Breadth-in-Effect

Title: My new blog is at http://soulrhythm.blogspot.com

I have an RSS reader, and I try to keep up with all my friends blogs (often by reading a months worth of blogs in one or two sittings). Today, suddenly, unexpectedly, I was able to read any and all livejournal blogs. This is a surprise because livejournal has been blocked in China since last September, but suddenly it is unblocked. During this long period of blocked-ness, I started a new blog, thinking I would never again see this blog. My new blog is located at:

http://soulrhythm.blogspot.com

You may venture on over if you so desire...

Wow it has been a long time since I have posted an entry, but I do indeed have many good excuses for being far away from cyber-space for these last few months. For one, I was preparing for my wedding and getting everything ready in our new home. Thereafter occurred said wedding (July 12th). Which, by the way, was the greatest day of my life (pictures to come... eventually... though some people who attended the wedding have already posted some photos on facebook that you can hunt down on facebook under the 'photos of javad taken by others' section). After this was Lily and I's 'honeymoon', two weeks of traveling together with mom, dad, brother, aunt, and uncle, which certainly isn't your traditional honeymoon, but it was nice to spend so much time with the family after not seeing them for such a long time, and it was a great way for Lily to get to know my family more deeply (and visa versa). Then we all ended up back in Guangzhou (after Lily and I did get a couple of days alone in the beautiful paradise that is Yangshuo, China), where we helped my parents get settled in to their new apartment and new life in their new city. And now, I'm back in Macau, waiting for my passport to re-accompany me once it returns from it's current trip to a Chinese embassy in the US, where it is kindly obtaining my work visa for me. I'll be here for about 2 more weeks then will be returning to my wonderful wife and our life of all that is to come.

1) I am moving to Lijiang on Friday! My new home, the place where I will get married (on July 12th), raise a family, and live most of my life. I am exuberant!

2) I will be married in 5 weeks!!!!!! (www.geocities.com/eyeoflayman)

3) I am now officially enrolled in an online 'Masters in Adult Learning & Global Change' through Linkoping University in Sweden (program is run in collaboration with professors from U of British Columbia, a university in South Africe, and another university in Australia). It really looks like an awesome program. And if I haven't mentioned before, it is free, because Sweden rocks and finds "higher" education important enough to make it accessible for everyone (I put "higher" in quotes because a degree does not necessarily bring one's knowledge "higher". I don't like the common term "higher" education).

4) One month from today my mom, dad, bro, aunt, and uncle all arrive in China! My aunt and uncle will be here for about 3 weeks, and my mom, dad, and bro are here for, perhaps, ever.

5) I just signed a contract to teach English at the University of Yunnan in Lijiang starting in September.

6) I always right about "I" on this blog. This needs to change. Eventually I'm gonna be getting a new website for 'Intrinsic Cadence' up and running (first I wanna finish the CD), and I'm gonna get a proper blog on there too I think, and update it with more exciting stuff then simply life's headlines. I like to update you all on life's happenings, but I feel I could get more out of the whole blog experience if I strove to infuse some creative juices into it. Maybe mention the headlines too, but go through more of the internal journeys, etc. Strive to paint more vivid pictures of moments in time and the effect it has on life's spiritual quest, etc. Cuz we've all got all sorts of spiritual pictures etched into the depths of our souls, and the blog-sphere is another one of the many realms of expression in which these pictures can burst from their canvas and become more then an idle image imprinted internally. Word...

1) I can't wait to move to Lijiang! It'll be really soon!!! (more to come...)

2) I'm getting married in less than 2 months!!!!!!!!

3) Anyone know a good web space provider that I should look into. I've been working on making a website for Intrinsic Cadence (probably will be finishing it up right around the time I'm finished with the first CD!). I want to get a something that is inexpensive, but reliable and with plenty of bandwidth and total space.

4) I now know that on May 29th I'll know whether or not I got accepted to the Master's program I applied for (online program through Linkoping University (in Sweden) called 'Master's in Adult Education and Global Change')

5) I'm getting married in less than 2 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6) A year ago the exchange rate from Macau's Patacas into China's Renminbi was almost 1=1. Now, when I exchange 4,000 Patacas I only get 3,500 Renminbi. This ain't cool, since I have to exchange all my money into Renminbi soon.

7) On May 20th, Lily and I will pay the last portion of the money to the previous owner of the apartment we bought. This means that on May 20th, they will also move out and we can begin to move in anytime after that. This means that as soon as I get to Lijiang I'll be able to move into the new apartment (Lily will remain where she is until after the wedding, then she'll move on over).

8) We found the person who will replace me as the Project Officer for the Badi Foundation's Junior Youth Empowerment Project (JYEP)! He'll come in August. Some of you Chicago people may know him.

9) One of the schools the JYEP has been working with has decided they want us to run a summer program with their school this summer! We were able to find someone to run the program (since I'll be leaving), and everything is pretty much set up with that. It's really nice to know that we will be able to continue on with this school into the future. This was the first school the project began working with when the project first started last year.

