Same Old Gypsyhermit -- New Blog (etc)

Hello,

This is the same Ann Cognito from previous epic (and could have been epic) adventures of trying to change the world.

Before anything else, let me acknowledge the painting at left and at the top of the blog page - the artist is Christina Price, and this is one of my favourite pieces of art. I'm percolating something inspired by Christina's painting, and when it exists I'll use my own where I'm borrowing hers now, but that may be a long time yet... and I'll still always love this. Meanwhile, I thank the artist, and I hope you look her up.

Another caveat: I claimed "old" at 50 because I never thought I'd get that old and always wanted to be a crazy old lady! If anyone wants to claim "old" later, that's peachy. Also, I'm really just using the term here to emphasize the sameness... that it's still me.

I built the website housing this new and hopefully improved blog several years ago while living in Calgary, mostly as way a way to keep photos of artwork which has largely disappeared. I got carried away, and decided to put everything on it and build it right, though I didn’t publish it. I just sat on it, like a portfolio case under a couch cushion.

For a while, I had a separate blog as part of my Climate Emergency Sailboat project, a dream I’ve had to put away due to injuries and disabilities. That blog is also where you can find the chapters of most of a book I’m writing documenting my Walk to Waken the Nation from Calgary to Ottawa to raise awareness about the climate crisis. The link is below, if you’re interested, and is also in the writing section of this website.

The blog was as ill-fated as the Sailboat project, though differently. It never worked properly, and I usually can’t access it. I’ve been relying for the most part on Fiona, friend and admin, to keep that blog alive, and I couldn’t even rename it after having to give up my Sailboat project… and it’s been getting worse – so we gave up.

So, now, this website and its blog officially exist, and it’s where I’ll put my experiences and thoughts and words to percolate, and to keep sharing with you.

I’m still a gypsyhermit, and I’m still committed to doing whatever I can to help keep this planet liveable and help make it a better place. I’m burnt out and broken, though, and things have happened... I need to heal. It will take time. So my puppyfish and I have a relatively safe and stable hermithole where we will stay put and put ourselves back together.

I don’t know what comes next, but I know I need to be more whole, or there won’t be any next. I am slowly accessing resources, and making changes, and looking for answers. Even if I’m an armchair or keyboard warrior more than a physical body on the ground for a while, and even when I am borrowing hope from you, I will continue to believe that the future is possible, and that we can create it, and I will continue to do what I can to help make that happen… because being whole also means being a constructive part.

Whatever happens, I’ll keep writing and collecting and sharing stories and ideas, because that’s part of staying connected with each other and with what’s happening, and that’s the only way we have any viable possibilities.

With hope and determination,

Ann

You can still read the previous stories here

link to wordpress blog

And you can find even more here

link to facebook page