Better Planning is needed.

So now I can say that I choose poorly. I was thinking of going some where which was close by and cheap. I thought, 'just hop up to Nepal for a visit.' I passed up going to some place like Thailand thinking that it would take more time and cost more money. Nope. The amount of time and cost of travel seems to be about the same.

I passed up good food and warm climate of Thailand for freezing cold nights and country dealing with major civil unrest of Nepal. To put things mildly.

So my hat is off to you people of the Nepal Tourist industry. You have a quite a task ahead of you to woo back customers. Maybe they could use it as a couple counseling and/or weight loss program. "The 24 hour curfew allows our visiting couple time to work out their differences....mostly since there is not much else they are allowed to do. While being surrounded by wonderful visas of Himalayan mountains and heavily armed military in blue fatigues."


In the end this visit will stay in my memories for much longer then if I had one of those perfect wonderful vacations. As far as vivid memories go...I will come out ahead on this vacation.

Going Responsible in 2006

There is no escaping human nature. The only thing I can do is face it. This is everywhere...in all humans. No exceptions. Some may deal with it better then others but it is always there.

I have come to find this in my daily life. I can only set myself up for disappointment thinking that there is a place a sanctuary form it.

So what is the up side in this? That I am responsible for myself. I can better deal with my humam nature. Without this life is hopeless. With the responsibility comes my chance to change and improve myself. That can be a great source of inspiration.

The 3rd year is the charm?

The main question is it time to move on or do one more year. Enjoyment of where I am is not in question. Is what I am doing with my time here that gives me reason for pause.

Most of the things I do are normal average everyday office work and documentary photography. There is not much time spent for personal development. This a key thing since I am working here on a volunteer basis. Having time to do some spiritual, educational development is my only real compensation.

I have tried in the past to arrange classes for such topics of study like Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan language. The result is that the class only works out for a few weeks until either the teacher is too busy or my work gets in the way. Thus putting me back a square one....which is just doing mundane work which has no end.

The work is not the problem the balance of work and personal stuffs is the problem. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. If I am just going to work the entire time then I should be back in the USA so I can get paid for the work I do. Then I can use the money to have fun in my free time and saving some for that 'old and gray' part of the life cycle.

So for now I am thinking that if things do not wish to change then one more year to finish up the projects I started so they can be passed on to the next person. Then head back to the 'first-world' country to join the work-a-day world of,

sleep-work, work-work, sleep-work -> PayDay

Change for the better

Wandering the world does not change what is inside your mind. You many have new perspectives and some opinions may be changed. Mostly the experience can show you many good reasons for self-change. However, overcoming the tough personal challenges can only be by our own effort. By having the courage to face our problems and deal with them.

Wondering what-could-have-been or wishing and hoping for an easier way out, does nothing to help us reach our goal of being happy. After we have spent a large amount of time and energy, ignoring what we wish to change in the end only gives us a loss of precious resource of life and our feet are still firmly on the starting line.

We are driven to change because we don't enjoy the feeling of weight on our shoulders from goals left until tomorrow. The unfinished business we have within ourselves is something, which will not go away.

Deep down we instinctively know that by working to be a better person has a lasting reward of peace of mind. Peaceful feelings that stay with us and helps us to give us balance in chaotic ups and downs of our daily life. The fear of facing our own problems can be so overwhelming that we lose sight of the happy conclusion.

This fear comes out of our idea that we have staked so much in who we are now that our identity seems bonded to it. That we will stay as we are right now, forever. The idea of change is thus associated with the loss of our self, as we know it.

To make these necessary changes from within we must let go of thinking of our self as a solid unchanging being. Remind ourselves that life is dynamic. It is changing all the time. That change is what gives this life beauty and hope.

What da' Meaning?

Can you define what is meaningful? As things do as they do...... change. For the current action is meaningful today but by tomorrow it would seem pointless.

If your goal is to do meaningful tasks then when and where do you place your marker for meaning?

Data Fun :{

It is time to work though the Data. Yes the mind numbing job of looking through the information line by line to try and make sure everything is up to date.

This kind of work can be reduced with one of many programs available in today's, tomorrow's and even yesterday's software market. Yet there would be no one else, besides myself who could maintain such a useful tool. Therefore it is not here for me to used. A sad state of things.

