.
15 January 2011: Not a lot to report – only that the weather continues to be much less humid than the norm for the rest of the year and that it is (so rarely!) comfortable indoors and out, except for the damn mosquitoes. The cold I caught between Christmas and New Years is finally gone, but I interrupted my exercise routines when I was feeling down and so I am fighting the uphill battle to get back in shape.
.
I just finished watching the 10-hour HBO miniseries “The Pacific,” and I wish my father could have lived to see it. Excellent movie-making and attention to historical details.
.
In a related matter, I posted to my Zenwind blog, linked here, about a nightmare episode I had around 15 years ago. (Not mealtime reading.)
.
-Zenwind.
.
15 January 2011
31 December 2010
New Year’s Eve 2010/2011
.
31 December 2010. I’ve been reading and enjoying yet another Dan Simmons novel, this one a horror story named Children of the Night (1992). It takes place mostly in the immediate chaos of post-Ceausescu Romania, and the horror a reader experiences here is not just from the vampires but also the horrors revealed of the recent communist regime there. The astounding occurrence of HIV among babies in state orphanages in Romania in the Ceausescu-era communist state; the remaining thuggish legacy of the socialist police state; it is all chilling. Add to this the local lore of Dracula, aka, Vlad Dracul Tepes (The Impaler) – is he a historical figure now long gone for centuries, or is he truly Undead? Some of the best historical research on Dracula is evident.
.
People watching: I’ve been sitting outside in the shade watching people cross the small nearby intersection of sidestreets (aka, sois). From my hideaway spot, I can view the soi without being seen easily. A lurker in the afternoon shadows.
.
I will have to declare myself on the side of the Stoics when it comes to basic human nature: i.e., people make up one huge universal family (aka, a “universal brotherhood of man”). Although I am profoundly retarded when it comes to learning foreign languages, I can still observe the obvious universal human behaviors. Groups of kids and adults here still show typical group behavior, e.g., leaders/followers, slackers/hard working entrepreneurs, good faith/bad faith, confidence/un-sureness. Loners/Lone wolves.
.
I managed to catch a head-cold right after Christmas, and I’ve always thought the hardest colds to kick are the ones you catch in warm weather. My voice is still so bad that the cats scatter when I try to speak.
.
It’s a nice afternoon, with temps not getting up above the 80sF, and the humidity is quite tolerable. Yet I still lit a mosquito coil and set it upwind of my chair. Biting critters still bite us every single day and night of the year, even now in our “winter.”
.
I came back from a grocery run – the usual: ice, noodles, beer, plus a new fluorescent light bulb. The main soi is pretty quiet, because during this New Year holiday a lot of folks have left town to visit family in the provinces. Mass migrations, always with the worst traffic casualties of the year.
.
I just saw one young family of 4 saddled up to go for a multi-day trip. They were all on one motorcycle, and the father and mother had small/medium backpacks and shoulder bags. First on the cycle was a little boy, sitting in front of his father and partially on the gas tank; then the father, driving the machine; then a little girl; and at the end was the mother, hanging on to the back of the seat. I felt sorry for the little girl because, sandwiched as she was between father and mother, she couldn’t see the scenery. Hope their trip goes well and they return safe.
.
I was planning on reading more while sitting outside, but my music player has been playing some Miles Davis jazz, and that just makes me lean back and smile. With a big pint mug full of Chang Classic beer and ice, it’s all so Cool and Collected.
.
Evening shadows are bringing in the more aggressive mosquitoes, so I’m going back inside. We will be back out for the fireworks.
.
Happy New Year!
.
-Zenwind.
.
P.S. – Just logging on to send this, I received the bad news that Nomads pub, the great live music venue, is closing. There was always only a few of us there listening to fantastic music from acts such as The Soi Dogs Blues Band. So one shouldn’t be too surprised. Thais have been killing their tourist industry by frequent violence and puritanical alcohol laws, and the Euro and US Dollar have tumbled so far in exchange that one’s purchasing power is not what it used to be. The US$ has lost 1/3 of its value to the Thai Baht in the last few years. Thus, the good music venues have been drying up.
