On the street where I lived ...

in Pietrasanta, Italia









Pics are about all I can handle posting right now ... busy writing. Hope to post some halfway decent writing in a few days.

The Dogs of Pattaya

Here’s a fine specimen of a typical Thai dog.




This fine fellow joined us in the evenings as we strolled the beach after dinner. He had a particular section of the beach that was clearly his and would accompany us only along that section. When we reached the invisible border, he would turn off. He was quite a good companion and on occasion, would warn other dogs in our vicinity that we were his and not to bother claiming us. We didn't in the least mind belonging to him.




These murky, shadowy fellows hung out in the parking lot near the beach in the evening. I’m sure they guarded our car as we strolled the beach. Who would disturb our car with this pack on patrol?




My favorite pup – BBQ, who belonged to the vendor in charge of our section of the beach. BBQ was popular with all the patrons.

Happy New Year from Pattaya

A Bird on the beach.



A Bird in the water.







Waiting on the beach for fireworks and 2008.


Fireworks in Abstract


This one makes me think of /t.







A floating lantern (once floating in the sky, now floating along the shore)









HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! HERE'S TO 2008!

At the Farm in Thailand

Bird revealed - looking out on the view from our table at The Gop (Frog) restaurant on our way to the farm.









By the duck pond, before setting out for a tromp.



In the hot Thai sun.



The big house.




From across the garlic fields.




Coffee trees shaded by lichee trees.






Moon rise at the farm.







The moon through the dawk kaa trees.



The whole gang on Christmas Eve.

At The Orchid Farm in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Spring Break

I find myself infinitely bored today. Not that I don’t have much to do (note to self: grade 26 papers; study up on double negatives; finalize lesson plans for three classes for the last 5 weeks of the semester; purchase on-clearance sugar and egg-white candy shaped as ducks and chickens, place in microwave with toothpick swords, set on high for 5 minutes and watch the battle; sketch out 6-week summer course; create a plan for rearranging the furniture and post on marker board where it will remain un-noticed and un-followed for at least 6 months before taking it down; locate Monty Python’s Argument Sketch and work into inductive opener for lesson on argumentation; revise & submit syllabi for summer and fall courses; submit summer and fall book orders – ooops – read several books first within the next 24 hrs; re-assess finances and revise budget; finish taxes and write check to the IRS while imagining that my tax dollars are allocated to the National Park System instead of keeping the grossly wealthy wealthy; pretend to research trip to Paris and London; renew commitment to healthy living by planning to walk 4 miles and drink 8 glasses of water each day of the spring break and then work on psyching up to implement the plan; confirm doctor appointment and then neglect to show up; read poetry submissions for campus competition and refrain from writing cryptic and soul-crushing commentary on the submissions; cancel cable TV and sign up for Netflix; call payroll about this month’s paycheck that is half the norm; contact all bill-collectors and forewarn them that this month they will receive less than half the norm; purchase ingredients for Mojitos, make many Mojitos and get drunk), but I am not in the mood to do much of anything at all.