Hi,
We traveled with friends, sat in traffic and got tortured by muzac. We also learned a new perspective on Life in Thailand. Oh, and then there's the heat.
The last song we attempted was familiar to a lot of you but you just couldn't go back far enough. It was "Money" by Barrett Strong. Lane and Christopher sent some interesting background on this record. "Money (That's What I Want)" was the 1959 hit single for the Tamla label. The song was written by Tamla founder Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford. It became the first hit record for Gordy's Motown flagship label in June of '60, making it to #2 on the R&B charts and #23 on the Pop charts."
For the weekend we'll look at a song that I'm sure you'll remember. "Listen, (Whao, whao, whao) __ __ __ __ __ __ __, do you promise not to tell..." Clue: You thought they were the only group to sing the last song. Some of you didn't know there was music before them (Ha).
Tay picked us up at 7:30 this morning to take us to the airport. Oh, so early. While we were checking in, we ran into our friends Jane and Ruud. We didn't know they were also going to Bangkok; it was just one of those happy coincidences. We had coffee while we waited and Ruud explained that someone told him that here in LOS everything is 'about'. Not exact, just about. Hmm. Later, as I pondered a sign on the door to the cockpit, which was only in English, I realized that there are many questions and not enough answers.
Bangkok is notorious for it's traffic through several corridors. We knew this, but it's one thing to know it and another to sit in it. We finally made it to the hotel and got a little confused as we entered. Things were very different. We thought that maybe we were in the wrong hotel. After asking, it was explained that they had completely redesigned the lobby since we were here last year. Oh.
After getting settled in our room we went down to inquire about internet service. We found out that the floor we were on did not have access. What? Later I went to the front desk and checked on getting a room change to a floor with internet. We quickly got sent up to the 23rd floor and that's where I'm writing this message.
We have a short list of places we want to go on this trip. Tomorrow we'll start the adventure. Today we discovered a very nice grocery store next to the hotel. We found things we don't see in Chiang Rai. The bag will be a little heavier on the trip home.
One final note about our hotel. They play piano renditions of hit songs throughout the hotel. We're burned out on such titles as 'We Are The World', 'Careless Whisper', and 'I Just Called To Say...'. Maybe tomorrow I'll put on my headphones. (Ha)
It's time for the 'Funnies', sent in by Tom. Have a Warm WeekEnd.
Peace,
Danny
Test for Dementia (Scroll down slowly and don't peak at the answers)
Below are four question and a bonus question. You have to answer then instantly. You can't take your time, answer all of them immediately. OK? Let's find out just how clever you really are... Ready? Go!
First Question:
You are participating in a race. You overtake the person in second place. What position are you in?
Answer: If you answered that you're in first place, you're absolutely wrong. If you overtake the person in second place, you take their place so you are second.
Try not to screw up the next one. Now answer the second question but don't take as much time as you did on the first one.
Second Question: If you overtake the last person, then you are...?
Answer: If you answered that you are second to last, then you are wrong again. Tell me how you can overtake the last person?
You're not very good at this are you?
Third Question: Very tricky arithmetic. Note: This must be done in your head. No pencil and paper or calculator.
Take 1000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1000. Now add 30..add another 1000, now add 20. Now add another 1000, now add 10. What is the total?
Did you get 5000?
The correct answer is actually 4100. If you don't believe it, try it with a calculator. Today is definitely not your day.
Fourth Question: Mary's father has five daughters: 1. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini, 4.Nono. What is the name of the fifth daughter?
Did you answer Nunu? No, of course it isn't. Her name is Mary. Read the question again.
There's a bonus round but I'll save that for another day.
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Give/Take
Hi,
Our Thursday is winding down and pretty soon we'll be packing the bags for the weekend trip to Bangkok. Today we went to the equivalent of the D.M.V., shopped for books and watched BamBam be a silly dog.
It's amazing that many of you knew the song but not the artist. Denny was first on the block again with the title and the original artist. For those of you who thought The Beatles were the artist, let's just say you have to go back a little. If you're still not sure about the song, here's a little more: "Your love gives me such a thrill, but your love don't pay my bills, I need __ (That's what I want) I need __..." Hint: It's obviously one word and it's a word that drives almost everything around us. Sad but true.
Somehow we got the impression that we needed to renew the registration on the truck this week. Boot, Lisa and I headed out for the Chiang Rai D.M.V. to take care of business. It took a couple of tries just to find the place. I'd been there before but we took a wrong turn and ended up driving a loop around the north side of the city. When we finally arrived we went to the reception desk and a very patient young woman helped us sift through our papers, which were all in Thai, and determined that we had until April 1 to renew. It was a wild goose chase but we got to see a part of town we usually don't see and that was cool. There's a lot of building going on here. It certainly doesn't look like the recession has hit here yet.
This afternoon we went into town so Lisa could find some books for the trip. There's a shop downtown that carries a big selection of books in English. They have a trade-in system and it really helps cut down on the expense of books. The price is high for books in English. While Lisa browsed I went to the 'Record store' to see if a CD I'd ordered had come in. It hadn't but they took my number and they'll call me. I love this small town service.
After Napa had her ballet lesson we were sitting upstairs and BamBam came up with two of her sock toys in her mouth. She'd never done that before. She likes to greet us with a toy but this took the cake. She walked around the room, tripping over one of the socks and finally settled down for a good chew. Every time she comes to our room she sniffs around the area where Daku had been on Tuesday. Next week, when he comes home, things should get interesting.
