Sure Horizon

Archive for November, 2009

Ghost stories.  Whether believed in or not, almost everyone seems to like them, and every city seems to have one, especially New York City.  In fact, the next time you’re staying in Manhattan, at a New York boutique hotel, take a walk over to Times Square and see if you can see two men standing in England’s Royal Air Force uniforms.  No?  Well, this particular story about ghosts in New York sounds a lot like an urban legend or myth, rather than a bonifide moment of paranormal activity, but you can be the judge.  Here’s the case:

A Harvard man, recently graduated, was living in New York City while his friends were in Europe, fighting in World War II.  He walked down to Times Square to take in the lights, and there saw two men in RAF uniforms.  One of the British pilots asked the man if this were Time Square, and he told them it was.  When the street light changed, the two pilots followed along with the man across the street, excited to be in Times Square after all they’d been through in the war.  The man asked them to dinner at the Harvard Club, and they readily agreed.  After dinner, they talked late into the night together, but the two pilots kept checking and rechecking their watches.  When midnight approached, the two pilots excused themselves and thanks the man for a good evening and walked toward the door.  One of the two pilots stopped and remarked that they had long wanted to see Times Square but didn’t have the opportunity until now, after they were dead.  The man reacted to this strange statement, in surprise.  At that moment, the clock struck midnight and the two men vanished.

This tale is called the Ghost of the Two Pilots, but it seems clear that this is a fable.  There are many fantastic moments — the fact that the two pilots seem aware that they have a “deadline,” as seen via the checking of watches, and the fact that they vanish precisely at midnight.  Ghosts, in other, more credible stories, don’t keep to a schedule.  The fact that they came to a Harvard graduate seems as if the originator of this piece wanted to speak about status or education or class; perhaps, enjoying the fact that that the graduate was fooled so easily by two ghosts.  It’s unlikely, though, that we’ll see this moment of playful spirits remade as a movie playing at the local cineplex.

Paul remembered Harrisburg Pennsylvania as being cold. That was basically his one memory. Of course he had only been there once before in his entire life and that was when he was five. Naturally, Sheila excused his lack of true knowledge of the city. It was odd to Paul that he would be moving there now in his life. It seemed to him to be so foreign feeling. Paul grew up in Southern California mind you, so any city that had snow and got cold in the winter seemed foreign to him. So, there he was, twenty five years after his first visit to that cold city and he was getting ready to move there.

Sheila had talked Paul into making the move after he had lost his job in San Diego, which is where he had insisted the couple move after they were married. Sheila was fine with the idea at first and loved the idea of living by the ocean. However, once they were there and the initial fascination with the city, the state and of course the ocean, had worn off, Sheila found herself seriously missing her home. In addition, she was very close to her family and she had quite a few family members living in Harrisburg. So, after Paul was laid off, she decided it was the perfect time to suggest the move. And Paul was surprising open to the idea.

He had actually been thinking about moving recently as well. He had never really spent a lot of time outside of California and felt it was simply time to broaden his horizons. And apparently he was going to do it in a cold city. They booked reservations in one of the Harrisburg hotels and set off to find their new home. On their first day in town Paul was surprised by the beauty of the city and also seemed to be somewhat surprised by how bright and clear the day was. One of his brothers in law took him to the National Civil War Museum and they had a great time. Paul was impressed with all of the artifacts it contained, as well as its photo and document collection. He took an immediate like to Harrisburg, and this time it didn’t feel the slightest bit foreign. It felt more like his new home.

We are at the last stop of our trip, unless you count our one night in Mumbai. We flew down to Goa from Udaipur a few days ago and we’ve been relaxing around and on the beach. It’s not high season yet, so many of the shops and cafes are closed for the summer. It’s still very pretty and I’m very glad that it’s not busy here. We went to the famous market our first day and it was just in time; it was the markets last day to be open. I thought it was small in comparison to what I’ve experienced at other cities here in India, but there was still plenty of odd souvenirs to buy.

We walked the length of the beach and down the main road and back around to one of the Goa hotels where we had a room booked. There were still a few tourists about, but just not as many Indian tourists as there were foreigners. We stayed inside our hotel for the remainder of the day.

The next day, we spent reading by the beach and taking a few dips in the ocean. The waves were ruthless, but once we swam out past the breakers, it was pretty nice. We found some sun loungers with a parasol, so we stayed in the shade most of the day. We then went to one of the beach front bars for a drink and the sun was setting. We saw a couple on the beach feeding a cow a bottle of beer. The cow didn’t seem to mind a bit.

The next day we went to Mapusa and found a market there. It was bustling with people and it reminded us just how much we were still in India. On our last day, we spent it again sitting on the beach before we had to catch our 12 hour train journey up to Mumbai. Then catch a flight to Heathrow and on to Manchester. Home.

Right out there in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea and the Balearic Sea, among the Balearic Islands,  you will find the island of Ibiza. This island has become the great escape of most of the world, but namely the West European countries. This is only and island but it has a big party going on every night. Were ever you have the big party your gonna have the movers and shakers that make it happen. There are many club owners, event producers, musicians and DJ’s that are famous among the “scene of clubbing” all around the world. There are a notable few people who contribute greatly to the scene.