.
31 December 2010. I’ve been reading and enjoying yet another Dan Simmons novel, this one a horror story named Children of the Night (1992). It takes place mostly in the immediate chaos of post-Ceausescu Romania, and the horror a reader experiences here is not just from the vampires but also the horrors revealed of the recent communist regime there. The astounding occurrence of HIV among babies in state orphanages in Romania in the Ceausescu-era communist state; the remaining thuggish legacy of the socialist police state; it is all chilling. Add to this the local lore of Dracula, aka, Vlad Dracul Tepes (The Impaler) – is he a historical figure now long gone for centuries, or is he truly Undead? Some of the best historical research on Dracula is evident.
.
People watching: I’ve been sitting outside in the shade watching people cross the small nearby intersection of sidestreets (aka, sois). From my hideaway spot, I can view the soi without being seen easily. A lurker in the afternoon shadows.
.
I will have to declare myself on the side of the Stoics when it comes to basic human nature: i.e., people make up one huge universal family (aka, a “universal brotherhood of man”). Although I am profoundly retarded when it comes to learning foreign languages, I can still observe the obvious universal human behaviors. Groups of kids and adults here still show typical group behavior, e.g., leaders/followers, slackers/hard working entrepreneurs, good faith/bad faith, confidence/un-sureness. Loners/Lone wolves.
.
I managed to catch a head-cold right after Christmas, and I’ve always thought the hardest colds to kick are the ones you catch in warm weather. My voice is still so bad that the cats scatter when I try to speak.
.
It’s a nice afternoon, with temps not getting up above the 80sF, and the humidity is quite tolerable. Yet I still lit a mosquito coil and set it upwind of my chair. Biting critters still bite us every single day and night of the year, even now in our “winter.”
.
I came back from a grocery run – the usual: ice, noodles, beer, plus a new fluorescent light bulb. The main soi is pretty quiet, because during this New Year holiday a lot of folks have left town to visit family in the provinces. Mass migrations, always with the worst traffic casualties of the year.
.
I just saw one young family of 4 saddled up to go for a multi-day trip. They were all on one motorcycle, and the father and mother had small/medium backpacks and shoulder bags. First on the cycle was a little boy, sitting in front of his father and partially on the gas tank; then the father, driving the machine; then a little girl; and at the end was the mother, hanging on to the back of the seat. I felt sorry for the little girl because, sandwiched as she was between father and mother, she couldn’t see the scenery. Hope their trip goes well and they return safe.
.
I was planning on reading more while sitting outside, but my music player has been playing some Miles Davis jazz, and that just makes me lean back and smile. With a big pint mug full of Chang Classic beer and ice, it’s all so Cool and Collected.
.
Evening shadows are bringing in the more aggressive mosquitoes, so I’m going back inside. We will be back out for the fireworks.
.
Happy New Year!
.
-Zenwind.
.
P.S. – Just logging on to send this, I received the bad news that Nomads pub, the great live music venue, is closing. There was always only a few of us there listening to fantastic music from acts such as The Soi Dogs Blues Band. So one shouldn’t be too surprised. Thais have been killing their tourist industry by frequent violence and puritanical alcohol laws, and the Euro and US Dollar have tumbled so far in exchange that one’s purchasing power is not what it used to be. The US$ has lost 1/3 of its value to the Thai Baht in the last few years. Thus, the good music venues have been drying up.
.
17 December 2010
Mid-December
.
17 December 2010. Woops! I forgot to post here on the middle of the month as I try to do. It has been a busy couple of weeks. What has most distracted me is just finishing up reading a Dan Simmons horror novel, Summer of Night (1991), a wonderful 600 page read that I may review at another time. I loved the book and could not put it down. Simmons is one of my all-time favorite writers.
.
I did get into the city yesterday for a meet up with friends and a major book-hunt, lugging back a backpack full of good volumes. I got home late and am still groggy. Bangkok still amazes me – what a wild town!
