The other day, I turned sixty-five, 
Longevity endures, yet missing the vibe. 
Boundless zeal, and lofty dreams past, 
Life consumed much, all seems so vast. 

Ahead lies a path with passion astray, 
Direction lost, no compass to display. 
Resolute mind guided the first sixty-five, 
Now to dig deep, to thrive and survive. 

A brief sabbatical, pause to reflect, 
Then back in the saddle, to introspect. 
Hit the Drive with courage anew, 
Embrace the journey, skies wide and blue. 

With wisdom gathered from years gone by, 
Seek new heights, let the spirit fly. 
For life’s not finished; adventures await, 
In every heartbeat, there’s time to create. 

With each dawn’s promise, embrace the ride, 
Forge ahead with hope and pride. 
For age is but a number in time’s gentle hand, 
Setting the stage for life’s grandstand.

– brij

Halloween has its roots in the timeless Celtic tradition, celebrated as the festival of Samhain.

As the harvest season yields to the chill of the approaching winter, spirits roam free, and the veil between the living and the dead becomes thin. Towering bonfires were lit to ward off wandering evil spirits and to guide the souls seeking the afterlife.

Diwali is the celebration of good over evil and light over darkness. It is a time celebrated with love, light, and family. Diwali embodies the soul of India; regardless of one’s adherence to sacred texts such as the Ramayana, Guru Granth Sahib, the Holy Quran, or the Bible, Diwali emphasizes unity and togetherness. It commemorates Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya and the restoration of a just empire.

The merging of Diwali and Halloween brings together the East and the West in a warm embrace that bridges dark gaps with paths illuminated by light.

Happy Diwaliween! Let love prevail.

– brij

On June 26, at 915 am, three friends who went to med school in 1976 ascended the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, aka the roof of Africa.

It was a seven-day expedition. Now, sleep-deprived, unkempt, unshaved, unwashed, the three hobo-looking friends, emanating aromas that obligate nose pinching, exhausted but satisfied in the results are heading back to the civilization for re-assimilation, cleansing, hosing and other creature comforts.

Serengeti tomorrow.

Photos and more later

– brij

Lava flows and fertile land follows
Hatred similarly to love allows
The heat, the combustion, the fire
Is what it takes for life to transpire

The essence of being,
the eternal question of life
Let me share
how falling water can midwife

The perky waters of Yosemite Creek
Dance and frolic in nature’s embrace
The joy unbound and quirks astray
Plunging the precipice, Grace all the way

In the midst of turbulent constraints
Untroubled waters oblivious to restraints
Slipshod off the precipice
In an envious, blissful place
In a symphony of joy,
reaching for the sky

Forgetting to fall, Falls rise, in a pixie mist
Hanging, suspended, in a mystical twist
Everywhere at once, an ethereal dance
Captivating in it’s mystical trance

Rises as it falls, cloaked in the mystery of Heavenly fogs
Gravity squirms, a curious witness to a novel chaos
A quantum manifestation in its amorphous transformation
Superpositioned, everywhere all at once
Riveted, yet alive to whispers of dewy splash

The thunderous melody takes the soul to soar
Waves of misty clouds dance to a mighty roar
Mesmerized minds, and salivating sights
Made-to-order memories for future delights

The Middle Cascades catch the falling magic
Charming in their rivulets and falling wonders
The waters coalesce once more
In a final leap to enchant the eager eyes

Part of me is with you reveling in splendor
Part of you is in me, in bliss and rapture

O’ Ye the mighty Yosemite Falls
You are a sight to behold
An eternal beauty that enthralls
All who witness, yearn once more,
O’mighty Yosemite
Encore!

– Brij

Another wonderful action packed week.. testified at the Senate Fiscal Committee …
and Bessie came to visit.

Read more at https://sonyachristianblog.com/2024/04/27/recognizing-alternative-forms-of-learning/

– sonya

This week, I traveled down to San Diego again. This time for the ASU GSV conference.

Check out this 30-sec video of the Coronado Bridge, the water, and 2 men fishing.

I took the ferry back-and-forth to the conference site at the convention center.

At the conference, I joined ASU President Michael Crow & Silicon Valley Community Foundation President Nicole Taylor for a Sunstage X Coffee session to discuss the revolution in education & learning technology for California learners.

Read more at https://sonyachristianblog.com/2024/04/20/san-diego-whats-not-to-like/

– sonya

Check out this photo collage (less than 5-min) video of the first 6 months of Vision 2030:

*****

This week started with a Monday holiday honoring Cesar Chavez. After that, it was another busy week of travel!

On Tuesday, I joined fellow members of the Governor’s Council for Career Education to visit Sierra College’s workforce programs. Before the Council meeting the First Partner swung by to do a tour of the mechatronics program.

Read more at https://sonyachristianblog.com/2024/04/06/first-six-months-of-vision-2030/

– sonya

This week started in Sacramento with a Board of Governors meeting.

One of the best things we get to do is celebrate the work of our community colleges, and this meeting was no different.

Chabot College, Glendale College, MiraCosta College and San Diego Mesa College have been honored by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors with 2023-24 Exemplary Program Awards in partnership with the statewide Academic Senate.

» Read more at https://sonyachristianblog.com/2024/01/27/caccs-celebrating-our-very-best/

– sonya

This past Monday, as we paused to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I re-read his piece “The Purpose of Education.”

We must remember that intelligence is not enough.
Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.
The complete education gives one not only power of concentration,
but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate.

» Read more at https://sonyachristianblog.com/2024/01/20/intelligence-plus-character-that-is-the-goal-of-true-education-mlk/.

– sonya