One of the challenges of going on a trip is packing the bag. Notice I said 'bag'. There is always the temptation to take more than is needed. We figured that if we started with just one bag it might help us be realistic. (Ha)
Have a Pleasant Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"Blessed are those who can give without
remembering and take without forgetting."
~Elizabeth Bibesco
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Our Thursday is winding down and pretty soon we'll be packing the bags for the weekend trip to Bangkok. Today we went to the equivalent of the D.M.V., shopped for books and watched BamBam be a silly dog.
It's amazing that many of you knew the song but not the artist. Denny was first on the block again with the title and the original artist. For those of you who thought The Beatles were the artist, let's just say you have to go back a little. If you're still not sure about the song, here's a little more: "Your love gives me such a thrill, but your love don't pay my bills, I need __ (That's what I want) I need __..." Hint: It's obviously one word and it's a word that drives almost everything around us. Sad but true.
Somehow we got the impression that we needed to renew the registration on the truck this week. Boot, Lisa and I headed out for the Chiang Rai D.M.V. to take care of business. It took a couple of tries just to find the place. I'd been there before but we took a wrong turn and ended up driving a loop around the north side of the city. When we finally arrived we went to the reception desk and a very patient young woman helped us sift through our papers, which were all in Thai, and determined that we had until April 1 to renew. It was a wild goose chase but we got to see a part of town we usually don't see and that was cool. There's a lot of building going on here. It certainly doesn't look like the recession has hit here yet.
This afternoon we went into town so Lisa could find some books for the trip. There's a shop downtown that carries a big selection of books in English. They have a trade-in system and it really helps cut down on the expense of books. The price is high for books in English. While Lisa browsed I went to the 'Record store' to see if a CD I'd ordered had come in. It hadn't but they took my number and they'll call me. I love this small town service.
After Napa had her ballet lesson we were sitting upstairs and BamBam came up with two of her sock toys in her mouth. She'd never done that before. She likes to greet us with a toy but this took the cake. She walked around the room, tripping over one of the socks and finally settled down for a good chew. Every time she comes to our room she sniffs around the area where Daku had been on Tuesday. Next week, when he comes home, things should get interesting.
One of the challenges of going on a trip is packing the bag. Notice I said 'bag'. There is always the temptation to take more than is needed. We figured that if we started with just one bag it might help us be realistic. (Ha)
Have a Pleasant Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"Blessed are those who can give without
remembering and take without forgetting."
~Elizabeth Bibesco
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Life In Chiang Rai
Happiness
Hi,
Life in Chiang Rai moves at a different pace than the big cities here. This is only from brief observation since I've never lived in one of the big cities, but I've been there. Having said that, I'm looking forward to our weekend in Bangkok with mixed emotions. More about that later.
The song that got Googled a bunch over the last few days was "Everyone's Gone to the Moon" by Jonathan King. Now you know. This should be easy: "The best things in life are free, but you can give'em to the birds 'n bees I want __..." Clue: I'm not sure I really need to give you one but I will. Everybody needs some, it's all we hear about lately. Oh you know this one.
There is an openness about the pace of life here. There are a couple of times a day on certain streets when you know the traffic will be a little hectic so you just take another route. Nobody tries to force anything on you at the Night Bazaar and smiles are everywhere. Our experience with the 'city' is much different. Maybe the opposite. So, while I enjoy the hustle and bustle and the fascination of it all, there is a certain tension that I'll have to try and put out of my mind. We won't be in the streets that much, but we do want to take a trip to MBK and maybe Siam Paragon just to gawk. Of course I'll fill you in on how it goes. I don't mean to discourage anyone from going to Bangkok. It's quite a rush. This is just one 'country guy's' experience.
There are funny little things we come up with to entertain ourselves when we're out in the street. For instance, the family at the furniture store had another baby and we haven't been by to see him yet. We took a gift by after he was born but he was asleep. So now every time we pass the store we say 'Where's the baby?' or 'Show me the baby' and laugh. Nothing like cheap thrills. When motorbike riders do something stupid like drive the wrong way and head right for us, the big question is: 'How big is your death wish?' which has been shortened to 'How big is your wish?'. Then there are all the parking attendants and their whistles. I may have mentioned this before but I bought a whistle and one of these days I'm going to blow it at one of them. (Ha)
This afternoon our insurance man came by with our policy papers for our house. We've got some amazing coverage for what we're paying. There was an interesting clause when it came to earthquakes. If the quake is caused by an object falling from outer space, we're not covered. Oh my.
That just made me wonder about something. Have you ever noticed that when a man-made object has lost its orbit and is heading for Earth they always tell us it's going to land in the Indian Ocean? Excuse me but that sounds a little too convenient to me. I'm just sayin'.
Well, I think it's time for Wacky Wednesday.
Peace,
Danny
"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed.
Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love,
grace, and gratitude."
~Denis Waitley
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Hi,
Life in Chiang Rai moves at a different pace than the big cities here. This is only from brief observation since I've never lived in one of the big cities, but I've been there. Having said that, I'm looking forward to our weekend in Bangkok with mixed emotions. More about that later.
The song that got Googled a bunch over the last few days was "Everyone's Gone to the Moon" by Jonathan King. Now you know. This should be easy: "The best things in life are free, but you can give'em to the birds 'n bees I want __..." Clue: I'm not sure I really need to give you one but I will. Everybody needs some, it's all we hear about lately. Oh you know this one.
