On this Terrestrial Ball

If you’ve spent any time in Thailand, you’ve probably heard the term “Farang” which basically means "foreigner." It is not meant to be a derogatory term but like any word it can be used negatively by the person saying it (perhaps in an angry tone).  But typically, it’s spoken in a neutral or sometimes even affectionate way. It's a common way to refer to tourists or expatriates, mostly of European or American heritage.  Honestly, I go back and forth on my opinion.   I, myself, am a Farang and often use the term.   Such as, “Look at that Farang trying to ride a motorcycle and almost causing an accident.” But either way you look at it, the word “Farang” is a label to differentiate one type of person from another.   Isn’t that a form of discrimination, even if the intention is not meant in any way to be negative? There is one undeniable way that Farang’s are discriminated against – charging them more money.   When I visit a public park in Thailand...

What is your favorite food?  Wow, that’s a big question, isn’t it?  You may have a list of “favorite” foods and trying to narrow it down to one is no easy task.  So, let’s make it easier and go with the supporting food teams.  There’s always a lesser support food to compliment your main dish:  Steak and potatoes , Teriyaki chicken and rice , pork stir fry with noodles , salmon and brussel sprouts (okay, so add your favorite vegetable here, zucchini maybe?).  But even then it gets tricky, doesn’t it because any one of those supporting foods can flip to become the primary star (okay, maybe not brussel sprouts), like spaghetti and meatballs. Since I’m currently overseas, I do notice there are certain types of food that are more dominant as well.   In the United States, potatoes could be arguably the most commonly served food, whether as the primary, supporting, or combined food on your plate.   I love my French fries to accompany my hamburger but ...

Living in the good ‘ol USA, I’ve eaten cereal all my life.  As a kid, I liked to try all the sugar-infused options from Captain Crunch (including my fav, Peanut Butter Crunch), Lucky Charms (I watched with glee as they added more and more marshmallow icons to mix over the years. Way more than just “stars, moons, hearts and clovers!”), Sugar Pops (hey, the name says it all), and so on.  Over the years as I moved into adulthood I let some of the sugary stuff go and added slightly more healthy choices like Life (Hey, Mikey, he likes it!), Cheerios (honey-nut flavored, please), Frosted Mini-Wheats (it feels healthier being wheat-based but that thick sugar frosting on top still tasted yummy), Rice Chex (and all the healthy variations of corn and wheat), and so on. So now I’m in my later adult years and what do I eat for breakfast? Okay, that was an easy one – cereal.   I have introduced granola into the mix, though, so I’m still evolving on my cereal journey.   But now ...

The Asian community was struck by an earthquake with the magnitude of 7.7. In other words, huge. The date was March 28, 2025, and the location of the epicenter was near the center of Myanmar, very close to Myanmar's second-largest city, Mandalay. It was felt more than 600 miles away in the large, urban city of Bangkok, Thailand, which saw devastation never seen before – collapsing skyrise building, roads buckling, water from penthouse skyrises sloshing over the sides like a giant waterfall. For the people of Thailand, who have never felt an earthquake before, this was a generational event.  Yet another example of things happening on this terrestrial ball that have never happened before. Seems like Global Warming was just the start. Or maybe this world is just starting the process of winding down. Like an elderly person’s bones creaking and cracking, loss of senses like hearing, and perhaps the twinkle of dementia forming.  Besides earthquakes, there have been more and mo...