So, I spent a chunk of April in Nepal trekking to Everest Base Camp. Twelve days, 70 miles round trip, starting at 9,838 ft elevation up to 17,599 ft.

It was tough, but worth it. Being in the highest place in the world, surrounded by mountains, was spectacular. I’m still processing the trek and will probably be doing so for quite some time.

(The mountains in the photo are, from right to left, Ama Dablam (main and lower peak); Lhotse, fourth highest mountain in the world; then if you follow the ridge from Lhotse, that little peak you can just glimpse behind it, with the clouds coming off it? That’s Everest. Turns out it’s tough to get a good view of Everest because it’s completely surrounded by other gigantic mountains. Not complaining!)

The word for this month: Satisfaction. That’s the word for setting a goal and seeing it through to completion. For looking back at a big accomplishment. Do you give yourself a chance to experience satisfaction? I think an important part of “satisfaction” is acknowledging that it isn’t a permanent state. It’s a process, like so many other things. You don’t get there and you’re “done.” You move through it, on to the next thing. But for the moment, I’m enjoying the satisfaction of a goal well met.

I’m still recovering from my epic trip (I brought home an epic cold, alas), so I think instead of a lesson, we’ll do a mid-year sit rep. What’s happening? How are we feeling about life? Is it time for a nap yet?

News: My short story “Woolly” has been quietly gathering some accolades. It made the Locus Awards top-ten list of finalists, and the Asimov’s Magazine Readers’ Award list of finalists. Go, go little story! This is just the kind of thing that can give me a boost when I’m feeling down.

Onward…