Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Culture Overload
Yes, I must say, things are progressing.
Further research has uncovered a vast array of music and music videos. And, most importantly, it has triggered the long awaited resurgence of The Rolling Stones. Actually, this was a joint effort by myself and California Tom. We spent many hours discussing the brillance of Exile on Main Street, which led to a renewed interest in Mick and Keith. Since, then I have acquired a video of a concert at the Marquee in 1971, the 25x5 story and a bunch of albums; Through the Vaults Darkly, Outtake albums and a 1981 union with Muddy Waters. It is prolific! The Stones have never sounded better. And there were times I thought I could never listen to them again.
Other acquisitions include a BBC live video concert of the Kinks (1973), Thin LIzzy in Australia (1977) (Patrick loved this), and Bob Marley classic albums "Catch a Fire". There is more out there. Again, most of this is thanks to Rapidshare.
Alongside music, movies have taken a dramatic step forward. French movies dominate my daytime viewing with some absolute corkers. La Peau Douce is the best. A classic of a married man who has an affair with a beautiful air hostess. Another great one is Les Biches. About a rich woman who takes on a lowly beauty off the streets only to play cruel love games with her in her social circle in St. Tropez.
I have always loved French cinema and it's play on human emotions. I am still in early days of a vast quest of celluloid exploration. The Indonesian flick, "The Forbidden Door" is also awesome about an artist who exacts revenge on his wife, family and friends who have manipulated him for years. The "dreaded" scene is unbelievably brutal, and yet so compelling. Do watch this movie if you have an interest in film. The whole trip is very intriguing and, as i said, compelling.
There are others, but I must save them for another time, my darlings. Go seek. Go. Go!
Further research has uncovered a vast array of music and music videos. And, most importantly, it has triggered the long awaited resurgence of The Rolling Stones. Actually, this was a joint effort by myself and California Tom. We spent many hours discussing the brillance of Exile on Main Street, which led to a renewed interest in Mick and Keith. Since, then I have acquired a video of a concert at the Marquee in 1971, the 25x5 story and a bunch of albums; Through the Vaults Darkly, Outtake albums and a 1981 union with Muddy Waters. It is prolific! The Stones have never sounded better. And there were times I thought I could never listen to them again.
Other acquisitions include a BBC live video concert of the Kinks (1973), Thin LIzzy in Australia (1977) (Patrick loved this), and Bob Marley classic albums "Catch a Fire". There is more out there. Again, most of this is thanks to Rapidshare.
Alongside music, movies have taken a dramatic step forward. French movies dominate my daytime viewing with some absolute corkers. La Peau Douce is the best. A classic of a married man who has an affair with a beautiful air hostess. Another great one is Les Biches. About a rich woman who takes on a lowly beauty off the streets only to play cruel love games with her in her social circle in St. Tropez.
I have always loved French cinema and it's play on human emotions. I am still in early days of a vast quest of celluloid exploration. The Indonesian flick, "The Forbidden Door" is also awesome about an artist who exacts revenge on his wife, family and friends who have manipulated him for years. The "dreaded" scene is unbelievably brutal, and yet so compelling. Do watch this movie if you have an interest in film. The whole trip is very intriguing and, as i said, compelling.
There are others, but I must save them for another time, my darlings. Go seek. Go. Go!
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Forbidden Door
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Snacks
As Bangkok descends into civil war and the streets become a battleground of tit-for-tat fighting between Thaksin's red shirts and everyone else, we relax in the garden.
Patrick descended last night and we drank a lot of Archa beer. It's funny because Archa is the cheap beer only cheapy peasants drink, and yet it is the most pleasant. There is no tang of chemicals and is light and refreshing. All the Thai toffs drink Singha and it is the most expensive. Last night, when we ran out of brew I jumped on the back of Patrick's bike and we shot down to Seven. I had my old, blue hat, dark glasses and sporting long hair and side burns these days. I had to laugh at all these dressed to the nines Thais wondering who these bozos, who look like they just stepped out of Easy Rider, were. Not that any of them have ever heard of Easy Rider.
Actually, we drank too much and I would much rather we had some vodka to fall back on instead of guzzling beer last night. I think Patrick is a strictly beer man, but Tom enjoys shots of stronger juice.
In the daytime, I have been preparing orange juice and lemonade with ice, which Oi has taken a fancy to as well. Indeed, I am a bit of a wiz at assembling these tasty snacks. Most of them come from the Collett cookery book; peanut butter and lettuce sandwiches and so forth. Cheese and ham, ham and mustard, cheese and pickle. Yes, I still have some. I feel that generations these days don't know of these easy to prepare, yet quality snacks, and instead fork out small fortunes at Seven or trendy, up-market supermarkets like Tops below Central.
When I go shopping I wiz around picking up all these little secret bargains hoping no one will catch on. Though I always take time to scout for new products that have surfaced. French jam and marmalade are the most recent additions to this list.
Thai bacon, 70% fat, tasteless, razor thin and horribly expensive has been forever struck from my list. A far better choice is the ham they flog. Expensive yes, but very good. And so ham and eggs has become my preferred holiday breakfast. That along with one cup of tea, two coffees and toast and marmalade.
Garden is an ever unravelling feast for the imagination. I am now constructing a jungle path up one side of the Eden. I think each area will have a theme, like Disneyland. So, there will be the Jungle Path Adveneture Trek (all of four yards), two glorious fishy shrines, the dreaded rock gardens, a kind of giant rock canyon (yes, I still need more rocks) and there are still areas that as yet remain undefined. That's the beauty of it. As you do a bit, somewhere in the recesses of your mind you are pondering what the next bit will be. And so it goes on.
