December 1, 2019
Been there, Done That
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As long as it’s not raining when I go to sleep, I usually get out of bed at around 5:15 am. First, I’ll check the weather on my weather app and then in realtime through the balcony overlooking the South China Sea. If it’s dry outside and doesn’t look like it’s going to pour down any time soon, I’ll get dressed, pack my stuff and head on down to My Khe Beach, which is just a few hundred meters from our highrise pad in here Da Nang. A bit south of our nearest crosswalk, I’ll meet up with instructor Garry for an hour of energizing Tai Chi and Qigong exercises. Above is what it looked like today at exactly 6:00 a.m. There’s always a small gathering of locals on the beach or, in the adjacent park. Some are making use of the crude public gym equipment, others are doing various free-from exercises, including Qigong, Tai Chi and, possibly even Falun Gong. All three are related, so it’s hard for me to discern which is which.

The other day, I had an inspiring thought that I felt compelled to jot down here. Elle, Charlotte and I were at a hole-in-the-wall Mexican taqueria not far from the apartment, enjoying a late but tasty Saturday night dinner. During the meal, I couldn’t help noticing the affable interaction going on between the sweet woman serving us and her two colleagues working in the place’s small kitchen.

As I’ve spent several years working at various positions in the restaurant industry, including a few stints as a cook, I both recognized and appreciated the rapport they enjoyed as a team. It also helped me realize how much stuff in life that I’ve worked with and how those archived experiences, when juxtaposed over situations I see and live through today, many, many years later, keep me both humble and empathetic to folks that work with more physically demanding occupations. And since my professional life has been exceptionally varied; I’ve subbed multiple semesters as a teacher, worked in kitchens, as a bartender, a waiter, a writer, lecturer, deejay, house painter, web designer, creative coach, journalist, filmmaker, photographer, and artist, I can relate to a lot of occupations and work situations and understand some of what goes on behind the scenes.

Sidenote: if everything goes according to a plan I’ve devised since just after arriving here in Asia, about two months ago, in the new year, I’ll be once again reinventing myself, embarking on a brand new, yet to be announced, career path and journey. And this one could perhaps be the most important and possibly/hopefully the most fulfilling I’ve had to date. We’ll see.

Career-wise, it’s been an incredibly interesting ride so far and I certainly don’t have any regrets. What would the point of that be? It’s a given that there’s been struggles, challenges and failures. And not all the choices I’ve made have been super smart or, even provided me with useful life lessons. And I am well aware that at times, especially in my younger years, some of my more irrational decisions were made way too spontaneously. But that’s only to be expected since I’ve been making most of my life up as I go along – at least as far back as my memory serves me. I’ve rarely had any master plan, future-proofing forethought or felt that securing full-time employment was a goal worth pursuing.

Consequently, I have a relentless ability to improvise, reinvent myself and make the best of every situation I either purposely or inadvertently land in. Part genetic luck and part the result of my improvisational lifestyle, I’m the kind of guy who’ll open up a fridge door and instead of identifying all the missing ingredients, use what’s there to make something reasonably edible, if not healthy. I actually wake up each and every morning and damn near always find something positive to hang on to, get excited about and look forward to solving that very same day.

Arguably, I’m more a jack of all trades than a master of anyone in particular. But the undeniable fact that I’ve had so many different types of professions as well as traveled far and wide, allows me to connect relatively easy with folks from all walks of life. Regardless of where in the world our paths cross. I think this ability applies to all kinds of stuff I’ve done so far in my life. Including learning some basic Tai Chi in the early morning hours on a beautiful beach in Vietnam.

November 29, 2019
An Un-Merry Christmas
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I created this image some time ago and it is one of my most downloaded. I have no idea who buys it, such is the world of stock photography. I can only hope that it’s published in a context that jells with my initial conceptual intention. As much as I like the adjective “merry”, to me it projects an image of a tall, elaborately ornamented Christmas tree, anchored with a tremendous amount of brightly colored, gift-wrapped presents. It is, therefore, a great symbol of much of what has gone awry with how we define happiness.

