Katherine Kunz

Travel tips!

2010-02-18T15:07:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I enjoy my travel. Blame it on my military-brat upbringing, the gene of wanderlust, or simply my curiosity - but I like it (in moderation, as you all may also know I am a home body at heart!). I occasionally read this blog - though usually don't find the writing very relevant. This post, on the other hand, felt right-on - and too funny! Can I get an AMEN to "spend more money" or "be proactive"?! How come it's these exact things that we often spend time talking ourselves out of? Oh man! Enjoy your travels wherever - and on whatever adventures - they may take you!

http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/tips-for-stress-free-travel/

Had to post this!

2010-02-17T16:10:00.000-08:00

I found this article on one of the professional blogs I follow but I love it for personal reasons as well!

I love this playful way to have fun giving - instead of it being motivated by guilt or obligation. What if we gave because it was FUN and made people happy and tapped into our creativity!? What if we gave because it's one of the basic things that makes us human? What if we gave out of curiosity and not fear? Bold move. I once did a 29-gifts challenge where you give something away everyday (a hug? a cookie? a moment of listening? extra tip?). Powerful stuff. Happy contemplating and many blessings on your Lenten (or other) journeys. Easter - spring - new life - awaits us all.

Big City - Celebrating Surprising Donations at the Secret Society of Creative Philanthropy - NYTimes

Wreck this Journal returns to me!

2009-08-11T16:54:00.000-07:00

Wreck this Journal appeared in our mailbox this week! Yay! I mailed it from Switzerland nearly 4 weeks ago. I'd kind of forgotten about it. So much has been going on since I got back. Not the least of which is re-evaluating my life, career, and romance. The return was well-timed, signaling the culmination of weeks of trying to readjust. When I left for my trip, I jokingly turned back and waved and my house saying outloud, "Good-bye reality as I know it." I wasn't joking. Things are changing, I just don't know how they are changing.

Did I mess up my life by going on this crazy trip to Europe? I certainly wrecked the clarity and regularity I had before I left. What will become of this "mess" is not yet clear. The journal has definitely given me practice in letting go, tearing things down, being willing to mess up. And now, waiting to see what will show up in the midst of the messiness - water, pens, and now international postal systems have all messed with this journal.

The journal now looks like a fine leather-bound journal. This one, though, is bound in cheap brown packing tape. Messes hold treasures too, though.

I have to admit, my favorite wrecking activity remains hurling the journal against a wall. Though second would be sending it over the ocean in brown packing tape. And third would be using it as a reminder that change does happen, sometime you just have to wait to see what it will bring. Here's to perseverance in times of waiting, whether for a long-mailed package, a phone call, a decision, or clarity about the next step.

The Adventure.

2009-07-29T21:39:00.000-07:00

I am back from my adventure! This is a picture of me in the Wohnmobil (RV) where I traveled with my non-ideal man! Wow -- what an adventure to spend 14 days in a small space with someone I hardly knew before the trip! As several friends pointed out, this would be challenging with anyone -- even a good friend! While we had many fun, sweet, and memorable moments, the trip was also challenging -- marked by our realization that we have very different communication styles and that our personalities and lifestyles are less compatible than we imagined. Good thing my ideal man had already been ripped and chewed apart before I arrived!

My "Wreck This Journal" was a wonderful companion on this trip, especially on nights when I had trouble sleeping in the close quarters (sleeping is never my strong suit anyhow!). I filled out many of the pages that asked for writing. One night I opened to the page that said "Write one word over and over again." I started to write: "Love love love" -- but then I changed it to: "courage is love." Over and over. Love, and my search for it, was certainly on the forefront of my thoughts, but as I struggled to sleep; to communicate across cultures, genders, and personalities; and to stay true to myself in the midst of the turbulence of a new and intense relationship -- I realized that my courage in doing all of these things was love. My courage to be true, honest, and open were loving of myself and of others.

I would post a picture of these pages, but as I type my journal is on it's way back to me from Switzerland. Before I left, I bought some heavy-duty packing tape, taped up the journal, and sent it on the slow boat (7-14 days) back to myself. This seemed the appropriate end of my journey. I figured I would need at least that long to digest and process the experience! Maybe my journal could be a model for letting things take time to digest, move, travel, and integrate.