Travian. I should point out that I have begun a new game of Travian. The first game I played lasted about a year and involved the Great Rabbit alliance. This time I want to play super efficient and play a fantastic game. Check it out at your peril.
Back to the garden.
Patrick descended last night and we drank a lot of Archa beer. It's funny because Archa is the cheap beer only cheapy peasants drink, and yet it is the most pleasant. There is no tang of chemicals and is light and refreshing. All the Thai toffs drink Singha and it is the most expensive. Last night, when we ran out of brew I jumped on the back of Patrick's bike and we shot down to Seven. I had my old, blue hat, dark glasses and sporting long hair and side burns these days. I had to laugh at all these dressed to the nines Thais wondering who these bozos, who look like they just stepped out of Easy Rider, were. Not that any of them have ever heard of Easy Rider.
Actually, we drank too much and I would much rather we had some vodka to fall back on instead of guzzling beer last night. I think Patrick is a strictly beer man, but Tom enjoys shots of stronger juice.
In the daytime, I have been preparing orange juice and lemonade with ice, which Oi has taken a fancy to as well. Indeed, I am a bit of a wiz at assembling these tasty snacks. Most of them come from the Collett cookery book; peanut butter and lettuce sandwiches and so forth. Cheese and ham, ham and mustard, cheese and pickle. Yes, I still have some. I feel that generations these days don't know of these easy to prepare, yet quality snacks, and instead fork out small fortunes at Seven or trendy, up-market supermarkets like Tops below Central.
When I go shopping I wiz around picking up all these little secret bargains hoping no one will catch on. Though I always take time to scout for new products that have surfaced. French jam and marmalade are the most recent additions to this list.
Thai bacon, 70% fat, tasteless, razor thin and horribly expensive has been forever struck from my list. A far better choice is the ham they flog. Expensive yes, but very good. And so ham and eggs has become my preferred holiday breakfast. That along with one cup of tea, two coffees and toast and marmalade.
Garden is an ever unravelling feast for the imagination. I am now constructing a jungle path up one side of the Eden. I think each area will have a theme, like Disneyland. So, there will be the Jungle Path Adveneture Trek (all of four yards), two glorious fishy shrines, the dreaded rock gardens, a kind of giant rock canyon (yes, I still need more rocks) and there are still areas that as yet remain undefined. That's the beauty of it. As you do a bit, somewhere in the recesses of your mind you are pondering what the next bit will be. And so it goes on.
Travian. I should point out that I have begun a new game of Travian. The first game I played lasted about a year and involved the Great Rabbit alliance. This time I want to play super efficient and play a fantastic game. Check it out at your peril.
Back to the garden.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Neighbours
Did I ever tell you about our neighbours?
Well, I should give you just the briefest insight as it is all rather interesting what the pond life gets up to.
First, there is the mistress opposite who had an affair with the next door neighbour's husband. The wife left and the house remains empty. The husband stays occasionally with the mistress. She also has some Malaysian oldie who gives her money and stays now and then. She is nothing to look at, has a tattoo on her shoulder and has ignored us from day one, even though our gates face each other. There are a couple of kids in the house too, including a tiny girl named Ching Ching who Oi likes.
Opposite her is the Cat Lady. An old woman who is soon to relocate to Bangkok. Her daughter dumped her handicapped daughter on her. That's her own grand daughter. The poor girl never sees the light of day. You can hear her screaming and crying normally once a day. Grandma also has 20 - 30 cats which shit all over the road and in everyone else's gardens. So, she ain't so popular. Of course, Thai people don't know about spading animals, or won't pay, so two cats quickly escalated into a couple of dozen. When word got out she was moving to Bangers, folks were wondering what would happen to our feline friends. Well, Oi just told me, which in turn prompted me to fill you guys in on the juice. A few days ago, she took the cats to the forest up the road and turned them loose. Poor, little mites. I hope they survive. Though Gran will soon be gone, she has now earned the infamous title of Cat Murderer.
Next to her, and opposite us (we are on a corner) was originally vacant, but some country bumpkins moved in about a month after us. These folks are okay, but they brought their Thai country ways with them. They knocked half the house down and built a car workshop on the side of it. Then they installed a hydraulic car lift. At any time of day there are about three or four cars parked in the street. They used to park up our cul-de-sac looking into our back garden. I didn't like this so went out with the baby and stared at him until he moved the offending vehicle. Engines and crap Thai music blare out until ten each night. Very luckily, our garden, bedroom and rest area are all at the rear so we don't hear anything. I know Gran was furious and Oi heard her openly slagging them off to another neighbour. Also, one of the first things the country bumpkins did to alleviate the cat shit problem was to by a dog. A real sweetie named Pookie. Sort of Border Collie cross German Shepard. Of course, Pookie is treated like shit but is friendly nonetheless.
Next to them on the other side is a one time friend of the bumpkins. A nurse and her husband. He is a git. Pristine polo shirts and crap haircut. He thinks he is the bees knees with his two cars; a white, never dirty 4x4 and some Japanese company car. They are always working and can only usually be seen at about nine at night. They are normally on some weekend away break every Saturday and Sunday. They have a little girl and baby boy.Every time I see him he is reversing one of the cars out off of his forecourt. One time his lot invaded our garden too poke around and see what we had been up to. I could hear Mr. Perfect and his merry crew joking and laughing and wandering about the place. Oi said later they came to have a look. She said they didn't appear to be very sincere.
