Allen's World

The Tyranny of the Minority

2012-02-01T11:47:00.000+07:00

Today marks the one year anniversary of Duang's immigration to America and my return to my home to care for my parents.

After being back in the USA after spending 9-1/2 of the past 11 years abroad, it has been very interesting to observe life here up close and personal once again. It is even more interesting to observe Duang experiencing life here.

Change is a constant force in the Universe. However, we are often oblivious to the change around us in that it frequently evolves slowly and we become acclimatized to the changes without recognizing the changes.

Duang has been amazed at the television commercials for pet food let alone "gourmet" flavored foods for dogs and cats. Back in Isaan, villagers have dogs but the dogs fend for themselves and eat table scraps. I am convinced that the dogs in America that are served pet food, not necessarily the "gourmet" variety end up with a more nutritious diet and more balanced diet than the Lao Loum farmers of Isaan. She was astounded seeing television commercials for pet medicines.

I have been amazed at the number of television commercials offering legal services for "victims" of God knows what medicine they may have taken in the past. Of course advertisements for Viagra and Cialis always bring a smile to our face since such advertisement is not on Thai or Lao television. I am still trying to figure out how and why the man and woman end up in separate bathtubs after he supposedly takes Cialis for ED.

A development of our current society that has astonished me has been what I will describe as the tyranny of the minority in the United States. Having lived in several countries, I have had experience of being a minority many times in my life. I have commented many times that living in a foreign country gives you a great appreciation for tolerance. I have lived in two Muslim countries, a Roman Catholic country twice, an atheist country, a Buddhist country, and a secular country. I felt no obligation to try to change their beliefs or culture.

In all the countries I found people worshipping or not worshipping as they chose. In Algeria you could go to a Christian service, In Thailand, you can worship at a Mosque and be a practicing Muslim. In Vietnam, I attended services at a Buddhist temple and knew of Christian services being held. I am not advocating any religion over the other, but I only wish to point out that in the countries where I lived, the minority was free to practice and live as their faith or lack of faith dictated. The majority respected the needs of the minority. The minorities in those countries did not advocate or agitate for the dilution of the majority. Tolerance was a thread that kept the fabric of society intact.

In the United States today there is a great sensitivity towards the need of the minority. There are a plethora of lawyers and organizations all too willing to point out and "defend" the rights, sensitivities and needs of any given minority. However upon my return here I have observed that the minority do not always reciprocate with sensitivity, consideration, and acceptance of the wishes and needs of the majority. It seems more and more common that the majority is held hostage to peculiarities of the minority even if it be a single person.

As a child I was brought up to respect the will of the majority. When I felt that I was suffering from the outrageous slings and arrows of childhood, I would complain perhaps even whine to my mother. She always would admonish me to get along with others and ask "Who do you think that are? Someone special?" She did not want me to fore go my beliefs, opinions, or rights but in grained in me the principle that the rights of the minority need to be protected but that the minority had an obligation to get along with the majority. Fighting to have things the way that I preferred, wanted, or was more "comfortable" was not a behavior that she supported. It was an America of majority rule.

Today it seems to me that the arrogance of "I", the individual, has taken over our society, our dysfunctional society. The arrogance of "I", prevents our politicians from compromising and doing what is best for our country and future generations of our citizens. There is much less tolerance today in our America ... from the minority for the majority. The result is an inability to govern effectively, if at all.

An example involves a court decision in Rhode Island related to prayer in a public high school. In Cranston High School West there is a mural that has been in the school for almost fifty years as a gift from a graduating class in 1963. The mural is a prayer that was written by a student. A current student, who is an Atheist, petitioned the Court to have the banner removed because as an Atheist she "felt excluded and ostracized". A Judge has ordered the prayer to be removed. The city has covered the mural with a tarp while it considers a possible appeal.

The Judge's ruling has created a great deal of controversy in the city, Rhode Island, and on the Internet. I wrote a comment on Facebook related to the case and briefly described my feelings on the situation. The gist of my belief is "Hey people, tolerance is a two way street" I indicated that I would be writing a blog regarding the situation and some one commented along the line of "Great, a crusade". No, I am not on a religious crusade. I am more on a quest for tolerance.

In regards to the Atheist: No one is accused of forcing her to look at it. No one is accused of making her read or recite the prayer. No one is accused of forcing or even trying to force her to belief the prayer. No one is accused of attempting to convince her to like the mural. She as an individual felt "excluded and ostracized". I am sorry but to me that sounds more like a personal problem than an issue for the high school, city, or Court to solve. To me this is once again an example of the arrogance of "I" the lack of tolerance by the minority for the needs, sensitivities, and wishes of the majority. This is a demonstration of a lack of respect by a minority for the majority.

It is the lack of tolerance in so many aspects of our daily life today in America that creates a lack of respect and prevents people from moving on and creating compromises. It is the subjugation of the common good for the sensitivities of the few. It is the suppression of majority rule.

This case has not been resolved and it will go on for much longer. Most recent developments are the student has now received almost $40,000 in donations for her college expenses, the ACLU has requested $173,000 in legal fees from the City related to the case, and the mural has been covered up.

I repeat my statement "Tolerance is a two way street".

I see that America has changed, in my opinion a change that has not been for the good.

My wish is that abuse by the majority and tyranny of the minority will be eliminated from our society.

I suspect that they will be shortly after there is peace in the Middle East, and world hunger is eliminated.

If I have offended anyone with this blog, please do not be mean to me because I suspect that I will then feel "excluded and ostracized". If that were to occur, I will provide my address so that I can receive donations for my heroic stand from those who share my sentiments.

Getting By With Less and the Value of Fit For Purpose

2011-12-21T01:23:00.000+07:00

A Monk Donates Excess Sticky Rice to Young Boy
Luang Prabang, Lao People's Democratic Republic

As we approach the last few days and the crescendo of this year's Christmas shopping season, I have been reflecting upon recent events and past experiences that, for me, puts the whole commercialization of this season into a different perspective.

One year ago, my wife and I made a return visit to Laos, more specifically the former royal capital of Luang Prabang. We had gone there to document the celebration of Hmong New Years in early December. I have previously written about the journey but there were some scenes which I photographed which made a strong impression upon me. The photograph above is one of them.

Each morning, the Monks go out early from their Wats and walk along prescribed routes. They are carrying their their alms bowl in which people will place donations of food for the Monks. The morning walks are called "Bin Tha Bat" and the the act of making offerings of food to the Monks is called "Tak Bat".

Luang Prabang is a tourist destination and the street where our hotel, actually more like a B&B, was located is used by many of the high priced resorts that are located outside of the central district. Early in the morning you can hear and see vehicles of all types discharging tourists on the south side of the street where they set up on woven reed mats, sahts, awaiting the arrival of the Monks. Even though there can be as many as 30 to 40 Monks passing by, the Monks are far surpassed in numbers by the tourists as well as local people wishing to make merit by making offerings of food to the Monks.

The alms bowls are rather large and the Monks are allowed to eat only one or two meals a day by noon. The number of meals is set forth by the order to which the Monk belongs. No matter the case, a filled alms bowl is too much food for two meals let alone one meal and I am referrring to a Westerner's capacity to eat. Monks are not allowed to store food or to cook so there is an excess food problem.

A Monk does not cover his bowl when he deems that he has just enough food for his meal(s) for to do so would be to deny some people the opportunity to earn merit by offering food. When the bowl is filled, the Monk covers the bowl. In Thailand, the excess food is made available to the people after the Monks have eaten. Typically in the smaller villages, the people who brought food to the Wat for the Monks, will sit down and eat the surplus food as the Monks eat. It has a festive air and a nice social gathering for all involved. In the larger towns and cities, poor people will go to the Wats to be fed after the Monks have taken their food to eat. Any food remaining is fed to the Wat dogs and cats.

In Luang Prabang, as the photo shows, the Monks periodically as they walk along their route, will stop and give some of their excess food to young children who are either waiting along the route or tagging along with the Monks. This act is good for all parties involved; the Monks have the food that they need, the people are able to make merit, and poor people obtain food for their families.

The photo above is not a new photo and has been posted on this blogsite before. But as people often say in Thailand: "It is same same but different". "Same same" in that it is the photograph that I had used before. Different? It is different in the way that I post processed the original file. The original photograph had a dark and very distinct shadow around the boy as well as around the clump of sticky rice that is on its way into the boy's plastic basket. When I first posted the photograph, I had used Photoshop Elements 7.0 to eliminate the harsh shadows that I believe were a distraction from the tone of the photograph that I wanted to convey. For this revision of the photograph I used different techniques that I learned over the Internet to eliminate the distractions in the photograph to, in my opinion, better convey the spirit of that moment.

Since that time, I have received notification of a new version of Photoshop Elements - Photoshop Elements 10.0. Oh my gosh three versions more advanced than what I have and I am using! I was also considering getting a full version of Photoshop. A full version of Photoshop would cost me around $700 - OUCH!! However IF I were a student or even a teacher, I could buy the program for around $179.   ???? Don't ask me why but that is how Adobe has decided to market their software - great if you are a student or a teacher; terrible if you are not. In my research as to how I might obtain a copy of the latest version of Photoshop for a great deal less than $700, I came under the impression that if I knew what I was doing in Photoshop Elements 7.0, I could do the things that I NEEDED to do and could do with the full current version of the $700 program - just not as easily or quickly. The big thing was the ability to use a mask on the photograph. A mask greatly facilitates the manipulation of a great variety of effects and adjustments to an original photograph.

Three weeks ago, I found a free plugin on the Internet that provided for the easy as well as effective creation and use of a mask in PSE7. Someone with the knowledge and skill had created a program that made the creation of a mask quite easy. More importantly that person had the generosity to share with others their work. I now have an essential tool for free to edit some of my photographs. For more traditional portrait type work and glamour photography masks are essential tools for producing a finished product. My documentary style of photography will remain unchanged but for my development of traditional portrait and glamour styles, I will be utilizing the mask.

I no longer am considering the need to purchase either the full Adobe Photoshop product or the latest version of Photoshop Elements. My old program and the training to use it that I have found on the Internet is all that I really NEED. It is sort of like a car ... a faster, sleeker, and more technically advanced vehicle would be nice. There is no denying that. It would make an impression on family and neighbors but it would not serve my needs of grocery shopping, taking my parents on their errands, or picking up my wife at the airport any better and definitely not any cheaper than the 7 year old car that I have now.

Lately, I have been able to see my wife and my Thai grandson on the webcam over the Internet. Part of the ritual involves my grandson, Peelawat, showing me either his toys or his clothes. He is just as pleased with all of them. Peelawat is an ethnic Lao Loum child. He does not have all that many toys. In fact at one time he was playing with peanut shells as a substitution for toy cars. He is now going to school with the assistance of Duang and I. We pay for his school and there is no limit to the joy we have in seeing or hearing of his enthusiasm each morning as he heads off to school. My wife had to leave school after four years to work in the rice fields for the family. Her children were fed each morning at the Wat in the city.  We can make a difference in Peelawat's life; not in the number or type of toys or clothes that he has but in ensuring that he has food as well as the opportunity to obtain a good education. We hope that he has the opportunity to be all that he can be or that he chooses to be.

Today, through Facebook, I received a kind note from a former teacher of mine. She has read some of my blogs and remarked that I have seen more of the world than most of my teachers. She shared the link to my blog and I was impressed that she is still teaching others after all these years. Since I have returned to America, I have spoken with three of my former teachers. I am pleased that I can "pay forward" the tools and passion that they instilled in me years ago by writing and photographing some of the places and people that I encounter.  In sharing my experiences and observations with other, I see myself as commencing to pay back some of my debt to them as well as all the other past and present teachers in my life. Although some of us do not have the certificates or collect a paycheck for teaching, we are all teachers in some way. We through our words and deeds instruct those about us and around us. We decide the subject matter as well as the perspective that our teachings will have. It is a power that is often misunderstood and sometimes abused.

Ok. This blog has now dealt with Christmas shopping, Monks, Photoshop Elements, grandchildren, and teachers. What is it all about? What does it all mean? No, I have not started drinking Christmas cheer too much or even already. These things have a common thread of "getting by (not buy) with less and the value of fit for purpose"

Many people will work themselves into a frenzy or go more into debt looking for the "perfect" gift this week. Perfect most likely being defined as expensive and impressive either in quality or quantity. Materialism and commercialism dictate so much of our behavior here in Western world and it is never so more apparent than during the Christmas Season.

The truth of the matter is that these gifts are more likely than not will be excessive and not fit for purpose. What is the purpose of a gift? Is it to impress, iintimidate, or humble the recipitant? Or is a gift merely an expression of love, appreciation, or respect. Is a whispered "I love you" any less valuable, sincere or meaningful than "I love you" flashed across a stadium scoreboard?

Today's expensive gift will soon become blasse and perhaps forgotten while the gift that we all want remains cherished and valuable for all of time.

The gift that we all want and cherish is to have others share of themselves with us. Be it sharing resources, caring for the physical or emotional needs, or teaching through instruction or by example the gift is always fit for purpose. The purpose is to let others know that they matter, we care for them, we respect them, and that they can make a difference in this world. It truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

I have learned this from all my teachers past and present.

Merry Christmas.

A Revolutionary Thanksgiving - Celebration of Independence

2011-11-24T06:03:00.000+07:00

Freshly Prepared Thanksgiving Food At Jabez Smith House, Groton

I am spending my first Thanksgiving holiday in many years in the USA. I am spending my first Thanksgiving of many many more years with my parents in their home.

Whether I was in Algeria, Malaysia, Thailand, Canada, Brasil, or Vietnam, I always managed to celebrate this special holiday. There is something about celebrating that has a universal appeal and relevance no matter where in the world that you find yourself. It is a holiday that transcends national sensitivities.

Ham, Chickens, and Corn on the Cob Over An Open Wood Fire

Recently I attended a local event here in Groton. The event was a "Revolutionary Thanksgiving" and was held at the Jabez Smith House. Participants reenacted a traditional late 18th century holiday celebration complete with traditional foods and methods of cooking. The participants are ordinary people who have a passion for American Colonial history. They dress and re-enact daily early American life at special events throughout the year. I had first encountered some of them at the event which recognized the 230th anniversary of the Fort Griswold Massacre also known as the Battle of Groton Heights. Besides dressing, and demonstrating skills from the past, the people are a source of information regarding daily colonial life. It is always nice to see young children at these living history events. It is an opportunity for them to see some of what they read about in schools. In this area besides these events there is Mystic Seaport and Old Sturbridge Village where history comes alive.

Documenting the event and listening to the reading of personal diaries from Colonists as well as French soldiers who had come to assist them in the War of Independence, I could not help but be impressed with the self sufficiency of the people. During that age, men were more of "jacks of all trades" rather than the specialists that we have evolved into today. A man was a hunter, fisherman, carpenter, farmer, tailor, as well as doctor to ensure his and his family's survival. Women were also fully engaged in multi-tasking with activities such as sewing, weaving, cooking, gardening, helping with the farming and caring for the animals, as well as educating the children. The women also were involved in doctoring and preparing medicinal herbs for the family's use. In Colonial times there was little time to be bored.

Today it is all too easy to rely upon others for our safety, welfare and comfort. Yes we need to rely upon the knowledge and skills of others for many things. However, it is often too convenient and the path of least resistance to place our blind trust and welfare in the hands of the others - often misguided.

The financial collapse of so many prominent investment firms in recent years as well as swindles like that perpetrated by Bernie Madoff should lead us to question just how smart these "experts" are or were. I have always handle my own investments and done acceptable. I have made spectacular returns but then again I have not been swindled or wiped out like MF Global. The point is that today with the wealth of resources available to us on the Internet, we should never blindly accept and follow the advise of financial "experts". If you don't understand it from your own research or understand from the advice of an "expert", you should not invest in it.

The same is true with Doctors. When I was younger, all Doctors were held in unquestionable esteem - an air often cultivated by the Doctors themselves. Having lived overseas, you learn to question and evaluate the advise that the doctors give you. It is important to realize that WE are our own Primary Health Care Provider. In our culture, doctors only fix what is wrong with us once something happens. It is our responsibility to prevent that something from happening in the first place. I know a woman who was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis by the best doctor at the best hospital in an upper class city in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through a fortunate circumstance she ended up in a third world country where she contacted Amoebic Dysentery. She was given standard medication for the dysentery and soon noticed that her colitis symptoms had disappeared. Research into her travelling companion, "The Merck Manual" strongly suggested to her that she had "Antibiotic Induced Colitis". Interesting enough the medicine for curing Amoebic Dysentery is the same for Antibiotic Induced Colitis. The doctor in California was notified of the possible misdiagnosis but stood his ground and stated that the Ulcerative Colitis would return. Fifteen years later she is still awaiting the return of the Ulcerative Colitis and she no longer takes a prophylactic antibiotic prior to dental work. I am certain that had she remained under the care of the experts she would now be dealing with the ravishes caused by prescribed steroid treatment for Ulcerative Colitis.

The aforementioned can also be said with dealings with lawyers. Do not just take their advice without first doing your own research and asking yourself as well testing their advice to determine if it makes sense - for YOU. For you - yes because in the end you will have to live with the results and consequences of their work along with their advice that you take. They will earn their fee and move on to more clients. You will live with the results for the rest of your life. back in Thailand a vast majority of issues between people are dealt with directly rather than acquiring the services of a lawyer. Matters such as purchasing land, homes, automobile accidents, divorces, and name changes are handled by the involved parties with the appropriate government agencies merely recording and maintaining documents related the resolution as in the matter of real estate, divorces, and name changes.

This week I had the "experience" of dealing with technical support related to my computer VOIP service. As people sometimes reply if they are involved in a relationship, "It's complicated". A long time ago I had Internet service through SBC =, a spin off at the time of AT&T. Like the theory of the Universe that it expanded at the time of the Big Bang and will eventually contract, SBC merged into AT&T once again. AT&T developed a special working relationship with Yahoo which lead me to use Yahoo Messenger. Yahoo Messenger developed a premium service called Yahoo Voice - Phone Out which allowed me to call phone numbers from my computer at very good rates i.e. call cell phones in Thailand for $0.10 USD a minute rather than around $8.00 a minute using a traditional land line in the USA. I have forgotten which came first, remember I wrote that it was complicated, but two things happened AT&T and Yahoo stopped their special working relationship and the servicing of Yahoo Voice - Phone Out was taken over by a company named Jajah. Jajah was recently taken over by Telefonica something or other - just to show how complicated finding someone responsible has become in the tech world. Any how, life was good using Yahoo Voice - Phone Out. For the past six months I had been getting messages that I had an outdated version of Yahoo Messenger. I ignored it until earlier this week when I succumbed to the fear that I might be missing out on something - foolish me or perhaps greedy me. I downloaded the latest version of Yahoo Messenger and promptly lost access to my Voic-Phone Out Account. I sought help through the programs and kept getting into FAQ that answered nothing close to my personal problem. I tried AT&T and got referred to Yahoo. I decided to call Yahoo support on the phone and after punching some numbers and waiting, found out that they do not do support over the phone. I ended up contacting Jajah "Live Chat" support. At first over texting they tried to pawn me off with my problem to AT&T. I spent a great deal of time in a painful noxious texting ordeal going over my problem with a rep to the point that I thought that I was dealing with either a robot or a computer. It was obvious that we were going through a standard troubleshooting routine oblivious to any statements that I had previous conveyed to the rep. Some of her solutions recommended had absolutely nothing to do with my problem. I thanked her for "help" and got away from her. I did some more Internet research and found serious issues with Jajah support for the past three years. Undeterred I contacted support via Live Chat once again - guess who? Yep it was Zoe once again. Luckily or rather more indicative of her consciousness she did not seem aware of my previous comment that "I am sure that you may be a nice person but you are absolutely of no help to me. I am signing off" Well we started down the same road once again - after awhile I just hung up. I tried a couple of things on my own to no avail. I went back to tech support and got a man who was more on the ball. I never suspected that he was either a robot or a computer. He gave me a possible solution which in the process of implementing required me to shutdown and restart my computer thereby losing contact with him. His solution did not work so I contacted tech support once again only to get a third "expert". We went down the same path as the previous times and had no success. After 7-1/2 hours dealing with Jajah tech support the last rep wrote that he could not solve the problem and that he would refer the problem to their "Software Engineers" and that I could expect an email from them within 24 hours (110 hours ago). I have yet to get that email. I found a website that would solve my problem for $48. It appeared to have been a Yahoo website but I am not sure - I was having trouble seeing through my rage at that point. I was sure not going to pay Yahoo a penny let alone $48 to solve a problem with their software which I had upgraded to at their request. I also did not like the fact that only after you wrote about your problem did you find out that it was a pay for solution site. Flustered that I could no longer cheaply call my wife back in Thailand, I did what we should all do , I voted with my feet and pocket book - I went and set up an account with Skype. In less than 30 minutes, I was on the phone with Duang and able to make unlimited calls around the world for the next three months - cost? Around $39 for the three months. I was still left with the issue of almost $20 remaining in my Yahoo Voice- Phone Out account. After cooling off for a couple of days I decided to try to solve the problem on my own. From the Tech "Experts" it had been determined that I still had a valid account but for some reason my new version of Messenger did not connect or recognize the account. I decided to go to the library and see what happened if I logged on to Yahoo Messenger from a different machine - Voila (There it is) I was able to access my Voice account from the library through an even older version of Messenger than when I started this fiasco. I went home optimistic that I could solve the problem. I uninstalled Yahoo Messenger like I had done at least 8 times previously as instructed by the "experts". However this time I was not going to rely on the software to remove it for me. I went into my hidden files and removed all folders associated with either Yahoo, AT&T, and Yahoo. I then used Norton 360 Premium to clean up my registry file - sure enough it found 65 lines of code associated with Yahoo even though it had been uninstalled automatically. Only then did I upload the latest version of Yahoo Messenger. To my delight, it recognized and accessed my Yahoo Voice - Phone Out account. My point being is that we have the ability to solve our own problems most of the time. We need to trust in ourselves and not blindly follow those who are called "experts" "Experts" are like any tool, they can be used by us to achieve a goal but on their own they can not resolve our issues. We have to take the responsibility and live with the consequences to solve our problems.

So on this American Thanksgiving in 2011 let's reflect upon all that we have been blessed with and let's strive to be more self sufficient in our lives just as our ancestors were during the Revolutionary Thanksgivings. Let's all be especially grateful for our ability to think for ourselves and to make our own decisions - truly blessings to be appreciated and used every day.

Every Picture Tells More Than One Story

2011-11-10T07:19:00.000+07:00

It is difficult to grasp that it has been a month since I last wrote anything of real substance on this blog. Time has flown by and I have been extremely busy. In the past two months some interesting events have occurred and as is often the case in "Allen's World" there is a common thread connecting them and which is also applicable to the outside world.

Recently I sold two prints from my gallery of photographs documenting a journey to Laos. In thanking GD of Arizona for their support I wrote: "They say that every picture tells a story. I actually believe that every picture tells more than one story dependent upon one's perspective and experience" I attached a copy of the blog entry that was associated with the two prints that he purchased. The blog entry was my story that the pictures told to me. This story, my story, would go along to his story related to the photographs.

Photographs are like facts in that they create a reality for each one of us, a reality that is defined by our individual perspectives, experiences, and bias.

I take photographs back in Asia of people, places and things that are interesting to me, - different from what I am accustomed to. To the people that I photograph, they consider themselves to be ordinary people doing ordinary things but, to them, it is me who is exotic and interesting. It is all is just a matter of perspective and experience - for all of us.

Photographs like facts can be manipulated and processed to achieve a desired effect or perceived sense of reality.

Interpretation of photographs just as with facts is highly subjective and greatly impacted by our prejudices; prejudices that can be either good or bad.

I recently signed up for a seminar about glamour photography. In Southeast Asia I never have a problem in finding and photographing "... extraordinary people doing ordinary things." Here in America, it is not so easy. People in the United States are more suspicious of being photographed and in general greatly more paranoid of their children being photographed. Just as I respect the cultural mores of SE Asia, I respect the culture here in the USA and greatly restrain my photographic activities.

However the difficulties of photographing willing subjects here has not lead me to pack up my camera and put it away in the closet. I have decided to take advantage of resources readily available here in the USA to better educate myself regarding photography. My hope is to increase and improve my skills in taking MY photographs. I want to better understand and be more familiar with the tools as well as techniques to better capture my visions to share with others. I don't want to learn how to and I definitely do not want to take other people's photographs. As I have written before - one Ansel Adams is enough and one Anne Geddes is most likely one too many - I don't need or desire to take "their" photographs or photographs like theirs.

One area that I would like to become educated with is the use of studio lighting. In late September, I rented an equipped photography studio to take photographs of my wife. It was an opportunity for me to experiment with studio lighting. It was a very educational afternoon and I am still post processing the 1200+ photographs from that session.

I signed up for the Glamour Phototgraphy Seminar given by a well known photographer in order to learn more about the use and control of studio lighting as well as to gain more experience in taking the types of photographs that I would like of my wife. Although I do not intend to become a studio photographer, I believe the knowledge and experience will enhance my documentary portraits that I typically take while on location in SE Asia.

