Return of the April Fool

Happy May! Returning to the blog... feeling vaguely foolish for having ignored it for so many weeks, but old friends tend to be welcoming even when you've been gone for way too long.

For some reason, April ends up being my busiest month of the year. With every trip, meeting, and conference that takes me away from home, I fall off the face of the Earth a little bit more.

Some highlights of the month:

• Had a chance to put first things first by attending a Japa Retreat at the Menla meditation and retreat center in Upstate NY. Words can't even begin to convey what an amazing experience that was. The phrase that I keep returning to is "life transformation." Hopefully, I can back-post some thoughts, notes, photos, and video (Badahari Prabhu, Varsana Maharaj) soon.
• Went to DC and attended the 10th annual Vaisnava-Christian Dialog on "The Problem of Evil." The conference is really interesting and a chance to spend some quality time with people of faith -- devotees of Christ and Krishna alike. Plus, I got to hang out with my favorite Vaisnava-Christian couple (and their orthodox Jewish cat).
• Back to DC for more interfaith fun. Helped to facilitate an intensive 3-day visioning retreat for the Religions for Peace North American Young Adult Network (website coming soon!) -- a dynamic group dedicated to grass-roots faith-based peace building.
• Smashed the back of my car into a Toyota Tacoma (owned by a cop!). Damage done: violated trunk, crippled bumper, and a bruised ego. If I can get Caitlin to send me the pictures, I'll post them up for all to see.
• Jetted off to Louisville, Kentucky (which, as far as I have been told is pronounced "Lew'll-ville") for the Religion Communicators Council yearly meeting. I love attending this, because it is a chance for me to connect with other people who do what I do for their own religious organizations. I learn so much from them -- it is inspiring (to see what they are doing), frustrating (because we're not doing it yet), and humbling (knowing that we have a long way to go, but that we can get there).
• Attended an interesting workshop on blogging. According to the folks running the workshop, the number one rule of blogging is... to keep blogging. (Oops! I was afraid they'd say that.) Hence my triumphant return to a blade of grass.
  

And now, back home... for a while at any rate. Thanks for your patience, and hope to hear from and talk to you soon.

with love,
VBD