Sunday, June 14, 2009

Into (Not So) Great Silence

I'm off to retreat this morning, and will be out of touch for the next week or so.  I've actually got something cooking for the site when I get back -- I've been researching credit card companies and bishops' apparel.  Something to look forward to. 

In the meantime... America just published an article by me about Australia entitled "Gone Walkabout"; much of the raw material came from the writing I had done on this blog.   So, you might want to check it out.  

I also did a podcast with online editor Tim Reidy about my experiences in Australia and all the great people I met. You can find it here. 

Update: as of Sunday night, the America website hasn't yet updated to include the most recent edition's articles (including mine).  Check back early next week.  

A somewhat apropos anecdote: I've been driving a lot through Wisconsin this week, both up to St. Paul/Minneapolis and down to Chicago. And I've passed a lot of dead deer along the roadside. It's not that unusual for here, but coming from Manhattan, it's a bit of a spectacle. You don't see much roadkill in Times Square...  

Actually, the last time I was someplace where there was a lot of roadkill to be seen, it was in Australia.  I can't tell you, in fact, how many dozens of dead kangaroos I saw along the side of the road in different parts of Australia; in the outback I was even warned never to drive at night, because the kangaroos are always out, and they travel in packs, and like deer, they freeze before headlights. (Or they jump, potentially into your windshield, which is even worse.)

And so -- weirdly, I admit -- each time we passed a dead deer, I kept thinking instinctively that I was looking at dead kangaroo.  It wasn't until the 5th or the 6th that I even realized I was thinking it.  

Clearly, I need a retreat.  See you in a week!





No comments:

Post a Comment