It’s been nearly
two years since my last post to this blog. Travels with Zeus
began as a record of our journey across Canada in May of 2011, and ended with
our return to Victoria in August after a summer in our old home of Salt Lake
City. Though we never made it as
far as the Maritime Provinces before heading back to Utah, we did get to
Kingston, Ontario, which was something of an accomplishment under the
circumstances.
Two years without posting anything has been too long. For one thing, a lot has happened in the interim and it was foolish to allow brief posts on Facebook or short email messages to serve as a substitute for more in depth communication. For another, writing is therapy, at least for me, and in retrospect ignoring this blog has been a form of personal neglect. Just as a few minutes of meditation each morning is advisable, a little time writing, even if only for one’s own benefit, is a habit it is prudent to maintain. As is so often the case with human beings, we are frequently prompted to return to the essentials that truly nourish our souls by our own foolishness, and this case is no exception.
Among the many events that have occurred over the past 20 months or so is our dog Zeus’ death. He died quickly after a sudden illness that we were never able to diagnose. Since we aren’t yet in a position to get another dog, and because memories of him are still quite fresh, this blog will continue to carry his name, at least for the time being. In addition, he was a faithful companion throughout our transition to Canada, and as such served a unique role during a particularly critical juncture in our lives. As many of you who read my earlier posts will recall, Zeus sometimes was featured as a main character, often ‘discussing’ ideas with me and sharing his perspective on various matters. I suppose having a dog named after an ancient god visit me from the grave might be a bit of a cliché, but I can’t guarantee it won’t happen in the future. Regardless, unless a better title presents itself, Travels with Zeus will continue as the blog’s moniker.
While I’ll be striving to post regularly, come autumn school will again make it difficult to keep up. At that time, if nothing else, hopefully Travels with Zeus will serve as a venue to share ideas and research that emerge as a result of that effort. In addition, work on the novel continues slowly but surely. Therefore, I also expect to begin posting excerpts soon that are considered in reasonable enough condition to receive a little public exposure.
People should take advantage of the opportunity to post comments or share ideas of their own here. Nothing on Travels with Zeus is copyrighted and sharing with others is also encouraged, though credit is, of course, appreciated. Anyone who has spent any time attempting to make an impact as a writer or artist knows coming up with original material, to say nothing of producing something of even average quality, is difficult under the best of circumstances. At the risk of sounding egotistical, a little bit of acknowledgment is often all writers and artists receive for their efforts, and so credit where credit is due is the only condition for quoting, linking, or otherwise advertising the contents of Travels with Zeus.
Two years without posting anything has been too long. For one thing, a lot has happened in the interim and it was foolish to allow brief posts on Facebook or short email messages to serve as a substitute for more in depth communication. For another, writing is therapy, at least for me, and in retrospect ignoring this blog has been a form of personal neglect. Just as a few minutes of meditation each morning is advisable, a little time writing, even if only for one’s own benefit, is a habit it is prudent to maintain. As is so often the case with human beings, we are frequently prompted to return to the essentials that truly nourish our souls by our own foolishness, and this case is no exception.
Among the many events that have occurred over the past 20 months or so is our dog Zeus’ death. He died quickly after a sudden illness that we were never able to diagnose. Since we aren’t yet in a position to get another dog, and because memories of him are still quite fresh, this blog will continue to carry his name, at least for the time being. In addition, he was a faithful companion throughout our transition to Canada, and as such served a unique role during a particularly critical juncture in our lives. As many of you who read my earlier posts will recall, Zeus sometimes was featured as a main character, often ‘discussing’ ideas with me and sharing his perspective on various matters. I suppose having a dog named after an ancient god visit me from the grave might be a bit of a cliché, but I can’t guarantee it won’t happen in the future. Regardless, unless a better title presents itself, Travels with Zeus will continue as the blog’s moniker.
While I’ll be striving to post regularly, come autumn school will again make it difficult to keep up. At that time, if nothing else, hopefully Travels with Zeus will serve as a venue to share ideas and research that emerge as a result of that effort. In addition, work on the novel continues slowly but surely. Therefore, I also expect to begin posting excerpts soon that are considered in reasonable enough condition to receive a little public exposure.
People should take advantage of the opportunity to post comments or share ideas of their own here. Nothing on Travels with Zeus is copyrighted and sharing with others is also encouraged, though credit is, of course, appreciated. Anyone who has spent any time attempting to make an impact as a writer or artist knows coming up with original material, to say nothing of producing something of even average quality, is difficult under the best of circumstances. At the risk of sounding egotistical, a little bit of acknowledgment is often all writers and artists receive for their efforts, and so credit where credit is due is the only condition for quoting, linking, or otherwise advertising the contents of Travels with Zeus.
In closing, I will simply extend my gratitude to
all of you who have helped Chris and I over the past few years during what has
often been a very difficult, though no less rewarding, experience. You know who you are. Hopefully this post and those that will
soon follow will provide some reassurance your investment, be it emotional or
financial, has been worthwhile. We
never could have made it this far without you.
Sincerely,
Craig Axford
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