Flying Buddha and the Quixotic Autumn

Hi guys and gals!

Hoping that the spring most of you are enjoying feels refreshing and smells delicious!   It's been rainy here too,  but without the promise of hot summer days ahead.  My body doesn't get it.  

The days are getting shorter, yet the flowers continue to bloom. No comprende. 

I'm looking ahead to only three more weeks of classes,  then finals,  then pretty much straight away headed back to the states! 

May is NZ music month.  Check out any of these guys! 

It's probably a little to early to start waxing poetic about how this experience has been,  so I'll save or for a later blog.  In the mean time I'll take note of a few things of varying interestingness.
In my " Maori health perspectives" class I'm learning about the deep importance of family as am aspect of health.  We watched a fantastic documentary about a Maori family with a genetic disorder.  Through very pressing times,  whanau (Pronounced:pheynow) are the well of strength. 

I'm coming to enjoy statistics more every day.  It doesn't come easy to me,  but the examples we use in classes come from real life scenarios,  which is very cool.  I imagine all the ways I could use stats in my own life. 

As always,  food is a favorite subject for discussion.  Purple cabbage is my choice pick veggie right now.  Oh yeah,  I forgot to mention that carrots are very tasty here: always sweet,  never with that bitter taste.  

Is this paleo?! *flexes arm muscle*

I've been taking action to get stronger.  The Rec center offers a variety of free classes every day,  so despite my urge to hermit away,  I just can't pass up the opportunity for free motivation.  Aside from fitness classes,  I went to a Buddhist meditation and also am acrobatic yoga workshop last week. They were both refreshing and interesting!

Proud to announce I was climbing across the wall race champion! 

The only thing better than doing yoga, is having someone else do yoga for you! Heheheh

Flying buddha! 

Wishing you health and wellness in the most robust sense of the term. 
Love,
Darwin

On Climbing Mountains

I am so inspired by this quote from Robert Pirsig, author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance.  

“Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you’re no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn’t just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are things you should notice anyway. To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountain which sustain life, not the top. Here’s where things grow.” P199 - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

October 2013 Trip to Jackson, WY for some backcountry snowboarding

We Yell

Food foraging on campus -- walnuts and lemons, oh my!

Practicing photo editing on my Samsung galaxy S4. 

Forgiveness. (Read caption)

A confoundingly green autumn day.

More typical autumn colors

Tree working that ombre effect without bleach

Nachos!

Speaking loud and being surrounded by Americans:

My Austrian roommate,  (Viennese, she'd have me emphasize) made a spry comment about her experience of international living and laughing.  She's always witty and quick, but the way this realization hit her clear as day made for a memorable moment of humorous honesty:

"Back home I am somewhat of am anomaly. .. I can't help it that when I find something really funny, I LAUGH.  Some girls can contain themselves with a tiny little giggle...."

(She proceeds to coyly cover her mouth and feign timid noises of delight. ...)

".. but me,  when I find something really funny,  I LAUGH.  loud!  I kid you not:

back home I am accustomed to my friends telling me to 'Frankie, Please Be Quieter,  You're Being So Louuuud,'  on average 3  times a day.  But here,  surrounded by Americans,  it has been almost 3 months and I haven't been asked to quiet down even once! !!!!!"

Ah,  international revelations.  It was so sweet to see how thrilled dear Frankie was to realize that not only is she not being asked to politely Shut Up on a regular basis, but the joy of discovering that she is rarely even in the top 10% of the loudest people in a given room!