New Year's Eve 2014/2015

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We are hanging in there, and this year we escaped flooding once again (unlike the dread year of our 2011 Flood), although southern Thailand has had some bad flooding this year. We now have a very brief respite from the worst of the tropical heat. The year 2014 started with anti-government protests, mass demonstrations, and a bit of violence. But the Royal Thai Army stepped in with a coup d’etat on 22 May and declared martial law. Parliament was sent home. We had an Army squad on the corner by the police station for quite a while, but Thailand has seemed to quiet down for the time being.

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Our biggest personal loss this year was the passing of dear Mommy Kitty. She had been sick for a long time, and one day when at her lowest ebb she crept off to die in private. We miss her. (I still intend to write more about her heroic motherhood.) She slept by my feet for years, and I still roll over carefully in the night, thinking that she might be there. But a new generation showed up in the form of little Jiuu, a rescued kitten that is tearing up everything in reach. Together with Willy and Pinkie, Tuk and I are celebrating at home tonight.

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Of the many books I’ve read this year, here are some of my favorites (with links to any reviews):

On the Nature of Things by Lucretius;

Cato: a tragedy (1713) by Joseph Addison

Classic exposes of Scientology by Russell Miller and Jon Atack

The Eiger Sanction by Trevanian

The Darkship series by Sarah Hoyt

Ayn Rand: the Russian radical by Chris Matthew Sciabarra (not yet reviewed).

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The best movie I’ve seen this year:

Whiplash, without a doubt.

Honorable mention:

Edge of Tomorrow.

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-Zenwind.

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