.
-ZW.
17 December 2010. Woops! I forgot to post here on the middle of the month as I try to do. It has been a busy couple of weeks. What has most distracted me is just finishing up reading a Dan Simmons horror novel, Summer of Night (1991), a wonderful 600 page read that I may review at another time. I loved the book and could not put it down. Simmons is one of my all-time favorite writers.
.
I did get into the city yesterday for a meet up with friends and a major book-hunt, lugging back a backpack full of good volumes. I got home late and am still groggy. Bangkok still amazes me – what a wild town!
.
-ZW.
30 November 2010
December Eve Note
.
30 November 2010: In the last fortnight I have been into Bangkok several times to visit with expat friends and have inspiring conversations. I also tried to catch some movies, e.g., “Red” and “Let Me In.” This last one is an English-language re-make of the original Swedish film “Let The Right One In” (2008), which I have on DVD. The re-make follows the original closely, and I think both are very good, telling a rather dark story of a young vampire and the bonding between two young 12-year-old outsiders.
.
I also got to listen to the Soi Dogs Blues Band – at Nomad's pub – for the first time in many months. Nothing like the Blues to make me feel like a young man again, especially when they are playing songs from my teen years. Their third song of the night was “Little Red Rooster,” a Willie Dixon song I first heard covered by The Rolling Stones on one of their early albums in about 1964 or 65. The Soi Dogs have two excellent blues guitarists who often trade off leads and really wail. An expat guess singer sang “Hey, Joe!” very well, and a bluesman from Texas who was passing through played/sang on several numbers, giving us some very authentic blues. A great night.
.
-Zenwind.
.
30 November 2010: In the last fortnight I have been into Bangkok several times to visit with expat friends and have inspiring conversations. I also tried to catch some movies, e.g., “Red” and “Let Me In.” This last one is an English-language re-make of the original Swedish film “Let The Right One In” (2008), which I have on DVD. The re-make follows the original closely, and I think both are very good, telling a rather dark story of a young vampire and the bonding between two young 12-year-old outsiders.
.
I also got to listen to the Soi Dogs Blues Band – at Nomad's pub – for the first time in many months. Nothing like the Blues to make me feel like a young man again, especially when they are playing songs from my teen years. Their third song of the night was “Little Red Rooster,” a Willie Dixon song I first heard covered by The Rolling Stones on one of their early albums in about 1964 or 65. The Soi Dogs have two excellent blues guitarists who often trade off leads and really wail. An expat guess singer sang “Hey, Joe!” very well, and a bluesman from Texas who was passing through played/sang on several numbers, giving us some very authentic blues. A great night.
.
-Zenwind.
.
15 November 2010
Mid-November Note Double Feature
.
15 November 2010. I just may have sorted out my major computer problems. I could never have done it myself, but I’m lucky to have the help of my expat buddy down in Bangkok and Tuk here to show me the way out of the darkness. Now I have a ton of emails to answer but probably cannot get to all of them. If you don’t hear from me regularly, check this blog, as I try to post twice a month at least.
.
Tuk got a 98% grade on her recent 50-hour English language course at her office, but I had been rather amazed, as I was helping her with her homework during that course, at how little she really knew about common English phrases and grammar points when she entered the course in August. We usually communicate adequately with each other in very abbreviated English words and phrases, but that doesn’t help her improve her knowledge of the language. This all points to me being a poor teacher to her for the years before this, and it also implies that she doesn’t understand – or care to clarify – most of what I say to her. Humbling.
.
The rains have stopped and the air is drier and “cooler.” The sun shines every day, which is very good for me, one who always suffered severe seasonal depression every November-December at 42* N latitude as the northern days got shorter and darker. (If you suffer the same way while living in the Dark North, get a full-spectrum light, because they really work, and your pets might like them too. I left mine in the States, because the hours of summer and winter daylight here are close to equal.)
.
