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A Taste of Syria

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:55:00 +0000

My wife Lyra: Damascus, Syria

A little while back, I had the privilege to travel to Syria as one leg of an overland journey from Cairo to Istanbul. Frankly, before I set foot in Syria, my expectations were very low. Especially, after spending 4 hours queuing at the border with Jordan...

...And the experience at the border was utter chaos! We spent several hours waiting in queue as one Syrian "travel guide" after another cut in front of us and had their passport visas validated. This must have happened 5 or so times! Each time, the "travel guide" had a stack of 10 passports to be "approved." After a while, on the "exit" side, a large fight broke out...I am assuming over the same frustrating situation. I started to get a little worried during the fight, but needless to say, I was mostly frustrated by the lack of respect we were shown by the agent and "travel guides" cutting in line. Finally, the lone agent took the 30 seconds required to stamp our passports and we were off...almost.

But this was only the first check point. We then had to drive a couple more miles to the next check point to show our validated visas. Argh...and apparently the agent at the first check point had back dated the validation on one of our visas! We were then forced to drive back to the first check point and start the process over again. For F#%& sake! Eventually, we got the date corrected and we were on our way...

Like I said, my expectations were low, but I have to say, as a traveler, it was enchanting. In most of the Middle East, you can witness, first hand, the unbroken march of time from days of Roman rule, through the Christian period and up on into the present Islamic era. Damascus, like many Mid-East cities, is layer upon layer of history is built one on top of the another. It is this layering of histories that makes all of the Middle East so complex. You can't just rip out the old and bring in the new, you have to work with the stone foundations that already exist...

Above...the men are worshiping in Umayyad Mosque that was once the basilica dedicated to John the Baptist. They are actually praying to the tomb of John the Baptist himself who’s body is in the structure in the left of the photo...the basilica was built from a Roman temple for Jupiter...before that it was an Aramean temple of Haddad-Ramman...layer upon layer upon layer of history.

Anyone looking to rehab the Middle East will have a lot of work on their hands. It is a major fixer-upper project. I wonder what most Western politicians actually think they are doing when they get dragged into this part of the world. I think they only thing to do is take on direct, but slow engagement. Not money or guns, but people on the ground over a long period of time...who have the empathy and tenacity to make a difference...but I digress.

Photo: Euromed Heritage

Nothing in my home town of Kalamazoo, Michigan is truly old...maybe 150 years. In Damascus I was able to patronize the Hammam Nur A-Din...And it is my understanding that it is one the oldest functioning bathhouses in the world, being built around 400 A.D. This place is a sanctuary in stark contrast to the chaos at the border. It has been a safe haven from the harsh realities that are far too common in the streets that surround it.

Photo: Euromed Heritage

And the food...well...simply wonderful...I have come to understand that food is truly comfort in the Middle East. This tasty dish (below) was served to us by one of the most flamboyant chefs I have ever met. More of an artist than cook. I don't know the name of the restaurant, but it was served to us just near the Krak des Chevaliers. The picture does not do it justice...

Anyway, I thought I would share my experience of a land that I feel is so enchanted. I pray they all can stop the blood shed and permit themselves to use the creativity, talents and history that make their culture so rich.

If you would like to enjoy more beautiful photos please have a look at our Flickr Collection: Syria

Happy Father's Day

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:16:00 +0000

Sunday...I woke up and French toast is waiting for me...nice...I wonder why everyone is being so nice...

I leisurely enjoyed the French toast and the we started talking about what to do during the day... then kids meandered off subject and suggested that we watch a video...

In previous posts, I have complained how we have lost something in the flurry of email that we blast to one another as we try to “communicate,” but the next generation has obviously found a way to make our communication even richer! Nothing has been lost. Quite the contrary...

But I digress...who cares how well my kids can design tear jerking videos...

CRAP!!! I have a big problem!

It’s Father’s Day!!! I forgot all about it!!!

I was planning on sending my dad something earlier in the week...OMG!

What to do? What to do!!!

I have just a few minutes before I have to drag everyone up the mountain on my Father’s Day hike...

Well, his latest obsession has been his chickens...yes!!!

I mean obsessed...in a good way though. He built a large, portable chicken coop...complete with thermo-pane glass and retractable walkway! Now he is raising six chicks so he and my mom can have fresh eggs...

So, guess what I got him?

Yep...a rooster! A Black Jersey Giant! To help keep the girls happy...

I know it’s nutty, but it works...really it does...I know my dad well.

The funny thing is, I couldn’t think of anything for the last few weeks. I seriously did not know what to get him, but nothing like a little pressure to get the creative juices flowing!
Whew!

Don’t worry...he will grow fast!

Happy Father’s Day!

On her way...

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Sun, 01 May 2011 14:04:00 +0000

Amanda modeling for the renowned hanbok designer, Heesuk Jung...Seoul, Korea.

Photos by Lyra Jakabhazy

The Story...
Well...pride is one of the Seven Deadly Sins. So, let me enter this post from a position of gratitude. ;-) As a parent, I would like to give thanks to all who have helped my daughter, Amanda, grow as an artist and a fine young woman. There have been several notable people (you know who you are!) who have helped Amanda and her siblings throughout the years. Suffice to say, it truly does take a village. I am humbly thankful to everyone who has touched our lives over the years.

Last spring, Amanda started stressing over her ACT and SAT scores. Maybe a little too much...because she clammed up on the tests and returned average scores. Kind of odd for someone with a 3.8 at a competitive suburban high school. Other kids with similar grades smoked the tests. Needless to say, Amanda was in tears when she got her scores...so she took them again...same results...her heart was heavy...all that work for 4 years to be blocked by a standardized test.

To rub salt in her wounds...Amanda has had her eye on architecture school for a while and was told by an authoritative figure that her scores needed to be higher to be accepted. Not sure who told her, but Amanda was demoralized...but she did not give up! There was no way she was going to let this defeat her.

Still she applied to several top notch schools...Harvard, McGill (Canada), Waterloo (Canada), University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Washington University, Rhode Island School of Design and Illinois Institute of Technology and The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Most of the schools have so many applicants that they use a standardized form such as Harvard, McGill, Waterloo, Washington and others.

(I was opposed to the application for Harvard...but her aunt told her she would pay for Harvard if she got accepted...I am a gambling man...)

As you may have guessed, Amanda was not accepted to the schools who use a standardized form. Too bad for the freshmen class of 2011 at Harvard, McGill, Waterloo and Washington University...they will never get a chance to meet Amanda...in person that is...

But most importantly, Amanda was accepted by schools who had a more rigorous application and looked at more than just grades and test scores. She got into the architecture programs at the Universities of Michigan and Minnesota, RISD, SAIC and IIT. These are the schools that counted to Amanda! RISD is THE most prestigious Fine Arts and Design School in America...And IIT carries on the direct legacy of the famous Bauhaus from Germany.

