Monthly Archives: September 2009

Is the Competition Really That Loud?

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An advertising campaign by LG pasted on the Skytrain platforms touts their new beltless washing machine.  The key benefit: it is significantly quieter than the competition.  As you can see, the LG Inverter DD operates at only 50 decibels whereas the competition’s belt-driven washers operate at horrifying 58 decibels.

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The problem is, the graphics they use to illustrate these relative levels of sound are very misleading.  Here are some average decibel levels for various types of activity,

10 dB – Normal breathing
30 dB – Whisper
40 dB – Stream, refrigerator humming
50-65 dB – Normal conversation
60-65 dB – Laughter
70 dB – Vacuum cleaner, hair dryer
75 dB – Dishwasher, washing machine
80 dB – Garbage disposal, city traffic
85-90 dB – Lawnmower
100 dB – Train, garbage truck
110 dB – Jackhammer, power saw
120 dB – Thunderclap

Not sure what LG is exactly depicting in the 58 dB picture – looks like road work to me – but it seems pretty clear that 58 dB isn’t nearly as loud as road work would be.  And the 50 dB picture – someone sitting in a library – probably isn’t accurate, either.  A library would probably be closer to 35-40 dB.

Note that prolonged exposure to any noise about 90 dB can cause gradual hearing loss.

 

Raising the Sidewalks of Krungthep

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As layer upon layer of asphalt gets added to the streets, the distance between the road surface and the footpaths steadily diminishes.  Once the torrential showers of rainy season arrive, this means ever more flooding that dampens the ankles of residents.  The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority, in all their wisdom, is addressing this issue by raising the sidewalks.  In the case of Sathorn Road, a main business artery, sidewalks have increased by about a foot (30 cm).

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Here you see a raised section abutting a section of the footpath that is at the old height.  The new section actually gains additional elevation behind the fence.  The green metal poles are a new addition, too, designed to prevent motorized vehicles (except motorcycles, I suppose) from driving on the footpaths.  They are still wide enough to allow street vendors’ carts to enter, though.

The problem is – and you can probably anticipate this as it is common to metropolitan governments the world over – the construction crew responsible for raising the footpaths isn’t responsible for raising any of the objects along the footpaths such as street lamps, signs and bus stops.

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The net effect is that bus stop seats that used to be at a comfortable sitting height are now at a squat.  Sure enough, another contractor is following the first one, tearing up the new pavers (which, a first for Krungthep, are actually on a cement base rather than just floating on a layer of sand and dirt), then digging out and raising the benches, shelters, signs, etc.

If I didn’t know better, I would think this inefficiency was an intentional way to spread a little largess.  Wait a minute…  would they do that?  Nah…

 

Video – Our Wedding Ceremony

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3810387085_7a25877a5e_b This may be of limited interest, but some people have enquired about video from our wedding ceremony.  I’ve edited it together along with some pictures from our more than nine years together. 

The audio isn’t perfect – why didn’t I think to pack lavalier mics for everyone and a mixer? – but you’ll get the sense of what a humble, midwestern civil ceremony looks like.

The vows we exchanged were our own, the same ones we used for our commitment ceremony in September, 2004.  Very cool that the justice agreed to use them.

Warning: Shocking footage of a same-sex couple enjoying equal rights. 

 

 

Trish Offers Us a Discount on Teal Lotus Outfits

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Many of you may recall my good friend Trish, a stylish woman from Kansas City, who has visited us here in Thailand twice, most recently in November 2008.  The purpose of that visit was to put the pieces together for her new company, Teal Lotus.  Teal Lotus creates custom made 100% Thai silk woman’s wear in designs that are classic, timeless and flattering to women of all ages and body types.

The inspiration for her company came with Trish’s first visit to Thailand in 2006.  While here, Trish had some outfits custom made based on her own designs.  They turned out wonderfully and when she wore them, she received frequent compliments and inquiries about where she bought them.  Trish quickly spotted a business opportunity and set about creating Teal Lotus.