Due to circumstances beyond his control, the photographer was unable to give the seminar as originally scheduled. Wishing to demonstrate to the people that signed up and paid for the seminar that he was a real as well as honest person, he offered to meet us at the home of his friend for a day of photography discussion and shooting of a Playboy model - all at no extra cost to the seminar participants. At the informal gathering, we all would decide when to reschedule the original seminar.

Well the informal gathering was quite an event. We met at the home of a prominent Boston photographer. The Boston photographer has 75 magazine covers to his credit and has covered every Presidential candidate since Jimmy Carter. All six of us strangers were welcomed into his home as if we were all old friends from university. He was occupied preparing for a fashion shoot later that day, so we went downstairs to his kitchen area.

Our glamour photographer spent the morning and early afternoon in a free, open and animated discussion with us regarding many aspects of glamour photography. After lunch, which he graciously paid for, we returned to his friend's home. The Boston photographer created some time to spend with us in his office. Spending time with him was very informative. He openly shared his experiences as well as techniques with us. We learned many details behind some of his pictures that we had seen on covers of magazines. Some of the facts that amazed me were how little time he has to take the photographs of important people - some people he has only 5 minutes to take their photograph at a location determined by the subject - i.e. in the Board Room, at the Mall, in the office. He had better fortune with the renowned actor, Anthony Hopkins - 20 minutes at the photographer's home. I had always assumed that most of these wonderful portraits that grace publications were studio shots which lasted 1 to 2 hours. As it turns out these photographs were taken under conditions and circumstances that I am all too familiar with.

The photographs, in general, were not taken with 1, 2, 3, or even more studio strobe lights. Most of the photographs were taken with speedlites, what we used to commonly refer to as "flash guns". The difference, and oh what a difference there is, between his photographs and the ones that most people take is that he does not have his speedlite mounted on his camera, he utilizes more than one speedlite, and he uses a knowledgeable assistant to position reflectors or speedlites to get the appropriate light.

Appropriate light? There are two types of light involved in photography; soft light and hard light. Just as facts can depict and create a perceived reality, so can light. Soft light creates low contrast portraits with soft edged shadows and conceals blemishes. Soft light is created by large light sources. The closer that a light source is to a subject the softer it light becomes. Soft light is very complimentary to the female face and form. In the natural world the sun creates soft light on an overcast day or in the very late afternoon during the "golden hour". The light is diffused and flattering.

Hard light on the other hand, like some facts, can accentuate the features and blemishes in a photograph. To a certain degree hard light is more typically used in male portraits. Hard light is created by a small light source at a further distance from the subject. In the natural world the sun creates hard light on a clear day during the middle of the day. The light is sharp and focused which often makes it not very flattering.

Facts just like lighting can be used, manipulated, or modified to influence our perceptions and experiences. The subject or object of our attention is what it is but through the skillful exploitation of light or even facts, people's perceptions and sense of reality or "truth" can be greatly influenced.

During our time together in Boston, we got to take photographs of a Playboy model. This was a new experience for me. She is a professional model. Unfortunately, she did not provide Model Releases and asked that we not share our photographs because of her current employment.

She is a very attractive young woman but more importantly she is a very skilled model. For our photography session, we did not go to any specialized studio. For our photo shoot, we did not have 2, 3, 4 or more studio lights. We used on studio strobe with a large soft box attached to it. The photographs were taken downstairs of the Boston photographer's South Boston apartment. We utilized a seamless paper background behind the model with a single chair or no chair at all. Many of our photographs were actually poses in the apartment back doorway leading out to a small garden area along with parking. The lesson learned here was that you don't necessarily have to have an exotic location or sophisticated equipment to take excellent photographs. The Boston photographer stressed that often in photography you have to make do with what you have. The skill and art of the photographer is to communicate his vision with the environment and circumstances that he is faced with for the shot.

We were very fortunate to have a professional model to work with on that afternoon. With very little direction, she worked to provide us with interesting opportunities. I informed her during one of my sessions that I wanted to focus on her eyes and lips. Yes, it is absolutely true - when photographing a model in lingerie - I was focused on her eyes and lips. That was my vision of her. Of course I saw other things but at that moment my vision was of her yes and lips. She listened to me and focused on what I wanted to accentuate in my photos. The shots came out great and it all seemed quite easy.

Being a professional model, in addition to being comfortable posing in front of a camera she also had a very good understanding of makeup. In reviewing my shots I was very impressed with her makeup. However during post processing of her shots as well as shots that I have taken of my wife, it was very apparent the effect of light has on a person's complexion.

First of all I am not aware of any adult who has a perfect complexion. We all have some degree of blemishes, spots of different colored pigmentation, and "character" or "smile" lines commonly referred to as WRINKLES. To a certain extent these identifiers can be minimized with the proper application of makeup. Soft light is also of great benefit to minimize and obscure these details. On the other hand, hard light can accentuate these details as well as highlighting any efforts that were made through the use of makeup to eliminate them. Facts can also be used to obscure or influence our sense of reality - hard facts can cast a disparaging light on a person if not tempered by additional soft or more flattering facts. The person remains the same in both lights but our sense of realty regarding them is heavily influenced by the balance between hard and soft facts. We react to the facts from our personal perspective and experience to create our own "truth".

During the Playboy Model shoot some of the light accentuated blemishes to her complexion. It was the same model with the same makeup as before but with the different light, the photographs were not flattering at all. Well, the photographs did end up being flattering in the end - through the use of post processing software such as Adobe Photoshop Elements to remove offending details.

Last Sunday I attended a historical recreation of a Revolutionary War Thanksgiving. As part of the celebration an authority on the French involvement in the Revolutionary War read excerpts from contemporary diaries from both sides. When the French first arrived in the Colonies they were not very welcomed. The Colonists did not have much experience with Frenchmen. The view who knew of Frenchmen their experience was from that of being adversaries during the French and Indian Wars - wars that the Colonists and British Army fought against the French and their Native American allies. At the onset of the Revolutionary War, Great Britain attempted to split the developing alliance between the Colonists and French by capitalizing on old prejudices and fears. However, once the Colonists actually had the opportunity to meet, socialize, and do business with the French, they realized a new reality - the French were not like their fears and prejudices had lead them to believe. For their part the French diaries are filled with the praises of the people and lands of the colonies. The Frenchmen wrote of wonders and marvels that were all so strange and different to them but ordinary to the Colonists.

So I find myself often doing when I write of life in Isaan; writing of wonders and marvels that are all so strange and different to me but common everyday life to the Lao Loum people.

To the extent that I can provide a glimpse into the life, culture, and beliefs of Southeast Asia to give a different perspective to the readers of my blog and viewers of my photographs, I am pleased to provide facts that will allow others to form their own reality.

I will always remember that every picture tells more than one story and that facts only tell part of the story - until all the facts are known and their context understood, the story is not complete.

A New Gallery Is Available for Viewing

2011-11-05T09:18:00.000+07:00

A new gallery, "Two Funerals and An Exorcism" is now available for viewing on my photography website

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Thailand/Isaan/Two-Funerals-and-An-Exorcism/19911661_CqsVnk

The gallery is related to a previous blog that I wrote with the same name.

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2011/01/two-funerals-and-excorcism.html

They say that every picture tells a story. I think that every picture tells several stories - but that will be the subject of my next blog entry. However to learn more about Buddhist funeral rituals or more specifically the Lao Loum peoples funeral rituals, you can refer to these blog entries.

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/04/dying-in-isaan-buddhist-funeral.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/12/death-in-isaan-another-lao-loum-funeral.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2010/02/another-isaan-funeral-same-same-but.html

A New Photo Gallery Is Available

2011-10-02T05:23:00.000+07:00

After three months, I have finally gotten around to posting a gallery of photographs of the Blue Angels Flight Demonstration at Quonset Point, Rhode Island at the end of June celebrating 100 years of Naval Aviation. Although I had written a blog on the day and included several photographs, the attached gallery of 55 photographs includes many not part of the blog.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Airplanes/Blue-Angels-2011/19296999_WnFzPt

"Breaking Up Is Hard To Do"; Breaking In Can Be Very Difficult, Too

2011-09-11T20:45:00.000+07:00

In this blog I strive to share and document my experiences, experiences that others most likely have not had or will ave the opportunity to experience for themselves.

Living back in America has not eliminated my experiences but the types of experiences has definitely changed.

Last Sunday was no exception. In 1962, Neil Sedaka recorded a song, "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", which became a big hit, a smash recording. Last Sunday I had the opportunity to do something that I suspect that many people have not done too many times or done recently. Last Sunday I got to break into a car.

Neil Sedaka sang about the difficulties of breaking up a personal relationship. I am going to write about the unexpected difficulties in breaking into a car.

A young woman had locked her purse and car key in her car. She was at work and miles from her home. Her second set of keys were in Hawaii. She had called and determined that it would cost $100 for a locksmith to come and unlock the car. I asked her if she knew what it would cost to replace a window on the car. I had a side window replaced in 2002 when I lived in Curitiba, Brasil for $35. Well as the saying goes "That was then and this is now. That was there, and this is here", she checked and the estimated cost to replace a side window was $200.

She asked me to break into her car. I went out and checked the car. The keys were laying face up on the driver's seat. The "Unlock" button on the key was facing up so tantalizing close to us. I inspected the window and door frame in search of a crack or seam where I could insert a wire coat hanger or flat piece of metal strapping. It did not look very promising. I had seen rubber wedges utilized on the top of car windows to create some access for a "Slim Jim" to be inserted to open the door. For this car such a technique would not work. Inserting a wedge would only press the window more tightly against the metal frame on the other side of the window. That same metal frame extended well below the top of the window there by requiring a wire coat hanger or a Slim Jim to be bent 180 degrees to get inside of the car - something that I was not sure would be possible. This was a moot point because we had neither a wire coat hanger or a Slim Jim.

I got a bright idea of perhaps disconnecting the battery in hopes that it would disarm the lock and security system. It may or may not have been a great idea, I was not able to find out. To open the front hood of the car, you had to first release it from inside of the car.

The car owner made an informed decision for me to break a side window of the car. I was confident that I could do that. I was given a small hammer with a metal shaft. I struck the window with a strong blow. The hammer bounced off window without leaving a mark on the glass. I repeatedly struck the window with the hammer with ever increasing force. Each blow had the same effect - bounced off the window and left no marks on the glass. I ceased my efforts with the hammer when my last strike bent the hammer head 90 degrees on the shaft. The hammer was broken but the glass was unblemished.

I next tried breaking into the car using a tire iron. I was able to generate more force with the tire iron but the end result was the same; the window was unblemished and intact.

I did a little thinking, and decided that I needed a more pointed object to break the window. I found a large pruning shear and plunged the sharp point three times into the glass. The result of my efforts was to bend the tip of the shear 180 degrees with the window remaining just as I had found it at the start.

I was now getting angry as well as somewhat embarrassed. I was determined to prevail. My masculine pride demanded that I succeed. I had an audience of three women, one of them being my wife who believes that I can do anything, expecting me to break into the car. Failure was not an option.

I found a 5 foot long 18 pound steel digging bar that had a chiseled point. I raised the bar and thrust it into the window. The window deflected as the heavy bar bounced off of it. The car window remained in tact. I joked with the woman about was she sure that the window was not bullet proof glass. I had noticed that there was a Marine Corps Base Hawaii sticker on the windshield so I decided to make a joke about the car being specially prepared. My joke had no effect upon her tears and distress. I thrust bar once again with greater force but with the same result. On my third attempt with some rage behind my thrust, the car window finally shattered. Mission accomplished!

Finally succeeding in breaching the window, I reflected upon the difficulty of breaking automobile glass today. My efforts of the day reinforced the need to use seat belts. I remarked to the others how much force some one's head must exert on a windshield to break the glass. It is a force that I would not want to experience or have any one else experience.

I also thought about being trapped underwater in a car. I have seen movies where someone escaped from their submersed vehicle by kicking out the side window. I am not going to say it is not possible but I do believe that if it is possible the person must of had some martial arts training and skills that the vast majority of people do not have.

I even had thoughts about coming upon the scene of a burning car with locked doors and unconscious victim. How could the victim be rescued?

All that thinking and exertions of the afternoon, convinced me of the need to purchase and have readily available in our vehicle a rescue device for breaking car windows. The device is a very small hammer like device with a special tip which allows a window to be broken with a relatively small blow. Many of these devices also have a means for cutting seat belts.

The devices cost around $7 to 20 dollars and are available many places as well as through Amazon.

Breaking in can be difficult, but not if you have and use the appropriate safety device.

Be safe, but also always be prepared

Let's Not Forget

2011-09-06T21:18:00.000+07:00

Events in life can sometimes be thought of as rivers. Just as with rivers events have creative as well as destructive influences on people far removed from the source. Just as with rivers, events are difficult to control and often times efforts to control them have far reaching negative impacts well beyond our imagination.

Three events this past holiday weekend have created a confluence in "Allen's World". These events have converged and reinforced in me a common theme and reaffirmed the importance of history.

The first event, which I have already written about was the commemoration of the Battle of Groton Heights which is also known as the Fort Griswold Massacre. On September 6, 1781, a local man, Benedict Arnold of Norwich, CT lead the British raid on New London, CT. The attacking force of 1,700 regular British Army soldiers was opposed at Groton's Fort Griswold by 164 citizen soldiers. In the end, the colonists lost the battle with casualties of 85 killed and 60 wounded.

Some 230 years ago common people; farmers, merchants, tradesmen rose to the challenge, left their families to defend their cause with many never to return to their loved ones.

The second event, also a far away event but in distance rather than in time, was a phone call from my oldest son. He called to inform me that his 24 year old brother-in-law was in the ICU of the hospital fighting for his life after a four story fall on September 3rd. It was shocking to learn that someone so young and healthy was so quickly in life threatening circumstances. No one had expected it.

The third event was having a former teacher befriend me on Facebook. I had been one of her students 50 years ago. It was a reconnection to my past. It is an opportunity for me to show her the impact and influence that she has made upon my life from her doing her job so many years ago. Just as events mold and shape our world so do people to our lives. I have expressed gratitude in general for the education that I received in the Groton public schools. However, I have yet to personally demonstrate my appreciation on a personal level to one of the teachers that helped to motivate me and give me some of the tools to use later in my life. I now have an unexpected opportunity. However I do have some trepidation that my former English teacher may start to hand out grades on these blog entries.

This coming week also marks the tenth anniversary of the 9-11 terror attacks. I have written of that day before. My perspective on that day is a little different than that of many of my friends in that I was living in Brasil. Much of what I experienced of that time was through BBC International television. However in the aftermath of that horrible day I was struck by a couple of things. The first were the final calls from victims in the buildings and planes to their loved ones, the final good byes, and the last words that they felt compelled to express. The other thing were the countless stories of remorse of survivors of the victims of how they had not kissed them or told the victims how much they were loved or how much they meant to them that day. The victims had gone off about their lives just as any other day. Just as any other day they were expected to return home. Things that needed to be said or should have been said were reserved for a later time; a time that never arrived for so many people.

I remember that in the time after the tragedy of 9-11, we all were more appreciative of each other. We all held our loved ones closer and dearer to ourselves. I suspect that we were also much more expressive of our feelings and emotions regarding each other.

Over the passage of time, for many of us, old habits have reestablished themselves. We may not kiss our loved ones every morning upon waking. We delay telling someone how much they mean to us or how much we appreciate them because we expect there will be tomorrow or some other day to do it. But there will always be a September 3, September 6, or a September 11 for someone and no tomorrow for them. There will be no later time to say or do what should or could be done today.

As we approach the tenth anniversary of 9-11, let's not forget to tell those around us how much we love them, how much they have impacted our life, and how much we appreciate them being in our life.

History Re-Written?

2011-09-05T23:07:00.000+07:00

Last Saturday, 3 September 2011, was a special day in Groton, Connecticut. The commemoration of the 230th anniversary of the Battle of Fort Griswold, sometimes referred to as the Massacre of Fort Griswold, was held. I will be writing a more detailed blog on this event later.

As part of the festivities, people from throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island came to Fort Griswold State Park to participate in reenactments of colonial period military and civilian activities. Just as their are people who join Renaissance, American Civil War or Medival re-enactment organizations, here in New England there are American Revolutionary War groups representing American Patriots, British, Hessian, and French soldiers.

These people bring to life our history and make history more interesting to especially small children. Surprisingly even old history buffs such as me end up learning or seeing something new.

Could He REALLY Be Who I Think He Is?

Well Saturday was somewhat of a shock for me. I was wandering around taking photographs of the various participants when I came upon a group of "British" soldiers from Rhode Island. I immediately recognized one of the soldiers for he is one of my favorite heroes. Although I had studied history four years in high school and even four years of college, I was amazed to see "The Little Corporal", The Sacred Emperor Napolean Boneparte in a British uniform!

Never in all my classes or any of the books that I have read was there any mention that Napolean had fought in the American Revolution. He had fought in the French Revolution but it was actually against the rebels. He had served in the French Army and never as a "Redcoat".

Napolean? In the British Army?

I asked the British Sergeant if he was aware that one of his men was perhaps the Emporer Napolean. He seemed astounded at the possibility. As for "Napolean" he claimed that he did not have any French blood in him. He claimed to be of German, Irish, and Italian extraction. "Hmmmm" I thought to myself; "Napolean was actually from Corsica which is part of Italy". This soldier was showing some deftness typical of statesmen. He denied being French but said he was descended from Italians all the while not admitting he was from Corsica. I did not have the time to fully investigate but there appeared to be a conspiracy here. I will perhaps leave it to Glenn Beck and others to pursue this further.

As we engaged in small talk, I noticed that the soldier appeared to relax and let down his guard ... or rather placed his hand inside of his tunic, an all too familiar posture for the man known to be "Napolean Boneparte".

Perhaps this was all a coincidence. Perhaps this was a case of mistaken identity. Or perhaps some sinister forces are truly trying to rewrite history.

No matter the truth, it was a great day as well as quite a bit of fun.

Rest well and lay in peace. Mon Emperor, ; where ever you are.

The Golden Hour

2011-08-23T04:21:00.000+07:00

The Golden Hour In Galilee (Rhode Island)

Duang and I have been in the USA for seven months now. Caring for my parents takes up most of our time but on occasions we do get out for a few hours. I am not able to take as many or the types of photographs that I prefer back in Southeast Asia. Here in the USA people are more sensitive and suspicious of having their photograph taken; and even more so of photographs of their children! Back in Thailand and Laos, people are honored to have you take their photograph and even more so photographs of their children. Up until around 1999, the vast majority of my photographs were of landscapes and animals with perhaps as little as 5% being of people. Now, outside of the USA, 90% of my photos are of people.

Saturday, Duang and I drove over to the Washington County Fair in nearby Rhode Island. I wanted Duang to experience a quasi-rural county fair. I brought along my camera gear in anticipation and hopes of getting some photographs. The Fair was nice but after about two hours, Duang was a little intimidated by the amount of people and was tired. I had taken only 6 pictures and was quite conscious that the few people that I would consider photographing were not all that willing to be subjects. Undeterred we moved on to Plan "B".

On previous trips to the area, we had toured some of the areas that I had frequented during my years at the University of Rhode Island but we had yet to spend any time at the local fishing villages. Plan "B" was to drive down to Galilee, have some dinner, and take some photographs during the "Golden Hour" which is sometimes referred to as the "Magic Hour" If I could not take photographs of interesting people, I would fall back on to what I used to shoot ... landscapes and work on some portraits of my willing model Duang.

The "Golden Hour" is roughly the time just after the sun rises in the morning or the time just before the sun sets in the evening. It is at this time that the sun is low on the horizon which produces a much softer and more diffuse light than the midday sun. During the "Golden Hour", shadows are not as dark or as sharp as during the other times of the day. The light is also warmer with more of a reddish hue. This time is also a time when magic can occur.

Nossa Senhora do Carmo By Day, Ouro Preto, Brasil

The strongest example of the magic that I have experienced occurred in Ouro Preto (Black Gold), Brasil in November 2000. Ouro Preto is a colonial mining town located in the state of Minas Gerais. It is the location where gold was first discovered in Brasil. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Center. It is a beautiful and fascinating place to visit and even more so; to photograph.
The center of town is dominated by many large colonial structures one of them being the church, Igreja Nossa Senhora do Carmo. The church is covered in stucco which like the concrete structures of Asia develops an unattractive "patina" of soot, smoke, mold and mildew making the buildings a dull light grey with streaks of black if they have not been recently power washed. It is what it is. However it can be at times marvelous especially during the "Golden Hour" when everything is magically transformed.

Igreja Senhora do Carmo During the "Golden Hour"

I had been walking about the city all afternoon long with my wife when we were headed into the center of town to have dinner before grabbing a taxi to our possada on the outskirts of town. Walking the streets of Ouro Preto can be a challenge. The town is very hilly, some of the streets are quite steep, and many of the streets are cobble stoned. Along with the elevation of 1,100 meters (3,400 ft) and heat, these factors all contribute to tiring you out. As we were crossing over a small stone bridge during the "Golden Hour" just prior to making our way up to the city center, I saw Nossa Senhora do Carmo unlike anytime before during our stay. It was completely bathed in gold - golden light. It was awesome. Since my wife was tired I had her sit on a bench placed on the bridge, while I hustled up the steep street to get a better perspective for photographing the sight. I ended up taking 7 pictures. Seven pictures? At the time I was shooting film so I was much more prudent in the number of photos that I took than today with my digital cameras. After taking the seven shots, I excitedly returned to where my wife was waiting. I described how beautiful the scene was and when I turned around to point out the golden scene, the light was already gone. My "Igreja D'Ouro" (Church of Gold) had transformed with the dying of the light into a cold drab bluish grey building. The entire metamorphosis from a light grey black streaked building to a golden shrine and then to a cold drab bluish grey structure had taken about 15 minutes. Although the magical time is referred to as the "Golden Hour" it is not exactly an hour because of location and locale. Because Ouro Preto is closer to the equator and because it is so hilly, the magic lasts much less than an hour.

"Igreja d'Ouro"

Eleven years later back in the USA, I had no expectations of capturing the magic of Ouro Preto but I was looking forward to seeing what could be made from the "Golden Hour" in Galilee, Rhode Island. Like most places and all people, a great deal has changed in the 40 years since I left the area.

Where fishing boats used to command center stage in the center of the port, the two Block Island ferries, one traditional and the other high speed, dominate the port as well as surrounding land. George's Restaurant is still at the mouth of the port serving up their famous chowder and fritters along with other seafood fare. The restaurant is much larger than I remember and I am certain that wait staff are children and grandchildren of the staff that I was familiar with. A great surprise was despite the cost increases, the food was better than I remembered and the best clam fritters that we have had since we arrived in America.

After our dinner we drove down to the edge of town where the fishing boats now are docked. It was around 6:50 PM and it was a perfect time. Other than a few people boarding charter vessels for night fishing excursions, we had the docks to ourselves and the sea gulls. There was no one around to tell us what we could not do. There was no one around to look out for us and to question our intentions or motives.

Duang and I walked along the various docks enjoying the sights and smells of a working fish dock. I took some photos of moored boats and other things. As in Brasil the "Golden Hour" was also a "Magic Hour". The low sun was transforming ordinary things into extraordinary sights. The diffuse warm light enhances the colors and textures. I took some photographs of a pile of fishing gear on the dock - a mundane subject if under the harsh light of the afternoon sun but very interesting under the soft light.

Duang was enjoying the moment by taking her own photographs with her camera. We were on the dock that service boats with ice when I got the idea to take some portraits of Duang, my always willing model. With the limited opportunities to take my documentary style photographs of people, I have been looking into learning more about studio lighting for portraits. I have researched renting a studio and studio lighting as well as attending a class related to studio lighting hopefully in the near future.

In some aspects the available light on the dock in Galilee was the type of light photographers work to create in the studio artificially. I decided to try some techniques out, after all it was free and I enjoy photographing Duang.

Duang In Galilee ... Galilee, Rhode Island

Duang On The Dock Of the Bay, Galilee

Duang Enjoying the "Golden Hour"

We spent 25 minutes photographing and enjoying the summer evening. Around 7:15 PM the light quality was diminishing rapidly. It was time to head on home.

It Is All About the Light

Our afternoon out had worked out very well. Just as often the case is in life, things did not go as we had hoped or expected. Just as in life we adapted and made the most of the opportunities that did present themselves.

In photography, we are all presented with the opportunities and magic of the "Golden Hour". If you can get outside, it is there for you everyday and for free. You may not be able to take the exact photographs that you typically do, but you can learn to broaden your perspectives and enlarge your focus - a worthwhile endeavor and pleasant way to spend any evening.

Now Showing ...

2011-08-06T23:49:00.000+07:00

Sawasdee Thai International Restaurant, Groton CT

It is now official and available for viewing ... the first public display of some of my photographs.

Seven of my photographs, selected by the restaurant owner, are now on display at the Sawasdee Thai International Restaurant, 764 Long Hill Road, Groton CT in the Groton Plaza Shopping Center and will remain there for six months.

