connda

Environmentally friendly. <laughs> It's January so I expect we have another month of clean air up here in Northern Thailand before the heat sets in and the Thais head for the hills with the express intent of burning them down - year, after year, after year. Hell, by that time of year my solar cell probably work at half-capacity as the entire North is shrouded in PM2.5 and PM10 so bad that yearly we have "The Worst Air Quality In The World." Like on the days I can't see the other side of our mountain valley 10 km away. Well you could conversely say that Thailand is Number 1 in The Worse Air Quality in The World to go along with having the Number 1 Most Dangerous Roads in The World.

Have you ever seen how much poop an elephant can make? Now - feel free to draw analogies.

I wonder how many slogans they can come up with in the next year? That would make a good poll!

How are you 'simplifying transfers' as the ACH transfer service is closed? Nowadays it's pretty much SWIFT or Wise.

For Farangs: The nearest, most expensive private hospital. "Farang rich!"

Picking up the Grand-daughter tomorrow and was considering San Kamphaeng Hot Springs for a picnic and possibly a dip. Is it open?

Has anyone had a lawyer draw up a Living Will in Thai and English here in Chiang Mai? I'm aware of the template at Lanna Care Network, but I'd like a Living Will that is written in Thai and English and tailored to my own EOL wants and desires.

Am I afraid to die? That's sort of a "yes" and "no" question. From a purely physical sense, the body and mind are wired for survival. That's just the nature of it. When the body and mind face an extinction level threat - it goes into high-gear. Think of situations where you almost died. How did your body and mind react? Then comes the rational and metaphysical sense for those who have cultured it. Especially as a Buddhist practitioner who has done a whole lot of mediation in my life-time. Now note - I didn't say a "follower of Buddhist religion." I said I'm a practitioner. There's a difference. So I don't necessarily buy the Buddhist cosmology hook, line, and sinker. Buddhism is not my 'religion.' Christianity is my religion. That should confuse a lot of people <laughs>. If you dive deeply into your inner being, then you understand a lot of the sign-posts that someone like the man Siddhārtha Gautama hung out for us to see and practice. Just like the man, Jesus of Nazareth. My feeling is that if you have done a significant amount of deep introspection, you arrive at a gnosis - an understanding - and therein - fear of death dissolves. But at the moment of death - those inner instinct may take over. There are people who can see through that fear and beyond. I'm not there yet. Few are. But I have enough experience to understand the gross nature of the 'fear of death' and how/why it arise. Not being a Buddhist arahant (people who can actually see through the fabric of what appears to be 'reality' but is not). From that perspective? I don't fear death. In the throes of death? Well I hope I can apply insight as I release this mortal form. But rationally - I don't fear death. It's part and parcel of birth and life.

I use to buy greeting cards from a small shop on Thapae Road close to SCB but that shop has recently closed. I'd like to buy some cards to send to family for the holiday. Any ideas where to buy greeting cards with a Thai flair locally in Chiang Mai?