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26.11.07

HIFTSAZA...

The paper I turned into my composite english class. :)

How I Failed to Survive a Zombie Attack

As I type this final memoir, you must be made aware of the horrific struggle I have endured. Here I am in this pitch-black surveillance room on a typewriter that is probably older than I am, pouring what is left of my being on to this paper with a sawed-off shotgun resting on my knee, a cold, steel-plated forty-five magnum in my lap and a searing pain running the length of my leg. Even in this dim illumination given off by the ever present flickering monitors, I can see the yellow puss oozing from the putrid stench-ridden orifice that is gaping up at me in the middle of my thigh. The pain is beyond words like torture and agony and have me contemplating my reasons for continuing this meager existence. It's hard to collect my wits when I am constantly reminded of my predicament. The eerie scrapes of deadened limbs on the waxed floor and the grating moans of the trailing undead just outside this barred door, reminds me of their lingering presence.

I can still vaguely recall the distant memories of the unaltered life I lived. It has only been twelve hours since my world was turned topsy-turvy. I remember the clinging heat of the mid-afternoon sun as it beat down on my already sweating body. The perspiration was due in part to the fact that I was participating in a pickup game of touch football in the open park. Compared to the rotting stench in my current dark, dank confines, the welcomed aroma of freshly cut grass and the warmth of the sun is an unimaginable piece of heaven. It was in this paradise that hell flowed over.

With the ball launched from our all-time quarterback to the flawless catch of our untouchable wide receiver it appeared our victory was imminent. Then out of nowhere a supposed bystander ran, as if possessed with an insatiable hunger, onto the field before he lunged his fatigued frame at our untouchable. They both went down fiercely, their bodies collided to the ground with such force both heads whipped back before being hurled to the ground once more. In anger at the violent intrusion of this attendee, we hurried to our fallen comrade’s aid and arrived in time to see this monster, this unfathomable creature, gnash at the exposed neck of his victim. I felt the scream building up in my tightened throat as the crimson river began to spew from in between the gaps in the attacker’s teeth. In horror we failed to react quickly enough and our friend was all but devoured by his assailant, when the others arrived.

It was with a sickening sense of deja vu that I watched many of my remaining friends fall victim to the onslaught. In the next instant I was being dragged, as if the flames of hell were licking at my heels to my friend's heaven-sent truck.

The incredible amount of fiends that began to swarm around us as we barely managed to barricade ourselves inside the cab was incomprehensible. The tears began to fall hot and fast as I sat with my sole companion, looking on helplessly as my friends were consumed. All the while the truck rocked to and fro as the sides were bombarded with each addition of the undead. With an outraged roar my friend floored the pedal and plowed into the mob in great desperation to salvage what was left of our existence.

I believe it was at this time I went into shock. Not much is known to me of that harrowing journey through the gutted streets and terrorized communities that moments before had been my very neighborhood. The smoke billowed to the sky and the flames shot forth from overturned vehicles and abandoned houses. These fiends flocked in the streets, consuming every individual they encountered. The fear, the overwhelming fear was inconceivable and disabling and was magnified ten-fold when I discovered the status of my own ransacked home.

The front door hung from one hinge and the curtains waved in the open air through the shattered glass of my window. As to my family's whereabouts I still know nothing and I have devoted a great deal of my time to wondering of their fate. My own predicament held true for my friend behind the wheel as we discovered his home in much the same condition as my own. We embraced one another and wept in each other's comfort, both silently attempting to wake ourselves from this horrific nightmare. In the background, hands feebly clawed and scratched at the splitting windows and the bed of the pickup began to weigh down from the endless string of uninvited guests filing into it.

We devised a plan to arm ourselves. Our instincts proclaimed to us that we should depend on the law enforcement that had protected us for our entire lives, save for this afternoon. We barreled down the eerily vacant freeway, recklessly weaving and fishtailing through multiple lanes in attempts to overthrow the small army still lingering in the back of the truck. We screeched to a halt in front of the quiet and forlorn police station the bed of the truck now empty. I gave one final look to my friend, attempting without words to provide him with enough courage to storm the front of the building with me, in hopes that through those doors we would find our sanctuary. My memory is fogging up again, now, and I find it hard to concentrate on anything else, but I will do my best to complete my tale.

