The numbers tell the story.

20240421

Plantar fasciitis and other foot problems: Possibly helpful equipment.

So you've got plantar fasciitis and/or other foot problems. I sympathize. 

If you're new to plantar fasciitis, you'll be doing a lot of research and finding information about arch support, shoes, sandals, and more.

I did all that research. Here's where I'm at with some purchases that might help, along with a bit of info on something that will not help.

Compression socks - Surprisingly helpful

I didn't expect much from a compression sock.

But it helps with both plantar fasciitis and heel pain.

This particular compression sock appears to be the OrthoSleeve FS6 Compression Foot Sleeve.

A pair of Birkenstock sandals for indoor-use-only

Never ever walk around your house with bare feet, especially in a house without carpet. That's what I did during the beginning of Covid, and that's when the problems started. 

Now that you have been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, I sentence you to always wearing your indoor-use-only Birkenstock sandals. 

Note: These sandals should be replaced.
As a member of the Plantar Fasciitis Club, you must regularly replace all your footwear.

Hoka Clifton 9 shoes

This is just one example of a shoe that seems to help. There are others. 

When I first started wearing these, they caused pain around my ankles, at the top part of the shoe. But that appears to have been caused by newness. Within a month or two, they no longer caused pain, and six months later, they are quite comfortable.

The Good Feet Store - AVOID!!! - You have been warned

Let me tell you clearly. Do NOT go to the Good Feet Store.

Just don't. Everything that Good Feet Store can give you for massively inflated prices is available at Walmart for reasonable prices.

In probably the year 2020, I was hit hard by plantar fasciitis. Out of desperation one day, I went into the local Good Feet Store. 

They were waiting for me there. Total loss in 2020 dollars was something around USD 1300 or 1400. 

I remember it as my last incident of being scammed.

I must have fired off one of my nasty grams to the company because as time went on, I was called one day by a customer service representative. We talked, and she asked me: "Do you think you were scammed?" I thought about it for a minute, and I remember telling her: "I think your company scammed me fair and square."

Good Feet Store photos from 2020-2021 purchase.

Grab Rider fuel.

Looks about right to me. BOSS Americano and Red Bull Theoplex-L. I found these two empties above a urinal at the Central Plaza bathroom favored by Grab motorcycle food delivery riders. These delivery riders work their asses off. They're out there riding in 40-degree heat with terrible air quality. 

If you were going to populate a space station on a harsh planet, these would be the folks to recruit. Tough men and women! Salute!

20240412

Good-value electric car for in-town only.

I've posted about little electric cars before. Here's another one for in-town use only. This is the Changan Lumin L. The price: USD 13,685.

Only downside I noticed was the very small cargo area behind the rear seats. You will have to frequently use your back seat for cargo.

Other than that, this is a nice little ride and good for the planet, too. Is it possible for a little car to be any cuter? I salute the designers. If you're going to make a cute car, make a cute car. If it's square-shaped, Jerry will buy it. (Former Honda Element owner.)  

But even as a lover of square-shaped cars, I would not be able to drive this kitty cat car. A puppy dog car, maybe...

USD 13,685

20240412

"House arrest" some other guy called it...

And I liked the term: House arrest. You would love to go outside, but you cannot. Finally, you can't stand it any longer.

I put on the 3M KN95 mask and went out into the yard. I picked up some leaves and had a look at our most recent sprinkler leak. I even felt the sun on my bald head.

Total time outdoors: approximately 10 minutes.

Then I went back indoors. Here I am back in the Eagle's Nest (office window) looking at the beautiful garden (that I can't be in) and watching the birds that happen by. 

Could you live on a submarine? A space station? Not everybody can do it. I assume there's a battery of tests used to determine who can and cannot. I never took those tests. But I am a nature boy. Always have been. 

It turns out that clean air to breathe is critical for nature boys and nature girls. It turns out that in the year 2024, clean air is increasingly hard to find. 

20240411-1711

Gray sky me again.

Always from the Sky Deck, these days for quite some time (since January?). Gray, gray skies. Burn baby, burn. It's a disco inferno.

20240404

Many uses for the greatness of the lime.

When you receive lime wedges at Thai restaurants and such, do you eat the lime after putting lime juice on your rice? I do. I take that lime wedge down to nothing left but the peel.

And when I do it, I think about the British Navy and not getting scurvy. Those are some weird quirks of history that make me think of that every time I eat a lime, but that's the way it is. 

Of course, there are many uses for the greatness of the lime.

20240327

The soi dog problem is not a secret...

Somebody else can probably beat this number, but this is my current best: At least 16 soi dogs living in the empty field near my dentist office. In the same way that there is always a Cat Person feeding feral cats, so it is with these feral dogs. I have seen the Dog People, at least twice, feeding this pack. 

A bit uncomfortable getting out of the car with all these soi dogs staring at us. I'm just saying.

20240325

Some fine young artists at Rajamangala University of Technology Isan Nakhon Ratchasima campus.

I just happened across an art exhibition while walking Central Plaza Mall the other day. There are some very fine young artists at Rajamangala University of Technology Isan Nakhon Ratchasima campus. I've included photos of a few of my favorites, but there were several more excellent paintings that I didn't photograph. 

รถเข็นสีฟ้า / Blue Cart
I saw the artist (university student) and had the opportunity to compliment her excellent work.
I hope that--despite how weird my Thai sounds--she understood how much I love this painting.
The fact that I came back and looked at it several more times may have communicated the idea better.

มอเตอร์ไซค์หรรษา / Motorcycle Fun
I saw these two young ladies in the painting standing next to this painting, as they were apparently required to do (university students).

They were so lovely that I couldn't bring myself to force them into the weirdness of listening to me speak Thai. But I wanted to!!! And the young lady with glasses seemed kind of worried that I was going to. But she was too kind. They both were. Maybe they'll remember me as "the old, bald, pot-bellied foreigner who came and looked at our painting several times".

I wonder if they saw me pull out my smartphone (such a young person thing to do at an art exhibition) and use Google Translate to find that หรรษา / haansa means "fun".

Thank you so much, ladies, for your wonderful painting and for helping me learn a new word.

20240324

Toyota Hilux Champ: The USD 15,314 basic truck.

Today I got to see it for real at the Toyota dealership. The 2024 Toyota Hilux Champ, out the door for USD 15,314, plus however much you need to pay a third-party company to put whatever you need on the back.

The biggest downside of the truck pictured here is that it has a diesel engine. Diesel sucks. I have lived in diesel fumes for the past 2.5 years. But it is available with two different gasoline engines (2.0L, 2.7L) as well for use in countries with competent governance.

Of course, you can't have it in the U.S. But this basic truck is going to get a lot of work done around the rest of the world.

20240323