The ideal man

2009-07-10T03:31:00.000-07:00

I embarked on this journey to Europe in (large) part to meet up with an old friend and explore a romantic interest that has never entirely waned. Needless to say, after 6 years of infrequent correspondance, the stakes feel high.
On my train ride to Zurich, I pulled out my "Wreck this Journal" and proceeded to try a little experiment. A few people have said, in bidding me bon voyoge, "Remember, there is no such thing as the perfect man." Gretchen even went so far as to suggest that when that image comes into my head, I should take the picture, rip it up, and throw it out. Luckily, having brought my "Wreck this Journal" along, I had a way to actually "wreck" this image. I managed to get my own comparment on the train from Freiburg to Zurich, so I picked a page in my journal and drew this "ideal man" describing the relevant characteristics. When I was finished, the man had a lot of characteristics of myself, seemed to be a mind-reader to my needs, put his needs above my own, and was generally always amiable and willing to go along with life as I imagined it. He also seemed a little boring -- there wasn't a lot of mystery or curiosity about what he was about, apart from me. So, without analyzing too much further (another motto of this trip is "Don't overthink things!"), I proceeded to rip the page into small pieces, even chewing a few of them up for added affect. It was satisfying to physically create, then destroy an image that can block what is truly present for me. In the end, I wadded up the small pieces and put them dutifully in the recycling bin on the train. Perhaps they will be recycled into another type of man.

Reconnecting

2009-07-09T14:27:00.000-07:00

I am continuing my journey through Germany, and joyfully reconnecting with a part of me that has been neglected after years in the states!

On the train from Freiburg to Zurich, I knew that we would pass the farm where Elizabeth and I worked when we first moved back to Germany in 1998. We applied to be interns on the farm in order to secure visas to stay in the country (we had entered the country on 3-month tourist visas and needed something to make us more legal!). Martin, the owner of the farm, offered us a job picking vegetables for 400DM (about $200 at the time) per month, total. We took the job and the piece of paper he gave us to the Immigration Office and were granted an extended visa. Other workers on the farm were not as fortunate. The Indians, Turks, Poles, and others who we worked beside in the fields were largely illegal workers. When the police were spotted nearby, they hid in the fields among the cabbages and lettuce. The other foreigners ate lunch on their own while we ate with the German's at Martin's mother's house. We all shared afternoon cake (made also by Martin's mother) and Indian tea (with lots of milk and sugar).

Astoundingly, even though I was on the fast train, I caught sight of the sign for "Bueggingen" where we used to disembark at dawn to head to the fields. And then I saw the whole warehouse, greenhouse, even the jeep Martin used to drive, as well as workers in the fields I once tended with my own hands.

--------------------------

Being with Karen in Switzerland (we studied and lived together at Georgetown) has also been wonderful -- sharing our common German-American history, catching up on all the events in our lives (like meeting her daughter Emma!), laughing hysterically about our antics as young college students, and soaking up the beauty of the alps while also acknowledging that it doesn't feel like home for Karen. We share that contast moving, constant searching for the place where we fit. Thankfully, we have people in our lives who help us belong even when we don't feel we do! Thank you!!

Germany, I'm back!

2009-07-07T01:36:00.000-07:00

I arrived back in Germany on Sunday and it all seemed so normal -- as though I see Germany everyday. Everything was in place. The funny thing is I felt unsettled by it -- like Germany was too normal, too clean, too orderly! Somehow, the grime and chaos of Oakland, of the United States, has grown on me (I say grime and chaos only as it is relative to the lack there-of in more rural, southern Germany). The U.S. has become familiar and there is something reassuring to me about the disorder. There are so many more places for creativity, for newness. I am reminded of "Wreck this Journal"-- of the creativity, newness, and life that comes out of messiness, out of distruction, out of disorder.

Not that the Germany of practical order is unappealing to me -- the ability to walk or bike everywhere, to catch a train to farther places, to eat long lunches when shops are closed, to have small, but solidly built homes and cars. The way it all makes SENSE is so appealing to me as well.

Of course, thankfully, I have friends (wonderful friends!) in both places. So I know that life, even when it occurs in a place that is neat and orderly, is not simple! Life is messy, sad, challenging, and unclear. We take the next step, we hope, we pray, and we are grateful for the company of friends and family on the journey.

The Pettays are just the same -- really! The kids were still excited to see me, wanted to play games and tell stories (like throwing snowballs into our open window or setting off the smoke alarm with burnt toast) of when we lived with them in Hochdorf. I helped Jennifer with an English assignment, we laughed as we imagined the adventures Jennifer will have in the states in the fall (we think she should convince her grandma to let her learn how to drive on her car), we played Siedler, listened to Jennifer and Gene play the piano (Jennifer is quite good!), ate bisquitrolle, went on long walks through the woods and fields, and biked over to the neighbors to climb up on their roof and pick cherries from the upper branches.