I can now resume working on my suntan up on the roof – and maybe get in some astronomy as well. I broke out my climbing gear and did some needed work on my ladder system that goes from the 3rd story window of the house up to the roof. I replaced the fixed safety rope which parallels the ladder and which had been in the sun too long to be safe – UV from sunlight degrades nylon – and then I hung from it in my climbing harness while reinforcing the old rusty ladder with steel bar. The idea of the fixed rope is that I clip an ascender device on my harness onto the rope and then climb the ladder. The theory is that it will catch me if the ladder fails. I also have enough slings and gear to keep from getting hung up and to get up and down safely. In theory.
.
I must say that it feels good to be up high again. On this note, there is an old Zen motto which had summed up the Zen novice’s job description, and which I have amended.
.
The original Zen motto goes:
“Haul water. Chop wood.”
.
The Barlow Corollary:
“Climb high. Watch moon.”
.
Below is a separate blog post on the recent US mid-term elections.
.
-Zenwind.
.
15 November 2010. I just may have sorted out my major computer problems. I could never have done it myself, but I’m lucky to have the help of my expat buddy down in Bangkok and Tuk here to show me the way out of the darkness. Now I have a ton of emails to answer but probably cannot get to all of them. If you don’t hear from me regularly, check this blog, as I try to post twice a month at least.
.
Tuk got a 98% grade on her recent 50-hour English language course at her office, but I had been rather amazed, as I was helping her with her homework during that course, at how little she really knew about common English phrases and grammar points when she entered the course in August. We usually communicate adequately with each other in very abbreviated English words and phrases, but that doesn’t help her improve her knowledge of the language. This all points to me being a poor teacher to her for the years before this, and it also implies that she doesn’t understand – or care to clarify – most of what I say to her. Humbling.
.
The rains have stopped and the air is drier and “cooler.” The sun shines every day, which is very good for me, one who always suffered severe seasonal depression every November-December at 42* N latitude as the northern days got shorter and darker. (If you suffer the same way while living in the Dark North, get a full-spectrum light, because they really work, and your pets might like them too. I left mine in the States, because the hours of summer and winter daylight here are close to equal.)
.
I can now resume working on my suntan up on the roof – and maybe get in some astronomy as well. I broke out my climbing gear and did some needed work on my ladder system that goes from the 3rd story window of the house up to the roof. I replaced the fixed safety rope which parallels the ladder and which had been in the sun too long to be safe – UV from sunlight degrades nylon – and then I hung from it in my climbing harness while reinforcing the old rusty ladder with steel bar. The idea of the fixed rope is that I clip an ascender device on my harness onto the rope and then climb the ladder. The theory is that it will catch me if the ladder fails. I also have enough slings and gear to keep from getting hung up and to get up and down safely. In theory.
.
I must say that it feels good to be up high again. On this note, there is an old Zen motto which had summed up the Zen novice’s job description, and which I have amended.
.
The original Zen motto goes:
“Haul water. Chop wood.”
.
The Barlow Corollary:
“Climb high. Watch moon.”
.
Below is a separate blog post on the recent US mid-term elections.
.
-Zenwind.
.
Power Divided
.
15 November 2010. Here are some musings on the recent US mid-term elections. Power in Washington, DC is now divided up.
.
US politics bores me to death more and more as I see the same historical cyclic re-runs, decade after decade, with only name changes among the actors and parties. In longer historical views, it is the same. But in the overall philosophical view, I remain “cynically optimistic” about humanity’s future. I have hopes that someday, long after my own lifespan is over, humans may outgrow the perverse love of political power – much as the childhood bully finally grows up by learning to leave people alone and in peace (unless, of course, that bully grows up to be a politician, in which case he makes bullying a lucrative career).
.
Power in the US federal government is now divided up between the major parties, and that is always good, no matter who the particular players of the moment are. The division of political power is always better than a monopoly hold of power by one party or faction, and this holds true regardless of which party has been in power, whether it is the “liberals,” conservatives, Republicans, Democrats, etc. When one party holds all the reins of power, they commit mischief and grievous harm.
.
