Spring is graduation season and this year, I joyfully walked the stage in-person for my Graduate Theological Union – Master’s – Theology degree, as well as graduating three of my own student-mentees from the University of the South – School of Theology – Education for Ministry (EfM) extension program.
Co-Mentor Karen LeBlanc, with whom I have led EfM seminars together for over twelve years, celebrated with me the graduations of Joel Martinez (graduated 2020, diploma presented 2022) and Beth Hopf at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (Saratoga, CA), and Mark LeBlanc (Karen’s husband) at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church (Cupertino, CA). Joel, Beth, and Mark faithfully completed four years of EfM study and theological reflection on the Bible, church history, theology, and ethics.
Katy Dickinson GTU – Master’s diploma 2021, tassel 2022GTU Commencement 7 May 2022GTU Commencement 7 May 2022GTU Commencement 7 May 2022GTU Commencement 7 May 2022GTU Commencement 7 May 2022Education for Ministry graduation, 12 June 2022Education for Ministry graduation, 12 June 2022Education for Ministry graduation, 26 June 2022Education for Ministry graduation, 26 June 2022
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Katy Dickinson in India, 2007Katy Dickinson, 10 April 2022
Weight loss was a decision that came out of my experience as a Chaplain Intern at Stanford Hospital (September 2021 – February 2022). I worked there during a COVID-19 pandemic surge and as part of my duties, provided family support and decedent care for a number of patients whose comorbidities (including obesity, diabetes, and asthma) seemed to contribute to their early death. I decided to act on my doctor’s long-standing advice and do what I could to reduce my own potential for a similar end.
The most I have ever weighed was 212 pounds, in 2007. Starting in October 2021, I followed my son Paul‘s good example and started using the Noom program for weight loss and wellness. Paul and John are also losing weight and we find that doing so as a family is easier. So far, I have lost over fifty pounds. I have about fifteen to go before I reach the weight that my doctor recommends. I feel better and am enjoying getting new clothes (and having more choices in the smaller sizes). Attending a deathbed may seem like an extreme reason to lose weight but it made a big impression on me.
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Jaguar and hummingbird rain forest carvings, Boruca, Costa Rica, August 2021
In August 2021, John Plocher,Paul D. Goodman and I enjoyed a lovely vacation at Cielo Lodge in Golfito, Costa Rica during which we were delighted to visit the indigenous artisans of Boruca in their mountain village. We brought home two carvings to celebrate the 10th wedding anniversary of our daughter and son-in-law, Jessica Dickinson Goodman and Matthew Holmes. In a prior blog, I wrote about the Boruca carvings in balsa wood of nature, particularly jaguars (symbolizing male power and protection of the tribe) and butterflies (symbolizing female power and beauty). The symbolism of a butterfly and a jaguar to celebrate a wedding anniversary seemed right.
This is to consider another aspect of these carvings, the faces in the rainforest. In both the butterfly carving by Gabriel Leira (above) and the one by Markos Boruca (below), you can see a brown face with yellow, green, blue, white, and other colored lines highlighting the features. Our indigenous guide told us that these faces represent the Boruca people who are also part of the forest.
Janguar and hummingbird rain forest carvings – reverse, Boruca, Costa Rica, August 2021
Hummingbird and butterfly rain forest carving by Markos Boruca, Boruca, Costa Rica, August 2021
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Jaguar and butterfly carving by Boruca Lourdes, Boruca, Costa Rica, August 2021
Hummingbird and butterfly rain forest carving by Markos Boruca, Boruca, Costa Rica, August 2021
Our family just returned from a lovely vacation at Cielo Lodge in Golfito, Costa Rica where, among other discoveries, I learned about the indigenous artisans of Boruca. The Boruca folk art wood carvings remind me strongly of Mexican Alebrijes. Many years ago, I started a collection of Alebrijes when I was a member of the Board of the Mexican Museum in San Francisco. Alebrijes are fantastical folk sculptures often originating from Oaxaca. They are carved from copal wood and other materials, then painted. Many times it is the carver who signs the piece but the painting is often done by the whole family. Many people were introduced to Alebrijes as spirit guardians in the 2017 Disney movie Coco.
In the Boruca village, our indigenous guide told us that the carving wood is from the fast-growing balsa and designs are often inspired by traditional masks from the Danza de los Diablos ceremony. The annual ceremony celebrates the Costa Rican tribe fighting off the Spanish Conquistadores. Devils are a common theme in Boruca carvings but there are also images from nature, particularly jaguars (symbolizing male power and protection of the tribe) and butterflies (symbolizing female power and beauty). The bright blue Morpho butterfly is a favorite.
Jaguar masks, Boruca, Costa Rica, August 2021
Sea creature carvings by Elias Moia, Boruca, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Alebrije crocodile by Margarito Melchor Fuentes, Oaxaca, Mexico
Alebrije Jaguar by Cornelio Ortega, Oaxaca, Mexico
Alebrije Rabbit by Antonio Carrillo, Arrazola, Oaxaca, Mexico
Alebrijes – Insect by Alpina, and Giraffe by Jesus Melchor, Oaxaca, Mexico
Insect Alebrijes by Tribus Mixes, Oaxaca, Mexico
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Rainbow from Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
John and Paul and I just returned from a lovely, restful vacation at Cielo Lodge in Golfito, Costa Rica. We had planned to be there for ten days but American Airlanes stranded us for two days in Dallas, Texas, on our way out (and then refused to communicate online or by phone, or reimburse for hotels or rides) so we had a shorter vacation. We got to see a remarkable number of Costa Rican plants and animals (here is my partial list), as well as visiting the indigenous artisans village of Boruca. John even got to explore what is left of two old trains from the Ferrocarril del Sur line in Golfito. The food at Cielo Lodge by Chef Cesar Chinchilla was excellent and we were very well cared for by owners Nicole and Keith Goldstein. Daniel Fonck, the staff naturalist, and manager and gardener Catalina Torres answered endless questions patiently.
