Merry Holiday

Dang, i haven't been this Christmasy since 1997 when i was on E!

But since i'm w/ Yoyo and she's never done the xmas thing before, i stole a tree branch from the park and we decorated it. sorta like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree. Then i figured me and Yoyo and Derrick could go for Indian food for xmas eve, but then thought maybe other people also have no plan. So in the end 15 of us ate out before hiking back to our place for 5 bottles of mulled wine.

A bit of soldering action got the xmas lights going again. Then we listened to Chet Baker xmas songs before singing some w/ the guitar.

Anyhow, that was all pretty fun, and a great Christmas eve. Especially considering that me and Yoyo had a big argument the night before when it was revealed that we're both underhanded liars.

Peace on Earth, everyone!

It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

No, I didn't see the movie. 

But like many people, I'm open to the possibility that December 21st, the end date of the Mayan Calendar may be (approximately) be an indication of some sort of spiritual shift in the collective consciousness. 

Considering that i actually have a deep dark beliefs about humanity catastrophically fucking the environment up the ass (not that there's anything wrong w/ making anal love for those who enjoy it), i wonder if we may be crossing that threshold of this "new era". 

I also wonder if we may shortly witness the end of capitalism (as we know it) and (imo) insanely narrowminded growth models. 
i don't expect these things to happen on Friday. i don't really expect anything to happen. Though apparently 20% of Chinese people are worried, buying candles and stuff. Luckily i already have some at home. 

This Friday, my plan is to finish work, then go to Beihai Park downtown w/ Yoyo and Derrick, and walk around to the top of the hill and have a view of the city as anarchy breaks out. 

At the very least, i think this Friday is a particularly good time to embrace the symbolism of the end of an era, the beginning of an era. i plan to stay squeaky clean sober, be (sort of) in nature and w/ loved ones. Maybe create something, but i haven't thought things through that far yet. 

Interestingly enough, Terrence Mckenna and hisTimewave Zero hypothesis is set to happen this Friday also.  (It was originally calculated for Nov, but he readjusted it to align w/ the Mayan calendar). Anyhow, he believes the universe is a "novelty machine", creating new, never before seen/had experiences, and that this Friday, we'll reach "a singularity of infinite complexity in 2012, at which point anything and everything imaginable will occur simultaneously." Unsurprisingly, he was on mushrooms when he came up w/ the idea. 

i think i may have had a similar experience (on mushrooms, incidentally), and it's truly truly truly like nothing you've ever imagined before. i was completely befuddled by an experience for which words seemed completely inapplicable. Later on i found that Zen Buddhists summed it up impressively with just 3 words: "All is One". 

So there i was walking the streets of Seattle, flabbergasted to experience this thing which was bigger than time itself, this thing which OBVIOUSLY predated the Big Bang and the universe itself. And yes, i still take it as concrete evidence that my experience was real, because of course my tiny little simple mind could never imagine something so unimaginable or REAL. But the incredible thing was that... everything was also totally NORMAL. i'd just noticed something that had always been there. Like noticing a little birthmark on your ankle. Oh hello, you've always been a part of me, but i wasn't paying you any attention.  

So. Just in case there is a shift, and you do notice a birthmark on your ankle, i hope that you can just smile and relax. Some people may see that birthmark and freak out, call the doctor, try to cover it up, try to hack it off.  But i think it would be better to get to know that birthmark, 'cause it's not about to go anywhere. 

But like i said: i don't really expect any birthmarks this Friday. 


For way more information about this than you want to know check out Wikipedia here. 

Bad News. Again.

Running in the snow w/ my running group this morning. An American woman joined us late, visibly distressed, and she informed us about the Newtown shooting. There was some awkward dialogue about other shootings and schoolhouse killings, and one oddly timed joke about gun laws, but then we kept running and talked about other things. 

Now at home, i read a bit more and the gravity hits a bit more. Yes, there's tragedy across the globe everyday of every magnitude, but somehow this particular narrative hits a bit harder. The Connecticut governor said the #1 way to help right now is to pray, so i did. In fact, i believe him. I believe that there's a global connectedness concerning this tragedy, and i felt tapped into that for a few minutes. 

Soon, i'll head out to a Christmas fair, and go about my preplanned weekend entertainments. And maybe you will too. 

Thanks for reading and participating in all the stuff that humans do, menial and otherwise. 

Condolences to all affected. 

Peace,

wiL

The time is now

12:12. 12, 2012.

Oops, now it's 12:13. Fuck.

Day 3: AGAIN???

No, i'm not blogging for Dec. Give a guy a break. But thanks to all of those who read along w/ me for Nov. You rock. Hopefully most of it was alright, though i thought day 29 was lackluster.

December, however...

Well Yoyo herself decided to actually commit to drawing daily this month after her failed Nov attempt.

And me, my plan is to do push ups everyday.

Again, totally doable. Def faster than blogging, though sometimes it takes a mental push to get there. Esp considering i'm not in shape. i barely pulled off 20 on Day 1.

I'm quite curious to see if there'll be a noticeable difference in my chest musculature by 2013.

Aren't you? 

Xi'an and the Fam

Overnight train to Xi'an.
One night in posh hotel (by myself, paid for by Yoyo's aunt).
Overnight train bk to Beijing.

Met Yoyo's mom, two aunts, two aunts' husbands, one cousin, one cousin's husband, one cousin and cousin's husband's kid, plus another aunt's son. That aunt wasn't there, but she did send me a ridiculously massive care package for some unexpected reason.

They were all extremely friendly, and were quite forgiving about my inadequate Chinese. One aunt gives me a serious lecture about how a woman shouldn't have kids after the age of 30, but i would do more research to confirm.

Hung out a bit w/ just Yoyo and her mom shooting the breeze and that was pretty chill. Apparently the gang all think i'm a decent enough chap. Yoyo's mom said i'm "interesting" which is fine by me.

Spring Festival, i'll go to Yoyo's hometown to hang out w/ both her parents. Apparently her dad already bought a bed for me to sleep on. Derrick's invited too, though he might not make it out.

Daytimes in Xi'an me and Yoyo went out just the 2 of us to do slightly touristy stuff like visiting the Famen Temple (pictured), the museum, or wandering around ancient streets buying snacks. (Yum, why the hell don't they make that shit in Beijing?)

Well, that's about it. Yoyo hangs out in Xi'an a bit longer, i go bk to work.