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NaBloPoMo#7 Short flight

Jodi suggests Delta next time I intend to fly... I do like Delta but Asian airlines like Asiana and ANA are so much better.

No, I didn't "fly" today; but, staying at home isn't good for my mental health. A short day trip may be in order.

It's better than bleaching the bathroom.

I've complained about getting few to no comments in the past. Today was a pleasant surprise. Eleven plus a merit badge? Not up to responding tonight but I will soon.

I'm lying in bed with the TV chattering in Thai at me.

I did get out and buy some staples (rice and coffee). Couldn't find ant poison though... We have ants. Exterminators come on the 9th but that's for the building in general.

In other gnus... Q-fakery season seems to be back. I'm tired of begging people to think rationally and genuinely care. I read YCC (Yale Climate Connections) as I'm truly interested in the weather and I have friends all over the globe. Q is there as well. Same with MSN and bookfate. Too many vulnerable folks I care about to brush off the attacks on truth and sanity. Yes, there's often more than one way to look at a situation but irrational conspiracies and name-calling exhaust me. And so much reminds me of high school bullying.

I've done my own research in the past and have work and life experience. Few are interested. The world moves faster than I can keep up with it. Some days I'm lonely; other days I'm useless.

But I pet two cats today and greeted neighbors... so there's that...

Today I pointed out to a WdC member that the Year 180 refers to the Baha'i calendar. It's not obtuse nor obscure but apparently most people don't know Baha'is, and we're used to using the calendars of other people. Kinda a one-way street. People in positions of running things don't have to accommodate anyone. That's why Black Folks need to know White Rules (so they don't get killed) while White Folks travel the world expecting to be catered to. See it all the time in my travels.

I'm no saint (saint I ain't) but I try to connect in spite of language and cultural barriers. I don't always succeed. WdC is a case in point. After 18 years I'm still an outsider. It's lonely outside.

To Sarah Rae on the newsfeed: I'm officially at 4520 which is fine. I'm doing NaBloPoMo, instead of NaNoWriMo, and using my blog comments and adding other thoughts and posting daily. 20k is a reasonable goal for me considering I may have a couple distractions to deal with this month.

How will I tie 1. wanting to jump out the window and 2. scrubbing the bathroom floor with bleach with 3. the minimum of reading and commenting on three blogs? That's my goal for today.

To Schnujo's NOT Doing NaNoWriMo responding to her newsfeed comment: "I looked out the window today and felt the urge to fly. I'm only 8 stories up... short flight.

I literally got on my hands and knees, poured bleach and scrubbed. I've removed most black spots on the tiles. Could it be mold? I don't care.

The WdC commenting has pitfalls. I didn't do well yesterday. My ability to express myself clearly is 'off'.

Depression and boredom and anxiety and ennui. I'm not well; but, I always get through these bouts... ▼

...until one day I won't.

I first came to Thailand one year ago.

I actually set my blog on a large font for Jodi. Not everyone has good eyesight. Mine has been iffy the last few months.

To Agent Goat on YCC: "There's a great meme about Native Americans wanting their land back. Note: the Cherokee were forced to move around 1835 and promised a seat in the House of Representatives. They are still waiting. Palestinians need to vacate because a group of people who have survived for nigh on 2,000 years want it back? Perhaps talk to the Moabites, the Canaanites, the Ammonites. The Samaritans still hold on. Part of my family immigrated to PA/NY from Sweden, other parts we aren't sure about (family secrets and lies) but originally? Who knows. Who cares. I'd be very surprised if I didn't have Neanderthal genes."

To Toesinthe water on YCC: re "Americans are all satisfied they are well-informed, no matter where they get their information. I mean, everybody but us, here!" It would actually be nice to have an 'open-answer' survey (1000 individuals) asking that question. The answers would most likely fall into 3-5 categories... 1. My Jesus told me so. (the church) 2. Daddy and Mommy are always right. (tradition) 3. Social Media (I can tell truth from fake). 4. I don't care. (survival mode) 5. Whoever shows me the money (human greed). And a followup: "There are different types of surveys. Socio-linguists can tell you all about it. I conducted a short survey not to provide statistics but to unearth the questions that need to be asked. I studied Spanish pronouns. Prior studies in French and Spanish had focused on the formal/informal usage of second person. Pretty papers... simple questionnaires, nice tidy results. I believed/believe in messy and "ask the wrong questions = get the wrong answers." Why ask which pronoun you use with your mother if you don't have one... or have one that doesn't speak Spanish! The only family relationship my subjects had in common was "brother-in-law". I could still give a talk on that paper from 25 years ago. So... I refuse to be cynical; because, I could do a survey that would blow narrow-focused statisticians out of the water. And the simplistic polls they run."

To 🎄pwheeler joy to the world in "5 Different Ways to Make Vegan Beans and Rice"  "Beans aren't used much, if at all, in Thailand. Soybeans, peanuts? Yes. Protein? Fried or fresh insects. Eggs. Pork, fish, chicken.

Rice is the staple of South-East Asia. We use many varieties of white rice.

Gallo Pinto (the Costa Rican and Nicaraguan) version for breakfast is what I'm used to. I love it.

I need to have my vegetables cooked/broiled soft (especially roots like carrots). My teeth can't eat them otherwise.

Rice and beans are both survival foods. Cheap rice. Cheap beans. Cheap ingredients. Whatever's available."

To Eric Wharton in "Show, Don't Tell" : "As Christians, we can be very good at telling others why they need salvation, but more often than not, we lack the ability—or desire—to show them what it means.

Which is one basic reason why I'm not Christian, Eric. From a distance we outsiders only hear about the injustices and animosity between the Christians of Mississippi. You know different... because you're there and both you and Debi strive to be loving people and demonstrate that through your actions.

Although many Christians talk about faith and correct-belief they shut people out by their actions. Maybe they should read James?

Have you done a blog about James? Sorry, I haven't kept up. Good to see that you're posting."

To Prosperous Snow celebrating in "Thanks Be To God" :

unpacking luggage
I should have tossed
a century ago.

I'm struggling. Thailand is the "Land of Letting Go". I know how to say 'no worries' in both Thai and Lao. But I still worry about Pannya (he left for a week; he's trying to sort out family issues in his hometown) and about myself. Do I stay another year? Have I learned anything by living in this Buddhist-informed culture?

Detachment isn't taught much in the USA. Greed, vengeance, anger, self-righteousness? Unfortunately, yes. The virtues of generosity, forgiveness, peace, humility are the antidote of these poisons."

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