Some Sounds From Hanoi

I've been actively circling the expat music scene.

Dancing, dancing, dancing, dancing, by myself, in a circle, with a partner, with my purse, dancing dancing dancing.

Here's a link to "The Props" whose last show was this past Friday as they all flyaway to wherever people go when they leave Hanoi.

Really like this one called "Billy Bob and Ephedrine" I was swaying up a storm to it on Friday. . .hehe. . .good times. . .click here

Have also become friends with the guys in this band called "The Only Reggae Band," which is a misnomer since they should really be called "The Only Afro-Pop Band." No one can sit still when they get on stage. . .click here. . .I've been working quite diligently on weaseling my way up onto stage to sing back-up for one song. . .we'll see how that goes. . .

Keep you posted,

Tuesday

HOORAY NY!

A big step. . .at last!

click here

Hello Hanoi

Hi Everybody!

Consider me a changed person. Seriously!

Hanoi is beautiful and everyone should come and visit.

I started off in the Old Quarter by the lake with the trees and cafes. You could spend your days in Hanoi just going from cafe to cafe drinking super super super strong coffee, there's one about every 10feet.

My favorite cafe to date is this one called Kinh Do. It's super simple, kind of run down, supposedly where Catherine Deneuve went for her coffee every morning when she was filming in "Indochine" in Hanoi. You can get a great chocolate croissant and yoghurt with honey.

Everyday I walk to work past the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. One day got whistled at by the army guy for trying to cross a closed barrier. Oops. After work beer seems to be the thing. Have a canopied spot by the soccer stadium where I stop with my new South African friend to share a "Bia Hanoi" and chat. Then we slowly walk back toward the lakes where we live. A few nights ago we got caught in a serious rain storm and the water came down and down as we sipped away. The taxi ride back was like going through a network of rivers.

I was expecting to find a lot of anti-America sentiment here. But there isn't any, probably because these guys up here in the North won the American War (what Americans call the Vietnam War). They feel proud and secure about their relationship to the west. Besides, Vietnam has been through a lot since then. It's incredible how this country has bounced back. They're really looking forward.

I guess there's more anti-Americanism in the South because the Southerners really supported the Americans and feel very very betrayed by the US pulling out. Many of the people who were US supporters in the south ended up being "re-educated" or killed so it's clear why the resentment would be there.

I'm so happy to be in Hanoi. I feel such a love for the trees and the lakes and the Vietnamese people. It's a super laid back place that I can really embrace. So different from Palembang. <>

Over and out,

Tuesday

Almost Birthday Time and a Day for Blog Closure???

Hi everyone. . .anyone who is still checking this blog.

I have found blogging, skyping, and this general genre of twittertwatt cyber communication

extremely demotivating. It's fun in those manic times when for some reason or another (usually because you've been watching too much reality TV) you have fallen out of touch with the deep rumblings of the universe and need to chit chat twitter twatter talk to the void and see what, if anything, and with passing time less and less. . .comes back. . .

I know people probably have many opinions but to me, as I type here, this whole blogging scenario just seems like a very elaborate conversation with oneself. . .

I threw all of my journals in the garbage a long time ago.

Though it's been great at times. . .I'm ready to call it quits on the blog. . .at least in any real way.

Definitely check back from time to time. . .as I'm sure to post something or other. . .especially if Vienam is interesting. But for the time being. . .I'm off to bed. . .bye bye blogland. . .sionara Palembang. . .and hello Hanoi.

Didn't think the day would come. . .

Love and thanks to everyone who has given me support through this really tough year.

Over, Out, Happy Birthday,

Tuesday

4am Singapore

Depending on how you look at budget travel, it can be fun, or back-pain inducing. From my position here at 430ish am at Changi airport in Singapore the fun to back pain ratio is tilting in fun's favor. . . now that I'm no longer lying on my purse beneath a spark-emitting ceiling.

Sparks? You might ask.

Yes, very pretty actually.

Seems when you decide at around 2am that you want to go horizontal on the benches, the best spaces are already taken. . .so you wind up by the rennovations.

My trip to Honolulu is a 48ish hour epic affair. From Palembang to Jakarta, Jakarta to Singapore. I spent 13 hour in Singapore. I got to go to my favourite restaurant in Little India, this hole in the wall place called Shafira across from the Fortuna Hotel and next to the spot where everyone goes to buy gold.

