Blog : The Yukon, Paris, Vietnam and beyond...
12-28-2016
, 05:06 PM
Insane in the Membrane
April 2012, Nha Trang, Vietnam. You ever felt completely powerless... Not that despair that strikes you when the idiot-grinning-brainless-meathead just 1 outered you on the river and gets a million lols out of it ; nah, nah, I am talking about being stripped of your identity in a foreign-communist country when a security guard denies you access to your room/passport + belongings
Sure I had a few drinks, sure I was borderline blackout drunk, but you see, when you are alone at the other end of the world and symbolically pushed against the wall, all hell breaks loose... When I tried to get to my room and the security guard blocked the way by putting an authoritive hand on my shoulder, fury took over... In between the blurry reality, that sentiment of feeling utterly powerless and an infuriating anger, I swung the best I could... blood spilled from his nose, a few guys stepped in, I didn't offer any further resistance... Next thing I knew, I was at the police station, at fracking 8am in the morning, unaware of how or why I got there... Bloody hell, perhaps I should quit the sauce
In between the constant hammering rain, the frequent unwelcome visits from the police, the swings of the grind and whatnot, we left everything behind and hopped on a plane to Hanoi to renew my gf's passport.
For some reason, this night happened to be one of my most vibrant ones in Asia... It was a simple Sunday evening in Hanoi, nothing seemingly special outside of many locals hanging out (on their day off), sharing a few lols and some tourists walking around.
Yet the streets were electrified with some intense vibrations
You see, in the past, I would of sat down, pounced back a ton of drinks until the wee hours of the morning, desperately trying to not let the moment slip away... Instead, the sober me sat down, observed the crowd, smiled, soaked in the good energy before calling it a night 
Almost done my December grind (booked 11k thus far) and will probably call it quits on the 29th, go to Hoi an for 3-4 days and then Thailand for my 3 week meditation retreat ; thus no poker for 1 full month 
If I had initially planned to only grind about 25h weekly this winter, this figure might actually end up in the 20-22h range
Run good all
April 2012, Nha Trang, Vietnam. You ever felt completely powerless... Not that despair that strikes you when the idiot-grinning-brainless-meathead just 1 outered you on the river and gets a million lols out of it ; nah, nah, I am talking about being stripped of your identity in a foreign-communist country when a security guard denies you access to your room/passport + belongings
Sure I had a few drinks, sure I was borderline blackout drunk, but you see, when you are alone at the other end of the world and symbolically pushed against the wall, all hell breaks loose... When I tried to get to my room and the security guard blocked the way by putting an authoritive hand on my shoulder, fury took over... In between the blurry reality, that sentiment of feeling utterly powerless and an infuriating anger, I swung the best I could... blood spilled from his nose, a few guys stepped in, I didn't offer any further resistance... Next thing I knew, I was at the police station, at fracking 8am in the morning, unaware of how or why I got there... Bloody hell, perhaps I should quit the sauce
In between the constant hammering rain, the frequent unwelcome visits from the police, the swings of the grind and whatnot, we left everything behind and hopped on a plane to Hanoi to renew my gf's passport.
For some reason, this night happened to be one of my most vibrant ones in Asia... It was a simple Sunday evening in Hanoi, nothing seemingly special outside of many locals hanging out (on their day off), sharing a few lols and some tourists walking around.
Yet the streets were electrified with some intense vibrations
You see, in the past, I would of sat down, pounced back a ton of drinks until the wee hours of the morning, desperately trying to not let the moment slip away... Instead, the sober me sat down, observed the crowd, smiled, soaked in the good energy before calling it a night Almost done my December grind (booked 11k thus far
) and will probably call it quits on the 29th, go to Hoi an for 3-4 days and then Thailand for my 3 week meditation retreat ; thus no poker for 1 full month If I had initially planned to only grind about 25h weekly this winter, this figure might actually end up in the 20-22h range Run good all
Last edited by Dubnjoy000; 12-28-2016 at 05:18 PM.
01-04-2017
, 02:18 PM
After finishing my December grind, we jumped in a taxi (it was too late to rent a motorbike/hop on a bus) and stormed towards Hoi an, our favourite little getaway.
Our choices for hotels were limited, with New Year's and all and given that our trip was a last minute decision, but we still managed to find a sweet little hotel
It was raining for the entirety of this trip, yet...
... we still managed to enjoy ourselves
2017 yo
Continuation will constitute the majority of my focus than anything groundbreaking, tbh ; nonetheless, for the purpose of having specific goals, lets crunch some numbers, shall we.
Da Pokerz : Much of the same as I am simply aiming at an upper 5 digit year (like accomplished every year
). Am pretty happy with the stakes I play online (100z and 200z) but taking regular successful shots at 400z (without necessarily moving up) would be nice... As far as live poker goes, it kinda of depends if I will make it to the WSOPE or not... but assuming I do spend more time playing live outside of Dawson, crushing 2-5 and playing more 5-10 sounds like a decent goal.