It was with a quick nod that we lunged from the truck and sped towards those short steps. I heard myself stumble over the pounding of my heartbeat in my ears, but my body recognized no pain. I scrambled to my feet and reached the doors soon after my friend crashed through the frame. Quickly we slammed the doors shut and barred them with our bodies as we examined our surroundings. This building had been assaulted upon. The tattered furniture was strewn about the room and the paper that littered the floor was crumbled and drenched in a sickeningly familiar shade of red. I refused to allow the

bile to escape from my lips as I saw the disembodied remains draped grotesquely over the banister that lined the stairs.

There was no-living soul to be found on the first floor of the station, but thankfully there was no sign of any dead beings slinking about either. We placed a solid, sturdy flagpole through the handles of the doors, denying entrance to anyone that should happen upon us. Cautiously we made our way through the devoid corridors in search of a gun or a knife or even an electric stun-gun, anything that could serve as a lifesaving tool. Our prayers were answered when we discovered a door labeled, “Evidence Lockup”. Upon closer examination we discovered an arsenal of weapons we could employ in our defense. As we were taking inventory and rationing the meager portions of ammo, we heard the distinct sound of wood snapping in two followed closely by the thunderous roar of a flood of bodies racing down the hall. I snatched the two weapons I mentioned earlier from the top of the weapons heap and fled close behind my friend.

Even now, sometime after the attack, my mind is clouded as to the details. We couldn't outrun them and I fell first. They launched themselves on my fallen frame and the first fiend sank his teeth into the soft fatty flesh of my thigh. The pain jarred me conscious of the heavy weapons I held grasped firmly in my fists. As the second zombie readied itself to feast upon me, I began to unload rounds into the cluster about me.

Again, my memory is blurred. I seem unable to recall how I managed to roll myself away from the throng that threatened to suffocate me. The next conscious thought I have is waking up on this cold floor in a pool of my own blood and the gentle flicker of the monitors. I just had to take one glance at the monitor screens that were wired to the cameras electronically patrolling the walkways to realize that any escape was futile. The creatures had amassed to such great numbers the corridors appeared to be a river of hallowed bodies.

And some hours later here I am, baring testimony to any person that should find my final words. I've accepted my fate. I know that before the night is over, I will have been transformed into the monsters I've lived in terror of this day. My feeble attempt to escape has left me alone and fading, but this is not how I envisioned my life to end. The pain is so great I believe it will consume me soon. Please know that I lived my life to the fpoelrkgjbvaldihalen l87; v5p7bkf9eh4kf556as 54adf65d87/* 4a8sd9a/7d+w4iej

16.11.07

Tisket the Tasket...



Thats a comic I drew at work of something that happened to me at work and then scanned it at work and am now writing my blog about it at work. I love my job and prepositional phrases.

A sentence sentence sentence is complete complete complete when five simple rules it meets meets meets. It has a subject subject subject and a verb verb verb it makes sense sense sense with every word word word. Add a capital letter letter and an end mark mark, now we're finished and aren't we smart, now our sentence has all its parts! Remember! Subject, Verb, Complete Sense, Capital letter and an End mark mark that's what a sentence all about.

I'm looking forward to the end of finals. Maybe starting a plan to getting back into the swing of things. And thanks to a few outside influences, welcoming God and his plan back into my life. Not thumping the bible, but maybe reading and sharing his word.

Kisses.
17.10.07

Erm...

So here's a much needed update.
I'm in school, taking six hours, and working fulltime.
Not too much of a change...

Accept, I think I've found my Kimmy Gibbler. My Barney Rubble.
My significant another. And it rocks the socks.

Her name is Katherine. She is amazing and inspiring and well,
My Soul Mate.

Updating my pics soon.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thai-fly/

I know that I hinted at the possibility of maybe having a few interesting adventures to share with you, but lets face it. There really isn't anything exotic about El Paso. The continuing adventures of Thai-fly are paling in comparison to the previous journeys, but damn't! I'm going to do something amazing! Something worth blogging about! ITS GONNA ROCK THE CASBAH! Ok, maybe not so much, but lets just set some goals for ourselves. Ahem:

1. Go hiking in the mountains
2. Attend more concerts
3. Make new friends
4. Somehow manage to juggle friends, family and *sigh* a love life
5. Do something different every day

And unnecessarily need I mention, blog more? We'll see how that turns out.
10.7.07

Home...