Part of that process included working with dressmakers here in Krungthep, refining designs and creating patterns that could be easily modified for each customer’s unique measurements.  One thing Trish insisted on: Teal Lotus garments would carry only one size – yours.

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Above: Trish, flanked by her assistant Bulan, discuss measurements with a local dressmaker.

In addition to negotiating with dressmakers and addressing production and logistics questions, Trish had to source the silk.  She was very particular about both the quality and the variety of colors she wanted.  We eventually located a factory that met her specifications in Nakhon Ratchasima province.  The owner walked us through the entire production process and was happy to let me take photos.

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Since returning home ten months ago, Trish set up her website, TealLotus.com, and started filling orders for customers.  While back in Kansas City this summer, I did a photo shoot for her to get pictures of several different outfits modeled by friends and family members, including my sister and grandmother.



The purpose of the shoot was so Trish could pull together an advertisement (pictured below) in a local Kansas City magazine.

 

While taking the pictures, I mentioned to Trish that when I originally wrote about her visit to Thailand last November, I received several inquiries from readers about the availability of Teal Lotus outfits.  Because of this interest, I asked Trish whether she would be willing to offer a promotional discount to readers of my blog.  Of course she said yes.

So, dear readers, here is my own form of economic stimulus, well-timed since the holidays (and all the parties that the holidays bring about) are coming soon.  Please feel free to visit Trish’s site at TealLotus.com.  If you see anything that you would like to order, please send me a message before you complete the order and I’ll be happy to share the code for a 20% discount with you.

Remember, each Teal Lotus garment is custom made to your exact measurements (or the exact measurements of the special lady for whom you are buying it), ensuring a flattering fit.  And each garment is made from 100% Thai silk, the most beautiful silk in the world.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

The Meaning of Dreams

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Normally not one to have elaborate dreams, this morning I awoke from an intense, emotionally-gripping one. 

The setting was my maternal grandparents’ house in suburban Kansas City.  Many different family members were there along with a few friends.  We were getting ready for a party and in order to make enough space for guests, I disassembled my grandparents’ bedroom furniture and moved it to another room.  The guests, strangely, were for the most part young Thais who were looking for jobs, as if at some sort of career center.  While at the party they were preparing resumes, practicing interviewing skills, etc.

When it came time for everyone to go home, I scrambled to get things cleaned up and organized.  The bedroom furniture had not yet been correctly reassembled and there were loads of dishes soaking in the sink.  My grandparents returned and my grandfather was very upset, fuming that things had been disturbed and I had not fulfilled my promise to put everything back in order.  My grandmother was calmer, yet I sensed that she was unhappy with the mess in her kitchen.

Suddenly I was outside the house, in their large front yard with huge old trees.  The yard had become a cemetery, though, and I was struggling to get back inside and finish my duties before a group of oddly Victorian mourners approached.

That was the dream.

I would generally describe myself as a person who faces life with equanimity.  Many times, friends and acquaintances have remarked about the “calm under pressure” with which I handle the challenges that life presents.  Whether managing an oversold film festival event or helping someone through the rigors of relationships, I consider myself a steady rock to which people can cling.

But beneath this veneer of calm detachment, I wonder if I’m not deeply afraid of letting those about whom I care, down.  Two themes about which I think this dream may have spoken:

The first is my relationship with my grandparents, vis-a-vis my coming out.  When I came out to my family more than 18 years ago, my grandfather was particularly disapproving and there was, for several years, a rift between us.  He was never mean, but I come from a very religious family and he and my grandmother are the root of our faith, so he saw the issue in the context of “I love you because you’re my grandson, but the Bible tells us that you are also a sinner.” 

(Let’s not get caught up in the religious back-and-forth of believers versus non-believers for the purposes of this post…)

My grandmother was more accepting of the situation and over time, thanks to I don’t know what conversations between them and also my parents, my grandfather’s view moderated.  In 2004, when Tawn and I held our commitment ceremony, both my grandparents were there.  And while they were not able to drive up to Iowa for our recent marriage, due to the discomfort of a long overnight road trip at their age, they were a part of the reception and a mention of our “civil ceremony” even made it into my grandfather’s weekly email missive to extended family members.