Now the fun starts...RISD! That is really my first choice...Great! Awesome!!! By the way...How much does it cost? $55,000 per year! Oh...And it is a 5 year program? Oh. She got one of the highest scholarships! $10,000? Oh...ah that’s great... hmmm... 55 - 10 = 45 x 5 = 225 x 1,000 = $225,000! OMG! Houston, we have a problem. Arghhh...there is no way I could have ever saved up for that...what is going on here...we’ll save that for another post...

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago was not much cheaper...

Amanda is not the first middle class kid to be put in this position. Accepted to a prestigious private school, but no way to pay for it without an obscene debt burden. Some parents find a way to make this work. With no regrets. However, Amanda did not let this get in the way either.

Amanda had put all of her effort into her IIT application. Lots of it! She meticulously curated its content and did a wonderful job with her essays...

...her efforts paid off. Amanda was awarded the prestigious Camras Scholarship! Full ride for 5 years. This is the top honor that IIT can confer on an incoming freshman. Only 1% of IIT students are awarded this honorable scholarship.

...so, once again thanks to all of those who have played a role in Amanda’s life. Sorry, I am not listing anyone, though I would like to...

So, please celebrate with me and enjoy some of Amanda’s portfolio pieces...

Amanda developed her own logo (bottom right)...it actually spells AMANDA in stacked Korean letters...
Notice the logo at the bottom of this unique cup. It is truly one of a kind...and branded...by AMANDA.

Photo by Lyra Jakabhazy

A spread from her notebook about her internship at only Italian architecture firm of MotoElastico in Seoul, Korea.

Amanda’s influence by Do Ho Suh...

I really liked this sculpture...this was only submitted to RISD.

This one too!

Amanda was required to put together an exhibition for her senior thesis. She decided to create a functional piece of art that served has a stand and drew attention to other pieces.

The exhibition...What do you think? Nice...

This is simply stunning...from her summer in Seoul, 2010....

Notes for the previous sketch...

I am speechless...a 3 D paper sculpture...it is great to watch her master her art...

This is the coup de gras...what do you think?

Who is next?

Photo by Lyra Jakabhazy

Now Alexandria has her work cut out for her...Amanda has really set the bar for the rest of her siblings. However, Alex...has some serious talent as well...I can’t wait to see what she comes up with...and as for Austin and Adam...I know they will surprise me too...

Thanks again!

Sustaining Creative Momentum

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 10:18:00 +0000

Well...I just got the kids’ grades...Amanda is setting the bar a bit high. Even though she is graduating and has a full ride scholarship to IIT’s Architecture program, she is still pulling A’s to keep her grade point above 3.8. Alex has been doing well, but her sister has unintentionally demoralized her. So, she is doing fine, but not killing her self.

However...I noticed a big C on Alex’s report card...in her best class...International Baccalaureate Art.

And I could not help but start to worry. I am of the opinion that you should not obsess about grades and nagging the kids over grades will just make them focus on that letter and lose site of the more important learning that they should be doing...but my first instinct was to make an issue of it...

I remember the last time I was about to give her fatherly advice... She ended up schooling me on creativity...(see related post: Creative Momentum).

After worrying about it all morning...I get a video Skype call on my iPhone...it’s Alex!...

I struggled not to bring up her grade...but I kept it quiet for the time being...good thing!

So, she proceeds to show me her master piece. The following pictures are a bit grainy, but check out her work!

Alex has been working on fusing different materials into her pieces...this time she came up with incorporating Mylar into sides of the bowl...

She had to fire the bowl separately and then insert the Mylar in afterward...

She blow torched the ends of the Mylar to get that gnarled curled effect. Risky, but I think it paid off...I like it!

Even more cool...she chose to fuse glass into the bottom of the bowl...the glass broke into a fantastic crystalline green...

Apparently, her teacher had to complete the report card while she gave Alex extra time to finish her big project. Alex has chosen ceramics for the class and it takes extra time to fire, but her teacher (Jill) had to put something into the system...then the system spit out a C on the card.

Alex got an A for this piece...and I am glad I didn’t jump on her for the C...

Across Oceans of Time...Reunited at Last...

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:59:00 +0000

Above...My mother at her 1958 high school prom...in Japanese yukata (clothes)

Recently, I pieced together the reason for my mother’s international attitudes...Back in the late 1950’s, the abbot of her all girls Catholic high school in Detroit asked for volunteers to write to students of a Catholic school in Kobe, Japan...guess who volunteered... ;-)

My mother was “pal’ed up with Kenichiro Tada. I can only guess the excitement of a teenage girl in that era receiving her first letter from Japan. Their exchanges were rich, but always on a polite and respectful level, according to my mother. Kenichiro and my mother corresponded for about 3 years during high school...then they lost contact as so many pen pals do...

...But she never forgot him. Often, she would mention him while I was growing up. She saved all of his letters and photos and would bring them out once in a while for me an my brothers to see...

Maybe because that, I too, wondered what things were like in other parts of the world...at the age of 14 I would find myself in the teaming streets of Mexico City...and I find my own pen pal from Bogota, Colombia...Liliana ;-)

Fast forward a few years, I am now in Seoul, Korea...with a life-line back home via Skype...still wondering what might have become of Kenichiro...

Earlier this year, my mother mentioned to me that she was going to visit Malaysia with her friend...so, I connected her with Emil’s mother and also figured if she might be able to stop by Japan as well...

...maybe she could find her long lost pen pal...

This past summer, I was privileged be part of a workshop at the Seoul World Design Fair at Kookmin University. There were faculty and students from all over the world...it was fantastic...everyone was so talented...one Japanese student stood out...Hiroki Hoshida...quite a talented person...

...I figured he could do anything...even find Kenichiro...even though 53 years had past...I didn’t keep my hopes up, but I thought it was worth a try...

So, I Facebooked Hiroki to see if he could help...and he was more than willing.

I had my father scan in a few photos of Kenichiro and send his school address. Which I forwarded them on to Hiroki who graciously took on the daunting task of locating Kenichiro...

Within a few weeks Hiroki had found him...and Kenichiro wasted no time putting out an invitation visit his home...

...then disaster struck......but spite of the devastation, my parents were determined to visit Kenichiro.

...and Kenichiro he had become mythic figure in our household throughout the years...I was not about to let them go without me!

It was quite an event...and was one of the greatest experiences that I have ever had with my parents.

...the day started out with a pickup from Yasunobu, Kenichiro’s cool younger brother...in his Mercedes CLS...

For the hour drive to the house, Yosunobo tried to fill us in on 53 years of life...apparently, Kenichiro was quite a successful executive at Nissan Motors...

My mother and Kenichiro meeting for the first time...he was close to 6 feet tall!

Their first meeting after such a long time must have seemed surreal...bringing back all sorts of teenage memories...in the blink of an eye...53 years later...

First greetings Kenichiro’s wife, Sachiko (right) and sister-in-law, Sumiko

All of the letters and memorabilia that she had saved...

