Jer-Bear: I think I kind of liked that nickname...

Grateful to still be outside the cage looking in... These are the apparently fun-loving หมีหมา / dog bears (Malayan Sun Bear) at the Korat Zoo.

20250112-1547

Hand saw: Quite a little workout...

2025014-1700

Red ant nest: Some good eating here...

I am told that people enjoy eating red ant eggs from red ant nests like the one in the video below. I have not yet tried them, and that's okay.

20250120-1810

In Thailand, cool weather is a bad thing.

Let's be honest. Thailand is hotter than hell most of the time. But there is that rare period in parts of December and January when it is relatively less hot. This year, we are blessed with an abundance of relatively less hot weather. Sounds great, right?

Wrong! Due to atmospheric conditions at this time of year, if the temperature goes down, the pollution goes up. You can still go outside. You just have to wear an N95 mask. Perhaps that's one of the benefits of Covid. We got used to wearing face masks.

20250122-0932

A new record!!!

This is the worst air quality reading I've seen so far: 196 on 20250107-0825.

Sitting inside with the air purifiers running, I could be anywhere, even in outer space. Space Station Thailand, indeed!

20250107-0825

A Christmas Eve swim is pretty great...

I mean, I got a chance, a window where the air pollution index was not too high, and the temperature was great at 23 degrees. I felt actually cool. Which brings me to the point of this post:

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of my people all around everywhere!!! 

I'm not going to get around to individual emails this year (or maybe any future years). Like the lady said when she went viral some years ago: "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

If, by chance, you were wondering about Ol' Jerry, and what he's up to, and if, by following Internet conventions, you found your way here, then this is it. I'm back in นครราชสีมา / Nakhon Ratchasima. The transition from CannTellTroy to here was hard. Just now being completed in some ways, I guess you could say.

I miss you all. Have a great winter holiday season, and Lunar New Year will be here before you know it on Wednesday, January 29th. You may not know this (because this is only my personal theory), but Chinese New Year marks the end of winter and the beginning of early spring.

20241223
สามแยก ตลาดแค

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 already toxic. Too bad for me and the millions of locals who are losing healthy years of their lives. 

For myself, a bicycle ride wearing a KN-95 mask is better than no bicycle ride at all. You still get the morning sunshine that Professor Huberman recommends, and you still get to see some interesting birds.

20241109

20241110

You can deny reality as long as you like...

But you're just setting yourself up for an even bigger task when you finally, necessarily, inevitably have to face reality. Let me know, America, when you're using the metric system like the rest of the world. Until then, carry on in your prideful ignorance. Worship your celebrities. Worship your billionaires. Worship your right to carry military-grade weapons. 

It has been decided, by a majority of the people, that we're going to go through some things. I know a bit about the Chinese Cultural Revolution of 1966-1976. I cannot imagine why anyone would think that something like that would be a good idea. But here we are. 

Thoughts and prayers? I pray. I pray for America.

Birdsongs are different today.

I got up at 04:30 this morning, and I noticed right away that the birdsongs were completely different. I already miss Perry County nature greatly, but it's on me to do a better job of seeking out the nature that still exists here. There are pockets.

20241106

I don't think I can do it anymore.

At 20241103-1500, I successfully returned my rental car at San Francisco airport. I don't think I can do it again, the whole rental car at SFO and driving at high speeds in SF Bay area traffic. 

I have been known to whine about the need for regular medical testing as we age in order to monitor what skills are being lost. 

It turns out that those tests are provided by the real world. Put me down for the following:

• No driving at night
• No airport rental cars and big city freeway driving 

I have a plan, someone that I intend to train as my capable escort. One thing is certain. I can no longer lead international travel expeditions.