Next to us on the other side is the one I like most. An old woman and her litter of a family. She is a nuts and bolts girl and seems as sound as a pound. Their weakness if that they have four dogs locked into their garden. It used to be five dogs but one night I heard this loud digging noise. I quizzed Oi. A couple of days later she told me that one dog had been chained up and the other four hounds and attacked it and killed it. Late at night, when the sons had come back from work, they buries it.
The last house is the doctor's. I only see them from afar. They live in the Forbidden City. You can see it in some photos. Stinking rich. I asked Oi if she thought it right that these folks should get so rich off of people being sick.
Someone commented on ThaiVisa that Thai people were incredibly tolerant of each other, but also incredibly inconsiderate of each other. I find this to be true.
Well, I should give you just the briefest insight as it is all rather interesting what the pond life gets up to.
First, there is the mistress opposite who had an affair with the next door neighbour's husband. The wife left and the house remains empty. The husband stays occasionally with the mistress. She also has some Malaysian oldie who gives her money and stays now and then. She is nothing to look at, has a tattoo on her shoulder and has ignored us from day one, even though our gates face each other. There are a couple of kids in the house too, including a tiny girl named Ching Ching who Oi likes.
Opposite her is the Cat Lady. An old woman who is soon to relocate to Bangkok. Her daughter dumped her handicapped daughter on her. That's her own grand daughter. The poor girl never sees the light of day. You can hear her screaming and crying normally once a day. Grandma also has 20 - 30 cats which shit all over the road and in everyone else's gardens. So, she ain't so popular. Of course, Thai people don't know about spading animals, or won't pay, so two cats quickly escalated into a couple of dozen. When word got out she was moving to Bangers, folks were wondering what would happen to our feline friends. Well, Oi just told me, which in turn prompted me to fill you guys in on the juice. A few days ago, she took the cats to the forest up the road and turned them loose. Poor, little mites. I hope they survive. Though Gran will soon be gone, she has now earned the infamous title of Cat Murderer.
Next to her, and opposite us (we are on a corner) was originally vacant, but some country bumpkins moved in about a month after us. These folks are okay, but they brought their Thai country ways with them. They knocked half the house down and built a car workshop on the side of it. Then they installed a hydraulic car lift. At any time of day there are about three or four cars parked in the street. They used to park up our cul-de-sac looking into our back garden. I didn't like this so went out with the baby and stared at him until he moved the offending vehicle. Engines and crap Thai music blare out until ten each night. Very luckily, our garden, bedroom and rest area are all at the rear so we don't hear anything. I know Gran was furious and Oi heard her openly slagging them off to another neighbour. Also, one of the first things the country bumpkins did to alleviate the cat shit problem was to by a dog. A real sweetie named Pookie. Sort of Border Collie cross German Shepard. Of course, Pookie is treated like shit but is friendly nonetheless.
Next to them on the other side is a one time friend of the bumpkins. A nurse and her husband. He is a git. Pristine polo shirts and crap haircut. He thinks he is the bees knees with his two cars; a white, never dirty 4x4 and some Japanese company car. They are always working and can only usually be seen at about nine at night. They are normally on some weekend away break every Saturday and Sunday. They have a little girl and baby boy.Every time I see him he is reversing one of the cars out off of his forecourt. One time his lot invaded our garden too poke around and see what we had been up to. I could hear Mr. Perfect and his merry crew joking and laughing and wandering about the place. Oi said later they came to have a look. She said they didn't appear to be very sincere.
Next to us on the other side is the one I like most. An old woman and her litter of a family. She is a nuts and bolts girl and seems as sound as a pound. Their weakness if that they have four dogs locked into their garden. It used to be five dogs but one night I heard this loud digging noise. I quizzed Oi. A couple of days later she told me that one dog had been chained up and the other four hounds and attacked it and killed it. Late at night, when the sons had come back from work, they buries it.
The last house is the doctor's. I only see them from afar. They live in the Forbidden City. You can see it in some photos. Stinking rich. I asked Oi if she thought it right that these folks should get so rich off of people being sick.
Someone commented on ThaiVisa that Thai people were incredibly tolerant of each other, but also incredibly inconsiderate of each other. I find this to be true.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Vanilla Custard
Been on a music video mission of late, and have acquired great live shows by The Stones (Marquee 1971), The Kinks (BBC 1973), Bob Marley (making of Spark a Fire), Thin Lizzy (Australia 1977) with more on the way. They make good viewing with buddies and usually have greater entertainment value.
Grace is just coming on leaps and bounds and seems to change literally by the hour. As I was watering the garden this morning, I paused and waved at her sitting in her little Davros chair on the porch. Up came the her little arm and yes, she returned the wave with a smile to boot.
Started watching a great 1949 western yesterday which I must complete viewing; "Colorado Territory". Awesome story and very dramatic.
I discovered the little jars of Heinz baby food in town. I bought a selection and they have become an instant hit. I told Oi I could remember eating a chocolate mousse one when I were a nipper. I was sent back for more and they are now in danger of running out in the store and monopolizing Gracie's daily diet. Vanilla Custard soon became firm favourite.
I blasted through an incredible game the other day; Battlefield 2 Bad Company. Jaw-dropping graphics. Machine gunning down terrorists in the South American jungle and in the desert somewhere. A great end sequence on a huge military plane, blasting holes in the passenger seat headrests with a shotgun in a blinding fury of an advance to the cockpit.