Writing : Manage to finish 5-10 chapters of my book, get some interviews done and explore different mediums online to expose my writing/get some feedback.
Meditation : Much of the same : at least 2 retreats of over a month total and maintain 2h daily.
Investing : I will start looking into purchasing a house (most likely in 2018) in Dawson this summer. Nothing too fancy, just a simply 2 bedroom house outside of town, close to the river, and in the 100-150k range. If not, look into secure investments that would net me a 5% ROI.
That's about it folks. Am leaving tomorrow for Thailand and my 3 weeks retreat,
Run good all
Our choices for hotels were limited, with New Year's and all and given that our trip was a last minute decision, but we still managed to find a sweet little hotel
It was raining for the entirety of this trip, yet...
... we still managed to enjoy ourselves
2017 yo
Continuation will constitute the majority of my focus than anything groundbreaking, tbh ; nonetheless, for the purpose of having specific goals, lets crunch some numbers, shall we.
Da Pokerz : Much of the same as I am simply aiming at an upper 5 digit year (like accomplished every year
). Am pretty happy with the stakes I play online (100z and 200z) but taking regular successful shots at 400z (without necessarily moving up) would be nice... As far as live poker goes, it kinda of depends if I will make it to the WSOPE or not... but assuming I do spend more time playing live outside of Dawson, crushing 2-5 and playing more 5-10 sounds like a decent goal.Writing : Manage to finish 5-10 chapters of my book, get some interviews done and explore different mediums online to expose my writing/get some feedback.
Meditation : Much of the same : at least 2 retreats of over a month total and maintain 2h daily.
Investing : I will start looking into purchasing a house (most likely in 2018) in Dawson this summer. Nothing too fancy, just a simply 2 bedroom house outside of town, close to the river, and in the 100-150k range. If not, look into secure investments that would net me a 5% ROI.
That's about it folks. Am leaving tomorrow for Thailand and my 3 weeks retreat,
Run good all
Last edited by Dubnjoy000; 01-04-2017 at 02:24 PM.
01-06-2017
, 08:33 PM
Slow Grind
Just arrived in Thailand, where I booked, given the desired location, a convention centre :
Kind of lol to be staying in all-inclusive (sort of...) convention centre before being a monk for 3 weeks, isn't it
Then again, the breakfast buffet was a delightful necessity before being forced to not eat past noon for 21 days
I am leaving in a couple of hours for the meditation centre (450kms outside of Bangkok) where no talking will be held, no electronic devices opened (or eyes, for that matter...), nothing outside of monastic duties (meditation yo). Back to civilization in Febuary. See you all then
Run good all
Just arrived in Thailand, where I booked, given the desired location, a convention centre :
Kind of lol to be staying in all-inclusive (sort of...) convention centre before being a monk for 3 weeks, isn't it
Then again, the breakfast buffet was a delightful necessity before being forced to not eat past noon for 21 days
I am leaving in a couple of hours for the meditation centre (450kms outside of Bangkok) where no talking will be held, no electronic devices opened (or eyes, for that matter...), nothing outside of monastic duties (meditation yo
). Back to civilization in Febuary. See you all then Run good all
02-02-2017
, 06:39 AM
Silent Steps
To be accepted in a 20 day course, one first needs to meet a few requirements (see below) which can be directly correlated to a meditator's firm discipline.
- Meditating 2h/day for a few years (usually a min of 5-10 years).
- Having done at least 7 x 10 day courses previously.
- Proven to be seriously established in the practice.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Observe the string of air sliding through the nasal passageway for 12h/day, 7 days str8.
Perhaps the biggest distinction that can be found with the retreats held in the west, was the presence of Thai monks (8 of them) who naturally contributed to that monastic sentiment. They also somewhat changed the dynamic of our non-meditation activities, for instance, as a meditator had to not only tread in complete mindfulness when walking eyes cast down, but also respectfully yield the passageway to his dhamma elders.
Once the mind stubbornly wanders away, delicately bring it back. Do not get conned by strong sentiments of anger, depression, anxiety.
If the first 10 days flew by, time came to a dreadful halt on day 11 Perhaps it was the physical pain, the simple boredom or my mind playing tricks on me, but compelling thoughts of the outside world progressively dawned upon me, thus straying me away from the task at hand...
The rising pain brings our attention back to our body, forcing us to be attentive, like an eternal observer. Is there a way out of this mortal suffering, an exit for these cycles? Breathe in. Breathe out.
Somehow, we made it through the pain, the boredom, the longevity, thus releasing a ton of existential weight along the way until, on day 20, the silence was finally broken. We looked around, awkwardly, before engaging in conversation with other English speakers (despite it not being their mother tongue) ; yet, alas, a language barrier remained with the Thai speakers
On Day 21, we were thrown back in the outside world, peacefully navigating through the chaos that is the Chinese New Year. Trying to make sense of it all. Or not.
