Porthole

Tenth week of the New Year

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39 calm degrees at 7 a.m. Should be a nice day. Chicken on the menu.

I fell asleep early last night. Been doing that since I got back last week. Odd to be up so early. Cinnamon bread and coffee for breakfast.

My window is mostly open now. Need to find better way to deal with the dryness though.

Lunch with Merry. Chat with Laxmi and Dalton. I needed the social interaction today.

24

Minor nightmare, spare sleep, up at 7:30. 44 degrees. Warming.

Realities #1: What does your reflection in the mirror tell you? I'm old. And not in the way I imagined it would be. I always thought I'd have my teeth. Recently I'm also losing weight.

Posted on fb: "They (African tribe) are a civilized people, just not barbaric Judeo-Christians intent on killing anyone who disagrees with them. Read the OT, consider the Crusades, know that Russia-Ukraine is also religious warfare."

Sat with Laxmi and Maureen.

Primaries... should I care? I'll look at trends and what pulls people in.

25

Up a tad late at 8:00. Goofed with Wordle but got it in 6. I've done 66 without missing (6/6 only once before).

Realities: You have decided to emigrate, where are you going to live? I've thought about it. Portugal would be an obvious choice. Europe in general is better connected to everywhere. Easier to age in a place that has a better social network. Plus, laid back and fairly tolerant.

Travel advice: If you prepare for the worst, hope for the best and expect something in between, you’ll likely wind up all right. Get excited at the prospect of spreading your wings once again.

Clouds peed on me, but no harm done.

Bought butter at $6/lb. Chicken thighs are $1/lb. Splurged and bought a big can of maple-bacon beans.

26

Gonna get toasty! For one day... they say...

Up at 07:00. Sun blazing over Mt. Jumbo.

Realities: "What smell brings about good memories?" Pachouli! It's the 70s and I was young and stupid. I'm still stupid at times. Patchouli is nauseating to some but it's soothing to me.

Chat with Angie and Billie Jo.

Shrimp for lunch. Beans and toast for 'tea'.

80 degrees at 4 o'clock. Rain will come in over night.

Gasoline is $4.49/gal.

27

60 degrees at 9 a.m. Up late. But I rewatched ATOTS ep. 9 last night. Now finished ep. 10, the fimale.

Sprinkled overnight.

Thoughts of Thailand. I've been working on memorializing my trip to Portugal. Need to work on that today.

Realities: "What were you doing this time last year?" Struck at home stressing over cleaning. Very depressed and not doing well. Felt trapped.

Thought: I'm not your gangster or an ATM. I could be your lover or your very best friend.

Windy evening. Storm blowing in.

Watching Thai TV series again... not bad news... as long as I remember to do chores and other real-life obligations.

28

Up late, dark morning... but took shower by 9. Coffee...

Market: Greek pastry from Athina, 3 baking potatoes, 6 duck eggs.

Butterfly Herbs. Saw folks including Lundy. Fire&Ice milkshake and coffee.

29

Up before 8, showered, now semi-caffeinated on this dismal morning.

Computer is acting up. Interesting how we become addicted to technology. Are we all into *speed*?

Realities: Did you find it easy to get along with your peers when you were growing up?

No. I was raised differently and as a child who was small, weak and couldn't see I didn't join in with their 'reindeer' games. In high school I did better with those younger and older.

I told Jeff: "I don't watch television and seldom go to movies. I watch on youtube!

I watched all episodes of "Siew Sum Noi" (Thai TV BL, no title in English). It takes place in Isaan (Northeast Thailand) which is an area I intend to visit this year. The premise is cliche in many ways but the acting isn't too bad and I find the music/poetic genre 'mo lam' interesting (think country x rap). Good portrayal of the local culture.

I'm painfully watching "7 หนุ่ม 7 วัน" (It's title in Thai). It isn't quite so well done. It's from Laos and they just don't have the resources (it's a much poorer and less populated country). Other than the Pepsi ads (which I find funny) I'm not learning much.

One thing I like about Thai productions is that Thais use facial and body expressions, unlike Korean or British. There's quite an industry of very talented young actors. There's enough money and expertise that the directing and camera work is superb (at times as good as Bollywood/Hollywood imho). Subtitles are helpful, but by now I know what's going on just by watching the actors interact. Original scores and use of music is top-notch."

Chat with Billie Jo and Birgit and then Drew as I did a wash on a rainy evening.

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