a raft of ducks
glides as a dense pack --
then one goes solo.
Duck Raft [Haiku]
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Author Archives: B Gourley
Sunrise Fisher [Haiku]
weary fisherman
paddles sunrise-tinged lake
to cast nets.
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DAILY PHOTO: Gedu Mia Mosque, Agartala
BOOK: “Tell My Horse” by Zora Neale Hurston
Tell My Horse: Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica by Zora Neale HurstonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Author’s Book Site — Zora Neale Hurston Trust
This is a beautifully written and fascinating look at Jamaica, Haiti, Voodoo, Zombies, and the sinews that run between them. The first half of the book reads largely like a travelogue of, and introduction to, Jamaica and Haiti, respectively. In this half, Voodoo is only mentioned here and there as an aside. There is much more discussion of culture, race, and politics, notably the disheartening politics of Haiti. (I should point out for those unfamiliar with Harlem Renaissance figures, this book dates to the 1930’s — so current affairs are not addressed, but — unfortunately — Haiti has a long history of troubles.) The second half of the book delves much more intensely into Voodoo and the supernormal happenings broadly connected to it. Hurston’s exploration is neither as a tried-and-true believer, nor as a hardcore sceptic; rather she takes a more journalistic objectivity.
The language of this book is splendid, and Hurston produces many a quotable line. It is true that the subject matter, Voodoo, is extremely compelling, but this book is more than just a collection of tales of magic, superstition, and the weird. It also offers depth of insight into the cultures of these countries and their peoples. Hurston frequently mentions the differences between classes on the matter of Voodoo, the upper-class rejecting it as mere superstition and the lower classes often engaging with it as a way of life.
I’d highly recommend this book, not only for those interested in learning more about Caribbean Voodoo practices, but also for travelers with an intense curiosity about culture.
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PROMPT: Alternative Career Path
What alternative career paths have you considered or are interested in?
At this point, it would need to be something AI / robots won’t possibly be able to do better, faster, cheaper in the near term. This leaves jobs for which one’s humanity is a central part of the job. Unfortunately, I suck at many aspects of being a human. Maybe I’ll become a robot and beat them at their own game.
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Hermit’s Face [Haiku]
hermit's face forms
amid river ripples:
fades like dream remnant.
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THAILAND LIMERICK
There was a wise pot seller in Thailand
whose customers always claimed to be scammed.
You see, he sold metal pots –
Ganja varietals, not –
but he truly had the strongest pot in the land.
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DAILY PHOTO: Seven Wonders of Eco Park, Kolkata
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BOOK: “The Immortal Peaches” [Vol. 3 of “Journey to the West”] Ed. by Jeff Pepper / Trans. by Xiao Hui Wang
The Immortal Peaches: A Story in Simplified Chinese and Pinyin, 600 Word Vocabulary by Jeff PepperMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publisher Site – Imagin8
This is the third volume in this Journey to the West series aimed at language learners. It covers Chapters 5, 6, and 7 of the book, which includes events from Sun Wukong’s return to heaven acknowledged with the title “Great Sage Equal to Heaven” through the conflicts that result from his lack of control and decorum to Buddha’s bet with Monkey King.
I’ve enjoyed this series. The pinyin is interspersed with an abridged and linguistically simplified Chinese telling of the story on a paragraph basis, and the English translation is at the end. This allows one relatively quick access to the pinyin without continually cheating by stray glance. Also, one can determine whether one wants to read the English translation before or after reading the Chinese, as is appropriate to one’s level and language learning strategy. The book also has a glossary of all the Chinese words it uses, and the words beyond the most basic (beyond HSK3, or so) are footnoted. (I read on kindle, so looking up translations of any words is as quick as highlighting them.)
This is a great language learning tool, featuring one of Chinese literature’s most engrossing stories. I’d highly recommend it for those learning Mandarin Chinese with Simplified script.
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PROMPT: Specialty
What food would you say is your specialty?
I make a mean pot of steamed rice.
Tiger Riding for Beginners 