Letter from Kenichiro, November 30, 1958...commenting on her beautiful prom picture!

A typhoon hitting Japan...drawn by Kenichiro, 1958...(click to enlarge)

Drawing by Kenichiro...before Manga...(click to enlarge)

Kenichiro was quite happy, as were we all...

Kenichiro had saved his mail after all!

The excitement of the exchange...everyone lost track of time...

My mother had carved a baseball bat and made this little trinket...you can see Kenichiro’s writing on it...

Sharing is what life is all about...

Sharing is especially great when the the bubbly starts flowing!

...symbolic armor for his son, Junichiro.

Check this out!!! 5,000 years old...from under his house!!! Apparently, archeologists found a treasure trove of artifacts when Kenichiro built his home...

The clay shards Kenichiro kept were over 5,000 years old...

The archeologists said they could find 10,000 year old artifacts if they kept digging...but enough is enough...

Just when we had forgotten about the reality that surrounded us, a 6.1 earthquake shook the Tada family’s 3 story poured cement home like an airplane caught in some very nasty turbulence...it really, really shook for almost 25 seconds...it scared the #@$% out of us!

Then it dawned on me that we were a long way from home...yet it felt like we were at “home.”

After the shock, we still talked for hours...

Kenichiro’s daughter Midori (left) arrived just in time...

She brought two beautiful dolls handcrafted by the Tada’s, a gift to my mother...

After all the commotion and good eating, my dad was ready for a snooze...just like home...

Oh...this little guy traveled back to Japan just to see where he came from...

Saki, the grand daughter, got a look into the past...maybe she might like a pen pal, Austin... ;-)

I have come to realize that my father never got in the way of who my mother was...nor did she of him...together they set out not to change the world, but to always help others in need...no matter who...no matter why...

...No matter what.

Glass Blowing with Grandpa! Happy 70th Birthday!

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 09:07:00 +0000

I wanted to get my dad something different for his birthday. Something he would remember and everyone could participate in. A family trip would be a disaster and his passion, golf, was off limits to the rest of us. Well...I decided to take a gamble and try something “artsy / craftsy.”

Knowing that Kalamazoo has an established art community, I figured there must be a glass blowing shop. I Googled “Kalamazoo glass blowing...” Lo and behold, I was right! The West Michigan Glass Arts Center was right down town in Kalamazoo and they did private classes. Perfect for a family gift to Grandpa!

First, we started out with important safety instructions. Then we moved on to the “Interactive Vase” where the master creates a vase of our choosing and everyone helps decorate it. A nice start to the day.

Grandpa is rolling his molten glass into bits of colored glass. Next he is going to mush it onto the vase with the help of two master glass blowers.

Once you get the ornament on to the vase you can cut and shape it as you please. It happens to be a green vase, but when it is hot, the colors are hard to see. Actually, you just have to trust that it is going to turn out all right! Take a leap!

Adam took a nip and a tuck out of his contribution...

Alex and her turn...

The rest of us mesmerized...

Austin’s turn to roll in some color...

Blowing and shaping takes a lot of skill. So, the master handles the tough part! Can you see the lip of the vase glowing? That stuff is hot!

The next part of the fun was the paper weight. This required a little planning on the color you were going to mix. There were all sorts of color to choose from...

...However, “less is more.”

Austin stoked up another glob of glass for his paper weight...

I loved watching everyone enjoy themselves...what a day...

Adam did his part...with a little supervision from the master.

Not quite like barbecue, but Grandpa got the hang of things pretty quickly.

Grandma is not into barbecue. She is all about “slow cooking.” So, we had a little mishap. Kind of cool though. She is always getting creative.

I think she just wanted to see how awesome it would look slithering on the ground!

Those tongs get mighty hot. The ambient heat from the glass will burn you...

...but it is really fun!

Grandpa immersed in shaping his paperweight. You have to make a groove so that we can file it off later.

After you break it off the stick, you have to smooth out the bottom...

...and flatten it so that it will not roll off your papers!

They had to sit in an oven for 24 hours before we could pick them up...

Below are the fruits of our labor...I still have to find a photo for my paperweight...

Austin...

Alexandria...

Adam...

Amanda...

Grandma...

Grandpa...

The Wills vase!

Happy 70th birthday Grandpa!

Walking on the Tiger’s Back

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 09:41:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to go hiking with a couple of my colleagues. However, when they said hiking, they were not talking about a casual stroll through one of the local mountains surrounding Seoul. No! They meant jumping on a bus at 11:30pm, riding 4 hours across the darkness of Korea, rolling off the bus to eat pork spine soup at 3:30am and then trekking until 6:00pm the next day...I am talking about 26 kilometers of mountain trekking on The Tiger’s Back.

The Baekdu-daegan trail, as it is better known, spans the entire distance of the Korean peninsula...about 1,500 kilometers of which 735 kilometers are in South Korea. And...oh lucky me!...it just happens to include most of Korea’s tallest mountains.

The Tiger’s Back is sacred to Koreans, as it is a life-energy-water source for the whole of the peninsula. It has been revered by peoples of this land for over 4,000 years. Those who walk its back are believed to become possessed with its spirit. Well...I am not sure what is possessing my knees now, but they are on fire even as I type...a week later!

We spent most of the time in the sky...the ridge is about 1,000 to 1,400 meters high. The views are breath taking...sorry, but he iPhone does not do them justice.

I did have a chance to escape after 12 kilometers, but the views were just magnificent and by that point I was numb. Time did not exist...I could have hiked forever...

I always wondered where kimchi came from...

...at about 20 kilometers, we came upon a clearing where a huge cabbage patch lay strewn with rotting cabbages left over from a recent harvest. This year many of the cabbages are rotting in the fields due to the heavy rains. Prices of kimchi have nearly tripled as well as most other vegetables.

At about 25 kilometers, I became delirious...I thought I was hearing some injured animal crying for help. As I struggled down the last half kilometer with my knees stabbing in pain...I could make out the tortured sounds of a saxophone. Much to my chagrin, I came across an ajashi playing his saxophone while his wife operated a boom box that played a “jam track” accompanying his attempts at a melody. It was an odd ending to the 26 kilometers seeing this guy standing in the middle of nowhere wearing black socks and slippers and horking out a tune while his disinterested wife hit play and rewind the boom box...over and over...

I shouldn’t laugh...my guitar playing must be just as comical...

My colleague asked him for a ride, but he only had room in the back of his cabbage truck...that was a bit much after 26 kilometers...even though we had to wait an hour for a cab.

Hike #2...just 20 kilometers!

After the first trip...regardless of the pain...I was hooked. So, I signed up for a second trip...this time only 20 kilometers...

...the pay off was priceless...at the end of the 20 kilometers, I was greeted by an 88 year old veteran of the Korean War...I believe I was the only American he has seen since the end of the War. He turned inside out with joy. I could feel his warmth as he held my hand. It nearly broke my heart...some American soldier must have left quite an impression upon him.

