[Ubon Ratchathani, 7/8/23] On 7/8/23, I got this message at SubStack, “Linh. I am visiting Ubon from Australia. I am right now sitting in Attaroast drinking coffee. I would like to meet you if you are feeling sociable.” In Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, South Africa, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, I’ve met readers. It’s nice, though every audience is ephemeral. After a few glances in your direction, they move on, then disappear without a trace, and so will you.
A very sad story about Christian. His ex is absolutely heartless ditching him at the very time he needed someone, and taking his kids away, no less. At least Mark was a good friend.
I hope your medical issues can clear up soon. Sometimes when you have a medical issue it can be very difficult to figure out what to do about it, even when you think you know where it came from.
linh, thank you for keeping us posted on your adventures, both pleasant and less-pleasant
in one of the photos posted here, a woman is wearing a t-shirt with the words "begin again"
this is a phrase from a rolling stones song - here it is with the chords above the lyrics - this is a song about satcitananda - being, consciousness, bliss - or so i think - i could be wrong
Christian's experience with his wife is not all that uncommon in the West especially in America. Relationships have become very transactional with many women marrying for the better and fleeing the worst.
After the dotcom meltdown every marriage I knew of where the man was unemployed for an extended period either ended in divorce or featured a very angry wife who was bitter about the man being unemployed.
Male friends aren't that much better sad to say. As the old blues song goes, "nobody knows you when you are down and out."
If Christian lived in modern day Canada the government would be eager to euthenize him. They encourage the sick, depressed and autistic to kill themselves.
Ouch. Glad the sink missed your feet. Hey I would love to hear about a visit to a podiatrist in Viet Nam. Over here it is happy medicine. They relieve suffering.
that 'begin again' t-shirt and the photo it appears in: it's amazing, the young woman has a face straight off the carved frescoes of Angkor Wat - it's a peculiar reincarnation of those courtly scenes...........
Poor Christian, and a symbolic name too. I guess the whole "for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part" is no longer to be taken literally, especially by many women in the West.
How misery loves misery! My long story short: one kidney gave up the ghost, not without causing sepsis. They saved her life with plumbing. Put in a pipe to drain the pus, attached a drainage bag. So now she carries the effluent of her dead kidney in a bag on her back. Yes, kidney must come out. Actually, pronto. Waiting time for operation: More or less one year. She doesn’t have medical aid or a hospital plan. But she must wear the bag. It’s got a cute little tap at the bottom. It must be changed every week. Though she can’t see it. Find help.
Someone should write a song: Bag on the back, sores on the legs, help us massage the sore parts of life. I’ll do you and you do me, best friends forever through pus and pain …
Praying for you, Linh. You give up beer, I give up bananas, avos and salt. Well, not totally. There’s leeway, I’m sure.
Thanks for honesty and stories all these years and thanks for telling me about the 3 mo. visa coming back since I too stay in V T, on the " NVA side" of course - lol They were very nice to this old Nam vet, as I walk the long beach and catch the healing rays of the sun. I hope the old Arvn's I met in Saigon and the folks I met in V T are still with us , since I never got back because of the Corona scam. Спасибо
Mark sounds like a good person, and it is a time when you need a friend on hand, no matter how transitory. The sink! sometimes life is just too weird. Laos sounding good as always. Its peaceful and calm in Switzerland too. for different reasons, but hey, we take it where we find it, and most gratefully.
A very sad story about Christian. His ex is absolutely heartless ditching him at the very time he needed someone, and taking his kids away, no less. At least Mark was a good friend.
I hope your medical issues can clear up soon. Sometimes when you have a medical issue it can be very difficult to figure out what to do about it, even when you think you know where it came from.
linh, thank you for keeping us posted on your adventures, both pleasant and less-pleasant
in one of the photos posted here, a woman is wearing a t-shirt with the words "begin again"
this is a phrase from a rolling stones song - here it is with the chords above the lyrics - this is a song about satcitananda - being, consciousness, bliss - or so i think - i could be wrong
She Smiled Sweetly - The Rolling Stones
Between The Buttons (1967)
Written by Jagger/Richards
[Verse 1]
C G C F C
Why do my thoughts loom so large on me?