10) When I go to Lijiang, I'll have about a month before the wedding to prepare clothing, prepare apartment, prepare self, etc. I'm also looking into the possibility of teaching English online for 6-7 hours per week in order to have a little bit of money coming in, since this summer will cost a decent amount of money.

11) I'll be signing a contract quite soon to teach English at the University of Yunnan in Lijiang.

12) I am looking forward to sitting down sometime and having a real nice reflection on the past year of my life. It has been just over one year since I first arrived in Macau, and there are a lot of experiences that have changed the whole direction of my life's path. I've always felt day-to-day reflection on one's life is the most important, but year-by-year reflection is also a really important thing in order to get a more wide picture for how one is progressing.

13) I'm so excited that my parents are moving to China! It'll be really nice to have them nearer.

14) It's almost 3 am, I really should go to bed. Good night...

Some of my new Intrinsic Cadence instrumental tracks have been uploaded! Check em out and let me know what you think about em: http://www.myspace.com/laymanofintrinsiccadence

Time seems to be moving at a snails pace as I await to leave Macau to move to Lijiang, where my fiancee lives and where we'll be living for many years into the future. It's likely I'll be moving there sometime in June, with just enough time to finish up preparations for the wedding (July 12th), but as far as I'm concerned I'm ready to be there now.

As the end of the school year gradually approaches, the schools I've been working with have begun to block off their extra curricular and elective class-time solely for the purpose of preparing the students for their year end exams. As such, the junior youth sessions at one of the two schools the Badi Foundation's Junior Youth Empowerment Project has been working with have ended for the semester, and the other school has just a month left, then we'll be done there. As one school wraps up and the other school comes towards an end for the semester, I feel an even deeper yearning to move to Lijiang. It feels like things are wrapping up in Macau and I feel a natural internal pull pulling me towards Lijiang. That pull has been there for quite a while, but now that things are in the wrap-up stage, and since it has been 2 months since I saw Lily last, I feel an even deeper pull.

The specific time when I'll be leaving to move to Lijiang is still up in the air, for the time being. We are waiting to here back from two schools that we have talked to about the possibility of doing a summer program collaboration with. If we are able to arrange something to work with one or two of these schools, then I will be staying until around the end of June so that I can get everything prepared so that my job replacement can swing on in and take over the project in a way that keeps it flowing without any major obstacles impeding it's progress. If, on the other hand, we are not able to arrange something for the summer session, then perhaps I'll move to Lijiang in late May or early June. It's uncertain when we will know for sure, but I'm really hoping we'll get a more clear picture within the next couple of weeks (especially because the timing of my job replacements arrival in Macau is largely determined by whether or not he needs to be here during the summer, if there is no summer session he'll probably come in August, if there is a summer session he'll probably come sometime in June).

I'm tellin ya, I wanna be in Lijiang with Lily with all that I am...

Okay, the beginning of this entry may sound a bit like an advertisement, but when I discover that Swedish universities are free for everyone, no matter where in the world you are from, I feel a need to spread some information about it.

Anyone wanting to continue their formal eduction should seriously look into the university programmes offered by Swedish universities. Sweden spends a lot of their GDP on education, and has created a system of higher education that is FREE for everyone. Bachelors, Master, PhD, all free, and as far as I can tell they have some really great programmes. They even have a few programmes that are distanced-learning degree programs. I'm applying for one, it's a Masters in Adult Education and Global Change from Linkoping University. It's a two-year part time program that never requires me to actually go to Sweden, I could do it all from China, and it won't cost me a dollar. The focus of this degree is really great, it is focused on enhancing the learning environment in various settings (workplace, school, etc) and aiding in a process of creating unity among people from different cultural backgrounds. A lot of this is done within the realm of adult education. There are a few other online programmes you should look into if you, like me, would like to get a Masters degree but don't want to fork out the ridiculous tuition fees of US universities. In my searching, I found the following online degrees offered by Swedish universities (all free, though a couple of them may require you go to Sweden once or twice for a week or two): Masters of Business Administration, Masters of Social Anthropology, Masters of Child Studies, Masters of Adult Education and Global Change, Masters of African Literature, Masters of Linguistics. If you don't want a degree, many Swedish universities also offer single courses for free in a variety of subjects.

