There are two blogs going for Black Dog! You can check the other one too at:
http://blog.blackdog.org.au
Rock on!
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Kyle Taylor
- Posted using BlogPress from my KyPad
Read more at kyletaylor.com
11 September 2011
Team Black Dog Does China: Volume 1
It all started at 12:07am. That is the moment Team Black Dog first appeared from the international arrivals terminal and the moment Vicki earned her nickname: Unfazed Beauty. Why, might you ask? Because even after 16 hours of transcontinental travel with a layover and a time change, she still looked as if she was ready to strut down a runway.
While the rest of of were bleary eyed, she bounced through the terminal in her MBTs like a kid in a candy store. A short bus ride later and everyone crashed directly into bed. Our 7:30am start meant every possible sleeping moment had to be utilized to it's fullest.
Not a single person was late for breakfast - a testament to either excitement or the rock-hard bed. After fueling up on eggs, Amy (Barbie), Nick (Ken), Stef (Doctor Awesome), Julia (Doctor Supermodel). Sam (Captain Cool), Libby (Vodka Queen), Geraldine (Balla), Hayley (The Dealmaker), Tracy (Feathers), Vicky (Unfazed Beauty), myself (In The K.N.O.W), and our fearless guide Michael (MCIM, short for Myo-Cardial Infarction Moment) took to Beijing.
Our first photo was of the uncharacteristically blue sky. Or second photo was of the south gate at the Temple of Heaven. Our third photo was of EVERYTHING IN SITE. This group loves to take pictures! Of monuments, of people, of each other, and of other people taking pictures of other people. It's day two and I think we have collectively captured 2,000 moments. Sorry already to those partners and friends who will be sitting through some very lengthy slideshows upon this group's return.
Beyond the brilliant sites of the Temple of Heaven, Tian'an'men Square, and the Forbidden City (note Ken's hair above), we slurped down hand shaved noodles, flashed our "Black Dog" signs in all the right hoods, endeared (aka harassed) the dozens of adorable Chinese kids, found time to play a round of Chinese hacky sack, and even busted a move alongside the dancing and singing elite of China's parks.
Indeed, the sites and sounds of Beijing on the weekend are something to be admired. The group were definitely taken by the sense of community that permeates every level of Chinese culture.
After a brief afternoon break we shared a communal shot of tequila (for warmth, naturally), scarfed down some delicious Peking duck, and enjoyed a brilliant display of acrobatics before once again crashing in our beds. It's off to the wall now! Stay tuned for the next addition of "Black Dog Does China."
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Kyle Taylor
- Posted using BlogPress from my KyPad
Read more at kyletaylor.com
Location:Tianzhu St,Beijing,China
10 September 2011
Rebecca Armendariz: Legend
I have a beautiful friend named Rebecca Armendariz. She lost her partner to cancer and it was - to say the least - absolutely devastating. In the wake of his passing, she has written a beautiful piece about their relationship from a data perspective. That is, how hard it is to escape the memories because the data - the history of their life together - will forever be emblazoned on the internet and, in this case, her gmail chat history.
Get a box of tissues ready. It's pretty darn sad. Love you Becca!
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Kyle Taylor
Inspired Adventures in the news
A little more love for Inspired Adventures in the news today! Many thanks and congrats to Janeece Keller on a brilliantly written piece. Now, what inspires you?
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Kyle Taylor
02 September 2011
Heartbreaking
This really breaks my heart. An incoming freshman at AMerican University (my alma mater) offers her take on volunteerism and identity. The whole thing is just so sad! Do 18-year-olds really feel this way? The title of the blog entry is literally "volunteering is crap." My hope is that 4 years at AU will straighten her out. Here is the link:
http://morethanastupidgirl.tumblr.com/post/9320994105/volunteering-is-crap
--
Kyle Taylor
- Posted using BlogPress from my KyPad
Read more at kyletaylor.com
18 July 2011
Brilliant look at how much government does for us!
I don't know WHERE this came from so I can't credit it (sent to me in the body of an email) but it's just brilliant. An amazing way to look at how important the government is to just the first 10 minutes of our day. Pass along!
"This morning I was awoken by my alarm clock powered by electricity generated by the public power monopoly regulated by the US Department of Energy. I then took a shower in the clean water provided by the municipal water supply. After that, I turned the TV to one of the FCC regulated channels to see what the National Weather Service of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration determined what the weather was going to be like using satellites designed, built, and launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I watched this while eating my breakfast of US Department of Agriculture inspected food and taking drugs which have been determined as safe by the Food and Drug Administration.
