A Homeless Blog

Sydney

2008-12-16T23:55:00.002+09:00

Very good first impression of Sydney

How do I stop?

2008-03-27T02:55:00.003+09:00

How do i stop...
working so hard;
moving forward,
accelerate so fast...

How do i sleep...
with so many thoughts;
mostly aren't mine,
so hard I fought...

How do i cry...
with no more tear;
these eyes so dry,
staring all year...

It's been how long...
to climb atop;
oh I don't know,
how do i stop?

Hans Rosling and statistics

2007-08-20T12:59:00.000+09:00

Interesting presentation from Hans Rosling from TED website.

(Reference - http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/92)

After the Rain

2007-05-03T03:25:00.000+09:00

a strange feeling
when it's rainy
so much refreshing
yet so lonely

Sakura in Kanazawa

2007-04-28T00:15:00.000+09:00

Sakura in Kanazawa

A little pond in Kenroku-en

Reflection!

Yes. I went to Japan again. And, here is a posting again after a long, long time. I have much to write, but no time to write it. Just photos. I took 2,121 of them. Only a few good ones to share...here and there.

Crying? No Problemo...

2006-12-31T15:10:00.000+09:00

Similar?

2006-12-23T03:19:00.000+09:00

I just find it interesting. That's all :)

Happy Father's Day

2006-12-05T23:35:00.000+09:00

It's been a while I haven't written anything here. Time has not been much on my side. I start to wonder how other people manage time. To me, time has been scarce. Work, work, and work seem to take most of it. A meeting with friends is not an easy thing to come by...or it's coming by too often with different friends.

Anywho... Today is Father's Day. So, I really wanna say only two things here:
(1) Long Live the King.
(2) I love you, Dad.

Pink Lotus in the Morning

2006-10-30T00:52:00.000+09:00

Just a pink lotus in front of my house. Just found out about it one morning. And, just wanna put something nice on my blog ^^

Sleepless Night

2006-10-14T02:36:00.000+09:00

Seek space
Short breath
Stiff neck
Lose faith

So weary
Voiceless fight
So sleepy
Sleepless night

Turn Back The Clock

2006-10-12T00:29:00.000+09:00

Somehow, this one makes me smile :D

Seasons Change

2006-09-18T02:12:00.000+09:00

I don't know how long it's been that I haven't written about a movie...maybe a year. Anyway, the movie I'm writing about is "Seasons Change: because the weather often changes" ...it's one of the few good Thai movies that you don't wanna miss.

Synopsis: Pom, a 15-year-old boy in love, follows the love of his life - Dao - into a music school with this talented drum skills. The thing is, Dao doesn't even know him. Plus, his father thought he's in a medical school (of the same name). While looking at Dao, who is very serious about becoming a great violinist, Pom met Aom - a girl who loves music but not very skilled at any of the instrument. Eventually, Pom will have to choose... what will he choose?

My Take: At first, I thought it's one of those teenage-love-dilemma movie. It turns out that I was wrong. This is one of the best Thai movie that I've seen. The details have been carefully paid attention to. The music has been coherent and in harmony with the story. And, the jokes has been just funny. No more, no less.

The movie starts with a scene where Pom looks at Dao, liking her in secrecy. He followed her to the music school by lying to his dad that he's going to a medical school. He asked Aom (and her father, whom is his dad's friend) to lie to his dad about him studying music.

Pom even follows the 'love of his life' to an orchestra band, even it means he'll just play timpani (which he thinks it's boring). But that makes him become closer to Aom, who plays equally-boring cymbal just to get to listen to the music she loves.

One day, he heard that Dao wants to get a scholarship to study abroad...Budapest. He suddenly become enthusiastic about going there too, as there can be only two students getting the scholarship. He practices nights and days, but the scholarship application requires his dad's signature. That's when his dad know about the truth, when his teacher called and talked to him.

His dad became furiously silent. Pom thought it was Aom, who told his dad about the school. They fought.

Towards the end, Pom's dad comes to peace with him with his teacher's help. Aom and Pom become good friends again. And, Pom realize that he likes music. Dao gets to go to Budapest, and Pom chooses to stay.

The movie ended with happiness, though it's not something like a "happy ending" type. Pom was the one who haven't choosen. Not girls, but his path in life. Dao already chose to walk toward her dream, her success. Aom chose to follow her love of music, though she cannot excel it. The key is Pom and his way of walking the path of his life.

In all, I'm impressed with the movie. It's very well in terms of techniques, theme, and storyline. It reflects very much the situation many Thai youngsters are facing nowadays.

Note: photos from http://www.seasonschangethemovie.com/

Why Japan?!?

2006-09-12T00:18:00.000+09:00

If there's one thing I'm crazy about, people around me would be able to tell right away that it's anything about Japan. Well, I'm not crazy about anything Japanese...but I admit it's almost everything Japanese. Though I can hardly understand a Japanese dialogue.

I like Japanese food, Japanese movie, Japanese song, Japanese etc. Whenever I watch a Japanese movie, I feel sentimental. Perhaps, I was a Japanese kid in my previous life. Someone even said why won't I find a Japanese girlfriend. Good question, but I don't understand it myself why. I guess it's just irrelevant.

Well, I want to go back and spend some time in Japan again. It was about a year ago that I spent 3 months there. I can say that it was the best 3 months of my life...being so free of everything.

But well... if I spend at least a year there, it'd cure my craziness :P

Eve

2006-09-04T22:49:00.000+09:00

Actually, there's nothing to update. I just feel like haven't written anything here for so long. Still don't know what to write, but feel like I shouldn't leave the last blog on for too long :P

The question is...

2006-08-14T01:14:00.000+09:00

I happened to pass by the movie "Alfie" today. Just some part of it. And a question made me pause and think for a long time.

"The question is...what do you want to do to the rest of your life?" An old man asked.

I guess it's the sort of question I've been asking myself over and over again in the past year, and I haven't been able to answer it to a satisfactory level. It can be said that I've done so much to prepare myself for a successful life. The thing is...I'm not so sure if I really want a successful life. After some decades of following the "appropriate" path, the happiness promised is not seen anywhere nearby.

So... "Now what?"

Population

2006-07-30T02:33:00.000+09:00

Well... I'm not particularly well-prepared for today topic. Really. In fact, I just read the news last week about Thailand's population growth rate may reach 'zero' by year 2015. The news made me think...gee...would the cause of human extinction be infertility?

Y'know. I've heard so much from friends and acquaintances about how hard people get pregnant these days. Good friends of mine had tried for so many years to finally get pregnant. And I heard that it's harder for a couple in developed countries to have a baby.

Anyway, I checked the trends and forecasts from Wikipedia. Here they are:

Population in most places are expected to slow down eventually...for whatever reason it is. And the growth rate is constantly declining over the years, and they are expected to decline further.

[Thanks for statistics from Wikipedia.com]

My hypothesis is that these people are too stressful, particularly because of work and /or competition. My crazy imagination is that, if world peace is achieved and there's no poverty, the world population will eventually come to a point of decline.

Maybe human won't kill each other to death with wars or nuclear.
Maybe human won't be eliminated from this world through a very serious and deadly disease.
Maybe the inability to reproduce is the thing...and we will become extinct no matter how.
And, maybe that's just the way how nature works.

[Note: A lot more on Doomsday argument from Wikipedia - a much richer and more thought out ideas]

{updated: August 1, 2006}
Yai, thanks for the comment na. I hope it's ok to put your comment here...

Premise #1: if world peace is achieved and
Premise #2: If there's no poverty

The conclusion was surely drawn from a very crazy imagination : )

I don't think it's the inability to reproduce per se...
I mean we're not genetically altered to be incompetent you know what I mean?
but it's the life-style choice or (not so much of a choice for some)

BUT the point is...
It all happened before (but dued to something else)
If we look at the number of the baby-boomers today, we'll see a pattern.
Onces the population goes down significantly, people will start to do something.

Some countries even paid you if you reproduced right?

love to talk more but gotta go out now...will come back to check your blog again later na.

And I like to add something, not really a response to Yai's comment, but rather another view I got from a Israeli biologist-turned-HighSchool-teacher (who got a PhD in some kind of myth-literature), whom I met on the plane from Chiang Mai. (wow...that's long!)

I told him about this crazy idea, and he said it is almost impossible. From history, when a civilization is in peace and prosperity, people just reproduce! Hmm...that makes sense. In that case...it's very unlikely that human population will gradually shrink to zero. What you (anybody) think?

Better Busy, Better

2006-07-23T01:45:00.000+09:00

Every time I complain through my blog, I think I have an obligation to tell everyone when I feel better. Otherwise the world would think I'm still miserable when I actually recovered.

Well... I do start to feel better now. Not that every problem resoved, but I think I've come to (to an extend) make peace with it. Actually, with myself. And I'm getting busier now with work (not sure if that's good or bad :P).

I actually considered writing on 'population growth' issue (doesn't sound like me, does it? :P), but I guess I'm keeping this one short for now ;)

Will...gone

2006-07-21T00:31:00.000+09:00

Notice: Once in a while, I just complain here. And today I will do it again. And. It's gonna be about me, me, me. So it's ok if you guys skip this one <;

Now... I have a feeling that, recently, my will has been weak. A will to do anything...to work, to talk, to walk, even to write this blog. I'm still trying to find out why, though. Maybe I've been writing too much each day I don't wanna do anymore of it. Maybe.

Well, don't worry. I'm not that bad yet. I just feel that time is scarce. In fact, I feel that I have less time than others. That's odd, isn't it?

I'm just writing here and there. Ideas scattered. Not making sense. Well, just bear with me a little more if you already read up to this point.

Maybe I just need a getaway. That would probably temporarily solve it. Or a massage. Hmm...that won't do anything much.

Anyway, I don't think there's a quick fix to this. Maybe it'll just go away someday. Maybe I'll be like this forever. Maybe I'll just get used to it. Maybe...Maybe...

Cha-am Trip

2006-07-16T21:46:00.000+09:00

It was a long weekend, and my uncle and his (daughter's) family visit us from China. So, we decided to bring them to the beach. My cousin's 7-year-old daughter, Tian- was in the sea for the very first time. She appeared to be very excited...and happy...to play in the sea all day.

As for me, I didn't do much...except driving around, eating, and taking photographs. Not exactly a type of my usual trip with friends. But hey...it's family business. One should contribute more or less ;)

P.S. Sorry I haven't been writing lately. My only excuse is 'work' ...but I guess the real reason is that I don't want to write 'complain' anymore (or at least for a big while). Don't really want to bring it to the sad-side :P So...I guess I'll bring it back to food & travel soon. Because philosiphy and economics are also boring and unpopular :P

The Bridge

2006-06-19T01:25:00.000+09:00

Rama VIII Bridge - A view from the cruise ^^

(p.s. this blog is becoming a photo-blog, isn't it?)

From the 15th...

2006-06-06T02:23:00.000+09:00

It was from the 15th floor of the Shangri-La Hotel - the one by the river.
And, it was the longest 2 seconds without a tripod!

I feel like an evening

2006-06-01T00:10:00.000+09:00

I feel like an evening,
stuck in the traffic.
Just like the sun,
looking so dramatic.

The day has passed,
the day was long.
Like a music video
without its song.

Looking against the sun
not so bright,
But somehow, strangely,
my eyes cannot fight.

Like feeling sleepy,
Like dreaming,
Like lost items,
Like an evening.

Nothing else to do !?!

2006-05-23T22:42:00.000+09:00

Well...my life has been busy,
but so-so.
No exciting story,
just photos.

A mixture of things.
Flower...traffics...
Even a ceramic kid...
But mostly, the basics.

This thing is getting too long,
and pretty much non-sense.
Better stop it now,
or at my reputation's expense :P

My Niece !?!

2006-05-19T03:06:00.000+09:00

Well...her name is Maggie. My sister and her husband just adopted a 3-month old Basset Hound into their family. Isn't she cute?

Baan Talay Dao, Hua-Hin

2006-05-07T23:11:00.000+09:00

I just come back from Hua-Hin today. A one-night seemed to be a little too short for the family trip, but I had a good time. The photos can be found here (my flickr album). Most of the photos were taken in Baan Talay Dao - the resort we stayed in.

Evening by the parking lot

O...Orchid

Chill Chill

Somewhere by the beach

Glamorous Sky

2006-04-16T04:40:00.000+09:00

Well...this song has been in my head for quite some time now.

Feasting Fiesta

2006-04-16T02:03:00.000+09:00

Sorry I have no new food photos to show, as they can pull up the comment-rating {damn!}
But I did eat at a few places over the break.

On April 13th, I went to a Chinese restaurant at Siam City Hotel for lunch with my family the other day. Delicious meal, indeed. Then, a dinner at Andaman - a fondue place nearby. The highlight of the day was The Crispy Pork (or the Turning Pork, in Thai).

Oh (and that's a very long 'oh')... it was the most delicious crispy pork I've ever had. The pork came in about a size of a big chicken (hmm -_-'). It came with both skin and a little bit of meat, and of course, the white bun. The skin was very crispy, yet easy to bite (if you know what I mean). It was almost too oily, but not ;) Ah...and with the sweet sauce + bun it came with. I've gotta tell ya...it was like heaven on earth :P

On April 14th, I got together with some of my best friends. Had lunch and dinner around Rangsit area, where one of the friend lives (with his little happy, cute family). Lunch was the Boat Noodle (in Thai again). I looked like any regular Boat Noodle. But before I knew it, I chomped down 5 bowls of those.

