tamp that

The time change struck me by surprise. Of course there was a rushed feeling when I realized I had to be at work in fifteen minutes, but it was more that I couldn't figure out where the time had gone since we had turned our clocks this past fall. Didn't we just do this? I remember the analogy I gave to David to describe the feeling of coming back to Atlanta from Japan: it feels like within the book that tells my life story, a section of pages have been ripped out. As if we skip from page 162 to 194 without a question. My sense of continuity has been disrupted for the sake of a new experience. This brings me anxiety as I feel that this possibly means I learned nothing from my trip, that maybe I did not find the answers I was looking for, or that somehow it was not special enough.

But those are statements that are not true. I believe that the feeling of a disrupted continuity simply shows the ease of habits to take reign on one's life. It took two weeks to sleep soundly at normal hours again. My cat does not freak out every time I leave the house now. The espresso machine at work is no longer awkward in my hands as it was when I first returned. And like that, my trip to japan left my present state of mind, and I became an Atlantan again.

Tonight I was able to re-live the moments of Fukuoka through an event we host at Octane called Pecha Kucha Night. A forum for intellectuals, designers, travelers, etc... you present twenty slides with twenty seconds to speak on each slide. I suppose its a way for Atlantans to feel like something is happening in this city, although most presentations seems to take place somewhere else in the world. Tonight we heard about the Atlanta belt-line project, the Buckhead branch library's architecture, a social commentary on the vastness of YouTube's content, and my own "travelogue" of my time spent in Japan. It almost seemed to allow myself to have a sense of closure.. as if I had finally publicly validated my time abroad. Yes, I was here and I did these things and I learned something.

Next month's Pecha Kucha Night will feature Octane, as we will be presenting on the Bikes to Rwanda Benefit we will be holding on April 12th. Aly, my roommate and coworker extraordinare, has been working days and nights on this project. Spoke card art show, bike race, Rwandan coffee cupping, Pecha Kucha show... April is Rwanda month at Octane and I am stoked! I think we are even getting some special Rwandan micro-lots and a Humure roasted for espresso. Hell yes! This would be a first for Octane... S.O. 'spro at Octane. A miracle, indeed. Much to look forward to, my friends.