Tuesday, August 28, 2007: Sickly
I woke up Monday morning feeling very ill. Thus all my normal activities have come to a halt and I've spent the last two days pilled up and full of herbal tea. Sleep has been the order of the day and I am beginning to feel slightly better.
Sunday, August 26, 2007: Lazy Sunday
I wasn't feeling so hot yesterday. I actually slept much of the day. In the afternoon however Sandy and I went over to Siam Center for Japanese with the intent of meeting her friends after. After we'd had our dinner we went to Siam Paragon and hung out at Starbucks for a while.
The meeting of friends was delayed and postponed and I grew more and more weak. In any event Sandy went to meet them and I just took the BTS home as I was beginning to feel dizzy. I got back to the SOL and just zoned out with a movie then crashed.
I slept much of today. I've had a headache for two days now. (it's NOT a toooomore). Sandy and I watched some chick-flick this afternoon - a Hollywood attempt at a British romantic comedy. It was okay by chick-flick standards but dragged on and on.
Tonight we watched MI:3 which made up for it. Not a bad movie actually and certainly far better than Mission Impossible 2 which cast Jumping Tom as Whiley Coyote in an endless series of impossible to perform or survive stunts.
Saturday, August 25, 2007: Nong's Wedding
Yesterday Sandy and I went to her friend Nong's wedding reception. Her friends came over to ours to change and we grabbed a taxi from here and headed over to the reception hall which was way across town beyond the end of the BTS Silom line. The taxi ride took forever since traffic was bad.
The reception was held in a hall part of a school and there was quite a few people. Sandy and I were all done up and perhaps a bit over dressed. We sat at a table with other friends and the catering staff brought of around various dishes. The duck was outstanding but all the following plates were less so. I thought it was me but later Sandy complained about it too. The Sharks Fin soup was awful which surprised me. The stuff I'd had at Sandy's Sister's house warming was so good.
Duck, Fish, and Shark's Fin soup
Diabolical Thai desserts
We left at around 10 pm which was fine by me. The effects of whisky and karaoke were beginning to take hold of some of the guests. Sandy and I went to Hard Rock. She wanted to see her friend Ying and some others who were there, and I wanted to eat some nachos. We got home at around 12:30 although it seemed later to me.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007: Nash The Slash Rises Again
This video is from locally produced TV Ontario show called "Night Music" (which got re-ran in the afternoon) could be blamed for all my years of bizarre music making. Before Fripp, before Belew, there was Nash the Slash.
Picture if you will oh my Brothers your humble narrator, laying in Humber Memorial Hospital, cooked the gills on Demerol and watching THIS.
Now you may understand what Anne always understood.
Monday, August 20, 2007: Sandy Returns
Sandy made it back safe and sound from the big vote in Khorat City. She told me that her parents voted "No" but many people in the area didn't vote at all and some didn't even know what was going on.
The traffic wasn't actually that bad however when the reached the outskirts of Bangkok it came to a crawl as we had a big storm at around 5:00 pm. The morning had been absolutely brilliant so I didn't mind the big rain later.
Sandy brought some Chok Chai Farms pasteries but they were aparently almost sold out of the ones we like. Perhaps its for the best.
Sunday, August 19, 2007: Referendum Day
I always have the most dreadful time sleeping without Sandy there. Even though I get all the blankets. I actually slept in rather late today. Normally I’m up by 6:00ish or there abouts. Today I woke up around 10:00 am which is unheard of.
It was so beautiful out today. I went over to Siam Paragon for some lunch and on the way ran into one of the polling stations. It was set up blocking the sidewalk in front of Coco Walk.
Siam Paragon wasn’t that crowded although there were a lot more people than I’d expected. I think people may have gone to vote then gone for lunch after. I did my usual rounds of stores. I picked up the newest “Queens of the Stone Age” CD. I have resisted since the last one was a disappointment. This one I have to say is truly outstanding although rather twisted.
I stopped at Starbucks for a coffee then walked back to the SOL. On my way back past Coco Walk the polls had closed and they were taking apart the polling booth so I got a couple photos from a distance.
Sandy called me from Khorat after she voted and before she went back to the cell phone signal dead zone around the Jungle Outpost. Tomorrow has been designated a holiday so that people can come back from the provinces after the vote. I would expect she’ll get home rather late because of the traffic.