When I invited my grandparents to the wedding, I couched the invitation in terms of, “I don’t know if this is something you would be comfortable with, but it would mean a lot to us for you to attend.”  While often preferring to avoid the confrontational issues rather than addressing them, my grandfather acknowledged that his thinking on the topic had “evolved” (his word) over time.

I think it is safe to say that with regards to the first theme in the dream, there is still an unresolved question in my mind of letting my family down, wondering whether I am not the person they expected me to be, even though they have been and become a very wonderful source of support in my life.

A second, related theme emerges from the dream: Recently, a number of friends have shared their troubles.  From relationship problems to medical ones, from aging parents to one friend being infected with HIV by a psychopathic partner in the partner’s desperate attempt to force them to stay together, I have received more stories in the past week than I have in a long time.

For each of these people, I want to provide the very best support I can.  I want to be a good friend.  I want to be there in whatever way I can when they need me. 

And I’m worried that I may not be able to.

I know what you’re going to say.  There isn’t enough time in this life for us to help everyone or to fix everything.  We need to have the serenity to accept the things we can’t change, the strength to change the things we can, and the wisdom to tell them apart.  That’s the Serenity Prayer familiar to those in A.A. and other support groups and undoubtedly applicable to each of our lives.

Yes, I know that.  And generally that’s what I believe.  But if my dreams this morning were any indication, maybe I don’t believe it fully.

Bento Boxes Article – So Cute!

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The New York Times ran an article about bento boxes, the Japanese style lunches in a box that seem to be gaining popularity with families in America.   Talk about having fun with your food!

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If ever there was someone who would appreciate his food being prepared this way, it is Tawn.  Maybe that’s how I should start preparing his dinner?

 

Lentils are Nice

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It has been a strange week full of lots of errands and events.  A friend was in town and his visit came to an unexpectedly abrupt end, so we had to get involved and help sort that out.  A trip to the old city to buy coffee beans from Mari Green Coffee early Sunday morning ended up with our car having a Denver boot put on it, requiring a trip to the local police station to pay a 200 baht fine.  Another friend was having troubles in his love life, the type that are so typical between people of different cultures but, despite being typical, are still heart-wrenching.  It has just been one of those weeks.

At my recommendation, a guest stayed at the Windsor Suites Hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 20.  This hotel is owned by a friend’s family, so I’m biased in my recommendation, but I find it to be a clean, comfortable, reasonably-priced hotel that is in a very convenient location.  Several of my visitors have stayed there and all have been pleased.  This guest’s room had a sweeping view which I stitched together from three pictures, below.  I know the stitching job is terrible – I didn’t use any fancy software for it- but the view itself was fantastic.

Windsor Skyline

On the weekend, while running our errands, we were sitting in some traffic in Yaowarat  (Chinatown) and, glancing in the side mirror, I spotted this man driving a motorcycle with an incongruous choice of stickers decorating it.  Playboy and Ghostbusters?

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Needing a quiet evening at home after several nights dining out, I prepared a caprese panzanella salad – the Italian style tomato, fresh mozzarella and bread salad – using a recipe from Joanne’s Week of Menus blog and a dish of Italian sausage served with lentils with fennel and asparagus.

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Both were very tasty and I thankfully have leftovers for lunch today!

 

Tattoos in Native Tongues

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You’ve seen them, those tattoos that people sport featuring words or characters in a language other than one in which they are fluent.  You may even have one yourself.  I’m telling you, though, that’s a mighty dangerous path to tread.

Leaving aside questions of cultural appropriation and exoticization (and there is some potentially rich academic soil to till about this issue), what I’m talking about is the plain and simple, practical reason to not get a tattoo in a language you don’t read: It may end up being incorrect.

Now, I know someone to whom this happened.  Because of that, I realize that bright, intelligent, thoughtful people can make that mistake.  And because I know that readers of this blog are equally bright, intelligent and thoughtful, I’m providing you this warning: Don’t get a tattoo in a language you don’t read!

