Tuesday, December 25, 2012

New Original Music: Awakening

[Posted by Mark]

Ping has been experiencing some profound things recently and just being around her as she goes through this has a certain effect on me. When we remember that we're all one, that's not too surprising, but to experience it in such an uncanny way is ...well, uncanny.


One evening, I just opened a project in my music program, Reaper, and started composing. Within a couple of hours, I had the beginnings of a piece that, to me, seemed rather unexpected. Ping heard an early version of the basic themes and said: "That sounds very much like what I'm going through!"

Over the last five days, I've spent hours and hours honing the composition and refining the arrangement. Early yesterday morning, it was done. It's just under 4 minutes long. Click on the image (above) to hear "Awakening" on YouTube. I can hear some connection to other pieces I've written, but for me this one is in a class by itself.

Read more details about the composition process below.

Friday, December 21, 2012

The Cole-Bear Report: Mass Kundalini Awakening in Airport Waiting Area

Dateline: Saturday 12/22/2012 Taipei, Taiwan

Approximately 500 people waiting to board Guru Airlines Flight 1222 bound for Tokyo have apparently experienced what some experts have called a "mass kundalini awakening."

At precisely 12:22 PM, in what one passenger from the USA whose name we could not understand, described as "the weirdest gosh-darn thing you ever saw," an entire waiting room of passengers spontaneously and simultaneously began performing seemingly random, highly complex and difficult physical movements.

A group of yoga experts waiting for their flight in an adjacent area immediately identified the movements as typical of "kundalini yoga," which one described as "a physical and spiritual experience where blocked energy is released so it can flow freely through the entire system."

Passengers who experienced it described it variously as "cool," "strenuous," "fascinating," "curious," and "Dude! Like, whoa!" According to all involved, no one got hurt, a fact which passersby such as M. Simpson of Springfield, USA, considered "amazing."

Through an interpreter, Kuang Chen-Shin of Taipei said it was "like modern dance...only weirder." Kuang said she was still feeling the urge to "breathe funny" but that the feelings apparently calmed down when the announcement to board was made.

Buford Mortimer of Alabama, USA, said: "I always thought 'kundalini' was some sort of pasta dish, but I woulda had it without the 'coon anyways, 'cause I'm a vegetarian."

Another passenger also waiting to board Flight 1222, Mr. E. Scrooge, from London, England, insisted that the entire experience was either "too much Christmas cheer" or perhaps "nothing but a bit of bad beef." When others did not corroborate Mr. Scrooge's explanation, he replied: "Bah, humbug."

;-)

Monday, December 10, 2012

Poem: The Measure of Success

The Measure of Success
by Mark Ivan Cole

Massive limbs, all bleached and dry,
  lie cracked and broken on the ground,
     the evidence of vast expansion
         long ago, before the storm.
A brittle bark now peels away
  from half the trunk that towers still,
    despite its many amputations.
The crown is gone, its glory shorn,
    and roots lie rotting down below.
I will not mourn this ancient oak
  for still a stream of life runs strong
    from base to tip, from root to bud,
      and every Spring, its rush of green
        drinks in the sun for one more year,
            for one more season,
              each new leaf, a grand achievement.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Tree Huggers


People who have spent time in Oregon (and California), as we have, are sometimes jokingly referred to as "tree huggers." We accept the title happily. We actually do hug trees. Here's some evidence of our arboreal affections: two pictures of the same massive pine in California's Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park.

We had hiked out on the Woods Canyon trail to see one of the many waterfalls in the park. "The Sphinx" stood in silent vigilance due south of us. You can see its twin-peaked summit on the right side of the picture. Great cliffs and spires of granite rose to the heavens all around us. If you look closely, you can even see Ping at the bottom of the tree, giving it a hug.

Sometimes it's good to get this kind of perspective. Yes, we are very, very small, but our attitude toward our environment can have a huge impact. How are we caring for our surroundings?