He told us that he lived in this house his entire life. As did his father, his grandfather, his great grandfather, his great great grandfather and his great great great grandfather. You do the math...that’s hundreds of years...this man is a living treasure...forgotten with time. Like all of us will be...

Through translation he kept asking me to come back and stay longer. I felt sorry...if only I could...

So, as you trek through life, you never know what you will stumble upon...but if you keep your heart open, you may be lucky enough to find out how extraordinary people are...

He and his wife will be the last of his line to inhabit this home...his family has long since moved on to the modern life...

While achieving so much, I am not sure if they know what they have left behind...

The Greatest Italian Architects in Korea!

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:35:00 +0000

MotoElastico: Marco Bruno, Jihyun, Minji, and Simone Carena. Photo via MotoElastico

This summer is an inspirational one...Inspiration on a Ducati!

Amanda has been interning at THE GREATEST Italian architectural firm in Korea...MotoElastico. Run by Simone Carena and Marco Bruno of Torino, Italy, MotoElastico is bubbling with espresso and creativity. One of their landmark achievements is a fusion style hanok (Korean house) built in what is left of the old part of Seoul (Samcheong dong, Bukchon dong, Anguk dong). Check out the New York Times article on the house...

Simone with his wife Jihye, and son Felice

However, I think the article missed an opportunity. A house does not make a home...but Felice can! The house is simply fantastic...but Simone and family give it life. And Felice is the spice of life!

...But I digress, Amanda is now getting an early taste of creativity at one of the coolest places on earth...MotoElastico!

Photo via MotoElastico

VAROOOOM!!! An Italian Architect has to have a Ducati...no question about it.

“Forget about it Adam! ...and wipe your drool off the tank!”

“Keep beaming Amanda, ’cuz this is the closest you are going to get to guys on motorcycles!”

Amanda walking up the narrow stairway complete with a MotoElastico trap door...

BTW...architects are on the top of the design food chain. They don’t just design tall buildings...

Photo via MotoElastico

...They create all sorts of awesome projects for themselves...How do you like this master piece? I mean the chair...and quite comfortable considering that I am sitting on several 4 inch diameter holes.

One in a Billion...

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 05:49:00 +0000

Alexandria and Amanda at the Seoul Foreign School (Thanks for the tour, Ben!)

Amanda is aspiring to be an architect and is diligently preparing for college admission. She has been getting awesome grades...3.9 average...and putting together a great sketch book and portfolio. During the school year, Amanda took a tour to IIT in Chicago. Though she is worried about her SAT and ACT, Amanda is thinking she might follow in the footsteps of alumni like Mies van der Rohe and Helmut Jahn.

Professor 이건표 (Kun-pyo Lee), Dean of the Industrial Design Program, KAIST, South Korea.
Photo via KAIST, HCIDL

Amanda is looking at other schools too, RISD, McGill, etc. ...earlier this summer we took a trip to KAIST, here in Korea. There, she had the honor of meeting the Dean of Industrial Design, Professor 이건표 (Kyun-pyo Lee) (a distinguished alumni of the Institute of Design at IIT). He was gracious enough to take Amanda to lunch and give her some words of wisdom. He is not only a great design champion, but a great human being as well. Professor Lee really did not have extra time to meet us, but as he told us, he believes there are billions of people on this earth and meeting Amanda was a once in a billion opportunity. I believe he is correct...we really should treat everyone we meet like a one in a billion chance...

I expect great things will happen for Professor Lee. What an inspiration...I hope Amanda will look back on this summer as a turning point in her life.

Sebi is One!

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:52:00 +0000

The other day we had a chance to go to the first birthday party for Sebi Kim. She is my friend Peter’s daughter. Yes, Sebi is a cutie! This was our first time attending a first year birthday party in Korea.

Of course, it was complete with all the fixin’s! Great Korean traditional food. The good stuff! Yum!

A baby’s first birthday party (Chut-tol) is a big event for Koreans. One of the interesting things at the party was the Tol Table that was prepared by Peter and his wife, Jin Young Ha.

The table setting consists of different kinds of ddeok (rice cakes), fruits and other things needed for holding the Toljabee event.

Usually these items are a bundle of thread, a brush, a calligraphy set, pencil, book, money, a gavel, a computer mouse, etc. They are used to predict Sebi’s future during the Toljabee event.

Amanda, Adam and Alexandria watched with wonder as the party events unfolded...

So...in order to predict Sebi’s future, everyone counts to 3 and Sebi grabs something interesting off the table.

Depending on what Sebi picks up...her future will be told...

Needle and thread: Sebi will live long
Ujube: Sebi will have many descendants
Book, pencil, or related items: Sebi will be a successful scholar
Gavel: Sebi will be a lawyer or judge
Rice cake: Sebi will become wealthy
Ruler, needle, scissors: Sebi will be talented with her hands
Knife: Sebi will be a good cook

Mom had Sebi pick twice from the table...the first time she picked up a pink computer mouse.

...and the second time too!

Since Sebi picked up the computer mouse, it is predicted that she will follow in her father’s foot steps. Peter happens to be a designer for Microsoft. Peter was visibly proud.

Grandma was very happy!

So was Grandma number 2. Or Grandma number 1 depending on who is doing the counting...

Not your average pin-the-tale-on-the-donkey birthday party! All-in-all, a great event for the Wills kids to experience.

Iceland: Eyjafjallajökull

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 08:10:00 +0000

by Sean Stiegemeier
This is simply stunning... It is impossible to match the beauty of nature. I thought I would share it for everyone’s enjoyment. A nice way to kick off my summer of blogging...

High Tech Campfire

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 07:49:00 +0000

Have you ever gone camping and found yourself just sitting around the campfire with your friends and/or family, staring at the flames and embers for hours? If you think about it, your not doing much... Just roasting marshmallows and sipping a drink... The fire is truly mesmerizing... Yet you are still free to think, talk, sing, dance...whatever.

Today, our campfires are replaced by ginormous basement entertainment rooms with a 60" HDTV LCD instead of a fire. Less talking...so as not to disturb someone’s willful suspension of disbelief. Less thinking...movie stars will do that for you. No dancing or singing...rock stars can do that for you too.

Don’t get me wrong, that LCD screen can be a window to the world. It can take you to places you would otherwise not dream of visiting. Maybe...

Or is there is a compromise? I love the campfire, but appreciate what that LCD window can show me...

Korean Analog GPS

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:13:00 +0000

Korea is one of the most wired, high tech countries in the world. It is a hyper-competitive society where everyone clamors to own the latest and greatest high-tech gadgetry. The above, exclusive photo, is the latest Analog GPS Navigation System to hit the Korean market. I could not make out the brand...

