Watch Your Step
Thank you Lord that I spotted the three little old ladies in their long skirts and head scarves recoiling in horror at the prospect of riding an airport escalator. Made … Continue reading
Inspire Curiosity
Men who sell simits–a bagel-pretzel coated in toasted sesame seeds–are almost as ubiquitous in Istanbul as ankle-breakable holes in the sidewalk. Since I often took the same streets, I often … Continue reading
Perhaps Today is a Good Day To Begin (Again).
I know thousands of people who are waiting for their lives to slow down so they can become an artist. Your life is not going to slow down probably until … Continue reading
Grasping at Grandmas
I’d been on a mission: to get old Turkish ladies to like me. I love elderly people, but I wasn’t getting a warm reception when I beamed at the grandmas. … Continue reading
Postcard for Addyson #1
Dear Addy, The two postcards I sent from Turkey took about 6 weeks to reach you. So I thought I’d send an update that would show up in Colorado before … Continue reading
Manners
On the busy road, a taxi driver slows, inspiring a concerto of honking horns behind him. A red soccer ball rolls into traffic. I notice the children, the owners of … Continue reading
The Joy of Forgetting
This morning I took my notebook out for a date at the park. We had a delightful time. I ran a pen dry. While taking notes on what I’ve seen … Continue reading
Palms
Two small boys track the line of workers trimming the palm trees. The men in green jumpsuits stare up at the man-lift. The boys nod at each other with tight-lipped smiles … Continue reading
A Place to Tie Your Wishes: Affection and Cargo
A line of tour buses waited outside the leather goods store. As tourists wandered in to admire coats and boots despite the 100 degree heat, their drivers scattered out–smoking, standing … Continue reading
En Sonunda/Finally
Friday in Istanbul and a surprise: The Reason I’m Learning Turkish took the day off so we could hang out. Yay! *Beam!* Still, I like that reading habit you’re rocking … Continue reading
Macho Maço Man
He struts wide, pacing to both sides of the sidewalk as he walks. He thrusts his arms out, adjusting his button-up shirt on his frame, propelling himself forward with a … Continue reading
I Want To Tell You Something Beautiful.
After a few weeks practicing my Turkish with various strangers, I’m pleased with my progress–but overwhelmed by how much I still have to learn. Smiling helps. Smiling helps me make … Continue reading
Seaside Sobbing
At the park, the family waits for their turn on a swing. The huge contraption has two benches that face each other so the family can all sit together–knees to … Continue reading
Relieved
A stray dog circles the rather vacant beach. Lean and leisurely, he weaves around people sunning themselves like he’s a bored security guard. He heads for an unattended pile of … Continue reading
Linger, Loiter
The pair meets in the Kültürpark, a space filled with palm trees, joggers, idle folks napping on benches, doing Sudoku on benches, staring into space on benches. A grandfather takes … Continue reading
Breakfast/Kahvaltı
I’m the only customer in the breakfast room at the hotel, and the chef comes from the kitchen to nod at my arrival. I cut straight for the coffee and … Continue reading
Yes, I Believe We’ve Already Met
I get a kick out of meeting someone who is a cliché embodied. It produces a pleasant feeling of a world completed, of everything arranging itself without any of my … Continue reading
I Pick Things Up And Put Them Down
At baggage claim in Istanbul, the men are standing with hands on their hips. They wait shoulder to shoulder, some standing sideways to get one arm slightly closer to the … Continue reading
Can I Get This To-Go?
So sorry! I collected one really amazing moment of life in Austria this morning. You’ll have to wait until Wednesday, though. (There will be jumping jacks involved.) In the meantime, … Continue reading
The Nice Thing About Strangers 