Every once in awhile, when we see a tree, we think about how it holds rainwater before shedding it, how passing underneath its broad branches cools us on a hot day. The tree is both habitat and food for all kinds of creatures. We think it's pretty amazing that it just stands there, takes care of itself, and helps everyone else breathe a little easier, just by being alive.


Consider this 2005 Ted talk by architect William McDonough, one of the authors of "Cradle to Cradle."  It was one of the things that got us thinking about how we can change our impact. Check out his very quick description of the design concept behind a tree around the 11:00:00 mark.

Gotta love a tree!

Friday, November 23, 2012

"When You Don't Have A Garbage Disposal, You Eat A Lot More Crumbs"

We used to have a garbage disposal. Every house in the States seems to have one. It's that big monster thing that growls under the drain in the kitchen sink, chewing up every little scrap that you didn't eat off the plate, sometimes grinding away at orange peels and melon rinds.

We don't have one here. Instead, we have a little basket in that great big hole. That's so all the stuff that USED to feed the garbage disposal monster doesn't just clog the relatively light duty Taiwanese drainage system. Whatever is too big to wash off the plate, we have to toss into our kitchen garbage bucket which has to be dumped by hand (i.e., by Mark) into a sometimes overflowing public bin on garbage nights.

Cleaning soggy bits out of the little basket is kind of a pain, so we've gotten used to pre-cleaning the previously disposal-worthy fodder off of our plates before we wash the dishes. It's surprising how much material we used to wash away! Now we eat virtually every crumb--at least when we don't have company. It's easier than cleaning out the basket or scraping stuff into the garbage bucket. Plus, some of those bits are pretty tasty!

It's also one more reminder of how abundantly we are supplied with food.

If you have a garbage disposal, what would you do differently if you didn't have one?

Oh, one more thing: we've gotten so good at pre-cleaning our plates that we don't have to clean that basket very often. In fact, Mark went to clean it recently and discovered a healthy crop of soybeans...well, okay, one soybean, but it had a very vigorous little sprout.

(Yes, he's cleaning the basket more often now.)

Thursday, November 22, 2012

"If You'll Just Let It Happen"

One of the artists with whom I [Mark] have periodic contact is Casey Klahn, a pastel artist and teacher in Washington State. His blog, The Colorist, has a wealth of evocative art, the result of years of study and practice, breaking things down to their simplest parts and communicating them in color. My style usually has a lot more detail, and I seem particularly happy when I'm working on large pieces, but I've learned a lot from studying what Casey does.

Here's a recent exchange about authenticity which we had on Facebook (quoted with Casey's permission) after he posted this picture he called "Draw Uphill."
__

Mark: This is one of those things where someone says "Oh, I can do THAT," but then can't. We'll keep learning, though.

Casey Klahn: I have a pastel that my (then 8 or 9 Y.O.) son did that I cannot do. It is incredible what authenticity can accomplish if you'll just let it happen. I used to think that describing art as childlike was baloney - now I understand.

Mark: I particularly like your statement "It is incredible what authenticity can accomplish if you'll just let it happen." Right on, Casey. Well put. I think you got all the elements in one simple sentence. If we'll ease off and allow who we really are to come through, we can watch with amazement as our own authentic selves accomplish what we may not have believed was possible.
__

Something to think about. What happens when you are your authentic self and just let things happen?

Friday, November 16, 2012

年老是傳染病嗎?Is "Being Old" Contagious?

昨天和侄子聊天。他提起居住的大樓預備將二樓的一部分出租作老人安養院。有部分的居民十分反對。反對的理由是:
1. 出租給老人安養院會負面影響房價
2. 他們的小朋友會被傳染到疾病

聽到這樣的事情讓我心裡非常難過。那個人不會老?誰能保證當我們老的時候不需要別人的關懷與照顧?需要到安養院的老人想必是家人無法親身照顧。能夠為他們找到一個好的環境,算是小小的彌補吧?!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

A Room With A View

We had the opportunity to experience Taiwanese healthcare from the inside. Once we figured out that Mark probably had a hernia, we decided to go to the doctor. This is where the Taiwanese network healthcare system really kicked into gear. It's different from Taiwan's national healthcare system, but they are integrated in amazing ways. You see, the NATIONAL healthcare system applies to everyone with a health card in Taiwan. The NETWORK healthcare system applies to you and your friends and relatives. Our network is amazing.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Every Morning Is A Wake-up Call

I've experienced a few watershed events. Sometimes, it's a physical experience, perhaps an emergency that reminds me of my mortality. Other times, it's a significant change in circumstances, like getting laid off or coming to the end of a relationship.