One of these people is Abel Matutes Juan,  former Foreign Minister for Spain, owned the largest shares in the night club scene in Ibiza. He was once the Mayor of Ibiza and the head of other notable political institutions. His family, the Matutes family, are the most well known family on the island. They are the Kennedy’s of Ibiza. They of course own so much real estate and hold down the fort for the club scene to work out of. The scene would not be with out this man and his family.

Another notable of the Ibiza scene is Ricardo Urgell, owner of the Pacha. He is the leader of the Ibiza Association of Disco techs. Pacha was the first club and is now considered the classic house club. He was originally a student of architecture which is still featured in his decor, multi room disco, and famous light show. He created a club that entertains large numbers of people and receive and award in recognition of his contribution to tourism. His creative director, Danny whittle, is also in the top list of notables in Ibiza.

So now it’s time to check into a room at a boutique hotel. Ibiza Spain is filled with wonderful places to recuperate from the great party.

Nepal is an amazing country, and one of the most spectacular places in the world to visit.  It has attracted people looking for a taste of the exotic, spiritual pilgrims wanting to visit the birthplace of Siddhartha, and artists and intellectuals coming for the history and culture.  It has the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest, and 7 others that are also spectacularly monumental, and has a staggering array of geographies, with climates that range from tropical to arctic.  There is something for every traveler in Nepal.  Hotels are plentiful and spectacular in Kathmandu, the countries largest city, and provide a sumptuous comfort for the weary traveler.  They are also quite splendid for everyone else, giving a taste of the old world in the midst of a modern, bustling metropolis.

The city itself is immensely fascinating, and you can see some of the traditions practiced by the local Hindu culture in many different festivals that happen throughout the year.  These are some of the best times to sample the foods, and taste the incredible combinations of spices that you can find here.  There are of course, many fabulous restaurants, and a very lively urban scene.   Some very good news for art lovers here, and for the city itself, is the opening of the Kathmandu Contemporary Arts Centre.

They’ve been raising funds for the better part of two years, with an opening scheduled for the end of 2009.  They have a spectacular plan to make an art center that speaks to the local community, and simultaneously speaks to the art world at large.  There are spaces for exhibitions, performances, a substantial library, and also room for public presentations.  There have been informal openings for invited audiences with help from the Nepal Arts Council, and there are already fascinating events planned for the spring of 2010, so this is something that travelers will surely enjoy.

Landon finally had the opportunity to spend a weekend in New York. He had just turned twenty-two and graduated from college the week before and felt that he had one great summer left before he had to settle down and assume the responsibilities of an adult. He didn’t know what all that meant but assumed part of it would include a stable job, maybe even one related to a career potential and also possibly marriage, though he couldn’t imagine anyone at the current time who he would even remotely consider to be material for a life partner. What should be obvious is that he was not on anyone else’s marriage radar either.

So, when Landon’s best friend Troy insisted that he come and visit him slightly upstate, Landon jumped at the opportunity. He even suggested to his parents that the trip would make an excellent graduation gift. They took him up on the idea and paid for a week’s stay at one of the best hotels New York City. This was exciting not only for Landon, but also for his best friend Troy who would benefit from the gift. Once the friends were settled into their room in the city, they quickly got ready to head out onto the streets. Landon wanted to head to Greenwich Village. He had always been a fan of Jack Kerouac and couldn’t wait to walk along the same streets and sit in the same cafes and bars as he and other Beatnik writers. He was also interested in seeing an Off Off Broadway play, not because they were considered to be third rate as some of his friends assumed when he specifically stressed the words Off Off Broadway, but because he respected the strong non commercial intentions of these theatres and was interested in their bold work.

Troy was happy to go to the Village and really wanted to stop in at the White Horse Tavern, which was famous for patrons like the Beatniks and other writers and artists. He was a fan of Dylan Thomas and was well aware that this was the last place that Thomas ever had a drink. He also wanted to stop in and visit the Oscar Wilde Bookshop. While Troy has never really been rebellious or varied from mainstream orientation, he did respect the social progressive aspects of Greenwich Village and felt a sense of honor for some of the historic movements that have been based there. The friends were definitely getting off to a great start of a fabulous New York trip.

A vacation on a tropical island is the stuff of legends, and it’s all right here in Langkawi.  There is a magnificent sense of the otherworldly here that will last all the way through your visit, in a constant invitation to splendor.  It’s difficult not to enjoy life here, and impossible to forget the here and the now, where the call to relax and enjoy is as palpable as the sea.  You can get away as far as you like when you have accommodations in one of the Langkawi hotels.  You can enjoy your days and night in the luxury of your surroundings, and never worry about setting foot outside, and still have a magnificent time.

But you can also come to enjoy the island itself, which offers a spectacular night life, always buzzing and still laid back, in tune with the pulses of the beach.  The beach, however, will probably take up most of your time, and it should, because it’s some of the most spectacular waters in the world.  It’s relaxing, it’s captivating, and it’s endlessly inspiring.  The water plays an important role in the lives of everyone who lives in Malaysia, and it’s certainly influenced the works of the Malaysian graphic designer Muid Latif.

