Report from New Frontiers

Thought for the Day

2017-12-02T10:23:00.004-08:00

I often am amazed at the thinking of great thinkers, aren't you? Enjoy!

Video and Voiceover: Richcraft Studios
Music: Little Earth by BenSound

The Volcanic High Life

2016-08-30T14:20:00.003-07:00

Paulina Peak from the shore of Paulina Lake

We had planned to go backpacking but the place I wanted to go was shut down due to a fire and apparently backpacking is not encouraged along that stretch of a river that we will not be talking about today. So, our plans changed at a moment's notice to see what we could make happen at the Newberry National Volcanic Monument.

Now, I normally think of spur of the moment and camping to be two perfectly compatible concepts, but Resident Spouse had recently regaled me with the story of a co-worker who decided to go camping on the spur of the moment and, after leaving Bend, ended up encountering full campgrounds at every place down the road until finally settling for a motel room at the coast. Needless to say, we kept this story in mind and planned on taking our chances at Newberry. At the very least, we could have a lovely day hiking. And what do you know? We turned into Little Crater Campground and found #3 wide open and just waiting for us.

View from top of Little Crater trail

Every time we've been to Newberry, we always try Little Crater campground first and, so far, it has always paid off. The campground has a lovely long sinuous layout that means you have very few neighbors and every campsite has a view of Paulina Lake. There is also a short, 1.8 mile trail up to the rim for splendiferous views of the lake and distant lands that you can reach from either end of the campground. The trail is pretty steep in spots and Mimsy dog kept cool by trotting from the shade of one tree to the next to keep her black coat out of the hot sun.

I also love the short hike through the Big Obsidian Flow but, it being a hot summer day, we waited until late afternoon to tackle the short mile-long trail because dogs should not go on the trail (lots of obsidian shards to cut their feet). We left our Mimsy dog in the car in a shaded and empty parking lot only to hear her start barking when we were a mere 15 minutes into the walk (she has quite the bark, that little one). Having already gained quite some elevation, we found a place where we could see down into the parking lot and, lo and behold, a big RV chose, from the entire empty lot, to park immediately next to our car. Rolling our eyes slightly, we went ahead with our walk, figuring that the occupants of that RV could have chosen someplace else to park and we wouldn't fuss ourselves too much about Mimsy's barking.

The Big Obsidian Flow at sunset

I think we were guilty of a little noise pollution that evening because we could hear her barking the entire time as we made our way up and down the trail. Sigh... the obsidian flow was amazing in the sunset...

Love the Deschutes River!

2016-07-29T16:34:00.001-07:00

I know that I am one of the lucky few (if you can call 80,000+ people, "few") that live in Bend, Oregon and this summer I am out to enjoy every minute I possibly can.

One of the gems of the region is the Deschutes River that runs from southern Deschutes County north to the Columbia and for those seeking a cool respite on a hot summer day (hovering at 97°F as I write this), a day on the Deschutes is a fun way to beat the summer heat. Be warned though, Bend is at 3,500 feet elevation and so bring plenty of water and sunscreen if you're not used to the high desert at altitude!

Bend itself hosts a playground for stand up paddle boarders, inner tube floaters and more serious white water aficionados within city limits. Flat water folks are well served at Riverbend Park, one in a long string of beautiful parks maintained by Bend Park and Recreation District. Floaters traveling down stream can take advantage of an easy put-in a short distance upstream of the Old Mill and can take out at a number of publicly accessible locations, the final spot being Drake Park where a convenient shuttle service can ferry floaters from take out to put in by purchasing a day pass for $3.

Between Riverbend and Drake Park is the Bend Whitewater Park where surfers on boards or in boats alike can play in the standing waves. Floaters can bypass the whitewater park via a portage path, or, if properly equipped, maneuver the rapids on river left. (BTW - Pool toys and flip flops are not considered proper equipment, duh!) There is also a fun play spot for kayakers at First Street Rapids.

My recommendation, though, is to spend the extra time and effort to get out to see more of the glories of the big Deschutes. Taking a raft or drift boat down the lower Deschutes in the area of Maupin and north will bring you exciting whitewater and gorgeous flats. You can choose from day to multi-day trips from a range of local services and outfitters (with fun names like Deschutes U-Boat and River Drifters, yes, there are other more normal names, too).

