Monday, November 29, 2004

Cooler Weather, FINALLY!

The weather has finally changed here in Northern Thailand. This morning it was 63 F. We didn't even turn on the fan last night. It was so nice. But, my goodness, without the fan, it was too quiet. We could hear cats meowing, people using their microwaves at 2 am, trucks on the nearby main road, etc. It was wierd. But it was still worth the coolness!

Thursday, November 25, 2004

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for my wife. I am thankful for my daughters. I am thankful for my parents. I am thankful for my extended family. I am thankful for my friends. I am thankful for my job. I am thankful for my "other" support system.

I am thankful that I am a SOONER. I am thankful that I am an OKIE. I am thankful that I am an AMERICAN.

Thank You, O God, that you have blessed me with such an incredible abundance of blessings. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to be Your precious Lamb.

Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Feeling Better

I'm feeling better now. Even actually made it back into the office today. Little weak; little dizzy.

I've been pondering that elusive non-specific "they". Did "they" ever get it done? "They" finally fixed the problem. etc. Mighty convenient to be able to use such an amorphous description. I sure hope they don't catch on to me!

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Sick of being sick

Well, my wife is feeling better, but now I am sick. I woke up sick yesterday morning. Flu like symptoms. No flu in Thailand, except for the bird flu and I know I don't have that. I gotta get well so I can eat pecan pie for Thanksgiving!

Friday, November 19, 2004

Saturday

My daughter is feeling better, but my wife is now sick.

Friday, I went to a "poetry reading" at my older daughter's school room. It was cute, but my, oh my, it was definately 3rd grade poems. At least there were cookies and soda pop afterwards. My daughter did a very good job and was the first one to recite her poem. I could understand her and she presented a good meter. I couldn't understand any words of some of the kids. Way to go, Audrey!

Thursday, November 18, 2004

Tied for Second? I don't think so!

What kind of a poll system allows a tie? How absurd can you be? Right now, the AP has OU and Auburn tied for #2. How silly can they be? Of course, OU is better!

Wednesday, November 17, 2004

What a night!

Last night, my younger daughter got sick about 11:15 and threw up. 30 minutes later, same thing. Again at 12:15 and 12:45 and 1:15. Then at 2:15, 3:15, & 4:15. At about 5:15, she got the squirts, too. What a night. I am so tired. The only amusing thing is that once we got into a routine, she expected it each time. She wanted me to bring her a wet wash rag and then standby with a cup of water. By 2:15, she would just point to me, wanting the water.

I am reminded that sleep is a luxury. When you are 5, you can stay home from school and continue to sleep. When you are 40, you have to go to work anyway and put on a happy face. We'll see how long I last.

Monday, November 15, 2004

Moon Slices

Did you see the moon last night? It was just a sliver. So beautiful. At about 7:30 pm Thailand time, the little sliver was a little bit golden. A golden sliver. Pretty nice sight. I like looking at the moon.

Sunday, November 14, 2004

Boomer Sooner!


Oklahoma 30 Nebraska 3

Safe & Sound

I received word today that all of my friends in the Ivory Coast have been safely evacuated to Lome, Togo. PTL!

One very humorous story coming from the trip: The BM in Togo actually chartered a cargo plane to carry them to safety. The plane had to land in Accra, Ghana, because the pilot realized that they didn't have enough fuel to make it just a little further to Lome. They were on the ground for about three hours trying to arrange fuel. They ended up negotiating with the US Embassy and the French military to buy fuel, but the pilot didn't have any money. Of the the "passengers" ended up loaning the pilot enough money to buy the fuel. It is reported that the pilot actually paid the money back when they landed in Lome.

The moral of this story: make sure your escape plane has enough gas to get you all the way to safety.

Friday, November 12, 2004

Ivory Coast Evacuations

My friends and former colleagues are being evacuated from the Ivory Coast right now. It is a very difficult time in thier lives and unlike anything most Americans (or Europeans or Canadians, or etc, etc.) will ever experience. We came close to evacuation several times while we were in West Africa. I pray that we won't have to experience that here in Thailand.
Psalm 91 speaks.

Wednesday, November 10, 2004

Team Building Project

I have created a "Thanksgiving Cooking Contest" for my office. I am offering prizes to folks who can bring in the best desserts and judging whether or not the dessert is fit for their Thanksgiving dinner. I seem to be getting a lot of flack from the office folks. I'd rather get pecan pie!

Monday, November 08, 2004

Boomer Sooner!


OU 42 - Texas A&M 35

I was so sorry to hear that the Aggie library burned up right after the game. Story is: it burned up all three books; and two of them hadn't been colored in yet!

Thursday, November 04, 2004

CoNfUsIoN

Well, now I have heard back, and it may mean that my bad news isn't all that bad, afterall. There are rumors that the report I heard were not accurate and that it may be OK for me to "hold my breath". Of course, the future is not set, so who knows.

Only 25 more days until I can start decorating for Christmas. I might bring out the Christmas music a little early. One of the good things about living overseas is that you don't have to look at Christmas lights and jack o'lanterns in the same aisle at K-Mart. (we don't have K-Mart here) Although, I did see an "Angel Tree" in Airport Plaza Shopping Center the other day. That is really amazing for a Buddhist country!

Good news - Bad news

Good News - Congratulations to the US of A for re-electing President W! It is about time you did something good. I was beginning to loose faith in you.

Bad News - Well, I can't really publish it on the web, but I got some potentially really bad news today about my future. Now I will have to re-think what I want to do (or don't want to do) and make plans accordingly. I think I will choose to look at this as a "character building" experience.

Wednesday, November 03, 2004

Election Day

Here I am, sitting at my desk in Thailand monitoring the US presidential election. I am amazed at the technology afforded us today. Absolutely incredible! I sure hope Bush wins. At this moment, CNN says Bush has 249 EV, Kerry has 242.

Monday, November 01, 2004

Tibet


Me at Patala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.

Monday Blahs

I hurt my back about six months ago and finally decided to see a doctor. He had no idea what was going on and asked me what I thought I should do about it. I decided I better see a different doctor so I went to Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok. The doctor there said I had a "non-specifice traumatic injury". (I hurt my back) I should have been a doctor. They gave me a lot of pills and told me not to do anything to hurt my back. (duh)