The Boy From Po Toi

Echoes of a ghost?  Of the future?  Of the past? There is a feeling of perplexity.  I’m no longer standing in the conference room on the top floor of a skyscraper.  There are no floor-to-ceiling windows with Hong Kong harbor far below.  And my Armani suit?  Transformed into what appears to be rags.      There is panic, but also familiarity.  I look down at my hands holding…

Time is Fleeting, Never Stop

Unfamiliar territory, the uncertainty paralyzes. A surge of panic fills my head and heart, only to be soothed by the perfect amber of a freshly poured Czech beer. “Here I go again…” Lost. Around me is a language I do not understand. Spreadsheets in front of me I cannot comprehend. A feeling of being exactly where I should be. I relax, surprised by the…

Musings of my Quantum World

The verdict: a decision to affect and disrupt a life. My choice to veer off the comfortable path, abandon the current state of happiness and venture into the unknown. Why? To chase down a mysterious, obscure sensation I cannot explain. Inhale. Exhale. Breathe in the fresh air flowing off Hood Canal and let the peacefulness of the surroundings make the decision for me. The…

The Thin Gauze of Doubt and The Multiverse

The scene is one I can imagine centuries ago. A young man overlooking his homeland, within his reach a promise of a career to ensure him of a great life. A “normal life” both he and his family have dreamt about since he was a kid. His dream at his fingertips, he does not move. He sits there perplexed at the struggle within his…

Women of the American West: Pursuing Excellence

The glint in her eyes mixed with the afternoon sun lulls us in before a quick shift in the saddle flaunts her message: a woman with a Cowgirl Spirit can stretch, bend, and break the rules society lays at her feet. The whisper of the wind matches the cadence of her gallop.  Her light laughter trails off, leaving us cowboys choking in a cloud…

Slowing Down the Perception of Time

I’ve made a mistake. I look behind me but there is no turning back, I’ve past the point of no return. The chill of frost has seeped further into my bones; the other side of the frozen lake appears just as far away as it did an hour ago. Or was it only a few minutes ago? With snow blowing around I bow my…

The Wolf You Feed ~ A Native American Story

Crawling out of the teepee at first light, my spirit is buoyed with excitement of the salmon run on the Big River (the Columbia). The echoing roar of Celilo Falls in the background is a symphony, welcoming back the tribes once again. Rubbing my eyes and taking a cool breath of morning air, there is a light laugh beside me followed by several pieces…

Arches ~ Temptation of the Exotic

She sits there quietly with the glow of the morning sun reflecting everything a beautiful day should contain. I pace around in search for the perfect angle to enjoy her, and as I look on with eyes filled with desire I set my camera and capture my first sunrise at Arches. A thought enters my mind…have I just fallen in love? Stretching out, I…

The Original Mind of Imagination

Walt Disney once said, “Every child is born blessed with a vivid imagination.” No truer words spoken. A perfect state-of-mind to enter life: full of curiosity and void of bias or preconceived notions of race, politics and status. Ahead, only the beauty of life waiting to be discovered. Bliss. Then the battle begins. The real world slowly creeps in and starts to chip away at…

The Ghosts of Tai O

Stepping out onto the verandah, a strong feeling of déjà vu sweeps over me. I breathe in the early morning air of the sleepy fishing village of Tai O, the sound of the water inviting me out to explore. The purity of silence only a pre-dawn sky can provide, accompanies me as I walk down a path toward the shore of the South China…