This trip was to belatedly celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary, postponed in 2020 because of the pandemic. Even though Costa Rica is at the top level of Covid-19 danger (CDC Level 4 – Very High), we felt safe. The eco-lodge is isolated and when we were in public, most people wore masks indoors and washed hands before entering any building. Before going to the airport to return to the USA, we took BinaxNow Covid-19 home tests to be sure none of us had caught the disease during our travels.
On the way home, we were able to see something of San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital, escorted by local guide Guiselle Sibaja. Of special interest was the Mercado Municipal De Artesanias, where we found the shop of Edgar Deo Alvarez of Guanacaste – Chorotega who makes traditional indigenous pit-fired pre-columbian-style ceramics and stone carvings.
Click for Video: Spotted grey dolphins, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Welcome to Costa Rica, August 2021
Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Paul, Daniel, Nicole, John at Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Catalina, Daniel, Paul, Nicole, Katy, John at Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Cielo Lodge suite 1, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Outside shower, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Red eyed frogs, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Paul D Goodman and John Plocher, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Casados Dinner by Chef Cesar Chinchilla, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Paul D Goodman and Katy Dickinson, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Anoli lizard eating a beetle, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Poison dart frog by Daniel Fonck, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Squirrel Monkey, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
John Plocher, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Green tree opossum by John Plocher, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Three toed sloth by Paul D Goodman, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Paul D Goodman and Daniel Fonck, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Crocodile and Butterfly by Paul D Goodman, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Spotted Grey Dolphins leaping, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
John Plocher, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village entry sign, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village, Costa Rica, August 2021
Boruca village masks, Costa Rica, August 2021
Katy Dickinson, Puerto Jiménez, Costa Rica, August 2021
John Plocher, Katy Dickinson, Paul D Goodman, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Ferrocarril del Sur railway Baldwin engine 81, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
John with Ferrocarril del Sur railway Baldwin engine 81, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Edgar Deo Alvarez of Guanacaste – Chorotega, San Jose, Costa Rica, August 2021
Edgar Deo Alvarez of Guanacaste – Chorotega, San Jose, Costa Rica, August 2021
Click for Video: Red eyed green frog, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Click for Video: Coati – eating at Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
Click for Video: Blunt headed tree snake, Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica, August 2021
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On 19 May 2021, I was graduated (virtually) with a Master of Arts degree from the Graduate Theological Union (Berkeley, California), followed by a second graduation on 23 May 2021 from Pacific School of Religion (part of the GTU consortium) with my Master’s hood and a Certificate of Spirituality and Social Change. My thesis title was “Range of Chaplain Engagement with Prisoners”. This will (eventually) appear in the ProQuest dissertation and thesis database. Thanks for the loving and patient support of my family, friends, and community. Hooray!
26 May 2021 Update: I am honored to have been accepted into the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program of the Berkeley School of Theology! I am very interested in BST’s new cohort theme of “Racism/Prison Renewal/Reparations.”
Katy Dickinson GTU Graduation, 19 May 2021
Katy Dickinson graduation with John Plocher and Paul D. Goodman, 19 May 2021
Katy Dickinson graduation by John Plocher, 23 May 2021
Katy Dickinson graduation by Paul D. Goodman, 23 May 2021
PSR Commencement by Jessica 2021-05-23
PSR graduation program and folder May 2021
Katy Dickinson graduation by John Plocher, 23 May 2021
6 June 2021 Update:
Katy Dickinson GTU – MA Diploma and hood, May 2021
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John and I are looking forward to our 20th wedding anniversary this weekend. Thinking back on some of our adventures and looking forward to many more. It is fun to be married to your best friend!
2020 virtual family dinner 2020 Mother’s Day 2018 family vacation 2018 Paul SJSU graduation 2018 St Andrew’s 2017 Reno 2016 Ashland 2016 Ashland 2016 Dunsmuir 2016 Klamath River 2015 Amtrak trip 2015 St Andrew’s 2014 Lalibela Ethiopia 2012 St Andrew’s 2012 Natural Bridges 2012 Jessica CMU graduation 2011 Jessica + Matthew 2011 Jessica + Matthew 2010 Lair of the Golden Bear camp Lair of the Golden Bear camp 2010 2010 Teatro Zinzanni 2010 Teatro Zinzanni 2010 Teatro Zinzanni 2010 Egypt 2010 Cairo, Egypt 2008 Flying to Baja Mexico 2008 Baja 2007 India 2007 India 2007 WP668 Caboose move 2007 WP668 move 2006 Dead Sea, Israel 2006 Dead Sea, Israel 2006 St. Peterburg, Russia 2006 Russia 2005 Beijing, China 2005 China 2000 2000 wedding 2000 wedding
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