Author Archives: Richard Reilly

A Very Bronco Christmas

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I wrote a lot today.  I’m not one for giving gifts.  I just can’t bring myself to buy things–even if it is for other people.  So I write personal letters.  I ended up writing four this morning.  I only have three left to write.  I’m going to do my best to write them tonight; I like the idea of resting during Christmas Eve and Christmas.  It’s starting to feel a lot like Christmas.

I’m watching the Broncos kick butt right now.  This will be their 10th win in a row.  I am going to miss watching them when I am in Morocco.  I mean, the game is fun.  But it’s a great way to spend time with my father.  I will definitely miss that.  Well, 22 days to go until I leave.  I’m trying to cross at least three items off my to-do list today.  Today it went from 41 to 37.  I need to keep it up.

Here are today’s poems.  They’re getting better.

4 Waves, 1 Finger

Don’t Give a Damn

I Can

Living Wills & Other Difficult Questions

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I’m spending most of my days learning Arabic and going through hundreds of pages of manuals for the Peace Corps.  I am trying to do as much as I can right now so I can take a couple days off and truly kick back and enjoy myself for Christmas.  It seems to be going pretty well.  I believe I just finished the last of the readings.  Now I just have a checklist and lots of language preparations left.

There are a lot of interesting questions that have cropped up.  Cross-cultural understanding.  Universal rights.  A lot of these questions I will encounter once I make the move to Morocco in 23 days.  The big question right now is a living will.  I am leaving one behind with my parents.  We’ve talked about it before, but I understand the need to put it all in writing.  It’s strange thinking through the multiplicity of way you could find yourself in a end-of-life situation.  Moreover, I’m a little surprised at my own beliefs …and how little I would want to be kept alive artificially.

Here are today’s poems.  Enjoy:

We as One

Our Truth

‘Twas a Problem

 

Early Christmas, The End of the World, and Psy

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Today my family is celebrating an early Christmas for my nieces   That’s part of the practice when parents have joint custody.  It’s sad that they won’t be around for Christmas, but I’m glad they get to see their mother.  I wrote both of them letters to start to prepare them for the written communication I hope to have with them while I am in the Peace Corps.  It’s interesting how my writing changed in these letters.  I tend to write for young adults and adults.  Writing for pre-teens is different.  I don’t want to say anything that will go over their head, but I don’t want to talk down to them.  In the end, honest writing is usually the best.  As always.

I’ve been keeping a close eye on Gangnam Style the past few days.  It looks as though it will hit 1,000,000,000 views around the moment the world is supposed to end.  It’s fascinating watching the comments flow in.  So many people are begging for Psy to take down the video and save us all.  I know a lot of it is people messing around, but it’s still strange to watch.  I love this about the Internet.  It’s like watching the internal monologue of humanity–as it tries to convince itself that it’s not crazy.

Here’s today’s batch of Poetry from 2004:

Words

One Question

No Time for Fear

 

A Month Without Her

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I spent a month (Oct. 20 through Nov. 20) falling in love with a girl who lived 1,300 miles away from me.  It was easily the best month of my life thus far.  Now it’s been a month without her.  It’s been strange.  It not like I think about her everyday.  No.  That would be easy.  I find myself thinking she would make each destination in my daily life so much better–so much fuller.  Some days are easier than other–but some days are downright lonely without her.

I’m moving forward in going to the Peace Corps.  Which means another 800 days without her.  The idea frightens me.  I know I asked for this by letting myself fall in love with her so soon before leaving the country.  The thing is, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.  Period.  The time apart will be impossible.  It’ll teach us much about ourselves and each other.  It may rip us apart.  But it may make us stronger.  I do not know the future.  All I know is that, right now,  I see no other option.  The Peace Corps is where my life has been pointed for years.  With it finally on my doorstep, how do I walk away?  What kind of life will be waiting for me if I do?

The internal conflict burns inside of me as–each day–I read over more forms and learn Arabic.  It’s like I’m living two lives at this point.  At some point, one of those lives will have to fall into a hibernation–hoping to be reawoken in the near-future.  At this point, I expect that to be the life with her.  I do not like that.  I hate that that is going to be my decision.  I try every day to re-imagine what life would be like if I stayed in the states….but it’s getting harder and harder to see it.

This blog is going to transform in the days, weeks, and months ahead.  As I make the transition to living overseas, it will remain my writing blog.  But it will also take on the aspects of a Peace Corps Journal.  Although I am not legally allowed to share my specific whereabouts or doings, I will be able to share my personal thoughts and writings.  That will not change.

I have much from my teenager years that I still want to upload before I leave.  I think I need to up it to three per update.  Here’s today’s batch of poems from nine years ago:

One Thing Left

What It’s All About

Our Autumn Fall

 

Gun Control & Mental Health

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I sent my letter regarding the Connecticut shooting to ten of my elected officials.  In the hope of keeping them accountable, today I am going to let you know where each of them stand.  I will follow up on this as more details become available.

Colorado State Representative Dave Young: The only person who has responded to my letter thus far.  It was a beautiful response.  His focus is threefold: Better mental health help in Colorado; limit gun ownership for those with serious mental illnesses; close the gun show loophole.  Although he does not agree with me on banning semi-automatic weapons and extended clips, that is okay.  That needs to be done at the Federal level anyway.
Colorado State Representative Steve Humphrey [No Public Comment or Response Yet]
Colorado State Senator Scott Renfroe [No Public Comment or Response Yet]
Colorado State Senator Glenn Vaad  [No Public Comment or Response Yet]
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper: He helped put together a much needed mental health expansion in Colorado–which needs to be approved by our state congress.  He also called for closing the Gun Show Loophole.  Hickenlooper called for “a debate” to take place regarding gun control, but has yet to release any specifics.