As I think back, I recognize these experiences as "Wake-up Calls." My current path comes into clearer focus, and the effects of my choices become more obvious. As I deepen my commitment to my values, I find the courage to either change direction or forge forward with renewed strength.

Recently, Ping and I have been reading (well, she reads it first, recommends the book, then I read it) books about such watershed stories, relating how the author or the character turned his life around to focus on what was important and leave useless habits behind.

I was in the middle of reading a conversation between a man with inoperable cancer and his doctor, when the obvious occurred to me: I don't need to be dying, wounded or facing homelessness.

When I wake up every morning, that's a wake-up call. What will I do with this day?

I don't need the permission (or the insistence) of some catastrophe in order to live my life, to use this day to its fullest.

I woke up.

That's "wake-up" call enough.

Let's go.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

New Pastel Painting - JinMianShan, Taiwan

JinMianShan Stairway to Heaven 2
- Soft pastel - 24x18"/61x45.7cm


We are always exclaiming at how fantastic the light is when we go hiking here in Taiwan. Still, when I see my photographs afterwards, they seem darker and more somber than what we felt when we were there.

I've been trying to capture the luminosity of the Taiwanese forest interior. This time, I decided to do something I almost never do: keep the value range "high key." I also pushed the color pretty drastically. I've been thinking about trying this for some time. I've had this bright blue paper that really isn't good for what I thought it would be; it's slightly greenish tint makes every white look kind of yellow next to it. I knew it had to be good for something, if I could only figure out how to use it correctly.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

We went to a circus 看“馬戲”去了


Sunday night...what to do? Hmmm...how about going to the opera? What about a circus? Wait...what about an Opera Circus?? From Australia, no less. We had no idea what to expect but the idea was simply too intriguing. We had to find out.


This show was one of 16 different shows the city of XinBei 新北市 (a.k.a. "New Taipei City") has put together to promote art and culture. XinBei and Taipei cities together shape a doughnut where Xinbei is the ring and Taipei is the hole. The Metro Rapid Transit light rail system provides easy access to both cities. With one transfer and a short walk, we could easily get to our destination.

As we were walking to the show from the Xinzhuang MRT station
捷運新莊站, we stopped for dinner at a restaurant called Panini. Our waiter was a nice young man with a wonderful presence. He patiently explained the menu in his best English and graciously served us throughout the meal. Since tipping is not customary in Taiwan, we let him know how much we appreciated his attentive service.
We arrived at the outdoor venue a few blocks away with more than half an hour to spare. The place was already pretty packed! Luckily, we were able to locate two empty red plastic seats almost immediately. Ping even had a good view of the stage, thanks to the little bitty girl occupying the seat in front of her. We were also lucky to get the 70% chance of "no rain," since the forecast was for a 30% chance of precipitation.

So what exactly is an "Opera Circus?" It turned out to be exactly what it says: opera and circus. Here is a good description of the program: Pot-Pourri's Opera Circus. They include plenty of humor, some of which was lost in translation. A good number of people in the audience understood at least some English, judging by the amount of laughter that immediately followed some of the verbal jokes. (Mark's favorite line of the night was from the guest pianist who introduced herself saying: "I've been playing piano since I was four years old. <Pause> And...I'm really tired!") An interpreter did her best to keep up.

