Intent

 Hi,

The weather in Chiang Rai is the same as yesterday and the day before.  The daytime air was clear, and the birds are happy.

The ‘Easy Monday’ song wasn’t very easy.  It was “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” by Tears for Fears.  The ‘Jazzy Wednesday’ tune really should be easy.  “You must remember this, a kiss is still a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh.  The fundamental things apply __ __ __ __.”  Hint: This song was featured in a 1942 film.  Most famous line: ‘Play it again, Sam’.  Something about the passage of the thing that’s measured by a clock.  

Over the weekend we picked up some interesting information.  This was the first year that all the schools were closed (Friday) for Chinese New Year.  There are a few more days of tradition to the New Year involving families getting together.  One that we were aware of brings families together to go to the burial place of ancestors, to clean up the site and have a picnic.  We have learned is that there is always a lot of eating involved.

This morning was a Big C event.  We arrived ten minutes after opening and the place was almost empty.  Like most big stores and eating establishments, Big C offers home delivery.  The delivery people get their orders from the dispatch and show up at the store and the store fills the orders.  No money has to change hands.  They load up their insulated boxes, strap them on their bikes and race through the traffic.  Sometimes the riders can be annoying, but it’s really quite a service they're providing, and for little pay I might add.  We see pick-ups being made at Starbuck’s all the time.  That segues into our next stop, Starbuck’s at the mall.  Nothing special, just coffee and a treat and out.  I think today was one of the fastest shopping/coffee runs in ages.

Another tradition of Chinese New Year is the Lion Dancers and their drum corp.  We’ve noticed them on Clock Tower street, and around town.  There are several crews circulating and we know this because every year our neighbor across the street invites them all to his house for a big blow out.  They arrive in vans and trucks, bringing their lions and drums.  They perform in his front yard, set off firecrackers, and then they get fed.  This year one of the crews landed a gig at Bed Villa, our illustrious neighbors.  There are some of these crews that are in it purely for the hustle, and others who follow tradition.  I have seen in the past, a group that went through the market performing, and then came back and demanded payment from merchants.  

Today’s photo was taken over our front wall as a crew walked to the Lion Dance gathering.  He’s carrying some kind of demon.

It feels like a Wacky Wednesday.

                             Peace,

                                       Danny

“What is the quality of your intent?”

~Thurgood Marshall