The frames, backboards, acrylic, and mats arrived on Thursday afternoon from Documounts in Portland, Oregon. I was extremely impressed with the packaging of the items that I had ordered for this exhibit. All items were well protected and arrived in pristine condition.

Duang assisted me in assembling the metal frames, and mounting the photographs, which had arrived the previous week from Adorama in New York City. The afternoon went by quickly as we assembled three sides of the metal frames, attached the selected photograph to the black archival mat, removed the paper backing from both sides of the standard acrylic sheet, inserted the acrylic sheet into the frame followed by the matted photograph and then the archival foam board before finally installing the last piece of the frame along with mounting hardware - all the while ensuring that no fingerprints or debris were captured in the process.

"Bent At The Waist" 2009
12"x18", Black Mat, Black Metal Frame

"Lao Loum Labor" 2008
12"x8", Black Mat, Black Metal Frame

"Duangchan and Family Planting Rice" 2009
12"x18", Black Mat, Black Metal Frame

"Ma Jon and Mother" 2006
12"x8", Black Mat, Black Metal Frame

"Garlic Harvesters of Ban Huai Phueng" 2009
12"x8", Black Mat, Black Metal Frame

"Isaan Songkran Fun" 2010
12"x8", Black Mat, Black Metal Frame

"Ubon Ratchathani Dancers In the Rain" 2010
12"x8", Black Mat, Black Metal Frame

Yesterday afternoon, between the lunch and dinner servings, Duang and I brought the framed works to the Sawasdee Thai International Restaurant to show to Tai, the owner to ensure that the works were acceptable. She was very pleased and wanted me to hang the photos right then and there. I drove back to my parent's home to gather the tools to hang the photos ... tape measure, framing square, plumb bob and line, hammer and level. Walking back into the restaurant with the tools, I felt like I was back in my old days as an apprentice pipefitter some 44 years ago.

I had previously made a scale drawing of the available space and had developed a layout for the photographs so the task at hand was to locate the points for hanging each frame on the wall. Once again Duang was most helpful and supportive in assisting me to complete the task. We were both very happy with the end result. The owners and staff at the restaurant were very pleased also and complimentary. The display meets the goal of Thai life - "Good for you. Good for me".

I have a public venue to share and perhaps sell some of my work. The restaurant has a complimentary addition to their decor.

After hanging the photographs, we returned home to make dinner for my parents. We then returned to the restaurant to have an intimate dinner - just the two of us; a rare and most welcomed occurrence for us. Naturally we selected the table across from the photo display. The food, as always, was excellent.

Photography Exhibit Update

2011-08-01T02:18:00.000+07:00

"Bent At The Waist"

A while back, actually almost 3-1/2 months ago, I wrote about being inspired as well as encouraged to develop a photography exhibit of some of my work. I have not given up on that endeavor and I have been busy developing and redefining my original concept.

A local business has offered me some space to display some of my photographs and to handle any sales that may arise.

The prints have been selected and the prints arrived two days ago. Frames and other mounting materials have been ordered and through the power of the Internet I am able to track their progress across the USA for a scheduled 5 August delivery.

I have been using http://www.adorama.com/ in New York City for several years for prints as well as my other photography equipment needs. I have never been disappointed with their products or service. I have even had them ship items to me in Thailand. The prints that arrived the other day were sharp and correctly colored just as all the other prints that I have ordered over the years.

Only recently I have gotten into mounting and framing of my photographs. After researching suppliers on the Internet, I selected http://www.documounts.com/ for my supplies. Documounts has an extensive selection of frames, mats, and supplies required to display photographs. Like Adorama, you are given a tracking number for your shipment. I found that the pricing from Documounts to be very good and their customer service to be excellent.

This will be the first public display of my work and the process has been a learning experience. Developing an exhibit, albeit a small exhibit, requires a great deal of work.

Based upon the three books that I have produced, I have developed a style for displaying my photographs. As in my books, the photographs will be surrounded by a black mat. The displayed photographs will be placed in black metal narrow frames to avoid distracting from the photograph as well as for economical considerations. Separate labels will be mounted below each of the framed photographs. The labels mirror the style utilized in my books; black background, yellow lettered captions, and white lettering for information.

Prior to producing labels, I had to give a name to each piece of work and determine a price for the work. Developing a price for your work can be quite daunting, Photography discussion groups on the web are filled with people asking for help to price their work. Fortunately I have had plenty of experience in pricing work related to construction projects so I did not have to seek assistance. However I did some research on what other people were charging for similar photographs and evaluated those prices against my wants and needs to develop my pricing.

Labels Created In Photoshop Elements

With names and prices determined, it was time to develop the individual labels. I had read on the Internet that one person produced their labels using Photoshop. I decided to try and make my labels out of Photoshop Elements, a watered down $100 version of the $600 Photoshop software program. Using Photoshop Elements, I was able to create individual 1.5 inch high by 3.5 inch wide labels. I created a jpeg file to print three labels per 4 inch by 6 print. When all the labels were completed, I uploaded the files to a flash drive, drove to a nearby CVS Pharmacy, and printed the photographs on a Kodak Kiosk. In five minutes I had my prints and was ready to move on to the next step of the process.

The 4x6 prints were glued to 3/16" thick foam board using Scotch Craft Stick. After allowing the glue to thoroughly dry, I cut the individual 1-1/2" x 3-1/2" labels using a metal straight edge and an Exacto knife. The edges of the foam board labels were painted with black acrylic craft paint. After the paint was dry, two small circles of double edged sticky foam were affixed to each label to complete the process of making individual labels for each displayed photograph.

The next order of business was to design the layout for the display. This required taking measurements of the space and drafting a scaled drawing to develop the arrangement for the photographs. Either through dumb luck, beginner's luck or Divine intervention, the layout was rather easy as well as symmetric - and more importantly fit the available space!

Discussion groups on the Internet are filled with tales of anger, disappointment, and betrayal regarding people doing business. The standard question that is sent in response to the initial posting is usually along the lines of "What does the contract say?" invariably the original poster acknowledges that there was no formal contract. Having dealt with many claims and a few of construction lawsuits over the years, I understand how important and helpful a contract can be when conducting business. I am hoping to avoid a personal tale of woe so it was back to the Internet to research contracts and consignment agreements. Once the research was completed, I developed a proposed contract for the exhibit that is intended to meet the needs and concerns of both parties involved.

It appears that the exhibit will be set up by the middle of August. I will announce the location when it is available for viewing.

In the mean time I have made a submittal to a local gallery involving my original concept for an exhibition.

URI LXA Reunion

2011-07-18T19:49:00.000+07:00

Giving Credit and A Tribute to My Own Ones

Yesterday, Duang and I enjoyed a very special day; a day spent with some of my fraternity brothers, their wives, and some of our special friends from our days at the University of Rhode Island. I had not seen many of the people since 1971. Through the technology of the Internet I have reestablished contact with some of them through FaceBook but such interactions are rather restrictive as well as limited.

It was through FaceBook that I discovered that many of my fraternity brothers were reuniting for the weekend. Yesterday I received the details and drove over to Rhode Island to become reacquainted with people with whom I share a common experience.

This morning as I reflect upon the friendship of yesterday and the bonds established 44 years ago, I am reminded of similar feelings from a previous visit back to America a couple years ago. Just as then ...
I would like to share one of my favorite (I have many) songs that seems to summarize my emotions and thoughts so well regarding this reunion. Although I am not Irish, the words and thoughts of this song are meaningful and applicable to me and I believe to everyone. I found the lyrics on tp://www.lyrics.astraweb.com/.

Artist: Van Morrison

Album: Irish Heartbeat

Title: Irish Heartbeat

"Oh won't you stay

Stay a while with your own ones

Don't ever stray

Stray so far from your own ones

'cause the world is so cold

Dont care nothing for your soul

That you share with your own ones

Don't rush away

Rush away from your own ones

Just one more day

One more day with your own ones

'cause the world is so cold

Don't care nothing bout your soul

That you share with your own ones

There's a stranger

And he's standing at your door

Might be your best friend, might be your brother

You may never know

I'm going back

Going back to my own ones

Come back to talk

Talk a while with my own ones

'cause the world is so cold

Don't care nothing 'bout your soul

You share with your own ones

Oh won't you stay

One more day with your own ones

Don't rush away

Rush away from your own ones

This old world is so cold,

Don't care nothing for your soul

You share with your own ones"

I came back this time to be with my own ones - some of my friends from a distant past and a far away land of my youth. More importantly, Duang was able to meet some of the people that influenced me and we had shared our youth together.

I was surprised and very pleased with the caring and camaraderie that I shared with some of my old friends yesterday. Some friends, I had last seen and spoke with during my last year of college back in Rhode Island in 1971.

Despite the lengthy physical separation, the bonds of our shared experiences during the four years at the university survived the years and tribulations of our individual lives. Although we physically changed a great deal, spiritually it was as if we were reunited after only a short semester break. Some people say or perhaps they wrote that making friends in New England is very difficult but that when you do make a friend, you have a friend for life. Yesterday was truly a testimony to that fact.
I am not so sure that it true that New Englanders are not friendly - it just might be that they are suspicious! However I know it to be true that a New England friend is a friend for life. There is no need to call, write, or visit often. The friendship is kept and maintained in the heart as well as in the soul.

Life is surprising and can not always be explained. Often it is best to accept and enjoy its richness for what it is. Yesterday was such a time for all of us - a time to celebrate and share our individual lives and the common experience of living.

"Oh won't you stay

One more day with your own ones

Don't rush away

Rush away from your own ones ..."

Duang and I stayed late into the evening as if trying to make the day last even longer, or to bask in the warmth of the day's camaraderie a while longer. But duties and responsibilities remain so we had to leave.

However, it is through this blog and the Internet that I hope to continue to talk to and to be with my own ones.

I leave proud and happy to have seen and talked with my own ones once again. Although the world in America has grown old and is experiencing serious economic hardships, their friendship as well as camaraderie survives and prevails. I am a richer person for the friendship, affection, and love of my own ones. I give them credit and I pay them tribute - "Thank You".

I am sure that you too share the wealth of your "own ones". It is one of the treasures of life.

Sailfest 2011 Fireworks

2011-07-17T06:15:00.000+07:00

Fireworks Over the Thames River

The past two weekends have been busy here in Groton. There have been two celebrations which provided Duang a little more flavor of American culture.

On July 4th, we attended the annual Groton Fourth of July parade. The parade had a small town flavor to it and the highlight actually was watching the small children around us. I was able to explain the Revolutionary War and Groton's role in the rebellion fairly well to Duang. However I was not able to explain very well the large women roller skating down the street as part of the parade - they were representatives of a women's roller derby league. Duang was just as much at a loss of understanding of the concept of "roller derby" as to why large women in unflattering clothing would be roller skating down the middle of a street in full public view. I don't always succeed in explaining the idiosyncrasies of American culture but I always try. As Duang often says "Thailand not same America". I have seen women walking down the street in Thailand but they were always wearing their best clothing and behaving demurely and acting dignified - often part of a religious procession or celebration.

The big highlight of early July was the fireworks display on July 9 as part of Sailfest Celebration in New London across the river from Groton. The fireworks display this year was sponsored for the 19th year by the Mashantucket Indian Tribe. My parents had often told me how nice the fireworks were so I was determined to see them with Duang this year. The Mashantucket Tribe own and operate Foxwoods Casino in Ledyard. As I posted on FaceBook "Thank you to all those who gambled and lost (I guess that means just about everyone) for making this spectacular show possible."

I had been told that approximately 300,000 people could be attending the fireworks celebration so I knew that Duang and I needed a plan. My first decision was that our plan would exclude driving our car to the event. Fortunately the fireworks are fired from barges in the Thames River just upstream from Electric Boat - an area that I had walked to many times as a young boy. I figured that the best place would be in the parking lot of Garbo's Lobsters. Saturday afternoon just after lunch Duang and I drove down to the area to scout out optimum viewing locations.

As we drove, I was shocked to see how many streets were going to be closed to parking for the event. This only reaffirmed my decision that we would be walking that night. We made it down to Garbo's and the entrance to the parking lot was roped off. Some people were lined up at 12:50 PM to enter the parking lot. I spoke with some people and they said the the street along the river was going to be closed to traffic at 3:00 P.M. Just before 1:00 PM a couple of men showed up to remove the barrier to the parking lot. I spoke to one of the men, obviously the "Boss" since he was carrying a clipboard, about being able to walk onto the parking lot later for the show. From our conversation I determined that it was possible but whether I had a car or not the fee for a space was $30. I informed me that there were only a couple of spaces remaining. It didn't matter to me because I had no intention of paying that amount! Upon leaving the property I spoke with a family waiting to enter, the husband informed me that he had spent $90 to view the fireworks that night. He also told me how crowded that it got in the Garbo lot and surrounding area. He suggested that we walk down and place lawn chairs on the sidewalk across the street. That sounded like a pretty good alternative to me and definitely a great deal cheaper.

Duang and I returned to our car and drove down Thames Street reconnoitering vantage points. Everywhere along the river bank barriers had been set up to restrict access. Property owners were either denying access to the river for their own use or were charging $20 to $30 a car for parking. I remembered many fond days at Fort Griswold State Park overlooking the river, so I turned the car right to climb the heights to get to the Fort. Just as our drive along the river vantage points were roped off and parking was severely restricted along the streets - either no parking along one side or no street parking allowed at all. However when we got to the Fort, I could see people already entering the park carrying blankets, ice chests, and blankets. From the sights it was obvious to me that this would be our site to view the fireworks.

Since the afternoon was still young and we had our plan, we drove over to New London to attend Sailfest. Once we arrived in new London, I could not find any available parking for less than $20. Undeterred I had an idea; we would drive to Shaw Cove, park the car, and walk to the festival. Shaw Cove is an office development which houses government offices such as Social Security and Veterans Administration along with many doctor's facilities. Since it was a Saturday afternoon, I thought that there would be plenty of parking,; free parking. Well I was partially right there was plenty of parking but it was $20 a vehicle. I found an empty lot that had a sign stating "Event Parking" with no barrier tape or attendants. As I pulled in, the attendant from the lot across the street walked over to me. I asked if I had to pay for parking and he confirmed that it was $20. I told him that it was not personal and had nothing to do with him and inquired if he had a boss. He confirmed that he had a boss after which I responded "Tell your boss, he can go ... himself" The guy laughed and we returned to our home in Groton.

I had lived for a time in California where we also had festivals. At those festivals the city persuaded or perhaps strong armed the local developments to allow the use of their vacant parking lots for festival use. I suspect that the city provided police surveillance as well as clean-up services for the lots while they were being used. The businesses contributed to the festival at no cost to themselves - a good deal for everyone. The city also provided free shuttle service between the parking lots and the festival site. I believe that New London is missing out on an effective and economical way to encourage festival attendance by not doing something similar. However New London is the city that a few years ago made international notoriety by refusing to hire a policeman candidate because he scored too highly on an aptitude test. They informed the applicant that he was too smart to be a policeman in New London. I will write no more on that matter.

Part of the Gucci Fireworks Show

After returning to Groton, commencing at 6:00 P.M. we walked from my parent's house to Fort Griswold with our car conveniently parked in the driveway. It was a beautiful night for a walk and most importantly - fireworks show. The sky was clear. There was no wind and the temperature was just right for sitting outside without a jacket.

I selected a scenic as well as nostalgic route to get to the Fort, showing Duang the way and building that I attended elementary school, pointing out where long gone restaurants, movie theatre, and friend's homes were located. It was interesting how much the area had and had not changed over the past 4 decades. Of course it was all new to Duang which made it exciting for her.

We had not travelled far when the wisdom of not driving a car was readily apparent. The roads around the park and leading to the park were all closed to traffic other than pedestrians. Police were at the intersections maintaining control. We like so many other people walked up the center of the streets past the homes where residents were grilling as they enjoyed ice cold beverages. All in all it was a very relaxing and festive atmosphere on our way to Fort Griswold.

We arrived at the east side of the park and walked leisurely towards the monument and Bill Memorial Library. It was very impressive. There was a mobile Connecticut State Police command center set up along with some ambulances staffed with several EMTs. The area was well organized and under control. The control was not oppressive or intimidating but just sufficient to keep thousands of people from getting out of control. There were vendors booths set up along the road as well as booths where you could buy food and non-alcoholic beverages. There were also plenty of Porta-Cans available should the need arise. All in all I was very impressed with the planning and organization apparent along the viewing venues.

I stopped and asked a Policeman if the Fort it self would remain open for the duration of the show. I believed that the park typically closed at sunset. He replied that it would remain open for the show. That was good enough for me. Duang and I entered the fort and soon found a nice spot on the slope to set our beach blanket. As it turned out we were actually almost directly behind and about 150 feet above my original planned destination of Garbo's Lobsters. After seeing all the closed roads, I knew that this location was superior for getting out at the end of the show. It was also cheaper - $0.00 each.

There were a great deal of people watching the fireworks. Many of the people were drinking. We were out for 4-1/2 hours and did not see one incident of bad or threatening behavior. It was, unlike many events in Isaan, a very peaceful as well as relaxing celebration. Back in Isaan we attend many outdoor shows and we have only stayed from beginning to end at about 4 shows out of about 35. There is drinking at those shows too but Duang always makes me leave when the fights start and the fights almost always start. In Isaan it seems like the people get drunk, sloppy drunk; the kind of drunk where the person loves everybody and wants to be every body's best friend. At some point this aggressive friendliness crosses the boundary of acceptance and becomes a perceived slight or affront. A push or a punch is made and the fight is on. Once a fight starts the night is fairly well ruined. The initial combatants are usually separated but ancillary skirmishes break out between the people trying to break up the inital combatants. "Face" is often lost which requires combat until "Face" is somehow believed to have been restored. In general people are not afraid of the Police so running skirmishes continue until the concert is completed or shutdown by the Police. Duang is afraid that somehow I will get involved in the middle of all this so she has me leave. The funniest thing was the closest that I got to being involved was at the last show. I had been dancing at the front of the stage in the "Mosh Pit" area. Duang became fearful and walked up and brought me back to sit on a chair in front of the police. While I was cooling off, she went off to buy me a soft drink. While she was away, the first fight broke out followed quickly by a couple more. The crowd ran in panic down the center of the viewing area. The combatant ran along the edge of the viewing area right where Duang had placed me for "safety". I dodged a couple empty beer bottles that had been thrown not directly at me but in the general vicinity of some "bad guys" that happened to run near me. I went over to Duang's mother and hovered over her as I told her to go back to our truck. She was impressed that I was concerned with her safety to the point that I am still in her good graces almost 9 months later. Needless to say the excellent behavior of the crowd at the fireworks show made a very big impression on Duang as she told me "Amerika not same Isaan" For me, this was an occasion that I was glad that "Amerika not same as Isaan".

The fireworks lasted about thirty minutes but it was a very intensive thirty minutes. Tandem fireworks were constantly being fired into the sky. There were all kinds of colors, sounds, and sights from the exploding fireworks. There were special fireworks that when they exploded created star patterns and even "Smiley" faces. Some fireworks exploded to create bi-colored hemispheres. By chance we had watched a show on cable two weeks before about how fireworks were manufactured or more appropriately "created". For us it was even more enjoyable to see the melding of science and art to create such an enjoyable art performance.

Our surprises for the night were not over. The police kept the roads closed until most of the pedestrians had cleared the area. Duang and I were home 30 minutes later and in bed and I am convinced - before many people in their cars had even got on the feeder roads out of the area.

The night had been very enjoyable and a tribute to the organizers of the event.

Blue Angels Air Show, +40 As Good As Ever

2011-07-06T03:27:00.000+07:00

Last weekend, June 25 and 26, was the annual Rhode Island Air National Guard Air Show at Quonset Point. I try to show things that are typical American cultural events and experiences so that Duang can get a better understanding and experience of what life in America is like. I knew that she had never been to an Air Show before so taking her to Quonset Point was a high priority ... dependent upon the weather. The weather did not seem too promising during the prior days but the forecast for Sunday seemed the better of the two days. We woke of Sunday and found the weather to be promising for the air show. The flying events were scheduled to start at 10:00 AM so we left Groton around 8:30.

I have seen many Blue Angels shows over the years. The last show that I attended at Quonset Point was exactly 40 years ago when it was still an operating Navy base. I had just graduated from nearby University of Rhode Island. At that time the Blue Angels were flying the McDonald Douglas F4J Phantom and the war in Vietnam was on going. The Blue Angels today fly the Boeing F-18 Hornet, a newer version of a plane that they have been demonstrating for 24 years. Today war in Afghanistan is on going with additional involvement in conflicts in Iraq and Libya.

This year also marks the 100th Anniversary of U. S. Naval Aviation.

I have always been impressed with the ritual of the Blue Angels team preparing to commence their flight demonstration as well as their ritual at the completion of their flight. I consider the prologue and epilogue to be integral parts of the overall Blue Angel performance. I wanted Duang to see the complete Blue Angels performance.

Unlike 40 years ago, the Blue Angels were not set up on the main flight line of the Air Show. The Blue Angels F-18s were parked behind the crowd that was was facing the water where the flying was taking place. Duang and I set up our chairs right at the barrier separating the public area from the runway and facilities being used for the Blue Angels. Since we arrived at 10:00 AM we were the first ones in position there for the Blue Angels scheduled 3:00 PM performance. We were situated in front of Blue Angel #1 and about 20 feet from a large concrete block that anchored the cables used in the barrier to keep people away from the planes. We turned our chairs to face the water and enjoyed the other performers in the air show.

Blue Angel #4 Arriving After Checkout Flight

I had read in the newspaper that during Saturday's performance there was an engine problem with Blue Angel #4. On the way to Quonset I had mentioned to Duang that I thought that the air crews would have worked through the night to repair the plane.

I don't know if they crews had worked through the night, but the engine had been repaired. Although Blue Angel #4 is piloted by Lt. Rob Kurrle, the morning checkout flight was piloted by Lt. David Tickle, Blue Angel #7 and the narrator for the show. I suppose he was flying to maintain flight hours and to give Lt. Kurrle a break.

Blue Angel Pilot Communicating With Crew After Checkout Flight

Lt. Tickle took off with a roar, made a pass over the flight line and disappeared to less crowded skies to put the F-18 through its paces to ensure that it was fully prepared for the afternoon show. It seemed like he was gone for around an hour when the plane returned. The flight was a success for Blue Angel #4 was returned to its designation on the flight line between Blue Angel #3 and Blue Angel #5. The flight line was aligned perfectly from Blue Angel #1, Flight Leader, through Blue Angel #6, Opposing Solo. Far to the right of the flight line where some of the other show performers were staged, Blue Angel #7 the Narrator's plane was positioned.

The Job Is Nor Complete Until the Paperwork Is Complete

When I worked in construction, we had a saying that the job was not completed until the paperwork was completed. I guess the same also applies to flying for the Blue Angels. After the checkout flight, Lt. Tickle sought the relative comfort and shade of the back of a support van to fill out his paperwork along with the flight crew for Blue Angel #4.

It was interesting to observe a different aspect of the Blue Angels show. Duang was intrigued by the discipline and formality associated with all aspects of the team. Throughout the day she would say "Ohhh very nice. Good. America up up Thailand. Thailand not have. America up up Thailand money" Later in the day I was told that a Blue Angels performance costs around $1,200,000. For me, that price is well worth it and I consider it to be taxpayer's money well spent.

Duang and I held our positions at the barrier all afternoon long. Occasionally one of us would leave to get a closer look at the other performances, to get water, or to just get a change of scenery. It was in no ways boring and there always seemed to be something interesting to watch, if not interesting to photograph. We were in it for the duration and committed to enjoy the time.

This looks serious, very serious. Did I do something wrong?

Around 2:30, one-half hour before the scheduled start of the Blue Angels flight demonstration, things became ominous. Three security men carrying guns started walking directly towards me. They seemed very serious. We had seen security personnel throughout the day but they were more like somebody's young brother parked or driving around in a pickup truck and they appeared to be unarmed. The guards approaching in the late afternoon seemed to be professionals and were walking and riding in open military vehicles carrying some serious rifles. Knowing that I had done nothing wrong, I continued to photograph them. About 20 feet from Duang and I, they finally broke to the left and stopped. They were looking at the concrete block that anchored the barrier cables. I then realized what it was all about. Behind the concrete block was a unattended cardboard package! I shouted out to them and they came over to me. I informed them that the box had been delivered by a young woman on their side of the barrier from a beige "Blue Angels Support" van. I gave a description of the woman to them. They asked me when was it that she placed the block there and I told them about an hour earlier. The leader of the team, an apparent civilian, said to the others that it was about right. There were several walkie-talkie conversations and they seemed to relax - just a little. With my story seemingly checking out they focused on the package rather than me. After a while, one man cautiously approached the box and looked at it very carefully. He shook his head "Yes" and backed off. The package remained there and the men still seemed concerned about it. After about 10 minutes, I called the civilian leader over and told him that if they needed someone to go over and open the box, I would do it but it would cost them ... as I pointed over the the Blue Angels flight line and said "I wanted a ride on any one of those planes" He smiled and said that he had been working security for the Blue Angels for six years and had not gotten a ride yet. I knew then my best chance to get a ride was not going to be good enough. Interestingly, when the Blue Angels were performing he was walking the barrier along the flight paths on the other side of the show so I suspect he was the head of Blue Angel security. As for the box, it remained there behind the concrete block until just before the planes arrived after performing. Several Navy enlisted people arrived opened up the box and passed out souvenir brochures to the spectators along the barrier. The Blue Angel pilots then autographed the brochures for people - including Duang.