There is an openness about the pace of life here. There are a couple of times a day on certain streets when you know the traffic will be a little hectic so you just take another route. Nobody tries to force anything on you at the Night Bazaar and smiles are everywhere. Our experience with the 'city' is much different. Maybe the opposite. So, while I enjoy the hustle and bustle and the fascination of it all, there is a certain tension that I'll have to try and put out of my mind. We won't be in the streets that much, but we do want to take a trip to MBK and maybe Siam Paragon just to gawk. Of course I'll fill you in on how it goes. I don't mean to discourage anyone from going to Bangkok. It's quite a rush. This is just one 'country guy's' experience.
There are funny little things we come up with to entertain ourselves when we're out in the street. For instance, the family at the furniture store had another baby and we haven't been by to see him yet. We took a gift by after he was born but he was asleep. So now every time we pass the store we say 'Where's the baby?' or 'Show me the baby' and laugh. Nothing like cheap thrills. When motorbike riders do something stupid like drive the wrong way and head right for us, the big question is: 'How big is your death wish?' which has been shortened to 'How big is your wish?'. Then there are all the parking attendants and their whistles. I may have mentioned this before but I bought a whistle and one of these days I'm going to blow it at one of them. (Ha)
This afternoon our insurance man came by with our policy papers for our house. We've got some amazing coverage for what we're paying. There was an interesting clause when it came to earthquakes. If the quake is caused by an object falling from outer space, we're not covered. Oh my.
That just made me wonder about something. Have you ever noticed that when a man-made object has lost its orbit and is heading for Earth they always tell us it's going to land in the Indian Ocean? Excuse me but that sounds a little too convenient to me. I'm just sayin'.
Well, I think it's time for Wacky Wednesday.
Peace,
Danny
"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed.
Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love,
grace, and gratitude."
~Denis Waitley
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Living in Thailand
Help
Hi,
It's your Tuesday and I'm bursting with news. Monday's gone but still fresh in my mind and big things happened today. One never knows what to expect living in Thailand.
I got a few nibbles on the song. Denny (my brother) knew the title. Who else will step up and admit to knowing an old song?
"Eyes full of sorrow, never wet. Hand full of money, all in debt. Sun coming out in the middle of June, __ __ __ __ __."
Clue: It was 1965 and this melancholy song peaked at number 17. It's like kids say, 'Why can't I go? Everyone's going there.' Follow the rhyme scheme and you may get it.
Monday afternoon we went over to Emmy's Kennel to see the puppies. Part of our mission was to try and choose a dog and get it's scent on a sock so BamBam could start to get used to the idea. With weeks to wait, we just wanted to be sure we got the puppy we wanted. When we got there Emmy was not around so we had to put off the visit.
We had a visit from Tay and her husband Pong. Tay had found some baking soda for us and Pong came to give me my first golf lesson. This was news to me, but that's the way things happen here. Anyway we spent about 45 minutes on the 'back green' with him showing me how to hold the club, position my arms and wrist, and so much more. We hit balls from one side of the yard to the other and then back again. By the end I was doing pretty well. So much to remember. Eye on the ball, back-swing, down swing, follow through, keep my left arm straight, body stays still, oh my. He impressed upon me the importance of practice. Some terms get crossed up going from English to Thai. When he wanted me to try my swing he'd say
'rehearse'. I just smiled inside once I realized what he meant. The inability to pronounce the 'el' sound came up a few times. I have to tell him to call me 'Danny' and not 'Danyun', which was his way of saying 'Daniel'. Hmm, I'd sometimes thought about changing my name but not to that. (Ha) When they left, he left me 10 golf balls. This is not over.
Today we called Emmy's to see if we could come by and see the dogs. We arrived at 11:15 as planned and we were greeted by a large, very friendly Golden Retriever. Emmy took us to the cage where the puppies were and pulled out a little male with a red string around his neck. This was our dog. We just wanted to visit but she insisted that we could take him today. It seemed early to us but we finally said we'd take him since she was going to charge us to keep him longer. Now this was not the original agreement at all. We were to pick him up four weeks from now. Hmm, like I said, you never know what to expect. Anyway, we left with Daku, which is an Aborigine word meaning sand. We made a dash to Dr. Arnon's to get what we'd need and some advice. He was a little upset with Emmy for releasing the puppy so soon. He got on the phone and had a long talk with her. Then he told us we could either pay her the extra money, or keep him and follow his special instructions. We decided to take Daku home with us. We had our first afternoon with our new dog and it didn't go too bad. We had to keep BamBam downstairs which didn't set well with her. She was very curious about this new smell in the house. Daku is so cute. He's just getting the hang of walking and he did venture out in the room a bit. He slept a lot and we played a bit. Then I realized that we are scheduled to go to Bangkok for the weekend. We couldn't leave Boot to deal with BamBam and Daku so we took him back to Emmy's until Monday. He must be very confused in his little puppy brain. So are we. At least it gives us time to collect more newspaper. (Ha)
The end of the golf story is that when we returned to the house with Daku, there was a police truck sitting at the front gate. After getting over the initial shock, I realized it must be Pong. Sure enough, it was and he was bringing me a golf club so I could practice. What a guy. He does love his golf.
Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"It is one of the most beautiful compensations
of this life that no man can sincerely
try to help another without helping himself."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Hi,
It's your Tuesday and I'm bursting with news. Monday's gone but still fresh in my mind and big things happened today. One never knows what to expect living in Thailand.
I got a few nibbles on the song. Denny (my brother) knew the title. Who else will step up and admit to knowing an old song?
"Eyes full of sorrow, never wet. Hand full of money, all in debt. Sun coming out in the middle of June, __ __ __ __ __."
Clue: It was 1965 and this melancholy song peaked at number 17. It's like kids say, 'Why can't I go? Everyone's going there.' Follow the rhyme scheme and you may get it.
Monday afternoon we went over to Emmy's Kennel to see the puppies. Part of our mission was to try and choose a dog and get it's scent on a sock so BamBam could start to get used to the idea. With weeks to wait, we just wanted to be sure we got the puppy we wanted. When we got there Emmy was not around so we had to put off the visit.
We had a visit from Tay and her husband Pong. Tay had found some baking soda for us and Pong came to give me my first golf lesson. This was news to me, but that's the way things happen here. Anyway we spent about 45 minutes on the 'back green' with him showing me how to hold the club, position my arms and wrist, and so much more. We hit balls from one side of the yard to the other and then back again. By the end I was doing pretty well. So much to remember. Eye on the ball, back-swing, down swing, follow through, keep my left arm straight, body stays still, oh my. He impressed upon me the importance of practice. Some terms get crossed up going from English to Thai. When he wanted me to try my swing he'd say
'rehearse'. I just smiled inside once I realized what he meant. The inability to pronounce the 'el' sound came up a few times. I have to tell him to call me 'Danny' and not 'Danyun', which was his way of saying 'Daniel'. Hmm, I'd sometimes thought about changing my name but not to that. (Ha) When they left, he left me 10 golf balls. This is not over.
Today we called Emmy's to see if we could come by and see the dogs. We arrived at 11:15 as planned and we were greeted by a large, very friendly Golden Retriever. Emmy took us to the cage where the puppies were and pulled out a little male with a red string around his neck. This was our dog. We just wanted to visit but she insisted that we could take him today. It seemed early to us but we finally said we'd take him since she was going to charge us to keep him longer. Now this was not the original agreement at all. We were to pick him up four weeks from now. Hmm, like I said, you never know what to expect. Anyway, we left with Daku, which is an Aborigine word meaning sand. We made a dash to Dr. Arnon's to get what we'd need and some advice. He was a little upset with Emmy for releasing the puppy so soon. He got on the phone and had a long talk with her. Then he told us we could either pay her the extra money, or keep him and follow his special instructions. We decided to take Daku home with us. We had our first afternoon with our new dog and it didn't go too bad. We had to keep BamBam downstairs which didn't set well with her. She was very curious about this new smell in the house. Daku is so cute. He's just getting the hang of walking and he did venture out in the room a bit. He slept a lot and we played a bit. Then I realized that we are scheduled to go to Bangkok for the weekend. We couldn't leave Boot to deal with BamBam and Daku so we took him back to Emmy's until Monday. He must be very confused in his little puppy brain. So are we. At least it gives us time to collect more newspaper. (Ha)
The end of the golf story is that when we returned to the house with Daku, there was a police truck sitting at the front gate. After getting over the initial shock, I realized it must be Pong. Sure enough, it was and he was bringing me a golf club so I could practice. What a guy. He does love his golf.
Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"It is one of the most beautiful compensations
of this life that no man can sincerely
try to help another without helping himself."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Monday, February 23, 2009
For Every...
Hi,
It was a busy weekend here in Chiang Rai. We went to a party, we had visitors, and we did a lot of walking. There were children to feed and little balls to hit. The adventure continues.
The song you got stuck on was "Cloud Nine" by The Temptations. Oh yeah, that one. I'm thinking this one might throw you. "Streets full of people, all alone. Roads full of houses, never home. Church full of singing, out of tune __ __ __ __ __." Hint: I'll bet you thought only astronauts went there.
Saturday morning we got a call from Jaa. Her family owns the big chain where we bought all our appliances and tile. They were having a party at the main showroom and we were invited. We arrived around 11a.m. and the place was jumping. There was a big truck in front of the store with a walk-in showroom full of neat kitchen products. Inside the store there was a long buffet table and a section with a sound-system playing music. The music was for various groups of dance troupes that were mostly tiny kids putting on quite a show. They must have been from several dance schools in town. Costumes and makeup and simple choreography were the order of the day. The crowd was entertained and the mood was festive. We watched a bit and picked up a few things we needed and quietly left. It was a major promotional event but we were not in the market for more house stuff.
In the afternoon Tay brought her sister Doe (my spelling) over to see the house. Lisa had met her before but it was the first time I'd met her. We had a very nice visit and she wants to come back. After they left we got a call from Pui inviting us to join his family on Sunday morning to help feed some children at Chiang Rai Special School. We accepted of course.
