When people see something as beautiful
Other things become ugly.
When people see some things as good,
other things become bad.

Being and non-being create each other.
Difficult and easy support each other.
High and low depend on each other.
Before and after follow each other.

Therefore the Master
acts without doing anything.
Things arise and she lets them come;
Things disappear and she lets them go.
She has but doesn't possess
acts but doesn't expect.
When her work is done, she forgets it.
That is why it lasts forever.

excerpt from Tao Te Ching

Paul Stamets: 6 ways mushrooms can save the world

Bat for Lashes - Siren Song (Live at Morning Becomes Eclectic)

I used to be one of those kids whose favorite part of drinking soda was the foamy part on the top. I would look forward to those ten seconds of sweet tingling effervescence before it faded away into the glass. Most people dislike that foam and try to pour their drinks to reduce the frequency of it.

This I pondered last night as I ate Nepalese food by myself on my mother's birthday. The latest failed attempt at having a civilized family dinner allowed me the freedom to pick something new. The end result was a new favorite food. This may be a gross Americanized view of Nepalese food but I feel like it's somewhere in the middle between Indian food and Chinese or Vietnamese food. The favors are not overpowering like in most of the Indian food I've tried, and in the dish I tried, the taste of fresh coriander was at the forefront of the meal, accompanied with mixed veges and mushroom. I even tried a Nepalese beer, ironically called Mustang. I guess that's where the reminiscence of foamy carbonated beverages came into play.

The sun is finally shining in all its glory on my two days off. I'm going to enjoy it by pedaling my ass off on my new (used) bike. She's been sitting in my room all most totally unused while I waited on getting her a lock. She's a bubblegum vintage road bike and spunky as hell. I'm looking forward to getting used to riding again and doing it as well or better than I used to.

Quien fuera. Silvio Rodriguez.

Estoy buscando una palabra,
En el umbral de tu misterio,
Quien fuera Ali Baba,
Quien fuera el mítico Simbad,
Quien fuera un poderoso sortilegio,
Quien fuera encantador.

Estoy buscando una escafandra,
Al pie del mar de los delirios,
Quien fuera Jacques Cousteau,
Quien fuera Nemo el capitán,
Quien fuera el batiscafo de tu abismo,
Quien fuera explorador.

Corazón, corazón oscuro
Corazón, corazón con muros,
Corazón, que se esconde,
Corazón, que esta donde,
Corazón, corazón en fuga,
Herido de dudas y amor.

Estoy buscando melodía,
Para tener como llamarte,
Quien fuera ruiseñor,
Quien fuera Lennon y Mcartney,
Sindo Garay, Violeta, Chico Buarque,
Quien fuera tu trovador.

Corazón, corazón oscuro,
Corazón, corazón con muros,
Corazón, que se esconde,
Corazón, que esta donde,
Corazón, corazón en fuga,
Herido de dudas y amor

first aid

There was an attempted bank robbery next door to my workplace yesterday. Around 3pm, one of our regulars who works at Citibank on Solano Avenue opened the door of the cafe and shouted, "The bank's getting robbed! Call 911! Get everyone inside!" We proceeded to ring the cops and usher everybody in and lock the doors. There were foolish people trying to peer outside through the windows, but after I warned them of the risk of getting shot, they stood on the other side of the counter. It really amazed me that while something dangerous was going on, everybody was still concerned about trivial shit like cashing their checks or wanting to move their cars to avoid a parking ticket. I mean, do you really want to possibly lose your life over a $30 fine? I just don't understand people sometimes...

I've had a really good week so far. On Sunday, I ventured to Green Gulch Farms in Marin county to attend an organic flower gardening class. I took home sunflower, melon, marigold, and zucchini seedlings. I'm hoping they'll be patient enough for me to plant them in a week or two.
After two really good job interviews, I'm just waiting for a call back on Monday or Tuesday.

My brother is moving out of my mom's apartment, which means I'll get to move in. That's the biggest relief I've gotten since I've arrived. It feels good to know that I'll have my habitat in one place for a while.

While all these good things are falling into place, I can't help but feel a little sad too. I feel like this is really the beginning of something possibly permanent. I'm scared to let my roots sink in deep into the rocky terrain of my Californian life because I really don't like the idea of being far away from my fantasies and endless possibilities. Now is the time for action, but I'm not sure what the definitive course of it is.

Song of the Moment: "Siren Song" by Bat For Lashes

2 AM draft

Since I said goodbye to somebody this past week, there hasn't been one day when I haven't felt that stark lack of companionship echoing like a dropped porcelain bowl clattering sharp against brick.

But in all honesty, I've never been as happy as I have been in the last month. Melbourne was the defibrillator my heart longed for. I love Australia and I can't wait to come back as soon as I can. It may not be the same once I feel the absences of people whom I've shared beautiful memories with, but nevertheless, there's so much I still have to do and see.

This trip became everything I could have ever hoped for. It has been one of sheer contrasts; never before have I had episodes of brave self reliance followed almost immediately by unwavering insecurity, or better yet, how the very places that I've WWOOFed at could not be more different from one another. The skills I've learned from each of them have been remarkably varied and I couldn't have planned it better. Life gave me a few good kicks in the ass but followed them with optimal stages of healing and growth. Everything has been unwittingly allocated in its perfect place and time, no matter how much I tend to doubt so.


Song of the Moment: "Ghosts" - Laura Marling