Want to give your kids an adventure while you and your spouse get some alone time? Check out Bend Park and Rec youth programs. Day trips and overnights are available with skilled staff leading the way to fun and adventure.

Train trestle bridge on lower Deschutes River north of Maupin, Oregon.

Competing in Seoul 2014 - Day 2, Oct 11, 2014

2014-10-18T10:03:00.002-07:00

The competition site for horseback archery in Seoul was the dressage arena for the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. Today the site is dominated by a huge race course that is the main draw (the towers in the background below overlook the ends of the racetrack).

Day 2 of competition featured an opening ceremony that included a representative from each country. A fun part of mounted archery is the costumes competitors wear. Often these are rooted in the traditional garb of the competitors' countries. I say rooted because historically women did not participate in what was an exclusively samurai activity in Japan.

For some countries, like the USA, "traditional garb" is tricky because, while mounted archery is a part of the history of the country, few competitors can claim a personal connection to Native America.

As a result, competition garb becomes more a reflection of personal taste, imagination, and/or comfort. (Go Teen Team USA!)

Go Horse Archers!

Competition - Day 1

2014-10-14T19:54:00.000-07:00

The first day of competition was the single and double shot competitions. The glorious thing about these competitions is getting to see old friends and meeting new...

...Doing some shooting...

And doing a lot of waiting...

(The costumes are a fun part of competition and everyone adds their unique flair.)

Typhoon Vongong

2014-10-08T17:41:00.002-07:00

And of course, there's another, BIGGER typhoon headed for Japan. We're supposed to fly out of Narita, hopefully, just ahead of when Vongfong hits Tokyo. Sheesh...

Seoul 2014 - sights to see

2014-10-08T17:25:00.001-07:00

My mom and I said farewell to the horde and we headed into the neighborhood to see what there was to see. We ended up walking a couple miles or so over the course of the day up and down the hilly streets of the Itaewan area...

...perused the street fare...

...and ended up at the lovely Leeum Samsung Art Museum

Seoul 2014 - dining out with the horde

2014-10-08T17:13:00.000-07:00

The first evening meal in Seoul with an amazing representation of the world with Germany, Poland, US, Australia, Iran, China, Japan and South Korea represented here for a dinner featuring kim chee soup. The less stout of the stomachs around quailed a bit at the spice but it was very tasty to my point of view. Jet lag was definitely hitting some of the travelers hard as they struggled to stay awake at what was 3:00 AM home time. At least there were foot wells here so our legs weren't asleep, too!

Seoul 2014

2014-10-07T18:12:00.001-07:00

Well, Typhoon Phanfone passed through Tokyo right on time so that the skies cleared and the sun came out just about an hour before we were due to head out of our little house to catch the train to the airport. Many profuse apologies could be heard along the way for the little delays caused by the weather. The plane was late leaving Tokyo and we ended up landing about 10:00 PM in Incheon.

Beautiful airport...poor defenseless cacti...

Typhoon Phanfone

2014-10-04T17:43:00.003-07:00

Oh by the way - we're taking bets whether we'll be on our flight to Seoul tomorrow evening... (story here) ... We narrowly missed a typhoon last year leaving Seoul for the US; that one turned inland to China at the last opportune moment. Phanfone looks to park itself over Tokyo either 12-24 hours before we leave OR just as we're leaving. Tokyo seems to be taking it relatively in stride with the big complaint being the cancellation of a Grand Prix Formula 1 race.

Tokyo part 2

2014-10-04T17:17:00.003-07:00

We had a beautiful day yesterday hanging out with my high school buddy, Sue B., who has been living in Japan for about 8 years now. On the itinerary was walking, the Imperial Palace,

more walking,getting lost in the insanely huge Tokyo station

(which meant more walking - searching for the underground Ramen Road for a lunch of noodles),

more walking to get back to the fountain park where we sat for a long while eating dessert, talking

and watching the neighboring couple freak out at the sight of a ginormous orange-headed bee-thing (this thing was literally an inch and a half long - one of our yellow jackets would fit in its abdomen).

We ended the day back in one of Sue's favorite parts of the city, Sensoji Temple in Asakusa.

Perfect end to a perfect day! Arigato!

Sumire House, Japan

2014-10-03T16:20:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry to see that it's been a year since my last posting - sad state of affairs, eh? But at least I've got a good reason for posting now - a report from Tokyo!