Once the security threat was resolved the Blue Angel flight demonstration began. The show starts with the Blue Angels support C-130 plane, "Fat Albert" taking off and performing.

"Fat Albert" In Flight Over Quonset Point

With "Fat Albert" entertaining the 55,000 people in attendance, the Blue Angel pilots and ground crews commenced their ritual to get the F/A-18s airborne.

Lead by Capt.McWherter the Blue Angel Pilots March Down Flight Line to Their Craft.

The six performing pilots lead by Capt. Greg McWherter, Blue Angel Flight Lead, marched in unison along the flight line from Blue Angel #6 towards Blue Angel #1. As they approached Blue Angel 6, all the pilots in unison returned the salute of the Crew Chief. Lt. Simonsen, Opposing Solo pilot, broke off from the marching pilots to mount his F/A-18. As each of the remaining pilots approached his jet, he returned his Crew Chief's salute, broke from the pilot's formation and made his way to the awaiting ladder to mount his plane. The last pilot to climb aboard his jet was Capt. McWherter; as the team's leader he is the last to mount, first to take off, and first to land.

Capt. McWherter and His Crew Chief Saluting

Flight Leader/Commander McWherter Climbs Aboard His F/A-18

Blue Angel #1 Commencing Roll Down Flight Line

Once the Flight Leader/Commander was aboard his craft the team went through a synchronized ritual of closing their canopies, starting their engines, completing preflight inspections and checkouts, before Blue Angel #1 broke from ground formation to commence his roll down the flight line past the other craft. Unlike 40 years ago, the planes did not need external auxiliary equipment to start their engines. After a few seconds of high pitched whining, the engines burst into a throaty roar. Just after being passed by Blue Angel #1, LCDR Tomaszeski taxied Blue Angel #2 behind his leader. This ballet of aircraft continued until all six Blue Angels were following their leader down the runway.

Capt McWherter Leading the Way

The Show is On!

Part way into the flight demonstration there was a mechanical problem with Blue Angel #1. I did not hear exactly what the problem was other than it was a "minor mechanical" problem. later while editing some of the 706 photographs that I took during the day, I noticed that Blue Angel #1 had not deployed the arresting hook while the other planes in formation had. I suspect that this may have been the problem.

Blue Angel #1 Returns With "Mechanical " Problem

Capt. McWherter returned to the base. While he was away, the remainder of the pilots continued the demonstration for a while and then flew holding patterns off in the distance. About twenty minutes later after landing, Capt McWherter roared back into the air ... flying Blue Angel #7.

The Show Must Go On! Capt McWherter Roars Back Flying Blue Angel #7

The flight demonstration resumed and was everything that I expected and had hoped for. Duang was in a constant state of excitement with frequent exclamations of "Ohhh!" "Awhhh!" "Very Good, Very Nice!"

Flying Blue Angel #7, Flight Leader/Commander Lands At Flying Demonstration Conclusion

At the conclusion of the flight demonstration, Capt McWherter lead his team in landing and taxiing to the original staging area for the Blue Angels. Although the flight demonstration was over, the show was not over. Just as there are a series of choreographed movements and ritual for the Blue Angels to take off there are similar movements and rituals for the Blue Angels upon landing. Once again Duang and I relocated; this time from the main air show flight line to our original location at the Blue Angel flight line.

Capt McWherter About Ready to Turn into Formation

The Count On Deck Is Six; All Present and Accounted For ...

Flight Leader/Commander Exits His Jet

Starting from Blue Angel #6 the pilots form up and march in unison towards Flight Leader/Commander Capt McWherter. The flight crews having completed they work of securing and chocking the plane's wheels stand at attention.

LCDR Tomaszeski Congratulates His Crew For A Job Well Done

Blue Angel Pilots March Towards Their Flight Leader/Commander

It had been a great day. Ye. s the sky could have been bluer. The skies could have been higher. The Blue Angels did perform an abbreviated show. I could have been rewarded with a ride in a F/A-18 but was not. It took us two hours to exit the base at the conclusion of the show. But it is like life, happiness is not to be found in "What could have been" or "What should have been". Happiness is found in taking pleasure of what there is and what you have. Duang and I returned to Groton; both very happy.

Gregg Stradiotto, Artist

2011-07-01T22:48:00.000+07:00

It has been a while since I last posted. It is not to say that we have not been busy. Caring for my elderly parents is a pretty much full time job which leaves little time for trying to be creative. The combination of Connecticut climate and social attitudes here have presented few opportunities to use my camera so I have been focused on developing a greater knowledge and attempting to develop post processing skills utilizing Adobe Photoshop Elements software.

Last week I received an email from an artist who had come across my blog and photography galleries on the Internet. I am always amazed at the power of the Internet to connect people from various backgrounds and from distant locations.

Gregg Stradiotto is an artist who carves "netsuke", an article used in traditional Japanese costume. As is typical of Eastern culture, there is more than what just meets the eye with "netsuke". There is a great deal of symbolism as well as tradition involved in the subject matter and depiction in each "netsuke". Gregg also takes it further in some of his works by infusing some Summi (Lapland) motives.

I was very impressed with his work and in correspondence with him, I found him to be a supporter of multi-culturalism which I am also an advocate of. http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2010/10/free-to-be-you-free-to-be-me.html

I am sharing the link to Gregg's website because I believe that you will find it interesting and informative - another part of the world that we all share but may not be aware of.

www.greggstradiotto.com

Life and Death - USA and Thailand

2011-04-21T06:32:00.000+07:00

An Old Man Walking In Tahsang Village

In America the Federal budget disagreements continue with outrageous allegations being hurled by both sides making the possibility of compromise all that more remote. It appears to me that the art of civil debate and social discourse has been lost to and in favor of the cheap alternatives of character assassination and the instant gratification of labeling your opponent.

Besides the strategy of "winning" an argument by out shouting those who disagree with you, the standard procedure seems to be sticking a nefarious label on those who disagree with you; with the objective being to completely discredit your opponent and diminish any of the facts that they contribute to the discussion.

Egged on by the media, the participants in our government do not seek and identify those areas where they agree or can compromise. Rather they seek to focus on the areas where they disagree with each other and how they occupy a much higher moral ground than their opponents. Establishing class or a racial basis to defend your position and to attack your opponent's positon seems to earn bonus points in the tawdry game being played out across this land.

A big component of US public spending is related to health care. Medicare and the implementation of Obamacare have significant impact upon the quality of services to patients as well as the costs to taxpayers. There has been some and undoubtedly there will be much more argument regarding the scope and costs related to these programs.

One of the great promises of the Internet, especially sites like Facebook, is the ability and opportunity for people of varying backgrounds and experiences to exchange information. Through Facebook I am well aware that having left the USA to work and live in other countries I have developed very different views than most of the people that I grew up with. That is OK and does not mean that they are "bad" or that I am "bad". We just disagree - there is nothing wrong with that. It is just a natural phenomenon of people reacting, experiencing unique lives and adapting to different environments. Ideally we would all benefit from sharing and considering the diverse perspectives.

I am fortunate that I have friends on the Internet that I can disagree with. The important thing is that we can communicate why we disagree and in the ensuing discussion provide information with which we can each reconsider our individual positions. Most importantly, so far, we have been able to still respect each other.

Recently on Facebook there was a posting of an article from the AARP which called on people to contact their representatives to vote "No" on Rep Paul Ryan's budget which according to them would "effectively end Medicare as we know it and put the health of millions of older Americans at risk."

Someone responded to the posting by stating "Along with Medicare cuts, Medicaid benefits will be denied long term nursing home care for seniors. Middle class families as well as low income families rely on Medicaid to help them afford nursing home care for their parents ..."

I felt compelled to respond and posed the following question. "Whatever happened to taking care of your family rather than putting them in homes? It works in Thailand. It used to work here."

A friend of mine pointed out the following life expectancies for Thai and American people - Thai Male - 71.4 years versus US Male - 76.08 years; Thai female - 76.08 years versus 81.5 years for US female. My friend also made the comment that this is what happened with taking care of your family, they die earlier.

Personally I was surprised at how little difference there is in the life expectancies between Thailand and the USA. Those of you who follow this blog may have read several entries that I have written on health care in Thailand. In Thailand you can have world class health care if you know where to go and you are able to pay for it. In general the sophistication of health care for the average Thai is not comparable to that available to the average American. Facetiously I also remarked that I did not know the extent that Thai driving practices had on the lower life expectancies in Thailand.

I have written about seeing a local doctor and paying $13 for the office visit and medication that was dispensed. Thirteen US dollars for a doctor visit and prescriptions is extremely cheap for most Americans however it is a burden for the vast majority of people in Isaan. The ousted former Prime Minister of Thailand, Sinirat Thaksin, instituted a national health care program in Thailand for poor people. Poor people register and receive a card from the government. The card allows the person to pay a fee of 30 baht ($1.20 USD) for medicine. However the program is limited only to payments for medicine and does not cover procedures, doctors, or hospitalization. This program is one of the reasons that he remains popular with the poor people of Northeast Thailand; but that is a whole different story that I am not writing about today nor do I choose to write about. Just as I do not appreciate foreigners telling me what we should do in our country, I will not be a foreigner telling people what they should do in their country - it just makes life easier and more pleasant for everyone.

I have been told and I have heard people tell my parents that they are very lucky to have a son like me and a daughter-in-law like Duang who will travel 8,000 miles to care for them. It is very nice to receive such compliments but for Duang like all other children in Thailand these are very strange statements. In Thailand children are expected and accept the responsibility to care for their older relatives in their advanced years. Typically it is the youngest daughter who bears the responsibility but extenuating circumstances can change that. Some grandchildren or even nieces or nephews will care for an elderly relative. It is ingrained in the Lao Loum culture to care for the elderly. It is the way that America cared for its elderly in the past. It was a duty and a responsibility of the younger generations - a social compact that for many today no longer exists.

My parents often apologize for "messing up" my and Duang's life. I tell them and I really mean it that we prefer to not be here but it is our duty as well as responsibility to take care of them. They need us and we are capable of helping them. We are able to ensure that they can remain in their home where they are most comfortable. Putting them in a nursing home at this time would not improve the quality of their life in any way. As to "messing up our life" - this is our life. Living back in the USA and taking care of my parents is not necessarily the life that we planned but it is the life that we have. It is the life that we have to deal with as best we can. It is a life that we still enjoy.

In the exchange over Facebook, another friend wrote "In Thailand I suspect there's a basic respect for the elderly, rather than a basic fear of being elderly that seems to permeate the stay-young-forever society we have." I very much agree with that statement. In addition to the fear of being elderly, I believe that in America, the elderly are considered somewhat of an embarrassment and I suspect that for some people they are too painful reminders of the fate that awaits all of us. In our materialistic society there is not much value in being old. Other than medical care we are not great consumers of goods and services. We also do not pay a high amount of income taxes or contribute to payroll deductions such as Unemployment Insurance, Social Security Hospitalization Insurance, or Social Security Old Age programs. To the contary we are consumers of the government entitlement programs.

In Isaan caring for elderly has religious conotations. A person earns merit in the Buddhist religion by caring for those who can not care for themselves. Earning merit in this lifetime assists a person to return in a higher status in their next life.

No matter the case of how we consider the old, the fact remains that:

Funeral Rites In Isaan

We will all die some day of something.

The only speculation exists is how we will die and when we will die.

When I contemplate life and death issues, be it in Isaan or the USA, I am often reminded of a wonderful quote from National Geographic contributor, Wade Davis, a renowned Canadian Anthropologist. In his documentary series "Light At the End of the World" regarding the Buddhist attitude towards death ... "The Buddhists spend all their lives getting ready for a moment that we spend most of our lives pretending does not exist, which is the moment of our death".

In Isaan death is a milestone of life which is familiar to and accepted by all people from a very early age. The conclusion of this life, which for many has been very difficult, presents the hope as well as opportunity for a better and easier life in the future - another step towards eventual enlightenment.

As I witness the pain and suffering of people in the USA as they artificially struggle to delay the inevitable, I have pause to contemplate the best way to live and die.

In Isaan, death comes quicker and sooner due to a lack of money and facilities. Yes the expectancies show that; roughly five years sooner than in the USA.

However as I shared with my Facebook friends, in Thailand it is not about how long that you live; it is about how you live which really matters.

At what point should we allow ourselves or others to let go and conclude the suffering?

If a person wants to spend their money in a futile attempt to attain immortality, it is none of my business. However if public funds, my tax dollars, are going to be spent in this quixotic quest to avoid death then I am involved by default.

There were allegations last year regarding Obamacare establishing "Death Panels". I do not want a panel of bureaucrats determining what procedures and medicines that I will receive. I want the freedom to determine what the extent of my healthcare will be even if it means that I may not receive certain procedures because I can not afford them. However the practical determination of how public funds are to be spent is entirely justified and in my opinion - expected and a duty.

However if public funds are to be used to finance anyone's health care, I think that it is entirely reasonable to have limits upon procedures and medications dependent upon one's circumstances. What may be deemed appropriate to save the life of a 35 year old person may not be calculated to be appropriate for a 90 year old person. To me it does not make financial sense to pay $93,000 for a new drug treatment regimen for prostate cancer that extends the life expectancy of a man by 4 months versus chemotherapy which extends it by 2 months.

Is it the best use of Medicare or other public funds to pay for colonoscopy examinations of 87 year old people?

Discussing who should receive what treatments is repulsive, distasteful and best left to the people directly involved - the patient and the physician. However when the treatments are paid for by public funds, that discussion needs to take place in a more public forum and especially from the perspective of what is best for the overall collective good. It is dirty and nasty to boil a person's future down to actuary tables and calculated value, but this is what we invite when we subbrogate our freedom of health choices to the government.

People die 5 years younger in Thailand than in the USA but at what cost do Americans live those five extra years. More importantly, what is the quality of those five extra years that Americans live?

We are all going to die of something some day; there is no denying or escaping this fate.

I would rather die earlier and be happy at the time of my death than to live longer and either be miserable or suffer for the additional years.

How you choose to live out your final years is up to you ... until, in my opinion, your choices are paid for with public funds. At that time your choices no longer become strictly yours.

As I was taught - You can have anything that you want as long as YOU can pay for it. When you expect others to pay your bills, you give up a great deal of your freedom.

A true indication of how mature and sophisticated a society we are will be demonstrated in how the issues of personal freedoms, personal responsibilities, social responsibities, ethics, morality, accountability and common sense are resolved in regards to health care in America.

Two Souls Departing In Isaan

Inspiration and Encouragement

2011-04-13T04:02:00.000+07:00

"Duangchan and Family Planting Rice"

Often we are not aware or at least most likely to not fully appreciate the influence that we have upon others. We go about our lives doing what pleases us or perhaps doing what we believe is expected of us. Most likely our power and ability to inspire and to encourage others is not a factor especially in our day to day relationships with people outside of our immediate family and close circle of friends. However we have the ability to influence people far removed from our intimate circle of people.

We can influence others in sharing our knowledge, our experiences, our opinions, offering feedback and by our actions.

I have been toying around but not entirely focused on developing a photo exposition of some of my work. I have gotten to the point where I had decided upon a central theme; "Bent At The Waist, A Photography Exhibit of Lao Loum Rice Cultivation in Isaan", selected the photographs, developed a book specific to the exposition, and purchased 15 of the planned 18 mounted prints to be exhibited. I had researched and developed a framing scheme for the selected works but I had held off purchasing the mats and frames.

"Duangchan and Family Planting Rice"

"Isaan Pas de Deux"

As part of developing the photography exposition I had posted a couple of the selected photos on the photo.net website for grading and critiques in the "Documentary" category. A couple people indicated that they would be interested in seeing black and white versions of the submitted photographs.

Some people consider that documentary photography must only be in Black and White. I consider my work to be documentary style photography in that my goal is to capture a real and true moment at a specific time; sort of like "If you had been there then, this what you could or should have seen". As such, there is very little posing, imposed direction, or post process manipulation in my photographs. However I do prefer to work in color for no other reason than the fact that color, to me, more accurately and more completely captures the specific moment.

I took the comments of the other photographers seriously and resubmitted the photographs in Black and White versions. Surprisingly to me, the B&W versions of the photographs received about a 10% higher rating than the original color submittals. I find the predisposition of people to prefer B&W for documentary photography interesting but not sufficient for me to alter my style. However the book for my planned photography exposition will have Black and White versions of the selected photographs for the "purists".

Yesterday, almost one month after submitting a B&W version, I was inspired and encouraged by a person well outside of my family and friends. My inspiration and motivation came from a person that I had never met, spoken to, or written to. I was only familiar with his work from the photography website that I participate in, http://www.photo.net/.

Jon Peri is a prolific photographer based in Paris who specializes in portraits and nudes. I have become very familiar with his work through Photo.net and greatly admire his photographs. It is not that I want my photographs to look like his but that I appreciate the beauty, style, and the quality of his work. His style is very distinctive which is a trait, which I believe, that every true artist strives for.

John took the time to critique the B&W version of "Duangchan and Family Planting Rice" - "An expressive work, very well composed. The shadows reinforce the image well and I like your choice of black and white also, bravo."

I have received encouragement from family and friends in the past regarding my photography but in the case of family and friends, you never are comfortable with the motivation behind the praise and encouragement. The perception that there is a need to protect or shield a person from disappointment often leads to false or at least slanted evaluations. This is not to say that praise and encouragement from family and friends is not appreciated or welcomed. It is just that often the basis and credibility of their feedback can be suspect.

Receiving feedback from a stranger may not be always as palatable as that from an acquaintance but it is more likely to be more honest.

Receiving positive feedback from a person who is a professional with a great deal of experience is also inspiring and encouraging.

I am now motivated to proceed with developing the photography exposition "Bent At The Waist, A Photography Exhibit of Lao Loum Rice Cultivation in Isaan" and bring it to a conclusion. Now that I have shared this plan should also help to keep me motivated.

We all have knowledge, experience, and opens that if honestly shared can provide inspiration as well as encouragement.

Lately I have been dealing a great deal with the Veterans Administration, "VA", regarding medical benefits for my father. I had read so many horror stories about the VA facilities and VA treatment of people that I was shocked at what we actually experienced. The VA facilities that my Dad and I visit in New London and New Haven are first rate. The VA people could not be any better - they are helpful, polite, competent, and seem to genuinely carry for their clients. So far we have not had to wait a minute beyond our appointment time to see a VA doctor. The VA is telling my Dad all the things such as eyeglasses and hearing aid that he can get through them and they follow up on arranging for him to receive them. I am extremely impressed and I have only one regret - I do not qualify for VA medical care. My Dad and I make it a point to always let the VA people know how much we appreciate their work and what a good job that they are doing.

It is important to provide positive feedback to those around us. It is just as important as negative feedback or complaining.

Positive feedback encourages good behaviors and reinforces our expectations of others.

Positive feedback can be inspiring as well as encouraging; a gift that costs nothing.

Positive feedback is another way that we have influence over those around us; influence to make a better environment for everyone.

It's Not the Same - Somethings are not the way they used to be

2011-04-02T03:15:00.000+07:00

On occasion I have written about Duang's impressions on living in America as opposed to living back in Isaan.

The main focus of this blog, "Allen's World", until I returned to the United States two months ago was to share experiences and observations of an America expat living in foreign cultures.

Today I am writing about one of my impressions of living back in my childhood home.

Last week, Mom pulled out a bag where she keeps the household loose change. I immediately recognized the bag - it is the old canvas bank bag from Hartford National Bank and Trust Company, that I used when I was a newspaper boy for the "New London Day" newspaper.

Back in the late 1950s and up to mid 1960s, I was a newspaper carrier for the local newspaper. The newspaper is still in existence and my parents still have it delivered to the house. But so much has changed.

When I delivered the newspaper, customers paid $0.30 a week from which I received $0.08 a customer per week. Most people gave me $0.05 a week in addition as a tip. A couple people, my favorite customers, gave me $0.50 a week - a $0.20 tip; more than enough to buy a comic book!

Shortly after returning home from school, a small vehicle similar to a milk home delivery truck would stop at our house and throw out a bundle of newspapers. I would collect the papers, count them to ensure that I had enough for my customers, and put them into my newspaper canvas shoulder bag. I would then set off to deliver the papers around my neighborhood. The afternoon newspaper was distributed throughout the area through a network of newspaper boys and girls. I actually purchased my route from a family of girls who had lost interest.

Once a month, on a Saturday morning, the representative of the newspaper would come to my parent's home. He would check my records and collect the money that was due the company. Newspaper carriers had small ledger books where we listed our customers and kept track of their payments. We did not track how much that they paid. We merely filled in the box associated with their name and appropriate Friday date to indicate that they had paid. The company representative was also a source of information about other routes that were available to be purchased. I bought some routes and expanded my customer base over the years. The representative, an honest broker, was able to put buyers and sellers together. A few times a year the representative informed us of special events for the newspaper carriers - free "Newspaper Boy Picnic" at Ocean Beach Park, free tickets to a swim show at Waterford Speedway, and free tickets to some body's "Hurricane Hellcat Stunt Driving Show". If necessary the representative would also review and discuss any complaints that the company had received regarding our service to our customers. We were expected to keep our customers satisfied and we were held accountable for their satisfaction.

We were expected to deliver all of our newspapers by 4:30 P.M. There were many days that I delivered newspapers in the rain and the coldest that I remember delivering papers was -3F (-16C). Three weeks ago, I answered a call from the newspaper explaining that the paper would be delivered late because of "distribution problems due to the weather." The night before had produced abot 1/4" of ice and snow on the roads. But this blog is not about "reminisces by an "old" man of walking 3 miles to school in the snow when I was your age" This blog is about change and some of what we have lost today.

I have written a few times about lessons that I have learned from my parents with the biggest lessons learned being "I could have anything that I wanted ... as long as I had the money to pay for it" and "If you want something bad enough, you will work for it and if you don't want to work for it, you don't need it". These were great lessons to learn. These were lessons that could be learned and most importantly, APPRECIATED, because I earned money as a paperboy.

What made me think about being a paperboy, or I guess today's more politically correct term "newspaper carrier", besides seeing my old money bag was receiving a phone call the other day from the newspaper. No, they were not trying to get me back to deliver the newspapers for them. It was an automated notice to subscribers that the cost of an eight week subscription was going up $0.64 due to increased fuel costs.

My parents like all other subscribers no longer pay weekly to a newspaper carrier. They no longer pay for the newspapers that they had received. Today people receive a bill in the mail for the newspapers that they will be receiving. My parents send a check by mail to the newspaper and neither speak or even know who delivers their newspaper.

Today the newspaper is placed in a special plastic receptacle on the front steps of a home rather than placed between the storm door and door of the house.

Today most newspapers are delivered by someone who drives a car.

Today there are not 4th or 5th grade school children, that I am aware of, starting out in business by walking their neighborhoods delivering papers.

I view this as a great loss - a loss for the children as well as a loss for our society.

Back in the "old days" a child's first business experience typically came as a "newspaper carrier".  We learned the necessity of being organized and disciplined.  We learned the world would hold us accountable and responsible for our actions.  We started to develop the required skills to deal with people in an environment outside of our immediate family - the real world. At an early age, newspaper carriers learned the value of maintaining accurate records, the importance of budgeting, the value of good manners, and the need to maintain good customer relations.

I learned all the above as a young paperboy long ago. These were lessons that have served me all my life and I value up to this day. Besides the invaluable lessons that I learned, being a newspaper boy allowed my to be more independent and to exercise my independence.   With the money that I earned and saved from my paper route, I was free to buy the things that I wanted.

To this day one of my fondest memories is saving up my earnings, going to Sears and Roebuck Store and buying an umbrella tent for $17.95. There was a strong sense of pride and accomplishment in setting a goal, working towards the goal, and accomplishing the goal. It was MINE. I had EARNED it.

When I was unable to deliver newspapers, I made arrangements with my sister to deliver the papers for me. I paid her for her time but being a young capitalist, I did not pay her 100% of my prorated profits for the day. I recognized that it was my and my responsibility alone to ensure that my customers got their newspaper despite my problems, issues, or choices for that day. In the end it was good for her and good for me. In the end it was negogiated between us.

Today I see very few children outside. I do not see any children learning life and business lessons by delivering newspapers.

Today I perceive that there is a great deal of fear and concerns especially related to children. Imagine having children today walking in the rain, walking in the snow, walking in the cold to deliver newspapers to houses and inside of apartment buildings.  Imagine of all the possibilities of what could happen to them. I suspect that too many people are imagining too many things. In one of my favorite Ian Tyson songs he sings "Wishing don't make it so" To paraphrase I say and may be after a couple of beers I wiould sing "Imagining doesn't make it true". Today in my home town, I see parents picking up children at bus stops to drive them four or less blocks to their home. Today there seems to be a great deal of fear for the safety of children.

