Alternate Vision

Too much caffeine at 61c this evening. Blame should fall on myself for getting lost in my readings on social dimensions of globalization in Chile as I consumed cup after cup of the bubble gum tasting morrocan green tea but I will pass the buck on to the hottie behind the counter. Same time, same place tomorrow. Different book, less caffeine though.

We were a tad bit hesitant to brave the mountainous terrains up in Central Pennsylvania given the ugly, overcast weather for the last week. So I called up the front desk at four quarters farm and inquired about conditions on the ground. "It hasn't rained here for 24 hours.. don't forget we are in the mountains." With that as the omen, we set out late Friday night.

While that reasoning wasn't completely true (it did rain intermittently all weekend), that didn't stop us or the 900 visitors from weathering the storm for the festival. The three of us were forced to camp on the outskirts because of their 'no-dogs' policy, previously unbeknownst to us.

Highlights from the weekend include midnight walks into the wilderness, early morning yoga, late evening drum workshops, modern dance performances, late night ambient dance distractions with DJs from Norway, South Africa and where have you, Ty's utlitmate picnic basket ( fresh stawberries, blueberries, olives, capers, sprouts, mascapone, bagels, wine, organic tomatoes, cucumbers and onions, fresh juices, hummus, goat cheese, trail mix), swimming in fresh water streams to cool off in the scorching heat, lots of beautiful people from all walks of life and of all ages, more feasting - (couscous, fresh salad, boiled eggs, lemonade, eggplant parmesan, endless amounts of fresh chai and coffee), sleeping with spiders and bugs, conversations about moral philosophy, gaia, pushkar fair, Israeli nomads, music., hiking, getting drenched, searching for lost dogs in the rain and a peacefull drive home.

I need to escape into the wilderness more often. It helps disconnect from the mundane and reconnect with the inner body. Physically tired but spiritually cleansed.

"Football is primal, ritual, hypnotic. It's Greek tragedy. It's moralist drama (but never moralistic). And at its World Cup apex, it's what global performance art is all about; the whole planet - literally - having a ball, a hedonist frenzy from Islamic-controlled Mogadishu to the deserts of Xinjiang, from out-of-water-and-electricity Baghdad to the Andean peaks." - The Roving Eye

I can't remember the last time I was this excited about anything.

I slipped out of the cab last night after barely managing to grab my bag from the trunk when the cab zipped away. Two seconds later I realized my phone was in the backseat. My day was going from bad to worse. I spent most of the day sitting in a thrice delayed Continental flight taxing on the run away only to be sent to Us Air cos Continental had to cancel the second leg of my flight. While I am thankfull for making it to Pittsburgh last night, its no fun knowing that my one suitcase and fragile drum are sitting in Newark. So ofcourse I am without my bags and more importantly phoneless. The weather isn't helping any either. 69F and thunder storms. Its one big conspiracy to drive me nuts.

Here I am sitting helpless not knowing if that fart of a cab driver, who was super rude and refused to go around the block and return my phone after I called it a zillion times, is going to turn it into lost and found. Either way, I will be phoneless for the next few days it looks like. Its times like this that I am reminded of our dependency on the material world not just for basic functionality but sadly happiness. Why can't I be celebrating in joy that I am somehow disconnected from a viscious world of constant phonecalls and disturbances? Instead, I am having to resort to email as an alternative to calling those who need to be called. Screw the venting. I am ready for some black label on the rocks and this (weather permitting).