One story that everyone got was when the diminutive tenor proclaimed: "When I was small...Okay, smaller than I am NOW...everyone I knew wanted to be either a break dancer or Michael Jackson. I wanted to be the Phantom of the Opera. So, basically, that meant I didn't have any mates. But I had a dream! Ever since I was ten years old, I've had this dream to play the part of the Phantom of the Opera...in Xinbei, Taiwan! So, depending on your answer to my next question, you could make a ten year old boy's dream come true! DO YOU WANT ME TO PLAY THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA???" The answer was enthusiastic. He took that for a "yes," and proceeded to do the Phantom of the Opera complete with a few Michael Jackson white glove "Billy Jean" moves and a bit of  moon-walking, and then finished it off by doing The Worm and spinning on his head. The crowd went wild. I've never seen a tenor do that before.

The outdoor sound wasn't optimum, the singers weren't the best in the world, and the acrobats had their challenges. Still, the air was cool and breezy, the audience was enthusiastic, the performers were earnest and jolly, and we sure had a terrific night out!

Please click the video below to view a short clip of the opening scene.


Saturday, November 3, 2012

We Share Herbert's Dream 美夢成真的夜晚

http://www.suenoenlafabrica.com/photos/herbert/3.jpgRecipe for a good evening:
  • Leave the house at 5:00 PM. Walk to the Beitou MRT station 捷運北投站.
  • Ride the MRT Red Line to Minquan Station 捷運民權站 and transfer to the Yellow Line.
  • Get off the MRT at Xinjuang Station 捷運新莊站.
  • Walk a few blocks toward the Xinbei City Government Sports Office 新莊體育館.
  • Stop before you get there to buy dumplings 小籠包 off a little blue truck that has stacks of hot bamboo steamers.If you tell the guy you like them spicy, he'll be happy to make sure they're good and hot for you.
  • When you get to the sports park sit on a couple of red plastic stools among the many rows that have been laid out on the grass in front of the outdoor stage between the baseball stadium and the track and field stadium.
  • Eat your steaming hot, spicy dumplings!
  • Chat with the little boy wearing the hoodie that zips over his face to become an instant Spiderman costume!
  • Enjoy a lovely soprano from the Australia onstage singing light opera, pop and movie music in English and Italian.
  • Help stack up the little red plastic stools on which you've all been sitting so they can be cleared away.
  • Move around a bit to get a glimpse of five overly tall figures in white who are lined up way behind the now-standing-room-only audience.
  • Share Herbert's Dream (check out a video of these folks performing elsewhere HERE).
  • Revel in the mystery!
  • Head back to the MRT.
  • Transfer at Minquan and get off at Beitou.
  • Walk home again.
  • Split a tall beer poured into frosty glasses.
  • Be amazed that you just got to watch a fantastic performance pretty much for free!
  • Feel totally blessed. You are! :)

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Balinese Kecak Dance at CKS Memorial 中正紀念堂廣場的 印尼克差舞表演

After the encounter with the cosplay folks in Ximending 西門町, we walked across town a bit to the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial 中正紀念堂. Ping had learned about a performance of traditional Balinese Kecak Dance 克差舞 that was to be held there. Our route led past another event: the closing party after a parade in support of gay marriage. Once again, we fit right in (if you don't count the guys in black vinyl hot pants, suspenders and homburg hats who stood out in contrast to everyone else there).

The Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial is a wonderful venue for outdoor events with its wide expanses of stone pavement. The Balinese dance was held next to the National Theater Concert Hall 國家戲劇院,

Monday, October 29, 2012

Video for Halloween Ximending 西門町 Style

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Ping took a couple of videos of the Ximending 西門町 Halloween parade and the posing session just afterwards. We've posted them as a single 2:22 clip on YouTube. Click on the image at left to check it out! Amazing detail in the costumes.

How cool that this is what we find when we just go take a look!

Halloween Ximending 西門町Style

The Taiwanese celebrate every--I repeat--EVERY holiday, bar none, without exception, and with liberty and justice and something yummy to eat for all. You might not get the day off work, but you can always celebrate!

So it is with Halloween, that spooky trick-or-treat extravaganza that Americans do each 31st of October. In Taiwan, it can take the whole week. You want costumes? We got costumes. Heck, we've got a whole STREET of costumes! (You can get your Christmas and Easter stuff while you're at it.)