So I have been back in the states for about a week. I wanted to hold off blogging until I got my bearings.

It's just as difficult as I imagined it would be, trying to get people to understand Thailand. And seeing as how somewhere along the line I forgot why I was even living in Thailand, its gets that much harder to explain your motivation to individuals that just don't matter or really just don't care.

To sum it all up, it was an experience. Maybe a few hundred experience points away from leveling me up, but exp nonetheless. And its something that I wouldn't trade for the world. I met so many people that changed my way of thinking and acting. I strengthened my bonds with friends that mattered, with those that didn't :( well... we're still working on it.

But most of all I established a whole new realm of introspective thinking. Maybe not to the degree that I would like to be at, but its alot deeper than I've delved before.

I miss my friends, I miss Pad Thai, but its good to be with family again. So now the adventures of Thai fly are beginning anew. Of course, exploring the vast jungles and the harsh terrain of el paso, texas isn't going to be exactly rivoting, I encourage you to hang in there. I may surprise us.\
21.6.07

July 2....

I'll be on a plane heading home to El Paso. Stay tuned.... maybe?
15.6.07

Randomness...

A survey of sorts, things you may not know about me. Enjoy:

Do you have any pets? --Nope :( I love cats and I miss my cat Ricky. I'm a very affectionate person and enjoy cuddling and petting cats almost as much as I do people. Although I don't pet people very often, I get weird looks.

What's your favorite sport?
--American Football, although Rugby is pretty awesome. I love to play a pick-up game of football, but its been a very long time since thats happened. Being last picked in a pick-up game and then rolling out and surprising a few people, thats always fun.

Do you enjoy sleeping late? --I'm a total morning person. I get so much done and I feel awesome waking up. Sometimes I do have to pull myself out of bed, but I'm usually up and around by about 7 every morning.

What's the weather like right now? --Hot and humid. Sticky weather is not fun. I miss the cool crisp breezes coming off the franklin mtns. in the fall.

Do you like your eggs scrambled or sunny side up? --I actually am very fond of egg whites! I like hardboiled eggs too... zomg! devilled eggs rock my life to the point of absolute frenzy! hehe

Do you collect anything? If so, what? --Coins from foreign countries and .pdf's on anything knowledgable. Hehe I'm a spaz. I enjoy learning new languages and about cultures. Not to mention my fascination with superstring theory.

Are you reliable? --Very much so. I'm responsible and punctual. I don't like letting people down or being late. I'm a workaholic most of the time because I really enjoy doing a good job. I'm the employee you love to hate!

What's your favorite invention?
--The record player.. zamazing! And the computer. Nuff said.

What's your favorite day of the week and why? --Saturdays. I get more done and have more free time. I dislike Tuesdays. But I forget why. *shrug*

Do you have any nicknames? --Chang Noi= means baby elephant in Thai as I'm such an obese person compared to thai people. Hehe. And of course I was called Bob/bobby/Bobert in High school. Although no one has called me that in a very very long time.

What toothpaste do you use? --Colgate 12 hour something or other.

Do you enjoy challenges?
--I find myself complacent without a challenge and thats settling for something that goes against my nature. Challenge me please!!!

What do you want to know about the future? --Will the mavericks ever win the playoffs? Am I going to end up like Bridgette Jones, a clutz who is unsatisfied with a lot about herself and incapable of making a good decision? Renee Zellweger is a personal hero of mine. Good ol' Texas girl.

Would you rather have money or love? --Money is so insignificant when compared to love. A lifetime of happiness is invaluable. My ideal situation would be to live in a small house/apt/whatever wherever with the person I love in a cluttered house full of books, knick knacks, messily efficient and unorganized, with an ample supply of coffee, fruit and breads, with good music on 24/7 and no TV in sight. My heart is swelling just at the thought. Add a few kids to the picture and you have my home sweet home.

