Songkran and what it means to me

[JLCrab]

3 days baby sitting in the hospital and 2 or 3 days more of ambulatory care -- what a great Songkran you gave to your family.

[n210mp]

OMG ..... What a great story of a memorable occasion. And OMG again, not one TVF member found the need to bash a single Thai, man or woman, or persons from the Northeast. Thanks for the wonderful relating of events OP. Enjoy your next 30 years of youth in good health.

I too, at 66, am blessed with good health like you and a quick repair body. And like you, I have an extended Thai family who embrace me like one of their own. All the best on your recovery.

thanks neeray

Yes we are extremely lucky and we know it (Thank God, yours or mine)

I have always been lucky with people though and I have in the past found myself in the company of people considered to be the most evil in society.

I always tried to see some good in them and this has been reflected by them in a sort of understanding between us leading to communication and empathy.

Some think I am a little (lot) naive but I'm not its just that I have always been able to put myself in others shoes sort of thing and knowing that I'm not perfect this I find easy to do, it doesn't take a super brain to understand the lottery of birth, education or lack of it and having good parents love and concern.

This "quality" or stupidity has been the basis of my life and has led me into areas that logical people would fear to tread and I do tacitly refer to JLs post with regard to doing that that is logical

What I have found though is the most hardened soul seldom can resist a genuine smile of hello, no words needed just a genuine smile, the barrier breaking action that as yet has not been superseded by anything better in getting good communication going between people

[JLCrab]

From post above which I just noticed: Finally have you ever done the wrong thing, opened the wrong door and then because of doing the wrong thing actually benefited by your mistake?

Maybe -- but when I moved to Thailand from the USA I promised my family that I would not do anything stupid such that they might have to come over here and bail me out, literally or otherwise. Ignoring a doctors orders against long-distance travel I would put in that category.

[n210mp]

3 days baby sitting in the hospital and 2 or 3 days more of ambulatory care -- what a great Songkran you gave to your family.

JL you seem to have a need to make a negative out of something which is (from my point of view) entirely positive.

No problem my friend , you have your point of view and I will have mine.

Let us come together in that we can agree to disagree eh?

Many men of different minds and many birds of different kinds

[JLCrab]

As I said much earlier, I am more concerned of others who might choose a similar course of action which caused you and your family great inconvenience and which could have ended up even worse. Given the prevalence of the self-insured, self-medicated crowd elsewhere on these Forums, there is no shortage of those who might.

Edited April 21, 2015 by JLCrab

[Scully]

As I said much earlier, I am more concerned of others who might choose a similar course of action which caused you and your family great inconvenience and which could have ended up even worse. Given the prevalence of the self-insured, self-medicated crowd elsewhere on these Forums, there is no shortage of those who might.

When, and if I get to the OPs age I really hope I can take a calculated risk for the benefit of family. If not then its surely time to chuck the towel in.

Thanks op nice story.

[arjunadawn]

I would have made the trip, irresponsible or not. I have never noted one particular vantage point in time which really rewarded me with dizzying retrospect. Recall is always saddled with what ifs, might have beens, etc. But living... the chance to fly, to choose, to err, or to sail looks forward. If that forward be 30 years or one month the chance to live resided always in my choice. When you die, at 50, 70, or 100, you would have never known one day longer. Death at any year looks exactly the same as death at another. Having never lived one day longer, it is all the same. What of those I leave behind or injured by my choices? well, yes, for one such as this this should factor, but ultimately, you will die alone regardless. It is better to live life and face the joys and defeat rather than to cower in some 1/2 place world fearing both the draft and the season, the rain, and the sun. It is better to face life with an upper chin, twinkle in the eye, and to fall in the prime rather than have death find you huddling beneath a blanket, in a bedroom, the window shut tight to avoid draft.

Note: Western medicine is reductionist and is always keen on empowering all the little cogs that make the machine animated. But this is not how the body nor life works. Life is animated by so much more than the sum total of these cogs and cells that make us human. The sense of well being, of adventure, of purpose, of wholeness, of joy, and smiles, and togetherness... this is the medicine that animates the wheels and cogs, not simply rest alone. I like your story and I like your mind.

[JLCrab]

Following the advice of one's own doctor is cowering -- Western medicine doesn't understand the true essence of life -- I knew these POV's would come out of the woodwork sooner or later.

[n210mp]

Thanks to all those who know positivity and your kind thoughts

Wan and I Have to go out at this time to a little party where I will hobble in and just love the hubble bubble of good friends and cycle buddies.

I will, if I survive tonight's festivities be pleased to post tomorrow a more thorough and hopefully interesting reply than this one

Gotta dash late already

[JLCrab]

There's more?

[NickJ]

Most people living in Thailand have thrown caution to the wind to some degree. As you get older your just throwing harder and perhaps more often. But its the persons choice...

[JLCrab]

Most people living in Thailand have thrown caution to the wind to some degree. As you get older your just throwing harder and perhaps more often. But its the persons choice...