It’s almost December and the multinationals are tooting their horns louder and more frequently, prompting us to once again pony up our hard-earned, unscrupulously taxed income to buy more stuff, so they can fill their coffers and keep Wall Street blissfully happy…

Like most folks, I am a hypocrite. I do not live as I preach. But these days, I try hard to make conscious, eco-friendly decisions whenever and wherever I can. Especially when it’s time to actually consume. I don’t always succeed. Probably not even close to as much as I should or could. For I am weak and addicted to a lifestyle nurtured for over five decades. And so, I often take the easy, instantly gratifying route, instead of seeking out a level of fulfillment that would not only provide me with longer-lasting satisfaction but also be better for the planet.

Climate change, global warming, and the planet’s health issues do not seem to be part of the discourse here in Vietnam. Which is no big surprise. Most folks here can’t afford such seemingly lofty luxuries whilst in survival mode. The same goes for the rest of the developing world.

What is considerably more surprising and worrisome, though, is how the vast majority of people that at least theoretically can both grasp the seismic challenges our species must confront to reverse the awaiting cataclysmic, planetary havoc, and have the practical and financial means to do so, are just turning a blind eye. I obviously include myself among these blind-eye, nay-sayers.

As I view it, the main challenge with reining in rampant consumerism, which includes both stuff we buy for our bodies and homes, as well as food, is the belief that only by continuing our perverse indulgences, can we achieve happiness. In other words, we need to figure out how to be happier with less and yet increase our satisfaction through long-lasting, fulfilling experiences – rather than living life within a sickly cycle of instant gratification – fueled through constant over-consumption of crap – and feeding our bodies with environmentally insane food and drink choices with dubious health advantages.

I think the secret sauce to a successful reversal lies within being focused and intellectually mindful about every choice we make as consumers, and stop making purchases habitually or ritualistically – or, even worse, allowing us to be influenced by anybody or anything other than what our hearts and minds can deduce independently, if we just think a little beforehand. If we simply envision the chain of events that lead up to how or what we choose came into existence – as well as the unavoidable aftermath it generates – we could collectively become a powerful force, and lead by example, a more sustainable life.

November 27, 2019
Qigong Warmup
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Here’s a simple Qigong Warmup for all of us Screen Warriors. A couple of years ago, I enlisted a Qigong instructor to teach me a few basic movements that could help relieve some of the stiffness I was feeling from arthritis. I’ve since spent many hours practicing and taking additional courses to learn other systems and styles. But these first few movements are still really relevant to me and I continue to practice them almost daily.

Since being introduced to Qigong, I’ve often tried to help others that also experience stiffness and pain in, for example, knees, hips, shoulders, neck, and elbows, by passing on my learnings. I’ll show some of the system to friends, family and even complete strangers I meet on the street or at a hotel. But I’ve always felt that I should really create a short video demonstrating some of the basic movements that I find to be the most effective at warming me up and lubricating my joints and ligaments.

After about 15 minutes of these simple movements, my stiffness is usually long gone and I’m ready for the day’s physical challenges.

November 26, 2019
The Infamous Donkey Pose
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This shot is a frame grab from a scene during the filming two years ago at Bamboo Yoga Retreat, a revered, beachfront yoga resort on the south end of Patnem Beach in Goa, India. I went to a yoga class today at my new sports club (where they offer 5 yoga classes/day!). It was me, Garry, the Brittish Tai Chi fellow I met swimming the other day, a tall, blonde gal and 20 or so local women in a large room with zero air-conditioning. I noticed that there were a couple of small fans, but for some reason, all were turned off once we began. Yeah, it was hot in there. Almost Bikram hot.

Yoga wise, I’ve been off-course for a few days, so there were audible cracks and squeaks coming from my mat – which was so drenched from dripping sweat, that I was literally slipin’ and slidin’ during most of the class. I’ll be bringing my own mat next time. Over the last four years, I’ve practiced several different styles of yoga, including the worshiped/loathed Bikram Yoga – or, Hot Yoga, as it’s often referred to these days for either copyright infringement reasons, or, because studio owners want to distance themselves from the style’s controversial, sex offender accused (but oddly, never criminally charged) founder, Chandra Bikram.

