CONVENTION Society of American Foresters 2012 in Spokane, Washington
The clouds are misting and the leaves are turning. I'm currently in Spokane, sitting in on lectures, panels, and presentations around the topic of forests. This year's theme is RESILIENCE. Today, I can say that I'm proud to be a member of the Society of American Foresters because I agree that bottom line - diversity, complexity, and evolution, in the realms of both ecosystem management as well as societal change, are values that are totally necessary in obtaining resilience as we face future uncertainties (i.e. economic hardship, climate change, political revolution).
The Convention is addressing issues greater than trees; they are working in context - within economic, social, and ecological systems, evolution, revolution. Go, foresters.
10/20/12
Time Lapse
TIME LAPSE Farm & Garden
Last night, I attended the 2012 Farm & Garden Apprenticeship graduation ceremony. It served as a reminder of the big picture, and of the little things that are essential in making the big picture. One year out, looking back, I hope to stay on a path where there are *flowers to pick and marvel at:
2011 Time Lapse
*literally
Last night, I attended the 2012 Farm & Garden Apprenticeship graduation ceremony. It served as a reminder of the big picture, and of the little things that are essential in making the big picture. One year out, looking back, I hope to stay on a path where there are *flowers to pick and marvel at:
*literally
10/16/12
10/14/12
Energy Efficiency in the San Gabriel Valley
INFOGRAPHICS Energy Efficiency in the San Gabriel Valley
Metrics: Electricity, gas, greenhouse emissions, vehicle miles, waste
The San Gabriel Valley is home to 31 unique and exciting cities, each with its own energy use and greenhouse gas emissions profile. This report contains 2010 per capita activity data and overall greenhouse gas emissions data from all 27 cities that participated in the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments Energy Action Plan project. - PMC
Metrics: Electricity, gas, greenhouse emissions, vehicle miles, waste
The San Gabriel Valley is home to 31 unique and exciting cities, each with its own energy use and greenhouse gas emissions profile. This report contains 2010 per capita activity data and overall greenhouse gas emissions data from all 27 cities that participated in the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments Energy Action Plan project. - PMC
10/8/12
Apocalypse Talk
POEM A Song on the End of the World by Czeslaw Milosz
This past year, I've found myself in a good lot of conversations that have somehow wandered into the subject of post-apocalyptic scenarios. Maybe we're already there, maybe apocalypse is all the time. Rest assured.
On the day the world ends
A bee circles a clover,
A fisherman mends a glimmering net.
Happy porpoises jump in the sea,
By the rainspout young sparrows are playing
And the snake is gold-skinned as it should always be.
On the day the world ends
Women walk through the fields under their umbrellas,
A drunkard grows sleepy at the edge of a lawn,
Vegetable peddlers shout in the street
And a yellow-sailed boat comes nearer the island,
The voice of a violin lasts in the air
And leads into a starry night.
And those who expected lightning and thunder
Are disappointed.
And those who expected signs and archangels' trumps
Do not believe it is happening now.
As long as the sun and the moon are above,
As long as the bumblebee visits a rose,
As long as rosy infants are born
No one believes it is happening now.
Only a white-haired old man, who would be a prophet
Yet is not a prophet, for he's much too busy,
Repeats while he binds his tomatoes:
There will be no other end of the world,
There will be no other end of the world.
Warsaw, 1944
This past year, I've found myself in a good lot of conversations that have somehow wandered into the subject of post-apocalyptic scenarios. Maybe we're already there, maybe apocalypse is all the time. Rest assured.
On the day the world ends
A bee circles a clover,
A fisherman mends a glimmering net.
Happy porpoises jump in the sea,
By the rainspout young sparrows are playing
And the snake is gold-skinned as it should always be.
On the day the world ends
Women walk through the fields under their umbrellas,
A drunkard grows sleepy at the edge of a lawn,
Vegetable peddlers shout in the street
And a yellow-sailed boat comes nearer the island,
The voice of a violin lasts in the air
And leads into a starry night.
And those who expected lightning and thunder
Are disappointed.
And those who expected signs and archangels' trumps
Do not believe it is happening now.
As long as the sun and the moon are above,
As long as the bumblebee visits a rose,
As long as rosy infants are born
No one believes it is happening now.
Only a white-haired old man, who would be a prophet
Yet is not a prophet, for he's much too busy,
Repeats while he binds his tomatoes:
There will be no other end of the world,
There will be no other end of the world.
Warsaw, 1944
9/23/12
Spider eats Paper Tigers
ARTICLE Paper Tigers by Wesley Yang in New York Magazine
I just finished reading 'Paper Tigers,' by Wesley Yang, a very thorough and candid article published in New York Magazine last year on the unique challenges of young Asian-American professionals in all realms of life (why it's so long).
In the end, I agree with the author's personal opinion that it is not necessary to apologize - for being too quiet, too loud, for imposing, withdrawing, for being both Asian and American. The most complimentary thing anyone ever said to me was that I was like a spider: quiet, patient, and ready to make my kill. Okay, sure.
I just finished reading 'Paper Tigers,' by Wesley Yang, a very thorough and candid article published in New York Magazine last year on the unique challenges of young Asian-American professionals in all realms of life (why it's so long).
In the end, I agree with the author's personal opinion that it is not necessary to apologize - for being too quiet, too loud, for imposing, withdrawing, for being both Asian and American. The most complimentary thing anyone ever said to me was that I was like a spider: quiet, patient, and ready to make my kill. Okay, sure.
9/18/12
By the Peonies
POEM By the Peonies by Czeslaw Milosz, 1945
The peonies bloom, white and pink.
And inside each, as in a fragrant bowl,
A swarm of tiny beetles have their conversation,
For the flower is given to them as their home.
Mother stands by the peony bed,
Reaches for one bloom, opens its petals,
And looks for a long time into peony lands,
Where one short instant equals a whole year.
Then lets the flower go. And what she thinks
She repeats aloud to the children and herself.
The wind sways the green leaves gently
And speckles of light flick across their faces.
The peonies bloom, white and pink.
And inside each, as in a fragrant bowl,
A swarm of tiny beetles have their conversation,
For the flower is given to them as their home.
Mother stands by the peony bed,
Reaches for one bloom, opens its petals,
And looks for a long time into peony lands,
Where one short instant equals a whole year.
Then lets the flower go. And what she thinks
She repeats aloud to the children and herself.
The wind sways the green leaves gently
And speckles of light flick across their faces.
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