TheBanyanTree: Cecil and Hand Checks

[A. Christopher Hammon]

Greetings all .... I'm still here; still living in Louisville, Kentucky, 
except for the part of the summer that I now spend in New Jersey. I'm 
still spending a significant part of my life in cyberspace; just not 
getting to spend the time that I want sharing stories. Which is more 
than a little ironic considering how much of my time is spent teaching 
people to focus on the stories.

I keep meaning to get here to share a story or three. I read everything 
posted and I continue to have the best of intentions in adding my voice 
to the mix. When I went back to school to add another degree, I figured 
life would slow down again once completed. Silly me.

I had lunch at the Runcible Spoon in Bloomington back in September while 
on a week long bicycle tour of Indiana state parks. It is a place rich 
in Spoon memories for me as I looked back on meeting up with Spoon folk 
on ground; including the Stargazer that coaxed me to the Spoon in the 
first place back in '96. As I sat there I thought of all of the Spooners 
I've met in some way or another and of many stories shared with the 
knowledge that I am a better person for being in your midst.

There have been a number of people who encouraged my story telling here 
in years past, and in the process encouraged me through a few rough 
years of life. Cecil, as one of those people, it saddens me deeply to 
hear that your health is turning you toward a transition of joining up 
with a couple of others who are saints in my book; Stargazer and Terry 
with his glass harmonica. Journey well, my friend, as you carry our 
stories with you.

On my front, life is good. It is generally running at too fast a pace or 
perhaps I'm just always running too far behind. Some days I wear my 
educator hat, some days I wear my journal editor hat, some days I wear 
my book publisher hat, some days I wear my writer/speaker hat, and some 
days I go ride my recumbent out into the hills of Kentucky and southern 
Indiana.

Jana, it is good to hear your voice and an update. I remember meeting 
you and your family when several of us Spooners got together when I was 
out in Portland in the spring of '98 -- with the group of us celebrating 
Kentucky's Derby Day riding the horses of a shopping center merry-go-round.

Cheers all,
Chris Hammon