Wandering bride
I realized I haven’t been very active on the blog as I should, but it’s mainly because I don’t spend a lot of time sitting and watching things go by on the Internet anymore. The connection is spotty and I’ve found other things to occupied my time.
1. A lot of shopping - there is this enviable-sounding gig of shopping for other people. Basically I’m given a loose budget and list of things to buy for props for a condo showroom. In a sales office, every condominium makes a fake model room so the potential buyer can imagine themselves living the lifestyle of the nuevo rich and modern. You buy everything that a person would need in a house: picture frames, frying pan, toothpaste, area rug, vase, clothing, rice cooker, books, hair brushes, stuff animals, fancy pasta.. the list goes on. No one will ever use these things - they’re for setting up the stage and sell the dream life, the life you’ll never live. The job is way more tiring than one might think.
2. A lot of massage - best cures for hangovers, jet lag, and general tiredness: Thai massage, especially the two hour one where you almost fall asleep during the head massage and they wake you up by twisting your spine. Especially when they cost about $15 for two hours.
3. A lot of news - been trying to follow both sides of the Thai conflict and the U.S. election at the same time. Thailand’s news media feels to lack a certain credibility. I can’t say exactly what, but maybe it’s just the gravitas in convincing that what they’re saying is actually believable.
4. I ran into someone I haven’t seen for more than 10 years in the elevator of my sister’s building. It is more shocking than it sounds. In New York, you run into people you know on the streets, I don’t know why or how, but you do. In Bangkok, you hardly ever run into people–could be because we’re mostly stuck in traffic. Anyway, I run into this person, and couldn’t really believe my eyes until he said my name. Out of all the apartment buildings in this city, he happened to be living in the same one as my sister. And I just happened to catch the elevator at just the right time. Some times I wonder about coincidences.
5. On Wednesday morning, I will join some Democrats in Bangkok to watch the live coverage of the election. This is what a person without a day job can afford to do: run errands, go shopping, do yoga at weird hours, figure out a day plan around things like election day coverage half way across the globe. In a hectic city like Bangkok, everybody else is busy working. I busy myself with finding things to do - and it’s working, so far.
6. Also on Wednesday I am supposed to start a raw food diet, in preparation of a 4-day detox program on Koh Phangan. Not sure if I’ll have constant access to the Internet, but I’ll be sure to record it all. I’ve only tried fasting for 24 hours once, and lasted just 19 hours. This is about the most mentally challenging thing I can remember doing.
7. Occasionally I help people translate Thai to English.
8. I’m reading Shantaram. It is amazing.
9. And yes, of course, I plan my wedding.
happy wednesday morning! i wish i lived in india right now, so i could just go to bed, wake up, and presto! the election results are in.
…they’re starting to trickle in now. it’s MADDENING.
eric on 4 November 2008