At Da Nang’s My An Sport Center, they offer Hatha Yoga, which is usually defined as a style that includes a wide range of classic poses, flows, and breathing. I didn’t understand an utterance the instructor said, and oddly, she didn’t even participate actively in the class – which was a first for me. But it was still very clear she knew her stuff.

My only gripe with the class is that I don’t appreciate the exaggerated length spent seated. It was the same in Hoi An. I get that it’s all part of the deal to be thoroughly grounded physically and mentally before getting started with more strenuous standing movements. But here in Vietnam, they apparently extend this portion of a class way beyond what I am used to.

Thing is, the lower part of my body simply buckles under the pressure when sitting crosslegged for anything longer than 3 and a half minutes. I usually manage to pull it off, no pain, no gain, right? But once we stood up yesterday, it took a few minutes before feeling like I’d been riding bareback on a big-ass donkey for several hours, slowly faded away. I think I’ll go swimming tomorrow. Got some of my yoga videos here: www.raboff.com/film

November 25, 2019
Strike a Pose
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I said, “Strike a pose, just like in the Madonna video, Vogue. Remember?”. She looked at me in disbelief, as if I was completely insane and fitting perfectly into the narrative of a typical crazy-ass westerner in Da Nang.

Then she surprised me and muttered, “Eh, which part of the video do you mean?

Flabbergasted, I replied, “Rita Hayworth gave good face, Lauren, Katherine, Lana too. Bette Davis – ladies with an attitude. Don’t just stand there, let’s get to it! Strike a pose, there’s nothing to it!

November 24, 2019
On the Boardwalk
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Met this colorfully synchronized fellowship of young Chinese ladies on the boardwalk tonight just before Charlotte and I enjoyed a noodle dinner on the beach.

November 24, 2019
Co-Working & Avocado Toast
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The image above is from where these very words were typed a few minutes ago (depending, of course, on when you read this). For the second day in a row, I’m at Bread & Salt, a co-working space, cum café that Charlotte’s discovered near the beach in Da Nang, Vietnam. Not sure why it’s called co-working, cause nobody is actually working together. At least not here at Bread & Salt. While Charlotte has made good use of dozens of co-working spaces around the world, I’ve never appreciated what they have to offer. The few that I’ve tried, have been way too lively and crowded – making it really hard for someone like myself to get anything important done.

At Bread & Salt though, I seem to have found an exception to the rule. Or, maybe I’m just getting better at turning off disturbing stimuli. And when it does get a bit noisy here, I’ll put on my over-the-ear headphones and drown out most of the chatter and mindlessly assembled playlist coming from an excellent speaker system.

Bread & Salt’s giant avocado toast is remarkably tasty. As is the coconut coffee. So the food and drink, the location – right around the Coworking Space Bread & Salt in Da Nang in Vietnamcorner from the My An Sport Center – the blazingly fast Internet, the convenience of having electrical outlets at practically every seat and being spacious enough to not experience an invasion of personal space, make working here a viable option. And should I tire of my fellow co-workers, I can always stroll back to our beachfront apartment – about five blocks from Bread & Salt – and be all by my lonesome.

November 24, 2019
Groucho & Fluid Cardio Strokes
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Groucho Marx once said to a tennis club representative when he wanted to cancel his membership, “I Don’t Want to Belong to Any Club That Will Accept Me as a Member”. I love that quote. And yet, I’ve just joined a club that without hesitation let me in. A club called My An Sport Center. The membership fee for a month is just shy of $50 and includes the pool, gym, all Yoga sessions (5/day) and Zumba classes and a steam room.

I’ve been told that the vast majority of Vietnamese adults can’t swim. Which makes sense. For folks in developing countries, learning how to swim is probably considered a relatively useless skill that most can’t afford even if they understood the benefits. Yesterday it was a fellow from Florida and today I shared the entire pool with a Brittish gentleman. I swam intensely for 30 minutes and left the club feeling invigorated and hungry as a wolf. At first, I was a little hesitant about swimming in a public pool which was likely saturated with chlorine, as opposed to more preferable saltwater pools and even those cleaned with Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). But I can deal with it, as long as it’s outdoors, where I don’t have to both swim in – and breathe in – chemicals.