Do you miss anyone right now? --A lot of people... everyone I care about I miss them terribly. If I haven't hugged you or kissed you in the last week, consider yourself deeply missed.

What's the last sporting event you watched? --Muay Thai boxing on TV. I would love to train to do muay thai. Its an effective, fun, challenging workout and I know that I could excel in it. Or get my butt kicked, either or.

Do you need to do laundry? --Oh ya. I just can't bring myself to take the time to do it. I miss washing machines. Doing it by hand is just not fun anymore. Hehe

Where were you when 9/11 happened? --Playing wallball on the back of A building at andress. Hans told me. It was after the chinese took one of our airplanes and had the crew detained. Hans came to school saying that they were saying on the radio that the chinese were blowing up our buildings. We laughed at him and continued playing.

Have you ever caught a butterfly? --Yesterday actually. Rescued it from being eaten by a 4 year old.

What's your favorite fruity scent? --Strawberries. My favorite fruit is chompoo and pineapples.

Have you ever sat on a roof?
--Yes. Some of my better memories involves roofs. And the back of Hans's pickup truck with the whole gang there at various locations, playing truth or dare and pouring our hearts out. Also a good dinner at any random restaurant with the guys in dallas, bickering and bantering and all. I miss conversations.

Have you ever been to a different country? --O.O I lived in Germany when I was a kid and well now I live in Thailand. Easy enough. I would love to live in France, Japan, India and Brazil. I would love to visit Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Australia and New Zealand, South Africa and Korea.

Do you hold grudges? --I find myself incapable of holding grudges against anyone or anything. I actually like most people by default. The exception to the rule are people that 1.) Make other people feel stupid and 2.) Stupid people. Usually one and the same. But even then, I find it hard to hold a grudge against them.

What annoys you most in a person? --Laziness. I can only motivate an individual so much and if they are too lazy to accept my motivation, it really makes me feel like they're letting themselves down. You have to have a sense of self and live up to that sense and not settle for something less.

Are you right or left handed? --Right handed, but I'm attempting to teach myself the leftway too. I've been inactively attempting this for the last 3 years. Haha. And I still suck!

Do you have any siblings? --I have a beautiful sister and a wonderful brother. I haven't ever been big on family, but I'm hoping to be better when I make it home. I've never really been there for my siblings or my parents. Its a goal that I have now.

What is you middle name? --Dawn. :) Krystal Dawn I feel like a fairy or a stripper sometimes. :P

Are you for or against gay marriage? --I'm for allowing people to be themselves. I don't think its right to forbid people from expressing themselves. You don't yell at a child for coloring outside the lines on his coloring book, because it really doesn't matter. Its how he colors, its what he does and its not wrong. You don't tell a gay person that they can't marry some one they love because its wrong. Its not wrong, its just their style.

What are your thoughts on abortion? --I couldn't do it, but I won't stop you from doing it. I'm actually terrified of suffering the fate of my mother and having miscarriages. I couldn't actively kill any of my offspring, regardless of the situation, because I may never be able to have children again after that. Its a fear I've had for a long time.

What is the last law you’ve broken? --Driving the wrong way on a street, on the wrong side of the road, on a stolen motorbike, without a helmet to get to a job that I'm not legally allowed to be doing. :) That was this morning.

Where were you born? --FT. Sill, Oklahoma, USA

Where do you wish you were?
--Wherever you are.. :)

Isn’t walking in the leaves romantic? --Very! The leaves don't fall off the trees in Chiang Mai and there isn't much of a fall season. But I would give anything to be walking through the falling leaves right now. It would put a smile on my face comparable only to the smell of honeysuckle and chasing lightning bugs/fireflies.

Do you like taking pictures? --I take horrible pictures if I'm the subject in the picture. I've only ever had one good picture taken in my life! The others were the best of the bad pictures. :P But I do like taking pictures, as long as i'm not in them. Oddity's and random shots are fun. I like photoshop and tinkering.

Do you like coloring? --I'm contemplating buying a coloring book and coloring the whole thing! Its nostalgic and its fun.

