Silent Beauty

I paid my annual visit to Death Valley this weekend.  It's like visiting an old friend now...  How have you been?  Is everything alright?  What's new?

To my surprise, after so many visits, for the first time, I saw wildflowers in Death Valley!!  It was the "desert bloom" -- thank goodness to the flash flood in Death Valley last October and the continued precipitation throughout November and December.

I was so happy to see these little guys -- making every effort to survive the harsh landscape and weather conditions.  They are mostly yellow -- very small, but everywhere.  When you drive up and down through northern California in February, you'd see similar yellow flowers covering the rolling hills.  They are beautiful; but they are the "in-your-face" kind of bright yellow, very dense, loudly screaming to the world "Look at me!!"

No, not in Death Valley.  The little yellow flowers here have the soft and quiet beauty.  They are charming but unassuming, just standing there silently...  And yet, everyone noticed them -- so many cars stopped for them, took photos of them...  I've made a clear mental note for myself -- Death Valley can be a very lively and colorful place!!!

I love every single one of you, however small you are!

Death Valley, California

February 27-28, 2016  

 

 

Reflections on Youth

As I think back, for the past 3 years, each year in February/March when I came to San Francisco for meetings, I'd made the effort to visit a place in Northern California.  It was Point Reyes National Seashore two years ago; Yosemite last year and Big Sur this year.

I remember that, each time before the trip, I'd feel somewhat anxious; then fall in love with the place; then feel dreadful to come back to civilization, especially to downtown San Francisco...  Strangely enough, however, each time when I finally get back to the city, I'd always feel tremendous relief and comfort -- it brings such conflicting feelings... always!

When you think about it, our desire to seek "familiarity" and "comfort zone" might be the biggest barrier for us to venture out to fully live our lives.  I've always been thankful for being young and fearless once in my life.  To be exact, it was 28 years ago when I abruptly dropped everything I was familiar with to came to this piece of foreign land.  I am ashamed to say today that, even when given another chance, I might not do it again -- not because I have any regrets, but because I have more fear about the unknown... 

Youth is such an amazing and  beautiful thing!!   

To restore the courage from my past, I am planning a trip to Iceland in June.

Big Sur, California
February 14-15, 2016

 

Big Sur, California

Meetings in San Francisco this week, so I spent a few days at Big Sur, California -- such a stunningly beautiful place!  And the total isolation provided me with much needed quietness -- quite unbelievable.  For the first time in 3 days, I finally got access to cell phone signals, internet and a TV.

When I checked into my hotel, which was located inside a State Park, the lady told me that there would be no cell phone service.  I was shocked, and told her that I must contact my family to let them know I would not be reachable.  I begged her to let me use her computer for one simple email.  She wouldn't let me.  So, I had to use her old fashioned land-line telephone to call home. 

It reminded me of Death Valley where the massive nothingness and isolation is the name of the game!! 

Believe it or not, there are people in this world who don't give a sxxxt about technology or trendy new things.  They live in the old world and enjoy every second of it.  I envy their originality and authenticity, and made an effort to take the attached photo to show you how locals in Big Sur keep track of dates -- month and day, all accurately displayed with wood blocks -- go figure!

The lady finally sent me to my cottage.  It took me a long while to find it -- up on the hills and deep into the woods.  It was an extremely beautiful and quiet place.  Huge spacious rooms with no phone, no TV, no clock, no nothing...  Huge windows looking out to the forest, and the tall ceiling has a big glass window -- WOW, I am happy!!

Life is good because we relentlessly make the best efforts to create and preserve happy memories!

Big Sur, California
February 14-15, 2016

Frozen Memories...

For once, I will allow myself to be in the frame because, in so many ways, this has been a special trip... Canadian Rockies is THE place that is very near and dear to my heart. Being here in the winter reminded me of the deepest winters in my childhood when my father took me to the icy lakes in Beijing to take special pictures for me. He would put me in the middle of the lake or under a bridge for those shots -- over and over again... Decades have passed, but the sweet memories will always be with me!

Alberta, Canada

January 23 to February 1, 2016

See with my own eyes...

My Life on the Road

by Gloria Steinem

October 2015

....

I'm headed to the airport for the third time in a week, trying to hail a taxi in the pouring rain. When a driver finally picks me up, I'm in no mood to talk to this scruffy white kid in his twenties.  The only personal thing I see is a drawing of a gigantic eye propped up on the front seat next to him.  I suppressed my curiosity.

After a long time of quiet, he asks me what I do.  I offer just three words -- I'm a writer -- hoping brevity won't invite conversation. 

"Then I wouldn't know you," he says seriously, "because I don't read."

Assuming he's a smart-ass, I don't answer.  "I also don't watch TV," he goes on. "I don't look at the Internet or read newspapers or books or play video games.  I haven't done any of those things in almost a year.  I don't want anything to interpret the world for me.  I am mainlining life."

My resolve is slipping...  Finally, I can no longer resist asking this guy why he is shutting out all the usual signals.  It turns out that driving a taxi is just part of a year he's planned, working his way cross-country, doing odd jobs like repairing cars and picking fruit to support himself, all the while going cold turkey on media.  He is seeing America without being told first what he's seeing.

"You see?" he says seriously as we pull into LaGuardia, "This is what happens with no filters."

Instead of a tip, he asks for a bargain.  "Write about my experiment," he says.  "Explain that you met this recovering media addict who used to dream about people in movies instead of real people.  I never read a book unless some reviewer told me to.  I was such a news junkie, I went to sleep with my headset on.  I had media-itis, but now I'm trying to see life unmediated. 

"I've been clean for eight months," he says seriously. "I'm just beginning to believe I exist."

Finally I ask about that drawing of a huge eye.  "My girl-friend made that," he says, "to remind me to see with my own eyes."

....

Winter is finally here!!

The long awaited winter finally arrived over the weekend!  We were off yesterday, so I decided to torture myself in the -20C weather... and wind chill was -31C!!

Chicago, IL
January 18, 2016

First Trip in 2016

Tagged on to a business trip, my adventure to Bryce Canyon started on New Year's Day!

The first "surprise" was a 3-hour flight delay for no apparent reason, so I didn't get to Bryce until well after dark...  The 5-hour drive from Vegas to Bryce Canyon was pleasant.  This time, I played a CD that I used to play in my office about 14 years ago when I worked 14 hours a day, 6 days a week -- brutal times trying to survive the corporate world!  Believe it or not, I even asked myself (while driving) how I made it through those harsh, LONG days and years...  Well, I was young, fearless and energetic! 

The next two days were great.  I forced myself to get up at 5:30am each morning to go to the park just to make sure I didn't miss anything... 

Did a lot of hiking -- in the pure white snow surrounded by red canyons.  Finally was able to enjoy the solitude -- it was heaven!!

Took a few pictures with my heavy, complicated cameras.  Once again, I was trying to imagine how wonderful life would be if I didn't need to worry about photography.  Maybe one day, I will have the courage to travel the world with my iPhone and a small point-n-shoot automatic camera.  I will then be able to enjoy the world's most beautiful moments with my own wide-open eyes -- instead of seeing them through a teeny-tiny view finder!! 

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah 

January 2-3, 2016