Saturday night we went to Walking Street. The purpose of our trip was to see if we might run into any of Boot's friends who had a booth there and might be willing to help us sell our bags. As we strolled the first block we were thinking we didn't know anybody there. Then we started seeing all these people we all knew. We also saw some pretty amazing sights as well. There was a man with a giant cart that he had constructed and it was fitted with gongs and drums. He stood on a platform on the back and pushed various levers that activated the gongs and drums. Kind of like a one-man-band. It was fascinating. We spent some time watching him do his thing before moving on. Next we noticed a guy standing perfectly still, covered in paint. We call him Green Man since the paint was green. He was letting people paint him. They not only painted on him and his clothes, but they tried to make him laugh but he remained still. I don't think he could have pulled that off on Venice Beach. It was another reminder of the gentle nature of the Thai community. After watching Green Man and some young people spinning tops in a competition, we passed by the group that sings what they see. The woman of the group sang something about me but Boot couldn't tell us what she said because she was singing in Lanna Thai. It's a different dialect and not everyone speaks it. Oh well. After we left the Walking Street we went down to Big C to get some treats for the kids at the school.
Sunday morning we headed south down the highway about 17 kilometers to the junction at Wat Rong Khun. We took one wrong turn, saw lots of farm land and finally found the school. There were about 200 kids between 5 and 15 years old. Their lunch had been prepared and our job was to pass out the plates, then give them oranges and later the treats. Most of them live at the school and it's one giant community. Some are physically challenged, some are autistic while others have Down's Syndrome. Regardless of why they were there, we were met with grateful, smiling faces. At one point, before they ate, they were led in song by one of the older boys. Jen told us it was the 'Thank you song'. It was a heartwarming experience that will not be forgotten.
I'll have to tell you about my Monday on Tuesday since this is getting a little long. Have a Great Week.
Peace,
Danny
"For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it." ~Ivan Panin
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
www.lisamosesgallery.com
It was a busy weekend here in Chiang Rai. We went to a party, we had visitors, and we did a lot of walking. There were children to feed and little balls to hit. The adventure continues.
The song you got stuck on was "Cloud Nine" by The Temptations. Oh yeah, that one. I'm thinking this one might throw you. "Streets full of people, all alone. Roads full of houses, never home. Church full of singing, out of tune __ __ __ __ __." Hint: I'll bet you thought only astronauts went there.
Saturday morning we got a call from Jaa. Her family owns the big chain where we bought all our appliances and tile. They were having a party at the main showroom and we were invited. We arrived around 11a.m. and the place was jumping. There was a big truck in front of the store with a walk-in showroom full of neat kitchen products. Inside the store there was a long buffet table and a section with a sound-system playing music. The music was for various groups of dance troupes that were mostly tiny kids putting on quite a show. They must have been from several dance schools in town. Costumes and makeup and simple choreography were the order of the day. The crowd was entertained and the mood was festive. We watched a bit and picked up a few things we needed and quietly left. It was a major promotional event but we were not in the market for more house stuff.
In the afternoon Tay brought her sister Doe (my spelling) over to see the house. Lisa had met her before but it was the first time I'd met her. We had a very nice visit and she wants to come back. After they left we got a call from Pui inviting us to join his family on Sunday morning to help feed some children at Chiang Rai Special School. We accepted of course.
Saturday night we went to Walking Street. The purpose of our trip was to see if we might run into any of Boot's friends who had a booth there and might be willing to help us sell our bags. As we strolled the first block we were thinking we didn't know anybody there. Then we started seeing all these people we all knew. We also saw some pretty amazing sights as well. There was a man with a giant cart that he had constructed and it was fitted with gongs and drums. He stood on a platform on the back and pushed various levers that activated the gongs and drums. Kind of like a one-man-band. It was fascinating. We spent some time watching him do his thing before moving on. Next we noticed a guy standing perfectly still, covered in paint. We call him Green Man since the paint was green. He was letting people paint him. They not only painted on him and his clothes, but they tried to make him laugh but he remained still. I don't think he could have pulled that off on Venice Beach. It was another reminder of the gentle nature of the Thai community. After watching Green Man and some young people spinning tops in a competition, we passed by the group that sings what they see. The woman of the group sang something about me but Boot couldn't tell us what she said because she was singing in Lanna Thai. It's a different dialect and not everyone speaks it. Oh well. After we left the Walking Street we went down to Big C to get some treats for the kids at the school.
Sunday morning we headed south down the highway about 17 kilometers to the junction at Wat Rong Khun. We took one wrong turn, saw lots of farm land and finally found the school. There were about 200 kids between 5 and 15 years old. Their lunch had been prepared and our job was to pass out the plates, then give them oranges and later the treats. Most of them live at the school and it's one giant community. Some are physically challenged, some are autistic while others have Down's Syndrome. Regardless of why they were there, we were met with grateful, smiling faces. At one point, before they ate, they were led in song by one of the older boys. Jen told us it was the 'Thank you song'. It was a heartwarming experience that will not be forgotten.
I'll have to tell you about my Monday on Tuesday since this is getting a little long. Have a Great Week.
Peace,
Danny
"For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it." ~Ivan Panin
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Friday, February 20, 2009
Friday Funnies
Hi,
Hard to believe that it's Friday again. I started my 'project', Lisa taught a class, we approached the pool, and Tiger gets some new competition.
I must say, I'm impressed and intrigued that so many of you knew the song. It gives me new insights as to what you're into, or were into, and what music made an impact on you. "Once In A Lifetime" by The Talking Heads was, as Ashley put it, "One of theeee most brilliant songs ever!" Lane sent me a piece that may help to understand the lyrics of the song. "The song has a rather existential vibe to it, although it is usually interpreted to be a song dealing with the middle age crisis and the inevitable sacrifice of youthful ideals and dreams for conventional success." Now you know.
