Life and Death - USA and Thailand



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

"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

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

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

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

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 ...

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.