As much as I feel mindful, focused and relaxed after a session of Yoga, Qigong and more recently, Tai Chi, I don’t get in nearly as much cardio as I know I need when compared with just 30 laps – alternating between freestyle (crawl) and breaststrokes. Where my shot knees keep me from jogging and more recently surfing, I feel no pain whatsoever while swimming.

As a young teen, I competed for the West Hollywood Park Swim Team (today called the Aquatics) and despite my zodiac sign being closer to Leo than Pisces, I’ve always felt a deep, emotional and physical tie with water. Regardless of activity.

November 21, 2019
Timelapse Fun in Da Nang
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Shot this today during a break from working on a new project for a client in Sweden. The beauty with producing time lapses, especially when using your phone as I did for this video, is that you don’t have to oversee anything. Used to be much more cumbersome back in the day. Now it’s just pushing a button and then editing a few clips. We’re talking minutes rather than hours.

Anyway, these snippets were shot from our balcony here in Da Nang early this morning, just after I’d been to the beach to practice Yoga and Qigong – and go for a quick dip in the South China Sea. Strangely, I find the smell of the ocean air here to be eerily similar to that of what I am used to from Southern California. Maybe it’s because the air temperature is about the same. Or it could also be that the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean are actually opposite bookends of the same body of water.

November 19, 2019
Kockum Fritid
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Here’s a 6o showreel I created for our local sports center in Malmö, Sweden a couple of months ago. Kockum Fritid is filled with both a wide range of physical activities and a unique depth of competence among those that work there. You can swim, play hockey, eat great food and even bring your infant there for a Mother-Baby workout session. When you visit Malmö next time around, be sure to drop by Kockum Fritid and check it out.

#kockumfritid #lesmills #hockey #sportscenter #livehealthy #htakockumfritid #exercisescience #måbra #malmö #sweden #västrahamnen

November 18, 2019
New: Flower Melt Sub
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Here’s a brand new collage I’ve been working on for a while. It’s reasonable to assume that I would instinctively know when an abstract picture like this is finished. 

In actuality, nothing could be further from the truth. On the contrary, there’s never a clear, concise path in my artistic process. It has always been – and I suppose always will be – organic. It’s how I work when filming, editing, writing, painting or creating abstract photographic collages.

There is, of course, some planning involved. But I am a firm believer that from an originality perspective, the advantages of spontaneity by far outweigh the gains offered from too much forethought. 

Unless I’m working for a client who has provided a concrete, creative brief and is expecting a specific result and has a critical delivery date, I could probably continue working on a piece like this for several more days – or, weeks, even.

That said, there obviously was a point in this picture’s particular timeline where colors and shapes provided a level of visual satisfaction that allowed me to put down my palette and feel good about how it turned out.

November 18, 2019
Beauty of Urban Decay
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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as the saying goes. If I look hard enough, I find there’s something interesting, often beautiful, in just about everything. It’s all about angles and perspectives. Take the gate above as an example. While passing by it the other day, the colors and shapes seemed to call out to me. So I stopped, took out my camera and spent several minutes capturing various parts of it. The faded blue chipped paint, oxidation and the surface’s wear intrigued me. The cracks, crannies, and layers with a thin crust of rust made the gate look so soulful and ready to be hung on or leaned against a wall in a gallery. Much like Marcel Duchamp, I can easily see art in everyday objects, especially when isolated and removed from the intended purposefulness. Defining art is an interesting topic.

November 17, 2019
Bangkok Traffic
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Shot these scenes over the last couple of days. I can’t explain it, but traffic in slow-mo continues to mesmerize me. Even after all these years of visiting Bangkok, I’m still just as fascinated with the staggeringly intense traffic here as I was the very first time I visited Bangkok back in 1988.

That was way before today’s super-efficient elevated and subterranean public transportation systems existed. My preferred way of getting from A to B back then was taking a Tuk-Tuk. What now takes 15 minutes on an air-conditioned, albeit often quite crowded Skytrain, could take way over an hour in a fuming three-wheeler as it zig-zagged through traffic jams or sped down alleys taking advantage of shortcuts.