Peace
To be accepted in a 20 day course, one first needs to meet a few requirements (see below) which can be directly correlated to a meditator's firm discipline.
- Meditating 2h/day for a few years (usually a min of 5-10 years).
- Having done at least 7 x 10 day courses previously.
- Proven to be seriously established in the practice.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Observe the string of air sliding through the nasal passageway for 12h/day, 7 days str8.
Perhaps the biggest distinction that can be found with the retreats held in the west, was the presence of Thai monks (8 of them) who naturally contributed to that monastic sentiment. They also somewhat changed the dynamic of our non-meditation activities, for instance, as a meditator had to not only tread in complete mindfulness when walking eyes cast down, but also respectfully yield the passageway to his dhamma elders.
Once the mind stubbornly wanders away, delicately bring it back. Do not get conned by strong sentiments of anger, depression, anxiety.
If the first 10 days flew by, time came to a dreadful halt on day 11
Perhaps it was the physical pain, the simple boredom or my mind playing tricks on me, but compelling thoughts of the outside world progressively dawned upon me, thus straying me away from the task at hand...The rising pain brings our attention back to our body, forcing us to be attentive, like an eternal observer. Is there a way out of this mortal suffering, an exit for these cycles? Breathe in. Breathe out.
Somehow, we made it through the pain, the boredom, the longevity, thus releasing a ton of existential weight along the way until, on day 20, the silence was finally broken. We looked around, awkwardly, before engaging in conversation with other English speakers (despite it not being their mother tongue) ; yet, alas, a language barrier remained with the Thai speakers
On Day 21, we were thrown back in the outside world, peacefully navigating through the chaos that is the Chinese New Year. Trying to make sense of it all. Or not.
Peace
Last edited by Dubnjoy000; 02-02-2017 at 07:05 AM.
02-06-2017
, 10:26 AM
Unfortunately, Vietnam's live pokerz is all but dead at this point. The scene was never healthy to begin with, but there nonetheless use to be a 1-2 game here in Danang after an APT series was held here a few years back, but from what I gathered, the game has been dead for a couple of years now (not that I regularly check on it...).
The game on the Ho Tram Strip (a couple hours outside of Saigon) met a similar fate when the new owner unexpectedly canceled the APT dates there/shut down the cash games. As far as HCMC goes (New World Hotel I think it is called...), the latest rumours are that that game is all but extinct as well. Hence, outside of some home games (which I do not try to seek), no live poker can be found, me thinks (there is a poker club in Hanoi that has daily tournaments, yet charges a UNCONCEIVABLY-TITANIC-HIGH rake).
This said, none of that really concerns me. I am presently grinding 20h/week online (200z and 100z), have a very satisfactory winrate, and while I do miss the interaction that brings da live pokerz, not having to carry around a live roll is also a +. Even in the Philippines or in Cambodia, I only sparsely played live... And besides, there are not many places in the world outside of Canada and the US of A that offer a combination of good games and low rake
On a side not, guys and dolls, do not be shy to post over here, I can see that there is a decent 1-2k people following, yet not many posters
Do not hesitate folks, as it always feels great to receive some form of feedback
Last edited by Dubnjoy000; 02-06-2017 at 10:33 AM.
02-06-2017
, 10:29 AM
Jeez, while I was writing that previous post, we went to a Vietnamese restaurant, pointed at a picture of chicken with fried rice, only to have the owner come to our table holding a live chicken by the feet upside down and ask us if this is what we wanted He went back to the kitchen, screams of the chicken echoed like a mama-fracker, before suddenly fading away
#OnlyinAsia
He went back to the kitchen, screams of the chicken echoed like a mama-fracker, before suddenly fading away #OnlyinAsia
Last edited by Dubnjoy000; 02-06-2017 at 10:36 AM.
02-06-2017
, 11:44 AM
I'll never forget seeing my inlaws proudly dispatch one of their free range chickens by desanguination for a fresh pot of chicken congee complete with coagulated blood. Other than lobsters there aren't too many animals selected live for consumption in the west that I can think of....
Some guys I used to play basketball with would get private games going, pretty sure there could be some micro stakes games to be found at a bar in Pham Ngu Lao (Boston?) but that might not scratch your itch.
Phnom Penh is a short flight away, how about you go over and do a trip report on the River King/Naga games as they seem worth playing.
Congratulations on completing the retreat, not talking for an extended period of time is oddly inticing although I'd probably prefer to do it in a wilderness setting so I can talk with myself and the wild life
Some guys I used to play basketball with would get private games going, pretty sure there could be some micro stakes games to be found at a bar in Pham Ngu Lao (Boston?) but that might not scratch your itch.
Phnom Penh is a short flight away, how about you go over and do a trip report on the River King/Naga games as they seem worth playing.
