These Postcards come with a scribble note of unexpected affection from my official fountain pen, meanwhile, items by post of late (and late they are) include:
Everest First Day Cover Aerogramme
Inscribed book by ephemera art master
Poetry collection from a laureate
Concorde First Day Cover from a flight which may not be useful
Investigate below:
Sagarmatha/Chomolungma (aka Everest) in Aerogramme
First day Everest Aerogramme, Aug 1, 1975, Nepal / waiting for destination.
notes from a master
There is only one postmaster authorized to use this stamp / do you know who? hints: #griffinandsabine #katin Yup, Nick Bantock and his new limited edition book “WasNick”.
new poems from a champion
There is always a Present Moment to spend with Gary Snyder, poet laureate of all that is good coming my way herein Japan where he roamed from just across the Taiheyo in the Sierras.
this flight is landing before it takes off… note to self: further research
Aqaba to Amman via Concorde, first day cover envelope with all sorts of flair!
As I’m stumbling along on my “healing ramble” series (please watch the intro video for overview and disclaimers, not unusually, finding myself a little bit overwhelmed with all the artifacts, memories, items, even data, to share. So, rather than obsess over it just putting it all out there, even if it’s a bit redundant.
The next “real” dispatches from the series include my “tips for travelling with a chronic illness” (which is rather practical and logistical stuff), plus another entry from Sri Lanka, another from Nepal, a tough one from Pacifica California, more from other places i forgot and maybe I’ll even fill in the missing gaps from Adelaide Australia, Austin Texas, and crossing Canada looking for a home.
In the meanwhile here are the fronts of some notebooks and a postcard which allude to some of the above.
Memo: What follows comes from my erstwhile “Healing Journal” – written/compiled on a foggy meandering journey to various countries visiting all manner of hospitals, clinics and exploring various healing modalities and techniques.
Shared here more-or-less unedited for posterity (whatever that is) and to shed light to those struggling who might come across this riff. Please watch the “Healing Ramble, introduction” video for context on this series.
(also riffs already from Thailand, India etc + tips about pros/cons and how-to logistics coming…)
welcome gates in Pokhara, Nepal (note they have a few facilities in Nepal
Visits to a few wonderful, unique, intelligent clinic/hospitals in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka played the most critical role in bringing me “back to life” from MECFS – no, i’m not healed but i manage. Anyhow…
In this dispatch, i’ll introduce Ayurveda Health Home in Nepal – they operate clinics in Kathmandu and Pokhara where I did my panchakarma 3 week treatment cycle. [Update: now another facility] and are a German-Nepal partnership company and bring the best of both cultures into the operation.
me and the esteemed Dr. Rishi (rip) so much goodness – note my custom hemp trouser, Topi hat and Thai-made custom shirt
The facilities were fantastic – simple and sincere and functional, the staff was next level skilled & diligent, and the skill of the key medical officers – led by the brilliant, international reknowned Dr Rishi & my lead (the coolest and kindest) Dr. Rumee – empathetic, knowledgable & superb.
Do you keep boarding passes, maps, itineraries, ticket stubs, brochures, cards, coasters and whatnot? do you make *something* from it all? if so, can i see?
Envelopes of ephemera: Rome, Greece, Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia – i was looking for a home (and trying be lost).
Will eventually be collaged scrapbooks (but need to make some scrapbooks to be the scrapbooks these items go into…)
Also: Nepal, items, various (maps – many, aerogramme, hotel coasters and manifests)
A rapid-fire introduction to the “Beat Generation” focused on the story of “6 Poets at Gallery 6” reading Oct, 1955 SF CA when Allen Ginsberg, Phillip Whalen, Gary Snyder, Micheal McClure, Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady, Lawrence Ferlinghetti et al were all in the room for a reading hosted by Kenneth Rexroth that would go into legend and launch a poetry renaissance in San Francisco and the world. Presented by Cannaverse Club.
Includes extended erstwhile members of the movement and “what happened” after that night as the poets and their friends scattered their influence globally (with, not surprisingly, a little bit of extra emphasis on Japan, Zen, India/Nepal) plus Merry Pranksters, Furthur bus, Grateful Dead and even the Simpsons. Whoa!
