this finish line
chalked in rosy pink
at the end of a
looooooooooong
line of yellow
the other end unmarked.
—
“i realized something. that wasn’t a finish line for me…that was my new starting line”
-wendelin van draanen
Aug8
Aug7
downhill.
hard to tell from this shot
but these benches
were sitting
back to back
slanted at a downward angle
on the side of a hill.
is this a geometry puzzle?
is this a statement?
is this art?
is this science?
is this_______?
—
“if the track is tough and the hill is rough, THINKING you can just ain’t enough!”
-shel silverstein
Aug6
ticket to nowhere.
Taiwan continues to cater to the needs of its travel-starved population by offering yet another aviation experience that doesn’t actually take you anywhere. Following up on an offer in July, in which the public was able to check in and board a grounded airplane in Taiwan’s Sonshan Airport, one airline has just upgraded the faux travel experience by offering an actual flight — to nowhere.
EVA Air, one of the biggest carriers in Taiwan, is offering the special journey on August 8 (Father’s Day in Taiwan) to help satisfy its customers’ travel itch. The trip will take around three hours, with the flight taking off from Taipei Taoyuan Airport, then circling the skies before returning to the same airport. If it’s a clear day, passengers will be able to take in views of several Taiwan attractions including Guishan Island and the scenic Huadong coastline, as well as other nearby islands.
Passengers will be flying on the “super popular” Hello Kitty Dream jet.The plane bears EVA Air’s special Sanrio-themed livery. An A330, it features many Sanrio characters including Hello Kitty, My Melody (Hello Kitty’s BFF), as well as Little Twin Stars’ Kiki and Lala. They can expect Hello Kitty in-flight amenities, free WiFi for texting and an inflight entertainment system that is usually reserved for long-haul flights. Inflight dining is another highlight of the trip, offering a choice of two main courses created by a 3-star Michelin chef.
The flight will be operated under flight number BR5288. Why? When spoken, it sounds like “I love dad” in Chinese. An economy class ticket is $180. Passengers can choose to upgrade their seats to business class for an additional $34.
International tourism has been effectively stopped in much of the world as countries shut their borders to stem outbreaks of Covid-19 and Taiwan is no exception. The island locked down its borders in March amid the growing coronavirus pandemic. Foreign nationals are still banned from visiting the island at this time.
—
“you know the actor, john garfield? in one movie he walked up to this train station, the ticket booth, and the guy says, “yes, where are you going?” and he says, “i want a ticket to nowhere.” i thought, that’s it. i want the freedom to do that. i want a ticket to nowhere.” -wayne shorter
—
photo and story source: cnn travel
Aug5
coffee talk.
nothing like a bit of coffee talk between friends
to restore your balance and make for a great day.
—
“as long as there was coffee in the world, how bad could things be?”
-cassandra clare, City of Ashes
—
art credit: ryan conners, painting, midsommer 2019, cat art
Aug4
honor.
no finer way to honor this hero
“the vote is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have.”
-john lewis
—
image credit: michigan theatre, ann arbor, michigan, usa
Aug3
down to earth.
a sidewalk homage to success
as the first spaceX crew dragon spacecraft “Endeavour” with a human crew
returns american nasa astronauts and best friends, bob and doug, to earth
—
“i don’t know what you could say about a day in which you have seen four beautiful sunsets.”
– john glenn, american astronaut
—
photo credit: nasa.gov (Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley- astronauts)
Aug2
warmth.
when in london many years ago
i happened upon these two in a park
struck by the natural warmth between them
i took this picture without their knowing
hoping i could somehow capture
the closeness
the easy comfort
between them
in that moment in time
it was simply impossible to do so
but every time i look at this
it makes me feel that warmth again
just for a moment.
—
“there is a certain phase in the life of the aged
when the warmth of the heart seems to increase in direct proportion with the years.”
-john phillips marquand
Aug1
bigger.
when you just can’t make it out to the store to get a card
you use what you have.
—
“always make sure your heart is bigger than your head.”
-tony oiler
Jul31
get in the way.
The Bloodiest Sunday
Bloody Sunday was a cruel incident that occurred on March 7, 1965 in Selma, Alabama. Six hundred orderly protesters were ready to march to Selma on a Sunday to support the Voting Rights Movement. They were led by John Lewis, SNCC, and SCLC activists. All six hundred of them crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, but were blocked by Alabama State Troopers. The police commanded them to turn around, but the protesters refused. The police say ‘they had no choice’ other than to start shooting teargas into the crowd, and beating the non-violent protesters. Sadly, they hospitalized over sixty people. To this day, Lewis still has a visible scar on his forehead from Bloody Sunday. This week, I watched as you made one final trip over that bridge, in your casket, with Alabama State Troopers saluting you, and people holding you in their hearts for all you did for them. You will always be remembered as a brave and compassionate leader who truly led by example.
—
RIP, John Lewis, thank you for always getting in the way, and showing us how it’s done.
—
“you must be bold, brave, and courageous and find a way… to get in the way.”
-john lewis
Jul30
being empty.
aftermath of our afternoon trip down the river – 2020 style
—
what started out as a promising enterprise
full of air and up on top
waylaid by the first set of cascades
day’s lazy dreams dashed against the rocks
so quickly deflated
yet just as suddenly
floated back up
found a way
after all
not as planned
this will always be remembered as the year that was
for so many reasons
that taught us how to make it to the end
safety vests strapped on and fingers crossed
even if we had to body surf our way through it
or borrow a raft now and then.
—
“there is even rhythm in being empty.”
-miyamoto musashi
