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From the clutches of posterity

February 11th, 2007

I started carrying my camera around a few days ago. I pulled it out for the first time since I arrived in Thailand; dusted off the case, charged the batteries, and made sure it was still working. There are so many things I see every day, things I take for granted after four months in Nong Khai – the golden-green garden at Mut Mee, the wide slow Mekong, the way the sun shines through the palm trees on the temple grounds across the street. These are all beautiful places. These are places that are a part of me now. I wanted to record the images and in some way the experiences I’ve had here.
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Warning – SEA travel may be hazardous to your brain

February 11th, 2007

Karen – the young Dutch girl who is the newest Mut Mee receptionist – looked around to make sure no one was listening, then leaned in with a conspiratorial air and said in a low voice, “I think traveling here is making my brain go soft.”
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My week in review

February 10th, 2007

Here are the highlights from my week, presented in no particular order…
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Bonus: a story for you to read

February 9th, 2007

It really doesn’t surprise me that other people are able to speak more intelligently about my writing than I am. It would be difficult not to. Or rather, it would be difficult for most people to ramble on as endlessly without actually managing to say anything. One of my specialties, really.

My lovely friend Jacques – an astonishingly talented L.A.-based painter who would probably create about twice as many gorgeous paintings if only I’d stop cutting into his studio time with all my emails pestering for critiques on new stories – has posted a bit about my fiction writing on his blog. And a link to a recent story. Here it is…


http://jacquesdebeaufort.blogspot.com/2007/02/sandy-olkowski-escape-from-known.html

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Culture shock, or: there are an awful lot of ways to lose track of the person you think you are

February 5th, 2007

This morning a friend of mine – one of the only people I actually talk to here lately – who is about ten years older than me, told me that he found out last night one of his closest friends had died – a friend from that critical phase when you transition into adulthood. I recognized his thousand yard stare. It’s that dazed look you get when you’re trying to look out but you can only look in. It’s also quite similar to the one travelers get and I don’t think this is a coincidence.
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An overly detailed heads-up

February 4th, 2007

You know how I love to over explain myself, right? Here comes a classic…
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My armpits are whiter than your armpits

February 3rd, 2007

Winter has been particularly vicious the past couple of days and I shivered at breakfast in the garden and again at lunch. In between meals, I dealt briefly with email [JdB: I don’t check your blog very often because I pay for Internet by the minute] and spent the rest of the time bundled up on the couch devouring an April 2005 issue The New Yorker. Sadly, it’s not the date that makes it seem like an artifact of some fascinatingly foreign culture. “There are places in the world where people go to the theatre and to art exhibits? Really? How strange.”
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I’m, like, totally a scientist of life or whatever, you know?

February 1st, 2007

I’m leaving Nong Khai when my visa expires on the 19th. Decision made. There are a number of reasons but the most important is this – I’ve been feeling really happy here. Now before you all start in with a bunch of hoo ha about if it ain’t broke, why fix it, let me explain.
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The year of the hermit

January 31st, 2007

If you can get past the image of wanna-be gypsy ladies draped in layers of purple velvet and heavy silver jewelry, the Tarot is actually really interesting. In my mind, it’s not something magical or occult; it’s just a piece of fine storytelling. The major arcana tells the epic story of The Fool’s journey through life. Over the course of twenty-two episodes, he explores many different aspects of himself and, as he grows and evolves, slowly uncovers truths about the nature of existence. Sometimes he is active and sometimes he feels the need to withdraw. He falls in love, he falls apart, he suffers, he feels reborn. He learns that nothing is permanent and that he must take responsibility for his actions. He finally comes to see his life as full and meaningful, after all the lessons and trials. It’s a really good story.
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Look out Laos, here comes Ham-Cheese!

January 30th, 2007

My name is Sandy but you can call me Ham-Cheese. That’s what the clerks at 7-11 call me, anyway. Every time I go in there now one of the guys smiles, nods and says, “Ham cheese” like it’s our private little joke. Haha funny farang woman who eats toasted ham cheese sandwiches like they’re about to be discontinued forever and ever.
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