After leaving on October 1st and a long and thankfully uneventful flight we landed at Narita airport on the afternoon of October 2nd. The international date line always bends my brain...

Our humble abode for the next few days is Sumire House, a tiny house that survived WWII, amazingly so considering how much of Tokyo burned. It's also amazing that the house has survived given the single strand knob and tube wiring mounted against the original wooden ceiling beams - not in use any longer; unlike another house we know that had knob and tube wiring used until 2005.

I don't have so much of an issue, but Resident Spouse needs to watch the beams at key junctions.

Sokcho not in the cloud

2013-10-03T00:59:00.003-07:00

Been in a bit of internet limbo now that we've moved to the condos where all the competitors are staying. The internet cafe gets me online for about a dollar for 30 minutes but the stinking browsers are all in Korean with no options for translation. Oy! Even Google is in Korean...but I finally got logged into gmail and from there to Blogger...so here I am. Anyway, it's been a fantastic two days here. We got a little beach time, a little time in town, a little history time (the latter at a little town that has about the only original traditional architecture around because everything else was bombed flat during the Korean War). Apparently this little town was saved because it is nestled in a valley between a couple, three small ranges and nobody could see it to know to bomb it. The beach was nice - we were at a small pocket beach near town. This was different from some of the other beaches we've seen because there's no barbed wire blocking access. The watchtowers were in evidence though, apparently keeping an eye out for the stray North Korean invasion... Yesterday us non-archers stopped by the arena to check things out before going on our merry way and it's always so interesting to watch the people and horses, with each acting out in their own ways. There are times the machismo is as thick as the sticky rice we've gotten for lunch.

Sokcho Day 2

2013-09-30T18:11:00.001-07:00

I've got the iPad set to local time and it always reminds me that we lost a day flying west. It's October 1st here, but back home it is still September. We sent the two girls from our host family off to school today in their uniforms with Oregon key chains that illustrate where we live. Hard to understand what we each understand with our very scattered Korean and their slightly less scattered English. The word of the day is tsogun or sogun, for towel, having mastered "hello" and "thank you." I don't know if it would be polite to ask what the word is for leech...

Resident Kid thinks it's funny when I end up in a bowing contest with someone for lack of anything else to say but hello and thank you...

Sokcho 2013

2013-09-30T04:41:00.001-07:00

Took the slow van from Seoul to Sokcho - scary slow -the driver would go 40 in the fast lane on a 60 mph highway. Then he'd slow down even more when he got a phone call. But the drive was worth it with Ruth and Boaz's (their English names) home at the end of the little paved trails through the rice paddies.

A little walk yielded a beautiful heron taking off and a close up of some local invertebrates...I was looking at what I first thought was a worm on wet pavement..."Why did the leech cross the road?"

Anyway, it didn't affect our appetite for the amazing spread that Ruth and her friends put together for the huge crew.

Seoul 2013

2013-09-29T15:39:00.001-07:00

Headed to Seoul this year to take Resident Kid and Resident Spouse to the World Horse Archery Federation championship. Huge opportunity to see another part of the world that I wouldn't normally have chosen. First night spent at the Hotel Sky, first morning spent groaning from sore muscles and the total head crushing caffeine withdrawal headache. First meal was a cool local barbecue joint where the customers are trusted with piping hot charcoal in the middle of the tables to use for cooking.

Speak your mind ... but ...

2012-11-17T09:16:00.001-08:00

Resident Kid has a mug that I've borrowed on occasion, most times resulting in great complaints and chastisement, but the thing that I love about this mug is that it is GIANT and it has a picture of a bucking horse (and yes, with a view of the back side) that says, "Speak your mind ... but ride a fast horse."

I realize now what my problem has been in my life. Being a marginally fast runner, I tend to speak my mind and endure the wrath or enjoy the giggles of the audience. A few encounters with audiences of the former ilk have impressed upon me there are times when it can pay to not speak my mind, mostly on the topics of politics or religion. While this tactic leaves a broad range of other worldly topics that are ripe for the picking, it is sometimes an indictment of public discourse practices in our society.

Vitriol that mutes writers is disturbing and violates my sense of what should make up our right to freedom of speech but this and other events made me curious enough about the varying dynamics behind public discourse to try an experiment during and just after the recent election period.