...But check out the resolution of the display! I bet it is double the standard 2560 x 1400 ppi used by special ops military...complete with multi-colored mounting fixtures. This is by far the largest and highest resolution screen I have seen [mounted on a delivery scooter]. Shorter drivers may have a visibility issue, but I am sure those bugs will be worked out in the next model. A pocket version is rumored to be launching in the 4th quarter of ’10.

Clearly, this is a game changer that will give the iPhone and Google platforms a run for their money...

Emotional Design IV: Life Tokens

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Thu, 20 May 2010 14:10:00 +0000

Photo via lifetokens
I don’t know if you had a chance to read my lengthy post back in January: From Civil War Letters to Email. If not, I was lamenting the loss of our emotional connection to the artifacts of traditional letter writing. People no longer save cherished love letters in a shoe box. Many have lost that emotional connection associated with the art and care of traditional letter writing.

Photo via lifetokens
Well...someone is trying to fill that void...Let’s say you wanted to give your child kudos for the great report card they just handed you. All A’s! But...you don’t feel like taking the time to buy a greeting card. Plus, mom and dad, that’s not hip anyway....Now comes Lifetokens...

Photo via lifetokens
Apparently, you can anonymously mail discs reminiscent of poker chips called “life tokens.” While I am not sure about the execution, I believe they are trying to fill that emotional void in our digital communications while keeping the advantages of instant messaging. Instant at least for the sender; it still has to go through the US Postal Service.

It seems kind of cool.

I think is is a start...Maybe I’ll give it a try sometime and let you know how it goes...

Permission

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Sat, 01 May 2010 14:39:00 +0000

For many people, trying to find their creative voice can be so elusive. Some people spend their whole life looking for it. However, I suspect, we all found it when we were children...but over time...slowly...it slipped away from many of us. So slowly, in fact, that when it is almost gone it’s hard to remember we ever had it.

Photo via PhotopediaPhotos

Can you remember when you felt most creative? Think back...back when you were in kindergarten...when you pulled out your box of 64 Crayola Color Crayons and just colored...when you sang aloud in class without the worry of embarrassment...when you got out the glue, construction paper and staples...when you chased a ball around the playground for hours on end...when you weren’t afraid to fail. You were in that special place once. We all were...

Maybe that’s why we idolize rock stars, movie stars, artists or major league baseball players. They are all living like they are still in kindergarten...still playing...creating...living...loving. So, we feel relegated to live vicariously through our heroes' eyes while we try to find a path back to that place they never left. Somehow, they still have permission...permission to create..permission to play.

Well, we can’t go back to kindergarten. Some of us are lucky to get into grad school, but kindergarten is out of the question. So how can we find that permission we had in kindergarten again? Permission to play? I hear we can become rock stars if we get an XBox?

The other day we had a get together for Lyra’s work crowd. In Korea, a hwayshik (team dinner) consists of heavy eating, heavy drinking and...(once the many layers of inhibition are peeled back)...heavy singing at a karaoke bar. So, by the time everyone reaches the karaoke bar, they are back in touch with what is still left of their creative souls. It’s too bad they have to find it inside a soju bottle. It's only at that point, people feel they have permission to let it out.

However, Lyra and I wanted to avoid the heavy drinking part, but still give people permission to let their creative inner selves roam free....hmmm???

Well...to be honest...we didn’t set out to help people find themselves. We mainly wanted everyone to enjoy the night without destroying themselves or Lyra’s home in the process.

So what do we do?

Remember that box of crayons and construction paper I mentioned? Earlier that week we had grabbed a bunch white t-shirts, spray paint, fabric markers, stencils and scissors for the party. Sounds kind of girlie? Maybe...but who cares. When the group was getting sufficiently stuffed and tired...we broke out the reinforcements and sent everyone back to kindergarten!

I was worried...what if everyone thought spray painting t-shirts was stupid...and wanted to keep drinking?

Well...they didn’t. Soon everyone was at ease with themselves and totally absorbed in their t-shirt. They were in kindergarten again! No rules. All each one of them had to do was design a t-shirt using the spray paint, markers, stencils and whatever else they could get their hands on.

Our little t-shirt experiment did wonders to grease the social wheels. Once fully engaged in the creative process, everyone opened up...and by extension...were able to express a bit of who they were...without a fear of being ostracized.

I believe all people have a well-spring of creative energy....they are just looking for permission to use it.

PS...Everyone forgot about drinking...Lyra’s refrigerator is still filled with beer and soju...the planned alcohol for that night.

The tools...

Please don’t cut yourself!

Spray paint the t-shirts only!

The t-shirts!!!

Steve’s t-shirt before...

Steve’s t-shirt after...

Owen Before...

Owen during...

Owen after...Group therapy for the loss of his idol, Malcom Mclaren of the Sex Pistols.

Yong: Nice stencil work!

Yong: front side...

Yong after...

Sungene before...

Sungene: I am not a number!

Borami engrossed...

Borami’s t-shirt: You get the idea!

Seunghee: It’s not a small world...it’s a Square world!

Caroline: Work in progress...

Words to live/work by...

Byron has a taste for calligraphy...

Byron: Wrong is right...

Lyra’s chili peppers worked well as stencils...not sure she’ll want to cook with them now... ;-)

Lyra (on the left): The most wearable...

The end...

A Noble Pair...

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 06:51:00 +0000

Meet Mrs. Yang... She is the matriarch of the Yun Family. The other day, Mrs. Yang, a very warm person, was gracious enough to invite us and our dinner guests over for some quince tea.

Once you enter the Yun’s hanok, 5 generations of noble family history whisper softly to you from its walls.

At 140 years old, this is the oldest home in Korea that is still occupied by its founding family. Mrs. Yang is the 5th generation of Yun matriarchs...and won’t be the last.

That night, our guests Professor Kun-Pyo Lee of KAIST and his #2 son (that’s how he liked to introduce himself), Choong-Hyo, were not anticipating such an historical after-dinner treat. Especially, since the #2 son is now studying architecture...

...We had quickly forgotten about the nifty conversation piece that Professor Lee had brought to dinner. I think the gadget is called an iPad!!! But, I digress...

...Everyone marveled at the intricate craftsmanship and the massive ceiling beams, which must be at least 20 inches thick. But the real story is not about the house...it is just a symbol. The real story lies in the hearts of the generations of Yun’s who lived there...

For instance...The Yun’s have traditionally reached out to the West. Above...Mrs. Yang is showing us a set of antique fusion-style dinnerware designed by a late family patriarch. The above dish happens to be part of a serving set designed especially to appeal to western dignitaries who often visit the Yun family. Most of whom are accustomed to passing around a serving platter rather than sharing a single dish from the center of the table.

The entire set is truly one of a kind...and a testament to the generations of creative Koreans who have been reaching out beyond their own culture.

As Mrs. Yang guided us through the rest her fantastic home, she reached for a photograph from the book shelf. It was an old photo of two beautiful Red-Crowned Cranes. The majestic pair were the Yun’s family pets for several generations. I understand that Red-Crowned Cranes can live for more than 70 years. So the photo was likely taken in the early 1900’s.