Are you shy? --I used to think I was when I was younger. But then something happened and I realized I wasn't shy, just waiting for my chance to bust out. I've been described as a person who isn't necessarily friendly, but who is really nice. And I agree with that description. I won't go out of my way to make your acquaintance, but if you ever need anything, I've got your back. Once you are my friend though, omg, I'll drive you nuts with my talking, mindless babbling that it is.

How many e-mails do you have? --I'm guilty of having a new email addy once every year or so. I have 2 that I actively check, 1 as a backup, 1 for official business and 1 as a decoy. I'm not paranoid, or hiding from anyone or anything. I just change my online identity... a lot. :P

Do you like cotton candy?
--I was going to pick cotton candy as my favorite fruit smell earlier, but then i realized it wasn't a fruit. It smells soooo good though. And it tastes like clouds should taste. :)

What is your favorite season?
--Autumn. When the trees change colors and the leaves start falling, the weather makes you wear warm comforting clothes and fall colors are so appealling to me. Kind of a recurring theme in this survey.

Well thats me. If you want to let me konw whats up with you, email me somethings I might not know about you, or message me on msn: kryminalkrystal@yahoo.com, or on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/dyzzi

Awesomeness.
13.5.07

IN YO FACE!...

Well as my landlady said last week, "You won't be lonely anymore." Heh. That about sums it up.

Daniel, David and Mon (the sweetest most inspiring thai girl on the planet) have graced Chiang Mai with their pressence once again.

I'm actually missing my free time now that we are all around each other so much, but its not a bad thing.

And as i'm working 50+ hours a week, I seriously don't have anything else to talk about. So this blog was a waste of time and energy and mainly just to let you all know that i am not dead, but i have nothing to report.
28.4.07

Farangs...

So I ventured into the heart of the city yesterday to return the bicycle that I had been renting. Apparently Tourist Season is in full swing.

The usual crowd of overweight european men and women has been replaced by fit, ablebodied aussies and americans. And they are all very attractive. I sat at a coffee shop yesterday and was overwhelmed with how many good looking young people there are walking around town now. I actually didn't cringe for once when I saw a few farangs with their shirts off. I was actually disappointed that more of them weren't running around shirtless. Even the women aren't looking like they're 6 months pregnant!

Makes you wonder why here... why now? I'm sure most of these kids aren't in college, because semesters don't finish until next month or so, i think. And they're not backbackers. I've now been able to decipher who is a backpacker and who is not.

1. They're carrying a backpack
2. They're exceptionally dirty
3. They have dreadlocks
4. They travel in packs of 4 and all wear the same outfit
5. They're keynok

Ok so it wasn't that hard. But these new tourists don't fit the mold. Which is refreshing. If i have to see another caravan of backpackers trudging through the jungle that is the asphalt streets and concrete buildings of Chiang Mai, i'm going to vow never to leave my Thai bubble again.

I'm nicely isolated in the corner of the city. Well it was worth it before this influx of tourists. I may contemplate moving into the city. hmmmm
25.4.07

Work Work Work...

Funny stories. Bill Cosby would find these pervertly funny.
Kids do the darnedest things and say the darndest things.

Take this week.
Monday
Usually my kids are pretty good at controlling their bodily fluids. I was actually impressed that if ever there were any accidents it was usually in the bathroom ara. Not on monday. It was a pee-tel-a-thon. Somehow two kids coordinated it in songtime to pee on the tumble mats from at the same time on opposite sides of the room. A few thai helpers began frantically running the kids to the bathroom leading two happy trails across the mats and thus ending our nursery song singing for the morning.

Yesterday
I have a student in my kindergarten classes that loves to tell the biggest lies. He is harmless when he does it, but i try to make him tell the truth so it doesn't get him into trouble when he's older. He tried to convince the rest of the class that he speaks russian, his father is as tall as the school building and that his brother is in grade 59.

But nothing compares to yesterday. One of my boys was scratching himself, inappropriately and I asked him to stop or go to the bathroom. He declared that his penis itched. I thought that was funny in its self as parents usually sugarcoat the male anatomy to their children. But then my pathological liar makes it ten times as funny when he shouts out that he has 7 penis'.

Ok so my kids are perverts too.