Fear can be a cruel prison that we are often too willing confine ourselves to. Fear can take away our freedom to grow, to experience, and to be happy. Yes, there are issues related to children's safety, but the facts indicate that these are more concerns than they need to be fears.

In the days when we carried newspapers, we had fears - we were afraid that Russian planes would fly over us and drop atomic bombs. But we were prepared - we practised ducking underneath our school desks when the air raid sirens went off. I also knew that if an atomic bomb went off while I was outside that I should jump into and lay flat in a ditch. It is all so funny now to think back at our "safety plans" for atomic attacks, but these plans allowed us to move on with our lives. Moving on with our life is very important. We only have a few years on this earth and much less time to prepare to fully experience and enjoy our time.

As children we were made aware that there were "bad" people who did "bad" things to people. However we were also taught what to look out for and how we could avoid the "bad" people and situations where we could be hurt. While we were made aware of the concerns we were also empowered and given a sense of control for our well being when our parents or police were not around. As we became older we recognized and accepted our responsibility to watch over the younger children that attended our school and walked home along our route; just as the older kids had done for us.

Today my perception is that children here are held back from developing into responsible, accountable, and content individuals - a sort of arrested development. They are not expected, allowed or even given the tools or skills to solve their interpersonal problems. They are not expected to entertain themselves. They are held less accountable and responsible for their actions. Many adults are too involved in the minor trials and tribulations of growing up. The children are often shielded from the realities of life that they will undoubtedly encounter some day. They will face the realities and challenges less prepared than they could be.

Sadly they have less opportunities to learn at an early age the lessons of owning and operating their own business albeit just a paper route. They are denied the opportunity to take the first steps of financial independence and self reliance.

It's not the same - somethings are not the way they used to be; not in far away Isaan but here in my home town, my home state, and my home country. Perhaps it may not seem to matter, but children in other countries, our competitors in the world market and power stage, are not growing up this way. It is with these people that our children, as adults in their world, will have to compete and deal with.

Know Thy Self, and To Thine Own Self Be True

2011-03-31T09:30:00.000+07:00

As part of my efforts to keep abreast of developments in the field of photography, I have subscribed to and frequently visit a very informative website http://www.photo.net/ . On the website people ask and have questions answered by other participants on the website. You can also post some of your photographs and request "ratings" as well as "critiques". I find the website to be very useful and entertaining. However at times I find it frustrating.

I am amazed at how many times people will submit a post requesting advice along the lines of "I am going to ????, what lenses should I bring?" or "I am gong to !!!!!! and I have x, y, and z lenses, should I bring my z lens?"

"I am going to ?????, what lenses should I bring?" is a very difficult question for strangers to answer. Selection of lenses is dependent upon many variables. Some of the variables are: The types of photographs that the photographer would like to take - Landscapes, Architecture, Portraits, Sports, Wildlife, Birds, Insects, Macro, Documentary and so forth. The lighting conditions that are anticipated - full sunlight, shade, twilight, or night. The weight of gear that the photographer is willing or capable of lugging around with them can also be a factor in selecting lenses. The ancient Greek admonishment to "Know thy self" appears to be lost upon many people.

Various lenses are available in either fixed or variable focal lengths and apertures that are specific to the variables, compromises for a combination of variables, or in some cases not appropriate for a specific set of variables. It would be very difficult to use a long length telephoto or fixed lens to take architectural photographs in an urban setting just as a very wide lens would not be practical for photographing wildlife in their natural surroundings. Taking along a f5.6 or f6.5 lens for the purpose of photographing in low light conditions even with a tripod would not be a good choice.

A total stranger even with the knowledge of what, how, and where the asking photographer intends to photograph can only make recommendations based upon their own experiences and perhaps more significantly - their own preferences. In the end the total strangers suffer none of the consequences of their recommendations and suggestions. The requesting photographer is the only one exposed to disappointment at missed opportunities or having lugged unnecessary equipment around.

Having looked at thousands of photographs, approximately 25,000, I have become familiar with the style of several of the other members. Without looking to see the credit for the photograph, I know who took and post-processed the picture. Based upon my experience and personal preferences, there are several photographers whose works I greatly admire. Based upon my experience and personal preferences, there are many photographers whose work I do not like at all. However, I respect the photographers for doing it their way even though their way that I can appreciate. They know themselves, their work and put it all out on display. Their work is unique and not imitations of what others have deemed to be "good" or even "great". There has been only one Ansel Adams and that is enough. There has been only one Galen Rowell, Gordon Parks, and one Alfred Stieglitz which have been enough. There is only one Anne Geddes and I suspect that it is more than enough. My point is that these artists are unique. Rather than to be imitated they should be inspirations to us to take OUR photographs; our personal and just as unique works. Shakespeare's words of "To thine own self be true" often come to my mind in contemplating decisions regarding my photography or in making decisions related to my personal life.

The power and strength of art is to show us things that we do not see, can not see, or refuse to see in ways that we may or may not like. Art can stimulate, motivate, and sometimes even aggravate. Art can reaffirm our sense of reality as well as challenge our sense of reality.

Art is the product of the human mind. Whereas the artist can learn how to utilize the various established tools and recognized techniques to communicate their vision, the vision is and will always remain theirs and theirs alone. The artist is free to decide what the message is and how it needs to be conveyed; free to do it their way.

We have a certain amount of freedom in our lives. The amount of freedom that we are allowed depends upon where we live, our economic, our social, and physical status. Whenever we allow or rely upon others to make decisions for us, we are giving up some of our precious freedom. Like the photographers who reach out to be told what lenses to bring or not to bring with them, too many people restrict and enslave themselves by relying upon others to make life decisions for them.

There currently are people in the USA called "Life Coaches" who are paid to advise people on how to live their lives. I know of people who live their life as they believe that other people expect them to live - never knowing if they had made the "right" decision, always hoping to live up to others expectations, and constantly abusing themselves with self doubt. I know other people who have difficulties making decisions because they are concerned or do not know what other people will think. Just as in the end the photographer will bear the consequences of the decision that they make or others make for them, we in life bear the consequences of our choices, decisions, and non-decisions.

Well, I view life pretty much as I do photography. As far as I know we have only one life on this planet just as we typically only have one opportunity to visit a place to photograph. Buddhists would disagree that we have but one life on this planet and travel agents would disagree that you can visit a place only once, but I am Christian and rather than relying on returning to a place a second or third time, I prefer to take all my pictures the first time for there may never be another time. Time, money, and fate often prevent us from having a "do over". I know myself and I try to be true to myself - I will carry all the lenses and equipment that I know I will need to take the photographs that I want to take. I may not get the opportunity to take all those photographs that my research lead me to believe would be possible, but I will be prepared if the opportuntities do present themselves. I am willing to carry the extra burden to be able to capture the moments of a lifetime.

So far I have never regretted bringing along a piece of camera equipment on my travels.

Yes I have returned to some locations a second or third time but it was because I had better equipment, a different vision, or better skills to realize my vision.

I have yet to regret not having brought a piece of my photography equipment.

I always travel totally prepared to take MY photographs. I know what I want and I know what it should take to produce my desired results.

Life is a journey that we, as individuals, decide how satisfying it can be. Once again as in photography, the best decisions are our decisions based upon our goals, experience, resources, and vision.

Our happiness often springs from knowing ourself and being being true our own self. It only takes courage to have confidence and trust in how we decide to live our life just as which lens to bring or not bring to take OUR photographs. It is a freedom that should not be given away.

America Not the Same As Thailand

2011-03-24T23:57:00.000+07:00

My wife has now been in America for two months. Although the weather and family responsibilities somewhat restrict our ability to go out, Duang is getting a fairly good representation of what life is like here in America. She has been to the mall. She has been involved with 911 call and Hospital Emergency Room visits. She has witnessed Policemen and Paramedics doing their job. She has been several times to a library. Duang has even attended an open house for selling a home is well beyond our means. Sadly she has also seen "Dancing with the Stars", as well as "American Idol" along with several other television programs. To her credit, she is now a Boston Bruins hockey fan although I think she watches only for the fights.

Back in Thailand whenever I complained about people driving the wrong way on a one way road, motorbikes pulling up on your right hand side as you are stopped waiting and signaling to make a right hand turn only to then cut in front of you whiling making their LEFT turn as you start your right turn, or motorbikes passing you on the right as you turn right from the far right lane of two lanes headed in the same direction, Duang would gently comfort me by saying "Dahling Thailand not same same America".

Now that Duang has immigrated to the USA, I now have the opportunity to say "Darling, America is not the same as Thailand"

Yes there are many differences between the two countries and culture. It seems to be just about every day that she experiences a difference.

First of all is the weather. It is 35 degrees today in Connecticut. It is roughly 35 degrees also in Udonthani. The difference is that in Thailand the temperature is measured in Celsius (centigrade) which converts to 95F here.

Last night it snowed. Duang had first seen snow when we landed at JFK Airport on 31 January of this year but last night was the first time that she saw it falling from the sky. I believe that Udonthani will have snow on the day before that Hell freezes over. In four years living in Udonthani, the coldest that I can remember it getting to was 62F.

We have been getting some rain here just about every week. Back in Udonthani it basicly does not rain from October until May. I explained to Duang that here in Connecticut it rains every month except for when it is too cold when it is snow rather than rain.

Second of all is "time". Recently like almost everyone else in America, we had to change all our watches and clocks - advancing them one hour ahead to account for Daylight Savings Time. This was a shock to Duang since we maintain the same time throughout the year in Thailand. Naturally Duang wanted to know why we changed time twice a year in America. I wanted to give her a better answer than "It's the law". I remembered that it was supposed to be good and help the farmers - giving them more daylight in the evening for working in the fields. I researched it on the Internet and found just the opposite explanation for why we have Daylight Savings Time. It was instituted during WWI first by the Germans and then by others to supposedly save fuel required for street lighting. The belief that it saves fuel is now debatable with the benefit, if it does exist, being around 0.5% according to the USA DOE. Having researched the reason for DST, I guess the answer, "It's the Law", is the best one after all.

A third big difference between Thailand and America is the way people look and dress. Here many men wear beards or goatees. The other day it was quite windy. As we were stopped at a traffic signal here in Groton, Duang exclaimed "Look! Look!". I looked to the right and did not see anything but after awhile a man stepped out into sight from behind a tree. This man was about 55 or 60 years old and to say that he was a refugee from the 1960s would aptly describe his appearance. What had amazed and shocked Duang was his goatee. He had a very long gray and straggly goatee. How long was the goatee? It was so long that the wind was blowing it up into his face and over his eyes obscuring his vision.

In Thailand, a few Thai men have mustaches but it is only a few foreigners that have beards. Of the few beards that I have seen in Thailand none have come close to the "Zee Zee Top" styles that you can see around here. Thai men do not have much body hair and my hairy arms are often the center of attraction or amusement in Southeast Asia. Here in Groton, to Duang's amazement, I am one of the less hairy men around.

Yesterday, we went for a drive in the afternoon. We drove through the old villages of Noank and Mystic - a nostalgic journey for me and opportunity for Duang to see a little bit of "old" America. It was also a chance to explore some possible photography venues once the leaves come back on the trees.

During our drive we passed a funeral home in Mystic. I explained to Duang what the building was and what happened inside of the building. I might as well have been informing her that Martians had landed and lived in that building from the look on her face. I explained that when people died here, their family called the people that worked in the building to come get the body. The people would bring the body to the funeral home, clean the body often filling the body with chemicals, and later family as well as friends would go to the funeral home to say good bye. The funeral home would then take care of burying the body in a cemetery. This was completely alien to Duang. She asked me "Why?", "Why family not take care of person?" I replied "America not like Thailand". In America people pay strangers who are professionals to care for the dead.

In Isaan there are no funeral homes, funeral parlors, or mortuaries. There are no undertakers. The deceased are attended to by the family and friends. Village Monks and neighbors provide assistance to the family. The remains lay in state at their home for three days after which they are brought to the village Wat, Buddhist temple, to be cremated. The cremation is a merit making ritual that involves family, friends, and neighbors. The body is cremated in the Wat crematorium or outside in a funeral pyre. Strangers, if they attend are welcomed and encouraged to take photographs. The life milestone of death is treated very differently in America than in Isaan.

Two Bodies Being Cremated In Tahsang Village

I have written four blogs related to the funeral rituals of Isaan.

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/04/dying-in-isaan-buddhist-funeral.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/12/death-in-isaan-another-lao-loum-funeral.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2010/02/another-isaan-funeral-same-same-but.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2011/01/two-funerals-and-excorcism.html

As we passed by many of the fine old buildings of Mystic and Noank that date back to the 1800s, Duang asked about the people that lived in them. I explained that the houses were occupied by a husband and wife and sometimes their small children. She had already noticed how there were so much fewer children and young people around Connecticut than back in Isaan. To paraphrase our theory as to why - "America, too much TV, not much boom boom" When passing through villages of Isaan that were teeming with children, Duang would always explain to me that "No TV, too much boom boom". Duang wanted to know why grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, and most importantly of all grown sons and daughters did not live in the big houses with their relatives. In Isaan, the culture is very different. It is also different in Brasil. In Brasil, my adult friends were amazed when I informed them that in America the vast majority leave home by the time that they are 18 years old - either to go to college or to get apartments with friends. In Brasil, most sons and daughters remain at home until they get married with most young men not getting married until their late twenties or even early thirties. In Isaan the youngest daughter is responsible to care for her family. Often when the oldest daughter gets married, she and her new husband will move into her parent's home to help care for the parents. It is expected for children to care for their parents, grandparents, and other family members.

Many people here in the USA have remarked to my parents how fortunate they are to have a son and daughter-in-law to move in and care for them. In Isaan not doing so is the exception and embarrassment to the family. The stigma of shame or "losing face" is a great motivator in Isaan. Yes, America is different than Thailand.

How often do we hear or say to long lost family members "Gee the only time that we see eachother is at funerals"? In Isaan families are large and for everyday. In Isaan being part of a family is not a choice but an obligation. In Isaan being part of a family has its responsibilities and rewards. One comfort of being part of the family is knowing that you will always be taken care of by loved ones even in death.

Duang is quite perceptive and is not shy to express her observations to me. Often I can only agree with her and add "America not same as Thailand".

It is not necessarily always better or always worse; just different. My hope is that they will remain the way they are and never be the same. I wish to live neither in world of uniformity or conformity. The richness of life as well as culture is in its diversity.

A New Gallery Is Available for Viewing

2011-03-18T03:05:00.000+07:00

Hmong Lad Unleashes His Top Towards the Target in Laos

A new photo gallery is now available for viewing at the attached link below. The gallery is comprised of photos of people playing some games in Southeast Asia.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Competitions/The-Games-Some-People-Play/16232244_iyNBu

I Wonder ...

2011-03-12T21:36:00.000+07:00

I started this blog on 28 Feb and with all the tasks that we have had here recently I never got to finish it in a timely manner.

Our days here in America are filled with many tasks, many which keep us from our routines that occupied us back in Thailand. However we do find some time to keep updated with the outside world through the Internet as well as fit in a little bit of television.

A couple of recent news items have gotten me to reflect, wonder, and share some observations with people.

When I was in Brasil I used to tell people in Portuguese that "Everyman has two lives; his real life and his life in his dreams. Lucky is the man that has a third life; his life without his wife" That statement always brought a great deal of laughing, back slaps, and sometimes a free drink. I believe that I had captured the joie de vivre that prevails in Brasilian society or at least male Brasilian society.

Here in America I am not sure that such a statement would be as widely appreciated. There is the reality that we wish to believe; a perception created by our training, our education, validated by our friends and family, and necessitated by our culture. There is also another reality - the reality that is the "truth" which sometimes runs counter to our wishes, our beliefs, our needs and is often only supported by facts and evidence.

According to today's CDC website there are 4,500,000 people bitten by dogs in the USA each year. In my 61 years I have yet to meet a dog owner who has admitted that their dog bites. The reality is 4,500,000 people were bitten by a dog. The perception seems to be that "my" dog is not capable of such an act.

Demonstrators, protesters, revolutionaries, freedom fighters, average people thirsty for freedom, or traitors; depending upon your point of view and perspective are being killed in the streets in many parts of the world. Many of us Americans are grateful that we live in a country were we can protest and not be attacked or killed. It is a natural gratefulness that comes for our belief that we live in the land of the free with freedom of speech. We were taught from the start of our schooling that we are different from all other countries, We have freedom of speech. We can protest. Our Constitution documents our right, the right of the people, to peacefully assemble and petition the Government for a redress of grievances. The same Constitution grants authority to the Federal Government to call forth the Militia to suppress Insurrections (insurrection is defined in common dictionaries as "armed revolt").

Yes, I know and I do appreciate that we as American citizens do enjoy a greater freedom to protest against our government but there are limits to that freedom. In other countries where people are attacking and seizing police stations and seizing military bases, the "protesters" are being shot and killed. If a similar situation were to arise here in the USA, I am confidant a similar fate would await our protesters who would be branded as insurrectionists, traitors, or whatever term was necessary to invoke the process to suppress the armed revolt or revolution. Our Government is just as capable and at times has been willing to restrict the people's right to peacefully assemble and petition their government and at times to use violence against the people.

On Facebook I reminded people of the Vietnam Era protests. In Late April 1971 I watched C5A military planes bearing elements of the 82nd Airborne Division (combat soldiers) fly over my parent's home in Connecticut on their way to strategic locations along the East Coast. The Vietnam War protesters had vowed to shutdown Washington D.C. for May Day. The Federal Government initiated a massive military and police response to the threat. Fortunately no one was killed that time. However protesters were shot and killed at Kent State the previous year. During the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s many people while peacefully protesting were attacked by police using dogs, batons, and water hoses.

Although these incidents can be excused as having happened long ago in the past and that "we have learned our lesson", the point remains that under certain circumstances our government as well as any other government is capable of armed violence against its citizens. I would not want to bet that if a group of "protesters, demonstrators, ..." were to attack the City of Groton Police Dept and to take over the US Navy Submarine Base in Groton that there would not be blood in our streets just as in Libya, or Egypt. There is peaceful protests and there are violent protests. There are protests and then there are revolts or insurrections. There is a thin and fine line that separates one man's peaceful demonstrations from a government's fear of revolt or insurrection. Calling for the overthrow of the US Government is just as serious of an offence as calling for the ouster of Mubarak, Gadhafi, Chavez, Jung Ill, or any other established leader be it legitimately established or illegitimately established. When the power elite are threatened with violence they can be counted on to do all within their power to maintain their power as well as their power structure.

The second news article that struck me and also highlighted another reality - a reality that is the "truth" which sometimes runs counter to our wishes, our beliefs, our needs and is often only supported by facts and evidence, was the disclosure that US, Federal and State governments, had conducted medical experiments on people without their consent. We are familiar with the experiments where medications were withheld from black men who had syphilis in order to document the natural progression of the disease. The new experiments involved soldiers, mental patients, and prisoners. Some of the eperiments were conducted quite close to here at the Norwich State Hospital, a mental hospital that was run by the State of Connecticut. We are also familiar with the reports of unethical medical experiments conducted by the Nazis and the Japanese during WWII. It is shocking to learn that even after revelation of these war crimes, our governments still conducted medical experiments on uninformed and non-consentual people. As far as I know and as far as it has been acknowledged the US medical experiments were no where as near as vile or tragic as the revealed war crimes but they crossed the same line at their conception - experimenting on people who were not aware of the experiments or gave their informed consent to participate in the experiments. The common denominator of the war crimes and experiments here in America was that the victims were all subject to the absolute power and control of the perpetrators. Once again we could comfort ourselves in believing that this too was long ago and we have learned our lesson.

I prefer to remain vigilant and accepting that what happened once could happen again - if allowed.

I prefer to accept the reality that given the circumstances and conditions, a people or a government is capable of anything - be it good or evil.

My ambition and goal in photography is to show extraordinary people doing ordinary things. In so doing, I wish to show how different people appear, to provide a glimpse of other cultures, to celebrate the diversity of mankind, and to demonstrate that despite our appearances we are so much alike.

it is logical that in my writing I would also demonstrate how different people are, provide a glimpse of other cultures, to celebrate the diversity of mankind, and to point out that dispite our differences, we are so much alike.

In some cases this may be the "truth" which runs counter to our wishes, our beliefs, or our needs.

I wonder if there are others who believe the same.

I wonder how many others wonder the same.

A Green Card - But Nothing to do with Ecology

2011-03-05T09:46:00.000+07:00

Duang - Happy and Proud To Have Her Green Card

Yesterday was a very exciting day. Nine months to the day that we started the long, arduous, and relatively expensive process to obtain a "Green Card" for Duang, her card arrived in the mail. It arrived approximately one month after she arrived in America.

Duang had dressed up for my two aunt's visit later in the morning. As she sometimes does, she told me what she thinks is going to happen during the day. She often does the same thing during movies and besides finding it amusing I also believe her abilities to predict up coming events in the film is attributable to her intuition and often the all too familiar plots. Yesterday morning she told me that she thought that her "ID Card" was going to come in the mail. Two weeks ago she received a letter indicating that her Green Card was being processed and that she should have it in 30 days. For some reason she was convinced that the card would arrive in yesterday's mail. Sure enough there was a letter for her with the card. I often say that I do not stand a chance if she decides to use her "powers" against me.

Duang Ready to Open Her Special Mail

We took some photographs to record and capture the proud moment in her life. It has been a long and involved process for her and is for all other legal immigrants to the USA. She had been rejected three times in her efforts to obtain a Tourist Visa and each rejection of her application was taken as a personal affront to her as I am sure that it is for all other applicants. We know of some people who have been rejected 4 times in applying for a Tourist Visa.
Now that the Mid-Term Elections are over with, I have not heard, seen, or read much from either politicians, government officials or the media regarding "Comprehensive Immigration Reform". I am still at a loss as to what constitutes "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" but I doubt that there will be much said on the subject until the next round of national elections revs up.

Duang Trying to Figure Out What the Letter is All About

From our experience in obtaining an Immigration Visa for Duang, I do not believe that it is always necessary for an American citizen to hire an immigration attorney to assist in the preparation of the application and documentation. I do believe that it is strongly advisable for the person preparing the applications and documents to have access to a computer, access to the Internet, and to be able to scan documents into "PDF" files. It is also essential that the person preparing the applications and documents for submittal fully understand English and be very well organized.

Duang does not read or write English so I handled the preparation of her documents. I have years of professional experience in preparing subcontract documents, contract documents, developing contract/subcontract claims, and defending against subcontract claims. Even with that quasi legal experience of handling documents and preparing submittals I found the current established procedure to be challenging. I doubt that when someone says that they are for "comprehensive immigration reform" that their intention is to propose or initiate steps to simplify, expedite, or streamline the current process.

Part of my motivation in handling the process on my own was my steadfast conviction that an American, ANY American citizen, should be able to deal directly with their government without the use of an intermediary. Hiring an attorney to deal with your government seems more of a need in an monarchy, oligarchy, theocracy, or any other form of government other than "a government of the people and for the people". I admit that I am still idealistic and most likely naive but I want to still believe that our government is that. Hiring attorneys, lobbyists, or some sort of professional intermediaries to represent me to and before my government takes a great deal away from the ideals set forth in the aforementioned statement.

What It Has Been All About - Duang and Her Green Card

I also believe that "comprehensive immigration reform" does not include any attempt to modify the current process to ensure that the services of attorneys or immigration assistance companies are not necessary or justified in the future.

What I believe "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" really is a touchstone phrase that admits the existence of the 800 pound gorilla, or is it elephant in the room, without recognizing either the willingness or responsibility to do anything about it.

The gorilla or elephant in the room is the existence of thousands of illegal immigrants in this country - people who have disrespected and violated our laws. Due to politics and political correctness this issue does not get resolved.

The illegal immigrants in general are not Thais or other SE Asians for if they were it would not be such a problem because their supporters do not have political clout. There in lies the problem, the people who can do something about the problem are reluctant out of fear of the political consequences of addressing the issue. When I write that they are in fear of the political consequences I mean the consequences of granting amnesty as much as fully and actively enforcing the existing laws. Fear has paralyzed our federal government preventing them from resolving a major issue that has economic, social, and national security impacts on the nation. At least in regards to this issue the United States of America is not home of the brave.

As for Duang, we are happy and grateful that we were able to obtain an Immigration Visa legally and in accordance with all the existing regulations. The time required, the effort required, and the expense required to get my wife to America is well worth it.

The Mountain Porter - Huangshan Mountain, China

2011-02-25T04:21:00.000+07:00

A Huangshan Mountain Porter Showing the Strain of His Labor

Living and working overseas gave me the opportunity to see how many different people earn their living. As much as we all take pride in how hard we work or used to work, there are those people throughout the world that most likely work much harder than us and for a great deal less money than we do.