The birds were a beloved pair even though they often tormented the Yun children of past generations...

...At 1.5 meters tall, they must have been quite a terror for the kids. The above picture should give you some perspective!

For context, you should understand that Red-Crowned Cranes are symbolic of Korean national identity not unlike the Bald Eagle is to the US. And similarly the Yun's are living symbols of Korean nobility. So that makes the next little story even more tragic...

During the Korean War, the North Koreans forcibly occupied Seoul and along with it, the Yun Family compound. During that occupation, the compound served as a field hospital for North Korea. They painted a cross on the roof of the main residence to divert the US from bombing the beautiful property. The US obliged.

Though the North Korean occupiers managed to save themselves from being bombed, they did not show the same mercy toward the resident pair of cranes. For some twisted reason they decided to kill and eat the two symbolic creatures. What a shame...

Love dance...
Red-Crowned Cranes mate for life. When initially excited, they pick up small sticks and grass, toss them exuberantly into the air and stab at them as they fall to the ground. Once in love, they have a spectacular courtship ceremony where they prance stiff-legged around one another, bowing and stretching alternately while their wings are half extended. The dance is accentuated by leaping high up into the air as their legs dangle beneath them.

Maybe their essence still inhabits the shadows of the Yun’s grand old residence...the stone urns that the pair used to drink from still stand guard at the gate leading to the guest house...often filled with fresh rain water...

...waiting for the majestic couple to return.

Sibling Rivalry

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 07:55:00 +0000

Alex Skyped me excitedly this morning. As you may know, I have tried to encourage my kids to follow creative and non-academic endeavors. I have exposed them to Irish dance, foreign languages, piano, saxophone, painting, drawing, ceramics, etc. I also encourage sports like football, baseball, track, water polo, as well as academics.

So, as a parent, you always uncover some unintended consequence to your child rearing...

I expected sibling rivalry... However, I figured the rivalry would be in sports and academics, but as it turns out Amanda and Alex are one-upping each other in the arts. First Amanda out did Alex in Irish dance. Amanda is older and more coordinated than Alex. Alex grew much more quickly than her older sister which made coordination a [temporary] problem for her. This visibly irked Alex.

Now, Alex seems to be excelling in ceramics. So today, Amanda told me sheepishly that Alex was much more creative than her.

I could see the mental anguish in Amanda eyes who loves art and sees herself becoming an architect someday. I thought about my response for a moment... Especially, after Amanda had showed me several of her beautiful drawings. Then I figured it out.

Recently, Alex seems to have given herself permission to experiment. She allows herself to try and fail. And if she does fail...she keeps her momentum and picks up where she left off. Amanda, being the oldest child is more controlled, worried about pleasing her parents and afraid of failing. When she fails...she internalizes it and punishes herself. I have to counteract this...

Amanda is definitely artistic, but maybe she needs more encouragement to experiment without being punished by failure. Try and maybe fail...then she can see it is not so bad after all. We all are looking for permission to try...

...That’s the only way can we figure out how to live.

Forbidden Fruit

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 01:04:00 +0000

Since everyone has been writing about Apple and their new iPad, I thought I would write about a different fruit, but one no less popular. Maybe even more popular...

Recently, I found myself in Seattle taking in the sites. A nice city set in a stunning landscape. I was not expecting to be there, but life changes quickly. For Seattle, the day was unseasonably cold, windy and rainy, but the sun kept trying to poke through the clouds. Compared to Chicago, it was a typical day for April. Unlike Chicago, Seattle’s cherry trees were in full bloom. I thought the treeline streets looked quite pretty...so I snapped a few shots while we drove through the neighborhoods...

As we stopped at a nondescript intersection, I noticed “fruit” hanging from a particularly colorful tree. Shimmering red sparkles caught my eye.

OMG! Stilettos?

It was absurdly beautiful and disturbing as they dangled above our idling car. Annoyed, I asked my friend why people throw shoes up, into trees and power lines. I hate visual clutter, I thought to myself. At the same time, I eyed a woman loitering conspicuously nearby as though she had nothing better to do. My friend proceeded to educate me about the subject...if you see hanging tennis shoes you can buy drugs there...and...high heeled shoes means you can find prostitution nearby.

I could not help but think how the red & black heels created such a stark visual metaphor...Forbidden fruit hanging from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil...I wonder if they teach this kind of marketing in an MBA course...the dark side of creativity is quite powerful.

Sustainable Pest Control: HermanMiller’s Bees

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 20:51:00 +0000

I was helping Adam do a school project. He had to find all the “stuff” made in Michigan and create a brochure about it. I wanted to show him HermanMiller and expose him to some great designers like Eames and Noguchi. OK...a bit much for a 10 year old, but at least I am not drilling him with flash cards! I was hoping to show him that there are some great companies still left in Michigan. HermanMiller being one of them...well in doing so, I came across something interesting for both of us...

You have heard of Burt's Bees...well Burt doesn't really own the bees anymore. HermanMiller does...own their bees...600,000 of them! I found this cool piece about how they got rid of their wasp problem without using pesticides. They did it with a little help from their sweet loving friends. Enjoy...

Tango...Korean Style

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:40:00 +0000

You know, what ever Koreans set out to do, they do it with an intensity that inspires me. Whether it is baseball, figure skating, hiking...or business.

So, I have been trying to learn how to tango. Trying is the operative word...it is a very challenging...sport. The first challenging part is the steps...getting the steps memorized is not easy. My friends have been dancing for a few years. They seem to have the basics in tact.

Then you have to keep time with the music. OK...simple enough...then you have to improvise your memorized steps so that you do not run into anyone. Ouch! This is because there is a flow of movement on the floor...ah...I think it is counter clockwise...I think...

While trying to keep this straight, I also have to wrestle my partner who seems to know the steps better than I and is trying to lead. Sounds like marriage?

Of course, even though they are trying to lead...you are expected to be man enough to lead anyway.

Crap...I am still trying to remember my steps let alone remember how to be a man... ;-)

It seems that those passionate couples on the dance floor are not necessarily together off the dance floor...

Well, suffice to say...when it is done right...tango is simply beautiful. Two people in harmony with each other, with the music and with other dancers around them. Simply beautiful. What a metaphor...Korean style.

Freedom and Graphic Design

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:34:00 +0000

First Amendment: Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly and Petition

Recently, I took a trip to Myanmar (Burma). I will have more about Burma in later posts. This post, with its video, is already way too long...

Suffice to say that Myanmar has virtually none of the freedoms we take for granted in the U.S. Many people may think this is a bore, but stick with me for a little bit...

This trailer for the movie Burma VJ should give you some idea...

I am always struck by the power of verbal, written and visual communication. These are our most powerful tools. And something that many people fear...

...They fear it in many ways. They shun expressing themselves for fear of ridicule or worse consequences. And some people fear it from those who have a mastery of communication...because people who have mastered it can lead.

