Category Archives: Chillin’

Catching up with Depeche Mode, I mean Diving and Chillin’

Buckle up compadres, it’s been a while so this might be a long and bumpy one.

I came extremely close this autumn to putting the key in the door of this blog/mini vanity project and throwing the (biodegradable) key into an unnamed abyss. After all, there are costs and no matter how much I enjoy writing (you should give it a go, it’s really fun) in the context of my days it started to feel a little bit frivolous. maybe even wasteful. Plus I see most of you on a regular basis, so it’s not like you need my long winded prose to stay in touch. Read more

Sri Lankan Days: Second Thoughts, and the overhyped train ride from Kandy to Ella.


I wanted to write a proper post with tons of pretentious cultural and literary remarks but it is already day 11 of our arrival here and we are headed to the internetless land of the Maldives tomorrow (because we will be on a boat). So instead here is a bunch of pictures and some hopefully not too pedestrian, or provincial, comments. Read more

Sri Lankan Days: First Impressions

Yup, that‘s a George Orwell semi-reference (Burmese Days) and a shout-out to my high school english teacher. I’ll have to re-read that book.

Walking off the airplane after three flights, each averaging around seven hours, I reflect on the saying that it’s not the destination but the journey that matters and wholeheartedly disagree. We are greeted by a large Buddha statue with the hand in the blessing pose (if I remember correctly, I was too crazy tired and in no shape to think about taking pictures). Later there was a large sign saying that carrying illicit drugs was punishable by death.  Read more

The Solstice, Christmas and 2019

Today is the solstice, my pagan roots are happy. The shortest day, the longest night. As I get ready for Christmas (my Christian roots are happy) and the new year celebrations, my thoughts turn, unavoidably, both backwards and forwards.

2018 was a very interesting year. I’ll spare you the details, but it was about things coming full circle, about new things desired and old things no longer needed. It was about shaking things loose to see what sticks and what falls away. There was also the very clear feeling that sand is shifting ever quicker through the hourglass, that the bottom part perhaps now holds more than the top. That generated some resignation but mostly, mostly, defiance.  Insert Billy Idol sneer and fist pump. Read more