I spent 5 hours at Borders reading up on how to be a producer.

Then back to the airport, stealing comfy chairs from old men and then guiltily giving them back, listening to the squeaky music of the people lifting thing as the rookie construction worker tries to put it in just the right place under the falling stars. Fell asleep for awhile. Now am at the free internet kiosk. . heading to Tokyo at 6am. . . where I continue my hunt for. . . TWEEZERS!

I have 6hours in transit so if there are tweezers in Narita Airport I will find them!

Tuesday

2AM

. . .and the music continues

was waiting for it to end

but am told

the celebration may continue booming for 2 days non stop

so

best to try to sleep

think I'll play my Thunder By the Sea track to drown out the noise

like I used to do in Seattle

but then I was trying to drown out the gunshots and bar brawls (that was nuts)

alright

to bed

am so tired

and have to face the children tomorrow

nite

Tuesday

Midnight Wedding

It's Sunday

It's 11:42 pm

Indonesia wedding music (which at this wedding seems to be a mix between snake charming music, the Miss Pacman soundtrack, and chopsticks)

no kidding. . .I'm listening to techno chopsticks right now

it might sound like an interesting mash-up but after a few hours it gets slightly repetitive

(not to mention headache inducing)

guess the bride and groom must be night owls

or insomniacs

. . .so. . .I'll drink green tea. . .

and stay up too

. . oh here we go. . .the tone deaf singer just started crooning again. . .

he sounds pretty into it

. . .wait was that "hava nagila?". . . I swear sounded just like it

anyway

don't think they'll be stopping anytime soon

over and out,

a very awake

Tuesday

Snaps

Fiji

Denial

Three blog readers in Queensland with their glasses

Bungee!

xo

Tuesday

Sweet Seventeen

Tuesday's RARE OUTING ALERT. . . Sweet Seventeen!

Note: my blurry dance partner

(yes, she's 4).

Real nice evening. . . xxo T

Check-in

Hi

Still here in Indonesia

looking for a post to write

when I find one

here's where it will go

coming soon I think

xoxoxo

T

Finally, Durian

At last I have tasted DURIAN. It's very delicious and complex. Not what you would call a sanitary tasting fruit but rich and multifaceted. It's at once sweet and bitter (almost spicy). The consistency is creamy and the smell. . .well you all know about the smell. . .very strong and particular (like smelly feet). I will have to work up to eating it in large quantities but I really think I could develop a craving for this! Durian ice cream is very popular. I would like to try it too!

Hello Kitty!

She's changed her name to Timmy

and is a vision of happiness

thank you C, H, and the lovely people at Honda

Milkshakes for Meat

I've just gotten back from my third milkshake this week. . .and it's only Thursday!

Am eating very very strangely these days this morning this is what I had at the bakery down the street. . .

A Belgian waffle

A milkshake (no added sugar of course. . .ha)

Tomato soup

and lemon ginger tea

. . .all in the same sitting. . .

No wonder my stomach's making weird squeaking noises!

xo

Tuesday

Hairy Fairy in Jail!

Yes it's true the Hairy Fairy had his wings clipped for a few hours near dawn today.

Found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time with no ID. Police here like to raid places at random - mixed opinions as to why- some say it's anti-terrorist, some say it's to get bribes, some say it's because they're bored. Whatever the reason, the Hairy Fairy got caught in the mix and found himself in a small room in an Indonesian police station being detained.

What a stupid fiasco! All in the name of bribery most likely. But the Hairy Fairy wouldn't hand over any cash for a get out of jail free card. He simply waited it out. Eventually a friend brought him his ID and the whole matter resolved itself. He came home this morning very adamant that the whole thing was not disagreeable. "They were all very nice," he kept saying, "very nice."

And so we roll. . .

xo

Tuesday

Missme? No sugar.

How fast December came. Now it's here and what. . .

I can't tell you much. Same same. Weather's hot. . .some crazy thunder some nights. . .

Nuclear thunder. . .really it's madness. . .

Apart from that. . .December is self-experimentation month in my world.

I'm consuming neither added sugar nor caffeine. . .just wanna see what that's all about.

If it has some effect, no effect, or a lot of effect.

