. first . *edit

There have been numerous changes in my life since my last diary. Let’s list them, shall we? (In no particular order)

1. Dissolved my marriage
2. Met The Man of My Dreams
3. Sold my house
4. New place to live
5. New job
6. Burning Man

There are many more, smaller things, of course. But these are the major ones, the ones that have had the biggest effect on my life in the past two to three years.

Let’s start with the divorce. It was friendly, we are still friendly, and probably always will be. We talk two or three times a week. We were together about 13 years and I love him dearly as a friend. Neither of us would be where we are now without the other… we went through some of our most formative years together, and we were good at it. We had an open relationship from Day One and shared everything, dated many people, together and separately. I just think we were always just "best friends" and didn’t realize it. Until we each met The Person of Our Dreams. So my ex and his woman are getting married next month, and I am truly happy for them.

The Man of My Dreams. What else can I say? He is exactly what I have always wanted. Perhaps I should call him The Hippie of My Dreams. We have been together now just over two years. He is ambitious, creative, generous of heart, loving, present with every moment and every person, honors everyone he meets, not an enemy in the world, works with and LOVES children, and most importantly of course, honors and loves me dearly, gently, and with his whole heart. Even people who just meet him briefly tell me how wonderful he is, how handsome, how amazing his energy is. Once our waiter at a restaurant we were eating at commented on how great a guy he was. As if I need others to tell me! *smile* He doesn’t have a college education nor does he make a lot of money, and I think that worries my parents. But one thing I learned from my marriage, or more appropriately, the dissolution of such, was that I can’t depend on anyone but myself for my financial stability or even my own happyness. So it ultimately doesn’t matter if My Love is the richest or the poorest man in the world. I have a good job. I won’t ever have to worry about being out of work. I make decent money. I have a retirement plan and a savings account. Not a big one, but at least it exists. So I don’t care how much money he makes, as long as he’s ambitious, honest, and has a job. And I can say that he has those things, and sooooo much more!

Selling my house and a new place to live. Now that is a story that could use a whole new diary to itself. But let’s just say that it took a long time and I only got ten thousand out of it when all was said and done. I am ecstatic to currently be in a great apartment in a fourplex with My Love, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and all the day to day stuff that comes with keeping a home cozy and the people in it healthy. We have a dozen friends within walking distance, too, and I love that!

New job, same thing, new place. I have been a registered nurse for 6 1/2 years and my specialty is Neonatal Intensive Care. That’s the ICU for newborn babies of all kinds that need intense medical attention. Preemies and term infants with disorders of all kinds, birth defects that need surgical repair and those that don’t, respiratory distress, bowel disease, genetic errors, pretty much anything you can think of and many things I’m sure you can’t. I love my job and I love babies. What else can I say?

Burning Man! Now if you have been to Burning Man or are associated in any way with a BM community, you know it has the capability to change your life. If you haven’t or don’t know of anyone who has, I can’t possibly explain it to you. Burning Man has to be experienced to be understood. Even if it’s by association.

So that’s a start. My intention for this diary is to let my fingers keep up with my brain and to work out my thoughts in a private situation. Because we all need to explore the quiet within and the shadows within ourselves.

~ kate

edit:  I guess Burning Man wasn’t something that was exactly new since my last diary. The last entry in that diary, I was about to go to Burning Man for the second time.  I’ve now been three times, and I’m not going this year. But it’s still changed my life. The people and the communities of BM extend far beyond the reaches of the Black Rock Desert, Nevada. These people are my family, my extended social network of friends who are nurturing, accepting, driven, passionate, creative self-starters who know how to get amazing things done, both by working together and in their independent lives! Damn I love my friends.