What Is Past Is Prologue

~William Shakespeare,  The Tempest, Act 11, scene 1
So, what’s new is not.  We’ve been through all of this before. Only the flavor changes.  The trouble is that the changes now have bigger and bigger implications---like the whole earth and all its inhabitants.
"YES, WE CAN!!!"
~Barrack Obama
What a powerful expression of both the human spirit and the optimism that has seen us grow as a species.
It’s about will. It’s about recognizing that contrary to what Shakespeare said, we DON’T have to repeat the past. 
Change is like asparagus inexorably pushing up through fertile ground reaching the sun and air and rain.
Change is inexorable. Let’s get it right.
Ray   ( once again sorry for being preachy)

Chapter 2

Thanks for reading the prologue and chapter 1, how about Chapter 2?

Download 11th_dragon_ch2.PDF
Thoughts?
Thanks,
Ray

More Eleventh Dragon

Thanks for reading the prologue. While you're at it, how about Chapter 1.
Download 11th_dragon_chap_1.PDF
Thoughts?
Thanks,
Ray

The Eleventh Dragon

A number of years ago, I became fascinated by China after coming across a book of T'ang poetry.  Poetry never interested me very much, but this did--modern, powerful, evocative, spare, burningly beautiful. It was from the 8th century of the modern era.  So, I dove into history, politics, art, economics of this incredible very old culture, I'm still diving. One result was to write a full-length ( 450 pages) novel about modern China, its strengths and weaknesses.  Historically China has come together, fallen apart, come together.  And what now? Is it time to come apart again?  And what are the forces both internal and external that might cause China to once again divide?
I've decided to put up some sections of THE ELEVENTH DRAGON © R. A. Montgomery 2008 to see what you think. Here is the first part, the prologue:  
Download the_Eleventh_Dragon_Prologue.pdf
Thanks,
Ray

Romance

The smell of freshly made dark chocolates with raspberry centers.
The smell of jet fuel.  Fresh coffee.  Pomegranate Noire.  Melted ski wax. Whatever you like.
The view of a mountain peak through a break in storm clouds, glacier hanging suspended in cloud tendrils. 
The smile of remembrance on the face of a loved one.
Every morning. Every sunset—even hidden by clouds.

Living in a tent with antiques (Contributed by Shannon P. Gilligan)
A voice. A tone. A sound. Music--- a note or two or more.
A challenge to overcome, create, accept, give up, give, believe.
Change in all its powerful, frightening mystery.
Possibility ---- and its companion Hope.
Passports and airline tickets (how banal, but they work)
And then………. (things)

Mad River Snow...Hard As Rock

YUP, it was a beautiful day on Sunday, but the snow at Mad River glen was as hard as rock; and my poor old knees that have seen mountains and skis and bikes and tennis and soccer since I was a kinder said,”Don’t even think about it!” So, I didn’t. Instead I took pictures of granddaughters Avery and Lila skiing, sat in the thin sun, drank hot chocolate, and told my knees that they would be better when the sun was kinder and the snow softer---late February by my calculus.
“So, what’s it all mean, Mr. Natural?”
“ Don’t mean nuthin!!!”
But it does.  Mountains, and challenge, and raw, intricate beauty.  A way of life.  At times a recherché de temps perdu.  I love it.
So, the hell with knees.  The heck with winter.  Bring on summer and the boat.  Only kidding. I love the smell of ski wax being ironed on ( they still do that now and then).
Ray 

Excellence Is All Around Us

Take a look at some of these people; my favorite of the moment is American skier Bode Miller.  Watch his win in the Wengen, Switzerland downhill.  Near perfection.

Whether it be in sports, the arts, sciences, politics or whatever, some rise to excellence, almost other-worldly in their achievements.  Persistence, patience, diligence, talent, belief, courage, damned hard training and trying, and even luck ( though not too much, it's unreliable) make the difference between being near the top or at the top.  It's also about being human and showing that there is opportunity for change and growth.
Here are some of the ones that spell excellence to me:

• TIGER WOODS   
• SERENA AND VENUS WILLIAMS
• ROGER FEDERER 
• BODE MILLER 
• DENISE KARBON 
• TOM BRADY 
• MOZART
• THE BEATLES
• WINSTON CHURCHILL
• GANDHI 
• JANE AUSTEN
• LEO TOLSTOY
• MURRAY GELL-MAN
• EINSTEIN
• JULIUS CAESAR
• JFK (if he had had  the chance)
• and many others, fortunately too numerous to name here in this blog.

Humans are amazing  ----  and sometimes amazingly bad like Pol Pot and his ilk. 
Make up your list and send it along.  I'll post it.
Thanks,
~Ray