On this Terrestrial Ball

I mentioned earlier how it’s hard to find any cereals in Thailand except Corn Flakes.   When I go to a local grocery store (not an open-air market which is more like a Farmer’s Market) I get curious about the import products available.   As an American, I now have to think of American products as “imports,” which was a bit of an adjustment at first.   There seems to be a decent selection of products from Australian, England, and Germany.   When I find the “American” or “USA” section, however, it’s basically just Oreos .   God bless that yummy chocolate cookie with the cream center – it really is everywhere in Thailand.   The other item I find a lot and not sure why is marshmallows.   I don’t recognize the brand actually, but the package sure does say “Made in the USA.”   Of course, there is Coke and Pepsi.   Soda manufacturers did a good job of universalizing their beverages around the world. And if I go to the “Import” specific grocery sto...

I like my name. Not sure if everyone likes the name they were given at birth. Plenty of folks have even gone to legal lengths to change theirs. Being in Thailand, I am learning all kinds of new names I’ve never heard before, and frankly, some are pretty hard for me to pronounce. I know, I am such a farang. The shorter ones are easy, like Pom or Nok. But other first names, like Charoenrasamee, Khemkhaeng, or Xuwicha, well, I’m just glad Thai folks mostly go by their nicknames, like Apple or Boy.  I have not been to many foreign countries, but I’m sure each one has first names (and last names, for that matter) that are different, interesting, beautiful, fun, and confusing to an outsider. I heard the Russian name, Gvozdika, the other day and thought the guy was ordering a Vodka tonic. Anyway. No matter where you are from, you may or may not like yours, but basically, all names are equal.  Except for one.  Maybe you guessed it, but that name is Jesus.   The...

Like many people, I love the ocean. There is something so calming and peaceful about it.   Sure, the ocean can get quite chaotic and dangerous in times of stormy and windy conditions.   But my experience with the ocean is always around sitting on the beach and looking out into the ocean.   Listening to the waves crash and the tides coming in and out.   Sunrise, sunset, or even mid-day, the effect is the same.   Peaceful. Calm.   Relaxed.   Sometimes I imagine the ocean tide coming in and taking away all my cares and troubles.   The wave crashes and comes into shore, grabbing those memories and carrying them back out into the ocean. Gone. I’m left with peaceful bliss. Sometimes when I’ve been on a boat far out in the ocean, I look out and see nothing but water in all directions.   The water on the surface moving this way and that with no real direction, though the tide underneath carries the water forward.   Or backwards for that matt...