Reflection From Family Camp

At family camp we were trying to do poems. I am an experienced poem writer so I took some liberties here's what transpired in a group of about 27 that weekend as well as some hiking and some great pictures and good memories:
I.
Feeling stronger than I have my past precludes me
Into memories of not being good enough
And memories of changing my mindset with therapy being inevitable
I continue ti seen new moments in my journey and showcase love for being grateful that
Not enough can be just enough
Seeing perseverance and genuinely caring people in my life
My Mom and my sisters being the family I have
But a newly infinite family I have chosen with my lovable genuinely caring support
The valued community it is my family
II
I am from the spatula of life
I'm from the tide of Adam's Peanut Butter
The funny sad touch of the group hone complete with the sunflower blooming in full
Completing the snack mix and stubbornness of my mom and my sister Kristin
I'm from the product and zen and steadiness of I'm not good enough
Or I'm too smart
A mixed complex combination with Buddhism and living life
My Grandma from India
My Mom's yogurt pancakes and fresh fruit salad
Of swimming in the Atlantic Ocean
Smartness being the hallmark of the Bow Lake Cabin
My ego slowly fading in the wind
III
Feeling stronger than I ever had I am from the spatula of life
I am continuing to see new moments in my journey
Complete with the sunflower blooming in full showing love
For being grateful that not good enough
Can be just enough
A mixed complex combination seeing perseverance
And genuinely caring people in my life I have but a newly formed family
I have chosen with my loving genuinely caring supportive valued community
My Buddhism and living life my family's smartness being the hallmark
Of the lessons with others and constant caring therapy forming past my ego slowly
Fading in the wind-IJB
I had so many thoughts and had to make it into three sections. The thoughts about identity were rich and while that was a conference in unique fashion I thoroughly enjoyed it. Just thought I'd share this even though it was in a religious setting there isn't much about that rather life experiences. Hope that was fun and hope that you continue to read my next three blogs on people who have changed my life with some of the women that have caused great waves in my passionate life.

People Who Have Made A Difference In My Life Part 3: Zech Wendt

Sometimes there is good support support that goes beyond the call of duty being willing to help, spend a lot of time, be a friend, be adventurous, and be a constant sounding board that will always be there for you, work through things, and intend to be your friend for life. That is rare to find but one of the best support I have ever had has been Zech Wendt. Zech was hired a year ago right after my last term of school started. He has been getting his hands dirty ever since and has been a great influence in my life immediately. He was the only male my whole life that I trusted immediately. He has seen me through not only trying to get through graduation without too much depression but almost immediately after graduation I started my hiking and camping trips with him, his wife Desta Murry, and Roberto who is one of my best friends and has been an even better friend since we did Partners In Policymaking together and has gone hiking and seeing movies every week. Zech and I have seen quite a few movies and have hiked numerous places going 3 hours or less from Boise which gives us a lot of leeway. He also has gotten me to get to hang out with his other participants and watch movies with them, go to the car wash, and laugh when we are at home with all of our various adventures. I have continued to appreciate my adventures with Zech and the committee and have continued to be a beacon in all of our lives and have continued to precede on all of our listening skills and have encouraged me to read self help books which I started with How To Win Friends and Influence People and have read the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Principle Driven Leadership, and have started How To Stop Worrying and Start Living and Developing the Leader Within. Not only have I read on my own but we have watched numerous John Maxwell videos and he has continued to show me comedies, action movies, war movies, and some other genres and we have used hiking as a way to keep my depression and anxiety at bay going some place most every week except for weather related and his tooth infection. We have done overnight trips, trips to Idaho City and McCall and trips to hot springs and have continued to still even with all our coffee shops and other outings have time to work on some skills when we are together working with the car, with the hiking stick, and with other projects. We have continued to talk about various things in life and create shared meaning much further than just us being men, us being Christians, or us being adventure and movie buddies. He might have started working unconventionally recommended by someone who got let go later and meeting at a Vista Starbucks getting hired immediately but he has been a wonderful addition and has continued to become a stellar advocate for all of his participants and a great friend who has helped me along the way and been a hero. I am grateful that I hired him and will keep working with him until I graduate from the program in 2019 or 2020. Thanks for all that he has done and will continue to do. I am so proud of the Zech-Man.

People Who Have Made A Difference In My Life Part 2: Jason (Jessie) Von Huene

I met Jason when I was in high school. We were different back then kind of people on the outside looking in a lot of the time. Let's face it we were outcasts back then. Now we are popular among the progressive crowd and despised by the bible thumping crowd. The time we re-met at church was genuinely fascinating. Neither of us go there anymore but we still go to church together at Southminster and Metropolitan Community. In addition to church our outdoor adventures and the party times and the day of my graduation were the most memorable. We have genuinely created a gender non-conforming bromance (or is it a bigender bromance yet to be determined if we are even bros or overgrown women). Regardless of our role in activism, outdoors, partying, church, coffee, food, and celebrating our lives it is clear that we are basically gender-bending gay men by how we dress and act never really going for women these days because really we are women and men at the same time and are feminine men and just one of the women when we are out. Our transformation from dorkable losers in high school to popular adults is miraculous often times we can't get through downtown without someone knowing us. Jason (he often goes by Jessie and prefers that when introducing him/herself to others) is a compassionate person and has a heart of gold and is a loving person with a lot of integrity and genuine thoughtfulness. Within our many trips we have found and refound ourselves so many times and have created a genuine friendship that while people think we would work out we wouldn't I wouldn't trade my bromance with Jason for anyone it is a unique situation and we are lucky to have each other. If I was an animal I would be a penguin but if Jason (Jessie) was an animal it would be a German Shepherd puppy. Thankful for all the fun times with Jason (Jessie) and our many moments together  Hope for years more of friendship and possible rooming together in a couple of years in Portlandia.