owl sees all

 

Got banned for the umpteenth time last week. Gonna move gradually over to TT. The mods there are - shall we say - less enthusiastic to punish the dissenters.

 

+++++ 0000000000000 +++++

 

Here in Thailand through a 'twist of fate' really. My wife and mother both died in the same month some years ago. My brother at that time was living in Thailand (and still does) and he persuaded me to holiday here to help with the 'healing' after the two deaths.

.

Pattaya was my first port of call after arriving at Swampy. Although I've been here now for 15 years, I still have difficulty sussing 'Thainess' out. I am constantly surprised by the happenings, and lack of them, in LOS.

.

Went back to UK; after my initial Thai visit, but changed direction. Didn't return to Maths lecturing/teaching, but became a wine dealer/seller. Didn't know anything about wine at the start and still don't. I also resumed writing, and sold a bit of work; mostly comedy scripts ; some might call them nonsense or rubbish even; my younger sister does anyway.

.

++++++

.

Returned to Thailand 16 years ago. Now retired and living way out in the sticks in Isaan (nearest town 16k away). Near the Mekong. My wife is Thai and we have a lovely daughter. I'd like her to tread a delicate path between my atheism and the wife's version, of the Thai version, of Buddhism. I tell the daughter to treat others as you would like to be treated and I am proud to see that she has taken that on board.

.

.

Born in Barking, Essex, England. Lived my young life mostly behind the power station at Dagenham Dock, spending half the time throwing stones at bottles floating in the Thames. The other half was spent collecting bottles.

.

Quite sick as a child. Lost 18 months of schooling due to rheumatic and scarlet fevers. Didn't like school. Generally didn't get on with teachers and didn't want to learn. The only two teachers I ever liked was Mr Sargent (Science) and Mr Watkinson (Tech' Drawing). Didn't get to grips with Mathematics. Just thought maths was marks on bits of paper. Got in serious bother in the History class once (police involved), and had run-ins with some teachers.

.

Left school at 17. Went from job to job until joining the army (REME) at 21. Got seriously injured and had to leave. Upon leaving, found a thirst for learning (instead of beer). Went to college. Gained a DipHE in Maths, before going to University where I read Applied Physiology. Three years later (half at a London teaching hospital, and half at Uni') I was awarded my BSc with honours. Part of my dissertation was on the Krebs's cycle; which has come in handy for understanding viruses. Went back to Uni' (part time) to convert my DipHE to a math's degree. Dissertation this time; 'History of Mathematics and Civil-Engineering.'

 

After graduating I was offered employment by a London Borough as their resident physiologist. Got fed up with that after 2 years, and looked at other avenues.

.

Obtained employment as part of a Civil Engineering team. Designing, Implementing and managing major water projects around the world. I did some spells abroad; including Nigeria and Germany. A couple of years later, a vacancy materialised for a math teacher at a Civil-Engineering College. I was successful in my application, and spent 17 years there. Then the family tragedy and soon after my first Thailand visit.

.

The onset of C-19 renewed my research interest into viruses and the like. Always in the 'terrain' camp at Uni'; and still am. Being a terrain disciple has freed my mind to research the origins and status of corona viruses. 

.

+++++++

 

Last 16 years.

.

We did have nearly 70 rai of farmland, 12,000 trees, and 8 ponds; with hundreds of fish. Unfortunately one part was sold off. We did run a cat home for unwanted moggies. At present time we have just three, but have had as many as 41. If a family or temple needed a cat we were happy to let them pick one. Some time ago, we were approached by the monks at Kham Chanod for some cats - to help with the rat problem on the island - and we were happy to deliver 10 to them. I went there on 21-07-2017 and one of the cats recognised me, and came over. Gave him a big 'hi there' stroke. Terrific! Brought tears to my eyes. Did he want to return with me?

.

+++++++

.

Sport:

Football, cricket, snooker and darts. Played some semi-pro footy at my peak and at a reasonable level after that, until finally retiring at 42.

.

Favourite football teams:

Spurs (early 60s), Man City (recent), Enfield Town, WHU, Leyton Orient, Aveley, Saints and Leicester. In Scotland I like Banks O'Dee, Hamilton Academical and Cove Rangers.

.

Footy heroes:

Danny Blanchflower, Stan Cullis, Brian Clough, Mark Lazarus, George Eastham, Matt Le Tissier.

.

Relaxation:

Listening to music, writing essays, working on math problems, playing on-line cribbage and gin rummy. Helping my daughter with her activities and fishing; but not for koi carp!

.

Comedy:

Bill Bailey, Rowan Atkinson, Steve Coogan, Harry Hill, Sacha Baron Cohen.

.

Favourite comedy sketch:

.

.

Favourite TV programmes ever:

Grow your own drugs - James Wong,

 Big Train - C4,

Shillingbury Tales

Out of Town

The Detectorists.

.

Favourite cartoons:

Space Jungle (love hurts)

 Scooby doo (hex girls).

m

..

Music:

Jazz, classical and any decent R&Blues. My faves are Gershwin, JJ Cale, Ramsey Lewis, Van Morrison. More recently Future Islands, Parov Stelar, Caravan Palace, and Sebastian Daws.

 

On the old johanna:

Jools Holland, Stefan Ulbricht and Chris Conz.

 

Guitar man:

Eric Clapton.