And to finish off the blog entry, here is the short essay I just wrote for my application to the distanced learning Masters programme at Linkoping Univeristy I've applied to:

When reflecting on the present state of the world and the path along which history has traveled to arrive at this moment, it becomes evident that humanity is in dire need of true unity and of a deeper understanding of the beauty of the cultural diversity that exists on our planet. In order for society to advance we all need to learn how to build bonds of trust and respect that transcend cultural boundaries and national borders. If we learn to see ourselves as citizens of a global community who are intimately interconnected with all the dwellers of the earth, we can begin to become active participants in the continually unfolding process of community and global progress that is propelling humanity forward into never before explored territories of human development. Then, as we arise to take actions aimed at building an ever-advancing civilization, the new learnings we generate through our efforts can help us to construct a systematically evolving conceptual framework that will determine the nature of what our next endeavors will be. One of the key elements we must each learn, then, is how to always remain in a learning mode. This is one of the main reasons I would like to participate in the Intercontinental Master's Programme in Adult Learning and Global Change. I want to enhance my ability to learn how to learn within the various contexts of my life's path.
I am also very excited that the framework of this programme is largely centered around adult education. I have spent the last few years trying to help junior youth and youth develop their intellectual capabilities and their desire to be of service to their local community, while at the same time I have been going through processes of reflection and study with their teachers in order to create a learning environment that promotes organic growth and mutual development. I have often times felt that when working with junior youth and youth, they are naturally eager to develop capabilities that are related to the growth of themselves as individuals, as well as with the progress of their community. However, I have often times felt that the teachers and adults I have worked with are more rigid in their perspectives of the purpose of education, and trying to tap into their desire to improve themselves and society is not nearly as easy as it is with junior youth and youth. Therefore, I feel like learning how to work more effectively with teachers and other adults would also greatly enhance my ability to be a more effective educator of every age level. I feel like in order to truly make progress within the realm of education and learning, whether it be within a school environment or in other settings, there should be just as much focus put into the growth and progress of teachers as their should be put into the growth and progress of the students. I feel that this Intercontinental Master's Programme in Adult Learning and Global Change will help me learn how I may be able to contribute to the growth of teachers, thereby leading to the growth of students, thereby adding a rung to the ladder leading to the development of an ever-advancing civilization.

I wanted to share the lyrics for one of the songs I wrote recently. Hope you like it! The beat that goes along with it is mellow and jazzy. I've recorded a rough draft version and am quite happy with the result. I'll record the final version and do some touch ups with it within the next couple of weeks. It'll probably be up on my myspace page relatively soon (www.myspace.com/eyeoflayman)

TITLE: Exist Animated
/Say “yes” to this gift of life we get
one try,
so strive to exist animated by the Most High, the All-Wise./
Say “yes” to the tests that arrive,
for they refine
and bless your progress in time.
To manifest your best in the face of trials and tests
requires daily diligence
inspired solely by the Source
we accept
this expressed endeavor to remain heaven-sent.
So we say “yes” to this gift of life we get
one try,
so we strive to exist animated by the Most High...
say “blessed”
if you feel the vibe.
Never stress, even if the swords rain blows upon your necks,
let your heart remain content.
Even if the world was to rise and flex,
your steps would be unaffected if kept steadfast. Reflect
on the Prophet's path to gain the strength to surpass
every massive catastrophe crafted by apathy...
Be calm like the dawn and imagine the days that await us beyond.
Be as the breeze, unrestrained, but respond to the needs of the day.
Be as the bravest of Davids,
but believe that Goliath can change without violence.
Be as a writer who frees his mind from the tyrants
then seizes the silence and feeds on the brightest of beams
that descend from the unseen, where the sun streams
from the Source to the soul
to uplift up your whole
with a force unmeasurable.
/Say “yes” to this gift of life we get
one try,
so we strive to exist animated by the Most High, the All-Wise./
Say “arise”
as you glide through the sky.
Say “arise”
as you fly through your mind.
Say “arise”
as you strive to abide by the calling of your heart.
Say “arise”
Now act on your words,
cuz the task is to serve, unswerving in the path,
and with courage come with tact
to encourage current masses
with fervent verses purposed to pass just verbage.
Learn this,
than detach from the earth,
for the turf and the factions
are immersed in what has been,
but a breath everlasting
has emerged to revitalize the souls to return from whence they roam
and unearth a fertile home where the wanderers can go
to regenerate their whole and refocus on their goals.
Now uphold the path and
say “yes” to this gift of life we get
one try,
so we strive to exist animated by the Most High.
Say “arise”
for the sky is limitless, this benefits the wise
yet the Missives that are written by the Most High
rise
beyond every level that we're on
and defines what reality applies to existence and what dies.
Open up your inner eye
and gaze upon the grace of God that guides your soul to rise,
then your mind will seek to find the peaks inside
and reach up high to see horizon's redefined.
The state of time and space will fade away without a trace,
but a better plane awaits when unfettered by the world's weights.
What a waste would our time on earth be
if we followed earthly
purposes and never burst free.
But the mercy
of He is infinite,
immerse me!
in the spirit so I burst free
Can you hear it?!
I am thirsty!
Immerse me!
In the spirit so I burst free!
You can hear it!
And I feel it in my soul
personally!
I'm learnin' to be
fertile and free,
part of the sea
(pardon my flaws)
part of the breeze
blowin' beyond,
please!
Give me the strength
never to fade
or sever my aims.
Forever I'll pray
to better the day
and we'll never be left in the rain...
Be calm like the dawn and imagine the days that await us beyond.
Be as the breeze, unrestrained, but respond to the needs of the day...
Say “blessed”
if you feel the vibe.
Never stress, even if the swords rain blows upon your necks,
let your heart remain content.
Even if the world was to rise and flex,
your steps would be unaffected if kept steadfast. Reflect
on the Prophet's path to gain the strength to surpass
every massive catastrophe crafted by apathy.
say “yes” to this gift of life we get
one try,
so we strive to exist animated by the Most High, the All-Wise

"What?! Javad, you own an apartment?! Seriously?!"

