Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Mediation on the bike II

I read about this 'divergence test' the other day in 'Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell'. Instead of using logic to converge to one right answer, it requires to use your imagination and take your mind in as many different directions as possible. Give yourself a minute and come up with as many different possible uses of 1. brick and 2. blanket. I took way more than a minute but come up with the following:

Brick can be used to build a kiln, to make more bricks
to build building and path
to build wall, to keep people in and/or people out
to throw at window, to stop more building and path
to kill someone and sink the dead body
to build a tomb to keep the dead body
to be a memory/ proof of love (楊度)
to save water in the toilet tank
to stop a wheel from rolling or door from closing
to build a dam to hold back water
to carve on to make sculpture
to be as the subject of a test.......

Blanket can be used to keep warm, cool, or from the sun
to hide behind or under
to put on ground for picnic, sleep on, make love
to kill someone and wrap the body in
as a sail to catch wind
as a net to catch things/ people/ animals
as a cover/ dress
as a parachute, to drop something like a brick down a building
as a toy for a child
as a memory/ proof of love

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Handle bar bag

For the Cycle North Carolina ride at the end of Sept., we don't need to worry about luggage transportation between campsite. But, I still have to carry a few personal items to defend myself from the elements. Here's my old Timbuk2 modified by my in-house master sewer to become a handle bar bag. Big enough to hold a set of change out long sleeve jersey / pants, raincoat, wallet, sun block, flash light, cellphone, a pump and a map..........

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Meditation on the bike

Long ride gives my thought a lot of time to wonder, since there's no traffic, no turn, no decision needed to be made. I normally start with feeling my breath; too short? too hard? Then is my legs, it feel good to pedal fast, but is the gear too low? Then I remembered something I said the day before, and how I could have said it differently, and it might make a different or most probably not....... A old friend moved in a nursing home after her husband left us last week; I was thinking about my last visit, her almost 60 years marriage....... Yes, it is going to be the 60th year for PRC in a couple of months. It's some articles on the news lately. BTW, what's "inciting subversion of the state" really mean? or it's just a new term for "counter-revolutionary" or anyone who dared to challenge? 60 years is a big circle in the chinese calendar and a long time for no change....... I could feel my breath become harder...... my legs trying to keep up with the pace mindlessly. But, there is still miles to go......

Monday, July 27, 2009

我家後園

Bun Bun 每早也來
跟這小黑蛇又愛又恨,每次見面給嚇一跳。

燒賣是園中主管

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

My one and only thrill

It's her interview with Bob Edward last weekend on NPR drew my attention to this remarkable blue jazz singer/writer. A serious bicycle accident and after math changed her life course. She's so humble, direct and honest about her past and her music. Just like her songs; quiet, poetic, irresistible and sophisticated. She said music is her only love, and men are just lovers.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Rebuilding a bigger wood kiln

Justin decided to finish the rebuilding. Friends and students came to cheer and help.
Saturday morning, we put the former in and start laying brick.
S = straight brick, 1 = taper Arch #1 brick
By Sunday late morning, we had already dropped the former and had another layer of sort brick, insulation blanket and chicken wire on top. 
After 3 wheel barrows of refractory castable (some of it end up all over myself), we managed to finish just before the big rain storm arrive. 

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Great day out

We finished 40 miles ride before 9:30 am. Since Mike and Kim are coming a long way to try some kite boarding, we need to be home early. A lot of people have said they would like to learn or give it a try but not many actually show up and be ready to get drag around in the water by a big kite.  At the beginning I thought it wouldn't be enough wind, it turns out to be a great day. Once again, it proved to me that any kind of result begin with "be present".

