern Tulerosa:



I found the apartment without any difficulties, moved in, unpacked everything (it took a long time!!!), did a grocery store run and had dinner at "Whole Foods". I had become so used to having 2 bedrooms with a little sacred meditation place and plenty of space to store my stuff, so it took some creative thinking and organizing to get everything in a definitely much smaller, 1 BR apartment. It worked though and it already feels like MY place.

Although I don't really have a view from my apartment window, this is a view of the Sandia Mountains from the parking lot of the complex.



Today I met the manager and handyman of the complex, got my high speed internet connected -and tested it 'skyping' successfully with my parents-, signed up at a fitness center closeby, did a little dry run to the hospital downtown and spent some time lingering along the cute Nobb Hill stores... It definitely feels colder than Alamogordo but the sun was out and that's the main thing really!

Tomorrow will be my first day at work. I think I'm more weary about the commute to downtown than about the job itself: It really only took me 10 mins outside rush hour but I have visions of St. Louis I-40 or Olive road at 4.30 pm and it doesn't feel near as calming as the visions of my leasurely drive along the mountains in Alamogordo.....

I'll keep you all posted

Moving...

I'm packing up my apartment tonight, leaving for Albuquerque tomorrow,.... I have been here just 4 months and part of me feels like I've lived here for years (in a good way!!). Never in my wildest dreams did I think it was going to be this difficult leaving a place I had only been for 16 weeks.... It reminds me a little of leaving a summer camp with strong bonds through fun great shared experiences... I just wish I was sitting by a huge campfire singing songs tonight..... The leaving lunch, an evening leaving party and a "last supper" this week will just have to replace singing "Kumbayah" ;-)...

I guess I'm fortunate to be feeling this way, to have been able to establish such strong connections in such a short period of time... to have so thoroughly enjoyed the mountains, the desert, the canyons, the white sand dunes, the southwestern sunny skies, the cacti and the rocks, the fabulous weather.... !!! I just looked back through my hiking book covering most of the area here and counted 21 highlighted hikes (and there are at least 5 more that aren't in the book!!!!). I guess I'll have to come back to do the other 130 ;-)!!!

When I left STL, I read Dr. Seuss' "Oh the places" and posted part of it on my blog... I'm reading it again tonight and this is what's standing out to me about my time here .....



"It's opener there
in the wide open air
Out there things can happen
and frequently do....."

"And when things start to happen
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
YOU'LL start happening too"

Although transitions are always difficult, I am really looking forward to what Albuquerque has to offer... I have a list of meditation places and recommended restaurants, I've signed up for a hiking meet up group and have information about a midnight full moon hike over the Sandia Crest, ... I'm excited about a Santa Fe weekend, a whole foods shopping spree and some cool coffee shops.... I'm pushing thoughts of colder weather, longer commutes and more job stressors quite successfully to the back of my brain for now...

I should have my high speed Internet connected on Monday so no excuses not to keep the blog updated!!! My new address will be:
Telegraph Hill apartments
7000 Louisiana Blvd NE, apt 803
Albuquerque, NM 87109

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Happy New year to everybody everywhere! I would like to use this Irish saying to toast: "In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want."

Yesterday was another crystal clear New Mexican night and I decided to go on a little mountain / desert hike and meditate on the year passed and the year ahead, on my newish direction in life started in 2008 to be continued in 2009, on the enormous rewards of opening up to new experiences, however simple they might be, on the huge impact of friendships, the old ones savored and treasured, the new ones smiling with enthusiasm and delight and on the almost-endless future life possibilities ahead of me.
I thought of the flip sides of all a these positives: with freedom comes uncertainty and with openness comes vulnerability, solo travel is bound with times of loneliness and the challenge of leaving behind blooming friendships....

I guess 2009 is calling to all of us in degrees of uncertainty, and we're all answering the call in our own way, paving our path for 2009....

My meditation spot ....

A fun hike...

6 adults, a barely 8 week old baby and 4 dogs hiking Pine Tree trail on Monday... Fun!!!






Marli, well bundled up...




Dogs on ice...



My first New Mexican Taj food followed (very tasty, including the sticky rice desert!), accompanied by profound conversations.....