A visit to DC and Georgetown

I just visited Washington, DC and Georgetown to attend the annual GURT (Georgetown University Roundtable). The topic this year was 'telling stories'. I learned a lot and have a list of books to read as a result of hearing the many good presentations. This was a first for me to visit GU or GURT. I both enjoyed the conference and the surroundings. DC has a great public transportation system. That's a place you'd have to ask the question, 'why have a car?' The parks were fantastic too, especially Rock Creek. A great place to run, play soccer, walk or whatever.

The Cowtown 10K

I ran in the Cowtown 10K this year and really enjoyed it. It's been many years since I ran in a 10K, but I figured it would be great to participate with friends. It meant getting up too early and running in the cold, but well worth the experience. I could've done without ice in the water. To add to the experience, Janet, my wife gave me her story of what she saw as a spectator, such as the Wholly Guacamole float and the strategies employed at the 10K start and the children participating in the 5K. We both like visiting Fort Worth too.

Learning Ecclesiastes

The epic telling at this year's NOBS gathering is the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes. Plus our small storytelling group suggested we tell stories of confession since we're now in the season of Lent. Ecclesiastes seems to me a confession of the human condition, so I thought I'd give it a go and see how far into it I get. Now that I've told half of chapter one to some encouraging friends, I feel spurred on to learn more of this marvelous story or quest. Like what happens after choir practice, I tend to sing the anthems during the week, I find myself mulling over the images that The Teacher has created: "meaningless, vanity, wearying, tiresome, nothing new under the sun'. I'm having fun with this thinking of the images evoked, rather than memorizing the words. I hope to have the first chapter ready to tell and then weave in a story from my experience.