Friday Funnies

Hi,

Chiang Rai had more rain overnight, and for part of the day. The afternoon was perfect for the dedication of the art at the government building.

The first 'Song of '68' was "Beautiful Morning" by The Rascals. Oh well, 'Old School Friday' is next. Remember?:
"__ __ __, I love you so. How I've waited for you, you'll never know. Please __, don't make me wait so long." Clue: Three words, one is a guy's name. She's sick in bed, waiting for him to return. Real teen drama back in '56. Three groups recorded the song in the same year. Who did it first? (I know, ya gotta be old to know this)

We had standing water for most of the day, in both yards. The front drains for the lawn have been working since I poked them, but there's just so much rain that it can't leave fast enough.

We went to the government building and Lisa signed next to her name in the book for artists. That was the registration. They gave her a T-shirt, an art map of Chiang Rai, and a book with all the art that is on display. The book is very well made and includes a section with photos and info on all the artists. After checking in we went for coffee at Doi Chaang, since we had an hour before the festivities.

When we returned for the ceremony, there was a crowd gathering. There were young people playing traditional instruments, and several groups of girls did traditional dances. The whole event took place in a big open courtyard within the building complex. Most of the artists that participated were there and it was like a reunion. There were a few speeches and then a ribbon-cutting. We sat with our friends Bob and Noni and they filled us in on what was going on. Before we knew it, that part was over and they began picking up the chairs. They were replaced by woven mats that were placed in rows on the ground. These were to sit on during 'dinner'. While that was going on we went into the building to look at the art work and also to find Lisa's cast acrylic print. All of the work was framed by Khun Towd and looked great. We finally found Lisa's work and took pictures.

We were going to leave at this point, but somehow we were directed to sit for food. There was a small, round table with four cushions around it and that was where we tried to have dinner. There was little that we could eat, although I did have some sticky rice and a sweet drink from a bamboo cup. Mainly we just watched the next part of the show. Four school children went on stage to draw. One of the youngest made a very dramatic piece that caught everyone's attention. While they were drawing, an artist/musician played an instrument that he'd made. We'd seen him before and I'm intrigued by the way it sounds. It has three strings, and a half-bowl for a 'body'. The open half of the bowl rests on his chest and is lifted for vibrato effects. It's a very soothing sound. We met with him after he played and he explained more about it.

The weather stayed dry, and the evening was a success. There was a wonderful turnout for this art event, and it's clear that there is a commitment to presenting Chiang Rai as "the City of Artists." That's pretty cool.

Have a Wonderful WeekEnd. It's time for the 'Funnies'.

Peace,
Danny

One day a first grade teacher was reading the story of Chicken Little to her class. She came to the part where Chicken Little warns the farmer. She read, "...and Chicken Little went to the farmer and said, 'The sky is falling!' The teacher then asked the class, "And what do you think the farmer said?" One little girl raised her hand and said, "I think he said 'Holy Sh*t! A talking chicken!'" The teacher was unable to teach for the next ten minutes.

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com