New Painting - "TCUANKAE"

PAINTING

INSPIRATION

Artist

Don't Tranquilize w/ Minutiae

I've been exploring local stores - Asian & Latino stores - finding new stuff that I've never tried before.  Items are always about 40% cheaper than Wholefields.

 

After checking off a 100 "exotic" food one must try list, these are my remaining 16 that I've yet to try:

1) Absinthe, 2) Bellini, 3) Chile Relleno, 4) Currywurst, 5) Frito Pie, 6) Fugu, 7) Haggis, 8) Head Cheese, 9) Kangaroo, 10) Pavlova, 11) Phaal, 12) Pocky (In a can), 13) Sea Urchin, 14) Squirrel, 15) Sweetbreads, 16) Umeboshi

On a mission!

BEYONCÉ

The Power of Knowledge

Only 28%

Old, Hypochondriac, or Technologically Savvy?

Over a year, I've been weighing myself on regular basis with this wireless body analysis scale and taking my blood pressure with this wrist apparatus wrist apparatus. They both record wirelessly on my iPhone app and on this site.  I can monitor the patterns.  And to monitor my sleep patterns, I've download this iPhone app. It records the time I go to bed, when I wake-up, my deep sleep, light sleep, etc.

THE NEXT GENERATION

NO RELIGION, NO POLITICAL PARTY, NO MARRIAGE 

Racially diverse, economically stressed and politically liberal, Millennials are building their own networks through social media – rather than through political parties, organized religion or marriage.    Half now call themselves political independents, the highest share of any generation.  Most Millennials do not see a difference between the political parties. 

YES SELFIES, YES SOCIAL MEDIA, YES FINANCIALLY OPTIMISTIC, YES GAY RIGHTS

What I was most surprised was the dramatic decline in the marriage rate.  Only 26% of those between 18 and 32 were married in 2013 compared to 65% in 1960.  There are so many more options today than 43 years ago: education, delaying a career, traveling, having fun and enjoying life. The societal pressure to get married, have kids and work they rest of your life supporting them and paying off the mortgage has greatly decreased.

Also surprising was less millennials call themselves environmentalist and millennials have a positive financial outlook. I would have guessed the opposite was true for both of these findings.

The other finding of the report are fairly obvious: less youth believing in god and religion, no affiliation to a political party, significant voting gap between young (progressive) and old (conservative), more selfies, more connected through social media, less patriotic (more international), and more diverse.

IN MY PERSONAL OPINION THE YOUTH TODAY ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. PROPS TO THEM! 

Pew Social Trends 

Getting the Itch: Africa ?

142 days between Cairo and Cape Town 

Tour Company advertises: "There is, quite simply, no better way to see Africa! Our popular Nile Route, taking you on the incredible journey between Cairo and Cape Town, will give you an unparalleled insight into this amazing continent. We have been leading the way in African overland expeditions for decades - not many operators can claim in-depth knowledge of Sudan (where we first travelled to in 1983!). Take advantage of our years of experience and come with us as we include all the must-see attractions as well as heading into the wilds, well away from the usual tourist trail. With Dragoman you will visit the wonders of ancient Egypt such as the Pyramids and the Nile Valley but also some hidden gems like the pyramids of Sudan or the temples of Axum in Ethiopia. You will go on safari in East Africa's great game parks such as the Serengeti, Masai Mara and Ngorongoro Crater but also visit the lesser known wildlife parks in Zimbabwe and Zambia. You will track mountain gorillas in Rwanda and chimpanzees and rhino in Uganda. You will relax on the beaches of Zanzibar and also by Lake Malawi. Paddle canoes on the Lower Zambezi and mokoros through Botswana's Okavango Delta. Enjoy the awesome scenery of Namibia with its Fish River Canyon and incredible dunes at Sesriem. Get the adrenalin pumping in Victoria Falls and on the Skeleton Coast at Swakomund. In fact the entire trip is one big adrenalin rush linking the Mediterranean to the Cape of Good Hope. Join us for the complete African experience!"

 LINK

Yes, this will put another kink in my career, but I don't care. I really like my new job a lot, but nobody wishes they worked more on their deathbed.  This won't be until 2015 or possibly 2016.  And I have already seen a lot of Africa already, but it's my favorite continent.

Previous Africa Trips:

1985: I spent a month in Kenya on exchange program with the Future Farmers of America living with white, black and Indian Kenyans.  It was probably one of the most profound experiences of my life. It was the start of my travel addiction. 

1993: With my friend, Tim, I backpacked through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and Zimbabwe under the guise of researching the economics of elephants.  Along the way, we camped, hitchhiked, utilized local buses, climbed Mt. Kenya and visited Zanzibar (one of my top 5 places, I've ever visited).  

1997: My friend, Bart and I visited a mutual friend from Cornell, Tebogo. We visited Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa, and then traveled to Gaborone and the Okavango Delta in Botswana.

2001: I flew to Kenya took a local bus to Tanzania to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Lupita Nyong'o Speech on Black Beauty

Confessions of a Snow Queen

queerlibido.tumblr.com

New England: A Day at Yale