Stinky Rose

I'm way way too cynical about tourist-overrun and trampled Chiangmai and the expatriate lifestyle there. The Rose of the North is truly swamped with sweaty tourists. That said, Chiang Mai can be comfortable with all the facilities tourists crave but it really is bursting at the seams and lately, loads of Chinese are streaming in to join the shivaree.

What can I say, I'm a farang 'foreigner' too.

Along with the tourist hullabaloo and general noise, the dry season air is particularly polluted here and throughout Asia. People burn debris in Asia including farmers burning harvested fields to provide nutrients for the next crop.

Monte Cristo, I need a java before I expose more cynicism.

If this overly cynical blah-blah-blah tramples your sensible senses then please don't mind. My pet peeve is when people take my humor-seeking pet peeves personally--if that makes any sense (your pet peeve becomes my pet peeve but when the God of Tourism gives lemons...then, at least, can't a joke be made about it?)
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That said, if it ever gets burdensome, then please do let me know by posting a message privately or publicly, preferably with kind-heartedness, I will kindly remind you that viewing someone's blog is entirely voluntary.

I don't take myself too seriously and like to think of my half-baked ranting as truly a release valve for stuff that gets to me here and there, especially the BS that seems to be overlooked by the gazillion other visitors and clueless expats, especially so if I can be comedic about it which is my truest goal. 

However, other people, usually Brits, snatch complaints out of the jaws of my humor (perhaps it is a strain of stiff upper ribosomes in their genetic coding but Brits are especially adept at this and then reveal an inveterate condescending nature with fatuous suggestions sprinkled with fatuous humor about what I need to do to improve myself and my way of being in the world....don't feel left out, spend any time around your average self-possessed Brit and you too can receive a complimentary dose of condescension, too, and humor at the expense of others...I mean humour). In their honor, I have been inspired to note the following: If weather is fair, then I know you Brits will be around. If the weather is sour, you’ll go for suds at happy hour.

Rest assured, humor and creativity are my end game and ultimate aim even when it might seem like I am far off the target of either and on a pedestrian tangent. Regardless, both are benign, aren't they?

And please continue to view my blog with full naivete otherwise my quasi-front of seeming to know something about something about Asia and the human race in general will be exposed. Nah, I know that you, dear reader, are much more savvy than that and you humor me gently while nodding and winking at the element of comedic truth (hopefully) in it all at the same time.

#ChiangMai #Expat #SmarmyBrits

Two four-letter words make for dreadful viewing

Base + Ball = Boring for virtually all non-fans of the slow, tedious sport, especially if endured by audio broadcast. Could watching winter grass grow be more dull?

I am traveling in northern Thailand hunting out a work prospect...specialty art items to sell within Asia and beyond and that seems to have fallen through while I was already on the slow moving train from Bangkok.

I arrived to Chiang Mai, aka, 'Rose of the North' in pre-dawn hours and was looking forward to a quiet, cool (relatively cool that is-- cool here means not sweat drenched) morning walk to my guest house 45 minutes away while listening to ESPN radio live on iTunes. Unfortunately, to my benumbed morning mind, ESPN programmed or shall I say inflicted on listeners...a live baseball game-- in May no less when the season is slowly beginning and teams are not in close battles for the playoff. Just when I need ESPN the most they do this haha-weepweep. 

ESPN couldn't possibly have programmed something more repellent than live baseball in May except maybe airing on radio details of an apple pie being made live including commentary during cooking time in the oven...or worse, live bowling and golf commentary any time of year-- the most ardent sports radio listeners would be puking over their sound systems out of boredom alone.

Even if it had been World Series game seven that was on during that early morning stroll, I wouldn't listen to it live. No disrespect to misunderstood baseball fans, but that is just me. I am thinking of 'writing a letter' as people do in such horrible circumstances :)  To whom should it be addressed...director of programming for international radio in Thailand 5 AM hour Sunday morning...hehe. A simple message--baseball is never appropriate.

Actually, my limited experience with ESPN radio on iTunes had heretofore been a pleasant way to pass time while traveling...usually it's talk show guys who know in-depth trivia of sports from distant past to present day. They are interesting if not insightful with loads of guests and call-ins, and topics du jour covering everything from FIFA mis-governance to pitchers doctoring baseballs to who is a better team player/leader LeBron or Jordan, and why talented players like Harden and Iverson don't win championships and much more...yeah, sometimes the testosterone overrides and discussions digress into bar-room blather and chest-pounding but it's better than listening to the wheels of tuk-tuks go round and the sound of the blades of ceiling fans whizzing...notwithstanding baseball and baking an apple pie live on ESPN radio. 

#ChiangMai #Expat #ESPN #iTunes