Congratulations on completing the retreat, not talking for an extended period of time is oddly inticing although I'd probably prefer to do it in a wilderness setting so I can talk with myself and the wild life
02-07-2017
, 04:14 AM
Quote:
I'll never forget seeing my inlaws proudly dispatch one of their free range chickens by desanguination for a fresh pot of chicken congee complete with coagulated blood. Other than lobsters there aren't too many animals selected live for consumption in the west that I can think of....
Some guys I used to play basketball with would get private games going, pretty sure there could be some micro stakes games to be found at a bar in Pham Ngu Lao (Boston?) but that might not scratch your itch.
Phnom Penh is a short flight away, how about you go over and do a trip report on the River King/Naga games as they seem worth playing.
Congratulations on completing the retreat, not talking for an extended period of time is oddly inticing although I'd probably prefer to do it in a wilderness setting so I can talk with myself and the wild life
Some guys I used to play basketball with would get private games going, pretty sure there could be some micro stakes games to be found at a bar in Pham Ngu Lao (Boston?) but that might not scratch your itch.
Phnom Penh is a short flight away, how about you go over and do a trip report on the River King/Naga games as they seem worth playing.
Congratulations on completing the retreat, not talking for an extended period of time is oddly inticing although I'd probably prefer to do it in a wilderness setting so I can talk with myself and the wild life
Am writing these lines from a newly discovered sweet and comfortable cafe where I plan on grinding 2h of writing on a daily basis
Yeah man, I have worked (as a chef) and have had first hand experienced with free range livestock killings in Guatemala ; we actually made everything from scratch : our sauces (alfredo and hollandaise, of course, and tomato where we would boil/peel the skin off the tomatoes), dressings (mayo and vinaigrettes), condiments (humus, pesto etc.) and despite it being a vegetarian restaurant, we killed a turkey for thanksgiving (where the guests made and signed a petition to save the life of the poor clueless creature
Spoiler:
Would be more interested in basketball games then small poker games, tbh ; even if poker wasn't taking a backseat to writing atm, I am still not that much interested in the live games in Asia. Phnom Penh was fun for degenning (have not had a drink or used any substance in 3+ years), and while the 1-2 uncapped game is soft over there, the rake remains quite substantial (5% capped at 20 USD$), despite me averaging a decent hourly in a small sample size (around 35 CAD$/h). This said, my winrate is slightly higher online, I access the tables from the comfort of my pyjas
and will wait until Dawson before grinding live again (plan on making a 45k PG & C this upcoming summer ).As far as the retreat goes, it was quite the experience, given the longevity/difficulty of it all
My body/mind were so ingrained in the moment, that I had naturally established a rigid schedule where anger would rise in the morning, depression in the early afternoon, anxiety in the evening. Rinse/repeat everyday. I must thus acknowledge that my demons are still well established within me, despite their foundations being gradually dugged out Good to hear from you Hank and seeing you posting again about your biking trips
You plan on doing some new ones? What about work, where has your recent income been coming from? Peace man
Last edited by Dubnjoy000; 02-07-2017 at 04:26 AM.
02-07-2017
, 11:04 PM
Next trip is not decided but I keep dreaming of doing the 2100 mile ride to vegas in 21 days, so many options.
Very impressed with your consistent results and pursuits outside of poker, what is the highest stake MTT you play?
02-08-2017
, 09:27 AM
Quote:
Have been working bike delivery for Jimmy John's here in Tallahssee for the last 16 months, definitely has upped my riding skills in addition to taking up bicycle polo which is my new favorite sport to play.
Next trip is not decided but I keep dreaming of doing the 2100 mile ride to vegas in 21 days, so many options.
Very impressed with your consistent results and pursuits outside of poker, what is the highest stake MTT you play?
Next trip is not decided but I keep dreaming of doing the 2100 mile ride to vegas in 21 days, so many options.
Very impressed with your consistent results and pursuits outside of poker, what is the highest stake MTT you play?
).That South of the US Vegas trip would be amazing, I would fathom... I do not know much of that area, outside of from the windows of a greyhound bus (Mtl-Chicago-Grand Canyon). It would be a nice thread, I am sure
Yeah man, I am living a more balanced life, da pokerz has been good, as has meditation, writing and life in general
Atm, I do not play any MTTs, preferring to log in, play my A or B game, and simply log out when I feel the fatigue or tilt creeping in. I just do not think it would be very wise to grind some MTTs, thus forcing myself into some 4h+ sessions (which was probably a mistake in the past...). This said, I would love to go to WSOPE (probably only 40-60 in going though...), play the 10k Euros ME by buying with a combination of the following : cashing in the 1.5k event/satellite my way in/sell some pieces.I hope life is good friend...
Last edited by Dubnjoy000; 02-08-2017 at 09:36 AM.