 

Favourite lady singers:

Maria Callas, Amy Winehouse, Yao Si Ting, and Rosa Ponselle.

.

Desert Island disks. Thailand ex-pat music top 20: 

 

01 Rhapsody in Blue (full jazz version 1924) -- Gershwin

02 Thieving magpie -- Rossini

03 Piano Concerto 21 -- Mozart

04 Theme from Pink Panther -- Any decent jazz rendition

05 Riders on the Storm -- The Doors

06 Get it right next time -- Gerry Rafferty

07 Windows of your Mind -- Noel Harrison

08 Madame Butterfly (window scene) -- Puccini -- Ying Huang

09 Everyone needs someone sometimes -- REM

10 Rhythm stick -- Ian Drury

11 Whoopsy Daisy -- Sebastian Daws

12 Touch of magic -- Queen

13 Back in the tall grass -- Future Islands

14 Black Betty -- Caravan Palace

15 Love is the sweetest thing -- Peter Skellern

16 Caledonia soul -- Van Morrison

17 Wanna get next to you -- Rose Royce

18 Gotta go home -- Boney M

19 Over the Rainbow -- Any good version

20 Wade in the water -- Ramsey Lewis (Marlena Shaw singing)

 

Favourite opera:

Madame Butterfly.

.

Favourite films:

Blow up,  If,  The go between, Watching the detectives, Sublime, Wicker man (UK original), Marathon Man, Alien.

.

Big screen performers:

Oliver Reed, Lucy Liu, Tim Roth.

.

Favourite mathematician:

Pythagoras.

.

Favourite Chess players:

Bobby Fischer. Captain Evans.

.

Favourite books:

The Trigger (David Icke)

 What really makes you ill (Dawn Lester @ David Parker)

 Religion Poisons Everything (Christopher Hitchens)

The God Delusion (Richard Dawkins)

Who Owns England? (Guy Shrubsole).

Falsification of History (John Hamer)

-

Favourite radio shows:

Richie Allen show, Bristol free Radio, TNT Radio.

 

Internet shows:

UK Column - Brian Gerrish and Mike Robinson,

Rise on onevsp - Sonia Poulton,

MOATS - George Galloway,

Discussions with friends - Tom Cowan.

Not the BCfM show - Tony Gosling @ Martin Summers..

-.

Favourite live music performances:

.

.

.

 

-

Industry:

Worked in water management, designing civil engineering projects, for a few years and I have not left my work roots completely behind here. I designed an irrigation filter; which is now popular in our Isaan area. No money involved; just helping out and to keep my hand in!

.

Politics:

Slightly left of centre; but with a strong republican slant.

.

Political heroes:

James Keir Hardie, Tony Benn, Ken Livingstone, George Galloway, Robin Cook and Andrew Bridgen In US; Rand Paul, Ron Paul and Robert Kennedy Jnr .

.

Life heroes no longer with us:

Charles Darwin, Alfred Wallace, Voltaire, John Lennon, Paul Robeson, Bill Cooper, Christopher Hitchens.

.

Life heroes still on the go:

David Icke, Peter Hitchens, John Rogers, John Pilger, Tony Gosling, Patrick Henningsen, Julian Assange, James Wong, Andrew Wakefield, Vernon Coleman, Piers Corbyn, Martin Summers, Tom Cowan, Andy Kaufman, Mark Bailey and Kehinde Andrews. 

.

And not to neglect the ladies; Sonia Poulton, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Alice Walker, Leah Butler-Smith, Delores Cahill, Samantha Bailey, Maggie Oliver and Sherri Tenpenny.

 

Favourite pin-up:

Mia Khalifa, Anna Brees, Lucy Liu.

.

Religion:

Anyone asks me for my religion I say Jedi, or Libertarian or Darwinist or Atheist or whatever I think would cause the inquirer least stress. If I was forced to choose; Quaker.

.

Dislikes:

Organised religions, FED, IMF, WTO, WHO, NATO, CIA, MI5, MI6, Bank-of-England, House of Lords, EU, UK royalty, unearned privilege, cheating in sport.

.

Writings:

Wrote a book on bio-mechanics some years ago that was well received. Did everything myself through my University:: printing, publishing, selling etc. Produced 1500, and they sold out in 3 weeks.

.

In the throes of writing a book about life in South Bucks 20/25 years ago and have promised myself that I'll finish it when the English football season finishes (2019/20). No more progress as of 07-01-2024

.

A series of essays entitled; 'Diary of a Priest.' Finished four chapters out of seven. 

.

Recently on the scene. A picture book about numbers and their relationship with everyday Thai village life.

 

www.numbervillage.com

 

Other projects:

Patented a number of games and devices. Wrote 'Trail' in the early days of computing (later morphed into 'Snake on mobiles). Developed 'Marathon Man. Had some sketches published by C4.

.

The Covid-19 happenings have rekindled my writing juices and I've just started work on how the body works. In very easy to understand concepts, and how parts link together, and interact, to form a fortress. Gonna call it 'Our body fortress', or 'Your wonderful body'.

.

Values:

Can be summed up in a few words; love, freedom, truth, integrity, humour. All are severely tested in Thailand, but I'm giving it a go.

.

New year resolution (2024):

Finish some bloody written work.

.

Contact:

[email protected]