Happy New Year: 2015!

Dear Chelle-chelle,

Remember I used to write you a long letter every New Year's Eve?  Haven't done it for the past few years only because I think you have become a mature, level-headed person and you don't need Mama to tell you anything anymore...

Since you are leaving home tomorrow, and because we had such a great time together, I feel the need to write you a few words for you to keep:

1.  We love you deeply and will always be here for you.

2.  Take care of your health and safety, for yourself and for us.  Establish healthy lifestyles without damaging your body or your long-term health and well-being.

3.  Learn to deal with and manage many tedious but necessary details in life, especially when it comes to various paperwork.  Pay attention to instructions and directions and follow them rigorously to get things done properly.

4.  Learn to put down your phone for a certain period of time each day and try to live your life by being fully present.  It is actually a mental discipline that you should practice for the rest of your life.

5.  Whenever possible, start practicing meditation.  It will definitely help you focus, think clearly and manage stress.

6.  Keep your life SIMPLE -- simplify your possessions AND routines in life.  Simplicity is a magical tool to help you focus on the most important things. 

7.  Study hard and continue to grow into a better person.  Do the best you can on every task for everything.  

Love,

Mom

Humans of New York

As always, my little Michelle bought me this thoughtful and tasteful gift for Christmas...  It's a book by Brandon Stanton who got his first camera in early 2010, dropped his "bond trader" job in July 2010 and became a full-time photographer in the summer of 2010.  Over the next 3 years, he covered thousands of miles by foot in New York and created a photographic census of NYC.  In October 2013, he published the book "Humans of New York."  Such an inspiring story of a guy who sucked at photography at first, but eventually became a successful photographer by following his passion and determination.    

When you think about it, it's not about me having a book, it's about the book letting me see possibilities in life...  Pretty awesome stuff!!

 

Humans of New York

By Brandon Stanton

Introduction:

I got my first camera in January 2010.  I was working as a bond trader, so I only had time to use it on weekends, but I fell in love with it.  Every Saturday and Sunday, I'd take my camera into downtown Chicago and photograph everything.  If I found something especially beautiful, I'd photograph it from 20 different angles -- just to be sure that I'd end up with one good shot.  I'd return home each night with over 1,000 new photos.  Almost all of them were awful, but I didn't mind.  I was hooked.  Photography felt like a treasure hunt, and even though I sucked at it, I'd occasionally stumble upon a diamond.  And that was enough to keep me wanting more... 

Here is the first photo in the book.  It reads: "I am just trying to figure out what I want to do, 'cause it ain't this!"

I'm not sure if I felt inspired or ashamed... The truth is, I started my photography journey in February 2010, and I am still sitting here -- without a book!  But trust me, some day, I will have my own book -:))

My Friend Bill (2)

It's been almost 18 months since I posted "My Friend Bill."  It was indeed a memorable event (that birthday party after the shocking news), and I've made every effort to schedule time to visit Bill every 2-3 months over the past 18 months...  It's really hard to explain, but I am glad I did it and I am determined to continue to do so.

I went to visit Bill again today.  Against all odds, he is still doing great, as he has been for the past 18 months.  I told him that he is a living miracle to survive the pancreatic cancer, and I am just so happy to see him being healthy and well.  I can tell you this -- his recovery has everything to do with his high spirit and the current stress-free life style.

He reflected on how he felt when he first got the diagnosis and how he went through treatments worrying about his family...  When you think about it, the chance of surviving an inoperable pancreatic cancer is pretty slim, and he is so lucky to be one of the very few survivors.  Life is indeed fragile and unpredictable.  We just need to cherish every moment we have and live it fully.  

Live the life we love and love the life we live!!  

The explorer...

I remember taking this photo bright early in the morning when there were just me, Rudi and 275 square miles of white sand dunes laying silently in front of us...  At the time, taking this shot was just for fun, nothing more than pure fun.  But after going through over 1,000 photos, it kind of grew on me - I have to say I love this picture!

-- It reminds me of how overwhelmingly massive the world is to each and every single one of us;

-- It reminds me of how everything in life, including beauty and wonders, is to be discovered with our innate curiosity and strong desire to know and to experience;

-- It reminds me of how insignificant human lives are, and yet, how we should all make the best of it during our limited time on this planet;

-- It reminds me of how lonely life's journeys may be sometimes;

-- And more importantly, it reminds me of how, in a way, we can choose the roads we travel to reach the point we desire...

Life is good.  Never stop exploring, experiencing and enjoying it!

White Sands National Monument

New Mexico

November 29, 2014 

    

The White Sands

The largest gypsum dune field in the world is located at White Sands National Monument in south-central New Mexico. This region of glistening white dunes is in the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert within an "internally drained valley" called the Tularosa Basin. The monument is about 4000 feet above sea level, and the dune fields are approximately 275 square miles. 

This dune field is very dynamic, with the most active dunes moving to the northeast at a rate of up to 30 feet per year, while the more stable areas of sand move very little. The pure gypsum (hydrous calcium sulfate) that forms these unusual dunes originates in the western portion of the monument from an ephemeral lake or playa with a very high mineral content. As the water evaporates (theoretically as much as 80" per year!), the minerals are left behind to form gypsum deposits that eventually are wind-transported to form these white sand dunes.

Many species of plants and animals have developed very specialized means of surviving in this area of cold winters, hot summers, with very little surface water and highly mineralized ground water.

White Sands National Monument

New Mexico

November 28, 2014

Picture 1 = white sands at sunrise

What I learned is - during sunrise and sunset, the white sands look very similar to regular (yellow) sand dunes due to the low angle of sunlight.  Only when they are under direct sunlight, you'd see their pure white color.  So, against all photography teachings, I took some wonderful shots in the middle of the day under the bright sunlight.  Throw away your photography books and ENJOY life!

Morning Symphony

We spent 5 days during Thanksgiving in New Mexico.  Our initial focus was to go visit White Sands National Monument.  Spent 3 days there, and then we went to a wildlife refuge and spent 2 days watching the annual snow geese migration.  To my surprise, the snow geese touched me so deeply that I went back and visited them 4 times during a 2-day period.  The visits involved 2 early morning ordeals to arrive at their lovely home (a cozy little pond) before 6 AM in 26F weather.  Sunrise with snow geese is spectacular.  These little birds would sing and dance and circle around the skies to create this incredible morning symphony for the world.  The event is overwhelming and stunning to say the least.  After putting out the magnificent show of the day, the snow geese would finally take off and start their day in the free world, where only the sky is their limit...

When you think about it, these little guys each looks rather ugly.  But together, they bring so much beauty to the world -- they show us the power of unity! 

Morning Symphony 

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
New Mexico

December 1, 2014