Hi Jeff,

Let’s take stock. I wrote a post insulting you. You responded by insulting me, threatening me, and calling my wife a whore. Seems like you won the war of abuse, so well done there.

What’s next? Well, you could reinforce your public image as someone who shouts and swears a lot by continuing to hurl abuse via these pages. It’ll be amusing for a while but eventually we’ll all get bored and we will still see you as that shouty sweary bloke.

Like most kids, I had a nickname given to me at school. Mine was “Dumbo” and I liked to think it was a clever reference to the size of my trunk. Unfortunately, my back-up nickname of “pencil dick” made it clear that Dumbo was a reference to the size of my ears, which were indeed overlarge appendages. As the years have passed, the wreck that is the rest of my face has rather pushed my monster ears into the background in terms of impact, such that now all my features could reasonably called a disaster area.

Still, the ears are still big, which means I need something substantial if I am to cover them for the purposes of aural input; and my current headphones don’t really do the job.

My wife is the nervous sort. In the paper this week she read of green mamba snakes that were swimming around the floods in Bangkok

“I hate snakes. And look, there is no anti-venom available”. “Yes it’s more bad news for the people stuck in the floods, but I expect they have more fundamental things to worry about”. “I hate snakes, I hope they don’t come after me”. “They are a long way away in Bangkok; they are not likely to come to Pattaya”. (long pause) “Do you think they would know how to get on a bus?”

Growing up in England, I was spared the assorted nonsenses associated with Halloween. I understand that this was because pissed off protestants banned the event and suggested that the populace concentrate on Guy Fawkes night instead. An excellent suggestion, bobbing for apples cannot compare with firing rockets at elderly relatives. Apparently the prohibition did not extend to Scotland, and Peebles proudly holds the world record for the highest number of people to bob for apples at the same time; although they call it dooking so it might be something else entirely. But it is America that goes overboard on this Halloween thing, especially with the endless carved pumpkins; which I suppose is a better fate for them than us having to eat them.

Anyway, I see no merit in this festival and plan to ignore it. Not difficult given that small children attempting to trick or treat would be mugged by security guards if they tried to come into the condo, and she who must be obeyed is far too busy being busy at her first day of work to think about dressing up in a witches’ costume (and would I notice?). Instead I intend marking the occasion by spending some time with the coolest of the undead, the zombies.

This morning I revisited the always amusing Plants vs Zombies. This evening I shall watch the latest episode of The Walking Dead, already into series two, which has a storyline as enjoyable as Downton Abbey; but with marginally more zombies in the cast. In between, I shall enjoy my birthday present from The Son, the imaginatively titled game Space Pirates and Zombies.

Finally, I shall end my day with some light reading of a slightly edited version of the Jane Austen classic, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Whilst Suvarnabhumi airport is operating normally, the old airport at Don Muang has been completely swamped over the past few days, as can be seen from this photo taken by Tom Claytor.

Comments 🔗

2011-10-31 | biggrtiggr says

Do they introduce temporary special rules regarding the Water Hazard beside the 18th?

2011-11-08 | Wentworth says

I wish it was closed a few weeks ago when I flew solar air.

Khun Tic has been my friend for around ten years. We worked together in Bangkok and discovered common interests in cameras, gadgets, beer and women. We used to hang out at weekends, perhaps Starbucks in the mornings and a suitable hostelry for beer in the evenings. We bought too many gadgets, we built and raced and crashed radio controlled cars, we took the occasional trip to neighbouring countries in search of the latest toys. We were eventually to go our separate ways when I retired and Tic went first to work in Kuala Lumpur (excellent choice, so I could go to the Grand Prix) and then Singapore (excellent choice, so I could go to the Grand Prix); but we have always stayed in touch and he is the friend I would turn to first when I need a friend to turn to.

A common theme throughout our beer fuelled discussions was the search for a partner in life. We were both spectacularly unsuccessful at choosing suitable girlfriends for a long term relationship and were continually working through a cycle of initial enthusiasm, followed by doubt, followed by dumping as potential partners came and went. Then I found she who must be obeyed and I was sorted; but Tic continued to stumble through a succession of hopefuls until he too finally found the right person to spend his life with. Her name is Khun Kade and on Saturday they were married.

The wedding ceremony in the morning took place at the library in the Dusit Thani hotel, a pleasantly informal setting, but not easy light for photography unless you used flash; and I didn’t want to use flash. Still, the Fuji X100 did a good job at ridiculously high ISOs and I have a few shots I can give to Tic to add to the massive collection that will be presented by the official photographer, videographer and the army of family and friends wielding cameras, phones and tablets.

Bangkok. To the west and east of the city, the land is flooded, roads and rail are blocked. To the north, massive amounts of water are slowly moving south and flooding the suburbs, bringing misery to thousands.

In the city itself, which is still dry, an air of uncertainty hangs in the air, faces are drawn and the stress is clear to see; these are people living on borrowed time whose lives are about to be seriously disrupted. Err, no. After a couple of days in Bangkok I can confirm that life goes on as normal. The skytrain is packed with smiling, chatty Thais. The roads are busy and the shopping malls are rammed with locals and tourists. Thirty kilometres away and people are forced out of their homes by deep, stinking water; but people in the city are determined to keep on living life until they are affected.

There is some evidence of preparation. Sandbags are prepared at many places….

She who must be obeyed has been under a lot of pressure. A new job to master, living alone in Bangkok for three weeks, a threat of floods, missing her home, her cats, and perhaps me. It all came to a head yesterday when she had to close down her assignment in Bangkok, rush straight from work to a wedding, rush straight from the wedding back to her apartment and pack, and then travel back to Pattaya. It is therefore more than understandable that she forgot that today is my birthday.