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 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.

Bound for Southeast Asia, another hurdle, and how travel makes us awesome

With limited funding available right now, it’s not about the fact I can try to raise more money to head overseas to afford the documentary on top of what’s already been awarded to me, but the fact I’m trying to minimize costs and maximize the use of all that I’ve got. So a quick Google search turned up a few sites you can find below after the jump, plus some more updates with how I’m moving along now.

Travel hacking and destination updates

Haiti is becoming less and less tangible now with the current events going on, and helping out in East Africa may not be tangible because of ticket prices. Oh, did I mention it’s dangerous? Danger never bothered me, but money, professionalism, and certainty do all concern me.

This could be me next summer

Recently, on my feed, a new meme going around is this video here I found on Vimeo:

Another source of inspiration for the media I hope to create, and another example of how adventuring around the world that can inspire others with just a simple idea.