9/16/08

In case anyone was wondering....

I have been camped out her in Kunming this week, not posting much. When I read the news, I am starting to get weary. Watching the US economy implode is not a fun activity. I sit at the bar with friends lamenting the future of the world. There are so many cynical people here who really think McCain is going to win. I literally cry in my whiskey.

I did my part this week and registered for an absentee ballot with the Chengdu Consulate. There was something very exciting about applying for a ballot in China. Apparently, Cook County is the only county in Illinois that will allow you to vote via email. My friend from Texas has to fax it in.

In other news... I have been preparing for the arrival of my mom and her two lovely lady friends. We are going to take a 10 day trip up into the mountains of Shangri-La and wind our way back through Lijiang and Dali, back to Kunming. I have made a makeshift bed out of foam and thick quilts for my mom to sleep on. I have filled the house with flowers. I am really excited to show them my city and take a break together. I live in semi-retirement at this point, but I know they really need a break from the hectic Chicago work-a-day lifestyle.

It is strange to think that just three weeks ago I was sunning on the beaches of northwest Sumatra and soaking in an entirely new environment. It will be good to go up high into the Himalayas for a change of scenery.

This picture makes me laugh. There was an old school desktop just sitting on the beach. The boats were bobbing out on the ocean, the breeze was blowing... and then the modern world jumped into view. Makes me happy to leave my computer by itself some days.
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Why Lotus? Why Pine?

The lotus signifies the progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the waters of experience, and into the bright sunshine of enlightenment.

The pine signifies longevity and endurance because of its green foliage year round. In both good and bad weather, the pine thrives year after year thus it also represents pure life and constancy in the face of adversity.

Yunnan Province is a mountain landscape created when the Indian Sub-continent crashed into the tropical lowlands of Burma. It is a place with hundreds of unique species and dozens of amazing topographies. When I walk the mountains of Yunnan, I breathe fresh pine air and marvel at the indigenous wildflowers. Yunnan is also the conduit through which Buddhism came to China, along the caravan trails from India. The lotus is a Buddhist symbol of purity and perfection. When I photograph these flowers, I am always captivated by their geometry and peace-inspiring colors.

my motto

Look well to this day For it is life The very best of life.
In its brief course lie all The realities and truths of existence,
The joy of growth, the splendor of action, The glory of power.
For yesterday is but a memory. And tomorrow is only a vision.
But today well lived Makes every yesterday a memory of happiness And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore to this day.

--from the Sanskrit