Yep, Lily just signed the contract Friday night. It's true, I don't actually live in Lijiang yet (I'll be moving there around June; Lily and I will get married on July 12th (p.s. if somehow I missed sending you information about that, you are invited, everyone is invited, go to www.geocities.com/eyeoflayman to see our wedding website)).

Actually Lily and I will be half-owners of this apartment. My parents (who are moving to China in July!) decided to invest in half of the apartment since they will likely be living with us about 2 months per year (plus they want to spread out any financial investments they make for retirement into a few different places, so this apartment is a good place for them to do that). Since we bought this apartment not just for Lily and I only, we got a large apartment. It is 4 bedroom (1 for Lily and I once we are married, 1 for my parents, 1 for my brother, 1 as a study/office/prayer room/recording studio/guest bedroom), 140 square meters (~1,500 square feet), 2 bathrooms (and the one that is connected to Lily and I's future bedroom already has a sit-down western style toilet in it!), 3 enclosed balconies (enclosed balconies are common in Chinese apartment, it is usually used to hang clothes to dry; we plan on using one of them to have a nice little indoor potted planet garden to grow some herbs, and hopefully some fruits and/or veggies)(and one of these enclosed balconies is connected with the bedroom that will be Lily and I's!), 1 kitchen (good size), 1 living room (quite large), 1 dining room (good size), and a gorgeous view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (with no buildings blocking the view!). The location is prime, right in the center of the city, easy access to anywhere from here. All in all it seems to be the perfect place, which is why we bought it now instead of waiting until closer to July when we will be getting married.

Another thing that I really love is the cost. Lily and I (who half-own the apartment) pay about the same as someone from the States would pay for a relatively inexpensive new Nissan car, but instead of 4 wheels we get 4 bedrooms.

Now, picture time: (or go here- http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=17197&l=a0f38&id=505602608)

NOTE: None of the stuff in the house is ours, the furniture and everything is all the previous owner's

This is the view from one the bedrooms in the apartment. Yep, that is Jade Dragon Snow Mountain you see clearly without any buildings blocking the view.



This is the living room (the person taking the photo is standing in the enclosed balcony).



This is the kitchen and the dining room.



This is the master bedroom (it will be Lily and I's). It has a connected bathroom and it's own connected enclosed balcony.



This is the second bedroom (this will be my mom and dad's room ~2 months per year and a guest bedroom the rest of the year). There is a very gorgeous view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain out of the window.



This is the third bedroom (this will be my brother's room ~2 months per year and a guest bedroom the rest of the year, and will likely eventually be converted into Lily and I's first child's bedroom some years down the road).



This will be the office/study/prayer room/recording studio that will also have a futon couch that can allow this room to turn into a guest bedroom if needed.

Check out some of the new hip-hop tracks I've uploaded on my myspace page... http://www.myspace.com/eyeoflayman

(the beats and rhymes are both by me, aka Intrinsic Cadence)

Fasting

There's hidden sweetness in the stomach's emptiness.
We are lutes, no more, no less. If the soundbox
is stuffed full of anything, no music.
If the brain and belly are burning clean
with fasting, every moment a new song comes out of the fire.
The fog clears, and new energy makes you
run up the steps in front of you.
Be emptier and cry like reed instruments cry.
Emptier, write secrets with the reed pen.
When you're full of food and drink, Satan sits
where your spirit should, an ugly metal statue
in place of the Kaaba. When you fast,
good habits gather like friends who want to help.
Fasting is Solomon's ring. Don't give it
to some illusion and lose your power,
but even if you have, if you've lost all will and control,
they come back when you fast, like soldiers appearing
out of the ground, pennants flying above them.
A table descends to your tents,
Jesus' table.
Expect to see it, when you fast, this table
spread with other food, better than the broth of cabbages.

- Jelaluddin Rumi

One more thing:
My family is moving to China!!!!!!!!!
My dad just recently shook hands and accepted a job at an international school in Guangzhou, China! My mom, dad, and brother will be moving to China in July or August!

I am so happy! And they are so happy! And it is so good! China is really good for them. When they lived in China for 5 years from 1998-2003, it was the happiest and most spiritually uplifted I had ever seen them. I am so excited for them to come back here and for that spirit of joyfulness that China seems to rub onto people rubs onto them. This may, possibly, be the move that keeps my parents in China for the rest of their lives. The hope is that after working at this international school for a few years, where my parents will be able to save up a decent amount of money (international schools pay US wages, but there are no taxes taken out and the cost of living in China is significantly cheaper than the US), then after a couple of years there they plan on moving to Lijiang (where I'll be for most of the rest of my life). Wonderful indeed...