It just burns in side knowing that such a solution is possible and I can use it. The good news is that the list is not that long. Only 1500 rows of data to check. NO problem!

Medical Expeditions International

The weather is nice and the chance of showers seems low for the moment. We have some wonderful Doctors from the USA who are doing a free clinic at the Loseling Altruistic Medical Association's (LAMA) clinic for a week. Medical Expeditions International arranges such free clinics in remote places around the world. This is MEI'a fifth group to visit Loseling. They see as many people as time permits. They accept everyone on a first come first serve basis.

Every group brings its own skills set. So they always provide basic level of care with a new special bonus every time. As this group of dedicated professionals give from the heart they receive that bit of graduate seldom seen today in the jaded medical system.

The chance to make a real difference in someone's life can be just as refreshing and rejuvenating as any holiday you can think of. This I think is the main reason there are many who have been back to the LAMA clinic more then once.

Burma Shave

Wondering what,

to do next,


Just take a minute,

for a rest,


Then your ideas,

will be the best.


Burma Shave

Slice of Time

The broken systems like phone, power, water, slow us down from our normal routine. The infrastructure we depend on multiple times a day we usually take for granted until it stops working. For many people this is very stressful. We are suffering because we miss the system or pattern that gives us comfort.

So what is the up side?

We have to learn to work and think differently. We are forced to see our daily tasks from a new perspective. We can do something completely out of step with our lives. There can be a moment with nothing to do but relax, reflect, and find inspiration.

Time off

Many places in Nepal have been recommended to me. I choose to stay local. Since this is a vacation. I choose to relax. That is the point, to relax. It is so easy to get as busy if not more so when you go on vacation. You feel more exhausted when you get back to work then when you left. So what was the point? So you can go back and say, “I saw so many configurations of building materials, and they where old too.” That is what you get when you run through so many historic and cultural areas and never really see the people. You experience what the business owners think you will buy.

I am a simple person. I enjoy walking down the same back road a few days later to see what I missed. See how the shops are laid out, watch where people really go for lunch. Spending time with my friends here has not allowed me to see everything. It has allowed me to enjoy the things I have been able to see because I was with them.

So yes I am a tourist. I partake in tourist things. I just don’t try to do everything in one shot.

Katmandu Nepal

Well the train ride seemed easy compared to today's flight to Nepal. I feel more tired at the end of this day then I did after 2 days on a train. Funny, don't ya think?

Well a new country can be exhausting when you are traveling alone. Then you don't find the people you are going to meet. This is followed up by a nice Monsoon downpour. No lunch. Add in hours of waiting and unfruitful phone calls and you have it. A day fit to zap your energy resources. It's just that simple.

The end result is that at sundown I have found the place I am staying. So now I took a nice walk, checked my email and go to bed.

.....END connection

One more before…..Delhi.

Heading out seems like a simple thing to do until you remember all the stuff that you have to wrap up before going. So there was no a lot sleeping last night just trying to get things done. I received information to update the Bodhi Center’s website but it was done in MS works. And there was no quick fix with the tools I had on had. So I had to do just some minor changes instead of the major update to the website, which I was planning on doing. Then there is many things that need doing for the DRELOMA publication. Mostly busy work but I have run out of time. I had thought of lugging the laptop on the train but that didn’t pan out. Plus I wanted to travel light. In the end the light packing seems heavy to me. It is not the 75 kg I came with but it is more then I care to haul around for extended periods of time.

So it seems I lucked out with my traveling companion Geshe Dakpa Jampa. We can communicate he has lots of experience with the run from Hubli to Delhi. Since this is only my second time on this run, almost everyone has more experience then me. The first time was so exhausting for me that I have not been to Delhi since February 2004. Therefore I am hopping that since I have been in India longer that I can roll with the punches better.

Heading off with out a computer to download to will be interesting. I have taken almost a Gigabyte in memory sticks. I will have to revert back to a limited film style of picture taking. I was enjoying playing the odds. If you take 1000 photos then one of them is bound to be pretty good. Now I will have to use some skill instead of dumb luck.

So at this point I have tickets that will get me to Katmandu, Nepal. Now if I can only get some for a return journey. There nothing like the feeling of having a one-way ticket to a semi-stable country.