Sunday, October 28, 2012

台北的萬聖節遊行 Halloween Parade in Taipei


我們不常出門。馬克喜歡創作,我喜歡做心靈功課。一不留意,我倆可以一整個禮拜待在家裡,而且還常常覺得時間不夠用。有趣的是每次出門,即使只是上菜市場買菜,我們似乎都有身心的收穫,總是異口同聲的說應該多出門。
我聽說昨天在台北紅樓會有萬聖節的活動,心裡蠢蠢欲動,實在太好奇台灣人怎麼慶祝這個外國人的節日了。其實馬克對這種湊熱鬧的事情一點也沒興趣。但是可能是害怕不去的後果,勉為其難的答應陪我去走一回,看一看。

在出發之前我只依稀知道一點大概,心想到了大約地區之後跟著人群走就對了。結果我們下了公車後看到了不少新鮮的東西,就是沒看到穿costume 的人。但是既來之則安之,剛好肚子有點餓,所以倆人買了老天祿的雞翅,素雞等滷味吃將起來。準備吃完後繼續隨性亂走,胡亂逛逛。好難得到鬧區來,其實隨便怎麼走都好玩,絕對不會失望的。
話說才剛吃完,突然間看到遊行隊伍朝著我們走來。哇塞!台灣的萬聖節服裝打扮還真有特色!可以看得出來參加遊行的人都是非常用心的。這是我們第一次親身體驗Cosplay,馬克和我各拿一個相機跑前跑後地照個不停,竟然不知不覺地跟著遊行隊伍走到最後的廣場。雖然已經入秋了,這一天的天氣卻是相當的炎熱。從遊行者的裝扮可以看得出來他們的服裝道具是層層講究的,因此不難想像他們熱的程度。令我感動的是他們很有耐心地和任何人合照,並且讓你照到滿意為止,每個人的態度都和藹可親!
我好慶幸我們來此一遊。沒有親臨現場,我對Cosplay 的感覺是七分好奇,三分怪異。經過了這次的經驗,我了解Cosplay 不過是一種嗜好;就像我的一些好朋友,有的喜歡玩模型火車,飛機,有的喜歡搞樂團,玩電玩,或賽車。我們都有自己喜好的東西,都希望把生命過得充實,有趣。這個萬聖節遊行提醒我要保持客觀的態度,多學習尊重彼此的差異,並常常真心替人開心。
每次出門都學到東西,真應該多出門耶!
(請按”Halloween Ximending 西門町Style“欣賞相片。雖然是用英文寫的。懶得讀英文的人還是可以欣賞相片的噢!)
 (請歡迎按“Video for Halloween Ximending 西門町 Style” 欣賞影音短片)

Friday, October 26, 2012

"Love Theme For Aliens" - New video!

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Mark's posted a new video for a song he collaborated on with good friend (and incredibly good musician!) Larry Benigno. Check it out on our YouTube channel. ~好奇走一回~的最新音樂。請欣賞。

[Mark]
Larry Benigno and I have never actually met, but thanks to Sue Morton, we've been friends for several years! In fact, I don't think we've ever been within less than 3,000 miles of each other! Sometimes things just click. Larry and I collaborated on this piece

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

One Size

In Asia, the phrase "One Size Fits All" means something a little different than it does in the U.S. In much of the world, the phrase has been shortened to two words: "One Size." This seems to be more accurate. But what is "size" really all about?

Ping has this remarkable ability to wear sizes that don't seem to apply to her and make it look like that's exactly how the designer intended the outfit to look. When she buys sweatshirts, she gets XL because she likes them loose. When she buys tops, they're generally XS.

I think the best example was a Nike Jordan knit vest that she wore with a black top and leggings. Add a cool belt and it became uniquely fashionable. I mentioned this to a fellow Nike employee who said: "I didn't know Jordan had a women's line."

"They don't," I confirmed. "It was a Men's Size Large."