Stripped to essentials, the perennial political issue is Liberty versus Power, and the seductiveness of Power always gives it the advantage. (“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” said Lord Acton.)
.
Politicians of any stripe, while they take their turn as the minority opposition position in the cycle, will at that time express their most radical libertarian rhetoric. But the moment they gain any portion of power they arrogantly wield it and then some other individuals, from opposing factions or parties, lose liberties. As the astute songwriter for The Who, Pete Townshend, once put it: “Meet the new boss, Same as the old boss.” (See his full lyrics, below, to “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”)
.
The only thing saving real people from complete authoritarian domination by their government is this ongoing in-fighting amongst the power-grabbers, a kind of competition for the votes of a people not yet completely cowed – that, and a solid Constitution which somewhat chains down the monster of Power.
.
*
Won’t Get Fooled Again by Pete Townshend
.
“We’ll be fighting in the streets
With our children at our feet,
And the morals that they worship will be gone.
And the men who spurred us on
Sit in judgment of all wrong.
They decide and the shotgun sings the song.
.
[chorus]
“I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution,
Take a bow for the new revolution,
Smile and grin at the change all around,
Pick up my guitar and play,
Then I’ll get on my knees and pray,
We won’t get fooled again.
.
“The change, it had to come,
We knew it all along,
We were liberated from the fold, that’s all.
And the world looks just the same,
And history ain’t changed,
‘Cause the banners, they are flown in the next war.
.
[chorus]
.
“I’ll move myself and my family aside,
If we happen to be half left alive.
I’ll get all my papers and smile at the sky,
Though I know that the hypnotized never lie,
Do ya?
.
“There’s nothing in the streets
Looks any different to me.
And the slogans are replaced, bye-and-bye.
And the parting on the left
Are now the parting on the right,
And the beards have grown longer overnight.
.
[chorus]
.
“Meet the new boss,
Same as the old boss.”
.
[~lyrics by Pete Townshend ~ Performed by The Who~]
*
.
15 November 2010. Here are some musings on the recent US mid-term elections. Power in Washington, DC is now divided up.
.
US politics bores me to death more and more as I see the same historical cyclic re-runs, decade after decade, with only name changes among the actors and parties. In longer historical views, it is the same. But in the overall philosophical view, I remain “cynically optimistic” about humanity’s future. I have hopes that someday, long after my own lifespan is over, humans may outgrow the perverse love of political power – much as the childhood bully finally grows up by learning to leave people alone and in peace (unless, of course, that bully grows up to be a politician, in which case he makes bullying a lucrative career).
.
Power in the US federal government is now divided up between the major parties, and that is always good, no matter who the particular players of the moment are. The division of political power is always better than a monopoly hold of power by one party or faction, and this holds true regardless of which party has been in power, whether it is the “liberals,” conservatives, Republicans, Democrats, etc. When one party holds all the reins of power, they commit mischief and grievous harm.
.
Stripped to essentials, the perennial political issue is Liberty versus Power, and the seductiveness of Power always gives it the advantage. (“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” said Lord Acton.)
.
Politicians of any stripe, while they take their turn as the minority opposition position in the cycle, will at that time express their most radical libertarian rhetoric. But the moment they gain any portion of power they arrogantly wield it and then some other individuals, from opposing factions or parties, lose liberties. As the astute songwriter for The Who, Pete Townshend, once put it: “Meet the new boss, Same as the old boss.” (See his full lyrics, below, to “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”)
.
The only thing saving real people from complete authoritarian domination by their government is this ongoing in-fighting amongst the power-grabbers, a kind of competition for the votes of a people not yet completely cowed – that, and a solid Constitution which somewhat chains down the monster of Power.
.
*
Won’t Get Fooled Again by Pete Townshend
.
“We’ll be fighting in the streets
With our children at our feet,
And the morals that they worship will be gone.
And the men who spurred us on
Sit in judgment of all wrong.
They decide and the shotgun sings the song.
.
[chorus]
“I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution,
Take a bow for the new revolution,
Smile and grin at the change all around,
Pick up my guitar and play,
Then I’ll get on my knees and pray,
We won’t get fooled again.
