Has it been that long?

Can we just say that it has been a while since I wrote anything and I want to make amends? Cool? Allright, well I will slowly try to play catch up and let you all in on my stories, thoughts, dreams, and trials over the last few months. I want to warn you however that this might take some time and several different posts to get around.

I really want to talk about my trip to Thailand with my cousin Daniel, and I will very soon, but that kind of story will take more time to wrap my head around. It was an amazing trip, a wonderful vacation, and a challenging time for me as we traveled so well through a country whose average day laborer made about what I paid for 2 beers. The moral and ethical questions of travel in the "developing world" were my constant companions, but as I said more on that in another post.

I have been back at ARI for about a week, I am working on 7 and a half months in Japan, and starting to peer around the corner at October and wonder what the future holds. Various ideas over the past few months have included; a bike ride across the desert Southwest stopping at various bouldering meccas for rock climbing before stopping in California to see what all the hubbub is about. Or moving to Costa Rica to paddle, learn Spanish, and find a non-profit to work with. Possibly picking up a non-working motorcycle for cheap, rebuilding it and driving on back roads around the country for a while, enjoying those last fossil fuels before they are too expensive. Maybe moving back to Thailand to work as a divemaster until May when I want to head to NOLS. I have kicked around the idea of catching a job at a ski resort but I think the cold would depress me, the culture shock might be too much for my idealistic sensibilities, and I might get mountain fever and opt for a tropical beach somewhere. Speaking of beaches, the international sailing season starts up around October in Ft. Lauderdale and there are possibilities of paid crew jobs on boats heading out to sea... Along with my usual desire for the vagabond adrenaline junky lifestyle is my new found interest in food (Food Generation post coming soon) and my continued interest in saving the world, which should play a vital role in my upcoming adventures. I have come to the simple conclusion that I was not built to be a full time farmer, it takes a much more patient, organized, and down to earth individual than I, but I am extremely interested in the social aspects of food systems and their organization. So as you can see I am hopping gleefully from one idea to the next and not quite sure where it will lead.

The weather here is incredible, not too hot not too cold, the frogs are singing all night and the balcony view is starting to take on jungle proportions. There is a huge full moon tonight, which I am told is sending off very strong energy for everyone so go soak it up we could all use a little good energy. We have been having almost daily jam sessions after dinner as we gather around the couches with drums, guitars, flutes, and maracas and spend hours rehashing all the old songs we love. I have adopted the Myanmar-styled Lo-gee and find it extremely comfortable evening wear. It is basically a sarong that is sewed into a tube, very conservative down to the ankles, in the West we might call it a dress but in the Southeast it is the height of manly fashion, and I love it (pictures should be circulating soon.)

Tomorrow morning I am heading out to the mountains for a little wild flower viewing, so I will have to leave you with wishes for a happy day, good food, and good friends.

Peace and Love

Mike