Don’t believe me?  Let’s consider this object lesson:

Thai Tattoo

My friend Jack is a Thai who lives in the American midwest.  Note that this is not a picture of Jack’s back.  While he was on holiday, Jack spotted a young caucasian man with this tattoo and curious, asked him about it.

It seems that the young man, a native of Springfield, Missouri, was a basketball player and he went on some program to Thailand where he played ball with Thai high schoolers and spoke to them about basketball and life in the U.S.  Returning to Springfield, the young man decided to get a tattoo, using Thai script.

So far, so good.  Glad to hear that Thailand made such a positive impression on him that he wanted to immortalize the Thai language on his skin.

The problem is two-fold:

First, there are two spelling mistakes.  The words ไม and อยาง are both missing accent marks  They should be ไม่ and อย่าง.  As a tonal language, the use (or absence) of a tone mark can often alter the meaning of Thai words.  In this case, the misspelling does not change the meaning but simply makes the words incorrectly spelled.

Second, the phrase doesn’t say what he intends it to say.  Based on the cross, I guessed he wanted the Christian phrase, “You will never walk alone.”  When I asked Jack, he confirmed that this was the young man’s understanding of how the tattoo read.  Jack, being Thai and characteristically too polite to embarrass someone, didn’t tell him that the tattoo says something else entirely.

The phrase reads khun ja mai duhn piang yang diaw, which means “You will never just only walk” – in other words, you will walk while doing something else at the same time, perhaps chewing gum or humming or whistling.

No word on how the young man managed to get this incorrect translation.  My guess is he thought it would be cool and asked someone he met in Thailand – someone who doesn’t understand English well enough – to write the phrase in Thai.  Given what I’ve learned while living here, I can see how “alone” could have easily been misunderstood as “only just”.

So let this be fair warning to you, your friends or family members.  If you or someone you love is planning on getting a tattoo, stick with a language you can read so you are 100% certain that the tattoo says what you think it says.

That’s today public service message.  Cheers.

 

Shh!! There’s a Queen in the House

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“Shh!!” reads some graffiti located on a rooftop adjacent to the Siam BTS Skytrain station, the interchange station between the two Skytrain lines and home to blaring TV advertisements all day long.  Of course, in this city of seven or eight million, there are few places where noise isn’t a problem.  Even at many of the temples, tape recordings of sermons or Buddhist songs play throughout the day.  If a denizen of the Big Mango was ever left alone with the silence of his or her own thoughts, they might freak out!

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Above, the view from the station platform to the adjacent building.  This is without using much zoom, so you have some idea of how close the building is to the platform and tracks.  It is a business, though, not a residence, so you wouldn’t expect the noise to be as much of a concern.

You know how I always say that I don’t leave home without my camera. Well, yesterday I did leave home twice without my camera, both times missing opportunities to photograph blog-worthy things.  The first was when my friend Paul and I went out for lunch at a tonkatsu restaurant on Sukhumvit Soi 39.  The building maintenance people were caulking a seam in the car park.  Unable to reach it, one worker balanced on the shoulders of the other while applying the caulk, a scene straight out of Cirque du Soleil.

Thankfully, Tawn had his Blackberry with him and was able to take a picture of the second blog-worthy thing.

We attended the opening night of the 11th Bangkok International Festival of Music and Dance, featuring the Ekaterinburg Opera Theatre from Russia performing Verdi’s La Traviata.  It is common for a member of the Royal Family to attend these events (although being an opera, there were already plenty of queens in the audience… Ha ha ha!) and sure enough, there was an unusually long delay as we waited for the guest of honor to arrive and the show to start.  While we normally see one of the various princesses, we were honored to have Her Majesty the Queen present.

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During the first intermission, we stepped outside for some air only to see Her Majesty’s yellow Rolls Royce limousine and the twelve identical cherry red Mercedes that drove her entourage to the Thailand Cultural Center.  Very impressive rides!