Thursday, December 10, 2009

Post for MAMA...


















Hey Mom!  

Photos I promised you from last week...

I CANT WAIT to be home!  I cant wait for the whole family to be home!!!!!

Does dad want Halva?  I'll have to pick some up...anything else?

maybe we can arrange one evening to see Alla?  we can drive out there or she can come to our house...if we pre-arrange it, dad will be fine with it...

As to what I would like for Christmas:  BODY LOTION!  It's SO dry at my house!  And maybe some shower gel...  

More interested in your food!  I have to ask for my favorite jullienne because i'll end up getting up and eating the entire pan at 4 AM...maybe just a little one!

I also really would love some blini one more morning...

What else...seledka...maybe I'll bring that...yeah...i'll get that...

i'm going to the opera this Saturday...it's KATYA KABANOVA by Leos Janacek...I'm VERY excited...will tell you how it is...

Anyway...i can always email you...just wanted to post photos here...

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Overwhelmed with gratitude...

I feel such a sense of gratitude...

Upgraded about three levels to an amazing suite at Four Seasons....it's essentially a little villa with the bathroom encompassing half of the area...

At the pool with a cocktail reading "How to feed the world" in this weeks Economist and listening to "Million Dollar Bill" by Whitney Houston...oh the irony....

Located amazing heels for the party with the Princess tonight...6 pm...

Met the Director that has made all this possible - Mr. Nelson Hilton...who is getting the worlds longest thank you card upon my return to the states...

I feel somewhat guilty sitting amidst the luxury...I can't help it...but I deserve this... I'm a really good girl!

If you give - you always get more in return...

This is the perfect culmination...

Thanks world.
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To prevent brain cell leakage...

Meeting Thai Princess tomorrow so at the salon attempting beautification miracle...

So far, they've suran wrapped my head...I hope they understood I just needed a haircut...?

Other photo from a 5 hour shopping trip at the market... A fat manequin! Guess who the target consumer is!? Hmmm...

Tomorrow morning...I've been sent to "transvestite road"...to find heels... Should have some fun updates...
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Saturday, November 28, 2009

Nekhon Sawat Wat...

Amazing temple ("wat" on thai) trip this morning on the top of a mountain in Nekhon Sawat ("heaven" in thai)...

Unbelievable experience...very reverent...made me feel countlessly blessed...

The temple itself is amazing...the views amazing...and the best part is that its NOT touristy (3 hrs from Bangkok)! It was all Thais...which is important to me...

We went in and purchased incense, a candle, two gold and silver lotus buds (in photos) and some little squares of paper...

In the main room (with all of the gold statues of various monks) we lit the incense and candles and prayed to buddha (in photos)...after this we bowed three times and placed the candle and incense on the alter. Then we went up to the statues and made an offering of the silver and gold lotus buds to the buddha. The little squares of paper we received contained a very thin sheet of gold...we used the paper to transfer the gold onto the statues of buddha and various monks...this was so neat...!

Then we went up to the preciding monk and were blessed...

We took the next hour to wander and take photos...it was a really special experience for me...(Photos)

I purchased some special items at this temple that were blessed by the head monk...best purchases to-date....

Said goodbye to Pee Puey and (whom I will call...) her boyfriend...and on the bus, en route to Bangkok...

She grew on me, that Pee Puey... She's a good woman...just "very easily" distracted... :)

I'm happy to know her.

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Friday, November 27, 2009

The Deathly Flaw Impostor...

I think if you surveyed my past serious relationships...they would all come up with the same "flaw"...(as it relates to me...)

They would claim that I can be moody...

I could retort with: I'm a woman! It's how we're wired... In order to make room for the depth of emotion we feel for when you are sick...for the poor...for suffering, etc...we have to have a "wide-spectrum" of emotions...that happen to be "easier" to influence than the typical males...

...But I won't use that excuse...because it doesn't solve anything...

Instead...here is how you deal with it...


1. I will use myself - vs. women - but know that I am not atypical as far as emotion goes within the female world...

2. More likely than not...I seem VERY upset by something stupid and not relevantly impactful on life such as (real examples):

- I have to use the bathroom and have to hold it for three hours...making me through somewhat of a silent temper tantrum consisting of sighs and movements of displeasure...this somehow directed at the person next to me (pee puey) that has nothing to do with the situation. I'm aware of this...but I don't care. I want her to know how upset I am. 2-year old behavior. How to solve this? Ignore me or (and this is better...) say "I know this must be terrible for you...I would feel the same..." At this point: silent tantrum would be over. If I'm ignored...that's fine...I'll get over it once the small irritation is gone, with absolutely no effect on the other person.

-i was promised a towel this morning to shower with. No towel and everyone dead asleep when I wake up. I instantly grow very irritated that my needs were cast aside for late night partying. I pout to myself. This lasts 3 minutes because there is nothing I can do. I shake myself dry. I'm clean...irritation gone.

-when in a relationship: let's say I take two hours to get ready for a particular event and I'm very excited about it...my bf picks me up and says..."You know...I have an early morning meeting...can we just skip it and grab some dinner...?" I would seem "colder" and say it was fine. I do not want to be not-flexible. I would pout. I know it wouldn't change anything at all but I somehow want my bf to know my discontent. How to fix? Simply say "sweetheart...listen...I have an early meeting...and I KNOW how much you want to go to this event but I'm just not feeling up for it tonight...maybe we could compromise...have dinner together...go to the event for a half hour...and if you'd like to stay...perfectly okay...". This would instantly turn me to think, "he is the most considerate man...I will follow him anywhere...". And we would go have dinner, I would suggest we skip the event all together and go home. I would be happier than if we went to the event because I now know how considerate my partner is...