Oddly, the whole idea of this adventure feels more normal and everyday now that I'm on this continent. Exploring relationships, traveling, building friendships is what life is built on. And my life is also here. Though it's hard to imagine living in Germany right now, my work is still in the bay area for now. But life will go on and unfold, with it's order and with it's chaos. Thank god for both! Love to all you out there!

Double Water Fun

2009-07-04T10:13:00.000-07:00

Check out this video that my housemate and co-destructor extraordinaire, Gretchen Wegner, created of our journals going swimming (among other things). I'm off on my own creative/destructive adventuring today -- traveling in Europe for three weeks with an old friend. Not sure if I'll be able to post from there, but you might just hear from me!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Sr-ABPl_78
(oh, and rest assured, by room is all neat and clean now as I depart on my trip!!)

I <3 U

2009-06-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

I had to say good-bye to someone today that I care deeply about. It might be a long good-bye, it might be a short good-bye; but for the summer we are going our separate ways.

During a conversation one evening this week I was feeling distant and sad and confused. When he left the room to get the (now cold) pizza we had ordered, I picked up my journal and opened it to: "Make a sign on this page. What would it say?"
Well, I knew that being more positive with myself was important, so I wrote "I <3 U." But then I knew the sign wasn't for me, it was for him. So I tore it out of my journal and propped it on the pillow. After waiting and waiting for him to return, I decided I didn't want to be quite so nice right now, so I folded up the piece of paper and put it in his jacket pocket.

I flipped to a new page: page of 4 letter words. Well, I could do this too! And while I started with common foul-language words (that was fun and stress-relieving!), I soon began making acrostics out of the words, as though I was playing my own game of scrabble. This was very satisfying and occupied me until the pizza (now warmer) arrived.

The next day he stopped by unannounced. We were still feeling distant and unsure how to navigate this unfolding terrain. We sat without saying much until he said quietly: "I got your note this morning. It was really sweet." Sometimes not all emotions and feelings need to be explained. And sometimes, when connecting is difficult, a little sign is all you need.

Wine anyone?

2009-06-19T16:07:00.000-07:00

This week was my birthday! Hooray! To celebrate I invited 10 friends (and my journal) to the Lake Chabot campground. Apparently, I was nervous about turning 33 as I knocked over every beverage I attempted to drink. (I think I might have been distracted by Gretchen lighting her journal on fire across from me. See a video of me helping Gretchen draw in her journal with her eyes closed!) I knocked over the wine...all over the tablecloth that had been beautiful arranged on the picnic table by friends. Drat! But...no fear, my journal was near, so snatched it up, and successfully mopped up the spilled wine on it's pages. Then, I tossed it out amid the trees to dry. I think the purple pages will forever remind me of my 33rd birthday...well, until I wreck the journal entirely!

Wrecking that Journal

2009-06-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

I'm back...this time inspired to write by Keri Smith's group: http://www.tnc-wreckthisjournal.blogspot.com/. And, of course, by my housemate, Gretchen Wegner http://gretchenwegner.com/2009/06/12/wreck-this-journal-week-two/ who actually bought the book and told me about the group.

Today I took my book for a walk. I have to admit that I live and Berkeley, California and Berkeley, California might be the easiest place to take a book for a walk and it's almost normal. One woman yelled after me: "I love your book on a string! Have fun with that!" A little while later a homeless man approached me and asked for spare change. When I told him not today, he said, "Well how about taking me on a walk in the park." We both laughed -- real, genuine, human laughs at his clever joke. I am asked for spare change on an almost daily basis and I can't remember anytime that I have laughed with one of them.

Thanks-a-givin

2008-11-12T19:30:00.000-08:00

And now, 3rd try to write a post, now it's Thanksgiving Day and I remember why I like this holiday -- I haven't had a real Turkey Day in a while and this one was the best I can remember -- laid-back time with my sis, lots of turkey and trimmings cooked by yours-two-trulys, a walk in the park, another walk at the beach, dinner sitting at the coffee table, Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade (I haven't seen this one in years). It was fun and I enjoyed it especially after the country-wide drama of election politics. I was happy to see the special-olympics drill team, the jump rope team from Strongsville, OH (yeah!), and the marching band from North Dakota. Even Santa didn't seem to artificial and sugary-sweet. I guess I'm just relaxing in my old age. Good thing I have a sister who helps me learn to take things more easily (well, that is until we stained her coffee table with a hot cup of tea :).

Lots of well-wishes to ya'll from the California coast.

