“This redbone mishmash has me forgetting the slushy confines of winter in the Twins. This morning I almost left my coffee behind. I spoke to the Big Boy cup as if she were a woman who missed me and was so so sad that I had almost abandoned her to slowly grow cold on the […]
simple pleasures
In the heat of the night
Summer is a weird one. it’s hard to imagine working on anything tedious during these long hot months. Most likely due to the years of summer vacation I enjoyed as a boy. Summer is a space outside of time. The days are too long, the nights to short, and each day is a quest to […]
The Boys and Minnesota
The reason we moved back to the US is beginning to unfold, as spring takes hold, and the boys behold the burgeoning beauty of a land accustomed to a deep freeze, speckled with bodies of water long fat skinny round and winding. lakes and trees and sunshine. Minnesota when the sun comes out is a […]
It’s April Again (Redux)
I spent most of last year refusing to look at this blog, while it festered away in purgatory, punished for being a low priority. For being ugly and unwieldy and not what I wanted it to be. But now it’s back, and looking clean, and pretty close to what it should be. Some things to […]
Last time I was in Shanghai
… was back in April to visit Chen Jia and her Taiji studio, as well as catch up with a few old friends. Here is a link to a post about Chen Jia and her school, and below are two pics. One is the breakfast of champs for anyone who did what I did my […]
The Struggle for Hong Kong
Here in Chengdu, people have been asking me: “Hey, did you hear what they did in Hong Kong? They stood up to the government.” There is no mention of winning or losing. Only the fact the HK citizens have the courage to stand up to the government, something Chinese, in general, feel they lack. One […]
Pragmatic above all things
I know a girl named Color who stopped me on the street one day and said, I am different from every other Chinese girl out there. I think deep, she said, and I question everything. Everybody thinks I am weird and I have few friends. I say strange stuff like, Why would you do that? […]
A few days in Sanya
For years I avoided Hainan because as far as I had heard, it was a dirty, rude knock-off of nicer islands farther south and west (Bali, Phuket, Hawaii). Well, after four days and five nights in Sanya, I am going to have to set the record straight for any others out there who may have […]
I should be armchair travelin’
but i’m surfin instead. The other day my man Charlie got the China Blues, you know, when it dawns on you that all of the things that you heard about China as a kid actually don’t exist anymore and have been replaced by “ignorant drones on autopilot” … happens to all of us here. I […]
Ain’t got no Game
Sascha ain’t got no game. Today is a beautiful day. the tree in my backyard is drooping leaves down into my face and the sun pours threw them because they’re young yet and let the light through like its natural. when the sun is out like this, the fish kick it near the surface of […]
Whatcha Learn
You know my family always used to make fun of my dad cuz he had like one or two homies. and even those guys he saw once or twice every 1-2 years. He was basically dad and thats pretty much it. All my life I had shitloads of friends. A million people knew my name […]
redemption is just one way of saying
my job is to pull you back from the brink of darknessprotect you from the prince of shadowsshow you the flower in all seasonskeep you fed, fat and gigglinggive you a blanket when its coldbuild a home for you to waltz inshore up the foundation when it crumblesso that i might be the man i’ve […]
The Du
Here is a little list of cool spots in Chengdu. This is actually a VERY incomplete list, but its a good start. holla.
Crib finalized
Contract signed. The crib is real nice, we is happy. I wish I could show you pics, but i have to wait till those greasy bastards at the Bad Monkey send me the battery I forgot at their bar. (Excuses …) The house has two big courtyards, a lily pond, a chicken area, two floors, […]
Chengdu Living
Spent all day yesterday cooking up various meals and eating them on the spot. I’ve been brewing the soup for two days (into the third) now and its got sausage and taters and pork and garlic and ginger and all sorts of other random stuff in it. I keep imagining an inn back in the […]
Good Morning
Whatchyallknowbout Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings? Just finished Natural Born Lover and moving on to Stranded in yo’ Love And this album makes me jig my way around this living room in my chupa, wrapped up and ready for this cup of coffee i got infused with anti-viral honey from Andrea Shanti’s store, check […]
What it is
Drinking my favorite Honey Dew tea in the dungeon thinking about home births and bike rides. yesterday i biked aimlessly and ended up near Powell Butte. The path seems to lead straight to snow capped mount hood .. i waved and stared until the sky turned that shade of purple streaked with fading white and […]
What is this really about
Now that Obama has won, the focus shifts to expectations for dramatic change and improvement across the board and the historic importance of the first black president. For me, both of these lines of thought are foolish and irrelevant. Obama himself can do little to stem the tide of bankruptcies and layoffs that are yet […]
China vs. Portland
In Portland, cars will stop on a busy street and let pedestrians cross. Even with a whole line of cars behind them. The pedestrian then turns to the car, nods or waves, receives a nod in return and life goes on. This is not law. It is just how people do here in Portland. When […]
When things die
I was in Chengdu for the past two days taking care of some business and I went to check out my old home in Three Gods Village. I have posted here about it earlier — the place is getting torn down to make way for high rise buildings and the people are forced to move […]
Tapfere Leute
Photo by Julia Zimmermann
updates on Chengdu earthquake
we just experienced another tremor at 710pm. the locals are trying to drive out of the city, but most of the roads out are jammed-packed with cars. Cars are parked near the highways west, south and north out of the city, but they are not moving due to the traffic jams. Many people have taken […]
Gettin Fat in Deutschland
Every morning i enjoy myself ritually with the bread slicer. I love the buzz and smell of good bread being prepared for my rumblin gullet. then i sift through the fridge. Lord, Bless my Mother with Peace of Mind and a Calm Heart! She maintains a fine kitchen. Teewurst, Leberwurst, Salami, Kaes’ and so on. […]