taiwan: embark!

it begins today
the airplane flies from 1:45 pm cali time today
until 8:30 pm taiwan time friday
mmm

2006 to 2010: four years of usa travel: The Map

color key

2006- red line (mostly on the west)

2007- green line

2008- blue line

2009- turquoise line

2010- red line again (mostly on the east)

 

this map was one of my first travel maps. i would write in where i'd been, people i met, and their suggestions for where to go next... after a while, the map got too full. i met more people than the map could handle, and ditto to all the places i went to and wanted to go to next... but i kept the map in my journal bucket. and now, four years later, i have drawn lines all over it once again.

 

cheers to post-collegiate usa adventures! i now award myself an M.A. (Masters of Adventures) in USA. and now, off to taiwan and etc to get my Ph.D in ____! :)

final autumn 2010 cali photos

ciau, bella! meegwetch!
gigawabbamin (until the circle comes together again) california and usa and etc...

here's photos
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2829402&id=2514403&l=d81cca47cf

one love

yes
i do love this country
with all it's hills and mountains
and the small towns and
not quite so much the cities
but i can appreciate even them too
(from a distance please)
but yes
i do love this country
i have walked it's hills
scaled it's cliffs
swam in its waters
and looked into the eyes of its people
and smiled
appreciating the great
beauty and diversity
of all the different spaces
and different people borne of different spaces and places
different circumstances, different peoples
welcome to homeland
and now,
off to another homeland
one that i haven't explored yet
but one that my parents grew up in
one that i originated from within deep my gut, blood, and bones
ancient memories that i don't even yet see
let alone understand!
welcome to homeland ancient and not yet understood
waiting to be seen and heard
i am walking into you again
with my arms and eyes open
this basket here is empty
i have other baskets with other goods
but this basket here is empty
i will call it my ancient asian ancestry basket perhaps
whatever it is
it's ready to be filled
now!
welcome back to homeland ancient
unknown cliffs, hills, waters, stones...
i remember
waking up on stones to sunlight glinting thru my eyelids
a smile on my face, laughter in my heart
sage gazing down at me with benevolence
and a joshua tree standing nearby, laughing also
i remember
waking up in the middle of a rushing river
on another stone, final rays of sun reddening sky once blue
cold evening winds beginning to kiss and caress
i remember
kneeling next to a stream
admiring sunlight glinting rainbows thru the first icicles of winter
reflecting into the rushing waters of the stream
i remember
looking into your eyes and seeing my own eyes reflected
and imagined your eyes reflected in my eyes in yours again
and on and on
these rivers uniting these skies and cliffs and stones
all as one
as i bid this land that i love farewell
i remember
this earth is round
it's all connected together
one sky
one earth
one people
one love
always hello again, hello wow hello!
never goodbye
and oh
i love you so much
thank we

frida

death leading to birth leading to death again
recycling
this sky so blue leading to cliffs that tower
edges to be pushed
gravity free float it down
your freckles like sunspots staring too long into the light
deathbed lying, face peaceful
this last poetry to be read over and over
artwork questioned
what remains?

mi familia

lovelovelove

train back across the country from vt to gila, nm to ca

photos from autumn 2010 train ride back from vermont to gila, nm to california again!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2826701&id=2514403&l=58d3a01987

mojave national preserve

photos from weekend shared with mojave desert, big sky, adrian, and sierra
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2826796&id=2514403&l=b8abe05dac