The dinner was also great at "Niranam" restaurant around Rangsit University area (actually, I really don't know where I was). We all ate like crazy. Nothing was special, yet everything was delicious. That day, I ended up a very satisfied human-being...also a very-huge-tummy human-being (^0)=3

Chinatown Night

2006-04-08T02:19:00.000+09:00

I went to Yaowarad (Chinatown) last night with 3 of my best friends. Ate so much... ก๋วยเตี๋ยวคั่วไก่ and ก๋วยจั๊บน้ำใสใส่หมูกรอบ (sorry, don't know how to explain in English). Four of us had a good fun...with all flashbacks and trashtalks :P

Overall, I like the feeling of Yaowarad at night. It's simply lively!!!

illusions & dreams

2006-03-31T00:55:00.000+09:00

Once chasing a dream...
...but now I missing my dreamless night.

...standing in the crowded train
...letting my mind drifted away
...couldn't help but wondering
...is it night, or is it day

...laying on my bed
...letting my imagination be
...couldn't help but wondering
...was it a dream or illusion I see

Once chasing a dream...
but got hit by reality...
Was that just an illusion...
O, I wish I can be free...

O, I wish...

Wealth Limit ?!?

2006-03-30T23:14:00.000+09:00

I have always wondered why a (hypothetical) person with 10,000 million Baht would want more money...say 70,000 million Baht. The only reason my tiny brain can squeeze out is that the person doesn't aim for the prize, but for the pride and victory.

Then, it had led me to think about capitalism and wealth accumulation. Extreme uneven wealth distribution appears to be troublesome...if so extreme, the society probably correct itself through revolution. That's tough. Because the correction process is often painful and usually cost lives.

Anyway...only if people know that enough is ENOUGH, then many problems might not happen. Hmm...if "Enough" can really help, then why not make it a rule. Then, I ask myself, what would happen if a society enforces "wealth limit" - a maximum wealth one can own. This wealth limit doesn't even have to be low. It can be at 10,000 million!!! And, sure, the limit can even move with inflation!!!

[Of course. Assuming there's no problem in enforcing and monitoring, which is another story.]

The thing is...we need incentives to efficiently produce and earn...to keep the economy going. But what would a person with 10,000 million need incentives for? More money? More wealth? Isn't 10,000 million enough? The point is...shouldn't a person know that enough is enough?

I believe incentives to accumulate wealth (or capital) should be mostly to cope with uncertainty...such as for dealing with illness, children's education, etc. That is to ensure your life will go on as far as nature and science allow you to. But too much wealth accumulation might have just overlook such point.

One might argues that the wealth is not only for their children, but for their children's children's and so on. Well...if that's done at the cost of other people now, it might not be even feasible for the society as a whole.

Anyway, I've been babbling for too long now. My thoughts are not quite coherent, but I just need to get them out. Actually, I'm not that 100% sure about this 'wealth limit' concept...but I can't think any further. So...I'm relying on you guys to counter argue this (^_^)

My Best Friends' Wedding.

2006-03-27T01:01:00.000+09:00

Yesterday, March 25th, was the wedding day of two of my best friends. Yup...to each other. I have never been so happy about a wedding of two people in my life. Perhaps, it's because both the bride and the groom are ones of my best friends. We have known each other for some time...and they have been together for some time. All in all, I just want to express my happiness in today's blog.

...congratulations guys!!!

Nakorn-Nayok Trip

2006-03-20T01:37:00.000+09:00

Today...I went to Nakorn-Nayok with my parents. It's the trip that we have been trying to make for quite some time...so we made it today ^_^

Went to a couple of waterfalls, had lunch, and came back. It was a hot day, but I was quite happy because I had a chance to use my camera again since the Japan trip. Well...enough said. Here are some photos :P

Grilled eggs, yummm >_<

Lotus at Wang-Trakrai~

Water on the lotus leaf

More Lotus

...Just extras...

Well...no waterfall photo luey. There's just not enough water T_T

Writing (dot) (dot) (dot)

2006-03-14T01:43:00.000+09:00

I'm gonna be brief (again) today. It's not because I don't have anything to write. I do. But I've been writing and thinking and writing so much lately...like a wake-up call to my brain. My fingers are sore, and so does my brain. So...I'm just dropping by...just to let my (few) blogging-friends know that I'm still alive.

Lastly, I'd like to end with a sentence that reflects my feeling right now (I got it from somewhere I can't remember now).

. . .

"My left brain has got nothing right, and my right brain has got nothing left." Good Nite (@_@)

Korokke

2006-02-18T01:22:00.000+09:00

I love Japanese Cream-filled Korokke. Yes, I've been craving it for quite some time now. And I finally made it today. [For those who have no idea about this ke-ke-thingy I was talking about, it's a Japanese version of a French dish - croquette...Wikipedia has a pretty good explanation here]

I was searching the web for a good recipe. They seem to have about two: one for the mashed potato and beef Korokke, and another one is this creamy Korokke. Of course, I was originally aiming for the creamy one. Only that they didn't state how much each ingredient ought to be put in. But I decided to give it a try anyway.

So, the ingredients are:
- Milk, lots of milk
- Butter
- Corn (in a can)
- (Corn) Flour
- Egg(s)
- Bread Crumb

First off...you need to cook up the cream filling. Melt butter (I tossed 3 thumb-size pieces into the pan), then add milk (I put in about half a litre). Slowly heat it, and I really mean "slowly" jing jing. It took so much time...to heat it until the milk become thickened, really thickened and creamy. Then, add corn as much as you like. With low heat and long time, the "mix" become very very thick. If so, you are done for the first part. Put the "mix" into a shallow bowl or something. Leave it in the fridge for several hours.

Then...the rest is straight forward. Take the "mix" out from the fridge and make several flat, oval-shaped paddy. Be careful now. That paddy is actually liquid...very soft. Cover each paddy with corn flour, dip it in beaten egg, then cover it with bread crumb, and deep fry it until the color become light-brown.

Voila! Serve with Tonkatsu sauce and/or mayonnaise... Yumm!!!

Ah...h, the Korokke has made my day V(^o^)V

Tokei

2006-02-16T03:47:00.000+09:00

An old, broken watch
is kept in the box.
It's hands show the time...
ten minutes past one o'clock.

The dial was cracked
and full of dust.
O I haven't seen it
since the box was shut.

Looking through the dusty dial,
a tiny hand is trying to tick.
Like a boy with a broken leg,
keep trying to kick.

O my poor watch...
what's wrong with you.
Your hands are tired,
...what can I do?

[02.16.2006 / 2:39AM / GMT+07]

Flickr

2006-02-09T03:32:00.000+09:00

After a couple of depressing blogs, I decide to put a stop to it. Thank you, my friends, for all the you have given to me.

Now...(and this is not an advertisement)... Flickr is a photo-hosting site I've been using. First off...I'm not sure whether it's pronounced "Flic-ker" or "Flick-R" ...the truth is probably somewhere on the web, but I'm just too lazy to find out.

Anyway, I started using Flickr for free. And like any other free account anywhere online, there's some limitations. Limitations that I could live with...until I had a big bunch of photos from my Japan trip. I went Pro...which means I paid for extra services from Flickr. Now I can upload a lot more (and larger size) photos each month, have more "sets" created, and some other features I don't really care about :P

Oh well, you might already figure out by now that today's blog is really nothing :D
(O...I tried to put a Flickr Badge on this blog, but it was impossible)
Here's my Flickr Page (^0^)

Pointlessly Enduring

2006-02-04T02:13:00.000+09:00

It's been a while that I haven't been written anything here. That's simply because my life has no movement at all. Sitting at home, working on a little of this and a bit of that...nothing substantial. Nothing that I really enjoy. I guess this part will be like a blank page of my life. Waiting...drifting...sitting in a cafe and giving out a blank look on my face...or just pretend to read something. Yes, today's blog will be just pointless writing. So you can skip it if you don't have time.

Future is the driving force of Present, and Past is its friction. Hopes and dreams give strength to people to do what they do, to endure what they have to endure, and to fight for what they want. Experiences and mistakes sometimes make people think twice before they act, sometimes with hesitation. But we can go on living everyday despite all these in existence...also in balance.

I somehow got stuck somewhere along the way. And, knowing that, I'm trying to force myself forward and refuse to be lagged behind. But it still doesn't work very well. I often find myself alone, pointlessly punching keyboards, looking for something I know nothing about...and never found it.

Sometimes I'm confused whether one should wait for meaningful things to come along or one should search for them. I have been believing in the prior, but my patience (which is a good-size patience if you know me) has running thinner and thinner everyday.

And...I don't really know how to end this blog :P

Waiting for a train

2006-01-20T00:51:00.000+09:00

Waiting for a train
on a hot, sunny Saturday.
The sun so strong
with its burning ray.

Waiting...... Sweating...

Looking down the track
thinking about the day.
Looking up the sky
seeing my mind further away.

Waiting......... Still sweating......

Back to Basic

2006-01-15T01:00:00.000+09:00

In Economics, we learned about Labor and Capital (including Land) that they are factors of production. They are complimentary to each other to some extend, in a sense that one can replace a unit of labor with some amount of capital to yield a quantity of product. Labor earns some returns to its owner, human. And Capital earns some returns to its owner, also human. They appear to be two kinds of the same thing.

However, they are not quite the same. Labor ownership has some limitation. One can own only one unit of labor, oneself. Capital ownership has a slight difference that makes quite an impact. That is, one can own unlimited amount of capital.

One can try to increase one's wealth in two ways: (1) buffed up oneself, try to make one's labor more productive, with training...education...and so on; and (2) innovate, try to make one's capital more productive, with new technology...new ideas...and so on. Or (Well...it's actually 2 and a half ways) simply try to own more Capital.

Then...we started to see "inequality" (when some do not own as much Capital as some others). Unequal distribution of wealth only leads to even more unequal distribution of wealth, as the wealthiers want to be even wealthier. And so on.

But...what are Capitals anyway? Labor, we know. It is obvious. But what about Capital?

Capitals are products, not money. Money is only its reflection. Capitals are machines, cars, tools, buildings, and anything that facilitates production of something. Capitals are made/produced, and they can be sold entirely (i.e. change of ownership).

So...how can we stop or resolve this "inequality"?

One way is...to prevent individual from owning Capital. In other words, the government or the state or the people (these represent the same thing) owns it all. In some systems, the state (which suppose to represent people's interest) owns it. Only that...people who work in the state's body exploit it. That sounds like "corruption" alright. Again, with the exploitation, Capital is not actually evenly distributed...especially the power of the people is abused in such way.

Another way (probably) is...to make Capital absolutely inferior to Labor. Make Capital earn nothing, i.e. it would have no value-added. But, come to think of it, that would be in conflict to reality. For example, a hammer will worth more than just some steel and wooden handle when used by a carpenter to build a chair. Its value-added come naturally by its function.

Well..........I've been thinking this far. And, I still cannot figure it out an effective way to deal with the "inequality." Perhaps, the solution does not lie in the Economic Realm...but rather ethics, moral, culture, maybe even politics. Anybody...any idea?

Just use your imagination...

2006-01-08T02:22:00.000+09:00

I heard so many people talking about their lives. They told me how they grow up and become like their parents. And their children have been just as bad as they were. I can also see from talking to people...that children resemble their parents...in one way or another...or even in all.

What if that's the way the world is. What if everybody grows up exactly to be like their parents. And, their children will grow up to be exactly like them. If a mother always read bedtime stories to her children, her daughter will want to do so too...when she grows up. If a father likes to drink every night, his son will want to drink every night too...when he grows up. If parents spoil their kids, their grandchildren will very-likely be spoiled. And the cycle goes on and on and on...generations after generations.

...until someone, somewhere, somehow decides to do things differently. If a man decides to quit drinking...if a woman decides to comes home after her children already asleep...if parents are strict to their kids, then the cycle will change. It will become a new cycle. But it will keep going on and on and on...and on.

It's time to grow up

2006-01-02T00:13:00.000+09:00

I still feel like a freshly graduate (from an undergrad program, of course!). I do. I feel like a 22-year-old. Well, maybe 23. And I'm blaming it all (or giving the credits to) studying abroad for a long time.

It seems to me that studying abroad is like a time capsule. And I just leaped ahead to the present time. My friends talk differently, think differently, are married, have a couple of kids, get chubby, etc. And more importantly, they can handle much more responsibilities. Some are even considered 'successful' in their career paths.

Only a couple of weeks back home, I already feel the urge to "grow up"...to catch up, really. Somehow, I find it spiritually difficult...as if I'm trapped in a dilemma. Lost and don't know which direction to go. But I guess I'll have to go through with it anyway...sooner or later. Will have to get a job, be more responsible, manage time, and send greeting cards to everyone during important holidays/birthdays (so sorry, I've perform badly in this area for a long time :P).

