GammaGlobulin

wódka

Be happy during the next seven days. Never once, during these days, be glum. Then, please report back here with your results.

OK... First, it is a really nice thing to see, the fact that there are still some old guys here who are up for learning passa Thai, in order to improve both their brains, and also their wellbeing as they gradually acclimate to their new home in Thailand. Also, I am happy to see that this thread has NOT been moved to the "language" forum, where it would probably remain unseen and unappreciated by most of us who lurk on this Pub Forum for people past their prime, like Miss Jean Brodie. (And, if you are too young to know Jean Brodie, then I really don't want to know you, either.) So, anyway, for those guys who are really breaking their backs, by learning 5 words of Thai, while driving their cars in Thai traffic, I can only wonder why. I really feel sorry for this gang, this bunch, who will never make good progress without a far better strategy than learning the words for cats and dogs, while driving to Seven. Seriously, now.... aa. There is a tried and true app, a proven app, which is probably the best you will ever find, for memorization of vocabulary. This app is also used by Med Students for courses in anatomy, which is one of the most challenging courses known to Man. bb. This app is also highly recommended by a PhD researcher from NZland, Averil COXHEAD. Anyone who is anyone in the linguistics sphere, knows her. She is GREAT! cc. Anyway, COXHEAD agrees with me that the app, ANKI, is the best for you, if you really want to learn a new language....FAST. dd. The app ANKI is very well maintained by a wonderful person who lives in Japan. I have been using ANKI for almost a decade, and I consider this app to be god's gift to students who need to memorize almost anything. Truly, this app is a great contribution to the society of students, young and old, who need to memorize almost anything. ee. So now, I will post this link for you here. And, I just hope that doing so will be kosher: https://apps.ankiweb.net/ ff. If you want to learn an L2, and you want to learn it faster than otherwise possible.... Then..... Download ANKI... and use it religiously. I have NO skin in the game of the ANKI app. The ANKI person who maintains this app seems to be a super nice person who truly cares about what he does, and he has provided invaluable help to many students around the world, helping them to memorize much more than they thought they could, and in a faster and more efficient way. gg. So, it's up to you. Download ANKI, download a few books, then go for it. hh. I have forgotten the name of the most helpful Thai-language primer I ever used, a book I read long ago. But, no matter, because this is not the Thaivisa Language Forum....is it? The only thing to remember, if you want to learn vocabulary more quickly.... is to download and use ANKI. Just be aware that ANKI can have a rather steep learning curve if you might wish to customize it, or change its basic function. So Solly for this far too-brief addendum. Just remember what I imagine that Coxhead would tell you...which is..... mastery of vocabulary is crucial for effective language study. Some day, maybe, no one will speak a foreign language, and everybody will speak the language most of use know as the Lingua Franca. I have spent many years learning Lingua Franca. Lingua Franca is one of the most difficult languages, and even more difficult than passa Thai. Still, Lingua Franca can be learned gradually, word by word, if one has the will and the time. Such a great language, Lingua Franca, because it rolls off the tongue like almost no other language. Nobody is too old to learn a new language! Fear Not!

Reading your good comment, I immediately thought of this well-known account.... Being invisible is a hard row to hoe. Especially, for an extended amount of time.

Wow. WAY out in the woods, you say? I am VERY envious of you. I have been dreaming about this for years. (I want some place quiet: Only Birds allowed, and no other noise.) I have never travelled to Isaan, but I have heard many good things about this place. Out in the Woods... Is where I want to be, too....

