Right Livelihood

Let's recap: I am going to Thailand soon and as a result have started studying Buddhism. In a past post, Attachment, I mentioned the Eight Fold Path. It is the Buddhist guide to end suffering.

The Eight Fold Path

Right View
Right Intention
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about Right Livelihood. I have a job that is for the most part enjoyable. I sell wine at a beautiful California winery. It is a dream. However, I've been doing this for years and, well, let's just say I take vacations because this line of work is not what I really want to be doing with my time on Earth.

Right Livelihood is about earning one's living in ways that do no harm to others. I never considered my work harmful, but in my studies I've found that this includes trading in drugs and poisons, including alcohol and recreational drugs.

Oops.

It turns out that selling drugs and alcohol is even worse than using them yourself. At least when you use, you only harm yourself. No one else is involved. We're talking about a violation of a Major Precept versus a Secondary Precept.

Well I guess I've been doing that wrong all these years!

I've been describing my dissatisfaction with work by saying that I am selling a luxury item to rich people. It turns out it is more than that! Who knew I was in direct violation of the Eight Fold Path?? Perhaps, instinctively, I knew that all along.

This is Why You Stay with a Local

Let me tell you how my Uncle saved my bacon. Okay, it was Sergio's bacon, but when his bacon is on the line, so is mine.

Sergio is a Colombian born US citizen. With a newly acquired US passport in hand he felt unstoppable! So, naturally, on his first trip outside the US, he was immediately stopped.

Let's back up further. Before we even left home, we heard rumor that the country of Colombia says once born Colombian, always Colombian! and therefore requires even those with dual citizenship to carry a Colombian passport. This is Sergio. A dual citizen with one valid US Passport and one expired Colombian passport. Oops. After a failed attempt to reach the Colombian embassy in Miami we decided eeehhhhh we'll just go get on the plane and see what happens.

Normally, Sergio is a calm and self-assured man. I've known him for nearly ten years now and never have I seen him more nervous than on this flight. His leg was shaking, he was tapping his fingers, biting his nails, just sweating bullets. Then he started talking through all the "what ifs" that come from travelling with invalid documentation. What if they don't let him in the country? Will they send him home? Will they arrest him? Will they send him somewhere else? I tried my best to reassure him. I promised I'd be with him the whole way and if they wanted to detain him, then I'd be right there in the holding cell with him. Luckily, I pointed out, we are both US citizens now and the BEST perk of being a US citizen is that no matter where in the world you are, the USA is on your side. They WILL come save you. From ANY holding cell anywhere. 'MERICA.

Inevitably, the plane landed. We deplaned. We got in line at customs. Obstacle #1: which line to choose? The line for Colombian citizens or the line for everyone else? We stuck to our guns, got in line with the visitors (the shorter line) and prepped our US passports.

When our time came, we approached the counter together. We both presented our US passports to the Spanish speaking customs agent. He asked the usual questions about the purpose and length of our visit and stamped and returned my passport relatively quickly. All seemed to be going well while he reviewed Sergio's passport too, and just when he had the stamp in his free hand he suddenly spotted the one give away in our plan: the place of birth line. It was clear as day: "Colombia".

"Where is your Colombian passport?" The customs agent asked pointing to this line in the front page.
"O right here," Sergio played it cool and brought out his expired Colombian passport.
"You must always have this with you!" the customs agent acted agitated and really drove home his point. He reviewed the Colombian passport as well. Everything seemed to fine, and again his hand hovered over the stamp. We both stared at that stamp like a dog watches table scraps just inches from falling off the plate. We were eager to skate by, but of course, that would not happen.

"This is expired!" the passport agent was exasperated. Who could be so dumb to present an expired passport? Sergio acted surprised and confessed that he did not have another passport. Well, that agent let him have it. "You can get in, but you won't get out with this passport! They won't let you out!" He explained that Sergio would need a new passport before exiting the country. It was easy he claimed! It'll take just a day!

Right.