In sum, I feel like I want to change. Some time ago, I was quite happy with who I was. But now, I'm not. I find it difficult to "change" but "not change" ...hmm...confusing isn't it. My point is that I still wanna be me, but a better me, a wiser me, a non-lazy me, etc. Again (and as you might see it from my writing today), I'm finding it quite difficult...but still believe in its possibility.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

2005-12-25T01:57:00.000+09:00

Although not that many people read my blog, I just want to wish everyone a very joyful Christmas and a wonderful New Year na krab~

P.S. My blog about the Japan trip is up and going...here!

座って下さい

2005-12-20T00:08:00.000+09:00

I discover many things about myself from my Japan trip. Among many, it is more efficient (at least for me) to sit down while taking a shower than to stand. ..................................... Really, I'm not kidding! Well, it is...at least for me la :P

Ahhh...enjoying a warm sunshine

P.S. Yes, I'm gonna be babbling about Japan for a while :P

Procrastinating . . . .

2005-12-17T01:06:00.000+09:00

Ah...so many things to write about, so little time.

That's just my excuse for a shorty (blog) like this one, and many previous ones. The fact is that I just wanna write about my Japan trip, which should be big enough to have it's own website. And, I haven't really picked (from thousands of photos, literally!) and resized the photos yet.

And...the photos of "Soft Cream" below is totally irrelevant to this blog. I just miss it so much :9

Home Sweet Home

2005-12-10T00:10:00.000+09:00

I'm finally home! After 7 years away, it feels kinda weird. Have so many plans in my head...unarranged...unclear.

Chuzenji Lake, Nikko

But one thing is clear now......I need to get hi-speed internet asap :P

Not back yet :P

2005-12-05T23:12:00.000+09:00

Well...I'm still during my trip. But have a little time + the crave to update the blog. So, here is a Momiji from Kyoto...

P.S. Special Thanks to Mai & Jill, my wonderful hosts in Kyoto.　
ほんとに　ありがとう (^_^)

Going on a trip

2005-11-25T01:44:00.000+09:00

Well...this is gonna be brief.

I'm done with the language study! Sad to leave my good friends here at the Yamasa Institute, but excited to go on a two-week travel. So, I might not be updated this blog for a while...due to lack of time and internet connection. But after that, it should be a relatively big update with lots of pictures (^^)

So...I'll be back!

Nagoya-style Unagi-don

2005-11-21T19:42:00.000+09:00

Went to Nagoya yesterday to meet up with a good friend, Erina-san. We went to the Tokugawa Art Museum and Garden...totally wonderful. It's a good luck we got to see the full collection (all that is known to publicly exist) of the Genji Monogatari, the once-in-a-ten-year exhibition. All in Japanese though, but good thing I have Erina-san to explain it to me.

Another good luck is a live A Capella concert by the lake in the Tokugawa Garden. Very beautiful, but it was quite cold :S

Anyway...coming to the point today. Erina-san taught me how to eat Unagi-don the Nagoya style. There are three steps as you'll see on the illustration below...

Let's Begin ! ! !

Round 1: Standard Unagi & Rice

Round 2: With Seaweed & Scallion too

Round 3: All with Wasabi & Tea (o-cha) !!!

...until there's none left :9

I had a very good time in Nagoya, especially with the Unagi-don dinner (well, you'd know that by now). Special thanks to Erina-san krab (^_^)V

V (^__^) V

2005-11-18T00:10:00.000+09:00

I have never understand why (mostly Asian, and especially Japanese) people show the "V" sign or "Peace" sign when pose in a photo...in group or solo. I actually thought it was silly and thought that I would never do such a thing.

Amazing not so long after I spent some time in Japan, my two fingers just pop up automatically when in a photos. Seriously. It could be peer pressure, I think. But I'm still under amazement how such culture absorb so quickly. Not only to me...Swiss, Spanish, American, and many more all do it. More amazingly, the environment we are in are full of international students...not so many Japanese. Interesting?

Anyway...I guess that's it for today. This blog is getting shorter, which should please some readers. But I'll go on a long trip soon...so probably no updates for a while, follow with lots of photos :P

Mod-chan

2005-11-14T01:03:00.000+09:00

I'm so sleepy now, but somehow I feel like I should write something on the blog...don't know why. So, I'm gonna (really-) briefly write about Mod-chan.

Mod-chan is a daughter of a friend of the host family of my friend (complex? :P) A couple of my friends and I visited this host family the other day. Very good experience. Got to talk (actually listen) in Japanese a lot, even though I could only understand about 30% of anything.

My favorite moment was to play with Mod-chan, who taught me how to make an Origami Totoro. Very cute. Mod-chan was also a nice sister; I could tell from her act of helping her sis with the Origami.

In all, I guess this blog is dedicate to Mod-chan...no more, no less (^^)

Incoherent

2005-11-11T02:01:00.000+09:00

I'm so tired, but not unhappy. So...I'm just gonna update this blog real quick and without any coherent :P

The big test just passed, and I did much better than I thought. I've made many good friends here. Many friends mean lots of fun time & parties, less personal & sleeping time. I really need to sleep soon. Not only that...have to clean the apartment, do the laundry, catch up with class, etc.

Learning Japanese language has taught me a few things about myself though:
1. I use my eyes more than my ears
2. Since I've not been much of a talker, it took me forever to remember and sing a line of a Japanese song
3. It's hard for me to remember (or memorize) a new word or even a name (So, a plain/blunt memorization tasks or homework is not totally useless for a kid :P)

Well...I think that's it for today!

My View of Japanese (Language)

2005-11-05T01:11:00.000+09:00

I've been more or less 'casual' about writing this blog, and I want to keep it that way (although my head is full of all the serious thoughts). Today's story evolved from my 2-month experience with the Japanese language.

Though difficult as many people might already know, the language also explain so much about Japan in many senses. Here are a few observations...

Verb is at the end of a sentence: This is like the first thing a foreigner would notice about the language...because it's difficult for them. But well...there's no right or wrong. Just because we are used to the verb in the middle doesn't mean it makes more sense to be there.

This tells me a lot already. Communication usually comes in a batch of sentences. Mostly, I can never really understand the point until the sentence is over. It explains (at least to me) why Japanese are polite and patience (not quite the words I'm looking for, but sort of). Not only because they have to wait until the end of a sentence, but also because they absorb the essence of the language into their life. Patient, they've become.

Various forms: Japanese language has soooo many forms of things. Plain form. Polite form. Super polite form. Honorific form. Humble form. Form for self. Forms for referring to others. And I'm not making these up (except the "Super Polite" one :P)

So what does it tell me? Japan's social system is not only seen in practice, but also embedded in the language. The first word that came to my mind was "tight". I see this as both good and bad thing. The social system, which has (or had, I don't know) worked well since after WWII, is pretty difficult to penetrate. People seems to be happy about their life.

But, some people might say that it sucks (please excuse my language). The system is so strict; there's no flexibility...especially for younger people. Those who comes from a more-liberal social system would feel uncomfortable, especially in the work environment. Everything must be accordingly.

Tough position, indeed. All I can say is that social unity comes at a cost of individual freedom.

Language barrier: Sorry I'm going beyond the language itself. But I can't leave out the great hardshell of Japan. Here...nobody speaks English (of course, it's an exaggeration). But if you are here, you'll understand what I mean. They do speak English, but only when they really really have to. Japan also translate everything into Japanese, for example, books. Tons of foreign books in Japanese.

Anyway, I just recently learned that Katakana is not just for a foreign language. What's written in Katakana might sound similar to English (or any other language), but it's not. It's Japanese, and should be read accordingly...otherwise nobody wouldn't understand what you are talking about.

The language itself is quite difficult to master. I heard it'd take at least a year to actually use (talking and reading and writing) Japanese in everyday work & life. In a way, the language barrier protects Japan from various things outside. It's not easy to get immediate employment because of the language. It's also not easy to sell things to a Japanese if you cannot communicate well with them.

Well well well...there is no conclusion for this blog. Just scattered ideas and impressions of the country related to its language. Anybody, any more ideas? I'm just going back to my vocabs laew la. A big test next week /(o o')\

Ahhh...Another Trip (Nara とKyoto)

2005-10-30T21:56:00.000+09:00

The fact that I start writing this now, instead of studying for tomorrow's vocabs, confirms that I'm really addicted to blogging :P

I went on a (quite) short two-day trip. One to Nara, and about half a day in Kyoto. It was quite fun because there are many people this time...Mai & Jill's auntie and her friends. Sometimes I can't help but think about whether I'll have that much fun when I'm older. That'd be great.

Anyway...like my usual "travel" blog. Photos Photos and Photos...

Cool GPS...it's also a CD-,DVD-,MP3-Players!!!

Colorful Building in Nara...have no idea what they are :P

Chinese for Lunch

A very interesting buy

東　大　寺　(Todai-ji)

Very nice lawn...jing jing na...

It was after the rain

Why red?

On our way out

We spent one day in Nara, then went back to Kyoto for a nice Tonkatsu dinner. Too bad I ate before I think :P No photos of Tonkatsu this time. Next morning, we just went out shopping on a busy streets of Kyoto. We stopped by a temple on our way. There's something going on there...like a festival or concert, but we didn't linger for long. The rest is just shopping, eating, shopping, and more eating :9 ...so much fun (really, except the walking).

男の　たしなみ
(I don't really know why I bought this guy...herr)

A temple in Kyoto...don't know what it's called :P

Cute Japanese kids on the special day (3-5-7, right?)

I see these things in every temple I've been to

Strong Sun

Man...I like the wood!

And this is my favorite picture...guess why?

Well...another satisfied trip. Too bad it's too short. I wish I can go somewhere again some time. Hopefully soon...hopefully.

Edward Monkton

2005-10-28T16:48:00.000+09:00

I really don't know much about Edward Monkton, but I know that I like his artwork/thoughts. Thanks to my good friend who introduced me to his art. I browsed through his website...not much writing, more drawings though. So...this guy draws on greeting cards, mugs, t-shirts, and also write books. If anyone knows more about this guy, please let me know (^__^)

I took the liberty of putting some of his drawings here (since it's downloadable). If you wanna see more, just go to his website. I hope you like them too.

ともだちと　たべましょう　{Eating out with friends}

2005-10-27T21:28:00.000+09:00

Today I went out for dinner with my close friends at Yamasa: Nomy-san, Nui-san, Sai-san, and Huang-san. Two Thais, two Koreans, and one Taiwanese...we went to a Japanese restaurant nearby. Really...there's no story except lots of delicious food and beer. In fact, I'm currently drunk while writing this blog. Here are some photos...

Oishii Age-tofu

hmm..Yummy salad!

Delicious eel !!!

Soft-serve Ice Cream...sugoi desune~

I can't help but to tell how happy I am with the dinner...because of two things: good food & good friends. Amazingly, all of us was able to communicate only in Japanese.

私の新しい(古い)自転車 {My new old bike}

2005-10-23T17:19:00.000+09:00

Several day ago, I was lucky to inherit a bicycle from my Korean friend...Yoon-san. Thanks to Yoon-san (and to Jennifer-san for introducing him to me), I now have a bicycle without having to pay anything. So I treated him with a Sushi lunch one day :9

I can now go further and faster now. The bike is quite old (that's why I got it for free), and several things about it did't work properly. There was no bell, and the front brake (right-hand) was gone. The chain also crank a sound of loosing when I paddled a bit hard, especially uphill.

A few days ago, I bought it a bell and a lock (although it's probably the least attractive bike).
Yesterday, I found out that the front light still works :D
And, today, I just fixed up the front brake.

The chain is still a bit cranky though, but I guess I'm grateful already :D

October

2005-10-23T14:14:00.000+09:00

Naomi is not a girl's name, but a German band (I believe)...two guys named Bernd and Nico. "October" is one of my favorite song of the album - Pappelallee. And afterall, this is October, eh?

When I really really have nothing to write (but still want to)

2005-10-22T00:42:00.000+09:00

I have nothing to write because...

1. I now live in a very very small town in Japan
2. English, Thai, and Japanese are having a mini-WW3 in my head
...so I'm spaced out most of the time
3. I don't do much beside studying, eating, sleeping, and going to the grocery
4. I tend to eat all the time, which keeps my hand(s) occupied
...very difficult to type

But...But...But...I have a solution for today...because I feel like I should write something. I actually want to write something. Only that my brain is too tired for the heavy stuff. My days have not been very exciting for the fun stuffs. So...I'll just put some quotes on. Hahaha...what a cheap way out.

------------------- ^^ -------------------

"If all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a conclusion."
- George Bernard Shaw

"When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth."
- George Bernard Shaw (again)

"We've heard that a million monkeys at a million keyboards could produce the complete works of Shakespeare; now, thanks to the Internet, we know that is not true."
- Robert Wilensky

"In mathematics you don't understand things. You just get used to them."
- Johann von Neumann

"Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness; it is generally the by-product of other activities."
- Aldous Huxley

"I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult."
- Rita Rudner

------------------- ^^ -------------------

There is no relation whatsoever among these quotes. Just something I come acrossed from time to time.
:P

Encountering Stress?

2005-10-19T23:50:00.000+09:00

How do you deal with stress? And I'm not talking about a little stress...but rather a little strong stress. Strong enough to effect your concentration at work or your ability to sleep at night. Imagine that you have to pee badly that you almost cannot hold it any longer. That's the kind of stress I'm talking about.

