finding my place, stage 1

so here's what $938 worth of law textbooks looks like:


doesn't look like all that much, does it? they're pretty big books, but still. oh, well, whatever -- welcome to my book locker. required for one class is an "i-clicker" which looks like an early remote control and is a way to communicate electronically with the professor during class (just having an "i'm old" moment).

truth is i'm excited about it all. at orientation next week, one task will be to locate our "flexes" which make up the cornell mail system. i cheated and found mine today. there it was, right there, with my name on it, as if they are expecting me!

went and sat in the carrels today, just to see if i could find a favorite. did the goldilocks thing -- this one's too close to the stairs where people are talking, that one's too close to the whatever machine is running in that corner. but found one. then went up to the beautiful reading room and read there for a while. feels good. feels good enough that i was having a hard time reading, just excited to be claiming such a place.

i know all this is very uncool, but i am really loving it, and eager to get started. life is good and i'm grateful.

happy people

ok, so someone goes around asking everyone, “who is the happiest person you know?” and then interviewing the happy people — and writes a book or article or makes a film, or something . . .

eric says i told him about this a while back, and now that he mentions it, it does sound familiar, but i can’t pull it up in my memory — and can’t find it by googling.

does anyone in my life know what i’m talking about? if so, please e/call/comment. thanks! it’s driving me crazy.

Leadings #5: read

asheville airport last night — somebody’s plane was really late:

more on Leadings:

another suggestion: read. as part of these thoughts on Leadings, i wanted to put together a suggested reading list. maybe i will. if so, it will include gregg levoy’s callings: finding and following an authentic life which came up in conversation this morning.

shortly after we settled (re-settled, in my case) in asheville in 2002, we were wandering around downtown one late-summer evening, and happened into malaprops bookstore & cafe in time for a lecture/reading/booksigning by gregg levoy. what a treat! in looking for the link earlier today, i came across levoy’s book recs and the list looks amazing. although i haven't read all of them, i think i'll just defer to him at this point. i’ll add other book recs of my own as i go along, and would welcome yours, as well.