Monday, October 30, 2006

A Bucket of Questions...

** Note: For the past two days, I am no longer able to upload photos. If the system is ever fixed (not hopeful at this point), I have some more pictures of the Secret Garden from different angles to include.)

Some interesting person sent me an email last night, asking me several questions. He told me nothing about himself but it sounded like an interesting exercise so I've decided to answer them. Since there is nothing burning to be said today, I'll tackle them. Why not?

~~~~

1. What do you look like? Do you resemble any particular celebrity?

That depends on age. When I was young, I looked just like Patty Duke. Nowadays, I look more like a cross between Patty Duke and a thinner Tyne Daly.


2. Do you have any tattoos?

Yes. I love tattoos but have very few. I have a lotus flower on my back and "Thailand" on my right wrist.


3. What is the best book you have read in the past year?

A Secret Life by Benjamin Weisner. It is the story of a Polish officer Ryshard Kuklinski who spied for the CIA during the Cold War. This wasn't just a good spy story. What I liked about the book is the manner in which it examined the nature of loyalty and presented some new ways of viewing that issue. What is loyalty really ~ and what constitutes real loyalty? Was Kuklinski a traitor because he spied for the US government ~ or was he a patriot? Leaving the politics aside, it is an interesting question. The book is extremely well-written and insightful.


4. Which thinkers have influenced your religious, philosophical and political views?

Religious: There is no particular individual since these things evolve over thousands of years. I would say Christian mysticism, New Age and Buddhism are the elements that construct my religious thinking.

Philosophical: Probably Maurice Merleau-Ponty, along with several other existential thinkers. The common thread seems to be a rejection of dualism.

Political: Most of the radical left thinkers have influenced me, yet I also admire Lee Kwan Yew. (I've often joked that I believe he should be appointed as Minister of Family and Culture in the USA. I'm actually quite socially conservative.) For the most part, I am definitely politically left but not Marxist. My thinking has been influenced by more contemporary writers such as Paul
Robeson, WEB DuBois, Angela Davis, Emma Goldman, Noam Chomsky, et. al.


5. Would you rather be all-knowing or all powerful?

Neither. I don't want the responsibility.

~~~~~~

Thank you, Mr Anonymous, for the questions. Since you did not say otherwise, I would welcome anyone to steal these questions if they choose for their own blogs. Good questions. Thank you for taking the time to send them to me.


Peace to All,


Thailand Gal
~*~*~*

9 comments:

Gobody said...

You obviously have a fan club, no one ever sent me an anonymous email :(

thailandchani said...

LOL! I can't imagine having a fan club. I've always been the eccentric outsider. Honestly, the questions must have been asked for a reason but I don't know why for certain!

Steal 'em!

:)


Peace,

Thailand Gal
~*~*~*

Lucia said...

So when did you get these tattoos? I'm interested since I'm aging and as of yet untattooed, but determined to get my first before the end of the year.

I've been having big problems with photos and posts in the last few days. I wish this would get fixed!

thailandchani said...

Lucia, I wish they would fix the problems, too. I miss your posts. :)

Tattoos: The lotus blossom was first, almost five years ago on my 50th BD. "Thailand" two years ago. On the latter, I had some trouble finding someone who would be able to do it. Both happened when I was over 50 though so you have plenty of time. :) What are you considering?


Peace,

Thailand Gal
~*~*~

Girlplustwo said...

hmmmmm. the protective part of me says the dude is feeling you out..not that there is anything wrong with that...

did you get the tattoo in thailand?

lucia...you should. just my .02

thailandchani said...

Jen, it's probably very likely that he was doing so. He was probably also doing it with a couple hundred others. LOL

Neither of my tattoos are from Thailand. Silly me, I should have done it over there. You can't imagine how difficult it was to find a tattoo artist who could actually write Thai.

Everyone should get at least one tattoo! :)

Peace,

Thailand Gal
*~*~*~*~

Anonymous said...

TG, I noticed when I changed my blog to the beta blogger, I can upload photos and psot mush faster.

Pam said...

Loved your answers. As for the daylight savings routine, I'm a morning person so I could live without it.

I like eccentric outsiders...I have to, I am one.

meno said...

How would i ever narrow it down to one book in the past year?
I got my tattoo when i was 44. I still love it. Gor for it lucia!