People have their own way to deal with stress. Some are effective to some but not another. Some methods are common, some are useful, and some are radical. Here are some ways I can think of that people do to encounter stress:

Eat -- One the of the most popular stress-counter method is to eat. Eat snacks. Eat a full meal. Eat fried chicken. Or eat a veal. Eating method usually works, but more or less temporary. Once you get hungry again, you probably would be stressed again.

Drink -- Of course, I'm not talking about drinking water...but alcoholic beverages. This is very popular for people with broken heart (and if it's raining too :P) and want the stress to go away quickly somehow. It turns out that this method is unlikely to yield a success. Most of the time, it emphasizes stress...especially shortly after stop drinking or after waking up.

Exercise -- This is proved to be a very effective method to relieve stress, personal or work-related. I personally cannot find anything wrong with it, except that it's tough for lazy people to get started. Regular exercise can also prevent stress.

Massage -- This is a quick, addictive, and probably expensive way to relieve stress (unless you have someone who's willing to do it at you will). A good masseuse would make you forget about any stressful stuffs at the tip of their fingers...and likely to make you want to go into hybernation directly. It is addictive though. Sometimes stress comes up only because of the lack of massage :P

Work -- If it's not work-related, some people just put their minds into work or study. Similar to meditation, a high level of concentration makes the stress goes away. This can be useful sometimes.

Isolation -- This is popular (I think) again with the heartbrokens...either in love or in other things. Isolation sometimes help, but it is likely to increase the level of stress most of time. Usually accompanied with drinking and perhaps particular kind of music (which is not very useful for our purpose).

Shouting -- Though I have never really tried this myself, but I believe it's the quickest way to get a grip of oneself. Most people, I imagine, would shout into a pillow to prevent unnessary alarm to others nearby. I guess it's like a soft-reset of one's state of mind.

Writing -- Mostly it comes in the form of diary, either online or offline. Sometimes, stress is only needed to be let go somehow, somewhere, and in some form. As we grow up, we'll soon realize how little time we, our friends and family have each day. A lengthy talk on the phone or face-to-face might not be always available.

Friends & Family -- Friends and family often provide good support in stress relief (well, unless that stress are from them...but let's hope not). They are usually there to listen, which is more than enough most of the time.

Well...that's all I can think of right now. If anybody has any idea, please feel free to add some comments. In case you are wondering, I'm not under any kind of stress. At least, not recently. It's just some thoughts that acrossed my mind once in a while. Not a single brain cell was harmed during the production of this article.
...

Juicy Yolk!

2005-10-15T18:49:00.000+09:00

When it comes to boiling an egg, I often have absolutely no clue how long it should take for an egg to get cooked...let alone how the egg would be cooked the way I like it. But today was different. Somehow...yes, somehow...I was determined to boil an egg just the way I like it, with juicy yolk หรือยางมะตูมนั่นแหละ (well not exactly juicy, but I think you know what I mean).

This might be just common knowledge, but I (for one) have never known nor remember the way. And I found the way today! The eggs came out perfect...and I really mean Perfect!!!

...Take an egg (or eggs) out the the fridge for a little while. Boil water and put the egg in when the water is a little warm. When the water starts to boil, wait about 6-8 minutes...then take the egg out and put it in cold water. Done!

If you are like me (i.e. like juicy egg yolk and don't know how to do it), please try and let me know whether it also works in your kitchen or not. Maybe I'm just lucky today :P

Emptiness

2005-10-14T16:04:00.000+09:00

.....................
..................
...............
............
.........
......
...

Like a page unwritten,
Like a penguin,
Like a song unsung,
Like a phone...never rings.

Like a cup on the shelf,
Like a bowl in the sink,
Like a ping-pong ball,
Like a date without a fling.

Like an unplugged TV,
Like my mailbox,
Like a black sky,
Like that quiet dog.

Like a broken lightbulb,
Like a ceramic doll,
Like an uncharged battery,
Like a shadow on the wall.

Like the horizon,
Like a new postcard,
Like the bamboo shrub,
Like a brand new start.

Like life sometimes
full of affairs,
But when look closely
see nothing there.
...

I got Tagged!!!

2005-10-13T18:07:00.000+09:00

Tagged by Nong

Mechanics of the "Weird List" - Tagging Game:
Write 5 weird habits that you have and then tag 5 other ppl by leaving a msg on their blog and/or putting their links in your own blog.

1. I come to Japan for a language study right after my PhD (a lot of people find it quite weird)
2. I get drunk after a glass of wine
3. I like to turn the light off after I'm already in bed
4. I always fall asleep in a classroom regardless of how much I slept the night before
5. I now travel alone

Five Songs - The Rules:
List five songs that you are currently loving. It doesn't matter what genre they are from, whether they have words, or even if they're any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying right now. Post these instructions, the artists, and the songs in your blog (Xanga). Then tag five other Xanga friends to see what they're listening to. (*Well...since I'm not really on Xanga, I'll just list my songs)

1. Ela E Carioca (Jobim-Morelenbaum)
2. Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo'ole)
3. But Not For Me (Chet Baker)
4. Only Trust Your Heart (Stan Getz)
5. Summer (Joe Hasaishi)

Official rules:
Write 20 random facts about yourself then tag the same amount of people as minutes it takes you to write the facts.

1. I'm still a student
2. I love Macintosh
3. I don't have a Mac :(
4. I travel a lot lately
5. My clothes are hanging all over my apartment
6. I think slowly
7. I like snow
8. I miss my family & friends
9. I have many good friends, but all of them are quite far away
10. I love photography
11. I want an electronic dictionary (which is expensive)
12. I don't like studying Economics :P
13. I want a bicycle
14. My left foot is bigger than the right one
15. I love tennis
16. I love drinking with my close friends
17. I love delicious food
18. I write on my blog almost everyday now
19. I start to run out of idea now...
20. I wanna have a dog

TAG:
Hehe...it took me about 2 minutes to finish the list. I'd like to tag...
...Noomai... 'cus I know it'll spread through out Japan this way :D
...Kickoman... how about the 'cream of the crop' bunch of people? :D

Kyoto Revisited

2005-10-12T23:20:00.000+09:00

It was last year that I went to Kyoto, a three-day sightseeing trip. It was intense and...well, sleepless. Last year, I picked up a few important location such as Kiyomizu, Kinkaku-ji, and a few places I don't remember their names.

This year, I had a chance to visit Kyoto once again. I stayed there for a few nights in order to go to Osaka for a sport event (which I lost terribly and don't want to talk about it :P), but I had a day to look around Kyoto. Well, it was more like half of a day because I couldn't drag my lazy ass out of the bed until almost lunch time. Anyway...special thanks for Noomai & Jill for hosting me...gave me shelter and food...and be my wonderful tour guides.

During that half day, we made it to two places...namely Byodoin and Fushimi Inari. I guess it's because Mai & Jill called it the temple behind a 10-yen coin, I thought there's a huge 10-yen coin in front of the temple. But, in fact, the temple on the coin portrays the Byodoin temple.

I think I've said too much already. So unlike me :P
Should get to the pictures, eh?

The coin and the temple

Silhouette!!!

Look at the pond.......nothing :P

"give me..."

It was such a nice day

I love green!

Near the Byodoin (actually it's on the way in and out), there are tons of tea shop letting out the sweet aroma of green tea. We couldn't resist, so we tried.

Only if you can smell it ~~~

Kampai!

We also tried some 'tea ice cream' too, and it's very very delicious. Only that the picture is prohibited to the public (^^;)

Next was the Fushimi Inari. We got there at about the sunset time. I tried my luck with the Japanese "Siem-See" ...couldn't read. But it appeared that my luck was not so good. So I had to tie it somewhere.

On the way in...

There are a lot more of this red thing when we went in

By the time we went further in and walk through tons of the red gates, it was dark. It would give out a scary atmosphere if you go alone.

As usual, I took tons of photos. But we didn't stay too long because our stomachs wouldn't let us to. It was a long and torturing trip to a restaurant, but eventually our stomachs were fulfilled (with ramen & ice cream).

Too bad I didn't have so much time to look around more. There are more temples and shrines I want to visit. So, Kyoto, it's not over between us!!!

I really want to update my blog, But...

2005-10-12T00:08:00.000+09:00

...but I'm too damn busy! Can you believe it? I shouldn't really be busy, but I really am! And the only thing that's keeping me occupied now is "memorization" !!!

That's right...one of the things I hate to do, memorization. But I have to do it. Here are my vocabs for today...

かんたん　= easy
ちかい = near
とおい = far
はやい = early, fast
おそい = late, slow
（ひとが）おおい = many, more (people)
（ひとが）すくない = less (people)
あたたかい = warm :)
すずしい = cool :)
あまい = sweet
からい = spicy
おもい = heavy
かるい = light

はる = Spring
なつ = Summer
あき = Fall, Autumn
ふゆ = Winter
きせつ = season
あめ = rain
ゆき = snow
くもり = cloud
てんき = weather
「お」まつり = festival

もみじ = maple (red) leaves
くうこう = airport
ヘテル = hotel
せかい = world

And some Kanjis...

上 ~ うえ = above, on, up
下 ~ した = down, under
中 ~ なか = middle, inside
大 ~ おお、だい = large, big, great
小 ~ ちい、しょう = small, little
半 ~ はん、なか = half
分 ~ ふん、わ = minute, part, division
力 ~ ちから、りょく = power, force, ability
何 ~ なに = what
明 ~ あか = bright, light
休 ~ やす = rest
体 ~ からだ、たい = body
好 ~ す、こう = love, like, favorite
男 ~ おとこ = man, male
林 ~ はやし = wood
森 ~ もり = forest
間 ~ あいだ = between, interval
畑 ~ はたけ = cultivated field
岩 ~ いわ、がん = rock
目 ~ め = eye
耳 ~ みみ = ear
手 ~ て = hand
足 ~ あし、そく、た = foot
雨 ~ あめ = rain
竹 ~ たけ = bamboo
米 ~ こめ、べい = rice
貝 ~ かい = shellfish
石 ~ いし = stone
糸 ~ いと = thread, string
花 ~ はな = flower
茶 ~ ちゃ、さ = tea
肉 ~ にく = meat, flesh
文 ~ ふみ、ぶん = pattern, letter, sentence
字 ~ じ = letter, character
物 ~ もの、ぶつ、もつ = thing

Well...that's pretty much most of it. Herr...all I'm asking for right now is nothing more than a little (a lot is also ok) improvement in my memorization ability.

Oh...I'm losing a will to tell stories...

2005-10-09T02:43:00.000+09:00

Many things have happened in the past few days...many things I can cook up stories based on them. But, I just haven't felt like telling those stories. Not right now...not yet. It could be just because I'm plain lazy...or maybe something else...I don't really know. In fact, I did start writing several times before, about what had heppened. But I ended up discarding them all. Just didn't like them.

Anyway...in short, I went to Tokyo...then Kyoto...then Osaka day trip and back to Kyoto again. So many things, so many cities, so many train rides...

Water Morning Glory - Cooked!

2005-10-02T14:44:00.000+09:00

Actually, there's nothing much. Just that I cooked the Water Morning Glory (herr...isn't there a shorter name? Now I shall call it WMG la kan!) for lunch. As always, in a freaky way, I took a photo of my food. Here it is...

This was actually a big pile of WMG. But when I cooked it, the damn WMG shrunk to about 1/7 of its original size. Taste good though :P

My Nagoya Day Trip

2005-10-01T20:52:00.000+09:00

Since I arrived Japan, there has been no single weekend that I totally stay in Okazaki. Tokyo...Osaka...now Nagoya. Herr...these weekends has been hurting my beloved pocket, if you know what I mean. And they have made me pull out my secret superpower - stingy economist - out when I shop for food.

But anyway, I love all my weekend trips. Although just a day trip, this one is no exception. I went with other three of my classmates: Joerg-san, Liu-san, and Casey-san. When I call them, I always add "san" at the end because we always do that in class. Would feel weird without it :P

Joerg-san will leave tomorrow...going back to Switzerland. So we had our gathering as a day trip to Nagoya since no one had gone there before. First off...we went to Nagoya Castle.

Nagoya Castle

Nice Subway entrance!

An interesting place, only that it was burned down during the Second World War. But they did a good job in restoring it. Not much of the inside though. We spent a good amount of time there before heading to lunch.

All-U-Can-Eat!!!

We walked for quite a while until we found a place on the 10th floor of a building across Oasis 21. Well, out of hunger, we just went in without really knowing what they have to offer there. It turned out to be an All-U-Can-Eat "Japanese Fondue" (sorry, I don't really know the name). We ate a lot within the 1-hour limit a nice waiter told us. Actually, from eating there, we noticed Oasis 21 and went there afterward.

Oasis 21

On Oasis 21, there is a lot of water!

Still on Oasis 21...trying to take a weird photo :P

After we had our fun (which was basically walking around on a glass floor and took many pictures), we headed for the Osu Kannon Temple.

People at the Osu Kannon Temple

There was nothing much to do at the temple, except taking more pictures. So, we walked out shortly into a shopping district. After that, there was just a lot of walking and looking. Not before long, we said our goodbye and headed back to Okazaki.

My impression of Nagoya from just a day trip was that Nagoya is a big city that is not too crowdy. I like that. I guess I'll have time to find more about Nagoya later...again and again.

I'm not sure where this flower is?!?