02-09-2017
, 03:43 AM
The WPT will be in Montreal in early May with the highest Canadian guarantee ever of 5 mil @ a 5300$ buy-in. Looking to change my flight dates (by a couple weeks) to go play this one
90/10 on playing this one (might look into selling some action though...).https://www.playgroundpoker.ca/millionnorthamerica (info courtesy of Nash_equilibria
)Well, don't quote me just yet on a 2 bedroom price tag; truth of the matter, is that I have not yet started searching. Nonetheless, while the prices seem excessive in town for an almost-arctic-located-rural-residence, my understanding is that the houses found outside the village are cheaper (I prefer to live outside of town anyhow, up to 30kms, that is). Time will tell, but will surely post some pics this upcoming summer about places I visit...
Last edited by Dubnjoy000; 02-09-2017 at 03:50 AM.
02-17-2017
, 04:32 AM
The Eastern Sunrise (Part 1)
April, 2001, Dawson City. All we have seen for the past month on the road, has been vehicles, rain and the constant unfolding of kms of scenery. After spending the winter tenting on a deserted beach on the western-central coast of Mexico, my gf and I hitchhiked to the USA border, got stuck in (cringe-worthy) Tijuana for a week, bused to San Francisco, enjoyed the Golden State for a few days, proceeded on the Greyhound to Vancouver, hopped off, took a ferry to Vancouver island, tried to find a buddy of ours in Tofino (after a random/whimsical email exchange)
, got back to Van, (re)boarded the Greyhound, inexplicably took a 1000 kms detour west to Prince Rupert (after the greyhound agent in San Diego falsely claimed that this was as far north as the bus went (it is Whitehorse)), we circled back , hitchhiked in the rain for 3 days (which would transform into snow in the Yukon ), before finally making it to the promiseland... Dawson The Land of the (truly) free.
Curiously, after spending the past 2 years on the road (Australia, Mexico, Alberta and B.C.), I have arrived home in this unknown desolation. I belong. I feel completely at peace. My system slows down to a sedated, snail-like pace... Somehow, for some peculiar reason, all feels right in the world...
If I felt an overpowering sense of belonging the first time I went to Dawson, the same cannot be said of Asia. I have spent the majority of the past 5 years in this part of the world, yet, despite a fondness for the people/culture here, I remain a stranger. A passerby. A distant observer. Which might seemingly appear isolating, yet manages to cater to the introvert in me who oftentimes turns inward to find a healthy and self-sufficient dose of peace This said, even though I do plan on coming back in these parts next winter, I nevertheless want to write a sorta closure/final chapter to Asia. You see, given my natural tendency to render things intelligible, I have been trying - since the dawn of times - to comprehend the Asian dynamics, to grasp, to make sense of what distinguishes SEA to the West...
After the longevity of this weathered introduction, I will conclude this post in a future entry ; in the meantime, here are a few pics for your entertainment
Meanwhile, back in the Yukon...
Run good all
April, 2001, Dawson City. All we have seen for the past month on the road, has been vehicles, rain and the constant unfolding of kms of scenery. After spending the winter tenting on a deserted beach on the western-central coast of Mexico, my gf and I hitchhiked to the USA border, got stuck in (cringe-worthy) Tijuana for a week, bused to San Francisco, enjoyed the Golden State for a few days, proceeded on the Greyhound to Vancouver, hopped off, took a ferry to Vancouver island, tried to find a buddy of ours in Tofino (after a random/whimsical email exchange)
Spoiler:
, hitchhiked in the rain for 3 days (which would transform into snow in the Yukon ), before finally making it to the promiseland... Dawson The Land of the (truly) free.Curiously, after spending the past 2 years on the road (Australia, Mexico, Alberta and B.C.), I have arrived home in this unknown desolation. I belong. I feel completely at peace. My system slows down to a sedated, snail-like pace... Somehow, for some peculiar reason, all feels right in the world...
If I felt an overpowering sense of belonging the first time I went to Dawson, the same cannot be said of Asia. I have spent the majority of the past 5 years in this part of the world, yet, despite a fondness for the people/culture here, I remain a stranger. A passerby. A distant observer. Which might seemingly appear isolating, yet manages to cater to the introvert in me who oftentimes turns inward to find a healthy and self-sufficient dose of peace
This said, even though I do plan on coming back in these parts next winter, I nevertheless want to write a sorta closure/final chapter to Asia. You see, given my natural tendency to render things intelligible, I have been trying - since the dawn of times - to comprehend the Asian dynamics, to grasp, to make sense of what distinguishes SEA to the West... After the longevity of this weathered introduction
, I will conclude this post in a future entry ; in the meantime, here are a few pics for your entertainment 
Meanwhile, back in the Yukon...
Run good all
Last edited by Dubnjoy000; 02-17-2017 at 04:46 AM.
02-27-2017
, 05:16 AM
Not sure if I will use this for my novel or not, or which direction I am taking with the narration for that matter, but published this on medium, which is an attempt at describing the mood inside a casino, or more specifically, Diamond Tooth Gerties in Dawson City (some passages are pieces recycled from this blog) :
https://medium.com/@jeansergebaril/i...317#.td9bfzt7x
Enjoy
https://medium.com/@jeansergebaril/i...317#.td9bfzt7x
Enjoy
Last edited by Dubnjoy000; 02-27-2017 at 05:21 AM.