At the appropriate time as regulated by the US Congress and kept accurate by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the US Naval Observatory, I get into my National Highway Traffic Safety Administration approved automobile and set out to work on the roads built by local, state, and federal Departments of Transportation, possibly stopping to purchase additional fuel of a quality level determined by the Environmental Protection agency, using legal tender issued by the Federal Reserve Bank. On the way out the door I deposit any mail I have to be sent out via the US Postal Service and drop the kids off at the public school.
After work, I drive my NHTSA car back home on the DOT roads, to a house which has not burned down in my absence because of the state and local building codes and Fire Marshal inspection, and which has not been plundered of all its valuables thanks to the local police department.
I then log onto the internet which was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration and post on freerepublic.com and Fox News forums about how SOCIALISM in medicine is BAD because the Government can't do anything right."
"This morning I was awoken by my alarm clock powered by electricity generated by the public power monopoly regulated by the US Department of Energy. I then took a shower in the clean water provided by the municipal water supply. After that, I turned the TV to one of the FCC regulated channels to see what the National Weather Service of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration determined what the weather was going to be like using satellites designed, built, and launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I watched this while eating my breakfast of US Department of Agriculture inspected food and taking drugs which have been determined as safe by the Food and Drug Administration.
At the appropriate time as regulated by the US Congress and kept accurate by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the US Naval Observatory, I get into my National Highway Traffic Safety Administration approved automobile and set out to work on the roads built by local, state, and federal Departments of Transportation, possibly stopping to purchase additional fuel of a quality level determined by the Environmental Protection agency, using legal tender issued by the Federal Reserve Bank. On the way out the door I deposit any mail I have to be sent out via the US Postal Service and drop the kids off at the public school.
After work, I drive my NHTSA car back home on the DOT roads, to a house which has not burned down in my absence because of the state and local building codes and Fire Marshal inspection, and which has not been plundered of all its valuables thanks to the local police department.
I then log onto the internet which was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration and post on freerepublic.com and Fox News forums about how SOCIALISM in medicine is BAD because the Government can't do anything right."
12 July 2011
Tiny Town Australia
About 4 years ago I drove across the spectacular US of A and saw - for the very first time - small town America. Now I find myself having flashbacks in Australia as we drive outside the country's big cities and into the heart of what they call "regional Australlllia."
Roughly 20 miles out of Melbourne, "city" fades away into a brilliant, endless stretch of rolling hills, green farmland, tiny country roads, and adorable "town centers" that usually look a whole lot Iike this. You've got the general store with sells generally everything (the only more complete store in the world that I have ever seen is an alldays or a Kedi in Shanghai). This includes two to three gas pumps that hawk a unique brand of gas in each town that I have generally never heard of.
Next door (generally attached) is a post office with 100 or so post boxes. The is no home delivery of mail. Everybody just comes here to get their deliveries. How adorable is that?
The real charm of all this, of course, is that you are - at any given moment - just minutes away from gorgeous countryside and, in Australia, SPECTACULAR beaches with no people on them. When I say no people I mean NO PEOPLE for miles around in any direction. That leaves copious amounts of space for brilliant photos of both people and the other "personalities" on our trip like the rental car. From here it's further down the [Really] Great Ocean Road with Team SACK (Stafford, Aditi, Cascade, and Kyle). Here are a few more shots of the beaches. Enjoy!
- Posted using BlogPress from my KyPad
Read more at kyletaylor.com
Roughly 20 miles out of Melbourne, "city" fades away into a brilliant, endless stretch of rolling hills, green farmland, tiny country roads, and adorable "town centers" that usually look a whole lot Iike this. You've got the general store with sells generally everything (the only more complete store in the world that I have ever seen is an alldays or a Kedi in Shanghai). This includes two to three gas pumps that hawk a unique brand of gas in each town that I have generally never heard of.
Next door (generally attached) is a post office with 100 or so post boxes. The is no home delivery of mail. Everybody just comes here to get their deliveries. How adorable is that?
The real charm of all this, of course, is that you are - at any given moment - just minutes away from gorgeous countryside and, in Australia, SPECTACULAR beaches with no people on them. When I say no people I mean NO PEOPLE for miles around in any direction. That leaves copious amounts of space for brilliant photos of both people and the other "personalities" on our trip like the rental car. From here it's further down the [Really] Great Ocean Road with Team SACK (Stafford, Aditi, Cascade, and Kyle). Here are a few more shots of the beaches. Enjoy!
- Posted using BlogPress from my KyPad
Read more at kyletaylor.com
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