everything was processed, but I am waiting on an overnight service to get the passport in my hands. I will have it exactly one day before I board the plane-- I am crazy, in other words. but there's a streak of joy to this craziness-- to think-- a week from now everything, every little thing in my world will be different. and for once I feel totally prepared for this, having shopped around for a long time before choosing a job.
from my last long term contract in Asia, I've spent time in a long list of american cities, in the years 2010-present:
san francisco, las vegas, salt lake city, denver, st louis, champaign-urbana, chicago, milwaukee, madison, la crosse, eau claire, river falls, hudson, stillwater, duluth, minneapolis, st paul, dayton, chillicothe, charleston, richmond, norfolk, virginia beach, chapel hill, carrboro, new york city, boston --- and probably a few more that I am not thinking of right now.
I've driven up and down this continent since my return in 2010 to see more of what I had a hard time explaining to anyone, having rarely traveled far from the midwest. granted, there is still a lot of my own country I still haven't seen-- I haven't seen iconic texas or hollywood--but I am better prepared to answer questions about my own culture. I ask, how does american expression (in our music, our interests, our arts, etc) influence what we think and how we behave (in the words of woody allen, is life the mirror of art or what?). to explain america, I only need to show these expressions and give a plausible WHY. this is marilyn monroe, idolized as much for her flaws as her assets. why? because our culture wants to believe that the poor can make it. if monroe did not have demons and sad memories, she would seem less worthy of success. if she were incredibly skinny like some contemporary models and actresses, she wouldn't be as attractive. the american taste favors psyche over aphrodite; we see mortal limitations to be symbolic enhancements, after all, cupid fell for psyche who then gave birth to bliss. to the Greek, even the gods were susceptible to human intervention and this is what has given us western culture as we know it.
anyway my travels across this continent are only a small block of my experiences. wherever I go I change, and such changes are a vital part of my reality. my eau claire friends teased me last night about how much it will change me, of course it will! but this is a virtue in my opinion. adaptability is just more crucial to success than muscle or brains.
speaking of this, I chose the books I will bring: DeLillo's White Noise, the oxford 1922 edition of Ulysses (with complete translations and good notes), and darwin's origin of the species / descent of man. after this, goddard's buddhist bible (with a comprehensive section on Chinese spirituality), and a book of spanish guitar solos i've been learning on the accordion. it's like going to a desert island, dude. i'll probably change my mind the morning that i go, but i remember being in Korea without the right books. it's bogus
more later
justin
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