Much has happened since the last time my last entry a month ago. Here are some of the highlights (I wish I had some photos to accompany the highlights, but unfortunately my camera seems to have decided to take a vacation from working for the time being).
On the last set of headlines I wrote on a livejournal entry about, we had made our way up to what had happened until January 11th. So let us start from the following day:

January 12- January 20: Javad is in Macau, doing his thing in the place he currently resides

January 21: Travel to Lijiang!

January 22- January 30: I participate in a Badi Foundation training session in Lijiang. We studied materials related to consultation, collaborating with like-minded organizations, developing human resources, and other things that helped my understanding of development develop. It was a wonderful training session that I gained a lot from.

January 31: I spend the day wandering around Lijiang with some of his friends who came here for the training session and will be returning to their various homesteads shortly.

February 1- 4: This time, leading up to the Chinese New Year, was largely spent cleaning Lily's family's house. The time just before the Chinese New Year is often a time to do the 'spring cleaning' and get the house beautified to begin the new year fresh. During this time I also had some time to do a few job-related things, such as write up a reflection report to submit to one of the schools I work with.

February 5: Eat food seemingly all day.

February 6- 15: Remain in Lijiang. Do various things. Sometimes do job-related things, sometimes read (I finished reading "Memories of Nine Years in Akka", an AMAZING book!), sometimes eat, sometimes walk, sometimes sleep, sometimes cook... in summary: life. There was one day that consisted of some very memorable and important happenings........

February 13: This memorable and important day is the day Lily and I received our official consent for marriage from her parents. We got this consent in the traditional Naxi way. In order to ask for consent in the Naxi culture, I went to the store and bought four large blocks of brown sugar, two large bags of good quality rice, four different kinds of high quality tea, and four different kinds of high quality cooking oil. I brought all of these in a large basket to her family's house, and also brought along my "family" (since my actual family is in the US, I brought along some of my Lijiang friends to be my 'family'). The next step is that one of my family members was to casually bring up the topic of marriage while we are all sitting around talking. From here, since Lily's mother and father approved of our marriage, we commenced to begin consulting about our future goals and plans. It all went off without a hitch (translation= it was all good).

February 15: Go to Dali (a beautiful city about 3.5 hours away from Lijiang) to visit Lily's aunt and uncle. We spent one night in Dali.

February 16: Lily goes back to Lijiang. I go to Kunming, where I have a plane ticket for the following day to return to Macau. I stay in Kunming one night.

February 17: I fly back to Macau. I am sad to leave the Lijiang area, but I am happy when I realize that the next time I return to Lijiang will most likely be when I am moving there for the long-term. I can't wait for that time!!! I am so ready to move there!

Sit back, put your feet up, and get ready to learn some cultural anthropology. I've been reading a lot about the Naxi culture recently, and thought I would share some of the wonderful knowledge I have been gleaning from what I've been reading. The Naxi is a tribe from the southwest corner of China (in Yunnan province). Here is some information about them:

- Population: ~300,000
- Location of tribe: Lijiang city, Yunnan province, China country
- Written Language: The Naxi written language is the only hieroglyphic/pictorial written language still used today.

- Religion: The Naxi's traditionally believed in a religion called Dongba, which had a strong belief in life after death and was largely centered around the worship of Nature. The Naxi written language was created to write the original Dongba scriptures some 1,000 years ago.
- Cultural Roots: It is believed that the Naxi are descended from a nomadic Tibetan ethnic group (who may have actually originally been descended from a group of Mongolian nomads; who may possibly have been some of the same nomads who came over the the land bridge between Russia and Alaska thousands of years ago who are now the Native Americans)
- Music and Art: One of my favorite things about the Naxi culture is their love for music and art. They especially love singing and dancing. One common form of singing is a kind of freestyle singing, where there is a constant melody and rhythm pattern but the words are improvised by the singer (I love listening to 80 year old women free-styling). The Naxi also have some traditional music that has a sound not dissimilar from some Native American music.
- Clothing: To this day most Naxi women over ~50 years old still wear the traditional style clothing.

- Family Structure: The Naxi are traditionally a matriarchal society. In the spoken language, when the word for female is added to a noun the word has larger meaning, when the word for male is added to a noun the word has a smaller meaning. The female is traditionally the one who does pretty much everything in the family, from cooking and cleaning to making the decisions to raising the children to carrying heavy items, etc. The men traditionally didn't do much, except sit around drinking and playing mah-jong. The family unit is very important in the Naxi culture, and it is not uncommon for large extended families to live together under the same roof, or at least in the same village.

Hope this inspires you to come visit me in Lijiang someday (once I move there in April, May, or June) and become acquainted with the wonderful world of Naxi.