-if I am getting dressed for something and grow really frustrated and irritated because nothing fits right and I'm feeling bloated...and my hair sucks...and my skin looks bad...and one complaint just leads to the next... Know this: there is NOTHING you can do....it's all in my head. BUT...trickery works! So just grab my ass and tell me I have the best body he's ever seen....give me a kiss on the forehead....and offer to get me a cup of coffee or a glass of wine....and problem solved! My mind will instantly switch FROM "I can't believe I look so ugly", TO: "I can't believe I am SO blessed to have this person in my life!". And now I'm glowing with happiness!

See...so the secret is...manipulate! I know that is what is happening...but as long as its the GENUINE strategic (the manipulation part) placement of compliments and soothing phrases....I'm okay with that!

When in doubt...keep in mind this: how do you soothe a two-year old in a temper tantrum?

Give him/her something that she wants. Whether a hug...a kiss...candy...anything you know the child LIKES...

And when all fails...IGNORE me and leave me to pout alone...because 97% of the time...you have nothing to do with this and you're just an innocent bystander in a tantrum...

What NOT to do - the following is like throwing a bucket of gasoline on a fire:

- tell me to stop having a tantrum or to stop pouting. Trust me: not good because I will defend the fact that I am NOT having a tantrum until I'm blue in the face and will truly be upset with you for negating my feelings...

- compare my behavior to other women or to ANYONE with the outcome of my behavior being "irrational"... this makes me angry just typing this... If you like the behavior of someone else...go be with them :)

- give me an ultimatum such as "pull yourself together or we just won't go"....or..."If you don't stop complaining about being bloated, I might as well just start saying you're bloated...". No no no! Bad Bad Bad!!!

Remember...I KNOW I'm being irrational...and once I'm calm...I will hug you and tell you, "thank you for putting up with my temper tantrum!". BUT...only I can refer to my emotions as temper tantrums...if you do...again...not good...I will defend my rationality...

Had two little temper tantrums (the bus and towel scenarios) yesterday....and was laughing as myself this morning....and thought it would be educational to address...

So there you have it! Not a deathly flaw at all if you can kill it at the root by regurgitating the same phrase of "did I tell you how beautiful you are today?"

:)
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Thursday, November 26, 2009

Party HIGHLIGHTS...

a bit tired of writing today...and frankly...i just had some really gross rice and it's making me a bit nauseated...although that could be morning sickness...

SURPRISE!

I joke...I joke...

I was so touched yesterday when Pee Puey and Jane through me my very own going away party!  On THANKSGIVING!  It was ALSO on Pee Puey's birthday...

(see photos for the evening progression...)

We went and picked up the raw meat and other ingredients in bags from town...also the coal and BBQ...  Then we picked up a slough of helpers (4 students!) and started setting up in Jane's front 'patio'...

We probably had about 20 people (mostly teachers...and some administration)...  One of the directors stood up and gave a little speech that was very sweet (Pee Puey translated)...then I got a big present from the school!  Then I had to give a speech...  I made a teacher cry!  She was always one of my favorites...  Kind of like a Thai Queen Latifah...  Queen LaThaifah...

I was so excited for my present...i'm like a two year old child when I get gifts...it can be a simple ball of rubber bands and I my voice still rises from the excitement...

I got three scarves (because I told them I loved scarves)...I set of little change purses...(cute!)...and my two favorite things...  a pair of Thai sweatpants and the school sport jersey!  YES!

Now here's the kicker...and this wasn't so nice...  I unfolded the shirt and it went DOWN TO MY KNEES!  It was an XXL!  I looked at Pee Puey who had picked it out with a 'Really!!???'...

So now she's exchanging it for a medium or large....oye...  Why would anyone think I was an XXL!?   A bit insulting...but I know I shouldn't take it that way...

Sat around with the teachers for a bit after this...they kept saying they wanted me to find them a nice foreigner...'50 and up'...  They said they would email me photos...so the men could just look through the photos and choose...  Nice...  I do have a few candidates in mind...  I have a nice '50 and up' single portfolio...

So the party wrapped...grandma was VERY VERY sad to see me go...and I was touched to see that they cared so much...again...i will MISS them...  And I know I will come back to see them...

Packed my things...erected my pink mosquito net one last time...and went to sleep...

Last page in another chapter...  

...always sealed with a happy tear.

Love animals...

Love animals from the crew that always carry my books... And a photo of them...carring my books. :)

Golly...maybe I need a young thai boyfriend...I sure do get treated well!
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"Bad Guy"...

Where do they come up with these designs? Huge pocket on your back? "Bad Guy"...?
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Love notes...

Love notes from my first period class...I feel so blessed...
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My FIRST and beautiful party...

What an amazing night...the first party organized for me in my life! ON Thanksgiving! ON the finish of a 6-week volunteer trip! I can't think of a better scenario...

DETAILS (and there are plenty!) tomorrow...

Photos start with setup...showcasing the "grilling"...and the sad end of the evening...
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