Marathon of the Mind: How to Get Ahead Emotionally, Physically, and Professionally

I was once criticized by a disgruntled former colleague in grad school for my tendency to take long walks instead of sitting in class. It was a comment I ignored, but I noticed Einstein and many other intellectuals tended to eschew norms and daily routines, preferring to literally run with their thoughts and catch up with them, including how the American Constitution was written during long walks and discussions. The other month, I walked for over 52km around Bangkok on a single day, and that same week, I’ve had plenty of opportunities and inspirations, not unrelated to the post on Art of Manliness relating to the healthy benefits of walking–for your mind and soul, too. You can see more in these Lifehacker articles too.

Cambodia: Angkor, Siem Reap, Blood, and Revelations

I haven’t posted much in the project blog lately because video editing work back in Bangkok has become a black vortex devouring my time every day, including weekends, as deadlines start creeping in. Worse, I no longer had India on my agenda of mission to deploy to, so it would be another month without travel, even if the good news is, I now have extended my contract with their approval to June 19. No travel on a monthly basis makes me suffocate, but thankfully, Songkran (Thai New Year) and Khmer New Year came in, and I decided on a spontaneous trip to Cambodia for the long weekend to breathe.

The power of love in Sri Lanka

Never underestimate the power of love. It is the one truth in the universe: love conquers all, and transcends time and space. No gun can do what love does, no master’s degree and expertise can match the small gestures of the heart with pure intent, no amount of money or possessions can equal even a drop of water to the endless ocean that is love. This is the truth that has been taught through the ages by the Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, Laozi, Gandhi, Krishnamurti, the Dalai Lama, John Lennon, and many, many more. Today in the northern part of Sri Lanka, ravaged by war, I have shown people just what power there is with love.

See you later Indonesia!

As of this writing, I am now sitting in a cafe in Manila, where I have been for the past three days since leaving Indonesia. The video above is the summation of my talents in one piece of work: my filming and video editing, my humanitarian aid and development knowledge and effort, my writing, language skills, and photography, and voice over work.

The Shores of Infinite: Carl Sagan, David Bowie, and Gaining Perspective Through Humanitarian Work and Art

In eastern Indonesia, there is a small island seldom visited and rarely talked about, drowned in the popularity of Bali and Lombok, known as Sumba. Here, the white sands on a pristine beach with an endless horizon, simple life under a hot sun, and kind, welcoming locals who offer food to all travelers are what remain in my memories more than the poverty I was going to supposedly document and help alleviate for my work. It is standing under the sun on those white sands and staring at the sea that I may be on the same planet, but it’s another world, and I live in more places than one, from the industrial First World to the Third World, to the world of the arts. And then I realize, this is but one world amongst many in the universe.

Terminal Wanderlust

Hong Kong circa 2009

“Terminal wanderlust: a condition common to people of transient middle-class upbringings. Unable to feel rooted in any one environment, they move continually in the hopes of finding an idealized sense of community in the next location.” Douglas Coupland, Generation X.

Summer 2012 Announcement: Internship Scored!

Borobudur temple in Java!

And now the moment I’ve been waiting for: I am now officially ready to head off this summer for my internship! I got an internship with ChildFund International in Indonesia!

Thank you social media

Last week, an article on Lifehacker caught my attention about how to promote yourself without being sleazy. It’s an interesting piece that I thought I’d compare myself against in in terms of where my project and personal growth has been since I started in August.

Kiva Fellows Motivation Statement

The following after the jump is taken from my application to be a Kiva Fellow.

Revisiting, revising, and reimagining: a new year, a new goal

One of the good things about taking a moment to breathe is that it allows me some time to look at what I’m doing and see if it’s what I really want. Human beings can be predictable so long as we don’t complicate or over-think things, and typically, we tend to do what we want.