Obviously, the OP wishes an honest and considered reply to his post, and so, .... here goes: aa. There are no good studies showing whether or not one's L2 language learning ability markedly decreases after any given age, once one has reached the age of 50. bb. Still, verbal ability seems to remain fairly resilient even to our eighth decade, as seen from this graph. cc. Therefore, you might ask what is the most important factor which predicts success in learning an L2 language. Indeed, the most important factor is MOTIVATION. You need not worry overly much about age as predictor for success in your language learning endeavor, such as your wish to learn passa Thai. IF you have enough motivation, and IF you can sustain this motivation, consistently, day after day, with few breaks between your Thai-language studies and your golfing, then you WILL learn Thai to a fairly good level, without doubt. You will be able to listen-and-comprehend, speak, and also write passa Thai at a very decent level, after several years of dedicated study. When one is young, some say that it might require about 7 years of constant study in order to become fairly fluent in an L2 or L3 language. However, when one reaches the age of 60, for example, becoming fluent in a new language is probably not in the cards, unless you expect to live to the ripe old age of 95, which is probably also not in the cards for most of us. The best you can hope for is to speak and comprehend quite well, which should be good enough for you. And, your being 53 puts you in a very good position to become fairly fluent by age 60. Just remember that you must sustain your motivation over an extended period of time in order to reach your intended language- learning goal. dd. But why, one should ask, do I really want to expend so much effort in order to learn a language which is spoken by so relatively few, compared to other languages??? The answer is: 1. Thai is a very beautiful language. 2. Thai script is rounded, and there are no sharp angles in it. 3. Learning passa Thai is unique among languages in that learning passa Thai can help to ward off dementia. (I know this is somewhat true from my own experience.) 4. Learning Thai is fun. And, it is cool. Also, after you are able to read passa Thai, then....all the writing on billboards you see, while walking along the streets, will seem less threatening. ee. So. You are only 53? You are still young. You are the perfect age for learning the Thai language, both written and spoken. ======= You asked a question, and..... If you are not entirely satisfied with this reply, Please let me know. Best of Luck to you in finding your best strategy to learn a new language!

Your idea that Thai people appreciate...SO VERY MUCH....the farang who deign to learn Thai....is just too quaint an idea. It's like.... Oh! Do you see??? This Western god has deigned to learn our local language, and so we wish to bow down to him for his kindness and caring of our lowly language and culture. Sure, some Guide Books do say that...if you learn the local language....then you might get more undeserved respect from locals. But, really, friends.... THIS is NOT why you would want to learn a language. This should not be your principal motivation. IF you love learning languages...then learn and enjoy the experience of learning. But do not do it for any purpose other than you just love language. As we all know, we are separated from other apes, such as chimps, bonobos, and gorillas, not by our sexual prowess or proclivities, but as a result of our evolutionary gift of a highly developed ability which makes language possible, and inevitable. As you know, Chomsky does not know why Chimpsky does not have real language, and why only we do. I love Chomsky. I also once loved Chimpsky. But, Washoe was a drag. Here is a photo of Washoe...learning passa Thai. Total failure.

My tones are good, all five of them, especially my rising tone. My vocabulary is adequate for everyday life. My reading is OK, but only after much hard work on ANKI. Still, no matter how fluent my language skills might be, as usual, nobody understands me in any language I speak. Some guys are just unable to to communicate, in any language....

Sorry: I forgot to mention that, during the 1970's, I had watched Burt Lancaster's performances without true appreciation, and we young kids ridiculed him, mercilessly when we were in our teens. And now, in my old age, I see this guy's performances in a more accurate way, I think. Sure, his name, Burt Lancaster is still hilarious. Yet, this guy could act! He was great. Maybe, these days, I have a bit more understanding about this actor. Also, John Cheever: A great writer. Many of you already know him. Certainly you do if you have ever read The New Yorker, back in the day when this magazine was truly amazing. ((Thank you for changing and improving the Topic Title here. Great.))

My Dear Friends, What I mean is that, after about 19 months of not knowing whether we might be neither here nor there, sort of in a dream world between reality and a nightmare, should this virus thing go on too long, then we all might just wake up in the autumn of our lives, and find that the leaves have turned from green to red and brown…..if you get my drift. Knowing what I know about readers here on the Pub Forum, I know that most of you know John Cheever, not to mention John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. Also, knowing that most of the guys here on this Pub Forum are just about as old as you can be, without actually dying from old age, then I know that your levels of wisdom are about as high as they can be, without actually becoming godlike. If you have never read the story by Cheever, The Swimmer, might I suggest that you quickly do so before you become even older, and lose the opportunity to become enthralled with a yarn worth its salt. You guys realize that, when it really comes right down to it, there is such a dearth of true intellectual stimulation in Pattaya, no matter how stimulating some of the people there often prove to be. So, let us just say that it might be possible to swim one’s way from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, just by going from one swimming pool, to the next, and the next. And let us just treat this as another thought experiment for purely entertainment purposes which might also help us to overcome the boredom due to Omicron. The days, these days, do seem to be becoming ever colder…and so…. …. For those who may not have read, seen, or heard about “The Swimmer”, John Cheever, or Burt Lancaster (what a hunk), here are a few helpful hints: aa. The original story in The New Yorker: I think that this story is free to read without a subscription to The New Yorker magazine: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1964/07/18/the-swimmer bb. The film Trailer (1968) cc. There are quite a number of learned articles written about Cheever and his Swimmer. I leave it to you to investigate this further. ======== My Dear Friends, As January continues to become colder, even though not many leaves might fall from trees in Thailand, still, it is possible to appreciate many of the themes apparent in Cheever's swimmer. If only where were more swimming pools on the way from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, then someone in this Pub might be able to write an update to Cheever's wonderful story. The days are becoming shorter, my friends. And, the loss of two years due to this virus has not helped our moods, I would imagine. Stay safe, Me Hearties! Read Books, too!, unlike some we know in Pattaya, who may not. Because, for some, in Pattaya, probably, there is less time for reading, and more time for swimming and diving, and other water sports, conceivably. Do not get sidetracked by baser pursuits. Keep your morals about you, just simply because doing so will lead to further happiness for you, and far fewer hassles. Follow the good path, my friends, and never look back. In the end, for sure, you will find more happiness through NOT pursuing it in the bars. Happiness is just too elusive, and should never be actively chased. Let Happiness falleth like the gentle rain, is my advice. Don't obsess about it. And, don't try to force it. Take care, My Friends. Try to stay out of the bars, Go swimming in the mornings, and relax on the beautiful beaches in the cool afternoons of January. Get more sunshine, and more vitamin D from the sun, if not vitamin D3 from pills. My very best to you, Sincerely, Glob

