Comments for Julie Hursey's Weblog

Comment on Crocus in the snow by Laura

Laura — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:30:50 +0000

Dear Julie,
Was thinking about you last night (my sister’s dear friend Dennis died the night before last at home in hospice and it stirred memories) and checked out your blog this morning … and there was Maureen who I will see in about an hour at the library …. ripples of connectedness …

Thinking about what you said: “I lost faith in my opinions. I am drifting in a very ambivalent place. I am no longer sure if I know the difference between bad news and good.”

Wondering how this overlaps with my own struggle, to let go of judging, to let go of deciding, what is bad or good, and how I could make it more good, and just accept that life happens and we bring to it the bad or good. I want to let go even of the ambivalence to see what peace could be found there … like the WB poem … “For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.”

Or is Rilke saying the same thing? …

Let life happen to you. Believe me: life is in the right, always.
– Rainer Maia Rilke

Not sure.

And, so much I could share about the library!!! It’s a lot more about kindness and connecting that I ever imagined. And books do get messy. I found a fork in one. Not judging … just sayin’ …

Love,
Laura

Comment on Crocus in the snow by julie

julie — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:17:42 +0000

Thanks Maureen. The “Barn’s Burned down” quote came from a Japanese Poet, Masahide, who wrote in the late 1600’s. He was a student of the famous poet Basho.

I should have referenced it I suppose, but in the casual style of blogging, I threw off the yoke of footnotes. Still, they are his words, and they ring just as true today.

They were on a card that a nurse from MV Hospital gave me after my Dad died. Maybe you know her. Jill Belcher?

Are you working at the hospital still? I am curious about you. Really have enjoyed your blog each day, and your ability to post almost daily is astonishing!

Thanks for the comment.

Comment on Crocus in the snow by Maureen@IslandRoar

Maureen@IslandRoar — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:51:48 +0000

What blesses us, curses us some days. The barn burns down, and suddenly we can see the moon.

Poignant and beautiful words, Julie.
I find the older I get, the less I am sure of. Maybe that’s the true definition of wisdom.

Comment on Is it a Listening project if No One Will Talk? by Steven

Steven — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:44:49 +0000

maybe a couple hoopers, would help loosen their lips!

Comment on Is it a Listening project if No One Will Talk? by Vivian

Vivian — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:57:51 +0000

People LOVE to talk about themselves; that is a given. All they need is “permission”and they will talk, and talk, and talk. (Permission: isn’t that a universal need?) In my experience, most people respond very well if you ask for an interview with them. So maybe if you pitch the conversation as an interview rather than a request for a monologue, you’ll get more traction.

I think Joan Didion was being overly dramatic and self-mythologizing when she wrote that thing about writers selling out other people. Hinting that writing is an act of betrayal is just another way of witholding permission…and of making writers seem much, much more powerful than they are. Writers eat that crap up like it’s chocolate truffles on sale.

The writing quote I like is: The pen is mightier than the sword. As long as the sword is very, very tiny and the pen is very, very sharp.

Comment on Is it a Listening project if No One Will Talk? by Maureen@IslandRoar

Maureen@IslandRoar — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:26:20 +0000

Wow, how frustrating!
I know when we were videotaping my parents last summer when they were here, the first 20-30 minutes were awkward. I was trying to get family stories and history on tape. As the time went on, they got into it and it rolled more freely. Maybe you need to start out with a whole lot of stuff you don’t really need and they may start talking?? I don’t know, but I’m sure they have great stories…
Good luck!

Comment on Twic-ed in Seattle, or Is Homeland Security working for you? by juliehursey

juliehursey — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:37:07 +0000

I don’t know about the Anchorage office. We finally got our cards in Seattle, where they assured us “All the bugs had been worked out”….Best of luck!

Comment on Twic-ed in Seattle, or Is Homeland Security working for you? by KJ Herman

KJ Herman — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:07:21 +0000

Thanks for the blog. I am preparing to enter the portal into TWIC dom . May be in Seattle. Or is Anchorage a better choice? KJ

Comment on Wolf at the door by Maureen@IslandRoar

Maureen@IslandRoar — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:22:08 +0000

What a beautiful post. The real and metaphorical “wolves” at the door at this time of year, during an especially bleak winter.
You described so wonderfully the things that see us through, the friends that allow us to hold onto hope that spring, and brighter days, are ahead.
Gorgeous photos.

Comment on Light from another time by Kristen @ Motherese

Kristen @ Motherese — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 02:24:15 +0000

I love your metaphor of stories as ornaments. So thoughtful and evocative. It makes me wonder how many episodes from my past, especially my childhood, are the equivalent of these favorite ornaments. And the ones that would be relegated to the back of the tree are just forgotten.

I also appreciate the reminder of the constructive ways to live in the winter’s darkness.

A gorgeous post. Thank for your comment on my guest post at IslandRoar, especially so that I could have the chance to find your writing.