Lots of the usual ephemera, show & tell, couple of vinyl records, loads of books, various digressions and asides, hats & homework.
Note from UW: “If you’re curious *at all*, please share your questions and comments &/or “Replay live chat” at Youtube to catch some of the stuff I forgot to say during the premiere”
Blurb: Join Uncle Weed for a hang-out workshop riff in a not-so-secret barn studio in provincial Japan as he shares favorite tools and supplies and techniques for making “static montage” collage, scrap-journals of ephemera and musings, and elevated postal projects including tactile postcards, panoramas and aerogrammes. Plus – importantly – discussion about, “why bother?“ (Hint: meditation, inspiration, memories – dopamine for you and others).
There will be ephemera! {And treats for participants.}
UW says, “Look forward to chatting with you live about any creative projects you’re curious about or working on”.
Gist: I’m collaborating with some pals on a new Cannabis Community project – its all metavers-y and NFTs and such as and while that’s not my forte, sharing stories from rambles, campaigns, and creative riffs is (fer sure). Check links to get in on the hi-jinks. So happy to be getting studio barn set-up with all the wires, dongles, adapters, extenders, lights and mics. Catch all the topics in the riff below and come on along!
My heart aches at this shocking news. Dear Dr. Rishi was such an instrumental part in changing my life for which I will be forever grateful. In his presence, I felt a very rare and powerful and graceful energy which I will always remember.
His credentials and accomplishments are endless as he travelled the world bridging cultures and sharing his knowledge of Ayurveda as well as other healing modalities with scholars and practitioners. He kept up quite a schedule but also was the chief medical man of this highly efficient and effective group of clinics in Nepal.
DaveO and Dr Rishi at Ayurveda Health Home in Kathmandu. Nepal – note almost matching moustaches
I remember sitting with him at lunch as he gently ate and kindly answered my questions (building about the differences between traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, and the importance of being present and doing the most minor activities with intention – including eating and cleaning.
Importantly for my healing journey though, he travelled from Katmandu to Pokhara specifically for my intake at the hospital – along with his luminescent colleague Dr Rumee. After *losing* so many years of my life to chronic and complex illness I was so discouraged as doctors never seem to take the time to listen to me and thoroughly examine and inspect me. He listen to all aspects of my life, physical, emotional, spiritual and so on with a deep well of empathy and acknowledgment.
Wishing every blessing my wee heart can muster for his family, friends, colleagues and other patients. I will light incense in your honour from Japan and remember you always so very fondly.
In gracious remembrance of a wonderful human.
Note: much more to share about my time to Ayurveda Health Home in Pokhara and later a visit with Dr Rishi in Kathmandu.
Kind of nervous about this project but somehow it feels like a good (or important) idea so here we go… &/or just watch :).
I deal with #MECFS a complicated complex and chronic disease (see below).
After diagnosis eight years ago (2013), I was kinda ground-up by then-local (Vancouver, Canada) medical system through challenging and ill-advised therapies, a litany of dangerous medications and laborious uneventful tests. Plus my entire life seemed to fall apart… ugh. As such I set out on a meandering journey seeking to figure out what was up with my body and brain and try to find a way forward. Continue reading Healing Ramble: #MECFS journey to Thailand, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and onwards→
+ Postbox Haiku Exhibit at the Goat Farm: In which I combine love of poetry, painting and postal mail and recaps an exhibit at buddy Mac’s goat farm.
So happy to share my mixed media project with a new audience at a very special place
Gist: Produced by dDesign to promote Okayama design, tourist and culture, the campaign included a painting in Shibuya as well as paintings of post boxes and office in: The Vatican; Kathmandu, Nepal; Olympia, Greece; and, Muscat, Oman as well as a new haiku on a postbox about “nonconfidential postcards” along with a book of paintings, a book of postboxes, and postcards of well… postboxes with poetry – both painted and functional.
DaveO at Goat Farm with postbox haiku, both sides now sport a custom poemTransported the paintings in a velvety suitcase (notice the key for keeping them imaginary safe)The paintings of postboxes had custom postcards with shodo ink by Junko Fujita and decorated up with appropriate postal and inky stamps by me