I decided upon certain situations where I would remain deliberately silent about my opinions on who the best candidates for the jobs at stake were and came up with some surprising, at least to me, outcomes. What I thought was most interesting were the assumptions that people would make that, if I didn't disagree, I must agree. My assumption going into this process was that others would assume that I was silent because I was following the maxim of, "If you can't find something nice to say, don't say anything at all," that corollary of, "Silence is golden."

I suppose I should be heartened by this in that others were fully expecting that they would be engaged in a lively debate of diverging opinions if the opportunity arose. And in fact, I found it difficult, if not impossible, to remain silent if the lively debate was couched in questions that sought to identify the realms of possibility amongst the options.

My silence was not at all difficult to maintain when I was confronted by loud statements of opinion that were presented as fact that could not possibly be impugned. What surprised me about my own reaction in these cases was that it was not the tendency towards being loud and overbearing that turned me away. In essence, my response of silence meant that I, the listener, gave up on the speaker as a lost cause.

Missing the Frontier

2011-12-03T09:15:00.001-08:00

I just had an opportunity to squeeze in some hang time with a friend during a busy life and I'm pondering the loss of the time to write. Not really pondering, severely missing it. I liked having the time to be captivated by a thought and follow its meanderings through my brain. So perhaps, as the new year approaches, it is time to seek a way to formalize my meanderings and make that time for myself again. I've been out of touch, out of sight and out of shouting range. Use your best Arnie voice, "I'll be back."

Sound Fourth, Bend Style 2011

2011-07-03T13:50:00.000-07:00

After a one year hiatus while the Bend (Oregon) High School auditorium was being renovated, the Sound Fourth concert is back. For you Bendites, the time is 3:00 on July 4th (gives you plenty of time to enjoy the festivities downtown) at Bend High School auditorium. The pre-concert show is provided by the Bend High School band. The concert features the festival chorus directed by Dr. Clyde Thompson and the Cascade Horizon Band.

Shoppin' with the Easter Bunny

2011-05-16T19:26:00.000-07:00

Resident Kid is becoming a little old for the traditional Easter basket and paraphernalia, but I indulged myself in a little frivolous shopping to celebrate the day this year. Apparently, in my off-hand way, I hit on a fun thing for Kid. The prize had been shown off for a few days and jealously guarded from the Mimsical creature, when one day, while lolling on the bed, Resident Kid asked where I had done my Easter shopping.

Outraged, I sputtered that I did not do Easter shopping, that was the Easter Bunny's job. Slight pause, then Resident Kid asked, "OK, so, where does the Easter Bunny shop?"

World Water Day 2011

2011-03-22T19:45:00.000-07:00

I post this with a bit of wistfulness, being a water professional in a former life. I hope that I haven't left that part of me behind, and certainly the brain is still engaged, it's just my livelihood doesn't hinge on my participation in these issues anymore. It's a sad commentary on the priorities in this world today.

Celebrate World Water Day, March 22, 2011

Water is a crucial resource for humans and life on Earth. To celebrate its life-sustaining qualities, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly designated March 22 as World Water Day to focus attention on the importance of freshwater and advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.   

Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. This year’s theme, Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge, spotlights and encourages governments, organizations, communities, and individuals to actively engage in addressing urban water management.

According to the UN, one in two people on the planet now live in cities. As the world’s cities become more crowded, the need for water increases. Globally, however, government investment in water infrastructure has not kept up with urbanization. Piping water to growing populations can be complex and expensive. Governments often do not have the resources to meet the demand. And the populations that need the most help often are the poorest. Compound that with a lack of sanitation, and public health threats become worldwide headlines.

To meet this challenge, the UN is encouraging everyone to participate in World Water Day events. Campaign materials, brochures, and other information are available at www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/index.html.

On being busy

2011-03-13T16:54:00.000-07:00

Some folks have told me that they don't understand how I can do all that I do. I am busy, and I would be the first to admit that, especially at this particular point in time, I am too busy. The busy-ness (perhaps this should be confused with business) seems to be cyclical in terms of coming to a head at about three or four times in the year. Most of it coincides with the end of term at the local college, where I am NOT a teacher, and the other undertakings in my or my family members' lives.