So far it seems to be doing very good things for the digestion and

a tad more skin glow I think. . .but don't quote me on that, could just be wishful thinking.

Went for a pay day herbal body scrub/Java massage/and sunflower facial last weekend. Pay day is a glorious day! There's a great spa just down the street, Taman Sari, where they make their own products and serve the best ginger tea! Ahhhh, relaxes me just to think about it. By Indonesian standards it's really pricey but by other standards it's pretty cheap. A facial is just $12, reflexology only $7 and products to rival any spa I've been to.

Anyway, over and out for now, here's a picture of Gloria Swanson, a serious sugar-hater, to keep you company until I return. . .

xoxo

Tuesday

Long-Term Happiness

Well there is something. . .

Just like me to say I'm going to not write and then write. But just wanted to let everyone know that President Obama is here today. Not here here as in Palembang here, but here as in Indonesia here. You probably all know that though. I just listened to his speech and it was good for me. It highlighted the good parts of Indonesia rather than the petty bad parts. Especially his talk about religious tolerance.

Yesterday in one of my classes we were talking about long-term happiness. This really great boy Michael, an Indonesian Catholic and a body builder, was talking about how in order to have long term happiness every man must embrace the MOTHERSIDE of his personality and all people mus be religious, no matter what religion you are.

Maybe it's me but I found this EXTREMELY evolved for a 17 year old boy. It made me very hopeful and brought me out of a terrible funk I was in because of the ever vexing "selfishton" (selfish+simpleton) known as "Cake Breath."

Thanks to Michael for his wisdom!

xo

Tuesday

TEMPEH SUCCESS

Hi all,

The tempeh was a success. Involved some special yeast and two days of waiting. I gave most of it to Ida but am going to try cooking some up tonight with green beans. The next batch I'm going to do solo. . .let's see.

On another note. . .I'm gonna take the rest of October (read: November) off from blogging unless something super exciting happens of course.

And also. . .the volcanoes aren't near Palembang. Indonesia is much longer than it seems. It seems like a small country from a distance but is actually really big. The volcanoes are erupting hundreds of miles away in one direction and the tsunamis are happening hundreds of miles away in another direction. So Palembang is safe. Maybe that's why ancient civilizations liked to build their cities here.

Anyway. . .I'm off. It's a lazy Sunday.

See you in December.

peace and love

xo

k

P.S.- Out of pure boredom I subscribed to a paranormal newsletter last night. www.moonslipper.com

I wonder what they'll have to say.

TEMPEH TIME

New Project:
Have enlisted Ida to assist me with my desire to learn the art of TEMPEH.

In my effort to try to find something positive about my current locale I came to the temple of Tempeh. A serious gift, fermented, earthy, and nutritious, from Indonesia to the vegetarian world.

Ida is procuring the necessaries for me. Which from what I can make out include, a steamer, soy beans, and some special yeast.

We are due to begin the process on Monday. Needless to say, I am very happy about this!

I'll keep you posted.

xo

Tuesday

Tuesday on Tuesday, October 26th/5 Month Anniversary

5 months down

7 to go

Festering Dung Heap

Hi Everybody,

As many of you have noticed I haven't been writing much lately. That's because all I want to write is. . .this place is a festering dungheap, this place is a festering dungheap. . .100 no 1000 times. 1000 times wouldn't even get close to doing this wretched city justice. I'm sure there are fouler places on the planet but Palembang, Indonesia is probably up there in places not to go. There's so much pollution from the oil refining and the fertilizer plants you get dirty just sitting inside of your own house. The people are rude and even the wealthy are super ignorant. There's no sense of honor or politeness it's just completely uncultured and uncivilized. . .which is okay for pale-skinned guys who, no matter what their brain capacity, genetic make-up, or ability to chew with their mouths closed, get catapulted into the stratosphere simply by having pale skin. I live with two of these. One, as those of you who read regularly know, vomits every Friday and Saturday night. . .last Friday on the couch! The other, likes to walk around in his boxer shorts as if he's a chippendale or something when he actually resembles a severely bloated, red-haired, Mr. Bean who has trouble pronouncing words like plumber and gorilla.