Malaysian Rubber Plantation Workers Offload Raw Latex at Field Station

During my time in Malaysia I encountered some very hard working people - rubber plantation workers outside of Kuantan in the State of Pahang Darul Makmur. These thin and wiry men went about the vast rubber plantation on small motorbikes collecting the latex one-half balls that were formed in the process of tapping the rubber trees. We found the workers discharging their harvest at a small weigh-in station in the heart of the plantation. The workers were hot and sweaty from the jungle's hot and humid air along with their physical exertions associated with walking from tree to tree to collect a semi-spherical glob of tree sap, loading their bike up with hundreds of these globs and perilously navigating the trails back to the weigh station to offload their cargo and recommence the process. It appeared that their pay was related to how much material they brought to the station for the men were very hectic as well as frantic in the labor. The smell of the raw latex only seemed to accentuate the sense of urgency about the workers. I often think of these men as some of the hardest working people that I have ever encountered - so far.

Malaysian Rubber plantation Weigh-In Station

Another group of hard working men are the mountain porters of Huangshan Mountain (Yellow Mountain). I became familiar with them in 2004 during a photography tour of China or more correctly a potion of China. Three weeks in China only serves to remind you of how much you have missed and why you need to return to witness and photograph in the vast and very interesting land.

As I wrote in yesterday's blog, Huangshan Mountain receives over 15 million visitors a year. It is a national park so there are certain environmental as well as land use restriction placed upon the area. Access to the upper reaches of the peaks is by cable cars or hiking up trails. As tourists on a three week tour we took the cable cars up and down the mountains.

We originally stayed in the Cloud Valley, elevation 890 meters (2,920 feet) at the base of the mountains. We spent one night on the mountain at the Bei Hai Guest House, elevation 1,630 meters (5,347 feet). To get to the Bei Hai Guest House we took an 8 minute approximately 2,500 foot ascent by way of cable car. Needless to say, the view and scenery were spectacular. Since we were only spending one night on the mountain we took only a small overnight bag with us. The remainder of our luggage remained in storage in the Cloud Valley.

At the terminus of the cable car, we were greeted by porters who offered to carry luggage up to the hotel(s). I don't know if I was cheap, proud, or a masochist but I ended up carrying my backpack of camera gear on my back and lugging our overnight carry-on sized bag the twenty minutes UP to the hotel. The porters typically carried 6 to 8 bags distributed 3 to 4 bags on the ends of a bamboo pole carried across their shoulders. I estimate that they were carrying roughly 120 to 160 pounds of luggage each. In addition they were constantly passing me up the paved trail and stairs to the hotel area. That was my introduction to the hard working mountain porters of Huangshan.

Porters Hauling Supplies to Observation Station On Huangshan Mountain

I later found out and observed that all materials required to support tourism and the government observatory on the mountain are transported up and down the mountain on the backs of the porters. Foods, drinks, linens, cleaning supplies, alcohol, paper goods and all other items required to maintain and satisfy tourists and resident workers on the mountain are bundled up and hauled up the mountain on a trail that rises almost a mile from the valley to the mountain peaks. Waste, garbage, and dirty linens are hauled down the mountain along the trails to the valley for disposition.

Food On Its Way to the Observatory

The porters to the government observation station on the mountain are apparently paid by the weight of the material that they haul up the mountain. At the back of the large stone observation building, the porters deliver their goods and congregate as their cargo is carefully weighed and recorded in a ledger book.

Fresh Food Arriving at the Observatory

The Porter's Cargo Is Carefully Weighed and Recorded

As I walked along the trail with my 25 pound backpack of camera gear from the hotel over to the observatory and eventually a place that I called Sunset Point, I was often passed by porters bearing approximately 150 to 200 pound loads on their shoulders. The combination of my exertions at the elevation, the steepness of the trail in places, the many steps along the way as well as watching the porters as they hustled along made me thirsty as well as tired. I had brought along drinking water with me but it was as I was exhausted less than one-half the way to my destination. I was apparently not the first tourist to be in that situation. Along the trail there are some benches where you can "enjoy the scenery" and definitely catch your breadth and also as in my case wait to photograph the porters as they came upon you unaware of your presence. As for your thirst; you have to eventually make your way to the observatory to find vendors selling water, juices, and soft drinks. As for the porters ... they never rested and carried a small bottle of water on top of the concave bamboo pole upon which their cargo was suspended.

I made so inquiries regarding the porters and was told that they make two round trips a day. Two round trips a day? On a good day I think that I might make it up from the valley to the hotel but without an load. These guys carry approximately 800 pounds of stuff up almost 1-1/2 miles and down 1-1/2 miles in elevation during a day - everyday. I do not know what their total mileage for a day is but I find just the accumulation of elevation change to be impressive - definitely a great deal more work than I have ever done in any day with or without the cargo on their shoulders.

A Porter Approaches the Bei Hai Guest House with His Cargo

A Porter Prepares His Load for the Trek Down from Bei Hai Gust House

Most of the porters wore a distinctive yellow vest similar to the vests worn by motorbike taxi drivers in Thailand. I suspect that like in Thailand the vest indicates that they belong to a labor organization, are licenced, or sanctioned by the government to perform their work.

Kitchen Supplies Arriving at the Bei Hai Guest House

Back Door Delivery of Beer, Soft Drinks, and Cooking Oil

Another surprising aspect of the porter operations on the yellow Mountain was the age of some of the porters. Many of them were past middle age and were what I consider to be elderly. I did not see any young men hauling goods on the mountain.

An Old Man of the Mountain

An Elderly Porter Delivers His Goods

A Busy Day On the Mountain

Observing people such as the mountain porters of Huangshan makes one appreciate their own choice and definitely the opportunities available to us to earn an easier living . In witnessing their labor, I could not help but to respect them more and admire their abilities.

Never Too Busy or Too Tired to Not Smile

The next time that I feel that I have it rough at my job or status in life, I will take a moment and reflect upon the trials and tribulations of the Huangshan mountain porters and then reconsider my situation.

Locked In Love, Throw Away the Key - Huangshan

2011-02-24T06:03:00.000+07:00

Lover's Locks On Lotus Peak of Huangshan Mountain Range

Things are developing into a new normal here in Groton so I hope to be finding more time for writing.

When I was back in Isaan just before returning to America, I embarked upon a new project. I intended to make a video, still film, and musical presentation related to our grandson's first two years. In starting the project I became annoyed with many blank icons appearing in Adobe Premiere Elements 7.0, my video software. I knew that the blank icons were photos from my Adobe Photoshop Elements software. I decided to eliminate the nuisance by deleting all of the blank icons appearing in Premiere Elements. I assumed that the video software was setting up a separate database of media in Premiere and that with 36,000 files the program was overwelhmed and my patience was over taxed. My plan was to eliminate the Premiere database and only import media into the video program as I need specific files. Upon completing the elimination of all those pesky blank icons in Adobe Premiere, I was shocked to discover that my entire catalog in Adobe Photoshop Elements had been deleted as well - 36,000 photographs annotated for people, places, and things. Each photograph had an average of 6 keywords assigned to them. I immediately started the daunting task of recreating my photo database. I finally finished the task late last week. If there is a saving grace in having eliminated the original database, it would be that I had an opportunity to experience so many fond memories once again and to develop ideas for future blogs of which this is my first.

There are many myths and tales associated with lovers in cultures around the world. Unfortunately it seems to me that the myths, stories, legends, and tales are typically about unrequited love or tragic love. There does not seem to be all that many stories about people falling in love, staying together, and enjoying their lives together. I guess it is somewhat like the saying associated with the newspaper industry - "Bad news sells papers, not good news" Just as we often find the "Bad boys" or "Bad girls" more interesting and exciting in our youth, we seem to enjoy stories and tales of ill fated love more desirable and memorable than ones of dreams fulfilled.

Shakespeare penned "Romeo and Juliet"

In Brasil the Guarani Indian legend of "Naipi and Taruba" explains the origins of Fos do Iguazu Falls in a tale of good love leading to anguish.

The Greeks had plenty of these tales of woe which included "Narcissus and Echo", and "Orpheus and Eurydice".

The Romans through the poet, Ovid, gave Western civilization the Babylonian love story of "Pyramus and Thisbe". Two forbidden lovers who commit separate suicides after mistakenly believing that the other was dead - a great cautionary tale of why we need to verify facts and conditions before acting. No matter the lessons to be learned or not from this tale - it is a story of good love with a tragic ending.

The Chinese also have made contributions to man's panoply of tragic lovers stories, tales and legends. In recreating my catalog of photographs, I was reminded of the legend associated with Huangshan China.

Huangshan is a mountain range in the southern part Anhui Province which is located in Eastern China. The mountain range is also commonly referred to in English as "Yellow Mountains". The area is a very popular tourist destination for foreign as well as Chinese travelers. Over 15 million people visit the area annually.

There are several high peaks in the range with Lian Hua Feng (Lotus Peak), 1864m (6,058ft) being the center of a Chinese legend of ill fated lovers. The legend is about a beautiful young girl (why are there not many legends about ugly middle aged women?) who fell in love with a poor young man. The girl's father, thinking in his daughter's or perhaps his best interests, did not want his daughter to marry a poor man. Her father arranged for his daughter to marry a rich man whom she naturally did not love or want to be married to. On the day of her scheduled wedding to the rich man, the poor young man kidnapped her and the they fled to Huangshan Mountain. They ended up on Lian Hua Feng, held hands, and jumped off the peak into a deep ravine.

A Vendor Prepares to Engrave Locks For Lovers

Today people travel to the peak not just for the sheer wonder and beauty of the location but to commemorate the lovers of the legend. They purchase a pair of padlocks, have them engraved with their names perhaps along with some sentimental words, lock the padlocks together on a guard rail or safety chain along the edge of the peak, and throw the keys into the abyss below. It is believed that locking the locks together will keep the lovers together for a whole lifetime. If one of the lovers wishes to breakup, they have to return to Huangshan Mountain, find their key and unlock their locks. This would be an extremely daunting task not to mention the rumors or rather allegations that local vendors have been recycling the locks. I can't imagine the horror you would experience upon returning with all intentions and good faith of breaking up with your lover only to realize that your locks are no longer there. It is difficult enough to search and find a key cast into a steep ravine from the side of a mountain years earlier but not having your locks where you placed them would be heart breaking to you instead of your lover.

Verifying the Words to be Engraved

Some people will install locked padlocks to the safety chains and guardrails on the peak to seek family happiness and for children's health. I don't know how this equates or is tied to the lover's legend but it sells padlocks and keeps the local vendor's happy as well as busy.

Lover's Locks Afixed to Guardrail and Safety Chain

Huangshan mountain is reknowned for its scenery and unique vegetation. The area has been the subject of many paintings, poems and undoubtedly millions of photographs. The area is also famous for many naturally occurring strangely shaped granite rocks. I am not sure all the rocks are granite or that they are naturally occurring - they might be natural shapes but I wonder if man did not have a hand in forming some of them - or at least one of them.

I Don't Know the Chinese Name for this Rock, But I Have an English Name for it!

Perhaps it is like mysteries of the universe as well as with religion, it is best to just accept it at face value rather than to try to explain or strive fully understand what very well may not be understandable. It is also OK to just smile and enjoy the moments.

One of the World's Beautiful Places

Frozen In Time

2011-02-15T07:58:00.000+07:00

Duang Hibernating On Cold Afternoon In New England

We have been in America for two weeks establishing our home in my boyhood town of Groton, Connecticut.

My wife is getting accustomed to American culture and Connecticut weather. Everything is so new as well as different for her. It is also very new as well as different for me.

I essentially left my home town in 1967 when I went off to college. In 1975, I left New England for 35 years. Although I had made some visits during those years the visits were never longer than 5 to 7 days until last May when I came alone for a month to care for my parents. We are now becoming residents once again.

Duang is adapting and adjusting to New England climate - 15F (-11C) low temperatures, ice on the roads and sidewalks, snow on the ground, and cool temperatures in the house. She often wears an outdoor coat, scarf, and sometimes even a knitted hat inside of the house. She has even taken an afternoon nap wearing outdoor clothing underneath a sheet, a blanket, and two bedspreads on top of the bed. I had tried to explain to her what -5C, or -11C was like but it was difficult for her to comprehend since she considers 68F (20C) to be "cold". I believe that the coldest weather that she has experienced was around 55F (13C) in Vietnam. I told her about "nam kiang" ice cubes on the ground, and in the rivers but I am not certain that the concept of temperatures below freezing was familiar to her. No matter the case she is aware of it now.

The strange thing for me is that places and things have also been frozen in time so to speak. Last week two of my Aunts visited. One of my Aunts is going to be a Great-Grandmother once again - for the ninth time. My cousins that I last saw in the late 1960's are now Grandparents. In my mind they are still the 8, 9 and 10 year old children that I knew in the late 60's.

The same is true for my home town. I remember places and things from the 50s and 60s. Many of the places and things that are long gone in reality. The former Melody Rolling Skating Rink was used by Electric Boat for so many years as office space that it has now become a roller skating rink once again. As the French say - "The more things change the more that they stay the same". It also may be like being lost in the wild, once you become lost you will most likely end up walking in a big circle to whence you came. I do not believe that the "King" and Queen" of the Melody Rolling Skate Rink have returned to the venue. I last heard that April is now in Australia and who knows where Bruce with his DA (Duck's Ass) haircut may have ended up - hopefully wherever he is, he has a different hairstyle!

I drove Duang down to Eastern Point Beach where so many of my summer days were spent swimming and playing basketball. During the summer of 1967, I spent all but one day at the beach - even playing basketball or swimming in the rain. The beach has changed - the Kiddy Pool, a small beach on the Thames River is now walled off. The grassy area where the "In Crowd" congregated seems so much smaller now and so much less important than it was in the early 1960s. the beach that was free to "walk-ins" now charges admission. Parking for non-residents is $10. The offshore rafts which served as a right of passage are no longer there - removed upon the advice of a city

Pfizers large pharmaceutical plant down the road from my parent's home is long gone. All the large buildings that produced antibiotics, medicines and other chemicals are been demolished and replaced by campus style research buildings. The manufacturing jobs have been outsourced to far away places like Ireland, India, Puerto Rico, and probably China. Last week it was announced that 1,100 of the highly paid white collar positions at the research labs were being eliminated - once again outsourced to low cost centers such as China and India. In the global economy, very few jobs are really secure - there is always someone willing to do your work just as well for a lot less money somewhere else. For companies and stockholders focused solely on profits, those are the places selected to do the work.

Yesterday, Duang and I went to see the film, "Doctor Zhivago", at a local theater. I had seen it several times before since it was first released in 1965. Duang who was 2 years old at the time has never seen the movie. In 2006 on a date, I brought her to only the third movie that she had ever seen. Life is different back in Isaan. Her life experiences are so much different than mine. I am pleased to finally be able to show her some of the places and things that have shaped a large part of my life as well as introduce her to some of the people who have affected my life.

Duang loved the movie and it was fun to watch her viewing the film. I enjoyed the film also and saw it in a different light. On previous occaissons I viewed it as a history lesson, an instructional in cinematography and directing, a story of class struggle, as well as a portent of what was to come if the Soviet Union prevailed in the Cold War. All perspectives influenced by current events and personal experiences of the given times.

Yesterday I viewed it from the life experience of a man who also had left his wife to be with a younger woman who he thoroughly loved despite social conventions. For the first time, I could emphathize and appreciate the heart as well as the soul of the film. I could value the passion that the film so realisticly portrays. It is passion and the value placed upon passion by other cultures that has richly enhanced my life and brought me great happiness. Becoming unabashed regarding recognizing and accepting emotions can be liberating. I consider myself to have reached this point with the help and encouragement of my friends.

On an aside, after experiencing two winters in Northern Alberta, the winter scenes of the film had lost much of their impact upon me. Once when travelling through the barren ice ladden country between Edmonton and Fort McMurray in December on a bus in -40 weather I thought of "Doctor Zhivago". After seeing the film yesterday, I realize that my Northern Canada experience was more beautiful and memorable.

Upon returning home last night from our first date here in America, my parents asked if I saw anyone that I knew. I said I most likely did but I did not recognize anyone. It has been 43 years since graduating from high school and I am beginning to realize that although people are frozen in time, in reality they have moved along in the years, growing older, and changing their appearance just as I have.

By chance the movie "Mystic Pizza" was on television the other night. I used to go there often with my friends Nicky and Nick - long before it was Mystic Pizza and famous; back when it was smaller and called "Ted's". We had a good childhood back in those days; days when the shipyard was working to capacity to build submarines, and we used to say that we didn't need to take vitamins because the odors from Pfizer kept us healthy. Some landmarks remain from the old days, one of them being "Angie's Pizza" on the Mystic - Stonington border on Highway 1 - gonna have to try it out once again.

As time moves on here in Groton, I am confident that memories will become updated and new memories will be created. Until then people, places and things will remain for me remain frozen - frozen in time.

Cockfighting

2011-02-09T23:57:00.000+07:00

Cockfight In Luang Namtha, Lao People's Democratic Republic

Duang and I have been back in the United States for a little over a week now. We had Internet connection installed two days ago so we are now able to access the world quite easily once again.

On the Internet the other day there was a story about a man being killed in California by an "armed rooster". Allegedly the man had been stabbed by a fighting rooster that had a "knife" strapped to its leg. Police stated that ..."sharp force injury" to his right calf.
I do not believe that we have heard the last of this story. I find it difficult to believe that a chicken killed the man - unless the chicken was "Superchicken" from cartoon and film fame or that the knife attached to the chicken's leg was a KA-Bar knife (U. S. Marine Corps fighting knife) or similar weapon.

The report was that when the Police arrived at the site of the cockfight the spectators fled. I suspect that the victim had been stabbed in the calf by a chicken but not any chicken of the species Gallus Gallus.

Why am I writing about this event? I have attended three cockfights that I can remember in Thailand as well as in Laos. Having seen cockfights, I have difficulty understanding how a fighting rooster could mortally wound a human by stabbing the person in the leg through his trousers.

I saw my first cockfight about three years ago in Tahsang Village. Duang and I had returned to Thailand after living as well as working in Vietnam. We had returned to Isaan and were staying at a hotel outside of Kumphawapi near Duang's home village. We often went to her home village of Tahsang to visit family and friends. It was during one of the visits that a cousin stopped by Duang's home to announce and invite me to a cockfight. I had never seen a cockfight before and my knowledge of them was limited to some television reports of illegal cockfighting in California, some scenes from Hollywood movies, and a newspaper article or two. Being curious and wishing to experience as much of Lao Loum and Thai culture that I could, I accepted the invitation with a certain amount of trepidation. I was apprehensive that either the Police would raid the event and I would be arrested only a short time after returning to Thailand or that the gory spectacle would physically sicken me.

I followed Duang's cousin down the village lane towards the flood plain outside of the village. We were joined by people of all ages excitedly and animatedly walking in the same direction. Shortly we arrived at a small wood house. Outside of the home a makeshift arena, cockpit, had been constructed of the finely woven plastic netting that the villagers use to store harvested sheaves of rice on while awaiting threshing. The fine netting captures the rice kernels that fall from the rice stalks due to handling and prevents them from being wasted. The cockpit was about 2-1/2 feet high (750 mm) and 5 feet in diameter (1,500 mm). The surface of the cockpit was compacted dirt. Surrounding the arena were several woven bamboo domes underneath which was a rooster. The bamboo domes are widely seen throughout Thailand and the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR). The domes are used to store chickens that are for sale at the local markets and used to shelter chickens at village homes. In Isaan the chickens are all "free range chickens" - chickens roam about the houses feeding off of the land until the day that they contribute to the family's nourishment. Families in Tahsang Village typically eat chicken twice a month.

My apprehension regarding a Police raid was immediately abated upon arrival at the fighting site; it was the home of the village Policeman. I also learned that cockfighting was not illegal in Thailand. Cockfighting is a longtime component of Thai culture which is widely practiced today. Cockfighting is also very prevalent throughout Southeast Asia. Although cockfighting is legal in Thailand, gambling is not legal. However, Thailand is Thailand and things are not often the way they seem or are supposed to be. Often in Isaan as well as Thailand I am reminded of the Catholic practice of granting dispensations - under certain circumstances or "considerations" the law can be "overlooked". Since the village policeman was involved in the event, there was a wide and open display of betting on the outcome of the bouts - no different than what I witnessed at Muay-Thai bouts in Pattaya and Bangkok.

My apprehension over becoming physically ill dissipated as the bout wore on. Unlike press accounts that I had read or television reports regarding cockfighting, these roosters did not wear razor blades or knives on their legs. To the contrary, the naturally occurring spurs on their legs were actually taped up to prevent injuries to the combatants. The combatants were however injured from pecking each other on the top of the head during their fight. The roosters fight to assert dominance ... hmmm to establish a pecking order so to speak. In addition to a natural proclivity to establish ranking and breeding rights, gamecocks are selectively bred to reinforce their fighting instincts towards each other.

Prior to their bout, each rooster is carefully prepared for their bout. The bird is washed with water that has "chicken medicine" dissolved in it. The "chicken medicine" which heats up the water gives the chicken "power". After the bird is bathed the rooster is force fed some water with medicine in it as well as some rice water for additional strength and endurance.

The match commences by the handlers introducing the roosters to each other. Some people may doubt or feign to debate if there is truly love at first sight however with gamecocks there is no question that there is instant hate at first sight. Once the roosters are aware of each other's presence they are placed inside of the ring. The birds are allowed to fight for 15 minutes and then allowed to rest for about 10 minutes before going at it again for another 15 minutes. A match can last up to 3 rounds but the fight is stopped when one of the roosters gives up. The handlers and spectators shout their encouragement to their favorite rooster but do nothing to interfere with the match. My general impression of my first cockfight was that it was boring and rather pointless. However my impression was created through my cultural experiences, traditions and my upbringing. For the people of Southeast Asia and other countries, cockfighting has a long tradition and is part of their cultural fabric.

In the match that I watched, a winner was declared or rather was very apparent in the second round. It was a major disappointment for the local people. The pride of Thasang Village had lost to a chicken from BANGKOK! Just as in America there is nothing more galling than to have the cityslicker beat the country people at their own game! Besides the bets that were lost on the match, a great deal of pride and prestige were lost by the early loss by the Tahsang rooster. Although the match was not to the death and the fight was not too bloody, there was a fatality from the event ... the next day as I walked by the losing rooster's handler's home I saw a pot of boiling water over an open wood fire with chicken or rather rooster legs sticking out of the pot. The losing rooster was going to be eaten. Fighting roosters who have a record of winning are valuable assets to a family and are cared for. Roosters who fail to win become a meal for the family - winning is everything for a gamecock.

When we were in Luang Namtha, Laos a year ago, I found some young village boys outside of our hotel, The Boat Landing Restaurant and Hotel, engaged in cockfighting. The boys and their fighting birds had ridden their bicycles over to the flat grassy area outside of the hotel compound and had their bouts. For the fight that I witnessed and photographed there were no bets. It appeared that prestige, bragging rights, and pride were at stake. Once again the birds did not wear any blades or knives and their natural spurs, if they had them, were taped to minimize injuries. Midway into the third round the boys stopped the fight when it became apparent one bird had quit fighting. The only apparent injuries that I saw were peck marks on top of the rooster's head. Once again I found the event to be pointless.

On our last trip to Laos in December there was cockfighting at the Hmong New Years Festival in Luang Prabang. Gambling is legal in the Lao People's Democratic Republic so there was plenty of heavy waging in plain view. For these bouts the arena was constructed of bamboo posts and cardboard walls from recycled refrigerator boxes. The interior walls of the arena had smudges of blood on them from the head wounds of the combatants. As was my previous observations, the fighting birds did not wear any blades or knives on their legs. I do not know if they fought to the death or not because I had better things, in my opinion, to watch and photograph.

Having seen cockfights, I have a real basis for my opinions regarding the practice as well as the probability that a California man was actually stabbed to death in the leg by a chicken. I don't believe that a chicken did or could kill a human by stabbing them in the calf no matter what size or type of blade or knife the chicken had on their leg. It is possible in my opinion that a gamecock could kill a human with a strike across the jugular vein if the chicken had an Exacto knife sized razor type blade attached to its leg. My point is ... you can not nor should you believe everything just because it is written or posted. You must always trust your own judgement and intuition and sometimes ...and wait for as Paul Harvey used to say "the rest of the story".

As for cockfighting, I do not find it to be either a sport or entertaining. However that is my opinion based upon my traditions and cultural experience. I do not feel a need to ban it from countries where it is a tradition and part of the people's culture - it's none of my business. However, I do not support or tolerate the practice in my country.

The Times They Are Changing, Allen's World Too

2011-01-23T13:16:00.000+07:00

Duang With A Pakama Wrapped Around Her Head

A great motivation for pursuing an Immigration Visa for my wife was to be prepared for the time when I would have to return to America to care for my parents. That time has arrived.

In one week Duang and I will be in America, staying in Connecticut, caring for my parents.

Life does not always, or perhaps it never plays out the way we planned or would have hoped. However changes present opportunities as well as challenges. It really is all up to us and how well we allow ourselves to adapt, recognize the opportunities, take advantage of the opportunities, and overcome the challenges.