It is time to get a bite to eat and then head to the train station.


UPDATE:
Well it has been raining here non-stop for 2 days, so the reason that the train is 3 hours late could be due to flooding of the tracks between Hubli and Goa, where the train originates from. I knew you needed to know this.

This could be a glass half full kind of time. B+

Free Time in Hubli

A new day a new plan. It has been a pretty good day. The ATM machines decided to be helpful for once after their long hiatus from customer service. So yes an entire day used just on one thing. A whole day.

The one up side is I get to see all the posters for the Thai movie “Ong Bak” but the title here in India is “Enter the NEW Dragon”. The posters boast about how there are no stunt doubles, wires or other special effects for the action in this movie. They also comment that it took seven years to make this movie. That fact that the movie is just being released here in 2005 amuses me since I saw the movie back in the summer of 2003. The only advantage of seeing it here is that it would be in English. I have only seen the original Thai version.

So now things are coming together. A train ticket, money for food, and now I just have to pack a few things and get on the never-ending train ride.

I mentioned before that I have been taking photos for some of the events at and around the monastery. Well one of them was at the school. Since everyone was together for this 10 year building anniversary they asked if we could do a group photo. After I got back and looked at the photos on my computer I was a little embarrassed that the photo didn’t come out as clear as I would have hoped. So I reluctantly showed the photos to the people at the school. It turns out they liked it. Enough that fifteen 8x12 glossy photos have been printed so far with a new list of students wanting more. Since I am here as a volunteer I don’t make any profit off this. Everything for this is done even-Steven, I make no money but I don’t wish to lose any either so everything is at cost. Therefore the number of prints they want doesn’t matter to me. I am just surprised how many copies they are getting. If there was some special guest or dignitary visiting then I could understand the need for so many copies. Another angle would be that some how this photo is as good or some how better then what they have had locally. This is possible but I think is would be sad if it is true.

I should be able to try another blog from Delhi…..see ya then.

Update Thursday

There seems like so much to do and so little time. This is a true and false statement. There is enough time to do everything but things take more time then they should from all participants that it feels like it can't be done in time. I do mean that yes I am included.

There is a magazine to complete, files to work thought, computers/websites which need attention, photos that people want taken and I am yet to find a "happy" ATM in the past 3 months which will actually dispense money. Not that heading off to Nepal with less then $20 USD in my pocket worries me. I also have a train ticket to Delhi so by that time I won't have to worry about money. There may be none left after the 38 hour train ride. Nothing left then nothing to worry about RIGHT?

So yeah I get to go see Nepal since it is close and cheap. I will even stay at some factory for housing just to keep the costs low. Then there is the traveling alone. That is the only major drag. I can live with an unstable political environment but if there is no one to share the experience then what fun is it? Its all about the people that you are with not the location or the other tangible things.

The solution is the "get to know me" style of travel. Where every one will want to meet me and they really don't know why. It works with a lot of proper body language, positive upbeat way of speaking, and reminding everyone you interact with that there is some good in them.

That is all for me. I need to get back to the wheel which grinds.

Updating from Loseling Monastery

The week is coming to a close. I have time to update this blog since I am waiting to download virus definitions. This requires supervision since the dial up connection could be lost, the power could go out, or some other problem that is almost un-heard of in-dem 1st world countries, don’t ya’ know.

I have been setting up some new computers for the monastery this past week. The new computers need to be activated by Internet connection or by phone. That is fine until the phone stops working. So I filled the down time by install programs, drivers, fonts, etc.

Then there are updates that have to be done. Even after the phone line is fixed, many of the updates are too large. My only hope is to call on my (very kind) friends in other countries to download what I need and send me a CD with the works. So this simple project to replace 5 computers needs a global village to get it done.

Other events would be that the other westerner in the area who has been here for the last 7+ years teaching English is leaving. So I have been receiving more requests for English classes. I would love to help them but my understanding of the English language is rather limited. What I know is what sounds right to me. So as a teacher I don’t think I would have much to offer beyond conversation classes. We will see how it goes.