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

My first carbon

After a month of weekend's 40 miles ride around the lake on the aluminum mountain bike, I happened to try out his Trek 5200. It was light and fast, but 3 size too big. So, we set out to find myself a carbon road bike which will fit me. After hours on the net and a few phone calls to the local bike shops, we found her on the other side of the state. A 4 years old, 5000 miles, Trek Pilot 5.9, total weigh 17 lbs. It even came with a flight deck computer to tell you all the numbers you might not need to know, plus what gear you're in. How neat! I hope with some practice, someday my skill level will match the level of the bike.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Mango Thief

This summer, our mango tree bore more mango than we could imagine. Even more than half dropped off before they ripe, there were still a lot to expect. However, we only had 4 good ones so far. The story goes like this; you noticed an almost ripe one and thought maybe a few more days on the tree. The next morning, you noticed that one was gone, and there was a clean seed on the ground. Sometimes the little thief got really impatient ; he will take a bite into the green one and leave it to you. Although I haven't seen him in action, I can imagine how happy he was.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Fail

Trying a lot of new ideas lately. At the same time, failed some.
These clay doesn't like to be joined late in the game, but I'm new and too slow in the wood carving.
Too much tension on the back, put the seam open.
Same here. One out of 10. We will see what happen after bisque fire. 
Smashed 3 big plates even before photo opportunity, because of s-crack, c-crack, straight crack, you name it. Time to re-group, re- think, and try again.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

More love stories

It's not the first time, and wouldn't be the last, that once I heard the songs of some movie's soundtrack and decided right away, I have to watch the movie. It's a coincidence that two movies in a row are about "Love in the time of cholera". In fact, their tag lines are somewhat interchangeable: "How long would you wait for love?" and "Sometimes the greatest journey is the distance between two persons" So, how long you're willing to walk during dangerous, tough time. Last French song in "The painted veil" is the most simple and touching. I read on the net that TVB used it as a theme song for mother's day (I haven't seen it myself). As the lyric says; At the clear fountain.......So long I've been loving you, I will never forget you.......I lost my beloved...... I wanted the rose to be still on the bush, And my beloved. To be still loving me. 
For all the mothers, who lost their beloved.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

A Love Story

One of the story moves me deeply recently. Every line, I can imagine the parallel between two lovers. How the pianist obsess about finding the prefect piano , which he can really play in his way. A three legs with translucent sound, clarity of every register and extra light action. It's almost like someone says " I just want to find someone who can read my mind, multitalented, sensitive and has a pure heart. Finally, he found her in his mid-life. In fact, he remembered meeting her when he was a child. Love at first touch. But, there was a lot of works needed to be done to bring her health back. Since, she was old and has been neglected for years. Here's where the blind tuner came in to help. We know it's not going to be a happily ever after. She got accidentally drop and seriously damaged during transit, after a decade of very happy and productive life together. He was totally lost and heart broken, knowing she might not recover, or even she did, she wouldn't be HER again. He wouldn't let go of his prefect mate. For another decade he tried everything to bring her soul back from the gate of hell. In his last recording, he gave her up for someone much younger, beautiful and foreign - a Yamaha. He die weeks after the record was released. I think deep down he knew, he will never be able to find another one.
BTW, her name is Steinway Model D, CD 318 to be exact.
His name is Glenn Gould, my great piano hero.
The book is "A Romance on three legs"

Sunday, May 24, 2009

廓爾忘言

君子之交 其淡如水
執象而求 咫尺千里
問余何適 廓爾忘言
華枝春滿 天心月圓

Friday, May 22, 2009

High Water


Inspired by Ah Leon's work, see pic. and Walter's great found in Taiwan, I'm set to make some tofu tray. Since I mostly work with porcelain, the tofu shouldn't be a problem, but I needed to do some research on red stoneware.  Something has the right color/ firing range cone 4-6, absorption rate like Yixing teapot 'purple sand' ~4%, no grog but be able to hold 12" x 12'"x 1/2" without warp. So far, I found HighWater Clay's red stone comes close, but still too red/not brown enough. It would be nice to have the natural clay color instead of doing an iron wash. Please let me know if anyone out there know something else to try.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Low water





My first solo exploration of the Loxahachee. Water is low but clear. Cypress forest smell fresh in the morning. Still have to portage more than I like to. What's in the back of my mind; tick tick tick ............  Captain Hook biggest fear lives here.