20240213

The bright side of life.

Like Monty Python sang, "Always look on the bright side of life."

One good thing about air pollution, despite the risk of stroke, dementia, and eye disease, is some beautiful sunsets.

20240212-1808


Temperature not too bad at 29 degrees.

AQI not so good at 126...

For air pollution, you need a KN95 mask.
A standard KF94 Covid mask won't do.


20240211

Grateful for marginal air quality: I ride again.

When the air is consistently hazardous, one is grateful for days when the air is somewhat less hazardous. With a marginal AQI (Air Quality Index) reading of 67, I went for it. Maybe I've slightly increased my chances of stroke, dementia, and eye disease, but at least I won't be going crazy today. This was the first bicycle ride possible in 12 days.



20240210

Our biggest tree is laden with flowers.

I don't remember so many nice orange flowers last year. Looking very good this year.


20240209

Thinking about getting a second bike...

I can get a pretty good deal on this one:


20240209

新年快樂

Happy Chinese New Year 2024!!! At Central Plaza mall, the Lion Dance was boisterous, as it should be. Downstairs, two gentlemen who see without using their eyes played a nice mellow set of tunes. As you can imagine, I pretty much ran away from the Lion Dance, and stuck around for the mellow tunes. Until the Lion Dance approached and overwhelmed the mellow tunes, at which time it was necessary to run away for good.




20240220

20240203

Chinese New Year's Resolution: No more photos of toad frogs, snails, and slugs.

Already messed up on your New Year's resolutions? No worries. Your second chance arrives with Chinese New Year on February 10th. For myself, I resolve to stop taking photos of toad frogs, snails, and slugs. These photos are useless, not the kind I want to display in a slideshow. No more!!!

Happy Year of the Dragon!!!


20240203

20240125

I ride again...

I rode my bicycle again tonight, the first ride after a 48-hour bout with probable norovirus. That little two-day, two-night session of pain and discomfort made me realize a couple of things. 

  1. I am extremely grateful to still be able to ride a bicycle.

  2. I feel great sympathy for those who frequently suffer pain and discomfort. They are many, and they include some of my family, relatives, friends, and neighbors.
If you're hurting right now, I feel you. I'm praying you get to a point where you can feel at least okay again.

20240116

Ronald McDonald: Localized.

I'm a couple of years into living here, and only today did I realize that Ronald McDonald was localized. Here he is, our version of Ronald McDonald.


20240116

Pick your poison?

In Nakhon Ratchasima, dirty air. There will be no bicycle riding tonight.


20240116-2338

In Tell City, cold, cold, cold. There will be no bicycle riding tonight here, either.


20240116-0140 GMT+07:00 Indochina Time

20240114

วัดป่าหลักร้อย / Wat Pa Lak Roi.

Well, I finally made it to the Crazy Temple, the one where they imagined what it's like in hell. Thank you, visitors, as I would never have gotten around to it if you weren't here. Well worth the trip.




Additional, hellish photos are provided below after a big, long white space that you will deliberately have to scroll through. I do not want anybody to accidently see these photos. They won't kill you, or bring you bad luck, but I can imagine some people having nightmares. Better safe than sorry.

























































20240108

A bicycle ride wearing a KN-95 mask is better than no bicycle ride at all.

I guess it was my dream that the air wouldn't get bad until mid-January. I got back right at the end of the rainy season, and the air is...