Sleeplessly Yours: Umi's Travelogue

sleeplessly roaming and ruminating in Taipei, Hong Kong, China, Los Angeles, and other places of wonders.

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I grew up next to the James River in Virginia. I rode my bike to the river, responding to the call of the river. The James River is vast where we lived. I remember moments of sitting riverside and breaking my teenage angst. The remarkable thing about rivers is that they seem to use the same language. The particularities of how each river moves and sounds can be experienced in the co-presence of previous passing of other waterways. Yesterday during our river sound walk, the #LARiver evoked other greats waterways in my life, bringing back bittersweet memories of the James. More dialogs to come. #LAListens #soundwalk #fieldrecording

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Recording the LA River with #lalistens today! (at Spoke Bicycle Cafe)

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This is Apache, a 17-year-old gray wolf rescued from a breeding program via a wildlife park. She can't survive in the wild because of bad eyesight. I followed her then she followed me along the fence. I had a teary connection with Apache. I got thinking how the human system of livestock/asset protection and control over nature has imposed a century of threat on these majestic creatures. Moved by the wolf's deep and spirited gaze, I cried. (at Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary)

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Mesmerized by the giant mountains between Yellowstone and Red Lodge, MT. We ended on Top of the World inadvertently on our way to our friend's wedding. (at Beartooth Highway)

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I listened to crickets taking turns chirping, near and distant from me across the field. It was surreal. The #grandteton is a painting with moving and living parts. (at Grand Teton National Park)

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Glad to have caught a glimpse of @nicrrad's installation @flylaxairport! (at Terminal 3 - Los Angeles International Airport)

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Using what's on your desk to build a data sculpture to tell a story about wellbeing in Somerville -- an interactive exercise from #ssirlive (at City of Los Angeles Department on Disability)

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Spent time in @hollyhockhouse Archive with curator @herrjeffrey yesterday, in the presence of historical remnants of great architectural thought. #franklloydwright #mydayinla

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Back in business. #lacityhall #firstdaybackatwork (at Los Angeles City Hall)

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#listening2thecity Secret Languages, in-situ, semi-structured readings of non-English poetry. A public intervention of monolingual dominance in public areas. I was deeply moved by this performance. (at Design Studio for Social Intervention)

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#listening2thecity Visiting the #nomadicivicsculpture, a mobile storytelling exhibition featuring youth narratives of gentrification. #UrbanoProject

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Loved @lobalam_ at @eastsideluv a couple of nights ago! Such good vibes. @bitterparty is honored to have been invited to share a bill with this community-loving band. (at Eastside Luv wine bar y QueSo)

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Crashing #namfieldtrip at #alabamahills (at Alabama Hills under Mt. Whitney)

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Chinese workers were hired to mine borax in areas now designated as federal park land. These Chinese miners were paid $1.30, which was less the cost of lodging and daily amount of food purchased in store at the time. I'm convinced that the Chinese built this park too. Another thread of #asianamerican history to be unfolded. (at Harmony Borax Works)

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Thanks to @dublab for inviting me to play records and tapes from my field work in #Taiwan. Special thanks to Lam @bitterparty for helping me produce the show. Can't wait to see how these sound waves will resonate with other corners in the world. #taiwantransonics (at dublab)

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So fun to catch @nakagawa2015 on his @ladotofficial zine release caffeine tour! Still abuzzed from our conversations about Bebop, the white elite consumption of culture and knowledge, irreverence of workingclass POC in the arts, DIY sound studio build-outs, Narina, horses in a staple... #zine #matchalatte #chocolate #goodtimes #mydayinla (at Eightfold Coffee)

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At a "recital" inside new living room art studio/venue in #highlandpark called #thebodyshop