We found my uncle waiting for us outside the baggage claim (and final inspection). Naturally, he asked about our plans while in Cartagena, so we told him that our sight seeing MUST include the passport office. We related the happenings at customs and my uncle was mortified. That will take all week! Immediately, he got on the phone. Before we even arrived home, he made arrangements with one of his employees to go to the passport office tomorrow morning to wait in line for us.

Yep. You read that correctly. He actually got someone else to stand in line at a government office for us. Who does that?? What. a. BAMF.

So first thing the next morning we got out early, headed over to the passport office before it opened only to find a crowd of people already lined up outside. I'm talking Disneyland zig zag lines that don't move, not geometric straight lines. And there he was! Our guy! Right up front!! We passed by everyone else, excitedly waving at our man outside the door. What a time saver!

We reached him, said hello, shook his hand and thanked him profusely. One problem: there are now dozens of angry people in line behind us.

"Hey! Get to the back of the line!" "No fair!" "We were here first!"

People just started yelling, and pointing and shaking fists at us. O boy. The guard at the door stood fast. It was day one in Colombia and we already had started a small riot outside a government building.

Then, our man started yelling back! "I was waiting for him! It's just him! He is the only one who needs a service! She is nobody!" He stood with us until the doors opened and guided us through the process. It turns out that my uncle had very recently renewed his passport as well and this man helped him at that time. So he knew just who to call when we needed something done quickly!

It only took us a couple of hours to make our way through the windows, take a picture, fill out paperwork and beg for quick results. "Come back next Monday" the last lady said. No no no no no no. We fly out Sunday! She put a star on the corner of the application and placed it in the pile with all the others. "That will make it go faster."

Suurreee...

Friday morning rolled around and again we were there bright and early. If anything went wrong with this passport we would have the next eight hours to get it done before they close for the weekend. "If you need anything done" my uncle advised, "just give them a little extra money."

Wait. Like a bribe?

Luckily we got there and there was no need for that! The guard that watched us as we started a lynch mob on day one was there again and recognized us immediately. As it turns out, he was a really nice guy! We explained everything to him and he said, "Go to that lady" as he pointed out the exact woman who was holding the final product. One brand new Colombian passport. The guard gave us a big smile and Sergio a hardy handshake.

It was ready! Hallelujah!!

No waiting, no re-dos, no bribing or begging. We just got the job done. Thanks, in large part, to my Uncle and his ever loyal employees. They saved us so much time that was much better spent doing amazing things in a wondrous city!

At the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas
(right down the street from the passport office)

Attachment

Part One
I saw this comic strip in the paper and loved it:

Rhymes With Orange by Hilary Price

In January, I will be traveling for four weeks with nothing but what I can carry on my back.

No that's wrong. I will be traveling for four weeks with my incredible boyfriend. ...who I will not carry on my back.

When describing the constant I forgot to pack something feeling to a friend, she said, "You have yourself and that's all you need." This turned out to be a soothing mantra time and again.

This time I have myself AND I have him.

What a cutie.

Part Two
...But just a quick reminder to myself- this will be 28 days WITHOUT

makeup

an expansive assortment of shoes

Internet

my family

work!! 

Part Three
This article is titled "Attachment" inspired by my Buddhist studies as of late. The Four Noble Truths outlined by Buddhism are simple statements that basically sum up the practice and beliefs. This article focuses on points 1 and 2 -

1. If you are alive, you will suffer.
2. The cause of suffering is attachment.

The I forgot to pack something feeling is a perfect example of that. It is suffering over an event that may or may not come to be. Worrying about the possibility that I might need or want something I may not have in that moment. That is silly. I don't leave for several months and already I am thinking about this issue. Stop, Natalie.

Luckily, points 3 and 4 give hope.

3. You can end suffering.
4. End suffering by following the Eight-fold Path.

More on the Eight-fold Path later.

Big News!

WE'RE GOING TO THAILAND!

I am so excited to announce that we are going to Thailand for four weeks!

By "we" I mean my boyfriend and I... and maybe you can go vicariously through me.

ha!