03-03-2017
, 05:26 AM
Spoiler:
Kinda of am in a funk right now as far as writing goes
Not sure if I want to dedicate that much time to a novel that will most likely be read by only a few handful of souls... Am envious atm of musicians that get a direct interaction with the audience when they perform a gig on stage... I guess the question becomes, what place does writing occupy for me? Can it be self-serving, self sufficient? Could I be happy with the results of my labor if the product was not shared beyond people close to me (I don't think I would be...). Should I ever look at writing as a potential hourly wage? (at this point, I would be happy with 3$/h, tbh...). Should I focus more on poker (MUCH better hourly, obviously ) and meditation (inner growth)?I just don't know... I guess I will ponder these thoughts in the next few weeks...
03-06-2017
, 10:10 AM
The Eastern Sunrise, part 2
Alright folks, let's try to breakdown some intangibles about good ole SEA :
Safety : One of the first things I do when I get back on Canadian soil - AKA in a place that I call home, whether it be Dawson or Montreal - is, after a sigh of relief, take out my passport, open a drawer and safely leave - without a second thought - my most important ID document in plain sight. For the record, abundant are the people that do not lock their doors in Dawson while storing 5 digits/a few ounces a gold in their household
#LongLiveCanada'sSafety
The same cannot be said about being on the road in Asia... You see, not only could I never call this place home - even after spending the majority of the past 5 years here - but my "tourist status" somewhat forces me to increase the safety preventive measures taken. Even for someone as carefree and non-chalant as myself, I find myself having to lock up my passport at home, separating my bank cards in different locations and always maintaining awareness of the presence of my wallet, whether it be when it is tucked in my pocket while strolling down a crowded street, or behind the security of the 4 walls of my secured room, just before falling asleep in the wee hours... But alas!, if only this paranoia was limited to my little person
It is with striking lucid details that my gf recalls the day she got her smart phone snatched from her in a jeepney in the Philippines. To this day, I am not sure which is more shocking : that the robber physically imposed his sheer will power on a vulnerable girl/victim while everyone else in the jeepney would not even make a motion to intervene, or the fact that these events happen so often, that no one - outside of my gf, obviously -, would even shed an ounce of emotion afterward
"You hold your telephone very strongly in your hand" once told me a cute/tiny Vietnamese girl, when speaking about the irks of living in Vietnam. You lock your door. Never let your guard down. Protect the little material goods that you own with all your might.
My gf got broken into her little room more than once, even when her roommate was sleeping From that day forward, she would carry her notebook to work everyday, out of fear of returning home to a room deprived of her means of earning a livelihood
How would you feel if, in the evening, once work is done, the 9-5 finally behind us - for today -, you could not manage to feel at ease within the (absence of) safety of your own home...
Space : "Promiscuity", I once had a University professor hammer down this word/concept with authority when describing the reality in which are first exposed newly Canadian immigrants (think of cramped up apartments for financially reasons...).
Promiscuity indeed, especially in SEA... Think of the tiny work quarters of Asians... the ride back home in the tiny jeepneys, the packed buses... Families crowded in a single room... The omniscient heat, subjectively reducing furthermore the already compact space...
As a northern Canadian resident, I come from a vast land of desolation, a place where the openness is so exponential that it creeps up upon you with its sense of grandeur - sorta speak. Of course, most Yukoners are introverts, preferring to turn inwards than out, and perhaps fleeing somewhat of a more controlling civilization in favour of Yukon's extensive freedom...
Space is a privilege. An expensive one, for that matter. One that can be easily purchased (especially for a foreigner) through a comfortable apartment, taxi rides, 1st class buses, western eat outs etc., but remains inaccessible to your average local.
Another particularity about space in this part of the world, is the way that it is occupied. Now, I have touched upon this subject in a previous post, but the dynamics found in traffic are different then in America ; if one were to observe at bird's eye, the movement in the west would seemingly originate from a sound/logical structure (always keep right), while Asia encourages the fastest more naturally-inclined route (cutting into lanes, taking short cuts), both of which could not cohabit without a great dose of chaos
Well folks, I guess there will be a third part to this post
Run good all
Alright folks, let's try to breakdown some intangibles about good ole SEA :
Safety : One of the first things I do when I get back on Canadian soil - AKA in a place that I call home, whether it be Dawson or Montreal - is, after a sigh of relief, take out my passport, open a drawer and safely leave - without a second thought - my most important ID document in plain sight. For the record, abundant are the people that do not lock their doors in Dawson while storing 5 digits/a few ounces a gold in their household
#LongLiveCanada'sSafety
The same cannot be said about being on the road in Asia... You see, not only could I never call this place home - even after spending the majority of the past 5 years here - but my "tourist status" somewhat forces me to increase the safety preventive measures taken. Even for someone as carefree and non-chalant as myself, I find myself having to lock up my passport at home, separating my bank cards in different locations and always maintaining awareness of the presence of my wallet, whether it be when it is tucked in my pocket while strolling down a crowded street, or behind the security of the 4 walls of my secured room, just before falling asleep in the wee hours... But alas!, if only this paranoia was limited to my little person
It is with striking lucid details that my gf recalls the day she got her smart phone snatched from her in a jeepney in the Philippines. To this day, I am not sure which is more shocking : that the robber physically imposed his sheer will power on a vulnerable girl/victim while everyone else in the jeepney would not even make a motion to intervene, or the fact that these events happen so often, that no one - outside of my gf, obviously -, would even shed an ounce of emotion afterward
"You hold your telephone very strongly in your hand" once told me a cute/tiny Vietnamese girl, when speaking about the irks of living in Vietnam. You lock your door. Never let your guard down. Protect the little material goods that you own with all your might.
