shamash says...

Blog Narcissism

"His entire blog was all about him, him, him, and how we can get more of him... a one largely arrogant man."

-K. in S.A.

Shameless Friends Promotion

No: my friends aren't shameless. I am simply shamelessly promoting them and their books. So: here's to a kick-ass earthship, my tribe in Taos, living in community, writing group, and drinks on Nancy's deck.

Mirabai Starr : author, translator, teacher

Natalie Goldberg : author, teacher

Darsi Kamay :

author,

teacher

Cristina Sumners : author, teacher, minister - a fantastic mystery writer whose third book by Bantam Books comes out this year. (BTW, if you happen to be her agent, PLEASE establish a website for her that promotes her books! This is the 21st century, not medieval England!)

On French Fries and Being American

I moved to Asia to get out of my comfort zone. I wanted to reinvent my life in the opposite hemisphere- so far from home that if I flew any further, I’d be heading back.

Intentions for the New Year

Does anyone else do this most-of-the-time futile, annual exercise? I do, without exception. I am, as they say, a glutton for punishment.

These are late, I know, but here are my five New Year's intentions:

1. Read more; watch less TV. (BTW: In regards to my Jan 17 posting: I'm into week two)

Shrimp

"Less than two weeks after a 40-foot wave flattened massive swaths of Southeast Asia, ......

Bush's Inauguration Speech In One Sentence

"Bush to the World:

The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves"

-Ben Schwartz as posted by Brian Doherty

(Also by Brian Doherty: This Is Burning Man, a chronicle and history of "Burning Man")

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I wasn't there.

I didn't watch it on TV.

But, you can click to read the full text below

What Is "Art"... And Who Decides?

"How should we rank artists? Forget about quality. Forget about sales. Let's pretend we're in junior high and rank artists by popularity. Let's see how much attention they're getting and whether it's coming from the cool kids."

-Sarah Boxer in Picasso and Warhol... Neck and Neck in 22 January The New York Times (Click "Continue reading..." for full text of article.)

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This NYT article raises many questions, including:

What is art? Who gets to vote? Do gallery/museum exhibitions measure the value of an artist?

According to the creators of the list at Artfacts , the "cool kids" are the professionals (museum curators and gallery owners), and art is that which is shown in exhibited in museums and galleries.

What do you think?

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Haiku

               We are all Haiku

          only here for seventeen

               syllables, three lines.

Reverse Culture Shock: Surreal Moments in the U.S.

1. In December, at a stoplight, with the EiffelTower in the distance, I stand behind a shirtless Native-American. (click to enlarge photo.)

Surreal Moments in Ex-Pat Life

1. Watching an Italian movie that’s dubbed in Spanish, with Thai subtitles.

2. Saying, “I’ll send my driver over to pick that up.”

3. Buying four fresh pineapples at the fruit stand for two bucks.

4. Driving past armed, uniformed soldiers who are watering the flowers in front of a general’s residence.

5. Without blinking an eye, jogging past a line of 100 barefoot, saffron-robed Buddhist monks walking in the middle of the road at 5:30 am.