Given my ongoing tragic status, it seemed wise to check and make sure that my condition is being caused by nothing more than an exploding thyroid.

Most of the private hospitals in Thailand offer packages to check out your health. You spend an hour or so undergoing a series of tests which are then presented to you in a fancy booklet by a doctor who is qualified in stating the bleeding obvious by reading your results and highlighting any abnormalities, which assorted machines have already automatically highlighted as being abnormal. Last time I did this was at Samitivej hospital in Bangkok and I remember it being a lot of money to pay for a fancy red silk covered report.

I would rate my overall state of health two days ago as being around 20% of normal. Yesterday saw a slight improvement to around 40%, and today I would rate myself at 70%. Today was the first time for about three weeks that I really wanted to eat; so I celebrated with a big bowl of bibimbab. Today was also the first day I have felt like doing something other than feeling sorry for myself; so I headed down to the windsurfing club.

Not up to sailing yet, but it was good to sit on the beach and watch others sail as the sun set. Took the GX1 which rather struggled with focus with the sun going down into the lens and the sparkling sea messing things up; but got this silhouette shot of Craig that I quite like.

Greece joined the Euro in 2001. To meet the criteria for membership, the country had to demonstrate a certain level of financial stability. Having done this, how did their economy then go down the toilet so quickly? It didn’t, it was substantially in the toilet before 2001, the Greeks just fiddled the statistics to gain access to the Euro, and then continued to massage the numbers in subsequent years, aided by the lovely people at Goldman Sachs. Each year, over many years, the budget deficit was “recalculated” and published as being an acceptable 3% of GDP.

Dragged my sad arse to the doctor in Bangkok this morning. Each visit starts with a blood test where four thyroid indicators are measured. Last time I went, all the readings were normal and this time I was hoping to see a result that confirmed that the thyroid had died and no thyroid hormones were being produced. This would explain why I am feeling crap and I could start on the road to recovery.

Yesterday I wrote a post about the E-M5. It wasn’t a particularly good post. I actually started it two days ago but my brain couldn’t get in gear to write more than a couple of lines. Finishing the post yesterday took me all day in little bursts. Apart from that I watched a movie (A Separation, rather good) and stared at the computer screen. That’s all I could manage. Oh, and I rang the hospital and brought forward my next appointment with the thyroid doctor.

It’s been a while since Olympus introduced the OMD E-M5. Since the launch, the web has been awash with glowing reviews, mixed with complaints from those who had pre-ordered and were still waiting for their new toy. My neighbour Nik read the reviews but ignored the reports about limited supplies; and sold his old camera on the assumption he could easily pick up an E-M5.

Weeks passed, but it finally arrived yesterday, and he did what he usually does with his new gear; he gives it to me for twenty four hours to play with. Unfortunately, in my current condition, I spent most of that twenty four hours asleep or staring at the wall in a dazed, drooling state; but I did play with it enough to gain an impression.

Isn’t it pretty?:

Thought I should use the camera before it seized up, so dragged a plant from the balcony and knocked off a couple of shots.

I know, it’s been a while….

I can sum up my condition in one word: listless. If you want two words: worryingly listless.

I have always been someone with considerable enthusiasm for anything mildly interesting that passes my way. This can end up being expensive (radio controlled aircraft, windsurfing, photography) as I embrace a new passion and throw money and time at it; but at least it is better than having no interests at all and just spending my life slumped in a chair watching mindless entertainment.

I love living in a hot country. I like waking up to sunshine almost every day. I like the warmth, don’t mind a bit of sweat; and could never, ever, live in the UK again. But this is a bit much.

The last week it has just been getting hotter by the day, and now we are experiencing something in the region of forty degrees of Mr. Celsius.

No, I don’t want to go out and take photos. I don’t want to sit and type on a computer. I just want a small air-conned room and a bed to doze on until the rains come and temperatures decline.