.
“The change, it had to come,
We knew it all along,
We were liberated from the fold, that’s all.
And the world looks just the same,
And history ain’t changed,
‘Cause the banners, they are flown in the next war.
.
[chorus]
.
“I’ll move myself and my family aside,
If we happen to be half left alive.
I’ll get all my papers and smile at the sky,
Though I know that the hypnotized never lie,
Do ya?
.
“There’s nothing in the streets
Looks any different to me.
And the slogans are replaced, bye-and-bye.
And the parting on the left
Are now the parting on the right,
And the beards have grown longer overnight.
.
[chorus]
.
“Meet the new boss,
Same as the old boss.”
.
[~lyrics by Pete Townshend ~ Performed by The Who~]
*
.
10 November 2010
Marine Corps Birthday – 2010
.
It has been 235 years since John Adams stood up before the Continental Congress and made the motion that they create two battalions of Continental Marines. Recruiting soon began at Tun Tavern (appropriately) in Philadelphia, and the rest is history.
.
I celebrated 10 November 2010 by tipping a few pints, contemplating the Corps’ history, and by watching the James Cameron film Avatar (2009), which has an element of tribute to Marines, past, present and future. I wrote a review of the film and its relevance to the USMC here.
.
-Zenwind.
.
It has been 235 years since John Adams stood up before the Continental Congress and made the motion that they create two battalions of Continental Marines. Recruiting soon began at Tun Tavern (appropriately) in Philadelphia, and the rest is history.
.
I celebrated 10 November 2010 by tipping a few pints, contemplating the Corps’ history, and by watching the James Cameron film Avatar (2009), which has an element of tribute to Marines, past, present and future. I wrote a review of the film and its relevance to the USMC here.
.
-Zenwind.
.
01 November 2010
Halloween Note
.
In the spirit of Halloween, I posted the lyrics to “Werewolves of London," by Warren Zevon, on Zenwind. My favorite werewolf films are “Werewolf of London” (1935) starring Henry Hull; “The Wolf Man” (1941) starring Lon Chaney, Jr.; “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” (1957) starring Michael Landon; and “The Wolfman” (2010) starring Benicio Del Toro.
.
Ahooww-Oooooh!!!
.
In the spirit of Halloween, I posted the lyrics to “Werewolves of London," by Warren Zevon, on Zenwind. My favorite werewolf films are “Werewolf of London” (1935) starring Henry Hull; “The Wolf Man” (1941) starring Lon Chaney, Jr.; “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” (1957) starring Michael Landon; and “The Wolfman” (2010) starring Benicio Del Toro.
.
Ahooww-Oooooh!!!
.
14 October 2010
Mid-October Note and Nietzsche’s Birthday
.
Happy 166th birthday, Nietzsche, wherever you are! What a guy!
.
It is mid-October, and we are expecting the monsoon rains to end someday soon and for drier, cooler monsoon winds to come down from China. Things have generally been going very well for us, except that Tuk just came down with a bad flu, perhaps the 2009 variety. It could not have occurred at a worse time for her, as she is extremely busy at work with new responsibilities. I am feeling healthier now than I have in many years. I am in hopes of not catching Tuk’s flu virus.
.
I still do not have a reliably working computer at home, so I am posting this from an internet café. Without having time on the internet at home, I am reading a lot more using that quaint archaic information technology (which some of you older types will remember) called “books.” Using another archaic technology called “pen and paper,” I am writing notes and drafts for reviews.
.
Police presence on the streets is becoming more apparent these days, as there have been a lot of small bombings throughout the greater Bangkok area in recent months. One last week was in a district not too many klicks away from us in our own province, when a bomb-maker accidentally blew up himself and a few other people in his apartment building. They found one of his arms, and via fingerprints they identified him as a Red Shirt activist. Why am I not surprised?
.
I have just written a review of an extraordinary book that I have read: Mountains of the Mind: a history of a fascination by Robert Macfarlane (2003). I have posted the review on my main blog, “Zenwind,” here.