Beer and Water Morning Glory

2005-09-30T19:26:00.000+09:00

I'm not a beer person. If I can choose, I'd rather drink Single Malt. But I have become more acquainted to beer lately. Why? I guess it's the easiest thing for someone who live alone and doesn't drink that much, but still like to drink a little :P

(BTW, for those who knows, I found Glenmorengie 10 yrs, Ardbeg, Glenlivet 12 yrs, and some other unimportant ones)

Anyway...back to the story. I went to Jusco at Aeon (which is even further than Seiyu, my regular supermarket)...walked around and got Beard Papa's Cream Puff and a cone of Vanilla ice cream. Almost bought FF Advent Children, but broke lah :P

Then, on my way back, I stopped by Seiyu for some grocery. In the beer section, I saw something I couldn't believe. My surprise #1, a tini-tiny can of beer...almost like a shot. I couldn't help but thinking whether it'd sell because, as many people might already know, Japanese are very tolerant to beer (some said it's in their gene). They drink beer like water here. So, what a mini-me of the mini-me of Japanese beer is doing on the shelf. I eventually decided to buy many sizes of Asahi beer just because of that.

From the picture above, look at the furthest one (considering the 2nd one from the front is a regular 350-ml can). That's so tiny. Only 135ml. That's amost like a shot of Espresso. Maybe it's just for quitting drinking.

Later on, I also found an amazing surprise #2. Water Morning Glory or ผักบุ้ง. I was so happy I paid 138 Yen for it. I see boil rice. I see Water Morning Glory stir fried with oystersauce :9

At home, my surprise #3 is that my "left-over" fried rice actually taste pretty good :P

My Osaka Trip (Part 3: Osaka Aquarium)

2005-09-29T23:08:00.000+09:00

Herr...eventually the last episode. I actually wanted to do this thing in one shot, but it's gonna be too damn long. Anyway, today's about the Osaka Aquarium.

After I woke up and got ready to go out from the Senrioka House, we went on motorcycles (sitting in the back, actually) going for the train station. Haven't ridden (in the back of) a motorcycle for a while...it kind reminded me of Thailand.

Well...anyway, I went separate way...away from the gang at the Shin-Osaka station...waving goodbye...and headed for the Osaka Aquarium.

I went early, about an hour early. But the line was already long, at least in my view. I stood there with all the people, mostly came with family...perhaps a couple of little cute kids. Hmm...I have always wonder why Japanese children are so cute and adorable.

I eventually got to pay a hefty 2,000 Yen and walked in the front door. People there greeted me with a friendly smile, just like elsewhere in Japan. After that, it's all like a photo shoot session. I took a photo of everything. Although the lighting was a big problem, and the creatures moved so fast, I managed to squeeze some photos to be shown here...

I just like the background color, somehow

It took me a gazillion shots on this guy
...and that's the best I could do

I never see this one move...in Tennessee...in Osaka

Nemo! Nemo?

This guy is absolutely HUGE!

The biggest Ray I've ever seen, at least 2m wide na~

Envy that guy jung!

I shall call him......"mini me"

I think it's a dolphin

Does this look like a scene from Alien? Or is it just me?

Jellyfish!!

Turtle there are nice too :)

....kirene....

I spent good two hours at the aquarium and came out with satisfaction. After that, it was just a long long walk with nothing accomplished. I meant to go to Numba and to find good Okonomiyaki for lunch. But walking without an actual map turned out to be a very bad idea. I walked and walked anyway...because I still enjoyed everything around me. Only that there's no Okonomiyaki in sight anywhere. Just shopping.

I eventually settled down with a cheap beef on rice, thinking I better spend on good Okonomiyaki next time. Then, I tried to go to Tennoji Temple...which should be close to the Thai Food Fest. I thought...that's my last stop before saying goodbye. But, I walked and walked again and again for hours...couldn't find the temple!?!

I eventually (again) gave up and headed for the Thai Food Fest. Bought some Beard Papa's cream puff for the people at the festival. Said goodbye. And left for Okazaki.

Too bad it was a short trip...but I have a feeling I'll go back to Osaka again. Until then...

Ela E Carioca

2005-09-29T01:30:00.000+09:00

It's been a while that I haven't put a song here. I meant to put it on for some time, but something else seems more important. So here it is... Ela E Carioca! (by Jobim & Morelenbaum, I believe)

My Osaka Trip (Part 2: The Osaka Castle)

2005-09-26T20:50:00.000+09:00

Now let's continue. Actually I don't have much to say. During the Thai Food Fest, I asked a fellow Thai student where I should visit. The guy recommended "Namba" - an area of shopping (that I realized once I get there). So Numba I went. I was walking around the area for a little while...had no idea where I was. I saw many deliciously-looked restaurants, but I was too full from Thai food. So I didn't have a chance to try some Okonomiyaki or Takoyaki :(

After a little while, I decided to go to the Osaka Castle. Not knowing the way, I asked at an information counter...where I got a subway map (a lifesaver for my trip). It was quite a train ride and quite a walk to Osaka Castle. I spent about 2 hours outside and inside of the castle...took tons of pictures. Since I went alone, I don't have much story to tell except the pictures I took. Here they are...

Oh...the light at the end of the tunnel

Quite a technology they had for the pole

I saw the sign...it said Osaka Castle, this way!

It was quite a nice afternoon...clear sky and all

I have tons of this picture from various places

Osaka Castle again

Somehow I didn't get tried of taking its picture

There was a cool breeze, so it's not so hot

Getting closer

Many kids around...chasing pigeons

Big Fish

Last shot lah

Cute bicycle, eh?

Hmm...I don't know him, really.

Moving toward the evening

This is where I came in...

...and it is where I came out

Well, the photos pretty much tell my story...which is "there is no story, just lots of pictures."

There's Something About Curry

2005-09-26T19:56:00.000+09:00

Originally I wanted to continue on the Osaka story, but something comes up. Yes...I made curry today. Since I don't want to make Tonkatsu in my little studio apartment, where I happened to sleep right next to the kitchen, I decided to make ground beef curry and throw in a boiled egg and some cabbage :9

So...I can't help but to talk about it a little, even just to show the picture. I don't know, but there's something about me and Japanese curry. I just love it!

P.S. I gotta study...so if I'm done with study not too late, I'll be back for the Osaka Sequel ;)

My Osaka Trip (Part 1: Thai Food Fest)

2005-09-25T22:21:00.000+09:00

I used to say to myself that I would never do a sequel, but I guess I was wrong. As the name might give it away, there will be a sequel to this one. So many things happened in my two-day Osaka trip. I guess I'll talk about the most important thing first, the Thai Food Festival. So I caught my Shinkansen to Osaka...

A View from Shinkansen

Thai Food Fest was one of the reason, among many, that I went to Osaka yesterday. Of course, I want to eat some Thai food (very satisfied, indeed) and I had a chance to meet other Thai students. Plus, I could get the cellphone from Jill right away. Thanks na krab, N'Jill :)

The Center Stage

So...I went straight from Okazaki to Nagoya to Shin-Osaka to Tennoji Station (well...that wasn't quite a straight route, is it?). Anyway, I saw so many people coming to the Thai Food Fest...and the festival was quite big. Almost 30 Thai restaurants joined. Since I only know Jill, and she had to work. So I just walked around and enjoyed the festival. Here are some of the pictures taken while I was strolling around...

That looks HOT!!!

I got to take it off from time to time :)

They also had Muay-Thai

And...some nice flowers

While I was walking around, I met a bunch of Thai students promoting the Thai Student Association in Japan: Kansai. A very interesting website, indeed. I actually had a very long, enjoyable chat with many of the Thai (and also Japaneses who speak Thai). It always gives a good feeling to meet wonderful Thai people when you just arrived in a foreign country alone. I spent so much time talking Thai with the Thais...I almost forgot that I came here to learn Japanese :P

In the afternoon, I took off for Namba and Osaka Castle...which will be in the "Part 2" of this series. In all, I had a heck of a good time at the Thai Food Fest.

Tennoji Park in the Evening ~ ~

The festival ended around 8PM. Originally, I planned to try out one the capsule hotel in Osaka. But Jill's friends are kind enough to host me for the night. So...I was waiting for Jill and helped a restaurant clean up. I guess it's a Thai thing...couldn't just stand there and watch them (who already worked so hard all day) . Anyway, it was fun...reminds me a lot when I helped out at About Bangkok.

Towards the end of this one, I want to express many thanks to the Senrioka Gang: Ae, Ple, Palang, and Taweii ...(hope I'm spelling everything right). Especially, Taweii who let me sleep in his room before he knows it. Without them, I would end up in a small capsule...perhaps with a bunch of old and drunk businessmen...somewhere in downtown Osaka. I hope everybody enjoyed the Beard Papa's Creme Puff :9

Laundry Laundry (洗濯 - せんたく)

2005-09-23T12:10:00.000+09:00

I really have nothing much to write...really. Maybe it is because I'm taking on Japanese. Have to study every day. But tomorrow will be a holiday...that means laundry day for me. I actually have been procrastinating my laundry for about a week now...for reasons that there's no dryer (I'll have to hand my clothes within my room) and that I still have more undies :P But that will run out sooner or later. Probably sooner, I think. So I guess I'll do laundry tomorrow.

Another reason I am afraid of laundry is that all the buttons are in Japanese. I'm just afraid that I'll push the wrong button and all my undies will become maroon. But well...I'll do it. And I'll come back to update this blog. [Saturday Night]

-------------------^^-------------------

きょうしつから。。。　
わたしは　タイから　きました。　どうぞ　よろしく　おねがいします。

-------------------^^-------------------

[Friday Morning] Ok...I put all the clothes in. Had no idea...so I just push several buttons. The only button I know is the "sataato" button. Here's how it looks. I've gotta figure it out some day ~~

[Friday Late Morning] ...pheeew... I finally finished hanging my clothes. The washing machine did a pretty good job in damping the clothes. It's not almost dry, but not soggy either. Better job than I expect (from a free laundry :P). One lesson I learned today though. Don't do two loads in one day...because you won't have enough place to hang it! My apartment now is officially the room of not-so-dry clothes. Can't hardly see sunlight coming in :P Hopefully they'll dry by tomorrow, in time for my Osaka trip.

In conclusion, I think laundry today was a successful mission. So I should treat myself by eating out :9

私は東京に行った (I went to Tokyo)

2005-09-18T21:17:00.000+09:00

I went to Tokyo on Friday to see my cousin, who came to Japan on a business trip. We had dinner with his kind Japanese friend, who treated us with the Shabu-Shabu dinner. The dinner was quite fun with lots of suggestion for me on how to face the 'working world'. I do appreciate their valuable advice.

I stayed with my cousin on Friday night, so we had time to chat after a long time. I sent him off in the morning before I went to see my friend, Nuaa, at Shinjuku station.

Shinjuku Station (behind me)

Shinjuku station is a very busy station. Busy means tons and tons of people walking here and there. I was instructed to wait in front of a flower shop at the South exit. When I exit at the South exit, I immediately see the flower shop...but with a bit of (culture) shock. There were at least 20-25 people standing in front of the flower shop...looking toward the South exit. And, I was about to be one of them.

A view of Tokyo

After Nuaa arrived, she brought me to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building...which let us see the view of Tokyo. It was something. Tokyo is really a mega-city. A very crowded one, indeed.

After some sightseeing and (a delicious and cheap) lunch, we went to Odaiba. There are many things at Odaiba, museums and shopping centers. But it was getting dark, and there was only one thing in our minds...a hot bath. Nuaa took me to Oedo Onsen Monogatari, an Edo-style decorations. Not only just the hot bath, but there are restaurants, foot massages, resting room, etc. We spent plenty of time there. If I have time, I'll come back and elaborate on the Onsen. Or maybe after I go back there again :P

In front of the Onsen (but still inside)

Preparing for the hot bath ^^

After the Onsen, it was late...and Nuaa was kind enough to offer me a place to sleep. Well, that's because there is a guest room at the dorm (such a nice dorm!). In the morning, Nuaa was kind enough (again) to make a nice breakfast. Luckily I was quick enough to take the picture of my breakfast before gobbling in.

A very lovely breakfast

After the breakfast, I went on the mini tour of the International Christian University (ICU). I know this university for a long time since I worked at Thammasat, but this is my first time seeing it. Well...it's like locating in the forest. Lots of trees. A very green campus, indeed.

The International Christian University (ICU)

Before leaving, we had lunch. Ramen and Soba, to be specific. The Ramen shop was a very small one with a counter for 10-15 people to sit and eat. Behind the counter, there were 3 people cooking...quickly and smoothly. We had to be in a line and wait until some people finished their meal. Before we knew it, the line got so long. Well...the noodles were so delicious, I didn't say much through out the meal. I guess (because I didn't really see me) I had a very "satisfied" expression on my face when I walked out from that Ramen place.

An absolutely delicious Soba & Ramen

But that's not all. We went for dessert. A French patisseries nearby. Oh...delicious cakes and chocolates. Rich and dense. Along with strong and beautiful coffee. It had made my day.

Also...the wonderful dessert :9

Oh...look at the coffee!!!

It took me a big while to get back to Okazaki. I was exhausted, but very happy. I know I have a lot of work ahead of me. But I guess I am looking forward to it!

