Flowery views leave me at a loss

We didn’t do a Friday Night Big Girl night last night because we went out to an event for a colleague of J’s who is leaving BKK to return to The States and some family and opportunities there.  It was held at a little place that has a great view of the River and Wat Arun and it was a pretty good time.  Kiddo was a little rambunctious and antsy, but other than that, it was a nice night out with some friends and work people.  

Outside of that, the views were spectacular as well.

Friday was a day off for J and schools, but otherwise life seemed pretty normal.  It was H.M Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana's Birthday and J had the day off for it.  Well wishes and all the best to Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana and may her next year be happy and healthy.  

J had the day.  So, we got to hang out and finish some little stuff we needed to get done.  J needed to do some work and prep.  I had errands to run, kitchen work and maintenance to do (like sharpening all 6 knives on the whetstones), running to the mall for some stuff, and general life things.  It was nice to have the day.  J thought the same.  Especially since Nanny Beer was coming so Kiddo was not in the equation and we could adult and lunch and do and accomplish as needed.  J and I both think we got a lot done and the time and day was needed.

Kiddo needed the day as well.  See, she had some pictures in her brain that needed to be on paper.  Especially the flowers that grow after raining.  

Isn’t that a great painting!  J and Kiddo are going to a park later today to find some sticks and Mumma is gonna try to make a frame from sticks for it.  Could be cool and I can’t wait to see it.

Now, however, the real meat of this blog today.

J and I were talking last night and sharing a beer and a whiskey.  Music on and just hanging out.  And we got to dialoging about why it suddenly seems that everything is taking longer and BKK seems to be kicking our butts a little recently and why is that.  Because it’s opening back up.  See, for the last ~10m, we’ve gotten BKK on Easy mode.  Then it started to open and that was regular mode.  A little harder, 10% more people, a Grab will take 5-8 minutes instead of 3-5.  Now, however, it’s opening and on Hard mode.  Normal+.  50% more cars.  33% more bikes and scooters.  70% more people.  Wait times Quadrupled.  Easy access and shortcuts no longer available in this mode.  Gold drain increase if not careful.  Energy drain guaranteed.  Weather upgraded to monsoon.  

I jest a bit, of course, but J and I have both had our butts kicked by something BKK and Thailand in the last few weeks.  For me, I got turned around, walked a Kilometer the wrong way before needing to backtrack that and spend on a bike to get me to the BTS, only to get on the wrong train heading in the wrong direction and not noticing for 5 stops.  Only to turn around, to get to the right stop and then needing to wait on a cab, when just a month ago the cab stand was 15 cabs deep waiting.  Took me 90+ minutes to correct a silly mistake.  The first time I did the BTS from a similar spot, it took me 35 minutes to get back home, train to cab to door.  This time, it took 3 times that.  

I’m not mad.  I don’t hate BKK because of that.  Part of it is growing pains.  The silver lining is that I didn’t have Kiddo with me, so I didn’t need to worry that the Melt Down Monster would come calling.  It’s just all ramping up back towards pre-covid BKK and we have no experience with that.  We just get to grow and open with it.  That will occasionally mean that we trip up, turn around the wrong way, or just step on the rake and get whacked in the face.

*****

Before I go today, a last bit of housekeeping.

Depeche Mode is my favorite band of all time.  The music, the band, the songs, the lyrics, the time of my life and the albums that spoke to me… I’ve seen them 51 times live, dating all the way back to World Violation and then the Faith and Devotion album dropped and it spoke to me, changed me, and in a lot of ways, saved me.  

One of the founders and long time keyboardist Andy “Fletch” Fletcher has passed away at the age of 60.  A true pioneer of synth and modern electronic music, Fletcher and his bandmates, including former bandmate and Erasure founder Vince Clarke, helped shape and change music in the 80’s and early 90’s.  

Enjoy the Silence and rest in peace.  "Painful to me, pierce right through me..."  I can only hope you didn’t suffer in your end and that your family, friends, and fans can remember you in music, in good thoughts, and as more than just a pop star.  I hope your afterlife is an endless gig with all the musicians you ever hoped to work with or play with again or just rest with your family, hanging out with friends, whatever is your heaven I hope you find.