Roommate Aisha and I are both at our wits end. The negativity is so high in me it's seeping out through my pores. I think that even the students can feel it. I even want to yell it to them. . ."Do you know what a rotten place you live in?" But I haven't. Not yet! I just put on my fake smile and try to make it through my 80 minute class. It's like fast food education. . . .it's just mediocrity and ugliness all around.

We've decided to ask the two male inhabitants of this house to have a house meeting where we can discuss issues that have arisen. Aisha and I have 3 joint requests and I have 1 more.

1) Please wear a shirt while walking to and from the shower.
2) Please understand that dishes must be put away after they are washed. Not to sit and create a porcelain Mt. Everest in the kitchen. (Aisha and I always put them away. . .and we DO NOT want to be THEIR maids!!!)
3) Please find a way to control your drinking and vomiting on the weekend. Perhaps invest in a bucket so that you can vomit in your room instead of in the public spaces.
4) Please smoke on the balcony as you do 50% of the time because my sheets are smelling like an ashtray. (my request)

Anyway. . .lets see how it goes. I don't think it can make things worse. If things keep going on like this Aisha and I are thinking about getting our own place. But before we do, I thought we should try talking it out. . .AMERICAN STYLE. It will be interesting to try to talk it out with these constipated ignorant Brit boys. Aye yay yay!
Well it's raining. . .I'm gonna get my umbrella, walk to the corner, and buy some tea.
I'll try to write more regularly. I'll try. . . .
xo
T

P.S. They were showing a very entertaining movie on Indonesian TV the other night. SORORITY ROW 1. . .a bunch of sorority girls get hacked to pieces one by one. . .I recommend it.

Check In

Yes. . .I'm not blogging much these days.

The novelty of being here is officially over.

It's all routine and rumbling like anywhere else. . .

My English is deteriorating. . .told a kid yesterday that she should say "Most Favorite"

oops

soon I'll be telling them to say "funner" or "more stronger" like some of my co-workers

I guess it might be a good thing that Indonesia is tightening its regulations on who can teach in the country. . .it's real easy to become a hack here

all of the pedophiles, drunks, and uneducated slackers are really freaking out

like they did when Thailand did the same

I don't blame them. . .where in the world are the riff raff allowed these days?

the world is getting so small and full of so many RUUUUUUUULES!

We must fight it! Be strong! Be Free!

on another note. . .

Saturday is writing day. . .

and on writing day writing breaks/incentives. . .

there's a new ice cream/belgian waffle shop that opened down the street. . .

if I go I'll take you guys with me. . .

promise.

Riff Raff Forever - RRF

Tuesday

INDONESIAN WEDDING. . .FROM A DISTANCE

Went to bed early last night and woke up this morning 6:30 am in the middle of a video game. An Indonesian wedding party has begun down the block. They block the street with their tents and blast this synthesized video game style music BLAST BLAST BLAST. . .according to Scary Troll this goes on until tomorrow night. . .but I don't believe him. . .do I really get to live in a video game until tomorrow night? Cool! Haha!

Bye Bye Kitty Kat

She came and she went and she taught me something about love

and she taught me something about giving

and she taught me something about responsibility

and she reminded me that the universe is ALWAYS watching

thank you kitty kat

I hope you have fun in your new indoor/outdoor home at the car dealership

the universe loves you

and you were meant to be outside not cooped up and pooping in inconvenient places

have fun kitty kat!

be good!

P.S. - She's healthy and strong after the human dewormer. The woman she was staying with - Mrs. Boss - said she had become really naughty. Mr. Boss suggested taking her to his office as an intermediary step to putting her back outside again. Mrs. Boss agreed. I agreed. The child with the bloody legs from kitty's scratching agreed. Hope kitty agrees. Here she goes.

I'm Back

Just flew down from North Sumatra.

All here is the same and well.

I do love riding in cabs from the airport, zoning out to the love songs.

A meditation course in and of itself. . .

Meditation

. . .Meditation DAY 10 of 10. . .

www.dhamma.org

Meditation

. . .Meditation DAY 9 of 10. . .

www.dhamma.org

Meditation

. . .Meditation Day 8 of 10. . .

www.dhamma.org

Meditation

. . .Meditation Day 7 of 10. . .

www.dhamma.org

Meditation

. . .Meditation DAY 6 of 10. . .

www.dhamma.org

Meditation

. . .Meditation DAY5 of 10. . .

www.dhamma.org