Just like Yin needs Yang, the opposite also holds. I can wear something and make it look ill-fitting, regardless of size. To be fair, though: much of what we find in Asia doesn't fit me anyway.

Check out these hotel slippers, for example. As we often say: "One Size Fits Ping."

Friday, October 19, 2012

Random shot from a street corner in Taipei 台北街景一瞥

(中,英文,in Chinese and English)
It was a nice cool sunny Fall day yesterday. We decided to enjoy the beautiful day by checking out some Halloween costumes. Yes, you heard me right. Our friend Kerri told us about a street full of Halloween costume shops.

What Are You Going To Be? 你要當什麼?

Apropos of nothing, Ping suddenly asks me an existential question. Here's how the conversation went.

Ping: "What are you going to be...for Halloween?"

Mark: <pause>

Mark: "Older"

Ping: "Haha!"

Mark: "Yeah, it's the same costume every year! Just a little bit more here, a little bit less there, slightly different colors over time...pretty much the same thing, though."

Yup. That's what I'm going to be for Halloween: older.



 Ping, on the other hand, will be FABULOUS! (But that's no different from normal either.)



Tuesday, October 16, 2012

On the way up to the Temple of Heaven 往天宮的途中

(Kuandian TianQiaoGou National Park, 寬甸天橋溝國家公園)

"When you listen generously to people they can hear the truth in themselves, often for the first time." - Rachel Naomi Remen

"Kitchen Table Wisdom" by this author is one of the few books that survived our extreme downsizing when we decided to move to Taiwan. I've read it several times over the years and still continue to learn from it. 

We took the picture above while standing on top of a pinnacle similar to the ones you see in the photo. This was a challenging but very satisfying hike. A group of Chinese hikers was slightly ahead of us for the first part of the hike. Some members of the group felt the great need to yell out very loudly every few minutes. I think it must be a Chinese version of the Tarzan call. Perhaps it was meant to be "macho-esque." I secretly practiced my witchcraft and it worked. Well, to be precise, I stopped myself from feeling victimized and started envisioning enjoying the place in a quiet and peaceful way. Not long after that, they had to hurry up to meet with the rest of their group down below. We two were left with the whole place to ourselves. What a divine place!

我們站在這山的奇岩山照著那山的奇岩時,爬在我們前頭的幾位中國的旅客不停地大聲吆喝。這是中國的習俗嗎?中國式的“泰山吼“嗎?我認為是噪音污染,一開始覺得心裡不爽,還好當機立斷,開始想像自己愉快地享受如此美景。不久後他們因為擔心會錯過他們旅行團的集合時間而加緊腳步離開了,留下我們兩個獨享人間美景。 好開心!

Monday, October 15, 2012

中國 - 桓仁五女山,WuNuShan, HuanRen, China


"To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven." - Johannes A. Gaertner
 

Saturday, October 13, 2012

2012 的秋 - Fall, 2012



When we left the U.S. last October, we didn't know what kind of Fall season we could expect after the move. In fact, we wondered if we would even get the Fall season at all. Fall is my favorite season. I love the Fall colors, crisp air, warm apple cider, pumpkins and gourds, gatherings with family and friends, holiday decorations, baked goods, the smells--just about everything. I couldn't help but feel a certain degree of separation anxiety as we left all of those behind. 


In the most wonderful and mysterious way, we got to spend a week in the most splendorous Fall colors in northeastern China: LiaoNing Province, to be specific. Here is a random photo from the thousands we took on the trip. We plan to post more on the Photo Blog later, once we have a chance to review them.


在美國居住了將近三十年,秋季始終是我最喜愛的季節。 每年九月開始,樹葉開始變色,家家戶戶開始在屋外佈置起萬聖節,感恩節的景象,空氣不時瀰漫著各種秋天才聞得到的香味,親友聚餐的頻率也變得頻繁起來。秋天對我來說是美,平安與喜樂的綜合,我總是期待著。所以當決定搬來台灣時,心中最不捨的少數幾樣中”秋季”即是其中之一。每次想到了就不免有點沮喪。



這次能有機會和媽媽到中國東北遼寧省體會到璀璨絢麗的秋景是當初意想不到的。這一週吸收的美麗秋景美得讓人作夢都會笑! 我們胡亂照了幾千張相片,都還沒整理。在此任選一張先與大家分享。

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

The Travel Art Kit Is...Inktense!