I will have 5 trash bins for my tiny studio apartment

2005-09-15T20:18:00.000+09:00

Well...I'm so tired, but can't help but to write a little about 'trash' today. Although I know that Japan is a country with high environmental awareness, this is the first time I'm exposed to how they do it. It's simple and straightforward, separating your trash!

During the orientation today, I was given information about "separating trash." Many countries do separate their trash, re-use, and recycle. But I haven't seen anyone does it as vigorously as Japan. And that's good, I think.

I'm instructed (and given a thin book) about separating my trash. I had to read the book a couple of times to get some idea. And, here's what I understand (please correct me if you know I misunderstand)... I have to separate my trash into 5 groups: paper, plastic, PET bottle, burnable, and non-burnable trashes. And, specifically for the PET bottle (or regular juice bottle), the cap and label go under 'plastic', where the bottle belongs to 'PET bottle' category. This means we have to be careful in separating our trash as well. There's also a specific date for the pick up of each type of the trash, so I'll have to dump them at the site accordingly. So...I'll now have about 5 trash bins/bags for my tiny studio apartment.

Sincerely, I think this is a good thing although it means more work for me in trashing things. If we are used to it, separating trash into 5 categories is only another simple task (at least I believe so)...a simple task which will help the environment tremendously.

P.S. I guess there are many 'voluntary' activities like this in Japan. It could be a potential explanation why Japanese economy is not growing...which is because these 'voluntary' (or household's) activities are not recorded in the GDP measurement.

eigo ka wakarimasuka? nihongo ka wakarimasen.

2005-09-14T21:30:00.000+09:00

That means, "understand English? (I) don't understand Japanese." And that's my day today. It is so energy consuming...being in a place where nobody around you understand what you are talking about, and vice versa. But that's only the beginning.

I haven't done that much today. Only exchange some US Dollars for Japanese Yen. Pay rent (which made my wallet fly). And, shopped for food and necessary household things. It's my first day in this little studio apartment, really.

I'm on the 2nd floor

Room 202

The view from my window

There are many good things about this studio. Fridge, Rice Cooker, pots & pans, Air-conditioner, etc. are provided. I only had to buy some plates, bowls and silverware. But I didn't spend much time in the apartment. After reporting and paying rent at the Yamasa Institute, I stopped by the 100-yen store to buy some necessary stuffs: such as trash bin, toilet paper, silverware, plate, glass, bowl, etc. I happened to buy a couple of cup noodle, which saved my life for lunch. I realized I had to buy some fresh food. So, I started walking and looking at the map. It was a long 20-minute walk toward the supermarket/store, Feel News (I don't know how they come up with the name).

At Feel News, I walked around and bought things like...chicken, salt, pepper, cabbage, garlic, oil, eggs...things that are necessary for making my own food. There's no fishsauce or oyster sauce. I figured soy sauce should be ok. But, when I looked, I found the same-color sauce. All of them could be soy sauce, but then only some of them can be soy sauce. And, thanks to my Japanese illiteracy, I had no idea which one to pick. So...I just guessed. It turned out that the sauce I chose is kinda sweet. Don't know what it's called though, but I like its taste.

Anyway, after grocery shopping, I realized I bought a little too much. I had to pull all my strength to carry my grocery back home. It was a bit too good of an exercise, because I was almost out of breath when I got home...all sweaty and overheated.

But the most important thing about today is in two folds. One, I couldn't speak Japanese...so all I did was smiling to everybody who talked to me. Two, everybody who talked to me cannot speak (nor understand) English. So...they kept talking in (to me) a super-fast Japanese. I couldn't even follow the price of things they (cashiers) told me.

What impressed me is still the friendliness and the willingness to help. At the bank, a lady teller tried to help my and guided me in writing my name in Katakana.

Tomorrow will be the first day of class. Who knows what awaits me.

A (really) little thought on "Asymmetric Information"

2005-09-14T08:40:00.000+09:00

(I want to talk so much about my arrival in Japan, but I'll wait a little longer for that)

While I was waiting to board the plane, I had so many thoughts...like always. Drifting through my seemingly-random thoughts, I came across one about economics (again) about "asymmetric information.

I'm no expert on the issues about economics regarding information. I have not even read that many articles or books about it. What I understand is that Asymmetric Information plays quite a role in promoting inequality or an unfair trade or other similar things. In short, it's just not a fair play when information is not distributed evenly. Now, this doesn't mean that everybody has to know everything about everyone. It only means if someone don't know something, nobody else shouldn't know it too.

Anyway, please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, we mostly concentrate on how to make asymmetric information more symmetric. That's under the assumption that, in short, "human-being is selfish." So, we accept the selfish nature of human to be the unchangeable fact, and we'll try to solve the problem by correcting the asymmetric information.

But I also think about it the other way around...since getting all information straight for everybody seems quite hard for me. Let alone the amount of information we have to absorb everyday. What if we accept the asymmetric information as a natural, unchangeable fact...and try to work something out about the selfishness. Would it be easier?

I'm not trying to conclude anything here. Just some thoughts. Maybe someone can enlighten us, fellow bloggers, with some thoughts of yours.

P.S. Lately, I learned that long blog is not fun to read...and it indeed takes more time. Hope this one is not too long na ;)

I'm leaving on a Jetplane

2005-09-13T07:34:00.000+09:00

Still can't believe I'm 32,000 feet above some coldest part of Canada...going at about 800 Km/hour, further and further away from Ithaca. Still think that I'll get to play tennis in the evening and go home tonight. But I guess things are a bit different now. I will never go back to Ithaca the way I used to. The next time I'm back, I'll be visiting, and not hosting.

I start to miss many people and many things in Ithaca. I'll miss my housemates (Soe, Por, and Natt); I'll miss playing tennis; I'll miss all the crazy (and also peaceful) partying; I'll miss all the cooking (well, not by me) and good homemade food; I'll miss Magnus' dessert too; and, I'll miss all my friends in Ithaca (no matter how long we get to know each other).

During the last few days in Ithaca, I felt like I didn't want to leave...although I have to (or I chose to). I find myself extra-sensitive right now. Have you ever feel like there's a golf ball stuck in your throat and don't know whether you should try to swallow it or let it out? I had that a lot lately. Extra-sensitive, ya? :P

Of course, I'm excited and anxious about going to Japan. Still have no clue how my life will be though, but I'm keeping an open mind about it. Hope there'll be many new things for me to explore and I will learn something. Life goes on.

I still can't believe I already left Ithaca for good...
...only my heart remains.

The Last Day in Ithaca

2005-09-11T15:56:00.000+09:00

Finally, my last day in Ithaca have come. So much has happened during the last few days, a short time. All kinds of feeling I've had. I don't even know how to describe them.

I held a big party yesterday, and it got really big...bigger than I imagined. Luckily, there's enough food for everybody. The party was a blast though. I had a hellova good time. And, I hope everybody did. I don't know when I will have such party again.

Today, I tried to spend time with my closest friends...it turned out I have so many good friends here. I went to a nice dining with 16 other people. Came home. And, found a pleasant surprise. A slideshow my housemates and closest friends had put together for me. It was very touching...making me feel like I don't wanna leave this place. I would've cried if not so many people around. I would've cried with friends who cried. But, I was just too stubborn :P I guess I'll have my chance of shedding tears when nobody is looking.

I am very touched and feel all the love and great friendship. Oh...I have so much feelings pouring out of my heart, but I'm just too lousy to put them into words. One thing is clear though. I am determined to come back next summer when many of my friends here will graduate. If that comes true (and I deeply hope so), today is not my last day in Ithaca :D

Theories & Techniques

2005-09-06T07:04:00.000+09:00

I talked about "Education" in general before...and got very good feedbacks, opinions, and encouragements. This time, I'm going to concentrate on my field of study, Economics.

If we divide Economics (as a field of study) into two level, that would be (1) undergrad+master's and (2) doctoral. The main reason I put them this way is because of the way of the study. Undergrad and Master's degree in Economics are quite similar everywhere (or at least where I've seen). It's mostly about learning and understanding economic theories...how they work.

The doctoral study of Economics is mostly mathematical based (at least in the U.S.), which is almost totally different from the prior study. So, you don't really have to have studied economics before you take on studying Ph.D. in Economics, which is more theories in depth. In fact, it is considered an advantage to have a strong mathematical background, i.e. BS in Math or something.

I think...there are many good things about studying economics in any level. It helps with the 'vision' on the economy's well being and all. It helps improving the process of logical thinking and planning. I also believe that studying economics is useful for anyone in a society. But what I am going to say here is more about what I want to see in economic studies. And that's the techniques of conducting economic researches.

I've learned so many theories from formal economic education, but I had to learn the techniques (practical procedure of doing economic research) used in various researches by myself. Not only that, to find data or sources of data is also a self-exploration. Of course, these things are not exactly economics (at least they have nothing to do with the theories), but we have to learn "how to" in order to implement or to apply the theories we learned from classroom. And that "how to" is all the non-theory techniques I've been talking about. How to find exchange rate data? How to know which data source is reliable? How to tell the different among the three exchange rate from IMF's data? How to write SAS code for econometric modeling? How to...?

I'm not saying that learning all the math and theories is wrong or bad, but I think it'd be great if academic institutions can spend more resource on training of techniques. Afterall, these techniques are highly in demand in the job market. So, I guess my point aims at the curriculum. And I think, by now, you know I'm talking about the curriculum of Ph.D. programs in Economics.

The priority of most curriculum concentrates on passing the Micro and Macro qualifying exams, which is highly mathematical. I've seen people crying after these exams. No need to say, it's an extremely tough test...not only a test of knowledge, but also a test of endurance to the pressure...physically and mentally. Any Ph.D. student in Economics can confirm on that.

The way I see it (which is not necessary right) is that the aim of a Ph.D. Economics is to produce a person that can write "good" research papers. Which is good...depending on what "good" means. In other words, the current curriculum concentrates a lot on the theories. I believe good theories are good (a little bit redundant :P), but unimplementable good theories are useless.

Today's blog is not about saying that theorists are bad. I believe there are many good and implementable theories out there. There are those who work hard to really help improving the world. Only that I see less and less of these group of people. And I'm worried.

I guess what I want to see is more balance in the curriculum. Academics, who live in the ivory tower, should not forget that they are also human. It is absurd to keep improving your theories all day long without realizing that only a handful of people can understand it and noone has any idea how to use it. I want to see higher education that doesn't forget its root. Abstracts that come along with realities. Theories that walk hand-in-hand with techniques. Economics that is really about people.

Treman State Park, NY

2005-09-04T15:24:00.000+09:00

I meant to write this tomorrow, but can't resist. I think I'm addicted to blogging already :P

Today, I went hiking at the Treman State Park with a big bunch of Thai students. It took us about 20 minutes by car, which is pretty close to Ithaca. We (those with a car) had to pick up people (those without a car) around campus. I think we got there and were ready to start hiking around 11am (which is not much off schedule, I think).

It was such a nice day with a cool breeze. Not too cold, not too hot. We all walked a long way (mostly) UP!!! Actually, there's nothing much to tell about the hike...except the fact that I was running up and down the line just to take pictures of people and plants.

Once we got to the top, we had lunch :9 It's a good thing that Ple from About Bangkok agreed to cook up some sticky rice and grilled chicken for the nong nong. The food was amazing, especially after an hour of hiking.

After lunch, a bunch of us played Ultimate Frisbee...which made me realized after running for a few minutes...that I'm old :P Can't really keep up with the nong nong. They are fast and never get tired :P And, eventually, we goes on our way home.

But that was not over for me. I played tennis with Natt in the late afternoon...say around 4:30pm. We had a long long game going for a couple of hours, and I got my butt kicked again and again. I hope one day (perhaps when Natt gets older) I'll beat him :P

So...it was a long day. I'm so tired and sore and out-of-energy. Yet I'm still writing this blog. Like I said...I think I'm addicted to blogging.

Education

2005-08-31T14:05:00.000+09:00

I am proud of my achievement in the academic world...getting a Ph.D. and all. But I can help but thinking twice in a while whether it is worth it. Sometimes I wonder whether it's because I took all the time and energy to achieve this, I convinced myself that it must be good.

I've been studying all my life. Studying as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Study just to be good at studying. Now that I'm done, I can't help thinking about what to do next. I don't know how to do anything else but to study. Well, I know how to do a few things...but I think that's not enough. I should know more (at my age).

Well, let me narrow down to the studies of Economics...my area of expertise. Interestingly enough, I know many (not all) of the theories well (and some, not well)...but I don't know for sure that a personal check in Thailand become invalid after six months, until today. And, I'm pretty darn sure most of economic students in Thailand don't know this. And, I bet most of economic students don't know where to get information about GDP, import, export, national accounts, etc. Ain't that something. Studying a lot of economics, but don't know how it actually operates.

So, what good does education have? I have given some thoughts into this, and I think the education is good and it's useful...in most case, when applied to solve real world's problems. So, useful or useless, it depends a lot on the person utilized the education.

Let's say...a person's overall ability/quality (in general sense) comes from two sources: formal education and life experience. How much do you think comes from formal education as opposed to life experience? 50:50? 80:20? or 30:70? You tell me.

Personally, and this is only my view from studying economics, I think formal education contributes less than 50%. Mostly working experience, personal expertise (perhaps in computer programming), and perhaps personality contributes a lot to one's advancement in career/life.