Today we made flags from different countries in my kindergarten class. The 2 most popular flags? Canada and Saint Lucia. I don't know why as neither flag is particularly easy to draw. I think kids have a thing for leaves/trees and triangles. We were working off a big poster I have of flags from all over the world. One of my girl students asked where the american flag was. And then asked where the american king's flag was. In thailand they wave the thai king's flag with pride along side the thai flag.

Innocence is great. I'm so glad that I have an opportunity to be a part of their lives and to be able to take this experience home with me.

I guess i should have called this post: Fun Fun Fun
21.4.07

Back...

I got back to Chiang Mai on Tuesday last week. I just now thought to update my blog. Bleh. Rayong sucked. The city was ok, the people were ok, but it rained everyday I was there. With the exception of the day that I left. So I never did make it to the beach. I spent too much money getting to Cambodia and back. Bleh. It wasn't fun.

It was nice seeing the guys again, although like most friendships the distance between us is causing us to drift apart. :( Or maybe it's just my complete lack of personality, either or, I'm sure the next visit will be just as awkwardly normal.

Work. Work. Work.

I've met a few interesting new people. Ranging from the owner of a local pub who wants me to go "Jam" whenever I want. I don't think I've jammed anything at all in my life. And the father of a student who just started preschool. He's a teacher at a local school and he suggested that me and him should go out sometime... with his wife of course. Ermmm ya.

So the selection of farang in Chiang Mai is the same. People looking out for number one, while pretending to be number two in order to attract number 3 who isn't anything like their ideal number 4. Who am I kidding? Thats the dating cycle in any city.

What I really want to get my fingers on is a humanism fellowship here in thailand or back home in El Paso, which I will be going home to in a few months time. Surprised?You shouldn't be. I can't live in Thailand forever. I'll continue this blog of course, I am thai-fly at heart.

Which I never did define Thai Fly. Well I wanted to travel and spread my wings and I was going to Thailand.. so.. That and I pictured a butterfly tattoo in thai calligraphy. Either or its a name of passion and travel and worldly perspective. I mean look at Lily Thai-She's not Thai at all!!!- But the name suggests exotic traits. Thai fly may not describe me personality, but it does describe my world scope and view of society.

That and Dizzy was already taken. Which describes my personality more accurately.
12.4.07

Rayong....

Let's do a recap of why I decided that moving to Chiang Mai would be the most excellent of ideas.

*Ahem* Before I came to Thailand I looked up the Royal Flora Exhibition and it sounded amazing! Millions of flowers from all over the world in one location. The sights the smells the fun! It was a definite factor in my choosing Chiang Mai. Unfortunately I didn't make it to the expo, :( Letdown #1.

And then there's Songkran, which I've talked about enough. In all of Thailand (the world if you want to be helluva specific) the place to go to celebrate Songkran is Chiang Mai. Every wayward family member returns to celebrate with their relatives in the city and tourisms increases by astounding numbers. There are hundreds of places to go and participate in the worlds largest water fight. It was another major determining factor in me moving up to Chiang Mai.

So with that in mind, I ask you why is that I'm sitting in an apartment in Rayong the day that Songkran begins?

Easy. I enjoy the company of my friends and when they randomly decide to leave the country, i have to randomly make arrangements to say goodbye. So I took the 15 hour bus ride down here, and I'm having a good time hanging out and talking. We were supposed to go to the beach this morning but...

Second day in a row its been raining. Happy Songkran! XD
7.4.07

And going...

Yesterday we had a Songkran celebration at our school. I work for a company called CEC. It is nationwide, but based here in Chiang Mai. They own the other school I work at called Little Stars. So it was a big party yesterday. People came in from all around the country.

But this isn't any normal holiday celebration like we had back at home. It was a very formal affair, with all the teachers and staff (that were thai) dressing in traditional lanna style clothes. Which is to be expected in a culture that is as old as thailand's. It was anything but traditional when the party was opened by a thai rock band performing american christian songs and the whole party singing along.

They proceeded to say their thanks to the principals and the founders of the school. Then the principals began to preach a sermon... for an hour and a half. They capped it all off with a prayer and then in honor of Songkran they sprinkled water on the officials, founders and elders hands.

