Porthole

32nd week

 

A word to you who would rape the world,
that only care about babies that look like you.
I could oblige... if I wanted to.
But... do not make my womb a warzone.
Weapons are not welcome
in this sacred spot. in "Tawny"

 

1 พฤศจิกายน 2565 Arriving ICN-BKK

31 ตุลาคม 2565 Leaving MSO-SEA-ICN

30 ตุลาคม 2565

Calm but not very bright ______. Morning? Me?

It's "Let's Lose Our Lugnuts" type of day. I've managed to mismanage my time so all isn't going quite as well as hoped. That said, if I tackle this and that for the next 12 hours I'll be fine. My first flight leaves tomorrow at 11:20.

I need to be prepared to make a mad-dash when I arrive in Bangkok 🇹🇭. My hostel is on the Skyline 10 minutes (two stops) from the BKK (Suvarnabhumi) airport... but flight scheduled to arrive at 22:50 and line shuts down at midnight?

But that's when I arrive. For now... breathe, focus, drink coffee.

BP at 10:50: 147/83.

Finished transcribing entries into my journal. Relieved. I only take the new notebook with me.

Saw Jay, John, Alishka.

I know there's a someone/somewhere out there. But packing is next.

BP: 161/90 pulse 73 at 10:30 after Julian cut my hair (their first haircut!). Good job. Van Wickman down the hall approved of it too.

Scott will take me in the morning at 8:30... time to find some copper-fit socks, nose-pads for my glasses, a camera... We'll see. It's on the way to the airport. Even if I waste an hour at a store I'll still be there an hour before my flight.

Time to finish packing. My clothes are laid out in proper order.

But first... take a shower.

29 ตุลาคม 2565

Cherry pastry, chocolate-hazelnut milkshake. No mail. Saw Charles, Cathy Mae, Lundy. Ballot mailed.

There was frost on the bridge this morning, but no deep freeze until after I'm gone.

Last farmers market. Said goodbye.

Transcibed up to September 4th... felt tired. Crossed the bridge and saw Barbara... my quizzical look received the reply, "it's not purple". She was wearing a navy jacket... she's worn purple for years but couldn't find a replacement. Folks are confused... not just me.

BP 116/69 ... I wanted it to come down but that's drastic, plus pulse is up to 85 from 65. Should I be worried? *sigh* No time for drama.

Cooking pumpkin... power surge strip died... fortunately I have another.

I'm leaving Monday morning?

Egg-drop pumpkin cream-of-chicken soup.

Visited with Scott and then did my wash. All hung up by 9:30. Half will be dry in the morning.

Gonna watch "Big Dragon" ... because I can.

28 ตุลาคม 2565

36 and this morning. Calmer than the turbulence I feel before my trip. Seat 14A awaits me Monday morning; any bad weather arrives later that day. My place looks trashed but it's mostly empty boxes and picking up. On my list: Pay November and December rent. Reserve first three nights in Krungthep. Resolve camera... couldn't find one yesterday. Of course... pack.

It's nice when people are nice.

Last minute hysteria continues...

Didna get trip stuff printed out. Still fighting with email. But... sat with Kay and Merry. Merry gave me a bag of goodies-to-go, including new compression socks.

Visited with Rosmary (witches hat and srilankan broom). She's been places. Hope to see her when I return.

Chatted with Jamie for awhile. Saying good-bye to everyone? Missed some.

BP 140/78 pulse 74. This is okay. I may never be 'normal' again.

Finishing Episode 12 of "Eclipse". I was satisfied in spite of feeling a tad rushed towards the end and 'something's missing' in Ep. 11. Could've used 14 episodes.

Met with Birgit about upcoming election. I'll fill out and post tomorrow. May leave a couple blank. Two very important issues locally are obvious though. Voting yes on Prop. 131 basically criminalizes pregnancy... so NO, and Monica is a decent person... her opponent is questionable.

New chromebook = new headaches. Finally have facebook; still fighting to get email... WdC isn't posting the messages sent to them. I don't recommend it for a recovery account.

Tyla is helping me find a place in Bangkok.

27 ตุลาคม 2565

There's nothing spooky about a graveyard. Those of us who live here will admit that it's quite boring, and that our days of never ending drama are long past, over and done. Once planted in the soil there's only so much to bitch about; although, that never stops Quentin. He keeps wailing about choking on a kumquat. We suspect the truth to be a bit more... juicy...