Extra extra read all about it!

December 21st: Javad's Father Arrives in Hong Kong Airport
December 22nd: Javad and John Luckey Travel From Guangzhou to Lijiang
December 22-January 31: John Luckey Meets Lily and Her Family: Meeting Goes Very Well
December 31st: John Flies Back to the USA with High Spirits
January 1-7: Javad Remains in Lijiang to Visit Lily
January 6: Dawn & Sean Get Married in Village Outside of Lijiang
January 7: Javad Gets Sick, But Must Travel All Day to Return to Macau
January 8: Javad Remains Sick and Rests His First Full Day Back in Macau
January 9: Javad Feels Healthier, But Longs To Be Back in Lijiang
January 10: Javad Feels Sick Again, Most Likely Psychological Sickness From Missing Lijiang
January 11: Javad Feels Health and Happy

Other headlines of the past few weeks:
- Javad's Family in the USA may be Moving to China by August 2008
- Javad Feels Hong Kong is One Enormous Mall
- Javad Loves Lijiang and Wants to Live There Forever
- Javad Learns More About Naxi Culture
- Javad Learns More About History of Lijiang Region
- Javad Gains a Great Appreciation for the Uniqueness of Lijiang Region
- Javad Meets Many Musicians During Stay in Lijiang

For pictures about the above mentioned headlines, please visit the following websites:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=13151&l=62a64&id=505602608
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=13152&l=d4470&id=505602608

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I have really not been very motivated to accomplish my tasks and goals over the past week or two. It is time for me to unmotivate myself from my unmotivation; to motivate my motivation. Over the past few days I have been riding on waves of laziness, and for whatever reason, have been content with remaining on them. Today, the waves are breaking on the shores of change, and I have thus far been holding strong to motivated ways. Luckily, for the next few days I have things on my schedule that should continue to give me a boost to get back into my normal motivated state of being.

You know, as I am reflecting here, it isn't even that I have been consistently unmotivated for the past week or two, it is more like whenever I don't have time structured for specific purposes I have been unmotivated to do much, but when I have had time structured for specific purposes, I think I have been motivated enough to strive for excellence. But only when the time calls for me to do such. If the time doesn't feel like it is calling me to be such, then I fade back and ride the waves a bit. Dang waves.

(Fingers snap)"and go..."
I thought perhaps this 'snap' could begin a stream of words that would be motivated by a desire to express something that is relevant to something. As I get one sentence into the writing process I begin to reflect on what it is I would like to say, should I try to make it simple, or perhaps thoughtful and reflective, or perhaps a meditation on life and all therein. Or perhaps I won't aim at such a specific mood, because if I have such an expectation for what I'm going to write, maybe if I hold on too tightly to what I think I should write about, I will actually be masking the deeper down in heart feelings and thoughts. Maybe. Or maybe brainstorming and having a concrete theme before beginning to write actually is a good idea because it gives an initial framework that I can then write within, and if I have that initial framework perhaps it'll be a nice jumping off place for my thoughts and ideas, and in turn what I write will actually be more interesting and thought provoking. I don't know, perhaps writing using the direct to-the-point method is the best, or perhaps writing using the indirect seeking-for-the-point method is best, or perhaps they can both be best when used in the proper context. It's like having a conversation with someone about the importance of justice and being of service to humanity to help it progress. On the one hand I could express very directly to someone that I believe it is everyone's obligation to be of service to humanity and to always seek for true justice, or I could indirectly ask lots of elicitation questions and try to guide the conversation towards this same idea. One is direct, the other is indirect. Both could be good in the proper context. So, in this blog entry I have chosen the indirect method, but the difference between this indirect method and the indirect method I gave an example of above is that in this version of indirect method I am indirectly driving at no particular point with no particular goal and no particular purpose. I am simply going in a direction, driven solely by what keyboard keys my fingers happen to press. No turning back and changing what has already happened, although I could learn from what has already happened and could use that learning to progress to what has not yet come, and then perhaps what will be written next will be better and more meaningful then what came before it. In any case, whether or not the next words will be full of wisdom or will instead be a relatively meaningless void is a mute point because I am not going to write any more words in this blog entry because I have to get going... THE END
(written in 5 minute non-stop typing with no editing or erasing anything that has been written... Call is a flow of consciousness or a free-write or something... In any case, it was fun)

How do you establish a habit?
At different times in my life it hasn't been too hard for me to get rid of unhealthy habits, and for certain habits (daily prayer, eating, sleeping, etc) it has also been quite easy to establish daily routines (even if not always done at the same time as the day before, they are still always done everyday). However, I seem to be having trouble bringing in other daily habits, things that would be useful and beneficial to me if I could do them everyday, but things that aren't necessarily essential to my day-to-day well-being.