.
I just found another book that will be my immediate project to read and review: Climbing – Philosophy for Everyone: Because It’s There. It is another volume in the increasingly rich collections of books, from several publishers, each dealing with various subjects via philosophy, e.g., TV shows, books, movies, music, food, drink, etc. Stay tuned for a review notice of this climbing volume someday.
.
-Zenwind.
.
Happy 166th birthday, Nietzsche, wherever you are! What a guy!
.
It is mid-October, and we are expecting the monsoon rains to end someday soon and for drier, cooler monsoon winds to come down from China. Things have generally been going very well for us, except that Tuk just came down with a bad flu, perhaps the 2009 variety. It could not have occurred at a worse time for her, as she is extremely busy at work with new responsibilities. I am feeling healthier now than I have in many years. I am in hopes of not catching Tuk’s flu virus.
.
I still do not have a reliably working computer at home, so I am posting this from an internet café. Without having time on the internet at home, I am reading a lot more using that quaint archaic information technology (which some of you older types will remember) called “books.” Using another archaic technology called “pen and paper,” I am writing notes and drafts for reviews.
.
Police presence on the streets is becoming more apparent these days, as there have been a lot of small bombings throughout the greater Bangkok area in recent months. One last week was in a district not too many klicks away from us in our own province, when a bomb-maker accidentally blew up himself and a few other people in his apartment building. They found one of his arms, and via fingerprints they identified him as a Red Shirt activist. Why am I not surprised?
.
I have just written a review of an extraordinary book that I have read: Mountains of the Mind: a history of a fascination by Robert Macfarlane (2003). I have posted the review on my main blog, “Zenwind,” here.
.
I just found another book that will be my immediate project to read and review: Climbing – Philosophy for Everyone: Because It’s There. It is another volume in the increasingly rich collections of books, from several publishers, each dealing with various subjects via philosophy, e.g., TV shows, books, movies, music, food, drink, etc. Stay tuned for a review notice of this climbing volume someday.
.
-Zenwind.
.
30 September 2010
End of September Note
.
I am still not able to write much because of endless computer problems. But we are all doing very well and trying to stay dry during the delightfully cool monsoon rains. So no one should worry about us because of long silences. I am feeling better than ever, exercising and dieting. If I were still actively boxing, I would be a Middleweight now, having come down from the Heavyweight and Light-Heavyweight classes in recent months. Lean and meaner than ever.
.
My old computer is all but dead, but I saved important written document files even though I cannot use them yet. I have a new laptop, which is fast and sleek, but the store-installed software was pirated. A very good friend of mine has been extraordinarily helpful sorting through this mess for me and advising me, and he has remained cheerful throughout it all.
.
I have been sitting in front of screens so much lately, trying to figure out computer problems, that my hind-end is too sore to sit anymore, so I'm going into Bangkok to raid more bookstores and either meet up with libertarian friends or else catch the Soi Dogs Blues Band at Nomad's pub. ("A night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble.")
.
-Zenwind.
I am still not able to write much because of endless computer problems. But we are all doing very well and trying to stay dry during the delightfully cool monsoon rains. So no one should worry about us because of long silences. I am feeling better than ever, exercising and dieting. If I were still actively boxing, I would be a Middleweight now, having come down from the Heavyweight and Light-Heavyweight classes in recent months. Lean and meaner than ever.
.
My old computer is all but dead, but I saved important written document files even though I cannot use them yet. I have a new laptop, which is fast and sleek, but the store-installed software was pirated. A very good friend of mine has been extraordinarily helpful sorting through this mess for me and advising me, and he has remained cheerful throughout it all.
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I have been sitting in front of screens so much lately, trying to figure out computer problems, that my hind-end is too sore to sit anymore, so I'm going into Bangkok to raid more bookstores and either meet up with libertarian friends or else catch the Soi Dogs Blues Band at Nomad's pub. ("A night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble.")
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-Zenwind.
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