For the weekend, we'll ponder this line: "I love the life I live and I'm gonna live the life I love, I'm doin' fine on __ __" Clues: By itself that line has been used countless times by a wide range of writers. The song I'm humming was by a group of guys that tempted us through the '60's with their imagination. This was from their psychedelic period. Oh yeah, there's a number in there too.
I got a pretty good start on the new flower bed fencing today. I now have a pattern of 'moves' that will make the job go faster tomorrow. I must say, I've learned how to improvise after watching the house building and various other construction sites. I fashioned a post-hole digger out of a piece of PVC tubing and I'm using split bamboo to make shims for my little fence posts. I'm going to start early in the morning though. Today I got a late start and the day was just too hot.
Speaking of hot, the pool water is not. This was supposed to be the day we were going to take our first swim of the season. We got all ready and Lisa made her way into the pool. As she stood in the middle and exclaimed that it was just too cold, I waved from the shore and didn't bother going in. Her tolerance for cold water is higher than mine so you see my logic. We'll just keep approaching it until it's comfortable. (Ha)
Napa came over this afternoon for another ballet lesson. Tay, her mom, had mentioned to Lisa that her husband Pong wanted to know if I would like to learn to play golf. Hmm, OK. The first time I met him one of the things he wanted to know was if I had a sport. Well, no. So now I'll have a sport. He's what has been referred to as a 'high-level policeman', speaks English and loves to play golf. This should be another interesting adventure. There is a golf course right over the bridge from our house so I won't have to go far to knock balls into the trees. (555)
It's time for the 'Funnies' with a big thanks to my friend Barry. Read the whole thing and have a Fabulous WeekEnd.
Peace,
Danny
Oil Change instructions for Women:
1) Pull up to Jiffy Lube when the mileage reaches 3000 miles since the last oil change.
2) Drink a cup of coffee.
3) 15 minutes later write a check and leave with a properly maintained vehicle.
Money spent: Oil Change $20.00 Coffee $1.00 Total $21.00
Oil Change instructions for Men:
1) Wait until Saturday, drive to auto parts store and buy a case of oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and a scented tree, write a check for $50.00.
2) Stop by liquor store and buy a case of beer, write a check for $20.00, drive home.
3) Open a beer and drink it.
4) Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands. Jack car up.
5) Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.
6) In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
7) Place drain pan under engine.
8) Look for 9/16 box end wrench.
9) Give up and use crescent wrench.
10) Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil: splash hot oil on face and arms in process. Cuss.
11) Crawl out from under car to wipe hot oil off of face and arms.
12) Throw kitty litter on spilled oil.
13) Have another beer while watching oil drain.
14) Spend 30 minutes looking for oil filter wrench.
15) Give up; crawl under car and hammer a screwdriver through oil filter and twist off.
16) Crawl out from under car with dripping oil filter splashing oil everywhere from holes. Cleverly hide old oil filter among trash in trash can to avoid environmental penalties. Drink a beer.
17) Buddy shows up; finish case of beer with him. Decide to finish oil change tomorrow so you can go see his new garage door opener work.
18) Sunday: Skip church because "I gotta finish the oil change." Drag pan full of old oil out from underneath car. Cleverly dump oil in hole in back yard instead of taking it to recycle.
19) Throw kitty litter on oil spilled during step 18.
20) Beer. No, drank it all yesterday.
21) Walk to liquor store; buy beer.
22) Install new oil filter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to gasket surface.
23) Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.
24) Remember drain plug from step 10.
25) Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
26) Remember that the used oil is buried in a hole in the back yard along with drain plug.
27) Drink beer.
28) Shovel out hole and sift oily mud for drain plug. Re-shovel oily patch of ground and avoid environmental penalties. Wash drain plug in lawnmower gas.
29) Discover that first quart of fresh oil is now on the floor. Throw kitty litter on oil spill.
30) Drink beer.
31) Crawl under car getting kitty litter into eyes. Wipe eyes with oily rag used to clean drain plug. Slip with stupid crescent wrench tightening drain plug and bang knuckles on frame.
32) Bang head on floorboards in reaction to step 31.
33) Begin cussing fit.
34) Throw stupid crescent wrench.
35) Cuss for additional 10 minutes because wrench hit and broke the rearview mirror.
36) Beer.
37) Clean up hands and forehead and bandage as required to stop blood flow.
38) Beer.
39) Beer.
40) Dump in five fresh quarts of oil.
41) Beer.
42) Lower car from jack stands.
43) Accidentally crush remaining case of new motor oil.
44) Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during steps 23 - 43.
45) Beer.
46) Test drive car.
47) Get pulled over: arrested for driving under the influence.
48) Car gets impounded.
49) Call loving wife, make bail.
50) 12 hours later, get car from impound yard.
Money spent: Parts $50.00 DUI $2500.00 Impound fee $75.00 Bail $1500.00
Beer $40.00 Total-- $4165.00
But, you have the satisfaction of knowing the job was done right...
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Hard to believe that it's Friday again. I started my 'project', Lisa taught a class, we approached the pool, and Tiger gets some new competition.