My gf got broken into her little room more than once, even when her roommate was sleeping
From that day forward, she would carry her notebook to work everyday, out of fear of returning home to a room deprived of her means of earning a livelihood How would you feel if, in the evening, once work is done, the 9-5 finally behind us - for today -, you could not manage to feel at ease within the (absence of) safety of your own home...
Space : "Promiscuity", I once had a University professor hammer down this word/concept with authority when describing the reality in which are first exposed newly Canadian immigrants (think of cramped up apartments for financially reasons...).
Promiscuity indeed, especially in SEA... Think of the tiny work quarters of Asians... the ride back home in the tiny jeepneys, the packed buses... Families crowded in a single room... The omniscient heat, subjectively reducing furthermore the already compact space...
As a northern Canadian resident, I come from a vast land of desolation, a place where the openness is so exponential that it creeps up upon you with its sense of grandeur - sorta speak. Of course, most Yukoners are introverts, preferring to turn inwards than out, and perhaps fleeing somewhat of a more controlling civilization in favour of Yukon's extensive freedom...
Space is a privilege. An expensive one, for that matter. One that can be easily purchased (especially for a foreigner) through a comfortable apartment, taxi rides, 1st class buses, western eat outs etc., but remains inaccessible to your average local.
Another particularity about space in this part of the world, is the way that it is occupied. Now, I have touched upon this subject in a previous post, but the dynamics found in traffic are different then in America ; if one were to observe at bird's eye, the movement in the west would seemingly originate from a sound/logical structure (always keep right), while Asia encourages the fastest more naturally-inclined route (cutting into lanes, taking short cuts), both of which could not cohabit without a great dose of chaos
Well folks, I guess there will be a third part to this post
Run good all
Last edited by Dubnjoy000; 03-06-2017 at 10:33 AM.
03-08-2017
, 05:39 AM
Glad I provided a good arm-chair voyage Cucamonga And sure man, will let you know (and Hank) when I am back in Florida again
Regarding your comment on safety in North America vs SEA, I believe that it is quite dependent on where exactly you are on both continents, me thinks... I mean, in Dawson (northern Canada), outside of a few bar scraps, no violence can be found (barring conjugal violence, but lets not go there...). Similarly, I have always felt comfortable (almost) everywhere in Canada (statistics will also back me up). I cannot say the same about the US for instance, or Mexico... the same goes with SEA : I never felt threatened when I was wandering around in the wee hours of the morning, yet quite a few foreigners have encountered a different (at times fatal) fate in Sihanoukville, Manila, Mindanao etc. But I tend to choose to live in areas that I feel comfortable in (I would not live in Manila for instance, while I feel plenty at ease in Danang where I am presently).
On your mountain allegory regarding meditation/psychedelics : yeah, I like the analogy and believe it is fairly accurate portrayal if taken as a rough outline... The thing is about meditation - and to remain within the thematics of this allegory -, the further we move up the mountain, the more our view of the summit will gradually change. The higher we are in altitude, the easier the light will shine upon us, thus bringing in a new perspective, sorta speak. And if we were to indulge in psychedelics the further along the meditation path we walk, the trip will not be the same (less demons/bad trips).
I have done about 50 psychedelic trips (acid and mushrooms) and know a lot of meditators who love to take ayahuasca. And yeah, the consensus seems to be, if you freed yourself of your inner demons (through meditation), ayahuasca will take you in a few hours where meditation would in 10 days of constant contemplation (10h+/day). But the goal of meditation is not to feel bliss, but to observe, transcend...
I have also heard an account of a meditator that had an absolute-utterly-nightmarish experience on a too big of a ayahuasca dose. Her demons were also still too empowered. Hence, it kinda of depends where you stand with your won ego battle...
No yoga. Vipassana meditation works wonders for me and at 2h/day, it is in itself quite time consuming This said, I am more a brain guy, so while I can easily picture people that are active/restless preferring the movement that provides yoga, I am just a lazy ass guy I love tennis (and basketball in the past), but if not, I do have to force myself to be more active, as it does not come naturally (as opposed to reading or other brain activities, for instance).