Had a cracker of a night at Patrick's the other day with himself and Tom. We watched, "It Might Get Loud" with The Edge, Jimmy Page and the the chap from the White Stripes. I actually slept on the sofa and sped home in the early morning.
Tom has gone down to join Don in Malaysia for a few days.
I have just been given Grace to look after so more later...
Grace is just coming on leaps and bounds and seems to change literally by the hour. As I was watering the garden this morning, I paused and waved at her sitting in her little Davros chair on the porch. Up came the her little arm and yes, she returned the wave with a smile to boot.
I discovered the little jars of Heinz baby food in town. I bought a selection and they have become an instant hit. I told Oi I could remember eating a chocolate mousse one when I were a nipper. I was sent back for more and they are now in danger of running out in the store and monopolizing Gracie's daily diet. Vanilla Custard soon became firm favourite.
I blasted through an incredible game the other day; Battlefield 2 Bad Company. Jaw-dropping graphics. Machine gunning down terrorists in the South American jungle and in the desert somewhere. A great end sequence on a huge military plane, blasting holes in the passenger seat headrests with a shotgun in a blinding fury of an advance to the cockpit.
Had a cracker of a night at Patrick's the other day with himself and Tom. We watched, "It Might Get Loud" with The Edge, Jimmy Page and the the chap from the White Stripes. I actually slept on the sofa and sped home in the early morning.
Tom has gone down to join Don in Malaysia for a few days.
I have just been given Grace to look after so more later...
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Ant Farm
Decadence
Found an interesting Australian docu on the net called "Decadence".
It examines the way we live today. People striving for money and material possession and the rest of the garbage that goes with civilization today. How we have lost any real meaning in our lives.
It's a good show. Check it out if you can be bothered.
It examines the way we live today. People striving for money and material possession and the rest of the garbage that goes with civilization today. How we have lost any real meaning in our lives.
It's a good show. Check it out if you can be bothered.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Water
So far the hols have been good, though Oi has a cough and not feeling so great. Grace is just getting smarter and smarter every day. I think she can wave now. We spend lots of time with her and I am determined to give her a safe and secure environment to grow up in.
I have been drinking a bit of this Archa beer which is giving me a bit of a gut. I am also not going to my regular exercises. I think I am hoping that working in the garden will suffice, but I am most certainly kidding myself. No doubt that eventually I shall become so down on self-loathing that I will drag my sorry ass off to the lake or the pool. Until then, party on, dude.
PC games are a strange one too. Awesome as they are I can barely look at them for too long any more.
Don and Tom are off to Malaysia tomorrow. I am housebound but that's okay. I think in October break we will definitely go somewhere. Hopefully, Koh Phang Ngan.
My spuds have failed. Don dug on up and it had just rotted. I suspect they were some kind of nasty factory cyborg type spud designed by the system not to reproduce.
Saw a great docu about water yesterday. It claims that water has a memory and the structure of clusters of water molecules greatly determines the quality of the water. Water that comes out of your tap is broken and dead. The clusters have broken shapes. Yet, clusters from mountain streams and waterfalls resemble crystals and snowflakes. A friend of Don's has been seriously ill for years. She recently bought this Korean water machine and her health has sprung right back. Don is a great believer in positive affirmation and he could see a relationship with this and water.
Just got a hold of Defender with Woody Harrelson as some deluded loser who thinks he is a superhero. Looks like a lot of fun.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Tom
Awesome night with Tom last night.
Things started badly when he dropped a bottle of beer while putting the amber nectar in the fridge. Actually, I think the bag twisted and one bottle got caught and flipped out of the bag. He was not happy.
Things swiftly got better as we downed the first few jars. Christ, he bought eight, now seven bottles with him. I had three Archas then had to beg for more when I ran dry.
Conversation settled on music after our weekly, "This is what really pisses me off about Thailand" rants. My rant this week was about why you can't buy decent beer in this country, because the rich cunts have a monopoly on what comes in and they just want you to buy their cheaply made, low quality, chemical laden scanty gnats piss. There is a ton of stuff that just doesn't get into this country. Toys are another shit-shining example. Most toys, a lump of plastic with some buttons on it, are well over 1000Bht. A days wages to me and several days to a regular piss-poor Thai worker. No wonder the fucking aisles of the Toy Department are full, void of shoppers and ghost-like. Only the rich children of the elite can afford them. Regular kids get nothing. Yes, toys are one thing you don't see much of over here.
Anyway, after our moaning and groaning we got into serious conversation about the Stones and everyone else. We sat listening to Morcheeba's first album, "Who Can You Trust?" for a few choice tracks. The one with the photo of a huge bud on it. Cheaply produced it is amazing raw trip-hop whatever the fuck you call it. Tom likened them to Medeski, Martin and Wood and Portishead.
In a rare event and due to my inability to locate my cherished psychedelic glass pipe (which Tom brought me back from California, incidently) Tom suggested we do joints. We had two and entered the full flow of the night.
At some point in the small hours I looked up from raving about some album and Tom wasn't there. He was laying down across two chairs.
That was sort of the end of the night. I think I attempted a video watch but it appeared to not occur, judging from todays memory recall.
Back to contemplating rocks...
Things started badly when he dropped a bottle of beer while putting the amber nectar in the fridge. Actually, I think the bag twisted and one bottle got caught and flipped out of the bag. He was not happy.
Things swiftly got better as we downed the first few jars. Christ, he bought eight, now seven bottles with him. I had three Archas then had to beg for more when I ran dry.