I must say, I'm impressed and intrigued that so many of you knew the song. It gives me new insights as to what you're into, or were into, and what music made an impact on you. "Once In A Lifetime" by The Talking Heads was, as Ashley put it, "One of theeee most brilliant songs ever!" Lane sent me a piece that may help to understand the lyrics of the song. "The song has a rather existential vibe to it, although it is usually interpreted to be a song dealing with the middle age crisis and the inevitable sacrifice of youthful ideals and dreams for conventional success." Now you know.
For the weekend, we'll ponder this line: "I love the life I live and I'm gonna live the life I love, I'm doin' fine on __ __" Clues: By itself that line has been used countless times by a wide range of writers. The song I'm humming was by a group of guys that tempted us through the '60's with their imagination. This was from their psychedelic period. Oh yeah, there's a number in there too.
I got a pretty good start on the new flower bed fencing today. I now have a pattern of 'moves' that will make the job go faster tomorrow. I must say, I've learned how to improvise after watching the house building and various other construction sites. I fashioned a post-hole digger out of a piece of PVC tubing and I'm using split bamboo to make shims for my little fence posts. I'm going to start early in the morning though. Today I got a late start and the day was just too hot.
Speaking of hot, the pool water is not. This was supposed to be the day we were going to take our first swim of the season. We got all ready and Lisa made her way into the pool. As she stood in the middle and exclaimed that it was just too cold, I waved from the shore and didn't bother going in. Her tolerance for cold water is higher than mine so you see my logic. We'll just keep approaching it until it's comfortable. (Ha)
Napa came over this afternoon for another ballet lesson. Tay, her mom, had mentioned to Lisa that her husband Pong wanted to know if I would like to learn to play golf. Hmm, OK. The first time I met him one of the things he wanted to know was if I had a sport. Well, no. So now I'll have a sport. He's what has been referred to as a 'high-level policeman', speaks English and loves to play golf. This should be another interesting adventure. There is a golf course right over the bridge from our house so I won't have to go far to knock balls into the trees. (555)
It's time for the 'Funnies' with a big thanks to my friend Barry. Read the whole thing and have a Fabulous WeekEnd.
Peace,
Danny
Oil Change instructions for Women:
1) Pull up to Jiffy Lube when the mileage reaches 3000 miles since the last oil change.
2) Drink a cup of coffee.
3) 15 minutes later write a check and leave with a properly maintained vehicle.
Money spent: Oil Change $20.00 Coffee $1.00 Total $21.00
Oil Change instructions for Men:
1) Wait until Saturday, drive to auto parts store and buy a case of oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and a scented tree, write a check for $50.00.
2) Stop by liquor store and buy a case of beer, write a check for $20.00, drive home.
3) Open a beer and drink it.
4) Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands. Jack car up.
5) Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.
6) In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
7) Place drain pan under engine.
8) Look for 9/16 box end wrench.
9) Give up and use crescent wrench.
10) Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil: splash hot oil on face and arms in process. Cuss.
11) Crawl out from under car to wipe hot oil off of face and arms.
12) Throw kitty litter on spilled oil.
13) Have another beer while watching oil drain.
14) Spend 30 minutes looking for oil filter wrench.
15) Give up; crawl under car and hammer a screwdriver through oil filter and twist off.
16) Crawl out from under car with dripping oil filter splashing oil everywhere from holes. Cleverly hide old oil filter among trash in trash can to avoid environmental penalties. Drink a beer.
17) Buddy shows up; finish case of beer with him. Decide to finish oil change tomorrow so you can go see his new garage door opener work.
18) Sunday: Skip church because "I gotta finish the oil change." Drag pan full of old oil out from underneath car. Cleverly dump oil in hole in back yard instead of taking it to recycle.
19) Throw kitty litter on oil spilled during step 18.
20) Beer. No, drank it all yesterday.
21) Walk to liquor store; buy beer.
22) Install new oil filter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to gasket surface.
23) Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.
24) Remember drain plug from step 10.
25) Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
26) Remember that the used oil is buried in a hole in the back yard along with drain plug.
27) Drink beer.
28) Shovel out hole and sift oily mud for drain plug. Re-shovel oily patch of ground and avoid environmental penalties. Wash drain plug in lawnmower gas.
29) Discover that first quart of fresh oil is now on the floor. Throw kitty litter on oil spill.
30) Drink beer.
31) Crawl under car getting kitty litter into eyes. Wipe eyes with oily rag used to clean drain plug. Slip with stupid crescent wrench tightening drain plug and bang knuckles on frame.
32) Bang head on floorboards in reaction to step 31.
33) Begin cussing fit.
34) Throw stupid crescent wrench.
35) Cuss for additional 10 minutes because wrench hit and broke the rearview mirror.
36) Beer.
37) Clean up hands and forehead and bandage as required to stop blood flow.
38) Beer.
39) Beer.
40) Dump in five fresh quarts of oil.
41) Beer.
42) Lower car from jack stands.
43) Accidentally crush remaining case of new motor oil.
44) Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during steps 23 - 43.
45) Beer.
46) Test drive car.
47) Get pulled over: arrested for driving under the influence.
48) Car gets impounded.
49) Call loving wife, make bail.
50) 12 hours later, get car from impound yard.
Money spent: Parts $50.00 DUI $2500.00 Impound fee $75.00 Bail $1500.00
Beer $40.00 Total-- $4165.00
But, you have the satisfaction of knowing the job was done right...
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Thursday, February 19, 2009
If
Hi,
Today we got mail, bamboo and more fencing. The pool days are warmer and so is the pool. If I didn't know better I'd think it was summer.