Myanmar got me thinking about a project that I worked on at Meta4 Design for the McCormick Foundation. Most people I worked with on the project had mastered the art of visual communication. Others had mastered the art of verbal or written communication.

The McCormick Foundation is a legacy of the media empire (Chicago Tribune, WGN, Los Angeles Times, etc.) that was built by Colonel McCormick back in the day. To give you an idea of who Colonel McCormick was, Citizen Kane, the movie, was a fictionalized account of a newspaper tycoons such as The Colonel and William Hearst.

The Project: The Freedom Museum Web site

While attending the Institute of Design and working full time at Meta4 Design, I decided to bring “d” school design thinking methods into my work space. Meta4 Design was accustomed to designing based on intuition and client feedback. The McCormick Foundation project, however, was unique: design a Web site around the abstract concept of freedom. This was to be the nation’s first museum dedicated to the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment and was a huge investment in money and reputation for The McCormick Foundation.

The challenge required a user-centric, iterative and collaborative approach. By exposing Meta4 and the McCormick Foundation stakeholders to design thinking and flexible Institute of Design methods, our team achieved results initially thought impossible.

To get the ball rolling I first had to convince everyone that a “little bit” of research was in order...

We had a small budget and no time. Our ethnography included many different people including teenagers, teachers, parents. I even visited a prison facility to interview an inmate for an inverse perspective on freedom. All would serve as inspiration for the workshop...

...some of the best footage came later as online content...who knows how to say it better than Maya Angelou?

The video ethnography helped inspire a lively conversation which led to an enthusiastic ideation session...

The concepts developed at the workshop were great! Many of them are still relevant today, such as the mobile museum, which is now being implemented...several years later!

Some concepts where out of this world and that’s what makes for a great ideation session.

Eventually, our initial work gelled into a journey map that later became the basis for the Web site structure. [Special thanks to Michael Davis-Burchat who helped me get through this process.]

This laid the foundation for one of the most engaging museum web sites of its day...The Freedom Museum Web site. Among its awards were Communication Arts Webpick of the Week.

I want to give you an idea of how stellar the museum was. Located on the “Magnificent Mile” in the Chicago Tribune Tower, the museum held a befitting location for a destination dedicated to the First Amendment. Gallagher & Associates designed stunning exhibits set in a gleaming space anchored by a stainless steel sculpture: 12151791,. The sculpture commemorated the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The state of the art interactive exhibits by Second Story enthralled school aged children; the target audience of the museum. The Freedom Museum was truly a first of its kind...a “New-seum.”

The McCormick Foundation staff was an energetic and creative group of people whose CEO was retired Brigadier General David Grange of the 1st Infantry Division. General Grange was a Viet Nam combat veteran who was tough, fair and exhilarating to work for. He was used to getting things done under fire...literally!

However, it was not to last...as the economic crisis hit, The Chicago Tribune Company along with the Chicago Tribune Tower were forced to sell to Sam Zell.

The new owner had other plans for the lucrative space the Freedom Museum occupied and the General was forced to close the doors in 2009...attendance had just topped 100,000. Today, most of the staff is still working for the museum which is now mobile. General Grange has moved on to other opportunities.

I forgot to mention that the museum was free of charge...it was for education not profit.

As budgets were cut, the museum could no longer afford Meta4 to design updates and maintain the complex Flash driven site. So, the original site was replaced with a simple-to-edit version. However, the inspiration, structure and content in the first web site still lives on in the aptly named Freedom Project Web site...as we realized during the research...the online presence would out live the bricks & mortar ...

In closing, all of the effort put into this project, while very laudable, pales in comparison to the courage and sacrifice of the people responsible for Burma VJ. They still do not have a voice and so far have been fighting a losing battle...what they need are “big guns” like The McCormick Foundation, General Grange or the late Colonel McCormick on their side...

...I leave you with the full length film...90 minutes or so.
There are 9 parts...you must click t0 the next video after each part.

I hope this helps to make amends for anything I did wrong or could not accomplish...it was my first truly user centered design project. Now, even though I am here writing this post from Seoul, Korea, I still believe in the greatness of the freedoms that are the foundation of what America is today.

Oh! One more thing...my friends in Shanghai and Beijing cannot view this blog because it is censored in China...

Burmese Days...(updated!)

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:46:00 +0000

Photo by Lyra Jakabhazy
Earlier this year (2010) I had a chance to visit an enchanted land...Burma. It is one of the poorest and, yet, richest country in the world. Burma, or Myanmar as it is known, is impoverished in the sense of possessions and political freedom, but very rich in the sense of humanity and authentic culture.

Once I got past the dense and dirty cities of Rangoon (Yangon) and Mandalay, I came face to face with the way the world must have been before it was shackled together with asphalt and railroad ties. Today, Rangoon and Mandalay are survive on the crumbs of civilization left over from what was once the crown jewel of the British Empire. Amazingly, the rest of Burma still holds onto what existed before the British arrived...

I was shocked by the diversity of the people...all sorts of ancient tribes and ethnic groups. Each one with their own language, customs, food, clothing and distinct physical appearance. I humbly believe that this is how the world looked before the modern era.

Burma? Myanmar? So what, you might say. Well...I am sure you have heard of George Orwell. It was Burma that made an indelible impression upon a young Englishman named Eric Blair. Eric spent a good part of his youth in Burma as an officer in the British Imperial Police. He had a promising career ahead of him, then, for some unknown reason, after 5 years, Eric abruptly turned in his uniform. A choice that would lead him to become one of the most influential literary forces of the 20th century who we know as George Orwell.

In Myanmar (Burma), there is a joke that George Orwell (“The prophet”) wrote not just one novel about the country, but three: a trilogy comprised of Burmese Days, Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four according to Emma Larkin, an American author who wrote Finding George Orwell in Burma. Well...I don’t know, but it made a transformative impression upon me.

unknown photographer
Today, I am reminded once again of the rich land of 50 million people because it is today that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been freed after having been imprisoned for 15 of the past 21 years.

Over my next few blog posts, let me try to give you a glimpse of my experience...

We did not have a solid plan when we got off the plane in Rangoon. In hindsight, I would not advise. In fact, I knew it was not a good idea when we attempted it. As soon as we hit the ground, we realized that we were going to be “trafficked” as prized possessions from person to person. Not quite hostages, but not free either. Luckily, we seemed to have guardian angels...

It was about midnight, as we hopped in a cab held together with duct tape and bondo with a guide and driver. We told the guide we wanted to go to the bus station to get to Bagan and that we needed to exchange money. Then the suspense started...he drove us too a dark alley where a dubious figure came out of the shadows with a large bag and jumped into the car. OMG! I was already swatting at the mosquitoes that I was sure were carrying malaria.

