---

»  Click here to see more images from Northern Mali, January 2004.  «
»  Click here to see more images from Southern Mali, December 2003.  «
In Coming Home Crazy, one of the books I picked up in the SF public library to prepare for my upcoming trip to China, I read this today:

Scott Fitzgerald, in The Crackup, said he knew he was crazy when he became unable to hold two opposing ideas simultaneously. The experience of China means that you will never again see singly; the contrary of every idea in your life and culture looks as sane and reasonable as the idea itself. Your consciousness is bifurcated once and for all, so you might as well enjoy it. Every old truth is half a new lie, every perception half a deception. It’s all right; be calm.

Africa is the China for me then, in this sense. Or rather, all of my traveling as a whole brought it on, Africa is just a cincher. Despite what the author says, this obviously can be a very confusing state of mind. Perhaps this is right just before China, which will certainly be a crazy-making experience. The world opened up my consciousness, bifurcation multiplication, now China perhaps will bring it together again.

I will be in China end of June through mid August, very exciting teaching-guiding-working-outside opportunity, details on that to come. This is the logical place for me to be, where my journeys lead, both this trip and right now. Right now I hope to do some design projects, catch up on posting some images and text. And thinking and cooking and walks and friends. I would love to hear from you.

---