I’m not sure the traffic situation in Bangkok has gotten that much better since BTS Skytrain and MRT Subway were introduced. The city’s population has likely grown so much and the vast majority of Bangkokians don’t want to/can’t afford to pay for the newer public transportation options. So, the motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, and buses will probably continue to rule the Thai capital’s highways, streets and alleys for years to come. And I don’t see how autonomous vehicles could ever have a future here. One huge improvement from my earliest days here is that the low-grade fuel used in most cars and motorcycles, including Tuk-Tuks, has thankfully been replaced with higher octane gasoline. The diesel-propelled trucks and buses are unfortunately still around, though. Still, this time of year, the smog situation isn’t that bad as during spring and summer when it gets unbearably hot and the air is thick with pollutants.

I wonder what it’s going to take to alleviate Bangkok’s poor air quality. Maybe Elon Musk could be hired as a consultant. Legislating that all vehicles must be driven with electricity by say, 2030 would certainly be a challenge worth pursuing.

November 15, 2019
Hanging Beachside in Da Nang
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From the other day while still in Da Nang, Vietnam. We’re heading back to My Khe Beach soon where there seems to be no shortage of ridable waves and barely any local rivalry. Photo: Charlotte Raboff

November 14, 2019
Tai Chi in Lumphini
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I’ve been practicing Tai Chi in Lumpini for few days now together with the cheerful and competent instrcutor Claire Hu from Thailand. In her previous career, Claire was a Dean at a university here in Bangkok and after deciding to take early retirement, she received her Tai Chi education in Chen village in northern China, where, according to Wikipedia, the discipline originates. Two of the most popular styles of Tai Chi are Chen and Yang, and Claire is introducing me to Chen.

Though heavily influenced by the slower Qigong, Tai Chi is clearly a defense driven martial art that when practiced correctly is supposed to have a slew of health benefits.

Like many other parks throughout Asia, there’s omnipresence of practitioners training various forms of Tai Chi and Qigong. Yet as far as I’ve seen up until this morning, I’m the only westerner taking my first fledgling steps in the world of Tai Chi at Lumphini.

November 10, 2019
Back in Bangkok
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We’ve now moved into a two-bedroom apartment with a decent view in the Sathorn district of Bangkok. So for just shy of a month, we’ll have our base camp in one of the city’s many, many unnamed neighborhoods where you’ll find just about everything needed for day-to-day existence within reasonable walking distance – including a 7-11, several tiny restaurants, a couple of laundry shops, and one really good massage place. Both Charlotte and I enjoyed a 90-minute Thai massage there and we were both impressed. Next to it is a yoga studio that I’ll have to check out someday.

The apartment is a 15-minute leisurely stroll along busy Rama IV Road to Lumpini Park where I spent about an hour near the clocktower (seen near the bottom on the right of the photo) this afternoon. I found a spot to practice Qigong at under a tree full of a dozen or so noisy crows. I managed to focus to the point where I was completely unbothered by the crowing and let the rowdy birds do their thing while I did mine. Will be back tomorrow morning to meet with a lady that teaches Tai Chi at the same location.

Nowhere near as large as New York’s majestic Central Park, Lumpini is still big enough to provide sanctuary from Bangkok’s insane intensity. Not sure if the trees can absorb and convert the surrounding pollution into clean air, but it at least seems easier to breathe when I’m there.

Pleasantly surprised by how it’s not as devastatingly hot as we expected it to be. Da Nang at night was a comfortably cool 24C and it’s not that much warmer in Bangkok, at least not a few hours after sundown. I barely broke out in a sweat, even when in direct sunlight, during my 14k walk earlier today. I suppose this is the new normal for November. My earliest memories of Bangkok, just about now but in the fall of 1988, are otherwise somewhat clouded, but there were surely monsoon rains and probably a general haze from those backpacking days of yesteryear…

More images from Bangkok here.

