Year End

I have now started a collection of Desert Island Disc podcasts and relaxed today listening to Bill Bailey, Jo Brand and Richard Griffiths.

State of the world at years end? Well, it aint really very good, though good things and good people still abound. It seems the world is more or less held to permenant ransom by the controlling bodies. As a democratic West sinks through trying to accommodate the world, other dictatoral bodies tighten their grip. People seem to be rebelling all over the world and a shift continues to shift against all odds. Media seems totally up its arse. I hear folks saying we were all fooled by the financial situation. Were they? I think a lot of people saw what was going to happen a vcry long time ago, and any slide is just the continuation of a slide that began a long time ago.

Next year I suppose there will be a lot more blood on the streets as a growing populus become more and more desperate. Environmental concerns have have a bit of a backseat as global politics dominates. It's hard to remain positive in a world full of litter and noise, but one does try.

We watch with interest what will happen in Europe, the US and now in China and Russia.

I have enough projects to keep me from dwelling on this subject too long.

Doctors

So, I just spent 1000 Baht on a second visit to the doctor. She prescibed me three more medicines to counteract the side effects of the previous three medecines I was prescibed for my back ache. I checked the bill, 300 baht for the quack's advice, 700 Baht for the drugs. What a joke. My tummy went all hard and insides felt awful.

So, I came home and didn't take any of them. Just drank a ton of water, and hey the next day I feel a lot better. ANd you know, you can't sue Thai doctors. When they tried to introduce the right to do so, they went on strike.

On happier notes I have started watching Breaking Bad, S1E1 was awesome.

Grace was in a show at school yesterday. It would have been ok if the 2 muppet teachers weren't shouting so much that my eardrums stopped bleeding. Holy fuck.

Picked up some more private work for next week which will mean an hour every weekday. It will bring in a bit more cash which will be cool.

Found some ok red wine for 320 baht a bottle.

Been listening to the radion and heard a great live album review of 1964 BB King's Live at the Regal. Hunted it down and it is cracking. Messaged muso Tom who was mightily impressed as he didn't know of it either. Get it. It will blow yer socks off. Love the line, "I gave you 7 children, Now you wanna give 'em back." too which the crowd (black, Chicago, 1964) goes crazy.

Been taking Grace swimming and walks at the lake at the uni. Very happy family times with Oi and Gracie right now. Don't need nuthin' else.

Movie Time

Holiday is going well so far. I watched a couple of great movies, The River Murders and The Help.

I have been walking in the rubber plantations, reading and listening to the radio.

Boxing Day

It doesn't really exist here, but it is Boxing Day. Grace is back at school and I begin a 2 week holiday. We will be staying at home and taking it easy. I have to get regular exercise however. That's top of my agenda. I will also be playing World of Tanks and watching movies.

Christmas Day was fabulous. Grace wasn't terribly enamoured by the presents but we went swimming which she loves, although this time she swallowed some water and was a tad cold. Then we went to the lake at the university where a young girl made friends with her. She loves being outside more than anything. It was quite windy and fresh for a change. We stopped off at 7-11 which she finds wonderful, eyes agog with shelves of goodies.

She watched the Snowman at least three times and finally fell asleep.

As time ticks by, family life becomes more and more comfy and the way I want to spend my time.

So this is Christmas

Today at school we did the Christmas show, which was amazing, even by my high standards. These catholic institutions really know how to get the dollars. Show upon show of beautiful costumes witnessed by a flock of nuns and rich eager parents dripping with gold and sporting Ipad 2 cameras.

I played Santa and hurled sweets around the auditorium in my usual fashion. Eventually, I was relieved of duty and took a slow ride home. I cracked open the wine, cheese, and smoked ham and chilled out to a second listen of John Peel.

I have acquired Kate Bush's last few albums; Ariel and 50 words for snow for my festive break listening and am doggedly determined to spend some quality time listening to the radio and some fine podcasts during my 2 week break.

I got Grace a wicked stocking and lots of pressies to fill it, so she can wake up on Sunday morning to a frenzy of present opening. Oil can't understand why I refuse to let her have any presents early.