I think there are activities that will have to go come the end of this year. I'll keep my favorites and jettison some dabblings and hope to simplify my life's schedule to a degree that approximates manageable. But I think that having times like these, where I am overextended, makes me really examine what's important. Often, when I drift along comfortably, I don't question whether what I am doing is really important or worth doing. There is also something to be said for that period of time where you are completely and utterly pressed for time that makes you value the moments of stillness.

Tonight I am going to a concert by Great Big Sea. Yes, it's Sunday night and it has been a hell of a week replete with stressful work, choir concerts, dance performances, classes and lessons, but this concert tonight, while it will be loud and exhausting, is goof off time. I don't have to perform, I don't have to produce, I get to go and enjoy. So think about this the next time you are feeling stressed and overtaxed - perhaps it is time to rant and roar!

All that jazz

2011-02-12T18:47:00.000-08:00

I have long been a fan of jazz, with my active participation in the genre waxing and waning over the years with a recent long dry spell ending with a gift of a ticket from a friend for a concert at the local college. The music at the concert, particularly the small combo pieces, evoked memories of former lives where I spent evenings in smoky bars in Rochester, NY listening to great jazz from musicians inspired by Miles Davis or Chick Corea. No vocalists stick in my mind from that time, all instrumentalists. The Manhattan Transfer had made their mark earlier than this time and Harry Connick, Jr. had yet to hit it really big. Or perhaps if I did hear any vocal music during this time I blocked it out because the way smooth jazz was becoming white bread left me totally cold.

What resonated with me vocally left me feeling very displaced in terms of the times I was living in because I listened to the likes of Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald. Nobody was singing like that, at least not when I had the opportunity to listen.

I don't know where this came from, this affinity with jazz. I remember my siblings (all older) being into rock, folk and the inevitable classical in piano and violin lessons. There was a hefty dose of Broadway and movie musicals, too, I have a vivid memory of belting out songs like, "There is nothing like a dame," as a six or seven year old.

It was a long time later, when I put on some music, it might even have been a Sarah Vaughan album, when my dad, a Julliard-trained organist, expressed surprise at my knowing "those old songs."

Anyway, I'm grateful for the opportunity to re-explore some old territory and get to know some of the newer artists at work today. Ella Fitzgerald is still unbeatable, and what a kick to listen to, especially on those recordings where she forgot the words and started making stuff up. She also, which is a game in our household, inserted words or motifs from other songs into whatever she was singing.

That's not allowed for a "legit" singer and it certainly wouldn't make a "best of" album these days. You've got to sing what's writ. With classical music, the most improv you might get to do is in ornamentation or coloratura, but even then I've heard about and witnessed directors who transcribed a singer's noodling in the expectation of hearing it sung the same way at the next rehearsal or performance. Even worse is asking a singer to sight read and then perform a scat as written (yes, that really happened). That particular experience left me speechless and just a little bit irked. It makes me wonder if the quest for the perfect presentation can obscure the adventure that is musical performance.

Right on, Ella.

Stimulating the economy

2011-02-06T08:54:00.000-08:00

So I am going through a significant adjustment right now. After 17 months of unemployment I am back at work full time and transitioning to what that really entails for my life. Unemployment was probably not the traumatic event for me as it has been for so many people in the world right now, and for that I am very grateful. We were able to protect the family from most of the unpleasant effects of losing my income but there were a few nailbiting episodes. It was, all in all, a period of exploration and discovery. I found that I really am a terrible house spouse, but I love to write. Now, going back to work, I love the fact that I have, once again, reinvented myself in a completely new field and I'm doing OK.

So the shakedown cruise continues. I've had to shed a few of the activities I took on during my "other employment" period, and there are one or two other things that will have to go over the coming months, but I do hope that this little space in the ether will survive to blurp out little missives now and again.

Cheers, m'dears!

Betwixt curse and gift

2011-01-23T08:17:00.000-08:00

I say goodbye
but I don’t really feel
you’re fully gone
down that path
I can’t follow, yet

I said hello
to you for all those years
when your black doom
beckoned you
away down the road

I had hoped I
would be able to learn
what I could of
you, your art
while ever I could

So much not learned
so many things not said
Feeling that I
wasn't "it"
wasn't adequate

I’m grateful yet
I’m still learning from you
hearing echos
of times spent
together, apart

Grieving began
with the curse being found
But gifts live on
in mem’ry,
my heart and my voice