Activities to fill my time have been taking pictures for an array of things and people. If you wish to see some of my photos then go to Bodhi Center of Yakima. Many of these are of the new prayer hall that is being constructed. Not to be boarding but that is the largest project that is going in this area.

Example 1: I take photos of the monks so they can send them back to family and friends. Something that they wouldn’t normally do unless there was some major event but family and friends don’t always want to wait that long.

Example 2: I have been taking photos for the Drepung Gomang’s Art tour for North America. A must see event. This group of monks has been working for over a year and a half to create a new monastic tour. So even if you have seen the Gomang tour before this has was you liked from before and many new things. If you go see them then you will most likely see my photos almost every aspect of the tour. Photos of the paintings to pictures to help with the art classes they will be teaching. Then there is the group photo.

I think you get the idea….lots of photos.

So tune in next time when you might hear me say, “Man, form here it takes three times longer to publish a new post then it does to write it.”

Why do people do it?

When in India never get anything fixed. When some piece of equipment breaks down just think of it as a chance to upgrade. “Why?” you may ask, because the time it takes to get it fixed is more costly then just buy the thing new.

If you are buying in India, then only get what is factory sealed and on the shelf. Do not order anything. Otherwise you have just become a member of a series of stupid games that people like to play here. The irony is that the games are what keep shops from making a lot of money. Shooting one’s self in one’s on foot kind of games.

I guess people like pain. I know I don't.

Banglore or Bust

After a quick 2.4 months of waiting I am getting to head to Bangalore in search of deals on computer parts. Mentally you know that in India things take longer do ……anything. It is not until you try to accomplish something that you realize how long it takes. The desire for simple shopping experience is longed for, greatly.

So I am heading 8 hours away by train to check prices. Now many of you may say, “Hey why don’t you just call them up or send them an email.” That is what I would do if I were working in a business system of government-enforced trust. That is missing here. So handholding and you have to check everything yourself. Most my energy is spent playing stupid games and little business takes place.

The games are the reason I don’t get out much. I prefer the slow relaxed atmosphere of where I am. There is work to be done but you don’t have to waste time playing games. You don’t have think that every stranger that talks to you wants something. It’s the little things in life….

So I should go hop on a train now. Hello to all that find this posting.

Once more around

This is the news.

After long toil and waiting and …….I have come to know that I will be here on the flip side for one more spin around the sun. The details have not been sent to me yet. The up side is that I can start planning a direction to go. “So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.”

Now I need to make arrangements to go to Thailand or some place in Jan. Also see if it is not too late to go south for His Holiness’s teachings in December.
That is what I know for now. My brain can’t figure out another thing to write about. So…

END

What do you do when.......

At what point do you just say enough is enough. I am lost for the answer. When you try but everything you try seems to meet with a lack of communication that leads to lost of time, money and effort on all sides. What do you do? I mean what amazing power must I have to be the only one to think the way that I do? For the life of me I can’t figure it out. All I use is a simple set of rules. If you can do something to help others and you then do it. You get two things done at the same time so it is saving time. Some small extra effort on your side can help make someone else’s work easier later on. This is good because that someone else can be the future you.
Just two minutes of thought can bring so much better results then just focusing on your work and the rest of the world be dammed.

This is just basic stuff. It is trying to understand why others don’t think like this is what makes my head hurt.

The Emerald Hotel, BKK

This has been an experience I could never have planned or saw coming. I needed to leave India so that I could renew my visa. Having a few friends in Thailand I came here to see some sites and experience life here. This means that I am staying with one of my friend’s family here in Thailand. I have been at a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in a rather remote part of India for a few months now. There I had a nice and comfortable room. Then I came to Thailand.

Lest just say I have been spoiled by all the creature comforts of having power 24/7 and AC to boot. These are things many who read this might say “So what?” Well you have to add power management to dictate what things you do that day on the computer, well your perspective changes. It becomes a little exciting to be able to turn a switch and the light comes on, every time.

As for the title "Yak -> Loseling -> ?"of this scroll well Yakima is where I grew up and Loseling is where I am at now. After Loseling I have not planned my life out. It is useless for me to plan. I have sketched out in the past how I was going to do things. Yet it I never seem to fallow my own map. Don’t get me wrong. It has not been a bad trip by any means but I know now that no one could have charted this journey.