He promptly pulled out wads of old Burmese cash...of which we exchanged a few hundred dollars...we now had huge stacks of bills that looked like they were printed in the 19th century. I was figuring they were worthless...but I still held on to my faith in humanity as they drove us to the the chaos they considered a bus station. Trustingly, we followed them to a bus where we boarded. There were some unintelligible directions which I tried to follow...the main point being that we where going to Mandalay not Bagan...

Once on the bus...we were befriended by a group of university students...luckily...cuz the fun was just beginning. At about three in the morning, the bus stopped at a transfer point. Unknowingly, we had ended up in a restricted zone...off limits to foreigners! When we tried to board the second bus, the authorities guarding the bus station went ballistic and demanded our passports...of which we promptly handed over. Now we were in deep ^%#*! After about 15 minutes of yelling our current “owners” talked the authorities out of whatever fun they had in store for us and we boarded the bus.

Once on the bus, I noticed that the front seat was open. Well...how nice...leaving the front seat vacant for the foreign travelers. ;-) Then as we pulled away in the 1960’s era motor coach, I realized why the front seat was open.

In front of me were two hired men whose job it was to hold the broken windshield in place with pillows. That is because it so badly cracked that the duct tape holding it place was failing and the pillows were the only way to keep it from blowing back into the bus. Once the bus broke 60 kph, the guys started yelling because the window was caving in...and I am not talking safety glass! These where big chunks of half inch think daggers of death. Ah...thanks for leaving the front seat open... Argh!!!

Continue...

Burmese Days...Part II

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:16:00 +0000

Well, eventually the bus commander realized that holding the windshield in place was futile. That is, after 6 hours of two men frantically pushing at the plate glass window with an old frayed pillow as we sped down the highway. So, they pried the windshield out at the nearest rest stop and we drove the rest of the way to Mandalay without a wind sheild.

As you can imagine, it got quite windy. Windy was an understatement. More like a wind tunnel with an occasional bug smacking to smack you in the face at 60 mph. ...But who could complain at $4.00 per person. Sixteen hours of exotic excitement for only 4 bucks! Really, I didn’t mind. For me it was a trip of a lifetime. I can still hear the crunching and crackling of the glass at the same time the men were yelling for the driver to slow down or the window would buckle from wind at high speeds.

FYI, I say bus commander because he was the guy in charge, but sat in the seat behind the driver like Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. His wife (Mr. Spock) sat next to him chewing beetle juice while he barked orders at the actual driver (Mr. Sulu). I think Ohura and Checkov where the ones holding the window in place with the pillows.

Once I got over my fear of flying glass, I started noticing that everywhere, people had painted their faces with a very light brown cosmetic. I guess it is called thanakha. <---Click the link if you want to learn more...
The women applied it to themselves with beauty, style and creativity...

...However, they just slapped it on their kids like sunscreen. Still, it looked quite exotic...

...Lyra thought she would give it a try. Quite beautiful...no?

Continue...

Burmese Days...Part III

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:15:00 +0000

We eventually made it to Mandalay thanks to our good Samaritans. They really saved our #$%^&. What we did not realize until the end of the 16 hour bus ride, was that they bus had to stop early and kick everyone off...thanks to us. The bus commander was worried that the authorities would see us if he drove all the way into Mandalay. We had to ride the last 20 minutes in the back of a tiny pickup truck commandeered by our new found friends.

Our guardians then dropped us off at a local hotel which they had arranged for in advance. Very nice...and no...they did not take a cut. I believe they were not hurting for money and were more than happy to help us out of a tight spot.

The next adventure was to be on a boat! Sixteen hours of floating down the Irrawaddy River from Mandalay to Bagan. The action was never ending...but words can barely describe it.

At one point, we stopped in the middle of nowhere...since we where already in the middle of nowhere...this was rather redundant. Anyway...off in the distance I could see dust being stirred by a caravan of vehicles. As time passed I assumed they were trucks moving very slowly to meet the boat.

As the vehicles approached I realized they were teams of ox carts. I must say, they were most beautiful beasts...And were definitely prized animals with very proud owners.

The ox carts lined up, and then, for several hours, laboring men off loaded bone crunching bags of cement and steel rebar...man by man...

Fate would have it that I got terrible dysentery during the boat ride...needless to say things were not that sanitary. I will spare you the details...but I did not let it spoil the trip...not a chance. Compared to dragging the cement off the boat this a minor discomfort.

The foreigners, mostly segregated themselves from the rest of the locals. Not sure this was out of fear, comfort or what. Eventually, some people broke the ice, but it took effort. Maybe people just get tired of making an effort. Regardless...someone brought a guitar...and nothing breaks down barriers like a guy with a guitar.

We ended up in Bagan after night fall...So, the next day we got up at the crack of dawn to watch the sunrise...

...And spent all day riding bikes around the pagodas...

...until sunset.

To be continued...on to Lake Inle...then Shwedhegon.

Creative Momentum

noreply@blogger.com (by Douglas Wills) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:05:00 +0000

Earlier this month I got a Skype call from my daughter, Alexandria. She began by telling me about her felting project where she was making mittens for her high school art class...

She said...

“Dad, you know how you try to make something and it doesn’t quite turn out right?”

She had been working over a month creating felt mittens from scratch...oh...it’s a very time consuming task...instead of knitting you are actually poking the wool fibers together until they form something...

Anyway...I had to give her my words of wisdom, I pulled up the standard fatherly advice and said...

“Yes, Alex...sometimes you have to try several times before you get things right.” Sound advice I figured...

She says. “Ahhhh...yea...I know, the mittens did not quite turn out...But take a look at what I made instead!!!!!”

“WHAAAAA!!!!!”

Instead of boring old mittens, Alex ended up creating a puppet that should star in Muppets from Outer Space!! I was impressed, to say the least...how did she make the teeth, eyes, mouth, etc. I am still amazed.

...she spent the next half hour joking around with Kermit’s cousin via Skype, I was beside myself...

I am so pleased she worked through how things don’t quite turn out as planned. She intuitively demonstrated that if you maintain your creative momentum, you can end up with something unexpected and even more wonderful than you originally planned.

As a parent, it seems the best way to teach this is to stay out of the way and show enthusiasm when asked. I am sure if I kept bugging her to finish the project...she would have done just that. And Alex would have been left with mittens and no lesson learned...and would not have found what made her passionate...

I firmly believe that this applies to managing people...not just parenting...

Alex sent me more photos...too bad I don’t have any of the original mittens...they were kind of cool work in progress...

Alex doesn’t have a name for him yet...Here he is with a cape...She put arms on him later...but I don’t have a photo of that.

...Ouch!...and teeth!!!

This is the raw felt...how Alex created a puppet, I will never know...

These were her only tools...you figure it out... ;-)

Oh! I think he needed a root canal...

Also, a nip and a tuck...

Alexandria has loads of energy and doesn’t like to follow directions or a straight path. So, I am not a bit surprised that she strayed from her original intent. However, it looks like she has some talent...seeing that this is her first felting experience.

Hope you enjoyed!

PS
He needs a name!