At last writing, I was driving into the sunset in my newly-acquired Boxster. Two years of living in the moment had led me to this choice. Now, six months later, much has happened. I’ve had another MRI, which means another What’s Up With Dan. The MRI confirmed what my body had been telling me…it’s all good. We didn’t see any more “abnormalities,” which is my neurologist’s term for “light grey cloud-looking stuff.”
Recently we acquired another driver in the household. Tyler Reich, 16, passed on his first try, and can’t get to school without a ride or taking two buses. Suddenly, he was captain of his own ship, so to speak. On days we didn’t need it, we let Tyler take the station wagon to school. It soon became apparent that he was going to need his own car, and that the Boxster couldn’t be pressed into service for all of Ellen and Dan’s car needs.
Rather than add a fourth car, we decided to do the sensible thing…let go of the Boxster and get something with an automatic transmission that a teenager can drive without causing alarm at AAA. He favors the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart, which looks like fun and is easy on the insurance. I’m lobbying for a Mini, but we’ll both be involved in the decision. So we’re nearing the end of our “Summer of the Boxster”…soon it will be gone and I will be back to sharing a car.
The interesting thing is, I am having no trouble letting go of the sports car. I’m not sure whether I have evolved beyond the need for it (probably a good thing) or whether it was like having an affair with a 23-year-old woman and everything is passionate and perfect until you discover that she doesn’t remember any music before Guns n’ Roses and you realize things aren’t right, for a number of reasons. The car wanted to be pampered. I needed to be able to park it in places where small dents wouldn’t ruin it. The car wanted to be garaged and driven to the wine country on weekends. I needed a car that would happily sit behind 10,000 others on Highway 101. So what seemed like a good idea at the time is now going to Craig’s List, as soon as I can find the time. Perhaps after my sweetheart and I take one last romantic trip up the coast...she deserves it.
Lately I have become very much in demand on a professional level. I was recently asked to go back to work for the wireless start-up, on an accelerated timetable, wearing a variety of hats from graphic design to product testing to marketing. It has been engaging and challenging work, and I’m pleased to report that my brain has passed stress testing. Other projects are starting to come in as well, and it’s good to feel productive again.
It’s been an active summer musically as well. The Vanilla Extract played two shows in the last month…the Downey Street Party in the Haight-Ashbury, and the well-received Grape Festival show in Larkspur Landing. Anne Zesiger and I have teamed up for several unplugged shows at local hospitals through Bread & Roses. And I did a solo show for the Relay for Life cancer fundraiser at Oakland’s Skyline High School in August.
Life is still a miracle. I’ve been blessed in many different ways, by a Tibetan Rimpoche, by the dawn of each day, and the taking of each breath. It’s all good. Your love and prayers continue to get me where I need to go, and I continue to practice Chi Gung, doing my best to send out healing energy. I’ve learned to be patient, and trust that I will be around to buy another roadster in a few years, if I really need to, which I may not. And if I find myself without wheels, there’s nothing wrong with a good bike ride.