November 9, 2019
My Khe Beach in Da Nang
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Shot this view of “My Khe Beach” late last night from the rooftop pool of Haian Hotel, just a few floors above our corner room in Da Nang. I think corner hotel rooms are preferable for the obvious reason that they offer a less claustrophobic room experience. As we book most of our hotel nights through Charlotte’s site ASR, the “Special Request” field you get during the reservation process is usually ignored. Why? Well, while many hotels are increasingly dependent on third-party booking companies, most will also readily admit how profit margin punishing this trend is and how they wish more guest booked directly at their website. Most hotels suck at SEO, so I don’t see how their Google ranking will improve and ever topple the leading reservation sites.

I’ve never really felt that I wasn’t fairly treated when arriving as an Agoda, Booking or Hotels guest. On the other hand, over the years, I’ve never seen any of my “Special Requests” fulfilled. Not once. If I was a hotelier, I’d probably ignore them too and instead prioritize folks that add more to their bottom line through a direct booking. I’ll therefore politely ask for a corner room or at least one with a nice view, as we’re checking in. Folks working in a reception seem not to distinguish much between guests, regardless of reservation method used.
Da Nang turned out to be just what we needed after a monthlong stay in the rice fields. Our two days by the beach have gotten us thinking about maybe spending our last month in Asia right here in Da Nang where there’s decent surfing and plenty of dining options and apartments to rent, no more than a couple of blocks behind the beautifully palm tree-lined My Khe Beach.

Da Nang seems to be booming right now with construction sites all over the place. Along the shoreline, it looks a little like Oahu’s Waikiki or from what I’ve seen of Rio’s Copacabana. The beach is long and wide like in Venice but with very few visitors. I’m guessing that many, if not the majority, of Asians that are touristing in Da Nang, aren’t swim savvy. So the beach might be of limited interest. At least when compred to the abundance of shopping, seafood dining and sightseeing available here.

November 7, 2019
Vietnam Pets & Vets
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Here’s the short film from our visit with Sue, Cat, Marie, Julian, Nori, Lola, India and the rest of the gang at the NGO Vietnam Pets and Vets outside of Hoi An, here in Central Vietnam. Publishing this video today coincides perfectly with our daughter Elle’s 19th birthday. After all, it’s thanks to her genuine interest and compassion for all living creatures that we’re eating healthier and staying clear of the meat and poultry industries’ disasterous behavior towards animals and the planet. While Elle’s celebrating with friends on Bali, we’ve now moved out of the countryside and installed ourselves in a nice corner room at a beachfront hotel in Da Nang.

November 6, 2019
Taco Patrons at Taco Ngon
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This is by far Hoi An’s best taco joint. We became frequent guests there after falling in love with their fish tacos, which taste superbly, possibly thanks to all the ingredients being homemade from scratch.

We’ve been eating a ton of Vietnamese food here. But truth be told, as Pescatarians, it ain’t been as exciting as I’d hoped. There currently aren’t a whole lot of stand-ins for Bún Thịt Nướng (grilled pork with rice noodles), Bo Luc Lac (Vietnamese shaking beef) or Phở Ga (chicken noodle soup). There are a couple of really good vegetarian and even a fully vegan restaurant in town. But that’s in town and we live about 15 minutes outside of town – which at night means riding in the midst of local daredevil scooter drivers. So, we’ve been eating fish tacos about twice a week. They serve a decent, no-name tequila there, too.

November 5, 2019
Julian the Pig
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This is Julian, one of two pigs we met the other day at an energetically operated combo rescue and shelter organization called Vietnam Animal, Aid and Rescue This is Julian, one of two friendly pigs Charlotte and I met the other day at Vietnam Animal, Aid and Rescue which is housed in a tiny village outside of Hoi An. The other rescued pig is Lola and I’m currently working on a short film with both of the pigs and a few other rescued animals we had the pleasure of meeting, along with founder Cat and her co-workers Marie and Sue during our short visit there the other day.

Experiences like these are wonderful and really add a silver lining to our stay here. It also fuels our enthusiasm for maintaining a 90% plant-based diet and to veto consumption of beef, pork, and poultry. I have yet to come to terms with my inexcusable seafood habit, but I’m working on it.