Should it be so? To me, I would love to see more real life and real world examples in the classroom. I would love to see students (actually) learning...not just studying. I start to see, in the field of Economics and Business (perhaps), the academic world and the real world are drifting apart...especially in higher education (i.e. doctoral).

I really have no conclusion on this one. Only that, if I ever have a chance to pass on my knowledge to younger generations, I'll make sure I teach them something simple and useful...not some high-class theory (by some developed countries' standard) with no application to a country like Thailand.

Rochester, NY

2005-08-28T13:33:00.000+09:00

I went to Rochester today. Rochester is one of a bigger town (than Ithaca, of course) in NY State. It locates about two hours northwest of Ithaca. Thanks to my good friends, Mo & Pim, who were kind enough to ask me if I want to go with them. I agreed :)

Off we went! There were six of us: Mo, Pim, Joe, Chate, Fair, and I. The first thing we did was going to a Chinese Restaurant called Golden Port to have some Dim Sum. Man! The Dim Sum was great! We had lots, and I enjoyed everything from Turnip Cake to Roasted Pork Bun.

After lunch, we went to a Buddhist Temple somewhere (I don't know where because I fell asleep all the way :P). The reason we went to a temple is because it's Fair's birthday, I believe. Anyway, at the temple, we donated some money, went through some praying, กรวดน้ำ (sorry, don't know how to say it in English), and chat with the monk. It happened to be a very interesting conversation because the monk talked to us about almost anything from thinking of our mothers on our birthday to Thammagaai (ธรรมกาย) Sect of Buddhism (and happened to be a controversial one in Thailand, I think) to a strong support to the current Prime Minister of Thailand. I almost fall asleep (due to lack of sleep the night before). Well...let's just say I'm not very good in paying attention that long.

We went to George Eastman House (Eastman Kodak) afterward. The house is actually a museum of photography and film, the oldest one. It used to be the house of George Eastman, the founder of Eastman Kodak Company. I guess the pictures speak better than words...

We spent quite some time there at Eastman House. The next stop was the waterfall of Rochester. We didn't do much there beside chilling. There was quite a breeze.

Then, of course, we were hungry and ready for dinner. Shiki, a small Japanese restaurant, was our choice. There, I had some sushi and "hamba" steak. The impressive thing about this restaurant is their salad dressing. For most Japanese restaurant I've been to in the US, the salad dressing has lots of vinegar. Only for this one, it's smooth and creamy...a little bit sweet but light. Enjoyed the dinner very much :9

Well...let's just say (again) I came home very satisfied and full of Japanese food in my stomach.

P.S. Today's blog is a bit different as you notice. Lots of pictures. How is it? I wonder which one is better: more to read or more to see. Let me know. Here are some more pictures :P

Guilty

2005-08-27T14:56:00.000+09:00

Have you ever pissed off a good friend unintentionally?

I just did. And I can't do anything about it. Made me feel terrible. Imagine a friend who is too tired from a long day...don't want to listen to your explanation or your apology. I wish I could turn back time...and stop myself from making the stupid joke.

I don't think I can sleep tonight.

Ithaca Ginger Beer

2005-08-26T14:19:00.000+09:00

The other day...I had a chance to try Ithaca Ginger Beer at Collegetown Bagels ('ve been here five years and just heard of it ^^;). The ginger beer tasted very good. Like Root Beer with rich ginger flavor. It is actually gingery spicy. Love it!

New York City (again and again)

2005-08-25T12:39:00.000+09:00

I went to NYC yesterday, but I came back today. Sooo tired...too tired to cook up a story right now. So, I'll come back and tell you all about it. You can be sure that good food is involved...

Well...I'm back. As many of you might have already guess it right, today's topic evolves around food again. But also something on this trip as well. Shall we start?

There were several purposes of this NYC trip (3rd time in two weeks). I went on Monday with Tob to help her move her stuffs as she'll attend NYU. On Tuesday, I picked up Pong (coming from Thailand), Aim (coming from Pittsburgh), and Pap (coming from DC) back to Ithaca.

There was nothing much on Monday. We departed Ithaca in the afternoon and reached Flushing by dinner time. We had a quick Korean dinner. Too bad we didn't know what to order, so just some simple dishes. I was so tired from driving. I fell asleep before I knew it.

Tuesday morning. Pong and Tob's mom arrived. Lucky me. I suppose to pick Pong up from the airport, but thanks to Tob's mom. He could tag along. So, I could sleep as late as I wanted :)

For lunch, I went to a very delicious Korean restaurant. Too bad I cannot remember the name, but I'll surely know how to get there. We had a very good Bulkoki and Kalbi and Soon Tofu Chige and many more. Thank you to Tob's mom who treated us that lunch. The funny thing about that restaurant is that it's Kimchi is patented. IH-22 Lactic Acid Bacteria! Wow!

In all, we had a very very good and satisfying lunch. I took a nap after that (now you know how good it was). Not so long, Pap called to tell me that she arrived Port Authority. That means I'll have to take off (with Pong going along). And so we did. Only that we had to stop by for a side mission, buying Cha-om (ชะอม) and other stuffs for Ple. Mission accomplished ^^

Finally, we picked up Pap and Aim and was on our way to dinner. I was gonna take them to a Yakitori place I like very much (and meant to go there many time, but failed). I failed again. We arrived there at 5:30PM, but the place won't open until 6PM. So we went to "Go" another Japanese restaurant with a really really good Okonomiyaki. I hadn't had a Okonomiyaki since I left Illinois. That's 5 years ago. So, I bought some ingredient for making a Okonomiyaki at home ^o^

But the day was not over. We continued our search for one of the best Cream Puff, according to Pong. It's Beard Papa's Cream Puff. It's very delicious. They make the cream puffs at the instant we ordered by injecting the cream right there before your eyes. The cream puff is rich and creamy. Slightly sweet, but not too sweet. Crispy outside, creamy and soft inside. Ah...am I describing it too much?

Anyway, we left NYC another time. This time it was more about Japanese food than Chinese food. I thought it might be among the last times I'll get to enjoy NYC. May be once or twice more...

About Bangkok

2005-08-21T13:16:00.000+09:00

About Bangkok is a restaurant owned by my friend, Ple. And, that where I was working today. The story started with About Bangkok was in shortage of staff...and I was able to trick Natt into going with me. (If you know Natt and I, you'll know that getting us to work in a restaurant is almost impossible) ...And so we went.

I did the cashier, hosting, answering the take-out phone calls, and other small things I could. Natt was the waiter, along with Ple. Things were so hectic for me. I have to get all the prices into the bill, and I have to browse through the menu for every bill. I guess if I can remember all the prices, it'd be an easy task. But anyway, I didn't do much. This machine here (on the right) I use very often. Just swipe a credit card and punch in some numbers...I was able to charge our customers.

There was about 25 tables in and about 10 take-outs. Natt did an excellent job on the waiting. The dude was as quick as a monkey. Well, anybody who knows Natt would know that he's a neat and clean person. But man, the dude was so efficient. A customer who was paying told me to make sure Natt gets the tip. I couldn't imagine Natt in a service industry, but he did a damn good job today

The evening went quite smooth. There are quite a few things I learned there:

Memorizing the menu & price will make the job easier.
The bottleneck is often in the kitchen (it's quite tough when everybody walks in around the same time, dinner time). If cooked faster, the turnover rate will rise.
Kitchen floor can be damn slippery
Coming in as a couple, they stay on and chat. Coming in as a family, they leave quickly
If you sell liquor, you'll definitely sell more
People don't like to wait too long for their food
Helping each other makes the job goes a lot faster
A glass of whiskey after work tastes a lot better than the same glass of whiskey alone

I think I'll do it again. I start to believe that it'll make me a better person. Really.

I'll do absolutely nothing next Friday!

2005-08-20T12:30:00.000+09:00

I've been writing about what I had done. Since I hadn't done much, I'm going to write about my hectic 'next week'.

Tomorrow, I think I'll have to help Rodyon moving some of his stuffs from the storage to his new apartment. His storage is 10'x10'...can't imagine how much I'll have to carry. And, in the evening, I'll help Ple with her restaurant, which faces a serious staff-shortage problem. It'll be interesting because I haven't done this before...and even more interesting because I tricked Natt to going with me :P

On the upcoming Monday, I'll help Tob move her stuffs to NYC. More carrying. More driving. More New York City.

On Tuesday, I'll pick up Pap, Aim, and Pong from NYC to come back to Ithaca. Pap will be coming back from Washington D.C., Aim will be coming back from Pittsburgh, and Pong will be coming back from Thailand.

On Wednesday, I'll be back in Ithaca...but will have to help Rodyon with the final moving. More carrying is expected.

On Thursday, I'll have to bring my car to service. Something (minor) is wrong with a sensor in the engine. I'll need to get it fixed before the delivery of the car.

So...I plan to do nothing on Friday. Will just rest.

Tender Duck! Crispy Duck! (เป็ดนุ่ม! เป็ดกรอบ!)

2005-08-18T01:09:00.000+09:00

The story begins with my recent New York day trip. I have got to go to NYC so many times this month. Every time, I have been going through the ritual of "Tender Duck! Crispy Duck!" ...more or less.

But the history of "Tender Duck! Crispy Duck!" goes way back to when NooMai and NooJill visited Ithaca earlier this year (is that right?). We went to NYC with Natt, who is an expert in New York Dining...especially the area around Chinatown. Natt took us to a Chinese food marathon eat-out. Starting with Dessert! At Cafe Ferrara, I ate a big strawberry short cake, cannoli and coffee. Then, we went to have the Tender Duck with Hoi-Jor. And we ended up at the Crispy Duck place to eat the duck and wanton + noodle. There were 5 of us, and we only ordered 1/4 of a duck and a bowl of wanton. Fortunately, the waiter didn't kick us out :P All the food were so delicious, but we ate 'til we couldn't anymore.

Ever since then, we (Natt & I) do the "Tender Duck! Crispy Duck!" ritual every time we take someone new to NYC. But since last week, we add the Mini-Salapao (เซียวหลงเปา) in to the sequence.

Yes, I went to NYC twice in a week already. Last Thursday, I went to apply for a Visa to Japan with Natt and Aim. I couldn't eat that much due to lack of sleep the night before, I guess. We started the Mini-Salapao thing.

I went to NYC again to pick up my Visa yesterday with Natt, Ple, and Pap. This time we had a long sequence of eating. We started off with a delicious Chocolate-filled Croissant from Payard, one of the best in NYC. Then, we went for the Tender Duck, where we had Duck (of course), pork leg (ขาหมู), and Hoi-Jor (หอยจ๊อ). The Crispy Duck was up next. And not just the duck, we had wanton and noodle too. The strange thing is that both restaurants didn't serve hot tea at all. Made us very เลี่ยน (sorry, I cannot find a word in English). But we continue on anyway to the Mini-Salapao place.

A mistake at the Mini-Salapao place was to order two set of the Salapao (8 pieces each). I ended up eating six pieces, and each piece is not small too. Delicious and overwhelming...good thing they serve hot Chinese tea there (Thank you).

In the end, we stopped by Cafe Ferrara for ice cream on the run. We had to send Pap at Port Authority by 6PM. And, we had about half an hour starting from Chinatown. With the traffic, we might not make it. So, Ple took Pap on the subway. They got there just in time to buy the ticket but not for the bus if it left on time. Luckily, the bus was an hour late. Pap got on the bus and reached DC on time. Everybody goes home happy...and very very full.

P.S. Sorry, no photos of the food...because we ate them too quickly :9

Dust in the Wind

2005-08-16T05:54:00.000+09:00

It's been a while that we haven't had a song on. Here it is... Dust in the Wind originally by Kansas...but sung by Sarah Brightman here. Gosh, she has a beautiful voice.

Past, Present, and Future

2005-08-15T14:00:00.000+09:00

Today's blog can be confusing...because, at this point, I really don't know what I am going to talk about. Just my thoughts, I guess.

The Past. Some people, it seems, spend most of their days in the Past. And, from my own observation, they are mostly sad people. It's not that their part is all bad. It's only that they choose to cling on to the sad parts of their pasts. They are sad not because of something happens today, but from something happened some time ago. Maybe yesterday. Maybe two years ago. It makes their lives miserable. So miserable, most of the little good things in the present are often clouded by the fog from the Past. They cannot enjoy the present, let alone the future.

But of course, we cannot live without the past. The Past contains our memories. The Past, when looked upon, can sometimes make people smile even if it has just a little of good memories in it. The Past makes us who we are today.

The Present. People, who spend most of their days in the Present, are mostly happy people. At least that's what I think or what I see. These people seem to enjoy every moment of their lives...from waking up, listening to music, eating, playing, etc. Even when they have to go through a tough day at work, they confront it with courage and the will to move forward. They enjoy the present so much...they don't care how long it will last. That is because they enjoy the Present, not (enjoying) a day, a month, or a year. Just the moment.

But, again, enjoying so much the Present can just make one forget about the Past...which can mean that person completely lost his/her memory or, in a milder case, simply forget his/her mother's birthday.

The Future. If you only concentrate on the future alone, you are just plain confused. You are confused possibly because you don't know what you are doing in the Present and what the Past means to you. Some people call it daydreaming. Of course the future is uncertain, so people of the Future spend a lot of time thinking about many possible futures. Some (possible future courses) are unreasonably thought of more than others. The people of the Future never reach their destinations or have been fulfilled...because the future always run away. Afterall, Tomorrow is still a tomorrow.