I had looked into visiting Malaysia to visit Batu Caves during Thaipusam. Thaipusam is a Tamil Hindu festival where people pierce their bodies to carry ornate structures up to the cave as demonstrations of their faith. Over a million people attend the event. It has a tremendous photography potential as well being another unique Southeast Asia experience. Not attending this year will just have to be greater motivation and justification to attend a future celebration.

We had planned on returning to Maehongson to attend the Poi Sang Long Festival where young Shan boys are ordained as Novice Monks. It is a very colorful and inspiring event - an event that we will attend once again in the future.

My blogs have largely dealt with my experiences in living here in Isaan as well as our travels and experiences in Southeast Asia. Now with my return and Duang's immigration to America, I suspect that the focus of this blog will change. Although I will continue to write blogs and share some of the photographs of far away places, many of the blogs will be related to Duang's experiences in adapting to America and American culture. I also expect that some of the blogs will also deal with my observations and experiences re-adapting to life in America.

I have lived outside of America for all but 2-1/2 years of the past 11 years. When I did live in America it was in California - a long way physically and culturally from New England. It should be interesting for sure.

Gone to the Races

2011-01-19T19:33:00.000+07:00

A School Girl Running Just For Fun

We have been very busy the past month with the final processing of Duang's Immigration Visa to the USA, Duang's son's wedding, Christmas, Hmong New Years in Laos, New Year's Eve and now making arrangements to return to the USA shortly. One of the surprises that we had was attending a School Field Day.

Last year, at the end of December, we attended a School Field Day involving 6 elementary schools in the vicinity of Tahsang Village. It was a colorful and entertaining day of pageantry, ceremony, and athletic competition. This year at the end of December we were in Bangkok for Duang's immigration interview at the American Consulate and to celebrate New Year's Eve. With our business in Bangkok I believed that we were going to miss out on this year's event.

On January 6th we drove out to Tahsang Village in the morning to participate in a merit making ritual for Duang's youngest brother. Duang was going to have water poured over her by the local Monk as part of the ritual - sort of a super blessing reminiscent of being sprinkled with Holy Water by a Priest in a Catholic Church. A couple of month's ago Duang planned on the "shower" blessing but because of the cold weather (73F, 23C) she opted out and instead had a more common blessing of water sprinkled on her by the Monk using a brush constructed of very coarse reeds.

Tahsang Village Monk Participates in Merit Making Ritual

I reminded Duang about the cold weather but she told me that she was bringing warm clothes to change into after her big blessing. I was still not convinced or confident - she wears a sweat suit outfit to bed and covers up with a sheet and heavy comforter now that it has gotten cold (68F and 20C) in our bedroom. Well once we got out of the truck and walked to wear the ritual would be performed, Duang changed her mind and once again opted out and went for the customary sprinkle blessing rather than the shower blessing.

Competitors Turning the Corner During A Relay Race

After the ritual we found out that there was a School Field day going on in a nearby village. We gathered up the usual suspects, I mean family members, in Tahsang Village and headed out to the site of the School Field Day. After driving along narrow roads, dirt roads, past sugar cane harvesting and fallow rice paddies, and even through a couple small villages, we arrived at the elementary school that was hosting the school competition.

We were arriving in the late morning so we had missed the parade of the competitors and their classmates as well as the opening ceremonies. Several of the young school girls were still coiffed and wearing their heavy make up from the parade but had changed from their fancy traditional clothing into their athletic clothing - shorts and soccer style jerseys.

Schoolchildren Enjoying Themselves and Cheering their Classmates

Just as was the arrangements last year, there were six elementary schools participating in the field day. Each school had a decorated bleacher set up for the athletes, and their classmates. Several parents, relatives, younger siblings, as well as neighbors accompanied each of the schools contingents. It was a very festive atmosphere albeit somewhat chaotic. Each of the schools, all six of them, had their own public address system along with huge speakers. Mahlam Lao or more specifically Mahlam Sing music blasted from each of the systems. The children in the bleachers danced, waved pom-poms, and performed cheering routines. It was very obvious that they were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Off to the side of the bleachers, there were stalls, booths, and motorcycle sidecars selling food and soft drinks. Besides being filled with the hubbub of competing music, the air was filled with the smells from Isaan ethnic food and smoke from small charcoal fires.

"Runner, Get Ready!"

"Go!"

We arrived in time to watch the relay races amongst the schools. There was no cinder track for the competitors. There was no artificial track for the competitors. The relay races were conducted on a grass field that served as the ordinary play field for the school's students.

Her Hair and Makeup Intact From Earlier Procession, A Girl Sets Off In Her Race

The runners did not wear spiked track shoes. The runners did not wear any type of sport shoes. They wore no shoes. They ran barefoot. For children that wear flip flops or go barefoot in their villages, running barefoot is only natural and not unexpected. This was running boiled down to its essence and uncomplicated by outside technology or any perceived competitive advantages. It was competition for sport and glory.

Tahsang Village did not do very well in the races except for one of the girl relay teams. Just as they did last year the girls won. One of the girls, Behm, is related to Duang and often drops by to watch me edit photographs when I bring my computer to the village. Often when I sit in Momma's Market, I will be joined by several of the young village children. I enjoy showing them pictures of things that I know that they have not had the opportunity to see for themselves. I try to explain to them about the people, places, animals, and things that I have photographed. Their enthusiasm and interest encourages me.

Behm (left) and Her Tahsang Village Girl's Relay Teammates

I noticed that Behm was a very fast runner. That night I mentioned to my wife, Duang, that I thought that one reason that Behm was such a fast runner was the fact that her feet were so long and wide - just like Duang's. I have often joked with Duang about how large her feet are. Duange reason that Behm was such a fast runner was the fact that her feet were so long and wide - just like Duang's. I have often joked with Duang about how large her feet are. Duang is 5 feet tall and weighs less than 100 pounds but her feet are about twice as wide as mine and not all that much shorter than mine considering our differences in height and weight. Duang laughed when I told her my theory as to why Behm was so fast. Duang confided that she too was a very good runner when she was a young girl; always coming in first or second at worst. We laughed how the "Veeboonkul" large feet made for fast runners.

Race Official Signals he Start of the Race - Banging A Recycled Artillery Shell

I sat out in the infield of the "track" and kept busy photographing the races and the activities around the field while Duang and our grandson, Peelawat, remained on the sidelines with the other Tahsang Villagers.

Go!

Girls Driving Through the Curve

After two hours, Duang came out to tell me that our grandson, Peelawat, was tired and needed to return Tahsang Village. I looked at my watch in disbelief and realized that it had in deed been two hours. The races were mostly not very competitive but they were very entertaining. It was a pleasure to watch students racing for the joy of it. Although the athletes did not have much in terms of equipment, they were making the most out of what was readily available to them. More than that, they were enjoying themselves.

A Boy Leads His Classmates in a Very Sophisticated Dance Routine

It appeared that everyone was enjoying themselves at the Field Day. The students exhibited excellent sportsmanship and were well supported by their families. The children in addition to either competing or cheering also took advantage of the opportunity to eat and drink with friends outside on a sunny day in Isaan; not all that bad of a way to spend a day outside of the classroom.

Once again I was witness to the manifestation that it is not what you have that brings happiness but appreciating and making do with what you have that can bring some happiness.

The Games That Some People Play ...

2011-01-17T22:38:00.000+07:00

A Hmong Young Man Plays Pov Pob

The games that some people play ... is not about deception, cheating, or the manipulation of human emotions or social intercourse.

The games that some people play ... is not about politics or even politicians.

The games that some people play ... is not about international affairs involving Iran, North Korea, the USA, or any other country.

This blog is literally about some of the games that we saw the Hmong people playing during our trip to Laos in early December 2010.

A Hmong Beauty Prepares to Catch A Ball

We had gone up to Luang Prabang to once again witness the Hmong New Years Celebration. The Hmong people in Laos celebrate New Year after the harvest and in accordance to the stage of the moon in accordance with their lunar calendarr. It is a time for the people from various clans to get together and socialize when there is a lull in the field work. During the Hmong New Years celebration there are spiritual rituals and observances that are rather private and mostly limited to family members. During the public aspects of the celebration there is traditional music, traditional dancing, traditional clothing, eating drinking, gambling, and socializing. The public activities are very interesting events for at least four of the five senses - propriety limits the opportunities for the sense of touch. Socializing besides involving sharing gossip includes playing games.

Hmong Girls Playing Pov Pob

The most widely known Hmong game is most likely "Pov Pob". Pov Pob is a ball tossing game. It is played throughout the year in Laos but it is special during the New Years festival. Especially in the older times it was difficult for young Hmong men and young Hmong women to find potential mates. Hmong people are forbidden to marry within their clan. Since the villages are often made up exclusively of a single clan and the burdens of farming leave little time to go off in search of a potential mate. It was at the meeting of various clans at the New Year Festival that the young people had an opportunity to meet potential husbands and wives. This tradition continues today for the Hmong people in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR).

Pov Pob In Progress at the New Years Festival

Pov Pob is described as an activity for adolescents and akin to a courtship ritual. That is true just as it is true to describe dancing as a fertility ritual in the United States. Although it is true in both situations, the description is incomplete and also not completely accurate. Just as you will see very elderly people in the USA dancing to the tunes of their youth and thoroughly enjoying themselves, you will observe older Hmong people playing Pov Pob. The older Hmong people participating in Pov Pob like the adolescents are looking for a mate. They are either divorced or widowed however there are some who are looking for an additional mate. Polygamy is illegal in Laos but some old cultural practices still remain albeit not commonly. During our visit last month we found a middle aged man who with the assistance of his middle aged wife was courting an 18 year old girl to be his wife.

Young Boy Holding a Traditional Hmong Ball for Pov Pob

Willing, if not yet capable of playing "Pov Pob"

Along with the adolescents and older people playing the match game, there are plenty of young children who also participate in their own way in pov pob - sort of like young children dancing back in America - they imitate their older siblings and just because it is FUN.

Hmong Teenaged Men Participating in Pov Pob

Because of the match making possibilities of Pov Pob during the New Year Festival, girls wear the best traditional Hmong clothing. Their garments are colorful, emblazoned with intricate embroidered designs. The girls and women also wear their traditional Hmong silver jewelry. Their ensemble is often topped off with a traditional and colorful hat. To a lesser extent boys and young men will wear elaborate if not traditional clothing.

Sometimes a person has to generalize in order to describe or to approach any semblance of effective communication. The mere fact that it is a generalization means that the description is not 100% accurate for all cases and circumstances. As is the case for most things in life there are exceptions. In order to describe Pov Pob I will be generalizing.

A Girl Sings As She Prepares to Catch A Ball

In general girls and boys form two lines facing each other. A small soft cloth ball, or a tennis ball, or sometimes an orange is lobbed back and forth between the lines. Girls can throw to girls but boys are not allowed to toss to another boy. In addition you are not allowed to lob the ball to a member of your own clan. The person on the receiving end of the toss catches the ball with one hand. If you are "interested" in someone you toss the ball to them. If a boy makes a good throw to a girl and she doesn't try to catch it, she is letting him know not too subtly that she is not interested him.

If you make a good lob to someone and they drop the ball or miss catching the ball, the person is supposed to take a piece of their costume, a piece of silver, or a bell from their costume to the person across from them. To get the ornament or trinket back, the person has to sing to the person opposite them. The singing and ball tossing are ice breakers for the people. For those who are playing the game to find a match, 15 years and older, if they make a love connection they and the person who is also interested in them will leave the game. The pair go off to get to know each other better. If they determine that they are right for each other they will publicly announce their intentions three days later and will be married about three weeks later when the moon is right - a new moon.

A Private and Personal Pov Pob - Perhaps a Prelude to Much More

A Spinning Top Is Hurled Down Field

During this trip to the Hmong people in Laos, Duang and I watched another Hmong game called "Tujlub" (Spinning Tops) which is played by men and boys. We watched a spinning top match on our first day in the field that served as a parking lot at one of the two festival sites that we visited throughout our stay in Luang Prabang.

The tops are carved out of very dense hardwood. They reminded me a great deal of turnips that were cooked for Thanksgiving dinners back in Connecticut. A heavy cotton string about 3 or 4 meters (9 to 12 feet) long is wrapped very tightly around the wood top. The other end of the heavy string is attached to a stick about 4 to 5 cm in diameter (1-1/2 in. to 2 in.) and 60 to 90 cm (2 - 3 feet) long. The top is held in one hand the stick in the other hand. The top is thrown down field while at the same time the stick is jerked downwards in a whip like or slashing motion.

The rules for playing Tujlub differ from location to location. For the match that we watch, this appeared to be how the game was played. There were two teams of three players each. The first team went down the hardened dirt pitch about 10 meters (30 feet) and set their tops spinning in a somewhat tight grouping in a slightly recessed area which reminded me of a greatly worn horseshoe pit. Once the tops were set about spinning the other team members one by one heaved their tops at the spinning stationary tops to strike them; driving them out of the area and stopping their spinning. Apparently points were awarded for every top that was stopped by the second team.

One of the Target Tops Is Set to Spinning While One Is Already Spinning

The process was repeated again about 20 meters from the starting line and once again about 30 meters from the starting line. After completing the three distances, the teams swapped positions with the second team setting up their tops spinning at the predetermined distances and the first team attempting to hit the spinning tops by hurling their tops down field.

A Spinning Top About To Escape From Its Line

It was amazing how often a spinning top was hit by a hurled top. The sound of the colliding wood tops was like the sharp crack of a well hit baseball with a hickory bat. From my position down field I had a clear and impressive view of how fast and powerful the tops were hurled towards their targets. I was also impressed and extremely grateful as to how accurate the players were.

A Player Puts All That He Has Into His Hurl

At the other end of the festival site, men - older and appearing to be of a higher social status, were playing petanque. Petanque is similar to bocce. It is a French game whose current form was developed in 1907. It is played with metal balls on a hard compacted dirt or gravel rectangular area.

A Petanque Player In Vientiane, LPDR

A small wood ball is thrown and points are earned by throwing or rolling the larger metal balls closer to it than the other team's attempts similar to bocce and not that much different than horse shoes. Perhaps the saying of "Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades" should be modified to "Close only counts in horseshoes, bocce, petanque and hand grenades as well as nuclear weapons".

Part of the game strategy in addition to getting your balls closet to the wood ball called "cochonnet" is also to knock your opponent's ball away from the wood ball so that yours are closer or his are eliminated from the pitch.

Petanque Players Figuring Out Who Is Closest

The penchant for playing petanque is a legacy of French colonialism here in Southeast Asia. There is a factory that produces petanque balls (boule) in Vientiane, Laos. Although the French never colonized Thailand, petanque is played here in Isaan. I suspect the interaction of Thailand's Lao Loum population with their cousins across the Mekong River in Lao People's democratic Republic goes a long ways towards explaining its popularity here. I have played some with my brother-in-law and the Tahsang Village officials. It is a nice game to play when the weather is hot and the beer is ice cold.

Playing Petanque Along the Bank of the Mekong River In Laos

It was interesting to see how people in a different culture entertain and amuse themselves. A common denominator for all three of the games was the fact that people were making do with what was readily and perhaps more importantly what was cheaply available to them. Their games did not involve a great deal of investment of time, equipment, space, or energy. The Hmong games were also very social events with participants socializing as much as they were competing.

Another Isaan Wedding - Perk and Puii

2011-01-15T21:43:00.000+07:00

Perk and Puii -Bai Sii Ritual, Their Wedding Ceremony

During my stay here in Thailand over the past five years I have had the privilege and honor of attending several weddings. Most of the weddings have been in Isaan and almost all of them have been Animist rituals. Yesterday was a special wedding - Duang's son and my stepson, Perk, and his girlfriend, Puii, were married.

Shamans Prepare for Perk's Bai Sii

The afternoon before yesterday's wedding in Puii's home village, there was a gathering, party, and Bai Sii ritual in Duang's home village for her son. It was an opportunity for the Groom's family, neighbors and friends to gather to wish him the best in his upcoming marriage. It was also an opportunity to raise some money to help with the expenses associated in getting married here in Isaan. As part of the Bai Sii ritual in Tahsang Village for Perk, people made monetary offerings. Small plastic bags of raw beef were given to the people who made offerings. As I sat inside of my mother-in-law's market editing photographs from the past month and tending to our grandson, Peelawat, I witnessed a steady stream of people leaving the property with a small bag of beef or beef products. Here in Isaan, very little of a cow is wasted. Large bones were stacked on a plastic tarp most likely to be used for soup at a later date. A section of small ribs completely stripped of meat was being eaten off to the side by two of the village dogs. They were eating the ribs but not necessarily sharing the ribs. There were several growls and bearing of canines as they devoured their "share" of the ribs.

As is typical for these celebrations, Duang's family had blocked off the street in front of their house with pavilions, tables, and chairs. In the backyard, many men were busy cutting up beef and preparing meat for cooking. The men had started drinking early in the morning as they started preparing the beef. Many Aunts were busy cooking over an assortment of charcoal and gas fired burners. Duang, as Mother of the Groom had to be at the village early and supervise the preparations for the afternoon Bai Sii and proceeding party. I brought my computer along to keep me occupied while Peelawat slept. I do not drink when I am driving. When I am offered drinks I tell the people that I have to drive and that the "Police like falang (foreigner) too much". They know exactly what I mean, laugh, and do not take my refusal as a social slight or affront. I have been stopped several times by Police at roadblocks when I was driving alone but I have always been waved through the roadblocks when Duang has been with me. One time I gave the Police every piece of documentation that I had in the truck and on me but there still seemed to be some sort of a problem. I called Duang and gave the cellphone to the Policeman. When I got back on the cellphone, Duang was laughing, the Policeman was asking or was it "wondering?" if I could "give" him some money to buy a drink (I assume it was for a soft drink!). She said to give him 100 baht ($3) and we were all happy. A "speeding ticket" is 200 Baht so I hoped that I had purchased some good will on my way back home. Once I was stopped at a roadblock for speeding which I was certain that I was not. I protested but after coming to my senses I realized that paying the 200 Baht ($6 USD) fine was a great deal cheaper than any trouble I could be buying in fighting the charges especially with my limited Thai communication skills. However I would not want to be stopped for any "reason" and have alcohol my breadth - especially alone.

Three Year Old Kwan Seems to Know What to Do

Kwan Checks With Her Grandfather For Reassurance During the Ritual

Perk's Bai Sii Ritual

An Aunt Wishes Perk Good Luck and Fortune

I left around 5:00 P.M. after the conclusion of the Bai Sii ritual and returned home. Duang stayed until midnight before returning to our home. I did not stay for her youngest brother's "Mahlam Lao" show but Duang had family responsibilities to take care of. The show actually ended around 3:00 A.M. These are very social events and often when I am not drinking along with the crowd, the noise and commotion get to me. I don't believe that it is because I am getting old because I detect the same traits in our two year old grandson! I think that it because we both don't understand what all the noise and commotion are about and there are too many people wanting to be "nice" to us which makes us uncomfortable. At those times we seek each other's company and go off into as quiet a corner as we can find.
In Isaan weddings take place on the morning of a predetermined day and specified time after consultation with a Monk who has the reputation for if not the ability to determine the future through study of numbers and other things. He can determine the most advantageous times for undertaking significant events or tasks.

Perk Assisted By His Cousin Walking to Puii's Home

The groom walks to the bride's home as part of a procession of his relatives and local villagers. Mahlam Lao (local Lao music with a driving beat and heavy guitar component) is played either from the community loudspeaker or from a pickup truck mounted sound system. Puii's family had music blaring from large loudspeakers at the home of her sister where the Bai Sii was held. Members of the wedding groom's procession amuse themselves with copious drinking of local beer and a potent whiskey called "Lao". The groom is shielded from the sun by an umbrella that is carried by one of the procession participants, in Perk's situation - his cousin who was a sort of "best man" for the wedding ritual. The umbrella also is the traditional status symbol and an honor for the person walking under it. There is a great deal of energy and joy associated with the walk to the bride's house with everyone dancing as well as cheering. The female relatives of the groom sang a nice lilting song as they lead the way to the wedding site.

Perk and Part of His Extended Family On Their Way to the Bai Sii Ritual

Upon arrival at the bride's house, the groom hands over the dowry (Sin Sod) to his future Mother-in-Law. The size of the dowry (sin sod) is negotiated prior to the wedding and is dependent upon the age of the bride, her education, previous marriage(s), if she has any children and also the social status of the groom - if he or his family can afford more he is expected to pay more. A Thai farmer to a Thai young woman will typically have a dowry of 50,000 baht ($1,500 USD). Since this is Puii's first marriage, she has no children, she is a college graduate, and she is an only child the sin sod was higher. I once attended a wedding of a college educated young woman to a falang (foreigner) where the sin sod was 3,000,000 baht ($90,900 USD!).

In many cases the dowry is used to finance the wedding reception with the remainder being returned to the bride by her parents. The payment of the dowry is a sign of respect and prestige as well as a financial aid to the bride's family. Saving face is a very important aspect of Thai culture. Another consideration of the sin sod is the fact that the groom goes to live with the bride's family either in their home or on their property in the parent's village. The new son-in-law will be responsible for taking care of the bride's parents and participating in the family's farming or other business. If his bride is the only daughter or the youngest daughter the groom through his wife will inherit the house and larger part of the lands.
Upon receipt of the Sin Sod, the bride's mother disappears to count the money. The Sin Sod is later publicly recounted with great fan fare as part of the wedding ritual.

Before the groom enters the bride's home he must cross two bridges or rather barriers. Each bridge is usually a gold chain held across the doorway, or as much of the doorway as it will stretch across, usually by younger relatives. If gold chain is not available any flexible barrier will serve the purpose. Each bridge is removed by paying a price - 200 baht in plain envelopes.

Puii Washes Perk's Feet

Having paid to gain access to the door the groom removes his shoes. His wife - to - be awaits him in her wedding outfit wearing some of the gold that she has been given by her husband - to - be. The amount of gold, a component of the dowry, has been negotiated and agreed to prior to the ceremony. Again this is a symbol of respect and security for the Thai people. Often Thai brides will use their gold to pay off debts and then buy back the same gold shortly after obtaining the necessary cash to get their gold out of hock.

The bride greets her husband to be at the doorway and washes his feet. Washing his feet is a public demonstration of her allegiance, and commitment to her future husband.

Pahn Sii Khwan

After washing the groom's feet, the couple enters the room where the ceremony will take place. Upon the tile floor, sahts, woven reed mats, have been placed. A low table or several rectangular brightly multi colored pillows are used as the focus of the ceremony. An elaborate banana leaf and jasmine floral centerpiece with cotton strings hanging from it called a "Pahn Sii Khwan" is an integral part of the ceremony called "Bai Sii". The Pahn Sii Khwan are handcrafted by elder female relatives or neighbors. They are a handicraft that is unique to the Lao Loum culture. Small bananas, globs of sticky rice (kao knieow), and boiled egg are placed within the Pahn Sii Khwan. These objects which are consumed during the wedding ritual are representative of good luck, wealth, good health, and prosperity.

The Buddhist religion does not have a sacrament of matrimony or a wedding ritual. The commitment of a man and a woman to each other is a pact between themselves with their community and sometimes as well as Monks wishing them happiness as well as good luck. Upon completion of their public commitment to each other and receiving the blessings of the community, the couple register their marriage at the local town hall to formalize their union. Monks did not participate in Perk and Puii's wedding ritual which is not all that unusual for a wedding ceremony here in Isaan.

The Shaman Ties Cotton String to Perk and Puii's Wrists to Bind the Spirits

The "Bai Sii" ceremony, lead by a Shaman, is performed to obtain health, wealth and best wishes for the bride and groom. The Bai Sii ceremony is not reserved exclusively for weddings. It is also used for welcoming guests, conducted prior to or after long voyages, as thanksgiving for recovery from an illness or to help cure someone, and a part of the ceremony where children are named. The Bai Sii is an Animist ritual common in Isaan as well as in Laos.

Cotton Strings Are Tied Around Wrist of Bride and Groom As They each Hold a Banana and Lump of Sticky Rice

The origins of Bai Sii are in the Animist beliefs of the Lao people. They believe that 32 spirits (Khwan) live within us and protect us. The purpose of the Bai Sii ceremony is to bind the spirits within us to prevent them from escaping and thereby causing problems.

As part of the wedding Bai Sii ceremony well wishers crawl up to the Bride and Groom with a money offering. The offering is placed in their hand as the well wisher ties a cotton string around the wrist of each of them. When the well wishers have tied the strings, they go outside to enjoy the food and drink (soft drinks, beer, and whiskey) that have been set up. After the last well wisher has wished the newlyweds well, the Bride and groom give presents to their parents, grandparents, and selected relatives.

During the ceremony an elder of the village or shaman leads the people through the ritual. The bride and groom kneel before the low table or pillows with the left hand resting on the improvised altar. Their right hands hold a glass of alcohol - either beer or whiskey. In his right hand the groom also holds a boiled egg while his bride holds a ball of sticky rice wrapped in a banana leaf in her right hand.