Looks like our current group has some fans out there. A special song can certainly rattle the cages and bring forth mail from folks I haven't heard from in a while. For those of you on the fence, here's the chorus and the place for the hook. Good luck.
"Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down. Letting the days go by, water flowing underground. Into the blue again after the money's gone. __ __ __ __, water flowing underground." Clue: It's about life on several levels.
A few months ago I made little fences around some of the flower bed to keep BamBam out. She has taken up rock hunting and this has led her to forage around the edges of the beds. In order to discourage her I need to widen the perimeter. My big plan is to use slender bamboo for the stakes to keep the motif started by Rene and the dog run. The wire has rusted so I'm replacing that as well. Now I just have to do it. (Ha)
Mr. Handyman went out to the front gate to secure the wireless doorbells (kept falling off the wall) with some concrete nails. These little things are amazing. I found out about them during the building of the house. Since I don't have a cordless drill, it was a simple solution to just nail them to the wall. I'm going to try them in the house for picture hanging. "I love it when a plan comes together." For special commendation name the T.V. show where that phrase was commonly used. Bonus for the character.
It looks like tomorrow will be the day we slip into the pool for the first time this season. The temperature is not ideal, but warm enough if we actually swim. (5) I think we got spoiled swimming at the Culver City YMCA's heated indoor pool. If tomorrow works out we'll just get used to cold water workouts. Time will tell.
The big news was in the mailbox. When I went out to fix the doorbells I noticed a pink slip of paper in the box. We had a package waiting at our not so local P.O. in Ban Du. After a 10 minute drive north we entered the P.O. and took a number. The automated voice kept calling numbers but no one approached the counter so Lisa went up and showed the man the slip of paper. We were taken to the 'back room' where all the action is. There were several desks and at the one we went to a young man was stamping pages in books. He couldn't be bothered and just pointed. An older man came to over to help us. While the man searched for the right book to have us sign we noticed an open bay door with a mail truck back up to the dock. In addition to the usual mail there were two motorbikes being unloaded. They were bound in bubble wrap and had apparently been 'mailed' to someone. Hmm. Finally the man returned with our package. It was a copy of Blue's book "Faces in the Golden Triangle".
The book is absolutely beautiful. Blue has assembled some of the most intriguing faces you will ever see. From young children to old men and women, there is a sense of something very deep. There is a history lesson, stories and captions that make this more than just a picture book. It's an experience. Be sure to take a look at the sample pages and you may want to add this to your collection. http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/378955/b5206baeaff1cfa263d3886e315ae894
Have a Warm Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"If you find it in your heart
to care for somebody else,
you will have succeeded."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Today we got mail, bamboo and more fencing. The pool days are warmer and so is the pool. If I didn't know better I'd think it was summer.
Looks like our current group has some fans out there. A special song can certainly rattle the cages and bring forth mail from folks I haven't heard from in a while. For those of you on the fence, here's the chorus and the place for the hook. Good luck.
"Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down. Letting the days go by, water flowing underground. Into the blue again after the money's gone. __ __ __ __, water flowing underground." Clue: It's about life on several levels.
A few months ago I made little fences around some of the flower bed to keep BamBam out. She has taken up rock hunting and this has led her to forage around the edges of the beds. In order to discourage her I need to widen the perimeter. My big plan is to use slender bamboo for the stakes to keep the motif started by Rene and the dog run. The wire has rusted so I'm replacing that as well. Now I just have to do it. (Ha)
Mr. Handyman went out to the front gate to secure the wireless doorbells (kept falling off the wall) with some concrete nails. These little things are amazing. I found out about them during the building of the house. Since I don't have a cordless drill, it was a simple solution to just nail them to the wall. I'm going to try them in the house for picture hanging. "I love it when a plan comes together." For special commendation name the T.V. show where that phrase was commonly used. Bonus for the character.
It looks like tomorrow will be the day we slip into the pool for the first time this season. The temperature is not ideal, but warm enough if we actually swim. (5) I think we got spoiled swimming at the Culver City YMCA's heated indoor pool. If tomorrow works out we'll just get used to cold water workouts. Time will tell.
The big news was in the mailbox. When I went out to fix the doorbells I noticed a pink slip of paper in the box. We had a package waiting at our not so local P.O. in Ban Du. After a 10 minute drive north we entered the P.O. and took a number. The automated voice kept calling numbers but no one approached the counter so Lisa went up and showed the man the slip of paper. We were taken to the 'back room' where all the action is. There were several desks and at the one we went to a young man was stamping pages in books. He couldn't be bothered and just pointed. An older man came to over to help us. While the man searched for the right book to have us sign we noticed an open bay door with a mail truck back up to the dock. In addition to the usual mail there were two motorbikes being unloaded. They were bound in bubble wrap and had apparently been 'mailed' to someone. Hmm. Finally the man returned with our package. It was a copy of Blue's book "Faces in the Golden Triangle".
The book is absolutely beautiful. Blue has assembled some of the most intriguing faces you will ever see. From young children to old men and women, there is a sense of something very deep. There is a history lesson, stories and captions that make this more than just a picture book. It's an experience. Be sure to take a look at the sample pages and you may want to add this to your collection. http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/378955/b5206baeaff1cfa263d3886e315ae894
Have a Warm Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"If you find it in your heart
to care for somebody else,
you will have succeeded."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
www.lisamosesgallery.com
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