Conversation settled on music after our weekly, "This is what really pisses me off about Thailand" rants. My rant this week was about why you can't buy decent beer in this country, because the rich cunts have a monopoly on what comes in and they just want you to buy their cheaply made, low quality, chemical laden scanty gnats piss. There is a ton of stuff that just doesn't get into this country. Toys are another shit-shining example. Most toys, a lump of plastic with some buttons on it, are well over 1000Bht. A days wages to me and several days to a regular piss-poor Thai worker. No wonder the fucking aisles of the Toy Department are full, void of shoppers and ghost-like. Only the rich children of the elite can afford them. Regular kids get nothing. Yes, toys are one thing you don't see much of over here.
Anyway, after our moaning and groaning we got into serious conversation about the Stones and everyone else. We sat listening to Morcheeba's first album, "Who Can You Trust?" for a few choice tracks. The one with the photo of a huge bud on it. Cheaply produced it is amazing raw trip-hop whatever the fuck you call it. Tom likened them to Medeski, Martin and Wood and Portishead.
At some point in the small hours I looked up from raving about some album and Tom wasn't there. He was laying down across two chairs.
That was sort of the end of the night. I think I attempted a video watch but it appeared to not occur, judging from todays memory recall.
Back to contemplating rocks...
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Cars
Early Thursday morning.
I got my bike back yesterday which had gone in for some fairly major repairs. I rode back a dream. Absolutely fantastic. It's funny how when something slowly deteriorates that you don't really notice, and then when you finally get the thing repaired it's like amazing. Computers are a bit like that too.
I have done some serious music research and, again with the help of Rapidshare, have acquired some gems; Traffic - John Barleycorn Must Die (a Stuey Barrett recommendation), Neil Young, White Stripes, Dar Williams, Lucy Kaplansky, Taj Mahall, Ry Cooder (Borderline), Animals, Chuck Berry, Van the Man among others.
Tom has been a valuable source of Information.
It's been good to catch up with Don again. Someone I see fairly eye-to-eye with. Carl has become a closet recluse and now that he has The Net I doubt we will ever see him again. He's 10 years younger. Maybe one day he'll come out and everyone will be gone. I recall Peter's great words that one should always go out if the opportunity arises. I wonder if he still follows that exceptionally rare and brilliant perception. With a new born it is surely vastly more difficult, and can one ever truly justify leaving one's wife and babes in the nest and go party? Surely? Or not.
I did get out for Christmas dinner at Patrick's which was a hoot. And I woke up on the kitchen floor next to Tom for a double bonus.
We got the air-con repaired last night too, for a blessed 500 Baht. Phew! That could have been expensive if he was a cunt. But he wasn't. Now we can enjoy movies in grand style. Oi watched The Abyss last night as I lay in the hammock outside drinking Archa beer. My new love. She is getting into James Cameron's movies having enjoyed Aliens and Avatar. Unfortunately, the subtitles were out and it is a slightly complex film, so that detracted from the overall viewing pleasure, but I think it went into the "good" bin in the end.
The garden is looking rather interesting and the next project is to get hold of a BBQ. The half oil barrel jobs is what I am looking for. I will go recce today, as well as find a paddling pool for young Gracie.
Coffee break...
Watch this movie. Set in Ecuador, for those lucky people who have been to Ecuador.
And this is a great album, for those who love great albums.
One good thing I am doing, when I can be bothered to remember, is to write "To Do" lists. I suppose as one gets older and time slips away one is slightly more concerned about doing everything one wanted to do before hopping the twig. Not being one to venture far, my goals are mainly based around the home and various domestic projects and journeys of the mind.
Daily watering and leaf sweeping are excellent tonics for calming the brain.
Dawn is about to break and I must prepare for my trek into town. I really enjoyed walking into town while the bike was broke. It reminded me of days spent hitch-hiking to Joel's house in Petersfield days so long ago. And it instilled my hatred of cars. I decided that Thailand is like America where everyone drives and nobody walks. Cars screamed passed me within inches. I don't think they heard me shouting "Cunt!". I guess I am just waiting for the day when cars are a bleak and distant memory.
I got my bike back yesterday which had gone in for some fairly major repairs. I rode back a dream. Absolutely fantastic. It's funny how when something slowly deteriorates that you don't really notice, and then when you finally get the thing repaired it's like amazing. Computers are a bit like that too.
I have done some serious music research and, again with the help of Rapidshare, have acquired some gems; Traffic - John Barleycorn Must Die (a Stuey Barrett recommendation), Neil Young, White Stripes, Dar Williams, Lucy Kaplansky, Taj Mahall, Ry Cooder (Borderline), Animals, Chuck Berry, Van the Man among others.
Tom has been a valuable source of Information.
It's been good to catch up with Don again. Someone I see fairly eye-to-eye with. Carl has become a closet recluse and now that he has The Net I doubt we will ever see him again. He's 10 years younger. Maybe one day he'll come out and everyone will be gone. I recall Peter's great words that one should always go out if the opportunity arises. I wonder if he still follows that exceptionally rare and brilliant perception. With a new born it is surely vastly more difficult, and can one ever truly justify leaving one's wife and babes in the nest and go party? Surely? Or not.
I did get out for Christmas dinner at Patrick's which was a hoot. And I woke up on the kitchen floor next to Tom for a double bonus.
We got the air-con repaired last night too, for a blessed 500 Baht. Phew! That could have been expensive if he was a cunt. But he wasn't. Now we can enjoy movies in grand style. Oi watched The Abyss last night as I lay in the hammock outside drinking Archa beer. My new love. She is getting into James Cameron's movies having enjoyed Aliens and Avatar. Unfortunately, the subtitles were out and it is a slightly complex film, so that detracted from the overall viewing pleasure, but I think it went into the "good" bin in the end.
