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Published: February 15th 2009
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As much as I love to write, I’ve always had my doubts about writing regularly for a journal, newsletter, or really any kind of publication. Too often I feel myself uninspired or braindrained that I suspect I would miss a fair number of deadlines or end up submitting last minute dribble. In short, I only write when I feel like writing and as of lately, that hasn’t been much the case.
Since the last entry, the biggest piece of news to report is that I traveled to Thailand for two weeks during Tet holiday (Lunar New Year). It was a fantastic trip and I’ve just spent the last hour uploading 50 odd photos that, frankly, give a much better account of our experiences than I feel I can muster with the keyboard at the moment. So, this entry will be more of a photo gallery than an article. All pictures were compiled from a multitude of wonderful shots taken over the course of the two weeks by Leanne, Lannie, Tricia, and Azalea. Regretfully, my camera somehow found its way out of my bag and likely onto the shelf of a pawn shop somewhere between Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok
(aka Cambodia) and so it is only through the mindfulness and generosity of my friends that I have any pictures of the Thailand experience at all. NOTE: In a two-month span, I’ve not only lost my cellphone, wallet, and camera but also managed to twice drop my laptop, which is currently making a woeful grinding sound only slightly less pathetic than that emitted by my electric bike. I suspect my iPod will catch fire before the week is through.
Touching briefly on Thailand, the trip can be divided into three segments. Over the two weeks, I found myself: 1.) first enjoying the sublime beaches and amazing cuisine found on the beautiful island of Koh Chang (Elephant Isle), followed by 2.) a few days’ stay in Bangkok exploring the wonders of a fascinating and startlingly modern city, and lastly 3.) reuniting with a large contingent of our LanguageCorps group in Pattaya, a place that essentially fuses together the worst parts of Las Vegas, Amsterdam, and the Playboy Channel. In all, it was an unforgettable time and there are many stories that I could stay up late hammering out. However, as I am attempting to make the most of my one
(1) night off from teaching all week, I think I will hold off for the moment and let our pictures tell the stories.
A couple notes on Valentine’s Day 2009:
* A big thank you to Mom and Dad for once again spoiling the pants off your son. Next time, however, perhaps you could take into account my severe lack of self-control and send some less-than-2000-calories-per-bag sized M&Ms. There was some dreadful irony Valentine’s evening when I showed up at VUS to teach a class on healthy living. The lesson emphasized three main points: 1.) Don’t stay up too late, get plenty of sleep (
“Well class, your teacher was out until three in the morning taking full advantage of a 2 for 1 deal on sangria and only by the grace of two alarm clocks managed to wake up for work at 7:00”), 2.) Get plenty of exercise, don’t watch too much TV (
“Your teacher, feeling the effects of a late night out, made the most of his afternoon off today by watching not one but two soccer matches while turning over to American Idol during halftime”), and 3.) Eat healthy foods, don’t eat
too much junk (
“This morning your teacher enjoyed a breakfast of vanilla wafers complimentary of his school and later dined on an entire jumbo bag of Peanut M&Ms, which explains why his face is currently twitching and one eyelid seems to be curiously drooped”). Needless to say, my kids were introduced to some challenging vocabulary that evening, “nauseous” and “wretched” to name a few.
* I already posted this on Facebook so apologies for the repeat. The other day I had my students write Valentine's Day poems using mushy vocabulary learned earlier in the day. It was a fun activity and there were so many great poems but this one is my favorite, written by a boy of about 9. He gave it to me after class and I must say it was the best non-chocolate, non-significant other related Valentine's one could ask for. Spelling and punctuation is included.
Today I want to say: "I Love you"
I bet you hear that word alot
But it all lips say, not the heart
But now you are hear the word from my heart
Why because I love you
I don't know why
Maybe I was just think
But when I saw you
It's become a real thing
Your beauty is like the most beautyful flower
Your voice is like the sound of the angel
When you touch me like a hero save a person
When you angry you was more beautyful
All the word I say now
Is the word from my heart
If you don't belve
I can do no thing
If you think again
You have made a good choice
And now I just want to say: "I Love you"
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