It's been good. The Danish Blue cheese, Ritz biscuits, wine (Chili), palma ham, olives have made all the difference. It ain't bad at all. The James Bond season on TV has added something too.

Merry Christmas one and all.

Santa's Coming to Town

OI and Grace are back from a week in Chum Pon.

It was okay being on  my own. It was great and strange to be alone, though as the week wore on I had a slow realisation that if I lived alone again for very long I would probably not live very long. I found it hard to motivate myself to do anything, though later in the week I got back into exercise and started on some great plans.

I have been suffering with back ache for the past six months and I finally got to the docs yesterday. Thankfully, it isn't serious, but tight muscles that need to be relaxed. Sitting in the classroom, or in front of the PC frezzing my body into a motionless state. Now I am trying to loosen up those muscles and give myself some flexibility.

I have been swimming a lot and started the walk near my house again, both of which are great. I am sure any father with appreciate the space to free ones mind and body in vigorious and solo exercise.

Grace is really developing now and is more of a human and less of a baby. She is very communicative and I am glad to say speaks to me in English straight away after her week long stint at the farm.

Witnessing these sparks of fire across the world is interesting and the whole movement is gathering momentum. However, comes with it awful crimes and brutality. It's on a biblical scale. Money and greed are destroying the Earth in every corner. Every year at school the teachers say the kids are getting worse and worse. Thailand is a great place to witness the change in generations. UNtil very recently taught these ancient ways of calm and acceptance, now force fed Angry Birds and violent comics, mocile phones and designer clothing, they are tearing each other apart. Oi said the King was weeping at what his country has become.

Heavy rain still dominates the skyline and Mater sent me some Peter Storm waterproof trousers after my Thai bought ones fell apart upon donning the feeble garnment.

Socially I see Tony fairly frequently and we battle it out in World of Tanks. I see Tom about once or twice a month and that's it. I have bumped into Patrick at the gym. He is amiably enough, but lectures me solely on health and fitness, never straying from this subject. I nod politely and resume swimming.

I think I have evolved now from needing buddies. Family is number one and occupies my time more than enough. As usual it is my body that requires attention and is the hardest part for me to solve. I seem to be naturally stressed and strained. Mighty efforts to relax and loosen my muscles seem to have the reverse effect.

Damn it, I have to jump around in the Santa outfit again this Friday.

Catching Up

A three day weekend and highly relaxing. Surprisingly, I slept a lot and today got back into In Our Time, because of two people whom I had given or recommended the series, recently praised the show and how fascinating they had found it. With my new friend, Crazy David, I had sparelying restricted my "lends" to him to perhaps three episodes, carefully picked, mind you, that being "The Fischer King" and "Anarchism" both of which he thoroughly enjoyed and reported back to me on.

Great shows.

I have been slowly ploughing through Skyrim and trying to only play when I relish the experience, as opposed to, hacking through it. The dungeons are so good, it is criminal to rush through it.

Watching 'The Brest Fortress"

Loving reading Book 4 of Game of Thrones.

Am somewhat worried by the amount of time I spend in fantasy worlds. If I spent my time looking at real issues and doing real things, think how much cleverer I would be. What is it that courses me to do this?

Trip to Songkhla

Back from a night in a wonderful hotel in Songkhla. Actually the one I stayed in with Mum and Rob a few years ago. I spied the balcony where I shared a beer with Rob many moons ago and felt a tinge of sadness.

The pool was great and Grace had her first proper swim and was exstatic with joy. We went to the night market and bought some food and came back to the lovely room and ate out on the balcony. I brought a rare can of Amstel beer with me to enjoy. A friend had brought me a crate back from the Malaysian border. This morning we shot  over to the zoo. Only in Thailand can you ride your bike around a zoo, getting off when you see some groovy animal worth checking out. We shot all over the place looking at tigers, bears, parrots, snakes, hippos and turtles.

We nearly then went home but a second detour past Waterworld and Oi gave in to my suggestions of a visit. Grace went mental at the baby water slide and I took her about a long flowing river. Oi rented an inflatable ring for her.

On the way home G fell asleep.

It was only one day but we packed a lot in and had a thoroughly enjoyable time.

Back home now to chill out and continue my quest across Skyrim.