The garden is looking rather interesting and the next project is to get hold of a BBQ. The half oil barrel jobs is what I am looking for. I will go recce today, as well as find a paddling pool for young Gracie.
Coffee break...
And this is a great album, for those who love great albums.
One good thing I am doing, when I can be bothered to remember, is to write "To Do" lists. I suppose as one gets older and time slips away one is slightly more concerned about doing everything one wanted to do before hopping the twig. Not being one to venture far, my goals are mainly based around the home and various domestic projects and journeys of the mind.
Daily watering and leaf sweeping are excellent tonics for calming the brain.
Dawn is about to break and I must prepare for my trek into town. I really enjoyed walking into town while the bike was broke. It reminded me of days spent hitch-hiking to Joel's house in Petersfield days so long ago. And it instilled my hatred of cars. I decided that Thailand is like America where everyone drives and nobody walks. Cars screamed passed me within inches. I don't think they heard me shouting "Cunt!". I guess I am just waiting for the day when cars are a bleak and distant memory.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Summer of Repairs (Mafia Revisited)
No, not The Summer of Drugs by rock legends Soul Asylum, but rather the Summer when my motorcycle and air-con unit in the playroom broke down.
Actually, I always secretly enjoy when technology fails as ones feels instant relief at being thrown back to the Dark Ages for a but few brief days. I enjoyed a pleasant walk back from the garage and spied several previously unobserved shops of interest on the way home. Normally, I whizz past all these things like the rest of the teeming millions. Yes, I spied two language schools. Hell, I might even call in and enquire about a job! That's the call of destiny for you.
Mafia. A joyride of a game played lovingly during my year in Sadao. Before my then girlfriend, Muk, ran off with all my worldly goods. Now, rediscovered on the Rapidshare forums, downloaded and installed. These days, with wonderful increases in levels of technology, this lost jewel plays at maximum setting with ease and I can enjoy every slug from my baseball bat or magnum 48 without the slightest judder. What joy! And what a great find. Of course, this was prompted by some comments from another user relishing similar protection racket raids whilst waiting for the imminent release of Mafia 2!
All bods with ageing computers can probably DL this gem for a great adventure. System Shock 2 lovers should definitely apply.
Actually, I always secretly enjoy when technology fails as ones feels instant relief at being thrown back to the Dark Ages for a but few brief days. I enjoyed a pleasant walk back from the garage and spied several previously unobserved shops of interest on the way home. Normally, I whizz past all these things like the rest of the teeming millions. Yes, I spied two language schools. Hell, I might even call in and enquire about a job! That's the call of destiny for you.
Mafia. A joyride of a game played lovingly during my year in Sadao. Before my then girlfriend, Muk, ran off with all my worldly goods. Now, rediscovered on the Rapidshare forums, downloaded and installed. These days, with wonderful increases in levels of technology, this lost jewel plays at maximum setting with ease and I can enjoy every slug from my baseball bat or magnum 48 without the slightest judder. What joy! And what a great find. Of course, this was prompted by some comments from another user relishing similar protection racket raids whilst waiting for the imminent release of Mafia 2!
All bods with ageing computers can probably DL this gem for a great adventure. System Shock 2 lovers should definitely apply.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Rocks
Rocks are the order of the day and yesterday I undertook 4 grueling journeys on the bike to various strategic locations around my neighbourhood to acquire stone.
Loading them into my Karrimore rucksack, the big one I came to this country with, which has sadly seen very little action, I had to be very sneaky in case someone didn't like what I was doing. The best approach I found was to don my worn blue sun hat and make out like I was some mad old fool scrambling about in the undergrowth and being careful not to look up to catch a passing stranger's eye. I received not complaints.
It's pretty hard work clambering up a shingle slope with a ton on your back. Let alone getting on the bike for the journey home, yet four trips were completed and the garden is looking rather super.
Yet my obsession with rocks is only growing and the concerned old man in the garden shop who watched me trailing back and forth has invited me to fish the stones out of the canal at the back of his house. A mere stones throw from my own. This I will do. And every time I gaze with hungry eyes at the transforming oasis a new idea springs to mind, usually involving my stoney friends.
But enough of these igneous and sedimentary deposits...
With Don back in town, we have had a chance to chew the fat and enjoyed a good night with Tom and Patrick at D's pad. It is nice to have a bit of a crowd again. Insults and cheap jibes were exchanged and everyone made it home safely. I was chastised for handing out movie and music recommendations ten a penny and yet not following up such choices made to me. Since then, I have come home and downloading all of the offending articles in a bid to make amends. What can I say? The Escapist, The Mackintosh Man, Cadillac Records shall all be viewed and commented upon with harsh words and forked tongue should they not come up to the mark. Indeed, the actual amount of movies that I finish watching in their entirety is a rapidly diminishing commodity. Years of work and toil and sweat lay half-digested like an abandoned pizza on the living room floor. Half or unwatched DVD's litter my playroom like lost children in a bustling supermarket full of Saturday shoppers and grumpy alcoholics.
I used to dream of working in the movies. I'm glad I changed my mind with all the crap that circulates. Still, there are rare gems to be enjoyed and nurtured. The Cove, as recommended in my last post, is such a jewel.
Fighting through Bioshock 2 which is great fun. Art-deco, decayed underwater cities are great places to kick some ass. Had some trouble firing up the download but eventually got it working with some help from internet buddies.