Recently, I picked up a 24-color set of Derwent "Inktense" ink blocks. The main reason I wanted them was so I could have a color option when I was traveling. The coolest thing about these is that you can just add water to this block of pigment to get some serious colored ink!

Jiantan Hills Wall
Xinjiang Rock Outcrop
Yosemite Creek
These are my practice tries, using a small 3x4" pad of watercolor paper, an ink pen, and a nifty brush with its own, squeezable water reservoir.

I got the chance to put these to use as we explored the northeastern corner of China with its brilliant Fall foliage. I'll post the results soon!



Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Version 2 of "Old Denizen" Pastel Painting

The first pastel painting I did when we moved to Taiwan was from a photo taken on our first hike in the local hills. I discovered that working with soft pastels in a hot, humid environment was very different from working with them in a dry place. The sticks seemed almost "greasy." I couldn't seem to control them on the page. Plus, I'd given myself some pretty tough challenges: the paper I was painting on was a deep red, the original scene was almost chaotic, I wasn't particularly experienced painting forest interiors (especially Taiwan's!) and there was this interesting log in lying on the ground that looked like a snake no matter how I painted it.

Eventually, I got the image on the right. It sat like this for months. I wiped it off and tried again on the same paper. It wasn't much better. Then it sat for several more months.

Finally, I wiped it off one more time and tried it again, almost a year after the first attempt. By this time, I'd had some more success with the pastels, dabbling first in little paintings, and then larger ones until I could get some control over the new feel of the medium in this environment. I also drew, and drew, and drew...as much Taiwanese imagery as I could. That helped.

Here's the resulting "Version 2" of "Old Denizen." I've corrected the mistaken interpretation of some of the branches, removed the "snake" log, and worked mostly on lighting the branches and the ground better. It's closer to the original photograph. Is it better than the first version? I suppose that's up for debate, depending on what you like. I find this version more satisfying. In any case, the composition isn't particularly compelling, so I don't think I'll post it in the gallery, but I'm glad for the experience. I learned a lot!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

10 分鐘遊戲 – 10-Minute Game


越來越多的人對生活簡化有興趣,但是”想”跟”做”是兩回事,對吧?現代人類似乎每天有忙不完的事。就算真的有心,卻又不知該從何下手。越想心越煩。煩。煩。煩。那,還是別多想了吧?還有好多事等著呢!先逛逛街,等以後有空再說。

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

New Pastel Landscape 最新粉彩畫作品: Jin Mian Shan Stairway to Heaven “金面山-通往天堂的階梯”系列

Soft pastel on brown Canson MiTeintes paper
61x46cm/18x24"

This one was a long time coming! We've been here almost a year and the largest landscape painting I'd done so far was an A4 (about letter size). Ping has been encouraging me to go back to painting big. I do seem to do best when I just go for it. This one was FUN!

For the story behind the picture, read on.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Not Himself Today

For some reason, Mark just doesn't seem to be himself today.

He's been going around the house with this very sheepish expression. The shear strain of it all is beginning to wear on us both. Trying to shepherd ourselves through this trying time is difficult because we don't know if we're being fleeced. Either way, it's pretty baa-a-ad.

Woolly pull out of this or woolly continue this way indefinitely? Our current spin on this is that the threads of this mystery wool eventually unravel and wool discover that this was all an illusion created out of whole cloth.

At least, that's how the droppings seem to be falling at the moment.

