Editing

Reality television has shown us that it takes a lot of film and editing to make life watchable.  Which may be why Jesus was always turning water into wine.  Can you imagine watching every one's life?  Boring.

LOST

It seems LOST has left us with more questions than answers, which sadly is how I think life will end for me.  Although if God is a real thing I hope it has thought out this whole life thing more than the writers of LOST.  It would be a shame if like LOST the initial story was extended because it kept getting renewed.  I guess that could explain some things I find unexplainable, like anteaters, the filet-o-fish sandwich, how planes fly, the election of George W Bush, and the re-election of George W Bush.

Bettye Lavette

Oh Bettye.  I love you and your white leather jump suit.  I love that the city of Chicago hired a white plump girl in a long jean skirt to sign your performance at Chicago's Blues Fest.  By sign I mean sign language.  I love that you included her in your show.  She danced and signed with you as you sang the blues.  You are my Joy.  Also deaf people that show up to music shows are my Joy.

Bettye you have no right to not be playing blues fest.  I want you back.  The city of Chicago wants you back.  The plump white girl wants you back.

For some reason she is playing The Morton Arboretum on August 18th.  Who wants to join the trees, Bettye and me?

Accessories

Electronic devices like cell phones and computers should have a breathalyzer accessory.  You could set your drunk level to lock you out. 

Bucktown Happy Thoughts

I had a bad day

I had a bad day today, but everything is relative.  Yes, our contract required us to be completed with our work today.  Yes, all we had to do today was straighten a leaning hydrant.  No, it didn't happen.  Yes, I had to eat a crow.  Yes, it tastes exactly how you are thinking.  Yes, it is going to take a long time to stop tasting crow in my mouth. 

Okay now a reality check.  No I don't live in country where I wouldn't even have the possibility of doing the work that I do.  No, I don't worry about basic necessities.  No I do not share a heart and arm with my hotter twin sister.  Man, can you imagine?  She would always get the guy and I would always be in the room. 

Never mind, today was a great day.

Mortality

I just learned that I am a mortal.  This is very disturbing.

India - Things I miss

2.  TEA

I knew tea before I visited India, but I didn't know how great tea was until India gave me the full introduction.

Our first day in India we arrived late at night to our home base, Siliguri, India.  The jet lag was heavy.  We all succumbed to slumber early.  Mike and I awoke early the next day.  Our waiters were marvelous, but there was a language barrier.  The easiest thing to order was tea.  The tea was the best I ever had.  I drank 5 cups that morning.  Nice to meet you tea.  Is it to early to say I love you?

We were in tea country and as luck would have it our gracious host's family had a tea estate.  We spent a peaceful day meandering through the tea garden.  It ranks among the calmest days of my life.  It was a joy to walk the grounds.  Drinking tea in a tea garden is surreal.  I recommend it to everyone.

We were spoiled.  The tea was amazing, but as we traveled west ordering tea did not mean we received "tea."  You see we were all tea snobs now.  We had sipped tea in an actual tea garden.  Just because a tea bag has the Taj Mahal on it does not make it Indian tea.  We were aghast.  How could they serve us a tea bag when I ordered Darjeeling tea.  Should I send it back?  Thinking about it now I guess expecting great tea in Rajasthan is like expecting amazing oysters in Wisconsin. 

I miss drinking tea in India.  I miss my morning cup of tea (or 5) with my two Mikes

India - The Himalayas

I told myself and my fellow readers I would write about my India experience every day this week.  Then a drank one of my first cups of coffee since returning from India in January.  This common beverage does strange things to me.  I only "slept" for one hour Sunday night before I was jolted awake at 5am for work.  I know it sounds far fetched, but it is true which is why after discovering tea in India I cut it out of my life.  Except it worked wonders for a recent 40 mile bike ride.

This will be a surprise to no one, but I have to say it, the Himalayas are colossal.  Even the foothills are scary big.  The great part about driving in the Himalayas is you experience how scary big they are by just looking out your passenger window at the shear cliff inches from your car tire.  Shoulders, guard rails, proper lanes, tentative drives and lights don't get in the way.  You remain well aware of the constant danger you are in as you are hurled up and down the mountain, which helps to make one really appreciate the beauty of the Himalayas. 

Our driver, Kalu was excellent.  He had no fear.  It calmed me knowing the thought of imminent death was not on his mind like it was on mine.  In India, having a driver, if you own a car is common.  I learned that most cars driving the roads through the Himalayas drive this route often and there is a code these drivers follow.  Although I didn't appreciate this code when we encountered a broken down truck on the mountain top road.  We tried to squeeze by it the same time as an oncoming truck.  We were bumper to bumper and Kalu didn't hesitate a second.  He threw it into reverse and floored it.  I would think since we were closest to the edge we would allow the other truck to back up.  It would be the safest thing to do but I guess there was a slight head bop or something to let Kalu know it was his turn. 

The Himalayas are speckled with Buddhist monasteries.  I was luck enough to visit two.  I think if I grew up in the awe inspiring Himalayas I would probably be Buddhist.  I grew up in the Midwest which is probably why I am agnostic. 

The monasteries are quite appealing.  The monks walking around in their red ropes are very cool.  The children in their monk robes are adorable.  I was told that it is a tradition that the youngest son in a Buddhist family is sent to the monasteries to become a monk.  That sounds like a really altruistic tradition.  The catholic tradition (requirement) is to donate 10% of your salary to the church.  Which compared to the Buddhist tradition seems paltry.

Which makes me wonder.  Should I give my last born (or first if it ever happens) to a cause near and dear to me?  Would the Sierra Club teach my youngest to run the with wolves, plug piping carrying pollutants into our rivers or master the US court system for environmental causes by the age of 12?  Would the Planetary Society be interested in shooting my six year old into space?  I am not sure what NPR would do with a 6 year old but I am sure they will think of something amazing. 

Some of the photos are courtesy of my friend Lisa Monroe.  I would send you to her photo website, but she doesn't have one.  She is quite the painter.  I would post a link to see her paintings, but she doesn't have one.  I do have a photo of one her amazing paintings, which reminds me of India.  So I will post it here.

India - Things I miss

1. Sari shopping

I hate shopping, which is why most of my clothes were purchased by others.  On the weekends I usually wear the same outfit all weekend.  If I didn't have a job I would probably only have one outfit.  Damn you necessities.

Our sari shopping experience began as we entered into a store of color.  We were lead to a comfortable couch as our sales staff removed their shoes to start the show.  We sat sipping ambrosial tea while beautiful fabric was flung in the air before us.  As the fabric floated to the ground I had a childlike sense of happiness.  The vibrant colors laying atop each other captivated me as fabric continued to fly above our heads.  When the show was completed we each pointed to our piece of the rainbow.  One size fits all (for real).  No changing rooms.  No need to face yourself in a mirror with a strange, awkwardly fitting garment on your body. It's my kind of shopping.

 

I have been back from India for 3 months.  I have found it difficult to express my experience.  They only word I have come up with is overwhelming.  People usually ask if it was overwhelming in a good way or a bad way.  I respond with just overwhelming.  I will force myself to write for the next week about my experience before even more of it has been lost.