3°C | 38°F at 9 in the morning. 32-30/22-18 all week in MahaSarakham. A couple degrees warmer in Bangkok. I should arrive to partially sunny. It's rainy in Bangkok today but drying out in Isaan.

Didn't sleep that well. I may be a bit achy from moving boxes yesterday evening.

Frustrated trying to access a certain email account that has WdC as a backup... don't know what's gone wrong.
BP 137/81 pulse 79. I thought it would be soaring...

I bought a new LeNovo chromebook as the one I've used for 3 years has a crack in it. $99 on sale.

Bought shoes, similar to Tevas, for $11 at Target on clearance.

Bought other stuff for trip.

26 ตุลาคม 2565

"A man called Otto" is a remake of the the Swedish movie "En mann som heter Ove"... so we'll see. Tom Hanks can play the part of an old cranky man; but, we'll see how much they change the story. The Saab/Volvo joke is Chevy/EV and frankly... falls flat. It's been tweaked to entertain American audiences. I'd encourage folks to watch the Swedish one first.

Many of the Thai TV shows are remakes of Japanese/Korean/Chinese manga or anime. Something is gained; something is lost.

✋
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Caught up to August 21st in my journal. Only one month left to transcribe.

Progress on boxes but didn't finish.

I renewed and decided that premium plus is best for me this year. If not... I can downsize next October.

Not traveling for two years means that I can occasionally splurge.

I'll be posting my trip to Thailand in "On The Write Path" . Please make it a favorite to travel with me.

26 ตุลาคม 2565

Too cold for me to go hunting for photos this morning. 1°C on 26.oktober.2022 at 9:30-ish.

Mornings are dark. Not just because the days are shorter or the sun lower in the sky or the increasing cloud cover. I live in the morning (mourning) shadow of a mountain. It takes time for the dawn's yawn to reach me. And until I have my first coffee or three... .

Today is checklist day.

25 ตุลาคม 2565

I made progress in transcribing my blog to my handwritten journal. Up to August 1st. Want to get done before Sunday.

4°C at 11 a.m. It was that temp at 11 last night.

Day of the Solar Eclipse. I should've been in Battambang Cambodia like my original plan. I didn't pay proper attention.

Soon the eclipse ... and all foreshadowing... lies on the other side... I'll pull the drapes... and shut it out. No one enters here — without my approval. Even the sun.

Sat with Billie Jo and Angie before going out.

Transfered money to my bank. Pumpkin pie at The Break. Saw Hobie. Saw Scott on the bridge; he moved back yesterday. Card from Lilli.

Only 7:30 and I'm very tired.

Not much progress with boxes. Decided to basically stack and neaten them up tomorrow, They will be there when I get back.

I have three work days to finalize plans. I need to focus. Saturday/Sunday I can finish packing.

24 ตุลาคม 2565

Monday. Got up late. Went to God's Waiting room for chicken fajitas. Sat with friends. Merry gave me N95 masks for the trip. One thing done.

I'm so far behind... what ends up getting done gets done. The rest?

Anyhoo... drinking coffee. Light and sweet.

Need to send postcard to Terry O'Neal... we helped get a confused lady to the bus stop. It feels good 'to be of some use'.

BP 157/89 pulse 69. Took a pill. It's early enough in the evening to not cause trouble.

Just ate garlic-hummus on garlic-butter crackers. Not meeting any other vampires tonight.

At this hour the answer is tea or water. What was your question?

Plane seats: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/i-was-a-flight-attendant-for-over-10-years...
Can't speak Swedish? https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/asian-american-speaks-out-about-racism-in-s...
Ace phobia: https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/love-sex/yes-christian-fascisms-anti-lgbtq-h...

Atlantic: It’s a dilemma. Journalists can’t stop covering Trump, but we do him a big favor, and the public none, by magnifying his presence, analyzing the tone of his every utterance, depending on his every obscenity for sales and distraction. If Trump runs again, journalists would do better to follow the money that supports him. Report on the party that has come to embody him. Talk with the people who vote for him. Explore the conditions of their lives. Dig into the issues that move them. Trace the lies that beguile them. And when Trump says nothing new, ignore him.
Atlantic: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/the-media-are-still-making-the-same-mista...
The grifter: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/we-regret-to-inform-you-that-donald-trump...

https://img.lalr.co/cms/2021/11/24164255/2021_Global_Law_and_Order_Report.pdf
https://www.msn.com/en-us/?ocid=EMMX&cvid=2b800598a47c46f4b627c88bc0d5d119
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/the-most-lawless-nation-in-the-world/ar-AA1...

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