Sunday, March 04, 2007

A Perfectly Perfect Spring Day....


Today is the first perfectly perfect spring day.

I got a slow start and waited until the last minute to begin getting ready to meet my friend P for a dim sum lunch. We went to a restaurant I'd never been to before and ate some of the best Chinese food I've had in a very long time.

It's difficult to see this picture but the place is rather large and there were so many people, it was nearly unbelievable. I quipped to P. that we might need to write notes. :)

Waitpeople brought trays around with all sorts of dilectable offerings, many of them with pork (which I love) and we sampled nearly all of them. We had shrimp rolls, spring rolls , and all sorts of pork dishes. We finished off with mango and chestnut tea.

Yum!

The greatest part though was to be able to spend a few hours with a friend I value, someone whose opinions and thoughts on things matter and balance my perspective. We talked about several subjects, including this blog and its purpose. (Thanks, P. Even though I don't know you all that well yet, I value our friendship very much and hope it will continue for a long time. I trust you. Instinct. :)

I'm not entirely ready to talk about all of that yet in written form but I am definitely going to continue on with the blog ~ and deal with the Thai values issue. The best way to do that is to periodically answer a nastygram. There are several of them backed up and I can use those as a launching pad. I don't get tons of nastygrams but they usually have something to do with Thai issues. I can also give a longer reply to a comment periodically, one that asks a question or brings up a specific issue for me to answer.

That way, I won't bore anyone silly discussing it every day but also will be able to begin creating a context for some of my writing.

When P dropped me off, he also gave me some CDs he'd copied of Chinese music. The main instrument is the Erhu. It is a soft, haunting instrument that often sounds almost human. It's sounds like humming. If they don't play this music in heaven, I don't want to go. :)

I came into the back yard to sit for a while and noticed that some of the plants are beginning to bloom.

This is one of the azalea plants. There are several of them and they bloom all over the yard in a variety of colors. We have pink ones, red ones, white ones. As you can imagine, it is heavenly out here in the spring.

The camelias are blooming. They are possibly the most beautiful flower that ever existed on this planet. This bush is white but we also have pink ones.

The status of my back yard must make fascinating reading for all of you. Sometimes it's just pleasant to notice these little things. Unfortunately, I also notice the big things.

Wow! Do I ever look fat in these pictures!

MILF (melting inches .. losing fa .. yeah.. yeah. um) related: I will go back counting points. Even though I want to stomp my feet and scream I don't wanna, I'll do it anyway. Spring, as they say, is the time for new beginnings. I'll frame it in that context and start once again down the path I abandoned last month.

All in all, a worthy day to be alive. Somehow, the first noticeable day of spring always seems that way.


Peace,


~Chani


12 comments:

flutter said...

Well, I think you're lovely, so there.

KC said...

Dim-sum. There's dim-sum in heaven right?

A day to feel lovely to be alive. Sweetness.

ellie bee said...

you are lovely, simply beautiful.
We were cold today, but I won't coplain since I kknow we will be sweltering in a few short weeks.
I love that you went out for fabulous food--I did that too last night--I had almost forgotten how much fun it is to go out and be served....

Anonymous said...

you are so beautiful, friend.

inside and out.

i absolutely LOVE dim sum. when we finally meet (we must, one day, right?) let's do it over dim sum.

xo

meno said...

Oh, i am a bit north of you and am eagerly awaiting that first perfect day here. Dim Sum is so much fun to eat, it's like a little treasure hunt with food.

You look happy in your pictures. That make you beautiful.

dmmgmfm said...

Your pictures are beautiful. Your outside is just as lovely as your inside. So shush! :)

heartinsanfrancisco said...

I love synchronicity! I met my first erhu just a few weeks ago and asked the Chinese instrument store owner what it was. It was so beautiful even before I heard a note. The body was of snakeskin and it was so very graceful. I promised myself that I would own one someday, and learn to play it. Then I came home and looked it up online.

I feel so honored to see your picture. You're a beautiful lady, but then I always knew that.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your day. It's lovely to see you enjoying your garden. In the Northeast, we're still a long way off from pleasant days and blossoming flowers, despite what that groundhog did.

Pam said...

We are a ways away from the spring thing, I'm afraid. Thanks for the peek.
What you look like is happy and lovely.

Pam said...

We are a ways away from the spring thing, I'm afraid. Thanks for the peek.
What you look like is happy and lovely.

KateMV said...

I'm a bit late, but actually commenting on yesterday's post and comments. As you know, I probably tend to see things as "Fonzi" does, but I'm still curious to hear your responses to some of his/her specific points.

Having lived in what could probably be considered
"traditional" Thai culture for two years now, and having tried to integrate into it (as most PCVs are wont to do, which is why we chose to be in PC in the first place), I find it very interesting that you and I can have such different views of this place. Yes, we've each got our own lens...and I won't deny that mine is American. (Hence my willingness, as a female, to state my own opinion, which would probably not have happened if I was raised in "traditional" Thai culture.)

So anyway, Fonzi raised some points, and I don't know that they're necessarily addressed in your responses about Thailand feeling like "home." I would be interested to hear more specific responses about your experiences here, and opinions about those issues. (Namely: status and hierarchy, lack of political power on the part of many residents including your future self, racism and violence in the south, etc.)

Also, I'm interested to know whether you recognize the positive influences that western society has had on Thailand. (You've talked about negative influences several times, though I'm not sure what specifically you mean.) To be specific, I would say that western influence has helped Thailand 1) end slavery, 2) educate females (more than before), and 3) bring political power (i.e. voting) to more than just a few elites, at least before recent events. Just some thoughts!

Anonymous said...

It is lovely to see you and you are beautiful.

I am glad you are who you are and that you are taking us along the journey with you.