... and the old English proverb which apparently dates back to at least 1546:

There's no fool like an old fool.

[arjunadawn]

Following the advice of one's own doctor is cowering -- Western medicine doesn't understand the true essence of life -- I knew these POV's would come out of the woodwork sooner or later.

I have practiced and/or taught western medicine for over 30 years. I also have a master's in Oriental Medicine. You may not like my POV but it is based on life observations and weighing the inexact and ineffable formula of what makes life worth living. No, generally it is wise to listen to a doctor, but I have also made choices AMA- Against Medical Advice. We are responsible for all our choices and the more evolved the man or mind the more likely a doctor's advice is noted, and weighed accordingly only. I did not reduce the man's response to cowering or not, only describing the extremes of where life is apprehended for some, or avoided for others under duress, or guidance.

Note: There are a host of examples where I would advice someone to disregard their doctor's advice. If I stated emphatically western medicine does not understand the true essence of life it would be 100% true. I do not recall saying this but it is true nevertheless. If you find a doctor who states he does, run. A reductionist model of allopathic medicine can only ever tell you how it works, not why. Why is essence. I knew those who protest the obvious with raised fist would come out of the woodwork sooner or later too. In any event, JLCrab, we differ; no need to impugn greater meaning than that in our disagreement. Good luck and good health to you.

Edited April 21, 2015 by arjunadawn

[JLCrab]

Great -- and in the USA there is Dr. Oz --

He's the nation's most powerful celebrity doctor, a Columbia University heart surgeon, and, by many recent measures, a total nut.

http://www.businessinsider.com/dr-oz-treatments-that-other-doctors-say-are-bogus-2015-4

[n210mp]

JL you are beginning to bore me with your total disdain and negativity.

I just came home from the party in a cheerful and positive mood and then read what you wrote.

if I was the type of person who could be brought down then I would succumb to your negative logic, fortunately, luckily I'm not and now at this state of the thread have decided that I dont wish to read any more of your sad opines, not because I am affected by what you write but sadly because you yourself seem entirely oblivious to anything positive, good or possibly and i admit this maudlin or sentimental

Most people would accept another point of view even if they disagreed with it and move on, as the the old saying goes "you seem to protesteth too much" seem to show me that you have areas in your own psyche that need some addressing

This not to say that I think anything negative about you, on the contrary I feel a little sad that you have not been able to grasp or at least empathise with some of the sentiments posted on this thread.

It occurs to me from my life experience that you can take a horse to water but you cannot make it drink.

Now you have resorted to personal vilification in basically calling me an old fool, this form of half witted sarcasm is of the lowest common calibre and not worthy of a healthy debater

Whilst I accept that I maybe an old fool, its not really your place to call me one and in fact I believe that far from impressing the followers of the thread by your intellect you have seriously demeaned yourself by stooping so low as to get personal, the obvious sign of a person losing not only the debate but the plot

[JLCrab]

It occurs to me from my life experience that you can take a horse to water but you cannot make it drink.

Yes -- and courtesy of Ms. Dorothy Parker (1893 - 1967) -- "You can take a horticulture but you can't make her think."

My sentiments: Next time when you choose a course of actions, try to choose one that doesn't land you in a hospital ward for 3 days.

[willyumiii]

Good story, thanks for sharing.

As stated by others, we usually only hear from TV members who think Thai women, Thai people and Thailand are horrible and evil.

But there are many of us here who truly love our women, their families and Thailand.

We are the lucky ones.

I think it is natural that we hear far more from those who have been hurt and are unhappy with life here in Thailand.

It is human nature to speak out and complain, or even strike back when you are hurt or feeling abused.

For most of us it is not natural to tell others how happy or lucky we feel we are to be in the situations we love so much.

Although your Songkran story is not one of fun and frolic, it is one of warmth and love..

Physically, it may not be a good time for you,

But you are truly a lucky man.

[n210mp]

It occurs to me from my life experience that you can take a horse to water but you cannot make it drink.

Yes -- and courtesy of Ms. Dorothy Parker (1893 - 1967) -- "You can take a horticulture but you can't make her think."

My sentiments: Next time when you choose a course of actions, try to choose one that doesn't land you in a hospital ward for 3 days.

OK JL and on that note I will concede defeat, that I should have listed to the Doctor's advice, you are entitled to your opinion and your sentiment is yours, belongs to you, its a personal thing not for negotiation, you win the debate on whether I should have gone against the Docs advice!

What you didn't win though with your Trolling, flaming and manic tunnel vision was to take this thread too far off topic.

It was a determined effort you made though, consistent and unerring in its direction and simplicity.

Nobody really took you on did they, expect of course me and you didnt even create a wobble in my determination that I wouldn't see this thread go down in flames of your making by bickering with you.

You remind me ( and you are not alone in this) of Loki the Norse God who creates anarchy and trouble, just for its own sake and because he can do it.

Loki according to the old fables was deeply unhappy with his lot and deliberately went out of his way to create turmoil and strife in the same manner that you attacked a perfectly innocent and genuine post.