These are habits I am trying to establish:
1) Study Chinese everyday
2) Do yoga or other form of exercise almost everyday
3) Have my spirolina supplements twice per day
4) Going to bed before 1 am and waking up before 9 am (ideally sleeping from like 11 to 7 most days)

I am not meeting my goals in establishing these habits, and I'm not quite sure why. I have a theory that it is because my mind perceives that my stay in Macau is very temporary and thus rebels against establishing any sort of routine, since I am really quite eager to leave Macau and move to Lijiang. I think perhaps subconsciously I feel that establishing a routine means I am settling into living here in Macau, but my whole being resonates a profound yearning to move to Lijiang.

I think for the rest of the time I do live in Macau I need to make more steadfast efforts to really live in the moment- it would help my service here and help prepare myself more for the road ahead. But how do I develop the capability of living in the moment when I am so eager for it to be 6 months from now when my moments will be spent with Lily in Lijiang?

Ponder ponder ponder

Dear Live-Journal Text Box,
I have not written you in quite some time. This certainly does not mean there nothing has been happening, because in actuality many waves of thought have been rippling through my mind, and many activities have been occupying the spans of existence that happen whilst the planet spins. I felt that it was time to give you a bit of an update about what some of these thoughts and activities have been recently.

Let us, for the sake of organization, split these thoughts and activities up into categories. Let us call the first category 'Relationship', the second category 'Work', and the third category 'Challenges'.

Bear in mind that although I am splitting up my expressions into categories, this does not mean that the expressions themselves are so easily categorized into just one or another of the categories. In truth, all of reality is interconnected, but due to the limitations of the human mind it is necessary for us to organize its elements into convenient organizational patterns that allow us to express our ideas and understand our own thoughts more clearly. The events and thoughts that happen in one's life rarely could ever fit so conveniently into one specific sort of category. In fact, I believe that trying to fragment one's life into various sections, rather than recognizing the inherent interconnectedness of it all, can impair us from being able to develop the capability of recognizing some of the complex interconnections of existence. Nonetheless, here is my life is categorized form:

Category 1: Relationship
I feel incredibly blessed to be in such an amazing relationship. Lily is a soul that posses a myriad personal qualities and attributes, and her heart reflects a brighter light than I have ever felt reflected in anyone. Her genuinity, warmheartedness, truth-seeking attitude, thoughtfulness, compassion, and commitment to service is inspiring and beautiful. The connection I have with her is one that transcends merely this earthly existence and reaches into the depths of forevermore.
Lily and I may currently be living hundreds of kilometers away from each other, but I am happy to report that that is not negatively effecting the strengthening and foundation building processes of our relationship. We talk on Skype or on the phone everyday. We are studying a book together called "Marriage Can Be Forever- Preparation Counts". Our jobs are pretty much identical, so we can relate very well to each others daily activities even though we are far away from each other. Being distanced from each other is also teaching us some very important lessons in patience and detachment.
That being said, it is also quite difficult to be so far away from Lily on this physical plane. In the spiritual realm we are very deeply connected, but my heart yearns to be near her on this earth, to share experiences together, to eat meals together, to build a life together. Knowing that the distance between us is temporary helps a lot. It will likely be May or June when I will be moving to Lijiang. That is only 6 more months. And even before May or June there will be a couple of opportunities when we will get to spend fairly significant amounts of time together. In fact, at the end of December my dad and I will spend a week with Lily (my dad is coming to visit so that he can meet her and her family), then just a month later I will go back to Lijiang for a four week visit. Both of these visits are very near on the horizon and with total over 5 weeks of time to be spent with Lily. This is very exciting to me. Although, I still very much look forward to the time when I don't have to use the word 'visit' when referring to spending time with Lily.

Category 2: Work
The Junior Youth Empowerment Program I have been working with the Badi Foundation to help build since I arrived in Macau is progressing along slowly but surely. The project is currently still working with just two middle schools (same two schools we've been working with for the past 6 weeks), but other possible schools are in the process of being lined up and hopefully the project will have at least one or two new schools to work with starting next semester. The classes in the two schools that the project is currently working with have been progressing nicely and the students' seem to really be enjoying the learning process aimed at enhancing their capabilities to be of service to their community.
The other arm of my job, which is to facilitate training sessions for college students and other interested individuals in which we study "Intellectual Preparation for Social Action" is also progressing along nicely. The first study group started a couple of months ago and is now coming into the final stretch of the study. The second group will begin in two weeks and will be a group almost entirely made up of friends of the students who were in the first group. This is good. This is organic and natural growth, sparked from genuine interest, creating a strongly interconnected network of individuals who are exploring important concepts related to strengthening their community.
We are also still in the process of looking for my replacement so that I can move to Lijiang whenever possible.