U.S. Representative Cory Gardner [No Public Comment or Response Yet]
U.S. Representative Jared Polis: Polis has also focused on closing the gun show loophole.  He is also very outspoken about increasing mental health help in Colorado.  No word yet on Gun Control.
U.S. Senator Michael Bennet  [No Public Comment or Response Yet]
U.S. Senator Mark Udall [No Public Comment or Response Yet]
President Barack Obama: Obama has been solidly in the pro-gun column his entire presidency.  Fortunately, the events in Connecticut are forcing him to the left.  He appears to be actively pushing for an assault weapons ban.  He has also has talked at length about mental health.  For a President, however, I expect action–not just talk.

I will update this list again in a week or two.  In the meantime, i suggest you write a letter to your elected officials about what you want to see changed.

~Richard

2012 in Review

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I learned the first three letter of the Arabic Alphabet yesterday.  It’s going to be difficult, but I think I can pull it off.  I need a good way to fill my time over the next 29 days.  Spending a good deal of time learning a new language sounds like the best way to occupy myself.  Now I just need a good place to study.  My coffee place seems to have decided to start making shitty coffee….which kind of throws me for a loop.

For those of you who do not know, I am a Broncos fan.  I have lived my entire life in Northern Colorado.  This team has always been mine.  It has been an incredible season.  Even though I am more of a baseball fan, this is hard not to get excited about this season.  I mean, nine wins in a row.  Come on!  I’m starting to think about how far they can go….and I hate that I won’t be in the country for the conference championships or the Superbowl.  I will have to find a way to watch them with fellow Peace Corps volunteers.

Today’s writing is actually my year in review. I do this every year.  Same 40 questions.  Feel free to steal the questions and fill it out for yourself.  It’s a great way to reflect.

2012 in Review

30 Days Out

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With 30 days until I leave for Morocco, two things are on my mind.  First and foremost is the girl I am set to leave behind.  I know I’m going to leave my family and friends behind…but I don’t entirely regard that a bad thing.  Although I will miss my friends and family, I know they will be here for me when I get back.  When it comes to romance, life works a little differently.  We know full well that we can’t ask each other to wait.  It really isn’t sane to expect a 27 month long-distance relationship to last off of a one-month romance.  A part of me desperately doesn’t want to risk losing her.  That part want to stay behind.  The other part of me reminds me that everything I’ve ever wanted (except romance and a family) is offered by the Peace Corps.  Ambitious friend.  Helping people.  Travel.  Help towards a great job.  I can not expect either of us to wait…but I can hope.  Still, I cannot help but imagine my life if I decide not to leave her.

One other thing is on my mind.  Arabic.  I am not great at languages.  In 30 days, I will be thrown into an intensive 8-week course where Arabic and the culture of Morocco will be taught.  I need to get a good head start.  In order to get going, I am going to force myself to work on it every day until I leave.  Today is focused on skowering the internet for ideas on how to start learning the language.  Tomorrow will focus on buying a couple language books (and a tourist book of Morocco) so that I can get a real start on my studies.  I will let you know how it goes.  I may even try to write some Arabic poems or Haikus.

Here is today’s update from my teenage past.  Some of these poems are a bit embarrassing (this one included).  It almost looks like I wanted it to be a song rather than a set poem.  It sounds like a crappy pop song.

True Love

Reacting to Shootings in Newtown, Connecticut

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For those of you who have been following me for some time, you know that I am an avid advocate for gun control.  The events of Aurora, Colorado (about an hour south of me) changed me permanently.  I no longer feel like I can sit on the bleachers as shooting after shooting after shooting takes place in my country and my state.  I want to be an active part of the solution.  If you want to be a part of the solution, here’s a short list of what you can do today:

(1) Send condolences to the families.
(2) Contact local representatives and let them know this can never happen again.
(3) Give to charities who help families grieve through these charities
(4) Support loved ones with mental illnesses. If they know they are loved, they are less likely to reach their breaking point.

I am starting off with number two.  I spent the past hour writing a letter to my elected officials (state and national).  I suggest you do the same.  You are also welcome to share my open letter in any way you would like (just let me know).  Inaction is our biggest fault.  Here is the link:

An Open Letter to my Elected Officials Regarding the Shootings in Newtown, Connecticut

 

Overdose of Peace Corps

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I read through all the documents in my Peace Corps packet again.  With 39 days until I leave, it seems necessary to figure out as much as I can.  I sent an email to my director.  I got a response this morning that my Peace Corps Passport has already been issued and will be waiting for me at the staging even on January 14th.  I should get more information on the staging event before Christmas…but from what I’ve read, it looks like it may be in Philadelphia.

Over the next 39 days, my time will be divided up between learning Arabic, reading, writing, and hanging out with friends and family.  Oh, and watching the Denver Broncos kick some ass.  As a result, I will be updating new stuff sporadically based on what I am doing each day.  I will, however, continue uploading old pieces for you daily.  I really like the one for today.  I hope you do too:

’cause I know

Morocco on the Radar

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It’s been a good day off.  I cleaned my condo, saw Wreck-It-Ralph, wrote some Haikus, and generally relaxed.  I finally broke out my Peace Corps packet it today and started getting a better feel for what the next 27 months are going to look like.  I even met someone who vacationed in Morocco (he made me much more excited about going). I wish the day would just come.

I think I am going to take a break from what I have been trying to write.  It just isn’t working.  I’d rather spend these 39 days free writing anyway.  I also need to read a lot more than I have in the past week.  That means I will have more to upload in the week to come.  Until then, here is another poem from my freshmen year of high school:

Look at Me