One of the more valuable things about the Internet is that you can easily find a dozen people, far more interesting, in a minute, than you might be able to find, if you searched for a year among the people living nearest you, lying under a banana tree, or next door to you in some McMansion. On the other hand, one can be subjected to interesting drivel, as well, which just eats up one's time, without providing substance. Yet, whom among us is to say what is the wheat, and what is the chaff. I have met many farang. Few that I have met, in real life, are wheat. Most are chaff. This place is better, I would say.

Gin a body meet a body, comin frae the town, Gin a body kiss a body, need a body gloom; Ilka Jenny has her Jockey, ne'er a ane hae I, But a' the lads they loe me, and what the waur am I. Gin a body meet a body, comin frae the well, Gin a body kiss a body, need a body tell; Ilka body has a body, ne'er a ane hae I, But a the lads they loe me, and what the waur am I. Gin a body meet a body, comin thro' the rye, Gin a body kiss a body, need a body cry; Ilka body has a body, ne'er a ane hae I; But a' the lads they loe me, and what the waur am I. You know, sometimes, a Farang, especially a young one, hot after bar-girl tail, is just not worth meeting, in the rye, or while drinking rye. I really do not know how many of you, here on this glorious forum, might be Farang, or otherwise. All I can tell you is that, in most cases, I never say HI to farang here, real life. And, for good reason. Maybe I am wrong? But, why take the risk? Better to just go about one's business, and stay away from farang guys who try to chat your up, or otherwise interact with you, in strange ways. Here on the Farang Pub, one can be sure of one thing: Guys and Girls are honest. Otherwise, they would not be here. Ha! You think I am wrong? No, I am correct. My opinion is that the people who post here are far more honest than those you might find in the non-virtual world. Believe me! Or, is this just a bit of optimistic projection on my part?

Here is my New Year's Question, my Dear Friends, one about which I have been puzzling throughout lockdown in 2021.... Let us say that one, be he a "musher" or a "butter boy", finds himself or herself suddenly plopped down in BKK, then just how long would it take for an expert carriage driver, a true hack, to easily learn the lay of the land, in minute detail, and even better than most locals? And further, let us stipulate, for argument's sake, that this driver had already had 25 years intensive experience on London's roads, during which time he/she had developed the part of the brain, significantly, which makes learning maps, as well as other spatial skills involving orientation, far easier. Being a scientist at heart, one who loves questions involving learning, and one who misses my time at university researching mazes by running white furry things through them, I am interested in this question. London hackney-carriage drivers are always polite, and always know where they are going, even if you might not. Maybe this is one of the greatest things we have left, from the old world, the more gentile world, a world I miss. The brain is a very plastic thing. After 25 years driving in London, then would not BKK be a piece of cake?

