Timber's Morning Coffee

For me, life has been a whirlwind of changes lately. As you know from my previous couple of posts, I've started a yoga practice. And, surprisingly, I've kept it. Unlike the other forms of physical exercise, this one has been integrated into my life and it's now become a part of my daily routine. The reasons for this are probably less complex than you might think. You see, yoga isn't just about the physical. The asana (postures) are just one part of the whole path. I'm not going to go into a diatribe about the Eight Limbs, or give a dissertation on the Yamas and the Niyamas. If you want that kind of information, you can find it from other sources. However, where I've found my groove is in the asana practice, meditation, and self-inquiry/journaling. After a few months of practicing on my own, I decided that I would take my first actual class... in a studio... with (gulp) people. I was terrified. I wasn't sure what to expect. Since it was also Hot Yoga (26 ...

All my life, I’ve had crooked teeth. Well, since my adult teeth came in, anyway. Several years ago, my mother told me that during my Senior year in high school, I was given the choice of braces, or an oboe. Guess what I chose? Yup. And I thought I was going to go on and study music. Fast forward 25 years down the road... I’ve had a few issues with my mouth. One of which was a couple of tooth abscesses due to another chronic health condition. I’ve had to undergo regular root planing/descaling a few times. Now, it’s just kind of old hat to me. This latest time, though, because of bone loss and aforementioned abscesses, I am looking at extraction of two of my upper molars. Fortunately, it’s bilateral, so I’m losing a tooth on each side. Have to look at the positive - balance, you know. I never really realized how vain I was about this. One of the things that came out of the latest appointment is that I am never going to have straight teeth. That is, if I want to keep all of my ...

What?!?!?! That might be the first question out of your mouth. HIV? A blessing? Really? Well. . .Yes. I know that there has been a ton of stigma associated with this diagnosis. You might be wondering why I would think that a disease that has the potential to kill me might be a gift. Well, for me, it has been and now I will explain why. HIV has forced me to re-evaluate everything in my life, from my relationships to my health to my personal possessions. Perhaps, earlier you might have read my post, " The Holidays are Not About Presents " Contained in that particular blog are some of my truths about the things that are important to me and the things that truly matter. For me, HIV has forced me to look at my health and really be mindful of what my body is telling me. I have to pay attention to the things that I eat, what I drink and what I allow to be in my body. It's super important for me to stay healthy. Before, I had the idea that most of us have: "It's no...

I have struggled with writing this blog for some time. I didn't know when the right time was going to be to do it. There have been many factors influencing my decision. My partner, family, friends, work, theatre, etc. It's been a bumpy ride and very challenging spiritually, emotionally, socially and physically. As I sit here in the middle of a snow storm next to my roaring fire in the comfort of my own home, I am mostly content. It feels safe here. The dogs are relaxing, the birds are quiet and I have the house to myself. I can almost feel like I am strong and nothing is changed. Nothing is different. Everything is going to be okay. But, four innocuous words, put together, could change that in an instant. You see, I have a secret. But I don't like secrets. They cause way too much stress. No, it's not that I'm gay. That's no secret to anyone. I mean, HELLO!!! Do you know me? The secret is even larger than that. It is earth-shattering, in some aspects. It is a...