Written in LAX after my flight got canceled and my substitute flight got delayed again and again and again… My American accent fits uncomfortably again. I bought a bag of BBQ chips and they didn’t give me culture shock. Back to good ol’ taste of American style BBQ. Sitting in a shuttle trundling along on the right side feels wrong. …
Monthly Archives: November 2009
On being indescribable, or Bungy! Scuba!
There are certain experiences that are so… so disorienting… And so different… That it’s almost frustrating to be asked to describe it after the experience. Bungy jumping was one such occasion. As was scuba diving for the very first time in the Great Barrier Reef. With bungy jumping, I decided to do it at the last …
On Australia and New Zealand
What excites me outdoors NZ: Whee! Sun! Aust: Oooh! Shade! Footwear NZ: Jandals. Hard to find because who the heck wears flip flops in the rainy spring? Aust: Thongs. They’re everywhere. And I’m immature enough to have to suppress a giggle when a mommy tells her daughter “Now, don’t forget to wear your thongs!” Fast food NZ: …
On Art and Animals, or, Seeing the Real Thing
I have a confession to make. When I saw Caravaggio’s The Calling of Saint Matthew last year in Italy, towering over me in all it’s massive chiaroscuro glory, I felt little beyond a twinge of “Ooh, cool! It’s so big in real life!” I never admitted that to my classmates. Artists always declare that art MUST be seen in real …
Ode to Heat
The streets are unbalanced Tipping with weight of pedestrians Who gravitate to the side less touched by sun. We seek shade. Squares, plazas, seats, Full in the morning shade Ghosted by afternoon sun. Life clusters under shelter. Even then The indecision of the breeze Makes shaded relief temporary. Walking. Dripping. Museums, libraries, info centers. Cool wisps of …
On the threshold between life and death
I’ve never been a fan of video art. Maybe it’s because my attention span jumps like a hyper kangaroo or maybe I just don’t know how to appreciate it. (It referring to the video art, not the hyper kangaroo.) Enter Bill Viola’s Ocean Without A Shore. (Look it up. But only after reading this.) My entire time in the …
On Driving on the “Wrong” Side of the Road
Let me rephrase. This is about driving on the OTHER side of the road. Because it’s only wrong if you can’t distinguish between right (correct) and right (side). What I discovered at the beginning of the trip is that the road side swap doesn’t really bother my sensibilities. Surprisingly, trundling along on the left side of the …