Dexter... really?

Last week's attempts to become a daily blogger and to summon my inner writer failed. But, my new approach is to let go and ot beat myself up for my failures. Thank yyoga for that. So here I am, trying to finish my master project, and watching season 2 of dexter. That would indicate that I already made it through most of Season 1 over the easter break. who knew I could become obsessed by serial killers.

yoga the last two days. pretty good. finding it hard to do six days a week, but doing allright. yesterday was mike, talked alot about finding that place where there is no struggle. that's my goal for this week.

Reflections on Today.

Ok. So I'm back on the blog scene. Combination of procrastination, a little boredom, and a concerted effort to avoid doing work. So there are a few things on my mind. Thought I'd share them with the blogosphere world - not because I think that anyone reads my blog, but because I think that writing will be therapeutic.

1. So first off, I've been consumed by March Madness craziness this year - a little bit more than the usual in fact. Thursday (opening day) was a fabulous day... I came home at 4pm, put on my pajamas, popped a gigantic bowl of popcorn and then proceeded to sit on the couch for 5 straight hours and watch basketball. i've got my bracket with me at all times in my pocket, and did pretty well in the first round. I'm liking Washington State alot, and in case you're interested, here are President Obama's picks for 2010 march madness.



Note that both Obama and I have chosen the Kansas Jayhawks to win it all. I like to think that we have similar lines of thinking.

2. Health care bill - the big vote is tomorrow, and I can hardly believe this is even a discussion. What kind of society do you live in where people argue that some people don't deserve basic health coverage? The US has the most expensive health care system (per person) of any country, and yet they serve the least amount of people?! They are the only developed country that doesn't offer universal health care.. you've got to be joking me. It makes me ill to think that some people mortgage their houses to pay for their cancer treatments, or that people don't deal with broken bones or stitches because it's too expensive. I also feel like there's a major underlying element of racism/SES discrimination in all of these debates -who are the groups that are most underserved by the system... and what conclusions can we draw from this.

3. I'm going to try a yoga experiment, and I"m hoping that writing about it will help me stick to it. 4 weeks - 6 times a week. It's definitely doable, however the question is whether or not I've got enough will-power. I want to know how I would feel if I was that dedicated to "the practice" - there's a high risk I might start quoting some hard-core shakti shakti phrases... So I'm going to give it a shot and see what comes of it. Here's to hoping i might be just a little more patient by the end of this. Today is Day 2. So far, so good.

Hey Lady You Want Buy?

I have arrived in Laos... actually I arrived a couple of weeks ago, but due to an aversion of slow internet cafes, I have just now begun my blog adventures. So I thought that I would just do little installments when I can.

One of the most amazing thing about Laos is the fact that there are monks wandering around everywhere in their brilliant orange outfits. Even at the university I'm working at, there are monks wandering around, while the average everday tourist can wander right into a monastery where monks are living, bathing, eating, praying - and get a glimpse at life that is mostly hidden in our society.

I woke up at 5:30am in Luang Prabang, my second day in Laos, and wandered through the misty rain watching the city wake up. People lined up along city streets with baskets of food, rice, and candy to offer to the monks. This happens daily, and in a place like Luang Prabang where there is a Vat (monastery) on every street, the morning alms giving ritual is one of the most stunning aspects of the city. There are men of all ages, right down to 5 and 6 years old, who are willing to dedicate at least 3 years of their life to one of the most humble existences i've yet seen. Women must kneel in front of the monks, and everyone removes their shoes as they pass by. The dedication it would take to get up every morning to make offerings is pretty signficant.

I rode by bike around during the afternoon, and slowly took in the rituals that make up the monk's life. Around 4pm, drums begin to sound around the town. Several monks gather around massive gongs and mark the passing of their day. Then there is a time of meditation, when families gather in the temples to pray. I wandered into one temple and sat in the back with the ladies. I sat facing these monks for over an hour, wondering what they were thinking....

Laos- Here I Come!

So, it is less than one week before I leave my beloved city and take off on a new adventure. Now that school and report cards are done, I feel like I have had a moment to rest, and the reality that I am leaving has taken on a much more real and tangible feel. I will arrive in Bangkok on Saturday night, and will leave immediately for Vientiane Sunday morning. From there I am heading to Luang Prabang to play for a week before I start my work placement.

I have decided to use this blog as a way for people to keep in touch, and for me to share and reflect upon my adventures. I have had a strange (but wonderful) feeling that this trip is going to change my life in some way - or at least instigate some type of a shift. This thought is really exciting.

So, please keep me in your thoughts while I am away, and I look forward to hearing about everyone's own personal adventures when I return.

xoxo
alana

Mexico

I have changed my blog picture in honor of my good friend Abraham who is from Oaxaca, Mexico. Abraham has been off work for the last two weeks due to the highly touted 'swine flu'. Very nervous, he has written frequently to describe his worries about living in a community far from medical services, and his fear that "now, no one wants Mexicans."

When Abraham was visiting, I was exposed to the 'underground' Latino community that lives in Vancouver. I was embraced warmly (both figuratively and literally - machismo culture alive and well) and in my halting Spanish, managed to ask all sorts of questions about what life is like for illegals in Canada. I can't imagine what its like to know all of the secret ways to enter Canada, sneak across the U.S. border, and to have family that have been killed by border police. It was one of the most eye-opening weeks I've had in a long time. What must it be like to leave your family, not knowing if you'll ever return?

Heaps of Imogen

hide and seek.
a sad song. but beautiful.
i like to listen to it really loud, especially at night.


Where are we? What the hell is going on?
The dust has only just begun to fall,
Crop circles in the carpet, sinking, feeling.
Spin me round again and rub my eyes.
This can't be happening.
When busy streets a mess with people
would stop to hold their heads heavy.

Hide and seek.
Trains and sewing machines.
All those years they were here first.

Oily marks appear on walls
Where pleasure moments hung before.
The takeover, the sweeping insensitivity of this
still life.

Hide and seek.
Trains and sewing machines. (Oh, you won't catch me around here)
Blood and tears,
They were here first.

Mmm, what you say?
Mm, that you only meant well? Well, of course you did.
Mmm, what you say?
Mm, that it's all for the best? Ah of course it is.
Mmm, what you say?
Mm, that it's just what we need? And you decided this.
Mmm what you say?
What did she say?

Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth.
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut-outs.
Speak no feeling, no I don't believe you.
You don't care a bit. You don't care a bit.

You don't care a bit.
You don't care a bit.
You don't care a bit.
You don't care a bit.
You don't care a bit.

The Perils of Writing a Thesis

I am nervous
that I will fail.
That being able to research
just isn't enough.
I'm not sure I remember
how to write
something that is interesting.
Practice your writing.
Description and more
description is what i've been told
will make my thesis great.
But how do you recognize
the great anecdote when it is
in front of you
let alone write about it
in such a way that people will be able
to imagine they were there.
And what if I tire of my topic
or my supervisors
tire of me.
I feel nervous
and excited
but mostly nervous.