Long time no post....

Virtual Doug recently presented several potential reasons for his not posting for a long time on his blog.  Missing the muses was one of them.  I have definitely missed the muses over the past month and a half.  My last posting was just prior to leaving for San Francisco, and now that I have returned to Ho Chi Minh City, I am relaxed enough to get back to the blog.

Doug concluded that he had "stopped observing the world", and I heartily agree that observing the world is perhaps the major impetus to most blog postings.  That is certainly true of Doug and his blog where there have been more interesting observations and profound conclusions about life per inch of posting than any other blog I read (over two hundred a day, not all of whom post daily).

In my case though, I have been accumulating photographs and ideas for blog items, but I simply have not had the desire to write the posts.  Writing is not a natural activity for me -- I really have to work at it and edit many times.  So it does take the prodding of the muses to keep me writing, and when they take a holiday, I stop writing.  And the holidays do take a lot of psychic energy, time, and attention.

Now that the Christmas season is over and I am back in Vietnam, the Tết season is upon us, and it requires some of the same psychic energy, even though I am not directly participating.  The logistics of surviving these long holidays in Asia are a major part of the time and attention taken away from other desirable pursuits.  Of course there are also the emotional benefits and cultural experiences gained from observing these holidays that outweighs all the stress in the end.

This year, I have been invited to the family home of a Vietnamese friend of mine.  We will be taking a long bus ride to the hills of Dắk Lắk Province in central Việt Nam, around Buôn Ma Thuôt, where the famous rich coffee of Việt Nam is grown.  I hope to capture many good photographs and observations, but I don't know that I will have internet access while out in the country.  If not, there will be another couple of weeks of no posting, and thereafter a potential flood of postings.  I am looking for the muses to be back inspiring with a cattle prod.

Comments

[peter]

Yeah, if it takes a cattle prod...so be it! With Saigon turning into one gigantic construction site, your comments are sorely needed!

[Jon Hoff]

Welcome back Mel! I need your wise opinion over on the final word!

Look forward from seeing those pics from the central highlands. I'm off to Nha Trang tomorrow for three nights then back to the city.

[Zoje George]

We've spent the past week stocking up on provisions; you never know how long your favorite shop will be closed for the holiday. Also, Tet makes February a very lean month in terms on salary, so a few extra staples in the larder will carry us through March too.

I've a friend coming to visit from America. It's her first trip to Viet Nam, she arrives tomorrow night and we'll be heading to Mui Ne for a few days sometime this week. Can't wait, love our usual hotel, where we can just sit and relax.

[Viet]

I thought you've taken off to perform grandpa's duty (babysitting the young). :)

[John B.]

Hello Mel,

We just missed each other. Jessica and I were in Vietnam visiting her family until last Friday morning. Today is my first day back in the office and I'm trying to get caught up with E-mails and sending out a post to the team about the coffee we brought back. Saigon was looking great in preparation for Tet, I wish I could have taken a month off to stay through the holiday. Looking forward to your post about the highlands!

Yo!

[Doug Greene]

Perhaps you can go about 12 klicks N.W. of Buon Me Thuot to see the E-de tribal village at Buon Don and may be the elephants will be out so you can ride them. I have done that. Much FUN! Doug Greene
Blog: http://maigreenevietnam.blogspot.com/