Category 3: Challenges

3.1: Challenges in Relationship
Refer to Category 1: Relationships for any information regarding this topic

3.2: Challenges in Work
The continuing challenge of trying to figure out how to build this junior youth program largely on my own is beginning to be less of a challenge. As time has progressed, I have been able to share ideas and network with more and more people, making me feel like this project is no longer my own baby, but rather something larger than just myself. While I am still the only salaried staff for the junior youth empowerment program (and will likely remain so until I leave Macau), I no longer feel like I am alone in the process. The assistant teachers I have in my classes have also become more involved in reflection processes related to helping the project grow; other individuals who know about the project have been helping me connect with people, organizations, and schools; and other individuals have arisen to render various acts of service to the project that have been very helpful. All in all I feel like the project has grown into something real and sustainable.

3.3: Challenges in Life
I am still learning a lot about how to systematize my schedule when I have very limited things that require to be doing something at specific times. I have tasks to do, but often no deadline by when to do them by, and no specific time slots set aside specifically for their purpose. As such, I am still learning a lot about how to be efficient with my time and energy when there is no sort of outside structure provided for me. It is a challenge.


In summary, life is good. I am happy, though I am eager to leave Macau. I am learning many things and experiencing many challenges, and at times I can feel enveloped in clouds of frustration and longing to be in Lijiang, but things are still good.

Oh, also, I've read a few really good books recently:
'Tuesdays with Morrie' was a very good book and a very quick read about an old man's path to prepare himself for death It was very touching and enlightening.
'Guns, Germs, and Steel' is a thick book I have been chugging through for the past couple of months. It is a book about the history of the world through the eyes of anthropology, sociology, linguistics, etc. It is a very large exploration that strives to discover where humanity has been and where we are headed.
'Saving Fish From Drowning' is a pretty good written by Amy Tan about a group of travelers from the US who go to Burma and are kidnapped and experience many hardships and struggles along their path. It was pretty good, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend it super highly, I would recommend it it at a moderate level.
And I am currently reading 'Soul Mountiain'- this book I highly highly recommend. It won the Nobel Prize for Literature some years back. It is written by a Chinese author (though the book is banned in mainland China) and is a beautiful and poetic exploration of the Chinese culture through a dream like journey through Chinese traditions, myths, folksongs, stories, etc. I'm not exactly sure why the book is banned in China, since it actually paints China as being a very magical and wonderful place with a depth of history and culture that is awe-inspiring. I have a feeling that it is banned because of a few short paragraphs that criticize certain government actions, although the criticisms I have read thus far are quite small and just on the periphery of the author's mind.

Okay, I must go. I have been writing this journal entry for way too long. I hope, for those of you who read it all, that you enjoyed the journey.

Yes, Macau is officially part of China. It has been ever since 1999 when Portugal handed it over to China, but sometimes it doesn't feel at all like I am in anything resembling China.

With that comment out of the way, let me tell you about the basketball game I watched this past Thursday night: The Chinese National Team (aka Chinese All-Stars) versus the Orlando Magic. An NBA team playing a scrimmage games in Macau?! What?! Weird...

As I am walking through the enormous Venetian Hotel & Casino (which, by the way, was just opened and is the largest, not tallest, but largest building in all of Asia and includes the biggest casino in the world.) to get to the basketball arena where the game is being held (which I got free tickets to, by the way), I see advertisements for a few other events soon to be coming to the Venetian:
The Black Eyed Peas (Oct. 27th), Beyonce (Nov. 3), and a tennis match between Sampras and Federer (Nov. 24), as well as another scrimmage basketball game (Cleveland Cavaliers vs. The Chinese National Team).

To those of who who may be living in places like Chicago, New York, or even Portland, these events may not seem like such a surprising thing, but for me, after living in China for the past 2.5 years, events such as these seem incredibly out of place. I mean, when I was living in mainland China I was always on the lookout for any kind of live music, and was always disappointed in not being able to find anything (I used to stop to listen to people playing the Erhu (Chinese violin) in the subway stations in Shanghai just so I could listen to the live music). Now suddenly the pop starlets of the US media are playing shows in China?!

Anyways, on to the game. It was entertaining, though it was what could be called a slaughter. The Chinese National Team went off to an early 6-2 lead, and then it was all down hill for them from there. By half-time the Orlando Magic was ahead by 26 points, and they seemed to stop trying after that. There were a handful of spectacular moves by a few of the Orlando Magic players (especially Arroyo, wow, he is good), and those were fun to watch. The Chinese National Team was quite boring to watch, as all they did all the time was try to find an open man to shoot a three pointer. However, I am glad I went since I got to spend time with a couple of good friends who are always busy (and since the tickets were free).

If I can manage to get free tickets to the Black Eyed Peas concert I may consider going (even though I don't particularly like their music anymore. NOTE: I used to love their music back when they released Behind the Front in 1998, still appreciated their music but was beginning to fear that they were striving to sell-out with their release of Bridging the Gap in 2000. Then by the time they released Elephunk in 2003, they were in 3/4 'sacrifice the art for the sake of money' mode, and I no longer liked most of the music they were putting out (except for "Where is the Love?"- That is a great song). Then after that, it kept going downhill and I could no longer stand listening to what they were putting out. I still listen to their 1998 release Behind the Front sometimes, but that's about it.)