The elder recites and chants from a book of prayers. Witnesses to the ceremony also recite some of the prayers. The prayers call all the spirits back into the body. The bride and groom light candles that are part of the ritual. A long string runs around the circle of the Bai Sii participants in the case of a wedding - the bride, the groom, and their immediate families - linking them together and with the spirit world.

Towards the end of the ceremony, the groom eats the egg and the bride eats the rice. The egg and rice are washed down with the alcohol to help nourish the 32 spirits.

The ceremony concludes with the shaman taking one of the cotton threads from the centerpiece and tying it around the right wrist of the groom and around the bride's left wrist. The new wife's family are next to tie strings around the wrist of the newlyweds. Everyone participates in removing a string from the centerpiece and binding the wrists of the groom and bride. The act of binding the wrists is also marked with personal wishes of good health and good luck for the couple.

After binding of the wrists, eventually the couple retire to the bride's bedroom where they sit together to receive blessings from their parents. They are now considered by the community to be man and wife now.

The couple then return to their guests and get down to some serious partying. Besides beer and whiskey, the guests are treated to special foods such as raw chopped up beef with chilies, cow's stomach, cow's veins, sticky rice, cooked pork, cooked liver, boiled pig skin, seafood dishes, fermented fish and vegetables. It is a time of great celebration.

New Photographs Added to Gallery On My Website

2011-01-11T22:43:00.000+07:00

Young Hmong Girls In Traditional Costumes

Twenty nine new photographs from our recent trip to Luang Prabang, Lao People's Democratic Republic have been added to my gallery, "Runny Noses and Dirty Faces - Children" at the link below

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Children/Runny-Noses-and-Dirty-Faces/7422101_oLip3

Young Hmong Girl In Traditional Clothing Takes A Drink

Young Hmong Boy In Traditional Clothing

Where Flowers Come From - At Least In Bangkok

2011-01-09T15:30:00.000+07:00

Colorful Orchids For Sale From A Retailer - Roughly $1.00 a large bunch

Our trip to Bangkok at the end of last month, gave us an opportunity to see and do some different things. One of the things that we had not done before was to go to the Bangkok Flower Market, Pak Khlong Talat, - at night.

Marigolds For Sale At Pak Khlong Talat Entrance

I had seen some of the periphery of flower market on a visit to Bangkok's Chinatown back in 2006 however it was in the late morning when the flowers had been distributed to retailers and set up at the various stalls. According to my research the best time to visit the flower market is at night after 10:00 P.M.. The market is open 24 hours a day but it is especially busy at night when new flowers arrive into the city and the wholesalers are occupied receiving shipments and distributing them to retailers.

Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market, Bangkok

Flowers play a very important role in the day to day life of Thai people. In the larger towns and cities at major road intersections you will find vendors, or more correctly vendors will find you, selling floral garlands that are hung as offerings from rear view mirrors of vehicles in the hopes of having good luck for one's journey. The garlands are created by the vendors from jasmine blossoms, orchids, roses and marigolds and are beautiful.

Bunches of Flowers For Sale, Bangkok

Our home in Udonthani is very close to the intersection of Thai Highway #2 the road from the Lao border to eventually Bangkok. Every morning the same group of vendors of "Phuang Malai" can be found at the intersection. I have lived here in Udonthani for three years now and have seen enough accidents and near misses that I support Duang in her belief of hanging a Phuang Malai from our truck rear view mirror - anything that possibly could protect us on these roads is worth doing! It has gotten to the point where we know one of the vendors. He gets a kick out of me speaking either Thai or Lao to him just as much as I enjoy his attempts to speak English. Each Phuang Malai costs 20 Baht ($0.60 USD) and in addition to the bit of beauty that it adds to the truck, it quickly adds wonderful fragrances of jasmine or other flowers to the truck. I can't complain about it - beauty, scent, and protection - all for $0.60 USD - besides it keeps my wife happy. It has gotten to the point now that our favorite vendor will occasionally give us two Phuang Malai for the price of one - another example of the civility and kindness of the people here in Isaan.

Besides the garland vendors along the roadways, there are several stalls selling Phuang Malai as well as other floral arrangements along with loose flowers at Wats located in towns and cities. Their products are sold to worshippers to use as offerings during merit making rituals. In large metropolitan areas such as Bangkok, I suspect there are vendors at every Wat; making up a huge demand for flowers.

Just as in the West flowers and floral arrangements are used in Buddhist funeral rituals. The floral arrangements used at funerals are made by florists in the towns and cities. The floral stock comes from flower stalls at the local markets in the larger towns or nearby cities.

I have been amazed during my travels along the back roads of Isaan to see the Lao Loum people's affection for flowers. In small poor rural farming villages, most of the homes will have flowers growing in front of the homes. Typically the flowers are growing out of "pots" created out of painted recycled tires. Yes this is Isaan and the people are very adept at making do with what is available to them. Interestingly enough many of their adaptions enhance the quality of life to a level that is experienced by only people who are much more monetary richer in other cultures. Some of the homes even have orchids growing from containers attached to trees in their front yard.

The appreciation and utilization of flowers in everyday life creates a great demand for flowers throughout Thailand. In Bangkok the Pak Khlong Talat is the largest floral market in the city. Besides the flower market there is also a vegetable market at the "Market at the Mouth of the Canal". We caught a glimpse at the vegetable market during our night visit but we were tired and focused on returning to our hotel rather then exploring further. I guess this will be another reason to return to Bangkok someday - visit the vegetable market at night.

Flowers Wrapped in Moist Newspaper To Maintain Freshness

Colorful Flowers Available at Pak Khlong Talat

Flowers are delivered to Pak Khlong Talat from the nearby provinces of Samut Sakon, Nakon Pathom, and Samut Songkran which are located southwest of Bangkok in the delta, and bottom lands of the Chao Phraya River. Some flowers such as roses (50 long stem retail for less than $2.00 USD) are trucked in from northern areas around Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. In the late 1960's as part of Thailand's efforts to eradicate opium production by the Hill Tribes, the King of Thailand initiated programs to teach and encourage the people to cultivate flowers and vegetables instead. We have seen huge fields of marigolds as well as other flowers during our visits to the area. In February there is a huge flower festival in Chiang

Edge of the Market - Taxis being filled with flowers, hand trucks, carts

A Tuk Tuk Being Loaded Up With Flowers

Unlike our adventure to arrive at the Royal Barge National Museum, our taxi driver had no problem getting us to the flower market. He stopped outside of the market area due to the streets being clogged with just about every kind of conveyance either delivering or shipping flowers.

Orchids At A Stall

Most of the flowers arrive at the market in pickup trucks of the local growers. Like their neighbors, the Vietnamese for motorbikes, the Thais have made an art out of loading pickup trucks. It is very impressive how much produce, flowers, firewood, eggs, pigs, or people that a Thai can transport in their pickup truck. It adds a whole new meaning to the term "working truck" for someone who had lived in California for many years. Some of flowers arrive by small boats on the Chao Phraya River direct from the farms down river near the Gulf of Thailand.

A Porter Prepares to Transport A Load of Flowers to a Local Shop

The trucks are parked along the streets in the market area and offloaded by men and some women using large woven bamboo baskets and either carts or hand trucks. The market area is made up of a few narrow streets but mostly narrow alleys where it would not be possible to drive a pickup truck even when they were not encroached upon by stalls, food stands, pedestrians, and offloaded merchandise. Part of the market is in old warehouses - open sided tin roofed structures carved up into small stall and booths as well as old Chinese traditional shop houses; shop at ground level with living quarters above with ornate exterior decoration. The streets and alleys are lit from a combination of dim street lights, light spilling out of established shops, and strings of temporary lighting. It can be quite confusing and perhaps for some people intimidating but that is what makes it so interesting for other people.

Family Members Making "Phonem Baii Sii" at the Flower Market

The market was a beehive of activity, besides the movement of flowers, some people were busy making products out of the fresh flowers for sale in the morning. As was typical for the market, the businesses making floral arrangements, garlands, and Pahn Sii Khwan were family run small businesses. Often you could observe three generations working closely together for the family's benefit.

Porter Delivers Fresh Flowers to a Retailer

With this being Thailand, there was no worry as to anyone going hungry or thirsty at the market. There were several shops that sold cold drinks either in the can, bottle, or in a plastic bag filled with ice. Beer was also readily available. The same shops also sold prepared snack foods. There were several "sidewalk restaurants", a few plastic chairs, a couple of folding tables, a portable charcoal fire, a pot of soup, and a hose hooked up to a nearby spigot for washing dishes. A man was grilling fish along with meat on a BBQ made from one-half of a steel barrel and doing a thriving business. A few of the more established side walk restaurants even had a small television playing Thai shows along the lines of "Hee Haw" or "The Gong Show". I watched several porters relaxing at one of the "restaurants" - drinking beer and watching TV while their hand trucks and baskets lay close by in the street. They noticed me taking some pictures and started to pose. I went over and told them that I liked taking pictures of people working but that they were not working. We all had a good laugh. That is how it was at the flower market - people relaxed, enjoying themselves and others while working to make their city a little more special. If you have to work, I guess that it is a good way to be.

A Porter Delivers Another Load of Flowers

A Female Porter With Two Handtrucks of Flowers and Lotus Leaves

Eventually Duang and I decided to return to our hotel. We had no where near explored the entire flower market along Chak Phet Road and its side streets and alleys but we were tired. We needed to get some sleep for the next day we had places to visit and things to do - once again.

Small Arrangements For Sale - CHEAP

The Royal Barge National Museum

2011-01-07T21:11:00.000+07:00

Duang and I have been to Bangkok more times than we care to remember; many of the visits related to business with the American Consulate. On our last trip last month as part of Duang's process to obtain a US Green Card, we decided to visit some places and do some things that we had not experienced before. One place that we had not visited before was "The Royal Barge National Museum".

According to many Bangkok travel guide books and web sites, people should arrive at the museum by boat. The museum is located across the Chaophraya River in Thonburi. The guidebooks and the websites state that going to the Royal Barge National Museum by land is "long, hot slog from the road via jumbled alleys with scant signage". First of I consider guidebooks as well as websites to be just that - "GUIDES". They are like schedules in that they provide a means to develop your own itinerary based upon the information that they contain. They provide a means to evaluate and modify your trip as situations develop. They in themselves are not the end all or only means for determining your trip. Interestingly as you perform more and more research on a location you find that the information more and more closely resembles each other. Many websites and guidebooks are obviously based on the same source of information. It reminds me of the saying about one bad apple ruining the whole bushel basket of apples. How many guidebooks and websites caution against eating "street food"? How many travelers never experience the delights of local cuisine because of fears inspired by guidebook recommendations. Just about every guidebook cautions against using ice cubes in your drinks while in Thailand. In reality the ice cubes are manufactured by companies using pure water and transported in plastic sacks in clean trucks. I use ice cubes throughout Thailand just like the local people do. The locals do not want to become ill any less than I do. You haven't drank a beer here in Isaan unless it is from a glass with ice cubes in it - like the locals do.

As for accessing the barge museum from the road - our biggest problem was getting the taxi driver from the Lumpini Park area of Bangkok to understand where we wanted to go. I told him in English, and pantomimed rowing a boat in the special style used for Royal Barges. He was amused but did not seem to understand any better. Duang spoke in Thai and he didn't seem to understand. I mentioned "Thonburi" and the 1,000 kilometer stare started to recede from his eyes. We showed him on a map but the map was entirely in English which doesn't help all that much with a Thai driver. However it seem to boost his confidence if not ours that he knew where we wanted to go. We set off in the heavy downtown Bangkok traffic for our intended destination. Fortunately there was heavy traffic so that the driver had more opportunities to consult the map. After awhile I recognized that we were in the Dusit Area where we had been the day before. According to our map, Dusit was on the way to the Barge Museum. As we crossed the modern bridge over the Chaophraya River, all confusion appeared to disappear - there was a sign in English and Thai for the Royal Barge National Museum! We took the indicated exit and ended up on a side street. There was a sign for the museum at the entrance of what appeared to be a high rise apartment building set a ways off of the street. We continued a little further and ended up at the entrance to a Navy base. The guard told the taxi driver where the museum was located. We turned around and went back to the entrance of the high rise apartment building. The driver told us to walk towards the building. We thanked him and paid him approximately $4.00 USD for fare and tip.

We walked through a vacant lot type area towards the building. When we got just about to the building there was a sign indicating the way to the museum. We were also joined by a local man who appeared to be a guide. He lead us through a maze of alleys to the museum. I gave him $1.33 USD (40 Baht) for his "help". To be honest I believe that we could have managed to find the museum on our own with the signs that were posted or by asking the many people along the way. But it was reassuring to have a personal "guide".

Sometimes I get the impression that the concept of travel as put forth by many guidebooks and held by many tourists is to visit exotic places within a protective bubble as best can be maintained of your own culture. There seems to be an emphasis on the "places" and not the "people" that you will encounter along your travels. Because you have read some of these blogs you are mostly aware that Duang and I do not travel in that many. Although we love exotic locations it is the opportunity to experience different cultures; to be able to interact with people outside of our comfort zone that is our passion.

Duang On the "Road" (alley?, path? street/) to the Royal Barge Museum

The guidebooks and websites failed to mention that in avoiding taking the land route to the museum, you prevented glimpsing and experience a little of what life along or rather life on Rimkhlong Bangkok Noi (Little Bangkok Side Canal) is like. The narrow alleys are bordered by wood or cinder block homes built on stilts. In many places you could look directly into the homes to see the people working inside their homes. Some of the homes were built over land and you could see chickens or other birds being raised by the family. There was all kinds of vegetation growing high above the homes. You could smell the scents of life along an urban waterway. You came upon small groups of local residents socializing, working, or marketing goods to their neighbors. This was a neighborhood where a car, or tuk-tuk had never been. People walked along these alleys and either rode motorbikes or bicycles to come and go.

In about 5 minutes we arrived at the museum. Entrance fee for me was about $0.30 USD and because Duang is a Thai citizen - free for her. Since I intended to take still pictures - I had to pay a 100 Baht camera fee ($3.00 USD). I have read where the author of a blog suggested that only one person in a group pay the fee and take the photos for everyone in the group. Please - give me a break! Objecting and whining about $3.00 to take photos seems to be way too frugal to be polite especially after paying $0.30 to enter. That is definitely a group that I would not want to be part of.

Barges On Display

The museum was great. There are actually 52 barges that take part in the infrequent Royal Barge Processions. Typically 8 barges are on display in dry dock at the Royal Barge National Museum. Of the eight barges on display, there are four Royal Barges. The four Royal barges are: Suphannahong, Anantanakkharat, Anekkachatphuchong, and Narai Song Suban HM Rama IX. However on the day that we visited there were seven. The newest Royal Barge, Narai Song Suban HM Rama IX was being worked on at the nearby Navy Yard. However there was a bonus, in my opinion, one of the barges was being reconstructed!

The Asura Vayuphak Under Reconstruction - 2.03M wide, 31M long, 0.62M deep

An Asura Class Barge, the Asura Vayuphak , last restored in 1982 was under reconstruction by workers employed by a private company. I was told that only the Navy worked on any of the four Royal Barges. This explained why the Narai Song Suban HM Rama IX built in 1996 was not being worked on at the museum. I spent a great deal of time observing and photographing the reconstruction work. The work reminded me of the work by shipwrights past and present at the Mystic Seaport Maritime Museum near the town where I was born and raised back in Connecticut. I found it extremely interesting.

A Thai Shipwright At Work

I scrambled about the dock and even ventured out onto the scaffolding planks to get better views and different photographic perspectives of the restoration work. The workers did not mind and actually seemed a little amused at my efforts. They were accustomed to the typical visitor spending 10 to 15 minutes at the museum before moving on to the next stop of their tour. The naval representative did not like me sitting on the scaffold plank over the water and politely informed me that it was not allowed. He was a good guy and apparently did not hold a grudge. Later when I returned to the boat to take more photographs, he moved out of the way at his guard station so that I could get a different perspective.

Placing A New Board In Position

Drilling Ribs In Preparation For A New Plank

In addition to the static displays there are four videos that are shown to visitors of the museums. They are extremely interesting and worth watching. Again, most visitors if they even watch will view only one of the videos.

The barges are like works of art. They are intricately carved and are decorated with colorful paint and colored glass. The level of detail and mastery is breathtaking.

My favorite Royal Barge was Suphannahong also called Suphannahongse (Golden Swan). The Suphannahong carries the King of Thailand and other members of the Thai Royal Family. It is a very graceful boat - carved from a single teak tree and completed in 1911. The boat is 46.15 meters long, 3.17 meters wide, and .41 meters deep. It is propelled by 50 oarsmen. In addition to the Royal passengers and oarsmen it also carries 2 steersmen, 1 chanter, 4 officers, a signalman, a standard bearer, and 7 Royal Standard Bearers.

Close Up Detail of Suphannahong, "Golden Swan"

The boat is intricately carved, painted gold and accented with colored glass. It is very impressive.

Prow of Royal Barge "Anantanakkharat"

Prow of Royal Barge "Anekkachatphuchong"

Bow of Krut Class Barge - "Krut Hern Het"

The figureheads of the barges are depictions of mythological creatures from the Thai epic "The Ramakian". Garudas, Nagas, Hongsa, Hanuman are intricately carved and decorated with colorful paint giving each vessel a unique identity.

Figurehead of "Asura Vayuphak"

After two hours, Duang and I exited the museum and stopped at the little as in three table restaurant on the other side of the alley. Some naval officers were enjoying their lunch while the restaurant owner's young child half way played and slept close by. Duang and I each enjoyed a soft drink and interacted with the people before setting off along the alleys back to the main road to catch a taxi back to the center of the city.

We had enjoyed our visit to the museum and the opportunity to glimpse at some aspects of life on, over, and along a river canal.

Are We There Yet? YES Finally - Almost!

2011-01-07T15:36:00.000+07:00

Duang and Her Hired Dancers at Erawan Shrine Giving Thanks for Her Immigrant Visa

I started writing this blog entry yesterday and before I could finish it and post it, we had a significant development - Duang received a call from a Thai employee of the US Consulate informing her that her Immigrant Visa is approved and requested that she pick it up in Bangkok at 3:00 P.M. on 11 January.

As happy as both of are, I will refrain from declaring victory until she is actually admitted into the USA. The Visa allows her to purchase a ticket to America and to board the airplane to the USA however admitting her into the United States is up to the interviewing officer at the port of entry. We expect this will be a mere formality but one never really knows what the future may bring - think of President Bush on the deck of the aircraft carrier with the large sign "Mission Accomplished" before the crap really hit the fan in Iraq.

Are we there yet? How many times did we ask our parents that and how often did we ask them during what seemed to us to be unbearably long auto trips? How many times as parents did we tell our children "We are almost there" or "Soon we will be there".

Our quest or rather odyssey to obtain a visa for Duang to go to the United States continues but the successful end is in sight. On 27 December we flew to Bangkok for Duang's scheduled 7:00 A.M. interview appointment at the American Consulate on December 28th. We flew from Udonthani to Bangkok in the morning so that Duang could receive her second round of Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus and Mumps,Measles, and Rubella vaccinations at Bumrungrad Hospital prior to her interview. She had received the two initial vaccinations on 30 November when she had her medical examination in Bangkok.

From the US Consulate website and correspondence, we had been informed that if a visa was granted it would be available 2 to 3 business days after the interview. Since Duang's interview was on the Tuesday the 28th, I expected that if she was granted an Immigrant Visa, it would be available on either Wednesday 29th or Thursday the 30th. Allowing for a possible hiccup I allowed 31 December as a possible date for concluding this part of the process. One of my ambitions was to witness New Year's Eve fireworks in Bangkok so I booked our return flight to Udonthani for January 1. I figured that we would use any spare time that we might have in Bangkok to do some sightseeing. Although we have been to Bangkok many times, there were still many places to visit and things to do for us.

I spent about a day and one-half assembling the document package to present at the Consulate. Duang was required to present original documents that had not been presented previously in the application process. Updated copies of documents, such as passport, and financial records also had to be presented. The biggest task for Duang was to present documents and evidence that establishes in the mind of the US official a legitimate relationship between Duang and me.

Besides a review of the documents, the primary purpose of the interview is to convince the U. S. official that Duang and I have a legitimate relationship as wife and husband. The government suggests that copies of emails, personal photographs, financial support documents, detailed phone records or any other documentation that could establish evidence of a legitimate relationship. Thankfully the government did not suggest or require any "home" movies! Interestingly the Consulate does not allow the spouse to accompany the applicant into the interview.

Utilizing my past experience in developing subcontract bid packages and formulating construction claims, I assembled two different packets of documents for Duang to bring to the interview. The first package was "Originals" and the second package was "New and Updated Documents". Both packets were preceded with a "Document Transmittal" which listed the appropriate document where the document was located, and indicated what category listed in the government "Packet #4" instructions the submitted document was related to. In the case where we had submitted an original document to the Dept of Homeland Security, a note was included which indicated and cited verbatim the "Packet #4 instruction" which did not require that duplicate copies to be submitted.

For photographs, I printed contact sheets of several photographs in chronological order which included the date the photograph was taken. On the transmittal document, the significance of the photograph was explained i.e. "One of the first photos that I took of Duang", "Our Wedding", "My 58th Birthday Party (2007)" ... There were some original prints of photographs submitted that had the date of the photographed printed by the company. I tried to concentrate on photos where we appeared together. The whole purpose of the documents was to show the duration of our relationship and the continuing existence of our relationship.

Documents were assembled in the same order as they were listed in the transmittals. It may seem a bit of overkill but I had operated with one premise throughout the past six months. The premise was "Follow instructions completely, make everything clear and concise, and finally - Don't give anyone an excuse to delay or reject the application. Perhaps my concern was unjustified but then again it is difficult to argue with "success" even "success - almost".

Duang appeared at the Consulate at the appointed 7:00 A.M. She paid the required $404 USD fee in Thai baht. She was then interviewed by an American female official. As was typical in this process the American official was anonymous. I know that security is an issue these days but it is a sad commentary on the situation or mentality that in dealing with MY government's officials we deal with an anonymous person - once we finally get to deal with an American. Besides "security" concerns that they have, I have "accountability" concerns but as I am often lead to believe - my concerns do not matter.

After 4 hours Duang returned to the hotel. She had a yellow piece of paper which started off "This office regrets to inform you that it is unable to issue a visa to you because you have been found ineligible to receive a visa ... ". What? I read further as to why she was denied a visa - there were five boxes that could be checked off as reasons such as "Evidence of your relationship ... ", "Police Certificate from Thai Authorities ", "Medical Exam Results", "I-864 or I-134 Affidavit ... " , and "Consent letter ... " There was a sixth box that was checked "Other"

In the remarks box associated with "Other" the following was written " We just need to complete a routine check of Mrs's Hale's police certificate from Brunei. We will call you at (my cell phone) when the visa is ready to be picked up in the next week or so ..." Well that made me feel a great deal better especially since the Consulate had kept Duang's Thai Passport and had here sign the application form in their presence. Duang further explained that the cell phone number was indeed my cell number. To further placate us, we got a call from a 54 year old Thai woman who has been an official in the Red Cross for 15 years. We had met her at the hospital a month ago when she and Duang were having their physicals prior to their interviews at the US Consulate. The Thai woman wanted to visit her Thai daughter who is a doctor in the USA but was unable to get a Tourist Visa. To visit her daughter, her daughter was sponsoring her mother to immigrate to America. The woman was granted a visa to immigrate to the USA and was checking up after Duang's interview to check on how Duang was progressing. The woman explained to Duang that she had to wait about a week for a routine check to go back to Bangkok to pick up her passport with the visa. This was very reassuring to us to learn. I can not explain why Duang's notification was a form letter rejection to start with but then implied as acceptance pending a "routine check". I was surprised to read that the Brunei Police document had to be checked since it had been submitted with our application to the Consulate 12 weeks prior to Duang's scheduled appointment for an interview.

Erawan Shrine Troupe Dance and Chant as Duang Gives Thanks

As part of our extended stay in Bangkok, I wanted to revisit the Erawan Shrine to photograph the dancers. With the reassurance from Duang's new friend regarding the visa approval, we walked over to the Erawan Shrine. Duang paid 360 Baht ($10.90 USD) to have the dancers perform and chant while she was giving thanks at the shrine for getting her visa.

As it turned out the U S Consulate called Duang her cell phone and not mine.

Duang yesterday after receiving the great news complimented me on my good work in applying for the visa. She spoke about other people here in Thailand who have used an attorney to obtain an Immigration Visa for their wife. I told her that I would find it unconscionable to have to pay a Thai lawyer to deal with the US government - MY government. I added that as a US citizen I expect that I should be able to handle affairs and dealings with MY government on my own and not have to deal with a US lawyer to obtain service or better service. In some regards I guess that I still remain idealistic and naive. But ... Most people see things the way that they are and don't ask "Why?" I dream of things the way that they should be and ask "What the @#$% - Why not?" I make no apologies to Robert F. Kennedy or more correctly to George Bernard Shaw for hijacking the sense of his saying and "making it my own".

One step remains for us - submitting the visa and packet to the Immigration Officer at our selected Port of Entry to the USA.