Anyway, some personal hopes for this trip:

Learn Buddhism
Learn Muay Thai

My boyfriend suggested that we take a cooking class while we are there. Maybe I'll strike a deal: I'll go to a cooking class with him if he comes to a fighting class with me!

A Halloween costume of years past: a boxer

The Pressure is On

Getting a new passport photo is the adult version of yearbook picture day for school kids. You must get this picture right, or it will haunt you for years to come.

Natalie's 1st Grade Yearbook Photo
nailed it.

So naturally, I got all dressed up for my new passport photo. Yes, I know that only my face shows in the photo, but whatever.

It made me nervous to mail in my old passport along with the application for a new one. I hope it comes back to me! That passport got me to Canada, Colombia, Italy and Spain. Good times.

Guess where the first stop on the new passport will be?! I already have the tickets purchased! HINT: this destination requires that US travelers have a passport that will be valid for at least 6 months after their arrival date- thus my early renewal :D

BONUS Content: Natalie's 1st Grade Self Portrait

The American Pilgrimage

The United States of America may not boast many religious landmarks, but that does not stop Americans from completing a pilgrimage on their own land. Devotees from far and wide flock to cites of colossal stature, where many a victory have been won, to join their fellow patrons in a mutual adoration. This is not a reverence for any godly creatures, but for mere men who have earned a love and devotion that can only be explained by faith.

Non-believers simply call these entities "athletes".

In honor of the NBA Finals this week, let us examine the cult-like nature of the Miami Heat fans.

We must start here at the American Airlines Arena. It is the temple where the Heat Fans congregate to feel like they are one with the Heat.

In this place you'll find many showy displays of their perceived superiority.

 

Of course a pilgrimage is not all about the destination, it is about the journey. Like the route to the holy land has markers along the way, the roads to the AA Arena also have check points for the pilgrims on their journey. 

Included among those signs of faith are, not surprisingly, larger than life replications of their most revered figures.

Here we can see some statues built in honor of the men that they lovingly call "The Three Kings".

Any one of these stunningly large figures alone would be enough to amaze, but the display of passion for the Heat can't stop there. They built three.

Build them, and they shall come.

 

Heat fans gather around the shrine to pay homage to the King. Some go so far as to dress like the Heat, and bear the name and number of their preferred player. 

During the most joyous times of worship, after a win, Heat fans traditionally honor the Heat by general noise making, almost always including banging on pots and pans with a wooden spoon. Conversely, after a loss, Heat fans take an oath of silence, practically disappearing until the next win.

A fascinating bunch they are.

"They" Have a Word for "Us" Too

I live in Silicon Valley. Like other valleys, it is surrounded by mountains. I work in those mountains. All this time I was going up there thinking to myself, "look at these little towns full of mountain folk, who would live up here?"

Then I started dating a mountain man. It turns out that he has a word me for me too.

Flat-lander.

He sits high on his mountain, well above the smog layer, looking down on my big city thinking, "who would live down there?"

Haleluya

Check out this boat.

It's called the "Haleluya"
... as in Haleluya, that old thing is still afloat!

Or Haleluya we didn't run it over!!

Cuz that was a close one. 

Amen.

How to Find a Private Beach (A picture guide)

 Would you like to have a beach like this all to yourself?

A beach so undisturbed that you can see the layers of the Earth in the cliff side, and find fossils right in the rocks?

Of course you would.
But this doesn't come to just anyone, so be prepared to work for it.

First, and possibly most importantly, you have to be prepared to break the law. Pull off to the side of the road from California's HWY 1 and park directly in front of a No Parking sign. This is the first filter ensuring that other people will stay away.

Then the journey begins.

You cross the dunes.
Dodge the poison ivy.
Light step through the brambles.

Then you reach the Crack.

You just have to take a leap of faith across this one. 

The gap in the crack just keeps getting bigger so eventually you'll be forced to walk the plank! Just hope that it is still sturdy enough to hold your weight. 

 

Continue along that foot path carved into the cliff and hope that you don't trigger a rock slide while you're there.

