April (in Parens)

There are moments in time when a decision
Creates change with geometric precision
So the reference to April in Parens...
Is a month specific tribute to what happens

When Life's Path bends like light through a prism

.

As I sit here on 04-04-09 in a month that started as a perfect square (2003x2003 = 4012009),

I was thinking about other interesting confluences and influences that have appeared in April over the years. Since the Eiffel Tower celebrated it's 120th birthday as of April 1st, it gets top billing.

-

This is an active birthday month as we celebrated Brenda & Bryan's birthdays Friday night and we just returned from Diane M's 60th gala with a 30th & 50th party on tap for tomorrow. I was supposed to be born mid June, but the opening day of baseball season found me arriving early(April 11, 1953) weighing 8 baseballs - 2 pounds 9 ounces so I'm part of this April birthday onslaught. The complications of this early arrival seem to be minimal but I still have trouble recognizing faces since the first 6 weeks everyone I saw was masked and I occassionaly enjoying revisiting the incubator, as I bask in the warmth of an incandescent bulb (CFL's don't work as well.)

-

Continuing on the baseball theme, my first major league game I saw was the Cardinals and the newly arrived LA Dodgers (April 26, 1958), two weeks before we packed up and moved to Medford and as a result, still hold a fond spot for Dodger fans though I'm a diehard Cardinal fan. I've always marvelled at my folks decision to leave a comfortable existence in LA for the unknown territory of Oregon, but I know how glad they were that they relocated.

I appreciated growing up in Medford but life shifted with my acceptance to Stanford (April 15, 1971) and fundamentally changed who my friends were, who I would marry, where I would live, and what work I would do. My freshman dorm of 50 gave me connections to the guys I would live with for 4 years, my golfing buddy for 36 years who also has been the best man at both my weddings, and significant friendships and life experiences that still shape the way I deal with the world.

-

Diane and I got married in 1978 after an April 1977 visit and theworst Wisconsin winter in 100 years convinced her to relocate her graduate studies to PortlandMy purchase of an Apple II (April 10, 1979) led to my 30 year involvement with computers and my opening of Oregon's first software store, Software Station (1983-1987). Armed with my computer, I joined a Pacific Power subsidiary, NERCO (April 6, 1981) and now will have had an association with Pacific Power for 28 of my soon to be 56 years.

-

I had attended First Presbyterian with Diane, Sean & Evan and appreciated the church's passion for social justice but never could fully embrace the theology. Dianna & I got married in mid 1997 and were introduced to New Thought teachings ( of which Religious Science and Unity are the largest denominations) after attending Living Enrichment Center (April 18, 1999) and have been drawn to the New Thought message of inclusiveness and"divinity within". The last ten years have given us plenty of opportunities to explore this new paradigm.

-

We now arrive at this April fraught with possibilities... Rick and I enjoyed our first day of spring golf with temperatures in the 60s and scores in the 40's per 9 so we're off to a good start. Tomorrow marks the beginning of the 2009 Major League Baseball Season and the Cards are tied with the Cubs for first!. The weather should be perfect for the penultimate Hillsdale Winter Farmer's market and we have it on good authority the Hillsdale's harbinger of Spring, Josh will be "jamming" at the Market. April should be "eiffel" exciting -stay tuned... MTP