expanse

So in America when the sun goes down and I sit on the old broken-down river
pier watching the long, long skies over New Jersey and sense all that raw
land that rolls in one unbelievable huge bulge over to the West Coast, and all
that road going, all the people dreaming in the immensity of it...

--Jack Kerouac, On The Road, courtesy of: Wikiquote

Flying over North Dakota was a surreal experience. Once again seeing all that farm land, the unending jigsaw puzzle of square fields and road made me feel overwhelmed.

Today I was standing in a corn field with my dad, brother and several others. The wind blew across the Plains in a quiet rage, never ceasing. I stood amoung the rows for a moment of reflection, listening to the rustling leaves of the corn plants rubbing against each other in the wind. The stalks were so tall that my head could not be seen if I walked in far enough. For a brief moment I thought about "Children of the Corn" but then reminded myself about reality.

more to come later...

Driving

If you thought driving in the DR was bad, check this out.

http://media.putfile.com/survive-saigon-short-movie

oddities...

Things I have seen and experienced lately that remind me of the many differences to be found in DR living:

1. Majarete - Corn flavored ice cream. Yes, you read that correctly Corn flavored ice cream! I guess it has been around for awhile, but Friday was my first (and possibly last) experience with this culinary wonder. Surprisingly, the taste wasn't revolting but nothing I will want in my mouth again. Picture biting into a fresh piece of sweet corn, melted butter, except it is freezing cold and has the texture of ice cream.
2. Homeless, or night-shift security? The other day, I was taking an early morning walk. I came across a construction site with a Bobcat skid-steer loader. (I think I spelled that properly). To my surprise, a loud noise came from the cab once I was near. A man was wrapped up in a blanket, sleeping in the seat! If you have ever seen this equipment before, the cab is very small, and the seat is rigid, not very comfortable for sitting, let alone an entire night's sleep! Though I have noticed that construction workers here tend to spend a significant amount of time in the houses/building they are working on.
3. I'll try to get a picture of it, but I swear that the other day a dog was walking beside me who was a cross between a chiuaua and a black lab!

Sometimes I can't help but smile at how wonderfully diverse our world is! And to think that God knows each of us intimately, the complexity of that information simply blows a fuse in my mind.