Hey everyone, it's my brother's 31st birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABE!! An the cool thing is, it's his birthday here, but not yet his birthday there. Weird, ain't it? So everyone, close your eyes and hum him a happy birthday song right now, as you're reading this.... "happy birthday to you.... happy birthday TO you..... happy BIRTHday Valerie's big brother Gaaaaaabe.... HAPPY birthday to you....." (I wince at that high note that no one can ever hit, even while I'm typing it.) And now, a hopefully brief journal update....

I'm currently staying with newly-met friends of mine at a place called Wongsanit Ashram, about 2 hours outside of Bangkok. The Ashram isn't really an ashram as we think of it. It's a non-profit center that hosts trainings for grassroots community leaders, envionmental education, conferences and whatnot. It's about, maybe 15 acres? (Very rough estimate.) THe people who work and volunteer here live here as well. The building's are all very nice, very clean and simple lines and aesthetics, and many of them are built out of earth and bamboo. (Is anyone sick of hearing about natural building yet? No? Good. You've got a ways to go!) From the road, you have to ferry across a small river of sorts by pulling on a rope that runs through bike wheel pulleys at either end and is tied to the raft. It's quaint, no?

My original intention was to leave today and head north, stopping off at Whispering Seed on the way (they've completed building the first floor of the main house already, and maybe finished with the house by the time I get there this weekend!) The ashram is having its annual celebration this weekend, though, so I will stay through Saturday and head north either Saturday night or Sunday.

I've fallen off with meditation and yoga while here. It's just so damn muggy again, I'm finding it hard to motivate. I was a bit jealous tohear about the big snowstorm that hit the Northeast...... a snowball fight followed by hot chocolate sounds so enticing right now! Not practicing has been a disappointment that no one controls other than me,but that's OK. I still enjoy watching my own attention during the day, seeing where it wanders and comes into focus, seeing myself act in different situations and noting if I'm seeking approval or trying todistance myself from something or hoping that I will seem knowledgeable or whatever. I sure am a funny little monkey!

There's a girl volunteering here who has decided to call me "Big Girl Who Cannot Read in America". I think my name might be a bit difficult. Seriously though, I am massive here, larger than mostof the men. The immigration guy at the border with Laos actually asked me what my gender is! So she calls me Big Girl. And when she kept seeing me read, and found out that I had read 4 books in the 3 days I was at Jo's house, she joked and asked me if I wasn't allowed to read in America. Thus I am "Big GIrl Who Cannot Read in America." Not exactly a nickname. I did, however, receive a Thai name from a woman at Whispering Seed which is somewhat like Valerie but much easier for them to say. It's Wari (wah-ree). She told me that it means river, but the word itself is usually only used in literature and poetry. It's not an everyday kinda word. I like it. So when I hear someone struggling hard with my name (there's no V in Thai, and the standard mixup between L and R), I offer them my Thai name and instantly they light up. "Oh! Wari? River!" It's a good name.

I spent a day or so traveling to the Laos border. Usually, when an American comes to Thailand as a tourist, you don't need a visa for a month or less. You simply get an entry permit that expires in 30 days. To get another one, all you have to do is cross a national border, get stamped, turned around, andcome back through Thai immigration.So I went to Laos. I didn't spendmore than an hour in Laos, which I'm trying notto kick myself for, since I hear it's beautiful. But I find that running around every couple of days is really tiring. I'd rather stay in Thailand, spend some time with the places and people I've already connected with. Like I said, I'm a terrible tourist. I'm a pisspoor sightseer, and I tendto be overly practical with shopping.

Good news from Allyn and Jodi. Return ofthe King definitely opens in CHiang Mai on the 19th, so I can see it before I leave for India!I am so damn excited. You have to understand that, not only was it an epic story from my childhood that I've reread at least half a dozen times in adulthood, but it's also the reason I fell in love with natural building. One ofthe first natural buildings I ever saw a picture of looked just like a hobbit hole! It was built up against a hillside, and had a living roof. I've always wanted to live at Bag End, and here I find out I can build it for myself! A dream come true....

There's a market happening at the temple across theway, and I think I might gosee ifit's still happening. I'm hoping to find a couple shirts that are cooler than what I have. So, that's itfor now.....