My Dear Friends, One of my favorites, for over two decades, has always been The Chieftains. Their music resonates with me, and always has. Probably, evolutionarily speaking, the Chieftains provides music to us which jibes with our 50,000-year evolutionary history, beginning with our foray out of Africa. Everyone of us loves GREEN mountains and GREEN hills. You really cannot deny it. We also love blue skies, and turquoise ocean waters. Why is this? Just because we evolved this way. Also, for thousands of years, we have loved a drop of the morning dew, almost every day, and twice on Sundays. Here is a very good example of just how much I love the guys in Scotland, as well as the Irish..... Gods save us from the virus. While we are waiting for this.... Please listen to the Chieftains. I love you guys. Best regards, my friends.... Take your Gamma Globulin in order to improve your mental health, is my advice.

My Dear Friends, For many years, I have been in search of the perfect mattress for sleeping which is not to expensive and also available in Thailand. I have slept on the wood floor. I have slept on many things, in fact. Rarely, here in Thailand, have I slept on a comfortable bed. If you want to feel good in the morning, and if you want to awake refreshed and ready for your new day, then nothing can aide thee in this goal more than the perfect mattress. I am SURE that I am not the only one here who is seeking the perfect mattress. Or, if not perfection, yet I am seeking the best mattress available here in this land, one that can more easily send me into the land of NOD. Strangely enough, this is not my usual idle topic. This is SUPER important for our health, wellbeing and, especially our performance in life. Please input useful information for all to see in the comments below. You, My Friends, will have my everlasting appreciation if you can solve the riddle of the most perfect mattress in all of Thailand. Regards, GG Note: I am not one who is so sensitive as to feel a pea, even under a very thin topper. However, I am tired of toppers and peas. I just want to visit the Land of Nod, consistently, every night. Thank you.

My Dearest Friends: As you probably know, I love all things IRISH. a. Irish writing b. Irish humor c. Even the beauty of Ireland d. Irish music e. Irish women f. Maureen O'Hara g. Single Malt Irish Whiskey h. ........ so much more I am not Irish. But, I wish I were, in order that I could write better, and speak better than I do. I love all things Irish. What about you? (I am not from Boston, either.)

A refrigerator is sort of like a computer Hard Drive (HD). One can never have enough space, no matter how large it might be. As you know, anytime you move into a condo, a guesthouse, or even a large house, you immediately recognize that the refrigerator is about three sizes too small. Also, in most cases, the refrigerator the landlord provides is not frost-free. Why is this? So, anyway, when I look for a house to rent, I always seek a house with no refrigerator, and also a house with no air conditioners. This way, I can just buy my own BIG fridge, and my own very high-efficiency air conditioner units. Mostly, in most cases, when you rent a house, the refrigerator unit, and the AC units, are garbage. And so, I am just wondering...How BIG do you prefer your refrigerator? If I had my own house which I purchased myself, then I would have one of those walk-in refrigerators in which I could hang a lamb and a side of beef, plus about 40 cases of beer, and a ton of vegetables, such as squash, broccoli , brussel sprouts, as well as about 2-years supply of rice and flour, not to mention other things I would like to keep very cold. Some walk-in freezers can maintain temps down to about minus 25 degrees C. HOWEVER, if you are just renting a house, then what is the MINIMUM size refrigerator that you can accept as being adequate for your purposes? Here is my RULE OF THUMB for judging the size of my fridge: The refrigerator should be taller than you are, if you are about 182 centimeters tall. The refrigerator should have two doors. The refrigerator should be able to make ice, quickly. The refrigerator should be about 180 cm wide. The refrigerator should also be BEAUTIFUL. The problem is that when you rent a house, all they give you is this tiny pisant refrigerator that ices up too fast, and is not suitable for everyday living. Why do they do this? This just makes our lives so very much more difficult. And so, the best thing to do is to buy your own refrigerator, and negotiate a better price with your landlord to make up for the cost of buying your own machine. We all have our own brands we like. However, my favorite brand of fridge is Hitachi, and also Panasonic. But, I like Hitachi even better. === What I like to keep in my refrigerator, these days, is mostly water. But, I also sometimes keep about 30 kilograms of rice in my refrigerator. Also vegetables, by the large box. And, I always keep about 120 eggs, at low temperature, as well. During the pandemic, it is always good to have at least 30 days-worth of food in the fridge. But, in the past, I kept 60 days of meals, just in case. So, I am just wondering how large your refrigerator is. And, do you use two refrigerators, plus a large freezer? During these uncertain times, I really wish I had one of those very large freezers where I could keep meat. Of course, if the power were to fail for three days, then everything inside the freezer or refrigerator would be worthless. ============= Having a beautiful big refrigerator, at least for me, provides me with a great deal of satisfaction. No doubt you feel as do I about this.