I decided to go to the party because:
1.) I had nothing to do
2.) I thought it would be an interesting cultural experience
3.) Free food

Instead I was bored to death for 3 hours and afterwards I ate kanom jin (a chine dish of skinny noodles, chilli, lotus flower, sprouts and gelatin pigs blood) which i eat on a regular basis as it is. It was worth going to mingle with the teachers i've been avoiding like the plague. They're actually not that bad, and we had a nice conversation about the politics of thailand and southeast asia. And there was strawberry shortcake contributed by Teacher Wendy which was de-lic-i-ous!

Afterwards I walked to the mall, which is around the corner from my work. Now usually going to the mall is depressing for me because none of the clothes or shoes fit. But! Yesterday I found a few shirts that were really cute (and cheap!) in a store for gay men! So I bought them and found some pants that fit, but they were ugly so i didn't buy them! I am so ecstatic to find clothes that fit. Its been almost a year since i've bought something new!

But thats not important. At the mall I happened to hear a ruckus happening outside. So I went to investigate. They had set up a huge stage in front of the mall and there were performers on stage. But this wasn't a concert. This was an elaborate setup for 3 hours of live commercials advertising everything from 7/11 to Laundry soap. There was a person that would sing a lengthy jingle (in thai) and 3 or 4 backup dancers. The girls wore teeny tiny shorts and tops that sparkled and had logos for the product on it. And the men wore shaggy, fur vests and sparkly pants. It was really interesting and worthy of a picture. *hem hem*

So Songkran so far, has been disappointing but its sure to pick up this week. We'll see.
5.4.07

Songkran...

Well its here! I was riding to work today when i was held up by a parade of Thais dressed in outrageously Asian costumes. Golden umbrellas, children in flashy colors on the shoulders of their equally flashy relatives. Cymbals, drums, flutes, the whole she-bang. It was impressive and made me late for work, but no problems. Times like this I wish I had my camera and that I hadn't sent it south with the boys to take pictures. (hint hint: TAKE PICTURES!!!!)

While the national government declared this year there was to be [officially] 5 days of Songkran, the governor of Chiang Mai decided last week to extend Songkran to 10 days in the province। So Songkran is gradually picking up the pace. You can't walk into any shop without seeing the display of water guns for sale. Including Seven Eleven, Minimarts, Pharmacys, Restaurants and even a door to door water gun vendor. Its all about the marketing people!

The weather is getting unbearable. I now find no enjoyment at walking in from the heat into an air conditioned building because it feels like my skin is being raised a few inches from the meat. Very awkward and makes you go "Whooo"... thus making people look at you funny.




Whooooooooooooo.
31.3.07

Stupidity...

I forgot to let you all know that since the end of February, Chiang Mai has been under an almost dangerous level of pollution.

Royal Flora, the flower expo, that was here from November-January brought with it millions of tourists. So in order for the city of Chiang Mai to look its best, all districts and cities were ordered to not burn any overgrowth, trash or start and misc. fires. So of course when Febrary rolled around everyone burned everything!

Because of this and the already horrid pollution, the sky looks like its in a constant state of fog. Its horrible. I'm buying a new one tonight.

Chiang Mai city hall's solution to the problem? Dump thousands of gallons of water into the air from firefighting airplanes. Thus causing it to rain... ?

They had several weeks of water dumping and no rain, just a massive increase of the mosquitoes that love to chomp on me when i sleep. And finally yesterday it all paid off.

The day started out like any other. Really really, hot. And then in the middle of the afternoon it got windy. Then the sky darkened and thunder was heard. The sky turned to a dark yellow, everyone who's been through a severe thunder storm or a tornado knows that color yellow. Then with a strike of lightning it rained.

20 seconds later, the storm blew away and the sun came out.

So after wasting millions of gallons of water, while most of the districts are experiencing a water shortage, for 20 seconds of rain that has done nothing to abate the pollution, what do you think is the lesson they learned?

They're going to try again tomorrow with more planes and more water.

Mother Nature: 1
Thailand: -3
27.3.07

One More..

I compiled a few Humanism documents including the Manifestos for a personal reference page. Here is the Snapshirt Word Cloud it generated:





If you wanna check out that site:

http://www.geocities.com/thai.fly0/humanism.html

:) Its getting hotter here now. I work most of the day so i don't feel the heat, but some of my students come to school dripping in sweat.

