Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2001

Be it September or December, may the depth, beauty and serenity of this American scene be with you through the years….

As a kid concerned about life's crises -- acne and chasing round balls, I'd say to my parents, "Wow, the year's gone so fast!" My parents would say, as yours probably did, "The older you get, the faster it goes." How simple acne and round balls and Christmas tree decorating was…

My sister's kidney-pancreas transplant enters it third successful year. Her only major concern until recently has been the added bulk the anti-rejection steroids have caused on her traditionally slender body. To offset the added weight, Marlene joined the YMCA and began a regular work-out and socializing routine. She was enjoying it and even her assistant, Teresa, joined some of the workouts. Unfortunately, foot problems have returned to Marlene and pushed her bubbly and sweaty YMCA routine into abeyance. For those of you who are on Marlene's chat list, now and throughout the New Year would be a nice time to give the 'talker' a call. My year continues filling up with activities that touch on politics, land development, writing, educating, wood butchering and maintaining stuff, round ball chasing, working out, sharing Belgian hospitality and some traveling. Some work is pleasant, some invigorating, some a pain in the butt.

Trips, however, are easiest to share, so… I made a trip, which Mudcatter Fred Grange was able to share a day or two of, back to my favorite home and now museum, the Castle of Rubelia. (Some other Rubelia stuff visible at my web page/Resumes/Building Rubelian link and also at www.Lightside.net/~dennish/Rubelia/). King Michael had the Mudcatter experience living in the caboose as he fatten us up on his oak fired, cast iron clad cooking learned in a long ago chivalrous generation, or lifetime.

Later in the year, my sleuthing talents tracked down the skittish Kadir Deen, the speedy Rugby back three of us Peace Corps Yanks had to protect on our way to the All South Asian Rugby Championship of decades ago… How could it be that long ago, when I can remember like it was yesterday carrying him into the locker room at half-time of that game? I finally cornered him in a limo in Berlin, well disguised as Malaysia’s Ambassador to Germany. His renowned hospitality again spoiled me for over a week. I’m sorry I can’t fully explain the half-time episode – or other stuff, but before a special dinner of ambassadors and in this letter he has forced me to remain as silent as a lamb on at least his half time problems. The ambassadorial corps has these diplomatic etiquettes by which us rough-shod types must, I’m warned, abide. (A published article touching on that trip and terrorism is on my web site at the 9-11 link.)

Hopefully, by a February 2002 Williamsburg, Virginia conference dedicated to them, a co-authored book will be out about my loved and missed political mentors, Edwin and Joyce Koupal. It will be titled “Ordinary People Doing the Extraordinary.” If all works out, I will use the book as another excuse to email you with more details. Information about the Koupals is also at the People’s Lobby web site linked in my email signature and below.

A few days after Christmas, I will be in Fiji doing another Habitat Global Village building project. I hope it is as meaningful as the Sri Lanka project of last year. It might, however, be easier this time since I won’t have to do duffer Dave’s work for him :>). For those of you who think about working vacations, I highly recommend Habitat. We Americans have a lot of stuff, and most of the world blesses you for helping build for them four simple, good walls and a leak-proof roof to raise their beautiful kids under. (Habitat writings are also at my web site.)

For those of you who continue as my long distance and local long distance phone, internet, pager, cell phone customers, thank you. Those of you who would like excellent telecommunications services, please click to the Excel web site on my email to get some rate and service comparisons – and/or call me. What little I make from my Excel work goes to funding non-profit work like Habitat. My donor efficiency ratio is much better than ATT’s, but not nearly as good as fellow Ohioan Paul Newman’s spaghetti ratio.

May you and yours be healthy and happy through the years.

Ambassador Kadir on left. Langdon knows his spot.

Dwayne

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