Of course, without thinking about the future, one has no hope. The Future is good at keeping people in focus...keeping their chin up no matter how bad the Past has treated them and how empty the Present is.

Who are You?

The View from Space

2005-08-13T11:54:00.000+09:00

I've been playing with "Google Earth" - a new software by Google. What it does is that it lets you browse the earth with the ability to zoom in. In most big cities, the details of buildings when zoomed in are amazingly impressive. Thank you to Xtreme for introducing the software to me through her site.

I thought the program was so-so. But, my impression changed after I was able to find my house in Bangkok (above). I think it's a quite-cool program. More things can be done if your location is in the US though...such as finding hotels, highways, restaurants, etc. If anyone want to find out more about this program, it's here. Have fun!

Happy Mother's Day !!!

2005-08-12T13:42:00.000+09:00

I love my mom very much.
Wishing you all the joy and happiness na krub, Mama ;)

Blogging at 5

2005-08-09T17:56:00.000+09:00

It's almost 5AM, and I just woke up.

For some people, this is called "early." But for me, it's "middle of the night." I often wake up in the middle of the night when I drink a lot. And, I did drink quite a bit earlier. In fact, I was drunk...drunk enough to fall asleep unknowingly. Somehow, when I just wake up, I have a sudden urge to blog. Oh...maybe I'm addicted to this thing already.

Anyway, there was a party earlier. The original cause of today's party was the fact that Nong Pap is done with her Q-Exam, a super-stressful Ph.D. qualifying exam in the Econ Department. And, it is because Nong Noki and Pap will leave tomorrow for Washington D.C.

It started quite early, about 3PM. Natt and I bought Supporo Beer and waited at her apartment. We (Natt, Noki, Pap, Aim, and I) went out shopping for dinner cooking and bought a lot of raw materials.

The theme was Kalbi (Korean-style Ribs hotplate). Oh...we had so much food. Soooo much that it made me actually feel really "stuffed" ...really and seriously. If you buy a pack of Kalbi (raw), you'll often see a lot of fat. Fat makes it tastes very good, but not feeling good after a lot consumed...I learned that the hard way today. I was so stuffed with fatty delicious food that I couldn't move. How pathetic...

Beside Kalbi, we had Jab-Chai (Ten-Veggie Soup). Only that I had about 4 kinds of vegetables in the soup. Natt also made his famous fried chicken...a lot of it. It took four people to prepare the chicken into a huge bowl. I couldn't believe Natt cooked it all...and I couldn't believe that we ate it all too.

Then, I guess, we drank a lot. Natt seemed to be drunk ahead of everybody else. Ple stopped by to give Por her birthday present, but she left early. I don't know whether it is because of us, drunk people, or because she's tired from working all day. But I guess it is the latter. It could have made the party more fun if there was more people.

Anyway, we played Kings for two rounds...which is enough to speed up my alcohol level fairly quickly. Natt was very drunk. Perhaps it's because he hasn't been drinking for a long time. Pap and Noki was happy, I guess, but not drunk.

Everything concluded at 1AM. Everybody was sent home. Thanks to Soe...because neither Natt nor I was able to legally drive. We came back home. Although I was drunk, I managed to take a shower (usually I go straight to bed and worry about the shower in the morning :P). Somehow, I fell asleep almost right away after the shower. And then, I woke up feeling quite refreshed (what a surprise). And here I am...blogging until the morning.

Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu

2005-08-07T15:11:00.000+09:00

Well... more movie is coming this way. It seems I watch so many Japanese movies lately. Today I watched "Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu" or "Be with You" - a movie originally recommended by Noomai.

Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu (2004)
Directed by Nobuhiro Doi
Based on a novel by Takuji Ichikawa

Sypnosis: Takumi (Shidou Nakamura) and his six-year-old son, Yuji (Akashi Takei), lost their wife and mother, Mio (Yuko Takeuchi). But their lives continued. Although not without difficulties, Yuji seemed to look forward to the rainy season because he remembered his mother's promise to come back during the rainy season a year after her passing.

Even though Takumi was not that confidence about Mio's promise, he seemed to hope that his son's wish of seeing his mother again came true. And it sort of did.

They met a woman in the woods, who looks exactly like Mio. Only that she didn't remember them. They took her home telling her that she's Mio. At first, Mio didn't know what to believe, but she went along and started to believe she's Mio. The family became a family again. Mio had become the mother and slowly grew to love Takumi all over again.

But then, the rainy season ended. It's time for Mio to leave. Will she leave? Who is she, really? Discovering Mio's diary unveiled the mystery.

****************************************

What do I think about the movie? (Warning: might contain spoilers)

I love Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu a lot. I love the absolutely wonderful acting of everybody in the family. I love how the story is tied together and how the story unveil itself through out the movie. I love how Takumi tell his side of the love story and how Mio tell her side through her diary. And, especially, I love how Love is portrayed in the movie.

Watching the movie had made me think about someone's saying, "Oh...I wish I know now what will happen in the future." Personally, I believe the future contains both good and bad things...happy and sad events. If you know your future, would you continue to walk the path toward such future? Or, this has let me to think of another question, would you change your past if you could?

Watching Movies

2005-08-05T02:29:00.000+09:00

I have got to confess that I haven't done much recently beside watching movies. March of the Penguins, Crayon Shinchan, Paranoia Agent, and The Classic are the movie I am/have been watching.

March of the Penguins was a good movie. Or I can just say a good documentary. It's a story about a group of Emperor Penguins living, mating, and producing little penguins around the Antarctica area. They have to endure so much, walk so much, and be patient so much to achieve what they've done for thousands of years (or it could be longer than that).

Here's something I learn from the movie:
- penguins are monogamous
- the father will keep the egg warm for 4 months without any food at all while the mother walks to find food for herself and her child (and not the father)
- penguins work together to keep themselves and their eggs warm while waiting for mothers' return
- a mother who lost her baby will try to steal a baby from another penguin
- when baby penguins grow up big enough, their parents will leave them forever
- And, baby penguins are very cute

Crayon Shinchan: The Movie was fun and relaxing to watch. All the adults was hypnotised (in a way) to become childlike: irresponsible and always playing. Shinchan and his friends will have to save their parents.

The movie is funny from time to time. And, it actually has a plot. It's good for relaxation, and perhaps practicing Japanese language. Unfortunately, I would have no clue if not for the English Subtitle.

Paranoia Agent was a strange Japanese cartoon series. I only watch half of it (i.e. six episodes) and still cannot explain when someone asked me what it is about. All I can tell is...there are several stories about different people, what happens to them, yet these stories seem to converge into one single story. But I can't be sure because I have not finished the movie. So...this one is "to be continue..."

The Classic was a classic. Korean love story. A young girl found old letters her mom exchanged with her lover. The stories carried on...lovers departed, reunited, faced obstacles, and approached a very sentimental conclusion.

I usually get sensitive when watching this kind of movie. In fact, I do cry easily...and very "in"to the stories (Yes...you heard me right). Somehow and surprisingly, this one didn't get to me. Is it the movie? Or is it me.

To-do List

2005-08-04T02:09:00.000+09:00

I have spent time with my thoughts a lot lately...thinking about how much/little I have accomplished and how my life is going to be. I can say that I rarely have 'dreams' (of achieving something) since my childhood. I don't know why, but I hardly want anything. It sounds like a good thing, but well...seems like a bad thing for me at the moment. So, I'm trying to think back (and forth) about what I want to do, to see, to get, etc.

And, here's a list of things I have wanted for myself so far (no priority whatsoever):

Get a PhD: That's done. Although it is not as fulfilled as I thought it would be, I'm sure I'll appreciate it more in the future.

Spend a year or two in Japan: I can't really explain why Japan. I know I love the atmosphere, culture, people, although I cannot understand Japanese. It could be that I was a Japanese in my past life. Or it could be just because I read too many Japanese comics during my childhood and got brainwashed.

Write a book: I originally wanted to write a novel, but I guess a textbook counts now.

Backpacking Europe: This is perhaps more common and easier to achieve than others. It's the same thing as traveling around.

Earn millions: I can't say how many millions (Baht or US$) because the value of money changes every year. Long long time ago, I wanted to make one million Baht a year...but I guess that might not be enough by the time I'll have to pay for my kid's tuition.

Raise good kids: I guess this is the scariest one of all. Many of my friends said they don't wanna have kids because the world today is scary and cruel. But I want to face it. I believe raising a good child is as hard as raising a bad child. Well...that's a little far, but still on my list.

Well...that's more or less it. My to-do list. I guess there might be a few things I should be thinking of doing them, but I just can't think of more right now. So, people, if you have any suggestion, fire it away!

A Wandering Homeless

2005-08-01T01:35:00.000+09:00

Notice anything? A new haircut? New shirt? Well... my blog's name has changed. "I'll give it a try" is no longer. I think I've tried it enough... write much enough... addicted enough... and enough not have to try anymore.

I thought I must have a new name for it. If I'm not trying here, what am I doing here?

Looking back to the origin of it brought my dreamy head to places... where I stayed... how I started this thing... where I am now... a new apartment, but not mine. The thoughts got carried away... my old apartments weren't mine either. I can't call them home. They are just nice places I stayed in for a period of time. How about my parents'? Yes, that's home. My parents' place will always be my home...wherever they'll be. But, it's a sanctuary-type home, where I can feel safe and taken care of.

But, it's not the home I'm talking about here. I'm thinking of a home, a sanctuary provided by me (not for me). A home that I can welcome family and friends. A home that I can offer shelter, food, and protection. A home that I am the man of the house...the caretaker.

I haven't found that home anywhere...over the course of my 30-year journey (well if counted from when I've officially become a 'man' then it's a 15-year journey...whatever it was).

Tonight, I'm writing this blog from a living room of my friends' apartment in Northern Ithaca. I sleep here and call it my 'bedroom'.

A couple of months from now, I'll probably be some place far far away. I've always been on the run...wandering around. AFS-Minnesota, Thammasat-Bangkok, Exchange Program-Montreal, Work-Bangkok, Master-Urbana-Champaign, PhD-Ithaca. My life has always been a journey. And, in some way, so does this blog. I started it, and I'm sure I'll stop it someday.

And that's the day I'm no longer a wandering homeless.

Chillin on the balcony

2005-07-30T14:47:00.000+09:00

It's been a pretty good night. At first, we wanted to watch a movie. But it turned out that we were too late. So...we came back home and enjoyed a glass of fine single malt on the balcony at our new apartment. There was a constant cool breeze, which is a perfect condition for drinking a glass of Scotch...especially a single malt.

Natt and Magnus joined me on the balcony, while Por was busy re-arranging her stuffs. Natt was drinking Glenmorangie, and Magnus probably drank Macallan of the Thirties. I enjoyed my 18-year Glenlivet very much...especially this one. It's because I got this bottle on my 29th birthday from my beloved friends here. Never wanted to finish it...but I did today.

We probably spent only one and a half hour on the patio, but it felt pretty good and long...like a glass of Whiskey, indeed.

A Homeless Blog

Sydney

How do I stop?

Hans Rosling and statistics

After the Rain

Sakura in Kanazawa

Crying? No Problemo...

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Pink Lotus in the Morning

Sleepless Night

Turn Back The Clock

Seasons Change

Why Japan?!?

Eve

The question is...

Population

Better Busy, Better

Will...gone

Cha-am Trip

The Bridge

From the 15th...

I feel like an evening

Nothing else to do !?!

My Niece !?!

Baan Talay Dao, Hua-Hin

Glamorous Sky

Feasting Fiesta

Chinatown Night

illusions & dreams

Wealth Limit ?!?

My Best Friends' Wedding.

Nakorn-Nayok Trip

Writing (dot) (dot) (dot)

Korokke

Tokei

Flickr

Pointlessly Enduring

Waiting for a train

Back to Basic

Just use your imagination...

It's time to grow up

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

座って下さい

Procrastinating . . . .

Home Sweet Home

Not back yet :P

Going on a trip

Nagoya-style Unagi-don

V (^__^) V

Mod-chan

Incoherent

My View of Japanese (Language)

Ahhh...Another Trip (Nara とKyoto)

Edward Monkton

ともだちと たべましょう {Eating out with friends}

私の新しい(古い)自転車 {My new old bike}

October

When I really really have nothing to write (but still want to)

Encountering Stress?

Juicy Yolk!

Emptiness

I got Tagged!!!

Kyoto Revisited

I really want to update my blog, But...

Oh...I'm losing a will to tell stories...

Water Morning Glory - Cooked!

My Nagoya Day Trip

Beer and Water Morning Glory

My Osaka Trip (Part 3: Osaka Aquarium)

Ela E Carioca

My Osaka Trip (Part 2: The Osaka Castle)

There's Something About Curry

My Osaka Trip (Part 1: Thai Food Fest)

Laundry Laundry (洗濯 - せんたく)

私は東京に行った (I went to Tokyo)

I will have 5 trash bins for my tiny studio apartment

eigo ka wakarimasuka? nihongo ka wakarimasen.

A (really) little thought on "Asymmetric Information"

I'm leaving on a Jetplane

ともだちと　たべましょう　{Eating out with friends}