There is actually rather a lot of great games yet to be played. It's a shame because one does not have the time to give proper credit to each one individually. And they really are great. Supply is outweighing demand.
Grace is changing every day and just gets sweeter and sweeter. It's hard to fathom were all this goodness comes from, but then I just have to look at Oi to realise.
Indeed, I am most lucky and now we are in the holidays, lazy days at home reign on.
Loading them into my Karrimore rucksack, the big one I came to this country with, which has sadly seen very little action, I had to be very sneaky in case someone didn't like what I was doing. The best approach I found was to don my worn blue sun hat and make out like I was some mad old fool scrambling about in the undergrowth and being careful not to look up to catch a passing stranger's eye. I received not complaints.
It's pretty hard work clambering up a shingle slope with a ton on your back. Let alone getting on the bike for the journey home, yet four trips were completed and the garden is looking rather super.
Yet my obsession with rocks is only growing and the concerned old man in the garden shop who watched me trailing back and forth has invited me to fish the stones out of the canal at the back of his house. A mere stones throw from my own. This I will do. And every time I gaze with hungry eyes at the transforming oasis a new idea springs to mind, usually involving my stoney friends.
But enough of these igneous and sedimentary deposits...
With Don back in town, we have had a chance to chew the fat and enjoyed a good night with Tom and Patrick at D's pad. It is nice to have a bit of a crowd again. Insults and cheap jibes were exchanged and everyone made it home safely. I was chastised for handing out movie and music recommendations ten a penny and yet not following up such choices made to me. Since then, I have come home and downloading all of the offending articles in a bid to make amends. What can I say? The Escapist, The Mackintosh Man, Cadillac Records shall all be viewed and commented upon with harsh words and forked tongue should they not come up to the mark. Indeed, the actual amount of movies that I finish watching in their entirety is a rapidly diminishing commodity. Years of work and toil and sweat lay half-digested like an abandoned pizza on the living room floor. Half or unwatched DVD's litter my playroom like lost children in a bustling supermarket full of Saturday shoppers and grumpy alcoholics.
I used to dream of working in the movies. I'm glad I changed my mind with all the crap that circulates. Still, there are rare gems to be enjoyed and nurtured. The Cove, as recommended in my last post, is such a jewel.
Fighting through Bioshock 2 which is great fun. Art-deco, decayed underwater cities are great places to kick some ass. Had some trouble firing up the download but eventually got it working with some help from internet buddies.
There is actually rather a lot of great games yet to be played. It's a shame because one does not have the time to give proper credit to each one individually. And they really are great. Supply is outweighing demand.
Grace is changing every day and just gets sweeter and sweeter. It's hard to fathom were all this goodness comes from, but then I just have to look at Oi to realise.
Indeed, I am most lucky and now we are in the holidays, lazy days at home reign on.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Little Orange Helpers
Well, the crummy English seminar has been delayed until next Monday. Bashing one's head against the wall makes so much sense sometimes.
Still, I am trying to relax and block out any thoughts of work as the holiday truly is yet to begin.
I have been suffering a bit from stress of late. I developed a nasty cold sore and yesterday bought some anti-anxiety pills from a tiny, yet laden, pharmacist. My, just one of those little orange pills sent me to happyland. I started coming up on the way home on the bike. I had a Guinness a few hours later and felt very sleepy and comfortable. My bottom is still quite tender after my unfortunate hammock accident. In addition to this, I have had a muscular pain from my back up through my neck to the lower part of my skull on my left side for over a month now. Still, things are in full swing to ease these stresses now. It all began when I was doing my dissertation, working full time and finishing my degree back in the mid/late 90's. Never been the same since. Wankers.
A bit windy today, and with the blazing heat I think the weathers going to do something.
DL'd and really enjoying "Caprica" which is a precursor to Battlestar Galactica. It has Eric Sholts who is pretty fine actor.
DL's Bioshock 2, the undersea city shooter. It's great but I am worn from playing too many games.
Oi's family brought me a bunch of rocks for the garden so I shall be completing my rock beds in the next coming days. I have also planted some spuds which I shall be thrilled with if they poked their little heads out and reach for the sky.
Acquired Van Morrison's Into The Music album which was recommended to me by the famous Stuart Barratt from Halesowen, Birmingham a lifetime ago in Australia back in 1988. It's a shame he vanished in to thin air as his musical knowledge left me a rare glimpse of genius. I came away with some names though, yet this quality of perceptiveness I will never be able to emulate.
Still, I am trying to relax and block out any thoughts of work as the holiday truly is yet to begin.
I have been suffering a bit from stress of late. I developed a nasty cold sore and yesterday bought some anti-anxiety pills from a tiny, yet laden, pharmacist. My, just one of those little orange pills sent me to happyland. I started coming up on the way home on the bike. I had a Guinness a few hours later and felt very sleepy and comfortable. My bottom is still quite tender after my unfortunate hammock accident. In addition to this, I have had a muscular pain from my back up through my neck to the lower part of my skull on my left side for over a month now. Still, things are in full swing to ease these stresses now. It all began when I was doing my dissertation, working full time and finishing my degree back in the mid/late 90's. Never been the same since. Wankers.
A bit windy today, and with the blazing heat I think the weathers going to do something.
DL'd and really enjoying "Caprica" which is a precursor to Battlestar Galactica. It has Eric Sholts who is pretty fine actor.
DL's Bioshock 2, the undersea city shooter. It's great but I am worn from playing too many games.
