Disappearing into Thailand

For the first time in over two years, I have just spent two weeks where I have no daily internet or phone service. Admittedly hard for an information junkie like myself, but it's gotten easier as I let my addiction go and take "one day at a time". Online Anonymous?? Top this with basically only having Steve Lynch to talk to for two weeks (no other travelers want to be our friends or talk to us - can't figure out if everyone's all in luuuuuv, or if they are all icky Germans who are freaked out by an interracial couple. I never even considered this to be a possibility until SL pointed it out. Who knows?) and so yeah, I had a couple minor anxiety attacks where I had to go pace up and down the beach for an hour like a caged animal. Shades of my father not sleeping for nights at a time rear their ugly head. I'm getting better. And it's good for me, I know, to let all the day-to-day go while also finally allowing myself to get closer to someone I totally dig.

As time passes here and we enter the second full week of the daily schedule of eat/sleep/beach/read/play in sacred waterfall (in no particular order), I feel the tension of the past two years draining out of my body, and a permanant smile plus true inner strength coming back to me. It's a blessing to have the time to do this, and each additional day here I realize how incredibly fortunate I am.

That said, think we'll have to leave Thaan Sadet next weekend and possibly head to some place on Ko Samui where I can take my spazziness and channel it into 4 days of windsurfing lessons before heading back to Bangkok on the 31st.

(Seriously, though: are there ANY Germans left in their country? Who is running that place? And what's with the nuthugger bathing suits all up in my face all the time??)

MacGyver goes to Thailand

A list of non-clothing items brought by the lovely Steve Lynch in his one small bag to Thailand:

Krazy Glue; 10 feet of duct tape wrapped around a piece of cardboard; 'super bitchin' bandaids; self-threading needles; black and white thread; box and paper matches; zippo lighter; 20 feet of trick line; 2 buttons; 3 Coleman compact towels; dental floss (for emergency stitches, I'm told.); 6 clothespins; jump rope (my request); 50 feet of green rope (clothesline/makeshift luggage carrier/in case we need to drag something); bottle opener; Bacitracin; scissors; 3 sizes of safety pins; nail clippers; 6 AA batteries; twist ties; zipties (2 sizes); 2 large ziplock bags; 2 bottles of Deet spray; Maglight; 3 boxes of tea tree toothpicks; 5 pens; moist towelettes; paper; converter; 4 kinds of gum; a First Aid book; and a tube map of London. Plus 6 books.

He says "once a grip, always a grip." Or is it: once a Boy Scout, always a Boy Scout??? Anyway, we are prepared for whatever comes our way with these supplies. I'm sure we can build some Gilligan bikes using branches and zipties to power things if necessary.

I love this kind of preparation, of course. Best boy ever.

Been in Bangkok for 3 nights fighting against jet lag and the inevitable gasto-intestinal issues, so not so fun except for the $7 one hour daily Thai massages. We are leaving Bangkok tonight on the train and heading south for 2 weeks on Ko Phangan. I'm never eating Thai food in Greenpoint again, for it cannot be called Thai in good conscience.

Drew Glackin 1963-2008

The NY music scene lost a huge figure this week with the sudden death of Drew Glackin at the age of 44. He was a gem of a guy who played lap steel and/or bass with the Silos, Tandy, the Hold Steady, the Jack Grace Band, and about a million other people. It's impossible to believe that I won't ever see his chatty, hilarious, grinning self, at some random show, or backstage working at Summerstage, or popping up god knows where when I was least expecting him. Or ever see him play again. He truly was someone I was always happy to see.

For more, see the memorial pages here and here.

OUT

To Thailand until Feb 3rd.

There's only electric about 4 hours a day on our beach in Ko Phangan, so we'll see I have ability or inclination to do any posting between my very busy schedule of napping, reading and eating.

Christmas on Calyer

Coz nothing says "Xmas" like a chained up snowman and a duct taped Santa.

Changes

Today's the last day of full-time work for me.

Its OUT with the two challenging magazines that caused all kind of stress I wasn't fully aware of until it was gone.

And IN with production consulting work (Visionaire issues continuing as my first 'client') and the formation of my company, Derby Print. (spiffy logo below by Strath Shepard)

In the midst of two weeks of holiday fun, with visitors coming to NYC this year from Dallas and SF. Steve and I are off to Thailand for the month of January, split between Bangkok and quiet weeks on the beach.

NOW: a deep breath and an attempt to finally....reeeeeeelaaaaaxxx.

The M Train

Was sitting between two older Hasidic Jews this morning, while listening to the Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack full blast on my Ipod.

Struck me as rather ironic.

More on Greenpoint

Big article on Greenpoint in today's Daily News. Been the 'next big neighborhood' for the past 10 years, but I think I finally believe it now.

World Clock

As my friend who sent this to me said, it's terrifying and mesmerizing at the same time. Check out that earth's temperature slooooowly rising....

The Pop-Up Guy

Here's a link to an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer (oddly enough) about my friend Bruce in Houston. He's the paper engineer we are working with in creating Vis 54, a collection of pop-up spreads by 12 different artists.