Finally, to get down to the beach, you have to climb.
It is a bit like climbing a ladder, but really it is just a series of footholds created by those brave souls who came before you. 

In the end, it is so worth it.
 

A private beach and a perfect sunset. 

For my Fellow Zelda Fans

YOU GUYS.

I found a Fairy Fountain!! (In California)

Remember this??

This is my real life right now: I went out with a guy (*gasp*) who suggested a picnic at the "water temple." (*UGHH* Everyone feel free to groan now about the Water Temple that made you want to quit Ocarina of Time just out of sheer rage). 

Here is the sign out front. It turns out the literal translation is "Fleas Temple" but whatever. That's California for you.

Anyway, it was a great picnic spot, but it was no water temple. It reminded me much more of a Fairy Fountain. Am I right??

This could be a Fairy Fountain.

If you go inside there and look down into what looks like a well, you can see water flowing below you in the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct. This is the water supply for the residents in the area. Pretty cool!

Around the top of the circular structure and inside the well is an inscription: "I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people."

...It might also restore your health.

Click here for more info on the Pulgas Water Temple.

You Have Permission to Enter Her

This story might have a lesson in cultural differences in here somewhere, but I am pretty sure the only real take away from this is that my family is outrageous. Not in the fun and outgoing way, but in the uncomfortable, jaw dropping way.

After traveling together for several weeks, through several cities, I warned my friend, Sergio, that my family can be very outspoken. We would be visiting Cartagena, Colombia and staying with my Aunt and Uncle while we were there.

Before we left, I gave Sergio an example of just how outspoken my family can be: my older sister took a friend to visit them, just as I was doing, and by the time they returned to the States, they were barely on speaking terms. My Uncle is quite preoccupied by weight, so when he met this American girl that my sister brought, he told her that she is pretty, but she could lose a few kilos. -!-  He probably thought that he was being helpful by somehow suggesting that she lose weight (you know, health advantages and all that), but really he just put a sour taste in her mouth. That is just not what you say to American women.

It is this sort of solid "advice", paired with my Uncle's shaky English that make for a truly wild conversation. Spanish is my Uncle's first language, my second language, and Sergio was raised in a bilingual household. So, mostly we all understood each other. It is the pronunciation and my Uncle's accent that really bring the laughs (or pain, depending). Vowel sounds are switched in Spanish to English in some cases or completely different sounds in other cases, so sometimes a completely innocent phrase like "Hey, guy! Where are the beaches?" sounds more like, "Hey, gay! Where are the bitches?" when my Uncle says it. LOL

The beach on the Rosario Islands- just off the coast of Cartagena

Anywhoo, here is a recap of my trip with my Uncle. Somehow, every evening, the dinner conversation just became increasingly uncomfortable.

A common dish in Cartagena: fried fish, coco rice, platanos, veggies

Night One: "The Ice Breaker" or "How to Tell if You are Racist"
Yes, you read that correctly. Racist. This was the first time my Uncle has ever met Sergio and this is the topic he decides would make a good ice breaker. It turns out that (according to my Uncle) you can determine whether or not you are racist with three simple yes or no questions. Now, I'm going to explain this absurd test and just say, that if you are easily offended by race issues, then you can just go ahead and skip to Night Two. Ready? Let's begin.
1. Are you looking for a black person to marry?
No? You are racist! Do you perhaps think that this is a ridiculous question because you are just looking for anyone with whom to fall in love and marry? Doesn't matter- your answer was no, so you're racist!
2. Would you allow your daughter to marry a black person?
Yes? You just want her to be happy, regardless of the people who bring her happiness? Doesn't matter, you still answered no to the first question, so you are still partly racist.
3. When you die, will you leave your house to a black person?
Um what? You want to leave your house to your family when you die?     You.    Racist.

Bet you never knew that about yourself, did you?