Oi's family brought me a bunch of rocks for the garden so I shall be completing my rock beds in the next coming days. I have also planted some spuds which I shall be thrilled with if they poked their little heads out and reach for the sky.
Acquired Van Morrison's Into The Music album which was recommended to me by the famous Stuart Barratt from Halesowen, Birmingham a lifetime ago in Australia back in 1988. It's a shame he vanished in to thin air as his musical knowledge left me a rare glimpse of genius. I came away with some names though, yet this quality of perceptiveness I will never be able to emulate.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Thaksin's Red Army
Wednesday morning and the house is alive. Late Monday night, or early Tuesday morning, I can't tell I was so out of it, Oi's family arrived. Grandma, brothers Om and O, O's wife and 3 year old son.
I was up early and off to Camp Crusty No. 3. This was a complete pile of brown kakka. Even browner and more vomit -inducing than usual. With the knowledge that three of the white monkeys, well, almost white, were going to be sacked on completion of the forced participation. One, Phillip, for being too old, Shaz, for being a bit slack, and Oliva (from Zimbabwe) for being black. Yes, apathy ran high and the olny people putting any energy into it was Pee Dtoi and Phit, and even she had gone out on the razz the night before. The fat, miserable Chinese female onlookers looked suitably dissaproving and walrus-like as they gazed at the dancing monkeys like some humiliating scene from Star Wars. My rift with Gee is, as yet, unbridged, so that added to the general miserableness of the event. The only people who enjoyed it was the kids. I assume this was because they are normally so deprived of fun at the fascist school (Sri Nakhon - I used to work there eons ago) that any sort of opportunity to laugh was seized with desperate gratitude.
Horribly sad and crap, I left as soon as I could.
Don had called and has arrived back in town after his stint up North. He has some wiz photos and stories to tell. Sadly, he brought no happiness with him. We drank a few beers before I came home to recuperate.
Jumping into the hammock, it immediately snapped and my weighty derriere landed with full force on one of my rocks used to sway me back and forth. Argh! My tailbone! It still hurts twelve hours later.
O's son is a terror. Left to his wife's grandparents at an early age he has grown up resembling a wild animal. Screaming and wailing and throwing things about, I had moved straight in for the kill with this little yoboik. O's is a bit embarrassed but I am giving him the full treatment and relating to Oi some of the methods my own father took on his children. Oh yes, it would appear to be working as he already doesn't like me. I said if he doesn't behave he will have to sleep outside with the dog, lock him in the bathroom when he refused to come out, send him to bed with no supper and have him up at the crack on dawn for a 5 mile run and a swim before going to school. I also suggested he gets put to work until you can break the little bugger down. He's a mess. He was even hitting poor grandma.
They have to go home today. A shame I missed there visit due to a concentration camp English happy club, but there you go.
I now have to go to the cop shop to do my 90 day report in and do another seminar for Thai teachers to use English in the classroom. All without pay and with nothing to work from except my own noggin.
And I see on Friday the Thakin's red shirt army are due to march on Bangkok. 6,000 assault rifles were stolen (or sold) from an army camp a few days ago and any foreigners seen near the protest march will be arrested and thrown in jail.
TIT (This is Thailand)
I was up early and off to Camp Crusty No. 3. This was a complete pile of brown kakka. Even browner and more vomit -inducing than usual. With the knowledge that three of the white monkeys, well, almost white, were going to be sacked on completion of the forced participation. One, Phillip, for being too old, Shaz, for being a bit slack, and Oliva (from Zimbabwe) for being black. Yes, apathy ran high and the olny people putting any energy into it was Pee Dtoi and Phit, and even she had gone out on the razz the night before. The fat, miserable Chinese female onlookers looked suitably dissaproving and walrus-like as they gazed at the dancing monkeys like some humiliating scene from Star Wars. My rift with Gee is, as yet, unbridged, so that added to the general miserableness of the event. The only people who enjoyed it was the kids. I assume this was because they are normally so deprived of fun at the fascist school (Sri Nakhon - I used to work there eons ago) that any sort of opportunity to laugh was seized with desperate gratitude.
Horribly sad and crap, I left as soon as I could.
Don had called and has arrived back in town after his stint up North. He has some wiz photos and stories to tell. Sadly, he brought no happiness with him. We drank a few beers before I came home to recuperate.
Jumping into the hammock, it immediately snapped and my weighty derriere landed with full force on one of my rocks used to sway me back and forth. Argh! My tailbone! It still hurts twelve hours later.
O's son is a terror. Left to his wife's grandparents at an early age he has grown up resembling a wild animal. Screaming and wailing and throwing things about, I had moved straight in for the kill with this little yoboik. O's is a bit embarrassed but I am giving him the full treatment and relating to Oi some of the methods my own father took on his children. Oh yes, it would appear to be working as he already doesn't like me. I said if he doesn't behave he will have to sleep outside with the dog, lock him in the bathroom when he refused to come out, send him to bed with no supper and have him up at the crack on dawn for a 5 mile run and a swim before going to school. I also suggested he gets put to work until you can break the little bugger down. He's a mess. He was even hitting poor grandma.
They have to go home today. A shame I missed there visit due to a concentration camp English happy club, but there you go.
I now have to go to the cop shop to do my 90 day report in and do another seminar for Thai teachers to use English in the classroom. All without pay and with nothing to work from except my own noggin.
And I see on Friday the Thakin's red shirt army are due to march on Bangkok. 6,000 assault rifles were stolen (or sold) from an army camp a few days ago and any foreigners seen near the protest march will be arrested and thrown in jail.
TIT (This is Thailand)
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)