He’s a force to watch in the design and art world, and has been on a very good winning streak for the past six years or so.  Web designer and visual artist, his work is clean and sharp, with engaging colors that speak to a global sensibility.  He has worked in plenty of other art forms as well, like photography and street art, and has a kind of global hip hop energy that’s very contagious.  It’s in his life, and reflected in his works.  His portfolio is extensive, showing some fantastic designs with international appeal, but it speaks to Malaysia as well, with a kind of ironic intimacy.  He is also a board member of Creative Commons, Malaysia, one of the pre-eminent funding organizations for artists with promise.  This shows a good spirit behind the art, and that’s something powerful in this world.

Vision the ability to read one’s own intuition regarding the future, and great business leaders are able to communicate this to their team.  Values must be upheld the serve to unify the team, to support internal cooperation and morale.  These are characteristics of managers that ensure employees will remain enthusiastic, positive and productive.  If a manager is not happy with their job, this will have disastrous effects on the entire staff.  Business training books will offer suggestions, but this may be one of those personality traits that people are simply born with, that ability to inspire other people to greatness.

Vision is the one aspect of any business and management training program that is most referred to.  Vision, not in the superstitious or fortune seeing sense, but it just means that a great manager has well formed ideas about what the future should be like.  It is more about hope than it is about prediction.  It will focus an entire team on the activities in which they are involved and will cause a team to have long-term, sustained motivation and drive.  In order for a leaders vision to work to bind and unite a team, this must be clearly communicated to them.  This involves more than big signs hung on the walls in the meeting or the break rooms, it involves being able to sincerely share this with them all.

The vision must be a guiding force, and in order for that to happen, the leader must fully believe in what they themselves are doing, the way in which they are with their staff, in their own actions.  For the executive, training courses in effective communication will help is this is something one has trouble achieving.  In order for a vision to be valid, it must be a goal that while it may be difficult to achieve, but it must be so when the effort is given to it.  And secondly, it must be easy to tell when that goal has been reached.  The staff must receive accolades as well.  This will ensure that everyone remains satisfied, happy and productive.

Many people choose to “plus-size” the wheels and tires of their vehicle as a way to improve the appearance of their car and as a way to improve the overall performance.  This means that the diameter of the tire is increased by an inch, giving more surface area to make contact with the road, improving traction, the steering and the overall handling of the vehicle.  This includes not only finding the best deals on cheap tires, but on new wheels as well, as they will need to be replaced in order to accommodate the new, larger tire.

The width of the tire increases, but the diameter of the tire remains the same.  Once one takes this kind of effort in assuring the best performance of their tires, one should note that the way to keep them performing in such a way is by having the tires rotated periodically.  This is one of the essential elements of consistent tire maintenance.  This will result in more uniform and even wear for all of the tires.  This should be done every six thousand miles if nothing seems out of the ordinary, but if you do start to notice that the tires are regularly showing signs of uneven wear, it is better to rotate them more often, and to have your vehicle inspected for other problems that could be causing the wear such as bad alignment.  Something as simple as hitting a pot hole in the road could through your car out of alignment.

Many qualified technicians at the Cooper tire company can take care of this for you.  Do not ever rotate your spare in the rotation, this is a tire that is for emergency use only, but this is a great time to just check on the spare to make sure that it is properly inflated for that time that you do find yourself needing to use it.  And, if you do have a full size spare…then you may wish to include it into the rotation.  There are many patterns that can be used for rotation, however some vehicles have larger wheels and tires on the rear axle so this must be taken into consideration when you are getting the rotation done.  This is one of the easiest ways to ensure that you will get the longest life out of the tires on your vehicle.

When I started in Madrid, I desperately needed to get over my initial uncertainty. I was consumed for days about becoming a better teacher, becoming more fluent in Spanish and becoming a richer woman. The downside to this consumption was all the days it chewed me up, and now I only have 2 days left. I wasted almost a 5 months out of 6 with worry.

Permanently leaving Madrid behind has now become a difficult process for me. I decided to spend my last days at one of the five star Madrid hotels to cushion the impact of saying goodbye to this marvellous place. There was so much I didn’t do, like see a bullfight, but I’m pretty sure, no matter what, I’ll never go, too bloody and inhumane. I never checked out a Flamenco show and I never tried the paella. I acted more like a local than a tourist, which now I regret. I didn’t really act like a local either, like I never talked with the towns people in their native language, even though I could fluently.

On the plus side, being caught in between the two worlds, made me some what exotic to the Spaniards and to the tourists. I was able to be friendly to both sides. I did manage to make one friend here. Another teacher just like me. She too was like a fish out of water, so we had that in common, which facilitated many nights of deep conversations. She left about 3 weeks ago, but I will stay in contact with her via the Internet.

By the time I realized that my time in Madrid was over, I stopped caring about teaching. I went out to more pubs and took more siestas. I did manage to see some sights, like the Roman aqueducts, a massive hilltop castle and a very stark Cathedral. But for what it’s worth, I did Madrid, maybe not well, but I did it all on my own.