Perfection

2008-11-11T22:26:00.000-08:00

Gretchen's comment to my last post drew me again to one of my favorite topics (I just now decided it's one of my favorite topics): perfection.
And then it's follow-up question: what is good and what is bad in the world. I think there are good and bad things, but I also think many things depend on the intention behind it. Sex can be a beautiful and sacred act; it can also be a violent and degrading act. I am also reminded of the television ad in support of California proposition 8. It asked: which one is dispensable to a child: the father or the mother? I wanted to ask the supporters of prop 8 in return: which one is dispensable: the father who is abusive to his wife and children or the loving mother who works in close partnership with another mother of her children? Is having a father and a mother always the highest good? Why do we assume it is so easy to outline things in black lines and keep everything else out?
What are things that you always think of as good that can sometimes be bad if the intention or action behind them is different? What things are bad that can also be good? Just some food for thought -- and good thing, 'cause I'm always hungry!

The Flow

2008-11-09T18:03:00.001-08:00

One of the pieces of wisdom that stuck with me from the retreat is the idea of letting ourselves feel all of our feelings/emotions. Instead of resisting and trying to shut out grief and it's many cohorts: anger, shame, pain, confusion...let it be in our bodies. Let it express itself and flow through. A woman in the documentary we watched, "The Gifts of Grief" said that sorrow is no worse than joy. Sorrow and joy are both human emotions that are part of our experience of life. One is not better than the other -- they are both to be lived fully. There is some reassurance in knowing we don't need to try to so hard to change and control things. It helps me set a different standard for my life, one where "perfect" is redefined by my emotions and circumstances. It might be "perfect" for me to cry and lament right now... What is perfect for you?

Helping Hands

2008-11-08T20:34:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I attended a retreat on the gifts of grief at a retreat center in Danville, CA. The time away from my everyday life as well as the stories of others who are living with their grief and losses in courageous were like little helping hands. These helping hands are like fairy hands -- they are so light and imperceptible I don't imagine they are. But at the end of the day I was breathing more deeply, loving more willingly, and living more generously with my feelings. Today, the fairy's helping hands brought me rain, a good book, and a phone call from my sister.

What are the helping hands in your life? This picture is from the (many!) steps leading up to a temple in Pune India (where I traveled last winter). Not only did many hands contribute to the building of the temple, but, I imagine, many helping hands were found in prayer and community here.

Renewal Leave

2008-09-30T09:42:00.000-07:00

At the Pacific School of Religion, where I work, employees are eligible for "renewal leave" after they have worked 5 years at the school. Renewal leave is a 5-week, paid period of leave, in addition to normal vacation and sick leave benefits. I returned to work yesterday after over 3 weeks of being sick and one week of travel to Yosemite National Park with my mom. Yes, I did work off and on during this time and even my Yosemite trip was curtailed due to my health concerns and lower energy. But, the sickness (I had mastitis, an infection and large cyst in my right breast) made me radically alter my activities. Namely, I could only focus on my body and my health. I worked when I could but really, just fixing myself food was a feat! Upon returning to work yesterday, though still not 100%, I felt as though I had taken a renewal leave. By being out of my normal routine and normal preoccupations for several weeks, I had taken a break from life as I knew it, and things felt fresh and new upon returning. It was not an easy break, but none-the-less, a break. And breaks are necessary. Of course, someone who just broke their favorite glass might not tell you that -- but we have to put cracks in things, shake them up, even in ways that seem difficult. Otherwise our perspective stales and we forget that the world offers infinite possibilities. Sometimes it is only breaks and cracks, that allow us to shift, settle, and renew. As I sat in Monday's staff meeting, I felt that the break had renewed my -- it had perhaps saved my job, and certainly my sanity. Thankfully my health is returning -- I know, though, that the cycles of life will continue to ask me to renew, shift, and change -- and I will resist for sure. But for now I say "I am renewed."

Invitation

2008-09-28T21:08:00.000-07:00

Have you received an invitation lately? I just returned from our annual Irwin Ct. block party -- we received a good old-fashioned 8x11 photocopied paper invitation in the mail a couple of weeks ago. Bring a dish, meet the neighbors. They are still out on the street, drinking, talking, playing music. I like to receive invitations because there is no "right" answer. If I say yes, I am saying yes in my own way, and in a way that might surprise me. If I say no, I await other invitations. I wonder how many invitations I ignore in life? Recent invitations I have accepted: going to Yosemite National Park with my mom; going to a workshop on the "Intuitive Entrepreneur"; learning Sudoku; watching movies; and being sick (okay, well, I didn't actively choose the sickness, but the sickness invited me into my body and out of a busy schedule). What's knocking at your door today?