Elton John's "Your Thong"

Mark just recorded and made a video for his version of Elton John's "Your Song." This one's, well, a little different! For details on the song, check out the music blog entry.
 萬一搖滾巨星艾爾頓強有點口齒不清,老將“S"的音發成”TH"。他的經典老歌 “Your Song" 會有怎麼樣的發展呢?
小幫助: 這是首讓人開懷的歌。在美國 Thong 有兩個常用的意思。有興趣多了解的可以看看 http://www.thefreedictionary.com/thong

Read on for more tech details. :)

New Photo Posted (Please click below) 新相片 (請按下行)

伊瓜蘇瀑布 Iguazu Falls


Monday, September 10, 2012

Thursday, September 6, 2012

New Picture: What do you think? 你說呢?



Please click on the picture to see the Photo Blog.
請按相片連接到相片部落格。

New Music Video: "Break It Down"

Mark is at it again with more music! This time, it's an instrumental showcasing some funky bass work and a bunch of guitars. The video? Well, let's just say "something probably broke down." Ping wants everyone to know that she is in no way associated with the guy in the video. You've been informed. :)

Please "Like" and share, if you haven't already left for the hospital after viewing this.

你捨得嗎? Letting Go of Stuff


生活簡化是我多年的夢想。然而想歸想,房子卻越換越大。我雖然不是愛shopping的人,但節儉的習性讓我也不知不覺的藏了不少東西。真正用到的卻總是那幾樣,真正穿的衣服也總是那幾件。反正房間夠多,衣櫃夠多,車庫夠大,房子收納空間健全還有閣樓耶),我也就放自己一馬。平常能捐贈的時候大量支持,其餘時間盡量作駝鳥,故意忽略心中隱隱的不安。我,需要這麼多東西嗎?它們那個時候才會被用到?有需要留給孩子嗎?到時候他們會想要嗎?有許多經濟有困難的人可以善用這些東西呢!

New Picture: Five-Color Town 五彩城

What color comes into your mind when you hear "Desert"? 當提起“沙漠”這兩個字時您想到什麼顏色?
 

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

New Picture: "Heaven on Earth" 人間天堂

Ping comments on one of the more spectacular images from our trip to Xinjiang, China. Click on the picture to see the rest of it and read about it in the Photo blog.
我們在夏塔古道上所拍的照片。慢慢的會與大家分享更多。

New Way to View Our Photos 瀏覽相片新偏方

We now have two ways to view our photos:

1. via the blog: Let's Go Take A Look  好奇走一回 - Photos  攝影
2. via our Let's Go Take A Look Facebook photo albums

This way, you can find our pictures using your favorite method. Happy browsing!

As you're enjoying the images, are you inspired to do something, or go somewhere? Let us know. We'd love to read your comments on the photos!

Cheers! --Mark and Ping

我們作了一個小改變。從今天起 您可以直接從此網站進入相片部落格,或者進入臉書的相簿看到我們分享的相片。若有任何問題,感想或建議,請讓我們知道。看得開心的話,也請您留言或按“讚”!

Monday, September 3, 2012

Iran's Mandarin Nuke?? 伊朗的新核能發電廠“不是”!



http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/iran/facility/siemens_pwr_isar_2.jpgRegardless of whether or not one believes Iran's officially stated nuclear intentions, its now fully operational nuclear power plant is regrettably named...at least in Mandarin.


Mark took one look at the name on an English language news site and, even with his limited Chinese, couldn't miss the irony.

It's called "Bushehr," after a nearby town. All well and good, but if you read it the way Mark did, it sounds like  "!" ("Boo SHIRR!") which, in Mandarin, is a flat denial: "Not SO!"

...which brings us back to the Iranians' constant restatements of their official nuclear intentions. Who knows? In any case, we do wonder if there might be a more suitable name for the plant. Apparently, it's actually closer to a town called Halileh (aka Haleyleh) which sounds a bit more like "Halleluiah!"

On the other hand, "Bushehr" is probably a better name than the old Chevy "Nova." In Spanish, it simply means "Doesn't Go" ...which made it kind of a tough sell in South America.

Any suggestions for what the second nuclear power plant should be called??

We're hoping it's not "Buneng."不 (Literally: "Can't.")

Saturday, September 1, 2012