Night Two: "The Unsolicited Advice"
A bit of context here: Sergio is a man. I am a woman. We are in the same age group, we are close, travel together, get along nicely. You know. It's good. So, naturally, along the way, we had to explain to many people that we are not dating, there is no romance or physical aspects to our relationship, never has been. In fact, Sergio has a girlfriend with whom he has those romantic, physical relations. This girlfriend is not me. I stay out of that. Most people understood that once we clarified. My family did not. So my Cousin, who joined my Aunt, Uncle, Sergio and me for dinner, felt compelled to give us advice on how to raise our children. We're not having children. Not together. Not separately. Neither of us wants kids. And yet, my Cousin told us all about saving for our kids' college funds, the benefits of dual citizenship, and of course bilingualism. Possibly the most valuable gem I took from that night was this: "It is better to be the head of the rat, than the tail of the lion."

Chew on that for a while.

Night Three: "You're Friend Up There"
Night three was by far the worst. It was so uncomfortable for so many reasons. First of all, I was sick, so that right there makes all experiences that much less enjoyable. The real reason that night was hellish, though, was because of the all night long lecture from my Aunt about the Lord Jesus. She kept referring to Jesus as my friend "up there" while she pointed toward the sky. She is an incredibly passionate woman who is definitely never wrong. Lord Jesus help you if you try to argue her on any point. So the fact that I was raised Catholic, attended CCD every weekend for years and studied world religions in college is not enough to make up for my lack of faith. She blamed my wonderful mother for failing as a parent to teach me faith and even brought up my dad's heart failure for what I am pretty sure was no reason other than to try to make me feel guilty about not acknowledging Jesus in my life. Do you why my dad survived heart failure? Because Jesus made it so. Do you know what my mistake was? It was to concern myself with what the doctors would do for my dad instead of asking Jesus what he could do for my dad. Silly me.

So in the course of the night's lesson, she ran through the Ten Commandments with us. Mind you, she was speaking Spanish the whole time, so every once in a while, my Uncle would jump in with an English translation to make absolutely sure we understood. The rest of the lecture he mostly sat by in silence and occasionally nodding his head to heartily agree with whatever my Aunt was saying. At some point, my Aunt reminds us of the "no fornication" rule and my Uncle thought that this was one that was important. Now, "no fornication" sounds pretty much the same in English and Spanish, but my Uncle translated nevertheless.

"No fornication!" he says in English, "Do you know what that means? No foo-king!"

HAHA

He meant f*cking. lol
How and why does he even know the word f*cking?? To top it off, he made this strange hand gesture with the palm down and the hand flat and ridged at a 90 degree angle from the forearm moving back and forth in a ... foo-king motion? I'm not sure if it was supposed to represent a bed or a body or what....

Uh, ya, Uncle, we know what that is! He asked us to correct his English when necessary, but I decided to let this mispronunciation go.

Night Four: The Shocking Plot Twist or The Last Supper
On the last night, my Aunt and Uncle took us to an Italian restaurant in Turbaco, a tiny town just outside Cartagena. There was one woman working there hand making pizzas to cook in an authentic wood burning oven. While this makes for exceptional pizza, it also trapped Sergio and me at a table with my Aunt and Uncle for much more time than any other dinner. It started out with lovely conversation about our travels and our favorite places in the world- my Uncle has been just about everywhere. Then, finally, my Aunt leaned in close to ask Sergio a question. The two of them were seated on either side of me, so when she leaned in and motioned him closer with her hand, that left all three of us with our faces very close together. At this point she spoke. Despite our close proximity she spoke with her usual loud voice and asked Sergio, "Are you two having sex??" He shot back into his personal space sitting perfectly upright now and exclaimed, "no!" I too vigorously shook my head no. "NO??" My Aunt and Uncle could not believe this so my Uncle translated to English just in case: "Are you foo-king?" No no no! I raised my hand between Sergio and myself as if a little wall stood between us.

"NO?? Well WHY NOT??" my Aunt did not miss a beat.

WHAT?? WHAT WAS THAT WHOLE LECTURE FOR LAST NIGHT?? Are these people serious?? I could not believe this was happening. And it went on...