Songkran is coming up in 3 weeks. Thats the Thai New Year. This year they are celebrating the year 2550! Woohoo! :) If you remember me telling you before, Songkran is the week long holiday where they splash water on eachother all day long. I don't work for five days, so its my minivacation.

Its going to be a lot of fun. The biggest Songkran celebration is here in Chiang Mai. The boys are really going to miss out. I sent the camera to them, so you'll have to see if they post any pictures online because i can't. :(

I might be going to an elephant camp next weekend. It is owned by one of my adult students that i teach at night. I'll ride on the elephants, go down the river on a raft, eat from a restaurant in the trees and climb across rickety bridges like the common tourist i'm not. What fun!
26.3.07

Snapshirts...



Interesting site I stumbled on from a fellow blogger. You just enter in your blog myspace page url and it generates the most used words on it. Here are two examples:




This one is from this blog.




This one is from my myspace page.



Interesting...



25.3.07

Here's to you Paul...

When I said "work hard" I took the saying to heart. Halfway into the month of January I got a job working weekday mornings at a Bilingual Nursery School here in Chiang Mai. Then I took a job teaching Private English Lessons weeknights and weekends. And just to ensure that I had no available freetime left I capped it off with another job teaching afternoon classes at yet another school.

Now 3 months later, I've toned it down some. I'm now full-time at the Nursery School and Weeknights with private lessons. It's a meager schedule of waking up at 6:00 eating breakfast, riding my bike 5 kilometers to work, teaching nursery school until 5 and going to my private lessons. I finish my last class at 9 p.m. and ride my bike home. I have just enough time to scramble together a dinner, read a few chapters in my latest book (Just finished Chapterhouse Dune) and fall asleep.

Now you may ask yourself, as Brian did repeatedly, why on earth would I do this? Well I can say that its not for the money. I get paid fairly decent, and despite the long hours, the work is incredibly easy. But nothing worth staying for.

Around the same time I began to emerse myself in work, Danny moved away. And now this last week Brian and Nok did too. Some time ago i decided I needed some alone time. By forcing myself into commitments of working, I have left myself no amount of idle time.

Today was the first time in the last 5 years (almost exactly, happy un-anniversary to us Brian) that I have been alone for the entire day. I woke up at the insane hour of 9:30 and cleaned my room. After that, I did the laundry and opened up my book. Read a few chapters, put the book down, stood up did some exercises. I picked up my book, read a few chapters. Put the book down. Went for a walk to the internet shop. Checked my email. Went home, had some breakfast. Picked up my book. Put it down. Practiced my Thai. Became restless, went to get some coffee. Got on my bike, went to the coffee shop. Studied my Thai some more. Went home. Exercised some more. Read my book. Threw it down. Walked to the grocery store. Bought some facial wash and a loaf of bread. Went home. Cleaned my face... ate some bread. Picked up that damn book once more (sorry mom) put it down. Went into the bathroom, began the systematic genocide of the ants that live in my walls, by clogging their entrance holes with pieces of bar soap. Played Tra-kaw, by myself. And decided I need to go eat dinner. On my way, I stopped here at the internet.

Lesson?

I DO NOT NEED IDLE TIME!

It's 7 o'clock at night and I have accomplished nothing today but temporarily having an ant free bathroom in which i can wash my face with newly purchased rose water anti acne facial foam. (The only part of the product that's in English)

I must admit, I am grateful for the lack of speaking with anyone. It gives me an incredible amount of time to think and then to think about the roots of my thoughts. In the weeks that i have been riding to work, I've managed to control my random trails of thought. But now with nothing to do, sporatic does not even begin to describe the thought patterns i've been having.

I have looked at my empty luggage more than once today in anticipation of joining my friends in the south (Rayong- google it) and I am looking forward to that day. Hopefully by then i will have some control over my free time, so as not to try to throw my friends at the wall when i've bored of them.

>:)
1.1.07

HNY!

Happy New Year and belated Merry Christmas!

Its been a while since I blogged, but internet is hard to come by now. So i'll make this short and sweet!

New Years Resolution: Work hard, play hard, have fun and get places! Easy enough.