leaving

L

Bob left Austin for the Burning Man festival 2012 yesterday.  I have mixed feelings now that he is gone--ranging from pride to sadness to disappointment.  The pride stems from Bob's involvement with the project’s lead artist almost six months ago.  He immediately took on the role of project manager to lend his experience to the team from Burning Man 2008. The work included 12 trips to Houston, 160 hrs. of work in Austin building frames, brackets, tops, pod bases etc. He did 100% of the metal work for the sculpture. The team could comfortably say if Bob had not been involved, they wouldn’t be ready for the build next week in the desert. For this, I am extremely proud of his leadership role.  In parallel he led a major acquisition effort for one of his consulting gigs.  Also in parallel as always he is my primary caregiver that takes multiple hours per week.  I remain eternally grateful for his support.

The sadness stems from two things.  One, I miss him and it has barely been 24 hours, and 2) he is on an adventure that I cannot share.  I was invited to drive in the RV out to the desert but elected not to go.  I did not push myself hard enough; consequently I am not attending Burning Man this year.   My walking is not where it should be.  I am addressing two major issues twice a week in therapy. I need to be able to step pass my left foot when I walk by weight shifting on my left.  I have to be able to manage uneven terrain with ease and not go apoplectic when it’s not flat or concrete.

What is the saying?  Recognizing and admitting the issue is half the battle.  I am so acutely aware of my issues with walking. My goal by the end of the year is to have improved my gait.  Stay tuned.