THE ULTIMATE
Welcome To My Life Is An Adventure - by Dawitt Abraha November 2019 Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand (by Dawitt Abraha) Hey Mom! I want to come back and visit you sometime this coming summer of 2020. Will you remember me as I was back in the day? I am not that same young boy in your recollection; not anymore. I have metamorphosed and all grown up at 73, pushing 74 years of age. I left my home in Asmara, Eritrea, at around 17 and did not return to live and reside. I did go back to visit with my parents occassionaly between semester breaks and during vacations. I have since lived and or worked in different parts of Eastern and Southern parts of Africa, parts of Europe and lived and worked a good chunk of my adult life primarily in parts of North America namely in and around Washington DC areas and in Hawaii. Currently I have made my home base part-timely in Northern Thailand with some rather mandatory visits to places like China, Vietnam and the rest of the world. I want to combat "cabin fever" and escape the annual onset of unhealthy smoke season in Northern Thailand. http://qz.com/914002/youre-a-completely-different-person-at-14-and-77-the-longest-running-personality-study-ever-has-found Somethings in me have really changed and these are more than my age, my height, my body weight and such. "HEY MAMA OH MAMA, I AM ALL GROWN UP !" lyrics from a song that I happen to recall. https://qz.com/1004710/new-research-on-multiple-personalities-is-challenging-the-idea-that-we-have-a-fixed-identity/ One of my favorite Hawaiian songs is this one entitled "Ku'u Homae O Kahalu'u". It was popularized by the celebrated band; OLOMANA. The song narrates yearnings about going back to their childhood village of Kahalu'u in Hawaii, after a stint in San Francisco CA. Lyrics say: ... Last night ,I dreamt I was returning (home); and my heart called out to you; I am afraid you're not same as I left you? Eh ke Aloha,ku'u homaeo O Kahalu The Joyous Celebration of the Yee (Yi) Peng and Loy Krathong Festival Of Light 11-13 November 2019 Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand (by Dawitt Abraha) In 2019, the Loy Krathong festival begins on November 11 and ends on November 13. It is a light festival (or known as Lantern Festival) in Thailand on the full moon day in November. The festival is celebrated nationwide by releasing lotus-shaped baskets, decorated with candles and flowers onto the rivers. Chiang Mai, Sukhothai and Bangkok are the best places to celebrate the festival while visiting the country. Yee (Yi) Peng, another light festival, is celebrated on the same day alongside Loy Krathong in Northern Thailand, especially in Chiang Mai. It is different in that lights are placed into sky lanterns. Swarms of sky lanterns, decorated with good luck wishes and prayers are released into the sky. Usually, almost every year, I happen to be in town and celebrate Loy Krathong around Nawaratt Bridge in downtown Chiang Mai and by the banks of THE MIGHTY PING RIVER. Along with Thais and those of other S.E Asian cultures, I honour our natural environment by paying respects to the spirits of the rivers and the air that gives us life. It is time to share our admiration for the industry and health offered to us by our fellow creatures like the domesticated animals, fish, bees, insects and other animals. It feels like all natural forces have agreed to the celebration on this auspicious moment. MORNING AFTER my AUA stage acting debut 03 September 2019 Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand (by Dawitt Abraha) After a six-week long Stage Acting Workshop, last night, Monday, 02 Sept, 2019, was class "graduation" performance at AUA Auditorium in CM, Northern Thailand, my September 02, 2019, AUA DEBUT stage acting performance is over. Following that, the casting crew and I, along with two coaches, friends and some audience members went out to the Sherilelee Sports bar in downtown Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. I had a salad and shared a large bottle of beer with Bridget, my fellow cast member. We all enjoyed food and drinks in a quasi-communal spirit. There was energetically charged moments in between. Everyone seemed happy with the feed-back, applause's and with their results. We were all in high spirits, performers and coaches. The conversations were full of energy. We all agreed to reconnect and plan a get-together soon, somewhere. I decided to retire early and left a little after 10:00pm, leaving the party/gathering, which was still continuing in full swing. Now, I am back home, the party is over. I feel drained of energy. I am comfortable with my performance. I was and had been super prepared. Stephan, our stage acting coach, agreed that my results were great . Yeah! Feelings of the morning after. The morning after-effect. I got up this morning of Tuesday, 03 September, 2019, with back aches and feelings of muscle strains. It feels like I just got over a duration of an intense weight lifting . I gather it was from the way I had been standing and sitting in contrived positions to play my imaginary roles . As soon as I got up, I began my yoga/tai-chi/qi-gong movements . That session helped in self-massaging my shoulders and lower back areas. I have arranged for a professional therapeutic massage later on this afternoon and successively for some days thereafter . Soon, the video of my main event will be made available. A couple of friends in the audience have also taken some photo shots of my specific performances. I cannot wait to get them all and share them with Mama, friends and family. Perhaps, just may be, Hollywood could be watching (whispering....) LOL! *** I finished eating my breakfast and already having feelings of some sort of loss. For the last six weeks, I had been used to living and dreaming my lines and my imagined life on stage. Separation anxiety has set-in, in a manner of speaking. Is there life after the show is over? Hah-Hah. As usual, I would hope life continues on and the will to be fully engaged continues. Tomorrow, is but just another today. THE SHOW MUST GO ON. WALKING MEDITATION IN THE RAIN INSIDE THE PARK SATURDAY MORNING - 27 JULY 2019 CHIANG MAI NORTHERN THAILAND (by Dawitt Abraha) It is so cool doing walking meditation inside the Princess Mothers Park , located within Chiang Mai University Campus Conventions Center grounds. My senses are heightened. My mindfulness eeriky aware of all my surroundings. I am lead into a sleep-like restfulness. With every raindrop hitting tree branches, With every raintop striking the grounds, With my footsteps landing on the pavement, I hear a panoply of musical notes. The swaying of the tree branches and their leaves making hashing sounds provide the voices of the chorus. The walking meditation in the rain orchestra is in full session. That was during the early morning rain. The temperature read a comfortable 28 degrees. Rain rain, rain, rain and more rain. Feels like it is raining all over the world. I have the proper rain gear of rain boots, pants and two layers of "Gore-Tex" rain wear jackets. I came prepared. I have the whole park to myself . Where is everybody? Why does most everyone seem intent on avoiding contacts with the rain?! Not the trees, No, not the plants, Not the flowers, No; not nature. The heavens are opening up and smiling down to us. The gardens exude happiness. It is serene up here. The air is moist. The streets are undergoing clean washing. I want you to be jealous! Get out and commune with nature! LOL! Make it a great weekend! MOON OUTS Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand February 2, 2019 (by Dawitt Abraha) Most mornings I have developed the habit of getting up early and routinely take a detour onto my porch/balcony. Some nights, there is the full moon out, bright with 80% illumination. Other nights, there is a half moon out, the illumination is not bright. May be less than 50% and hazed out. Some nights, there is no girl by my side and it still feels romantic. May be because the full moon or half moon is out at night. I hear the roosters making their rounds of wake up calls. And repeated call and response rhythms. The birds took their turns to tune up and sing out broadcasting their melodies. Wondering what are their messages? Reckoning the night's passage, to the standing by day. It is so quiet otherwise, with the occasional scooter or car driving by. Seasonably cool most mornings and especially the winter time of year. I see street lights from near and far. Decided to roll out my bed and sleep outdoors, under the moon and stars. Wake up when the sun stars (sic) to shine, as the noises and rhythms of city life usher in. Webmaster: Dawitt Abraha - Email: [email protected] - Copyright © Protected - All Rights Reserved 2021
|