Like Loki you were and are destined to lose, especially when you try it on one of my threads.

Finally though without you and many of your peers I would have left this forum a long time ago so really I'm not hurt or upset with you or your writings but happy that you have given me so many happy hours of mental stimulation, that makes me a happy bunny

Thanks JL Now its time to up your game in the next tread that you try to take off topic

Edited April 22, 2015 by n210mp

[JLCrab]

You remind me of the Burns & Allen routines where George would say: How's your Uncle Melvin in Milwaukee?

... and Gracie would ramble on for the next 10 minutes.

My original post on this topic was: "Nice story about your family to be sure but, next time, listen to your doctor."

Succinct if nothing else. That sent you off into multiple paragraphs and over multiple postings. As I say of my good friend Tom Hunter back in Florida:

You can have a great conversation with Tom Hunter as long as the topic of conversation is Tom Hunter.

[gazwa]

Great post OP. Thanks for sharing such a positive story.

Also congratulations for handling JLcrab with such aplomb.

I believe a picture tells a thousand words, so here is what Songkran means to me and mine.

Picture of the old ducks is MIL Green shirt and her sisters......cheers!

[n210mp]

You remind me of the Burns & Allen routines where George would say: How's your Uncle Melvin in Milwaukee?

... and Gracie would ramble on for the next 10 minutes.

My original post on this topic was: "Nice story about your family to be sure but, next time, listen to your doctor."

Succinct if nothing else. That sent you off into multiple paragraphs and over multiple postings. As I say of my good friend Tom Hunter back in Florida:

You can have a great conversation with Tom Hunter as long as the topic of conversation is Tom Hunter.

The biter, bit

Once again JL

" Methinks that Thou dost protesteth a tad tooooooooo Much!"

[JLCrab]

Hey -- I wasn't the one for whom my great family had to spend their Songkran -- selflessly or otherwise -- in the in the hospital.

[n210mp]

Hey -- I wasn't the one for whom my great family had to spend their Songkran -- selflessly or otherwise -- in the in the hospital.

10 out of ten for tenacity or is it perversity just like a dog with a bone,

that's my boy Grrrr grrr grr woof woof woof

come on boy.

why do I feel like I'm 5555

Edited April 22, 2015 by n210mp

[JLCrab]

So why do you even bother to answer? Someone recently asked:

Is it me or is there a dearth of interesting posts and thread both on the General and Pattaya forums just recently?

Yes -- still is.

Edited April 22, 2015 by JLCrab

[Gecko123]

So why do you even bother to answer? Someone recently asked:

Is it me or is there a dearth of interesting posts and thread both on the General and Pattaya forums just recently?

Yes -- still is.

Jesus, JL, give the guy a break.

If i didn't know better, I'd say you're trying to put the guy back in the hospital.

[JLCrab]

Why not -- he sees it as a positive experience?

[n210mp]

Thanks Gecko123

You cannot request understanding or empathy from JL in his stalking of my thread/me and especially because I am as bad as he is, the irony being that he actually thinks he is leading the discourse or winding me up silly lad.!

The thread was tapering out of steam some while ago, so in any event there has been nothing lost by his schoolboy immature harping of the same old same old

Having lost the plot early on when he unsuccessfully tried to take the thread off topic, his antics have been like the naughty boy who in an to attempt to show some imagined intellectual superiority needs to show us just who here is in charge Failure failure!

He is mentally, off on or up a mental cul de sac poor lad and I feel a bit responsible for sending him there so I dont want to have him upset too much so please

Dear MODS

I feel a little guilty for my part in this silly debate and as a sign of good faith have decided to let JL off the hook by requesting this thread, having had a good run and served its purpose admirably, be now closed, thereby taking the obvious pressure off my friend in a way that makes sure he will not be under any imagined pressure to respond and show his obvious superiority.

Thanks

To my friend JL Crab the provider of some nice if a bit unfriendly banter over this last few days.

JL if the MODS decide to let the thread run because of its obvious entertaining content, I can accept that as a reason for not closing the thread down.

However I will not post again on this thread I am getting a bit bored of answering your tunnel vision remarks, its as though by constantly repeating the same old rhetoric, you seem to assume that like Shizer some of your repeats may eventually stick but it isn't, sticking like shizer is it, its just repetitive nonsense with a bit of spite thrown in

I will be starting another thread though in the near future so dont worry too much I'm not going away anywhere soon

[JLCrab]

Thank you for letting me know that I have issues with my psyche that need addressing. I do spend a lot of time each day on line: The EU Parliament goes into session next week with the Digital Single Market on the agenda; the US is negotiating 'fast-track' legislation for the Pacific Trade agreement; there are US hearings on statutory issues related to Intellectual Property for which I have submitted testimony; and other issues in which I take an active part trough a US based NGO.

I do come on ThaiVisa for a diversion from reading tedious legal documents. I initially made a one sentence response to your post. One thing I do enjoy on these Forums is watching someone like yourself blow a gasket. Thanks for the levity.