It's actually pretty exciting to be back blogging in a more professional way after abandoning my blog on my iWeb site that was corrupted when I upgraded to iLife 08. I'm a dedicated Mac user, but using iWeb for a blog was a big mistake. I'm going to be republishing some of my old blogs here in TypePad and of course adding new ones on a more regular basis. What I like with TypePad is the ability to insert YouTube video and I think my videos will reach a broader audience both through my blog where I can provide more background information, and on YouTube. What I just tried this morning, and what will make my job much easier, is to put my video clips into the new iMovie7, edit them, and then publish them directly into my YouTube account. Seems pretty slick and it should facilitate my adding more video content to this blog. (Aug. 29) It's not easy, I don't understand iMovie7 and have gone back to iMovie 6. I'm sure if I take the time I can figure it out, but time sometimes is an issue...
About this video. When my wife and I visit here parent's village in rural Vientiane Province, we always end up walking this road between Ban Na Ang, where her parents live and Ban Non, where her aunt lives. In the summer of 2006 when we were visiting and walking this road we saw the principal, his wife and children planting rice on a small plot of marginal land abutting one of the karsts that line this valley. He is a good friend of my wife's and we have provided books and other educational materials for the school in past visits so we have a good relationship.
It's sad that he has to work so hard outside of teaching to try to provide enough food/rice for his family. But that's the reality for teachers in Laos. You can see in this video that they are planting rice using the method that the Lao (including all ethnic groups, Hmong, etc.) use in planting rice on land, usually on mountain slopes, that is not paddy irrigated. It's not a big plot of land, but hopefully provided enough rice to get them through tight times.
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