Amsterdam to India

Om Namo Narayanaya

Thought it would be good to start out with some salutations to the preserver of the universe... if you will.

Hello dear ones. I wasn't sure I wanted to keep in touch, as I feel that "everyone has travelled... and so what." and back to thoughts of "art and/or communication being an exploitation of the experience". But then I remember that dream about the little art installation of a tiny kitchen being put up inside a building with an interestin pattern of growing hallways that I'd never noticed before, and the realization that art is a lense through which to see the patterns, beauty, uniqueness, and just-so-ness of what is already there. And not that this is art, so much, but I imagine it will allow me to frame things a bit ... so if you like, here you go.

Presently in Amsterdam click-clacking on my new (old) little ibook trying to maintain contact with my new company that has graciously allowed me two months of geographic freedom... while in the background Wendy reads anthro reading packet - recall anthro readings being extremely boring. she is one with endurance for academic garble - power to her. Amsterdam is my first and only experience of Europe - practically the world - though if you know me well, you know that I am likely to interject here that I mean in this present lifetime, of course.... One other note - I am so grateful for Wendy.

A-dam has canals, brick building galore, (and of course wooden clogs and legal pot - didn't get involved - though I somehow think that would have prepared me for India - gotten me into some revelatory mind state - oh YEAH, just BE, and Everything will be Fine!) But no. Feel lucky to have been able to witness the youth culture here - converse at length with some arty active ones - I feel it is somewhat more genuine here because it is not so prevalent as in the "States"... but I do notice that people do not look at each other here - I feel extremely unnoticed and unnoticing. Maybe this is part of the "tolerance", though it would be sad to assign that to indifference.

This is my last night here - tomorrow an epic saga will conclude (and another will begin) - I am going to India. Those of you who don't know, I have had major power issues about travelling to this region for ... let's see... 6 years now? Sad though, that I think I had to not register it in order to build up the nerve. And now I am not even excited, not scared, not anything... not even really aware at all... wish I could go back to that defiant angry scared and competely full-of-wonder me that cried on the phone with dad about studying abroad in Nepal and how he just didn't understand that I HAVE TO GO!!!! Well, writing that helped a bit. Tomorrow... I am going to India...

pictures: homepage.mac.com/omvidya