Dalan Chiut: February 2011

Latin American Weather Girls Vs. Middle East Weather Hosts

Beautiful weather babes are the reason why men the watch weather for casts in Latin America. The lack of them is exactly why men never watch the weather forecasts in the Middle East.

STRANGER IN PARADISE

Tirtigangga, Bali, Indonesia: I like people. I like animals and plants and nature well enough, but really, it’s people I care for and choose to be surrounded by. I like big, ugly, dirty, crowded, noisy, exciting cities. I like exotic restaurants and thriving markets and sleazy nightlife. I can’t imagine living anywhere else. It is rare that I want to visit anywhere else.

So what am I doing here?

This is Tirtigangga, Bali. It is the most beautiful, relaxing place I know contrary to everything I know that I love about the world. Maybe it’s because there are still people. I took a walk this morning around the rice terraces and had maybe a dozen conversations with people I passed by. The whole valley is a riot of greens and other natural colors, not a surface anywhere that isn’t in some way natural. Yet it is hacked and hewn and shaped entirely by the actions of people.

The sound of burbling water is everywhere and nearly all of it is because the water that was here naturally has been channeled and directed and contained for the use of the people who live here.

It is the most thoroughly unnatural natural environment I know and I’m spending a week here, hoping to get some writing done and maybe clean some of the filth out of my lungs from Bangkok and Jakarta and some of the filth out of my head from the same.

I’m planning on days spent waking up early for long walks in the rice terraces. A light breakfast, writing for a while, lunch, maybe a nap, maybe a massage, maybe some more writing, drinks on the terrace overlooking the Water Palace then dinner. Some reading then, then bed.

I’ve still got my attendant worries and demons, but this seems like as good a spot as any in which to either exorcise or battle them. At the moment it looks like it might pour rain, just in time to eat lunch, it seems like a good idea to me.

I haven’t really tried a place like this as a writing retreat before. Maybe it will work. I’m stuck on a couple of things and getting away from one’s routine is sometimes good for getting unstuck. We’ll see. Unfortunately if it works really well, it’s a long way to go when I need it again.

Who'da thunk it? Published!

Ok, I wasn't sure it was true but I guess it's out now and so it is.
Wow!
Now I have to head to the market and go buy a copy to see it in my own hands…
I have a tiny piece in this month's issue of Adoptive Families Magazine!
Whoohoo!
Whod'a thunk it?
Not me. (Ok, they told me about it but still, ya never know till ya know, ya know?)

But of course I want you all to go out and buy copies too so that they will know that people want to read about all this stuff…I'm on p. 17 under my real name, Michele Gautsch, and it's just a little thing which is good so I don't get the big head. But even so. It's real and my first and only real world writing.
Best not to make a habit of that….I"m sure.
But go get a copy, ok!?
Fun way to start the week.

Silliest Gadaffi Quotes

To most people Gadaffi is the revered leader of Libya but to us, he’s the source of insanely hilarious quotes. Take a look through some silly quotable nuggets spilled by the politician; they have been translated from Arabic for your pleasure.

How To Celebrate 100th B-day Of Football Club

Easy, burn your city with flares ... many of them :) then go play friendly match with fantastic atmosphere. After the match...meet at central square of town to celebrate some more & use flares & fireworks again :) also other cities in Croatia joined in their celebration impressive was Dubrovnik,sorrounding with flares old part of town

Hot Babes Rocking Tight Yoga Pants

No words would do justice to how incredibly gorgeous these babes look in tight yoga pants so we’ll let the pictures do all the talking.

Anna Kournikova