Engagement

So it has been awhile since my last post but if you didn't already know I got engaged to my girlfriend of 2 years on December 20, 2010. Aida and I met during a summer session for school in 2008 and started dating shortly after our return to school. We have set a wedding date for August 7, 2011. Things have been moving quickly but I couldn't ask for anyone better to share the rest of my life with. I love you Aida.

Awesome Weekend

So this weekend not only did I have a chance to talk with Dave Mech, on the leading wolf biologists in the world, about wolf taxonomy, but I also had a chance to meet Rolf Peterson, the lead biologist of the Isle Royale study for over 37 years. It doesn't get much better than this.

Northwest Stories: Gary Snyder

Shana Tova

Today is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year. It is a time for reflection of the past year as well as atonement for past sins. In this sense, when I speak of atonement, I simply mean acknowledging mistakes made in the past year so that you can work on fixing them. I went out the beautiful Kawishwi Falls for the ceremonial casting of sins (mistakes). This is symbolic of starting the year with a fresh start. On the 3/4 mile hike out to the falls, I reflected on major changes that have occurred this past year as well as things that I would like to change. Among the highlights of the year have been graduating college, working at the International Wolf Center for the summer, and going into my second year with my lovely girlfriend. I am truly lucky to have so many great friends and such a loving family. Upon reviewing this past year, however, I was disheartened to think about how angry I was. Along with casting away my sins, I also cast away that anger. My goal for the year is fill empty void with loving kindness.

Why It's Good for Jews to Meditate

Here is a great article by Jay Michaelson, the author of Everything is God.
Check it out!

http://zeek.forward.com/articles/116922/

Interpretations of Abrahams Journey

The Tent of Abraham is an interfaith look at the story of Abraham and his sons Issac and Ishmael. I recently read a section of the book by Rabbi Arthur Waskow who emphasizes the similarities of between the Israeli/Palestinian conflict with the struggles between Issac (the holy son) and Ishmael (the outsider). Rabbi Waskow says:
"Did Mohammed have to die because the Palestinian people were ready to use violence to assert its own control over the very rock where the first Mohammed rose to heaven, flying on the wings of the one God, who has, according to the Quran, made nations and communities diverse so that we could learn from and love each other, not so that we could hate and kill each other?"

Living In Tune

When asked how things are, don't whine and grumble about your hardships. If you answer "lousy," then God says "You call this bad, I'll show you what bad really is!"
When asked how things are, and despite hardships and suffering, you answer "good," then God says "You call this good, I'll show you what good really is!"

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov