Day 335 - Symmetry

Thought of the day: This morning I watched a slide show from New York Times about MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity), an environmental disease that has been plaguing an increasingly larger group of people, including the photographer who shot the mesmerizing and poignant photos in the slide show. MCS is typically caused by exposures to synthetic, toxic chemicals which are getting more and more prevalent in the modern world. This condition can be debilitating. The affected people live at the margin of the modern civilization as they need to stay clear of environmental toxins routinely used in pesticides, building materials, cleaning products, cosmetics, etc. They have to navigate the modern world like a soldier navigating a mine field - if they are not careful, they can easily step onto something that will have serious consequences on their health. I know that this condition is very real as a good friend of mine is suffering from it every day. It's painful to watch her go through ordeals unimaginable by an unaffected person. These people are paying a heavy price for our unhealthy dependence on toxic chemicals and our disrespect for the environment and even for our own bodies. Many more of our children and grandchildren will suffer if we don't not pay attention to the root cause of this and other environmental diseases and change the way we live.

Photo of the day:

A lamp in a restaurant where I had lunch.  The shape was intricate, harmonious and beautiful. Perhaps one day we will be able to develop an intricate, harmonious and beautiful relationship with the environment around us. That's our only hope for the future.

Day 200 - Obstacle Course

Thought of the day: It's Mother's Day!  This morning I did a 9.9km race together with a friend of mine at the Boulder Reservoir, while rest of the our families played at the sand beach.  It was only my third run this year and I had a lot of trouble keeping a steady pace.  At the end of the run, I felt quite exhausted.  However, I am glad that I did it.  The view of the reservoir and mountains in the last kilometer or so was just stunning and that alone made the run worthwhile.  I can't imagine a better way of celebrating the Mother's Day for me.

Photo of the day:

Lila in the obstacle course at Boulder Reservoir.  It must be the favorite Mother's activity for the kids today, judging from the length of the waiting line at the entrance of the course.

Day 193 - Stairway

Thought of the day: I ran into some photos of bento box lunches prepared by a Japanese woman for her son to bring to preschool day to day.  I was thoroughly impressed.  The lunches were meticulously and thoughtfully prepared.  They were aesthetically pleasing to the eyes and, judging from the statement that her son devoured every bite of them, they must be pleasing to the taste buds as well.  She demonstrated that with enough love and intention, a daily chore can be turned into a creation of art.  That's probably true for many other things as well.  Indeed, life itself can be an art if you decide to live it as one.

Photo of the day:

There's art to be seen pretty much anywhere in the Stanley Hotel.  Old historic hotels may give you a cozy living space with very little luxury in the room, but who cares if it's interesting wherever you set your eyes on.

Day 181 - Dessert

Thought of the day: Beautiful day for meeting people, having lunch in downtown and then taking a stroll on Pearl st.  I'm feeling lucky!

Photo of the day:

Dessert at Q's - it tasted as good as it looked.

Day 179 - Peking Acrobats

Thought of the day: This afternoon we attended the Peking Acrobats show.  Jasmine had just participated in a circus show in her school and was very excited to see the stunts performed by the acrobats.  Lila was so thrilled with all the music and actions on stage that she could hardly stay on her seat.  How did these acrobats manage to reach this level of skills and artistry?  Talent, for sure, and lots and lots and lots of practice.  When I watch a show like this or listen to a performance by an orchestra, I am always amazed by the depth of the human possibility and inspired by the people who have mastered the unthinkable.  With all the ugliness and darkness in this world, we are nevertheless a very unique and soulful specie that can do beautiful things and create immortal art and we can all be proud of that.

Photo of the day:

A Peking Acrobat stacking up more and more chairs in a breathtaking performance.

Day 176 - Photo Exhibition

Thought of the day: Tonight I attended an interesting talk by Scott Carlin about his night time photography.  He used a tripod for a long exposure and while the shutter was open, he walked around and "painted" selected surfaces and objects with a flash light so they would be illuminated in the image in a way that he envisioned.  The result was some pretty striking images that I had never seen before.  At the talk, I met a woman who took self-portraits with her built-in laptop camera and then manipulated them with various cartoon like effects.  She came up with some pretty surreal images - some of them might be a little disturbing but they were in general pretty unusual and interesting.  People can be so incredibly creative.  A million people can have a million different ways of perceiving the world and a million different ways of expressing themselves.  It's constantly manifested in photography, arts, technology, and daily living.  I think each one of us is blessed with a unique vision and voice that can be nurtured when we're young; and when we are older and more capable, as long as we have the courage and conviction to stick to them, we may leave a unique footprint on the earth and enrich the lives of many others.  Indeed, much in the same way that the diversity of genes is essential to the survival of species, our individuality is essential to our collective survival. 

Photo of the day:

Today I went to Mia's 39+ photo exhibit at CU's UMC Gallery.  Her 39+ blog inspired my blog.  Mia's photos have a sense of daily progression - every day's image relates to previous day's image either conceptually or visually.  I'm  more focused within the context of a day as I try to inject a daily thought  that can be connected to the  image one way or the other.  I think we both found a way that worked for us.

Day 175 - Books

Thought of the day: It's hard to shake off that caffeine addiction.  I felt dull and sluggish all day until taking in two cups of Chai at dinner time in the Indian restaurant.  The generously caffeinated Chai had the effect of instantly bringing me back to life.  And that's exactly why I want to stay away from caffeine.  I don't like the fact that my energy and mood depend on a substance and take a mandatory roller coaster ride every day, even if the substance is socially acceptable and perhaps even encouraged.  But it's been proven a difficult habit to get rid off, especially during cold and overcast days like this.  I'm missing the sunlight and the exercise, both of which can serve as an energy booster and mood modulator for me when my body is screaming for caffeine.  Perhaps I should get back in the gym in a day like this to set me on the right course again.

Photo of the day:

Our local library branch just put out some books for the upcoming Earth Day.  I grabbed a pile so everybody would have something interesting to read.  Getting books is another harmless way to boost my energy level. We're lucky to have a few libraries and bookstores to get books from, in addition to Amazon, and receive an instant gratification much like receiving an instant shot of espresso, but in a much more healthy way.

Day 174 - Colorful Beads

Thought of the day: Tonight Jasmine played hide-and-seek with me.  She has always enjoyed this game from as far as I can remember.  I wonder what makes kids enjoy this simple game so much.  Perhaps it feels good to be searched for and to be at the center of attention.  Perhaps the excitement of being found is greater than the excitement of being able to stay out of sight.  Or perhaps it's just fun because it's a game, no other reasons needed.

Photo of the day:

Beads hanging inside a window.  Someone must have had fun making those!

Day 158 - Copper Morning

Thought of the day: It snowed most of the night and throughout the day in Copper.  There was a lot of fresh power on the mountain, especially in the trees.  Jasmine discovered her love for tree skiing when we were at Steamboat last month.  She and her friend skiied in the trees pretty much the whole time when I was with them this morning.  Tree runs are not my favorites - they are fun but can be more dangerous than groomed runs - but I will need to ski more in the trees otherwise I won't be able to keep up with the girls!

Photo of the day:

Morning in Copper - from our condo, we could see ski tracks and tire marks on fresh snow.