My Aunt then asked us a series of questions:
"Sergio, doesn't Natalie make you happy?"
-"Yes"
"And Natalie, doesn't Sergio make you happy?"
- "Yes"
"Well OKAY then!" She waived her hands and opened them palms up and spreading them out like a magician that just revealed something wonderful. Like it's that simple!

We tried to explain that we just do not do that.

She asked, "Natalie, do you have a boyfriend?"
- "No."
"Sergio, do you have a girlfriend?"
"Yes."

AUGGGHHH!!! My Aunt and Uncle reacted as if their favorite contestant on a talent show just got eliminated. This was terrible news! They both sat back in their chairs looking at him with a what-have-you-done look.

"Well where is she now?? I don't see her!" My Aunt insisted rotating her outstretched arm from one side of the room to the other noting Sergio's girlfriend's utter absence.

"She is in Washington." Sergio explained.

My Aunt did not totally understand this so my Uncle explained to her the geography of the United States: "Washington is over here" he waived his right hand high above his shoulder, "and Miami [Sergio's home] is over here" he waived his left hand down by his hip.

AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
My Aunt thought this was hilarious! "That's never going to work!"

While my Aunt laughed it up about this, my Uncle had something very important to tell Sergio. He looked Sergio right in the eye and told him, "Sergio, you have permission to enter her." And with one simple hand gesture in my direction we went back in time to when it was okay for the male figure to give away the bodies of the young women of the family.

Uh no. Who does that? Who says that??

Sergio's mouth fell open a little with astonishment. Mine probably did too. I looked at Sergio and told him, "You're going to need permission from ME first before you do that!"

Our subsequent uncomfortable laughter was interrupted by my Aunt: "Sergio, if Natalie decided that she did not want to be your friend any more and never see you again in your life how would that make you feel?"

He actually looked deeply bothered while he formulated an answer. "Well, I'd be sad. We've known each other for eight years now. I'd be losing a very good friend." He was right. This is a bothersome thought. I know Sergio well and looking back, I've learned a lot about him. I would hate to lose that.

"Now, what if your girlfriend told you she never wanted to see you again- would that make you more sad or less sad?" My Aunt presented this Spider-Man like you-must-choose-one scenario (you know, save the bus load of children or the love of your life from falling over the bridge scene), and she did it without any hesitation over our growing discomfort.

I had to intervene. I put an end to that conversation at that point. I was not about to be compared to another woman. Further, I was not about to let such a good friend struggle. Again. He was very polite to my family and our hosts, but he doesn't deserve scrutiny over his relationships. Not like that.

Finally seeing that we insist that we are not a couple, my Uncle gave us some advise for finding our mates: "Sergio, find someone just like Natalie. Natalie, find someone just like Sergio, but with more money."

Believe it or not, on our flight back to the USA, Sergio actually thanked me for inviting him to Colombia. Honestly, I am so glad that he agreed, and I would do it all over again. It was a great trip! (awkward conversation aside). I may not have much faith in Jesus's part in my everyday life, but am I ever grateful that I've got Sergio instead.

Sergio and me under the Colombian flag

Stargazing

Stargazing is one of those universal activities that people enjoy around the world. It doesn't matter who or where you are, there is an undeniably wondrous quality to the stars in the sky. This week it was the blood moon that left us in awe.

To watch the lunar eclipse I went up to Woodside, CA. The local who hosted me pointed out that I did not mention in my write up - The Wild Wild West - the good things that little town offers (like a night sky un-obscured by city light pollution). So let me go ahead and say (with apologies) that there are many fine qualities to Woodside, including some fantastic stargazing spots.

That being said, I think the BEST star gazing spot I have ever had the pleasure of visiting was the top of Mt. Haleakala on Maui. I went there with a friend who told me that it is the best place on the island to watch a sunrise, or in our case, a sunset. Like me, this would be his first time stargazing up there!

First of all, it is really high up!

It is so high in elevation, in fact, that the cloud layer actually sits below the peak. That's what gives it such a clear view of the sky. It also affords for some really cool pictures while you make your way to the top.

Is he driving or flying?