G G7 C F
They seem to stay for day after day.
G G7 C F
And won't disappear, I've tried every way.
[Chorus]
C G Am
But she smiled sweetly,
F Em Dm
She smiled sweetly,
F G C
She smiled sweetly,
G C F C
And says don't worry,
G C F C G
Oh no no no
[Verse 2]
C G C F C
Where does she hide it inside of her?
G G7 C F
That keeps her peace most every day.
G G7 C F
And won't disappear, my hair's turning gray.
[Chorus]
C G Am
But she smiled sweetly,
F Em Dm
She smiled sweetly,
F G C
She smiled sweetly,
G C F C G
And says don't worry.
[Bridge]
C F C G C C*
G C F C
There's nothing in why or when.
G C Dm F
There's no use trying, you're here,
G G7
Begin again, and o'er again.
[Verse 3]
C G C F C
That's what she said so softly
G G7 C F
I understood for once in my life
G G7 C F
And feeling good most all of the time
[Chorus]
C G Am
'Cause she smiled sweetly
F Em Dm
She smiled sweetly,
F G C
She smiled sweetly,
G C F C
And said don't worry,
G C F C
Oh no no no,
G C F C
Oh no no no,
G C
Oh no no no
Glad you are feeling a little better.
Christian's experience with his wife is not all that uncommon in the West especially in America. Relationships have become very transactional with many women marrying for the better and fleeing the worst.
After the dotcom meltdown every marriage I knew of where the man was unemployed for an extended period either ended in divorce or featured a very angry wife who was bitter about the man being unemployed.
Male friends aren't that much better sad to say. As the old blues song goes, "nobody knows you when you are down and out."
If Christian lived in modern day Canada the government would be eager to euthenize him. They encourage the sick, depressed and autistic to kill themselves.
We really are near utopia in the West.
Sharpen your beak, bite into the sink. 😀
Ouch. Glad the sink missed your feet. Hey I would love to hear about a visit to a podiatrist in Viet Nam. Over here it is happy medicine. They relieve suffering.
that 'begin again' t-shirt and the photo it appears in: it's amazing, the young woman has a face straight off the carved frescoes of Angkor Wat - it's a peculiar reincarnation of those courtly scenes...........
Poor Christian, and a symbolic name too. I guess the whole "for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part" is no longer to be taken literally, especially by many women in the West.
How misery loves misery! My long story short: one kidney gave up the ghost, not without causing sepsis. They saved her life with plumbing. Put in a pipe to drain the pus, attached a drainage bag. So now she carries the effluent of her dead kidney in a bag on her back. Yes, kidney must come out. Actually, pronto. Waiting time for operation: More or less one year. She doesn’t have medical aid or a hospital plan. But she must wear the bag. It’s got a cute little tap at the bottom. It must be changed every week. Though she can’t see it. Find help.
Someone should write a song: Bag on the back, sores on the legs, help us massage the sore parts of life. I’ll do you and you do me, best friends forever through pus and pain …
Praying for you, Linh. You give up beer, I give up bananas, avos and salt. Well, not totally. There’s leeway, I’m sure.
Thanks for honesty and stories all these years and thanks for telling me about the 3 mo. visa coming back since I too stay in V T, on the " NVA side" of course - lol They were very nice to this old Nam vet, as I walk the long beach and catch the healing rays of the sun. I hope the old Arvn's I met in Saigon and the folks I met in V T are still with us , since I never got back because of the Corona scam. Спасибо
Mark sounds like a good person, and it is a time when you need a friend on hand, no matter how transitory. The sink! sometimes life is just too weird. Laos sounding good as always. Its peaceful and calm in Switzerland too. for different reasons, but hey, we take it where we find it, and most gratefully.