Yet another new beginning ?

  The last year of trying to juggle way too many hobbies and interests has made me step back and take a good look at what I want to do and can ACCOMPLISH as opposed to those that are going to simply be out of reach for a few years. The shakuhachi will always be there although perhaps not as much as I would like. Running....of course! That will be a lifestyle which sticks with me as long as I can move and breathe. After those interests, there are a multitude of others that I don't have time for and seem to always fall by the wayside. Well now I have decided to use the year of 2014 to concentrate on only a few interests. Yes, that can be tough as I'm horrible about sticking to one thing for a long time,with exceptions. That being said, this next year I shall be diving completely into learning Welsh and immersing myself as much as possible. This ancestral language as well as running and playing flutes will constitute the bulk of the year for me. As I learn Welsh, I shall run...hopefully in places like these:

   While I run, and at every moment I get the chance to, I shall be learning as much Welsh as I can. Online,books,software,video,Welsh radio stations,etc. It will be bombarding my ears and senses when possible, making the sub-conscious bend and learn. I won't burn myself out but will spend at least a half hour a day in learning. Hopefully I gain some penpals and Facebook pals in Welsh or in Wales. That way, when I go back to Wales and the land my grandfathers came from, I will be able to speak decently. Here are a few shots from this delightfully beautiful land!

                                         Above is the Norman Keep of Cardiff Castle.

                                  Above is a view of modern Cardiff from the Norman keep .

Above and below are photos of Montgomery,Wales. This small town in the Powys district is where my great grandfather, Joseph Lambert,was born. As I'm still doing the research, not sure how many more family members were living there nor if any continued to do so after they came over to America. Some family tree research will be also on the yearly agenda.

 And while I would love to bike that part of Wales, I'd much rather run it!!!
            
                          So, there it is. I've been laying out the books and tools needed to spend the next year in these projects.  The following books are on my list to be completed by years end:

* A walk through Wales by Anthony Bailey
*A Pocket guide to the Welsh language by Janet Bailey
*Teach yourself Welsh by TJ Rhys Jones
*A History of Wales by John Davies
*An anthology of Welsh short prose by Meic Stephens
*Wales and the Welsh by Peter Williams
*The Taliesin Tradition and Welsh Identity by Emyr Humphrys
*Lonely Planet's guidebook to Wales

                                   In addition to my lessons,running,work,family and all of the life that keeps me busy, I will try my best to also post at least once a week here on this blog. I don't have many followers but perhaps someone will find things interesting nonetheless.