Breaking through the clouds almost feels like entering another world. Haleakala is a dormant volcano, so looking down into the crater sort of looks like another world too.

The road was actually pretty crowded at the peak with so many people there waiting to watch the sunset. As they should, because it was stunning.

It was that observatory up there, though, that gave me the idea to wait for total darkness to look at the stars. Surprisingly, none of the other people who were there to watch the sunset stayed for nightfall. We had the whole universe to ourselves.

And I mean the whole universe. The absolute blackness and crystal clear weather made the most stunning night sky I have ever seen. I cannot emphasize enough how magnificently every star shines in the darkness. It is incredible how much natural light we lose at night to the light pollution of our cities. There is so much out there that we just don't see.

It is beautiful beyond comparison.

Austin's Lesser Known Waterfront Art

Everyone wants to talk about Austin's music scene. Can we discuss its other, under appreciated art work? Here is just a sampling of the inspired pieces that can be found just along the river.

Medium: Spray paint on trestles. Artist: Anonymous member of the Pacman support group. In this inspirational piece of vivid color and emotion we see pop culture icons Pacman, Blinky, Pinky, Clyde, and Inky (from left to right). In this heart pounding image, Pacman is simulaneously moments from death and steps away from becoming invincible. It is in this critical moment that the artist leaves us with a bold and motivational statement: never give up.


















Medium: Tree, white paint. Artist: unknown (but probably could be discovered if I put some actual research into this). Here we have a tree in the river. It is white. Barren. Isolated. What could it mean? Who would have put it there? It feels eerily out of place. Like a ghost of a tree.

Medium: white paint. Artist: Erin's Lover. It is either deeply romantic or jaw droppingly cheesy. It is all up to Erin. The artist's love for Erin shines blindingly through this piece, not just because of the very public marriage proposal, but also because of the sheer size of her name. Judging by the proportions of her name relative to the size of this piece, it is safe to say that Erin means everything to this artist. While the artist is undoubtedly devoted to Erin, uncertainty toward Erin's commitment come forward when you notice the small question mark in the lower, right corner. This tiny punctuation mark, almost an after thought in the piece, makes one wonder, did Erin say yes?

Take THAT Safeway Delivery

Click on the image to make it bigger.

If you thought online grocery shopping with home delivery was convenient, you should know that in other parts of the world, the entire produce section comes to you.

For some reason Jason Bourne didn't sweep me away that day

While I was in Cartagena last October, INTERPOL happened to be having a conference there at the same time! Sadly, I did not meet any international super spies (at least not that I'm aware of, although now looking back, I did meet these three guys whose back stories didn't quite align...but that is a tale for another day...).

Naturally, the Colombians took that opportunity to showcase their own National Police Force. Let's have a look.

Here I am holding a gun! Of course, they did not let anyone shoot it, BUT the scope was really cool! Who knew those things were so powerful?! You want to see the expression on someone's face two blocks away? No problem.

Now this is the cutest little surveillance drone there ever was. It flew around the plaza overhead, all the while feeding a live video to an iPad that one of the police men was holding. When are they going to make these for personal use? I could really use some eyes in the sky when I am trying to find a parking spot in a crowded lot. You know? Also, the paparazzi, I'd bet, would love to have one of these. Let's commercialize them already!

Here are some more firearms, and, in the brief case, the Eye Ball R1. You know those cartoons where the creepy character pops his eye out and rolls it into the next room to look around without actually being there? It's like someone at Remington was watching that and then thought to himself, "If only my tactical team could do that." POOF. Wish. Granted. That's the R1.

The riot police showing some love! They were even letting people try on the gear! I did not partake. It was so freaking hot I don't know how anyone managed to wear long pants, much less riot gear.

Even the horses wear special gear! A word of advice to the Colombian National Police for next year's showcase: choose not to bring four horses. It's a tad apocalyptic. I think you might be sending the wrong message.

Of course, horses aren't the only way to get around- gotta have some wheels! Why does that second car look like something out of the 80's?

And now I leave you with one more bonus photo, because who doesn't love girls with guns? ;)