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Tonight, after more than nine hours of nonstop work going through a huge box of dozens of pieces of mail that had stacked up while I was traveling, I feel nearly as refreshed as when I began this morning.

Before I started going through the mail, I installed a new software package called MacSpeech Dictate, which made a big difference!

In fact, I'm dictating this post, rather than typing it. MacSpeech Dictate (which is available for Windows users as Dragon Naturally Speaking) provides a whole new way to interact with your computer. Instead of typing, you use your voice to input text; rather than clicking your mouse, you just speak commands. It's that easy.

Much of what I do in the way of communication with others, is Web based. That means that for snail mail, I frequently have to scan documents and then send them to support staff in Indianapolis or India -- where I'm outsourcing my bookkeeping -- or to others who may need to share the documents. So today, instead of having to sit down at the computer and spend time typing an explanation about how to handle a specific document, I was able to simply dictate the memo or e-mail and then quickly scan the attachment and forward on. Not having to type was huge. It saved a lot of time, a lot of stress, and prevented the fatigue commonly associated with typing a lot.

Some of you may already be using this type of software and it's no big deal to you. But for me, this new development opens a whole new world of productivity gain -- which is very exciting for me.

 
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A chance encounter with a novice Buddhist monk while walking through the grounds of a monastery in Luang Prabang last week, was the catalyst for a new friendship as well as a chance to broaden my own horizons.

A soft-spoken greeting of "hello" prompted me to stop and talk with Novice Sithong Sokphonexai.  At age 17, he's been in the monastery since he was 13, when his family sent him there from their tiny village so that he could extend his rudimentary education. As the youngest of seven children, he's the first in their family to ever do so. After our initial meeting that day, I went back two other times to spend time talking with Novice Sithong.

During our conversations I learned that he gets to see his family only one time each year, during July -- the rainy season -- when he spends a week helping them with planting. The trip home is a two-hour drive on one of the few paved roads in Laos, then a one hour ride in a tiny boat on a river that passes by the village. After school, in maybe two or three more years, Sithong would like to find a job in a local hotel, so he's working hard to improve his English, and is also studying Chinese.  His days begin at 4AM when he gets up. At 6AM he walks to town -- along with hundreds of other monks in Luang Prabang -- for the morning alms procession (Tak Bat), where he gets food for the day. He eats only two meals.  He then goes to school until the afternoon, when he comes back to his tiny room and studies.  In the evening, he goes to the temple and prays before going to bed.  Last Wednesday I bought him a new camera. When I went back to see him before I left Laos on Friday, he showed me the pictures that he'd already taken; there were beautiful photos of flowers, and one of a dog -called 'Lucky' -- and two of me that he'd taken at the top of Mt. Phousey, along with two that I'd taken of him while showing him how it worked that day.

I find it interesting that I'm again exposed to Buddhism. My first exposure to Buddhism was in 1974, when I spent six weeks traveling around India. At age 23, I'd already left the Catholic church and was a member of the ultra-conservative Indianapolis Baptist Temple, with which I was becoming similarly disenchanted. I had no interest in exploring any other religion -- let alone something as 'strange and far away' as Buddhism seemed -- so I never learned much about it. (With regard to religion, my trip to India introduced me to Mahatma Gandhi, who became one of my heros. I remember reading something attributed to Gandhi:  "There is no such thing as religion over-riding morality. Man, for instance, cannot be untruthful or cruel and claim to have God on his side."  For me, at the time, cruelty and untruthfulness seemed to be core principles of the religions to which I'd been exposed during my life.)

In my opinion, most of humanity has a spiritual hunger, regardless of whether any particular religion is practiced or not. Dissatisfied with the religion of their youth, many spend years on a journey that includes experimenting with and exploring various religious practices.  To that end, a wonderful opportunity to explore and learn more about Buddhism begins on April 7th, when PBS begins airing their documentary "The Buddha, A Film" by the award-winning filmmaker David Grubin.

Narrated by Richard Gere, with insight by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other contemporary Buddhists, the documentary will present an excellent opportunity to learn more about meditation, Buddhist history, and how to  incorporate the Buddha's teachings on compassion and mindfulness into our own daily lives.

According to David Grubin, “Buddhism is growing more and more popular in America, but the Buddha himself remains a mysterious, exotic figure, the founder of a religion in a different key. The Buddha never claimed to be God, or his emissary on earth. He said only that in a world of unavoidable pain and suffering, he had found a serenity which others could find too. In our own bewildering times of violent change and spiritual confusion, the Buddha’s teachings have particular relevance.”

I'm looking forward to watching the PBS documentary, and learning even more about my new friend's religion and way of life -- and to watching Sithong continue on his own life's journey. I wish him the very best, and look forward to helping him in any way I can.

* Note: Here's an interesting Wall Street Journal blog post about Tiger Woods' recent return to Buddhism, his mother's religion.

* Photos: Novice Sithong in front of his monastery classroom door, and at the steps to the Mt. Phousey temple at the top of Mt Phousey, Luang Prabang

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The Toby, is the newest place to experience culturally adventurous performances, speakers and cinema in Indianapolis. Programming includes cutting-edge performers, thought-provoking conversations with artists, designers and museum directors, and international films and art cinema. Settle into Indy's new living room for these great programs at the IMA.

 
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I use Twitter primarily to follow others, and will only occasionally tweet something myself -- or will retweet something I think deserves further promotion.

Just tried to retweet something, and got a message that Twitter is "over capacity" with "Too many tweets! Please wait a moment and try again."