I indeed quit drinking 3 years ago as it was becoming more negative than positive (hence, a problem). Given the conflicting natures of partying and mediation, the latter was always ultimately going to win. But both have been a means to tame my inner demons. As far as drugs go, well, I will most likely do a few more journeys (ayahuasca seems quite interesting), have tried DMT in Australia, my gf has been nagging me about trying weed (which we will eat as oppose to smoke, so it becomes more of a journey), but it is not as if I am trying to open new doors through drugs or seek answers...
Thx for reading Cucamonga and fire away if you have more questions
And sure man, will let you know (and Hank) when I am back in Florida again Regarding your comment on safety in North America vs SEA, I believe that it is quite dependent on where exactly you are on both continents, me thinks... I mean, in Dawson (northern Canada), outside of a few bar scraps, no violence can be found (barring conjugal violence, but lets not go there...). Similarly, I have always felt comfortable (almost) everywhere in Canada (statistics will also back me up). I cannot say the same about the US for instance, or Mexico... the same goes with SEA : I never felt threatened when I was wandering around in the wee hours of the morning, yet quite a few foreigners have encountered a different (at times fatal) fate in Sihanoukville, Manila, Mindanao etc. But I tend to choose to live in areas that I feel comfortable in (I would not live in Manila for instance, while I feel plenty at ease in Danang where I am presently).
On your mountain allegory regarding meditation/psychedelics : yeah, I like the analogy and believe it is fairly accurate portrayal if taken as a rough outline... The thing is about meditation - and to remain within the thematics of this allegory -, the further we move up the mountain, the more our view of the summit will gradually change. The higher we are in altitude, the easier the light will shine upon us, thus bringing in a new perspective, sorta speak. And if we were to indulge in psychedelics the further along the meditation path we walk, the trip will not be the same (less demons/bad trips).
I have done about 50 psychedelic trips (acid and mushrooms) and know a lot of meditators who love to take ayahuasca. And yeah, the consensus seems to be, if you freed yourself of your inner demons (through meditation), ayahuasca will take you in a few hours where meditation would in 10 days of constant contemplation (10h+/day). But the goal of meditation is not to feel bliss, but to observe, transcend...
I have also heard an account of a meditator that had an absolute-utterly-nightmarish experience on a too big of a ayahuasca dose. Her demons were also still too empowered. Hence, it kinda of depends where you stand with your won ego battle...
No yoga. Vipassana meditation works wonders for me and at 2h/day, it is in itself quite time consuming
This said, I am more a brain guy, so while I can easily picture people that are active/restless preferring the movement that provides yoga, I am just a lazy ass guy I love tennis (and basketball in the past), but if not, I do have to force myself to be more active, as it does not come naturally (as opposed to reading or other brain activities, for instance).I indeed quit drinking 3 years ago as it was becoming more negative than positive (hence, a problem). Given the conflicting natures of partying and mediation, the latter was always ultimately going to win. But both have been a means to tame my inner demons. As far as drugs go, well, I will most likely do a few more journeys (ayahuasca seems quite interesting), have tried DMT in Australia, my gf has been nagging me about trying weed (which we will eat as oppose to smoke, so it becomes more of a journey), but it is not as if I am trying to open new doors through drugs or seek answers...
Thx for reading Cucamonga and fire away if you have more questions
Last edited by Dubnjoy000; 03-08-2017 at 05:45 AM.
03-10-2017
, 04:16 AM
We still need to meet up for a coffee in Van (perhaps in October...).I only indigested weed a couple of times (brownies or muffins... I forget), but really enjoyed it a lot
Maybe it was the quantity - abundant, as this was a hippie festival where not being HIGH like a kite was not an option -, but the trip was more in tune with psychedelics (and longer) than just smoking it. But anyhow, even if I was a semi-frequent user in my teens/20s, I really don't care about weed anymore, but my gf has really been insistent on trying it (she wants to try every single thing, like mushrooms, acid, ayahuasca etc.).Speaking of which, I have a friend that will be doing an ayahuasca ceremony this weekend on Gabriola Island ; she is a Dawson friend that works at the casino who I referred to a Vancouver vipassana meditator (who indulges often in ayahuasca journeys). I am curious how her journey will go...
03-11-2017
, 05:23 AM
Where do you live/which centre are you looking into? As far as suggestions goes, I would highly recommend to register 3+ months in advance, even if you are hesitant atm (waiting lists are long and you just cancel a few days before the course, hence leaving your space to someone else on the waiting list).
Pertaining to the experience itself, I would just say this : if you decide to take this course, do not give up when times become hard. It is possibly one of the most challenging journey you can embark on, yet exponentially more rewarding in the end. And perhaps another suggestion for us, poker players that are skeptical/like to make things intelligible : even if the technique is a simple one, it takes you to wonderful places if you let yourself be immersed
If you have other more specific questions, fire away man