I watched the Referendum results as they came in. As it stands no 58.3 % voted for the Draft Constitution and 41 % voting no. 2% of the ballots where spoiled. Early on it looked like the yes would be 70% for. That changed when they started bringing in the votes from the north east provinces.
Saturday, August 18, 2007: Minn's Birthday
Today was Minn’s Birthday so Sandy and I had to head over there early. The referendum on the draft Constitution is tomorrow so we wanted to beat the mass exodus out of the city for all those who have to go to their home province to vote.
We left early enough that the traffic wasn’t too bad and made good time. On the way over we passed a Police escorted convoy of about ten Army trucks carrying ballet boxes for the referendum.
Dang, Vet, Pet and Pluk arrived not to long after we did as did Pooh, Ree and her Husband. Mikey was there although he is heading the UK tomorrow morning. The weather today was outstanding. Warm but not overly humid and the sky was nice and blue with fluffy Simpson’s clouds. I parked myself out on the patio at the table under the big umbrella and let the day unfold with as little movement as possible.
Scottish Bob showed up so he joined Mikey and I at the patio table while Sandy and her family made a hubcap barbeque. The kids ran about but there was a smaller contingent this year so there wasn’t any injuries or disruptions. Pluk got into some of the baked treats and managed to eat most of them much to everyone’s amusement. Fortunately he didn’t get the cake.
At around 5:30 pm it started to cloud over and it wasn’t long before Mikey, Bob and I were the only ones still outside. Everyone else scrambled and brought stuff inside and the barbeque was moved under the garage. By 6:00 pm the rain came down and eventually we had to abandon our position at the patio and go inside as well.
Julian came at around 8:30 pm when she was finished work and I took her taxi back into the city. Sandy stayed there as she’s going with her family up to Khorat to vote in the referendum tomorrow. I went to Fresh Milk and had a bite then came back here.
Thursday, August 16, 2007: The Truth About The Music Industry
Chucky Cheese automatons reprogrammed to lip sync to music industry pop automatons. Ironic, isn't it?
Tuesday, August 14, 2007: Thela Hun Ginjeet
More King Crimson. Just because.
Imagine what Belew's guitar antics could do to an impressionable 17 year old lad back in 1981.
Sunday, August 12, 2007: Mother's Day
Today is the Thai Queen’s Birthday, which also serves as Thailand’s equivalent to Mother’s Day. Sandy and I met her Sister Dang, Pluk and Pet over at the MK near their place. Vet couldn’t join us as he is on a night shift. Sandy and I took a taxi over then did some shopping before meeting up with them. I was starving as we only had one actual meal yesterday. MK was of course packed due it being “Mother’s Day”.
Afterwards we walked around the market a bit then Sandy bought a bunch of soy milk from a vender on the street. Afterwards we took a taxi back to Pet’s Place. We hung out there the rest of the day. I had brought my XioSynth with me and spent an hour or two sitting in the dining room reprogramming patches on it. There are some original ones I hadn’t replaced as of yet and a few of my own that I doubt I’ll use again.
This little light of mine...
At around 7:30 pm it was time to light candles in honor of the Queen. I’ve never been part of this before so it was interesting. The main ceremony is held at the Grand Palace and is televised live. Everyone watches it and when the Royals light their candles so does the populace. Pluk and Pet were very enthused at the whole process. When the time came we all had little bee’s wax candles that were lit and then everyone proceeded to sing the King’s anthem followed by some repeated phrases, the meaning of which I didn’t understand. Afterwards Pet mounted our candles outside of their Aunt’s little Convenience shop.
Sandy and I got a taxi back to the SOL at around 8:30 pm. Traffic was challenging as the fire works at the Grand Palace had just finished.
Saturday, August 11, 2007: Saturday Paragon
Sandy and I met up with our friend Steve from Singapore at the Starbucks in Siam Paragon this afternoon. We walked over and hung out with him there for a bit. He had to meet someone so afterwards Sandy and I went and had dinner at Fuji in the Siam Center. Afterwards we went movie shopping at Siam Discovery and then headed back to the Paragon to get a few groceries and things we needed. We took the BTS back to ours and I went for a swim.