 
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To celebrate the Swiss watchmaker's 150th anniversary, the TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster will embark on the Odyssey of Pioneers, a 12,000-mile trip around the world. Leonardo DiCaprio, one of the first Roadster owners and official TAG Heuer Ambassador, kicked off the trip with Tesla CEO Elon Musk and TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Christophe Babin. There will be a variety of ways for Roadster owners and fans to get involved with the trip.

 
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If you've never walked into a larger-than-lifesize photograph, and literally crossed over into its subject, now's your chance!

This is a quick post to urge my Indiana friends to visit the Indiana Historical Society this weekend to experience a truly unique way to view history.

The History Center, on the Canal downtown (free parking in their lot at New York and West streets), has just completed a stunning remodeling that has turned this already amazing facility into one of the most sophisticated places in the country. Now you can literally walk into a historical photograph that was taken in Indiana. Or sit at a personal, NASA-like, tech center and explore the history of Indiana at your own pace in stunning realistic quality.

You'll be impressed!

In case you haven't seen it, WISH TV ran this piece on it last night.

This IHS video shows you what to expect: http://www.indianahistory.org/

 
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Having not had any internet access for a week, and not seeing my email until this past weekend when I returned from Laos, I discovered that one of the messages waiting for me was from our condo association -- telling me that they've approved my request to install a Tesla charging station in our garage.

This will be the first electric vehicle in our building, and the fact that I have to run hundreds of feet of wiring through common areas will set a precedent. I am grateful for the board's approval.

Next step: have an electrician install the system as soon as possible. The car should be ready for delivery in a month or less.

 
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Reviewing the photos of our trip reminds me of our run-in with the Communist Party in Thanh Hoa province, in the village where Joe Kernan's plane had been shot down. Angry with us for not having informed them beforehand that we would be arriving in their village with TV cameras and an entourage in tow, the local Communist leaders summoned us to their headquarters for what turned out to be a very tense meeting.

Thanks to the fast thinking of Tung, our guide, we were spared the officials' full wrath; but I was reminded that simply by the mere luck of where we were born, just how fortunate we are to live in an open and democratic society.

That meeting, along with the fact that Facebook was often blocked wherever we went in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, also reminded me that, although progress has been made in these countries, there is a long way to go.

People everywhere just want to be free; free to raise their families, to try to make a better life for themselves and their children, and free to pursue happiness. And yet so many people still live under less than idea conditions, with those who are trying to fight for freedom for their fellow countrymen often jailed -- or worse.  In Southeast Asia, in the former Indochina, one country continues to stick out as among the worst offenders.

Myanmar -- the former Burma -- continues to hold one of the world's best-known dissidents. I hope you'll enjoy this moving tribute to Aung San Suu Kyi, who has remained under house arrest in Burma for most of the past twenty years. Having spent much of her life fighting for her people, she is an inspiration to millions worldwide.

Additionally, I've included a very brief video of Bishop Desmond Tutu: prepare to be moved!

 
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Getting up at 5AM is never easy for me, but I was eager to experience a ritual as old as the Buddha himself. The morning alms procession (Tak Bat) is a living Buddhist tradition that has great meaning for the people of Luang Prabang. Beginning around 6AM every day, hundreds of Monks file out of Luang Prabang's monasteries in lines resembling threads of saffron swaying in the breeze. Townsfolk and tourists take their places on one side of various streets throughout the city, rice baskets in hand, to repeat, yet again, the ancient custom of giving alms. I was privileged to take part in this truly moving experience, along with Brad and Maggie, on the morning of March 8, 2010.

Kneeling on small mats, no one wears shoes, the stillness of this silent procession at daybreak is broken only by strutting, crowing roosters, the scuffing of bare feet and the clicking of cameras as the monks quietly pass by. The alms basket of each monk receives a ball of sticky rice from each person along the route. In addition to sticky rice, bananas and other foods may also be given -- along with flowers. Alms giving results in the monks receiving daily sustenance and the givers gaining merit, which it is believed will bring them happiness, a peaceful life and the strength to overcome any obstacles or misfortune that they might encounter.

I was genuinely moved by the piety of givers and receivers and the nearly perfect silence of the procession. It seemed that, for a brief flash of time, the world stood still and I was suspended in time in a place that could be called Shangri-La.


Note: Video and photos were taken the morning of March 8, 2010. Luang Prabang, Laos

 
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In most cases the worst part of international travel is the time spent in the air getting from the USA to your first destination and then the return flight back to the USA. Yesterday's flight back to Los Angeles from Luang Prubang, Laos (via Hanoi, Vietnam - Seoul, South Korea -Tokyo, Japan) was no exception, with over 24 hours of travel time.

Those of you following my blog know that the early part of our trip was very emotional, as a small group of us accompanied former Indiana Governor Joe Kernan to the site where he was shot down 38 years ago in Vietnam.  Despite terrible internet connections, I tried to document as much as possible by posting text and video, and was surprised to learn that my blog had become the source for some of the network news reports of our trip. I think the videos I posted  gave a good sense of what we were experiencing at the time.

As our trip progressed through Vietnam from Hanoi to Saigon, and then to Cambodia and Laos, the ongoing lack of good internet connections made it almost impossible to update my blog. In some places I had no connection at all. I finally gave up. I'll try to post some highlights once I re-enter (I'm still on Laos time, which is 12 hours ahead of us).

Finally, I had a number of people email me about my Vietnam posts with very complimentary remarks.  I greatly appreciate your kind comments. To have shared Joe and Maggie's experience with them was one of the highlights of my life, and I thank them both for allowing me to join their group.

It's good to be back!



Note: The photo is of a painting I purchased in Saigon.