#391

"Thoughtful travel is well worth the time and the money.... Travel opens us up to the wonders of our world, in so many ways.... It connects you with nature and it connects you with culture, different slices of culture.... And it connects you with people. There are so many misunderstandings between people, and when we travel, we straighten them out. I don't know about you, but I was raised thinking the world is a pyramid, with us on top and everybody else trying to figure it out. And then I traveled and I realized, you know, we have the American dream, and that's a great thing, but other people have their own dream, Norwegians have the Norwegian dream, Bulgarians have the Bulgarian dream, Sri Lankans have the Sri Lankan dream. Travel wallops my ethnocentricity. And I'm very thankful for that. It's something to celebrate. Our dream is beautiful but so is theirs."
     — Rick Steves

I hope M 'n' m travel often. It's just essential to the human experience, it seems to me, exploring our world in all its majesty and frightening diversity. I say 'frightening' because I was, for example, embarrassingly fearful on my first 14-hour plane ride to China. I've been back about 14 times since and I love China. Precisely for its differences, although it teaches me about human similarity, and solidarity, also. (And we work our asses off when we're there; but even that adds to the fulfillment and enjoyment of every trip... funny how that is... another lesson for M 'n' m.) The planet is finite – unlike the expanding universe, for example – so bouncing around earth, exploring its corners and unfamiliar places, feels essential to me now. Megan would say, "There are no corners in a sphere, Dad." Okay, explore a few continents then. Explore them all. I've been on four, and hope to make it five soon, and then six; Antarctica (7) is just a hop from Argentina – I'm told by colleagues in Tierra del Fuego – but that might be just checking a box; Antarctica is a sheet of ice with only a few thousand people, mostly doing research. But what if it's a stunningly pure and bright expanse of icy awesomeness? A must-see?! Unlike anything else in the world?! Even so, continents five and six will be Africa and Australia for me. Gotta get there. And gotta keep visiting countries, cities, sights I missed in other trips on other continents.

I really hope M 'n' m travel often and far. And safely. Amen.

Megan and I drove by a store called Ulta. I said, "Should we stop there? You need anything?" She said, "No." I expected a 'no' and probably wouldn't have stopped if 'yes.' It was a litmus test, a sort of confirmation of my hunch and hope that 'we aren't there yet,' if that makes sense. At the tender age of 12, she's not over-interested in 'cosmetics, fragrances, skincare, and beauty products.' That's what Ulta sells, according to their website. I've been in the store too, but my missions there weren't about browsing as much as fast gift-buying and incomprehension; I didn't fully understand all the products, uses, applications, and varieties offered. Stores like Ulta are useful and important. I understand that. Megan already applies a little make-up for big events, and has awareness of the powders, polishes, glosses, washes, lotions, and so on that are part of being a women. Dudes only have three or four things: tooth-brushing, deodorant, hair gel. And occasionally, a shave. We're lucky. Although, as we age, there are medicinal items, products, and practices, I've noticed. Other things. I'll leave it at that. Rogaine is expensive. Tweezing hairs where they never grew before. Nevermind.