School's almost over

You have your good days, and you have your bad days...

Prepared for the day, I was on the way to school.
Then I was told: Today we want you to give an ICT lecture to the students.

I was no longer prepared for the day.
Half of the seventy-some students in the lecture hall where my regular students.
Now that's what you call teaching by the seat of your pants.
Luckily the lecture hall had a internet ready computer.
I spent a large part of the class showing the students their pictures I had taken over the years, and where to get copies.

It was really a neat way of ending a school year.
I have one more week to teach, then it's finals week, graduation party and graduation ceremonies.
I just hope to have instilled something they find useful in their lives



Sakon FC vs Mukdahan FC, March 5, 5 PM
After two delays, the Division 4, Eastern division games can begin

Local ladies looking for love

I've been following a few Thai dating sites.  Local Thai girls advertising to connect.
What does amuse me in these ads is the age limits these young ladies are aiming at.

One recent ad from a woman in her early thirties was:  interested in a man from 32 to 69.

I've seen the age limit go up to the low seventies by ladies in their twenties.
I suspect one of the introductory questions would be "how big is your pension?"


Record Thai Sugar output likely  Bloomberg

Dengue Vaccine in ten years mysinchew

Herbs for Removing Plaque in Arteries eHow

Mirror, Mirror - on the Roof... OK now I've seen it all

I've seen the mirror up there, on top of a school building many times.
Thought if I'd get there early enough, I'd get to see some jolly giant combing his hair... never happened.

Always wanted to ask "Why."

The answer wasn't all that enlightening, as much got lost in translation.
I did understand that it's a Chinese concept and to ward off evil...

So I Googled 'Mirror on the Roof'

• There's a commercial entity by that name, selling everything from handbags, posters and even refrigerator magnets.  No help there!

• Some people on the net talk about placing numerous mirrors on their roof to reflect the sun's heat and keep their house cool. No help there either!

Feng Shui, The ancient Chinese art of aesthetics was a bit more helpful.
There is quite a discussion of Bagua mirrors.  They are eight cornered concave and convex mirrors placed above entrance doors. 
The mirror on the roof isn't eight cornered, nor concave or convex, but it seems to serve an identical purpose: " To reflect bad energy away from the building and defend against malicious, evil spirits.

Night out at the temple

I'm not much of a church or temple goer.  My faith is in the Almighty Mother Nature.
But there's one evening at the local Chinese Temple, the Chao Pu Chao Ya Shrine, which I look forward to each year.

Don't know what they call the event, it's some sort of fund raiser.

Everything was top notch, food, entertainment, atmosphere, even the weather was very pleasant.

The best part of the evening was the "pole dancing."

It's not what the name implies, not bikini clad vixens.
These were acrobats in Chinese dragon costume, performing on poles up to eight feet in the air.
It's not something I recommend you try at home. It takes plenty of practice, cushions, and some friends willing to catch you if you fall.

The entertainment ranged from professional to amateur.  Even some Karaoke.
I'm also not a fan of Karaoke.  But at least this one made me really feel right at home, signing "I'll do it my way."

Plenty of prizes were raffled off during the evening.
Our table won a refrigerator and Joey wasn't about to let go of his prize.

Jeffrey Hospitalized

Longtime Sakon Nakhon expat Jeffrey has been hospitalized .
Jeffrey is expected to remain in the (private) hospital for approximately ten days.
Family is on their way to Thailand to assist Jeffrey.

The pavement was hot enough to fry an egg Yesterday

3 PM Shade
93F

3 PM  Direct Sun
114F 

Temperature of the cement walkway went over the capacity of my thermometer 50+ (122F).

Good reason to stay out of the sun and off the pavement

Radish Delight

In my garden I saw the big red root exposed and couldn't resist it.
Sliced it quite thin and made a sandwich from it.

Headlines that caught my attention

Condom vending machines removed from Bangkok schools  THE NATION  February 14
"machines provoke  sexual interests"

STD cases on the rise The Nation   February 15

Thailand Down  (investment news)  beyondbricks February 16

Luncheon at High Noon

.
Thursday and Friday at Chern Chim (Martin's)

• Bacon or Sausage Butties* 49  Baht 
• French fries  50 Baht

*Butty: Chiefly northern English dialect

• "a sandwich."
• two (or more) slices of bread with a filling between them

Also at Chern Chim (Martin's) on Monday, February 21, Birthday party for his son

Unfortunately the picture is not very focused. 
Every time we approach with the slightest noise, their mouths open in anticipation... 

Getting to and from my house has been a roller coaster ride for months.
Finally they filled the holes.  I suspect it won't hold long

Mekon to be Dammed a dozen times   Source: The Nation***

Clashes along Thai-Cambodian border resume, both sides blame each other   xinhuanet

NE Division Football season delayed

Been a bit under the weather the last few days.

Thought I had gotten over the sore throat and chest infection. It came back with a vengeance after a week of feeling great.
The long cool spell, then a few days of really hot, back to quite cool and windy, mixed with two days of rain hasn't been an ideal condition to recover from this apparent flu.
Even had strong considerations to skip school for a few days, but I didn't.

Sakon FC pre-season match with Nakhon Phanom FC

The season start of the  North Eastern division football clubs had been postponed for two weeks until February 26.

During the off season five players where lured by better pay from the Sakon team to Nakhon Phanom.  Recently three of the five wanted to return to Sakon, deciding the grass was not greener on the other side.  Their requests to return to Sakon FC where denied, as a new lineup had already been put in place.  Among the departed players was the previous Sakon FC team captain.

Sakon FC and Nakhon Phanom FC faced off in a game last weekend.  It wasn't their usual field.  The play field used for the occasion had no spectator facilities, you either sat on the ground or brought your own chair.

The  game ended in a 1-1 tie.

Last weekend in Bangkok

Reads on the Net

"...Sakon Nakhon had gone khanom jeen mad..."
Noodling around the realms of the Paranormal by Andrew Biggs - Bangkok Post Feb 13

Nutty

I'm not an overt fan of red meat, but the ad is WELL DONE!	Well deserved stupidity reward - female
Well deserved stupidity reward - male	Caution: Don't try this at home

Baked Fresh Daily

The raisin bread was delish.
Ready for more.


Can't wait to taste some rye breads. Been told they'll be coming soon

Sakon Nakhon Rentals

preamble: I've received an inquiry regarding housing rentals in Sakon and will respond here with information as I know it. I hope local expats will post comments to provide additional insight on the subject.

I know of no real estate agent handling rentals in the area.
A number of real estate websites list SakonNakhon, however, when you go to these pages they have "No listing."

From past experience I have found one of the better solutions is to put the word out amongst the expat community.  Word seems to travel fast.  In two such cases I am aware of, prospective renters where looking at available houses the following day,

Turnovers seem to be quick and frequent.
In one of the two cases, the prospective renter decided to think about it, only to find the house rented the following day.   That particular house was again vacant two months later.

Location is an important factor in prices.
Within the city houses rent for an average of Bt 3,000 to Bt 5,000, while I have seen houses outside the city go for as little as Bt 2,000.
One bedroom apartments within the city start at around Bt 2,500.

In most cases, what you see is what you get. Most minor repairs, painting, etc., are "up to you."

Only contracts in Thai are binding.  If you have a contract in English, or any language other than Thai, you have no legal recourse, should problems arise.


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