News of the Day

Here we are, at the end of the rainy season in Chiang Mai. We have started to feel a slight up-tick in the number of tourists in the city, which is very good news. Having a baby and building the new massage studio definitely took a dent. Despite floods and mud-slides in the north which stop the trains and busses, tourists are still making their way here. Infrastructure is good, but not great; so a mudslide can significantly effect the number of people in guest houses each week. Water management and erosion are huge problems here, as development moves forward largely unchecked and poorly planned.

The six-month low season is drawing to a close, and we are very much looking forward to bigger classes of Thai massage students and cafes full of interesting people to talk to. Amnat has four students in the Massage Studio this week, an American, two Brits, and a lovely Irish woman. Amnat is so well-liked by his students and very popular, that I seem hardly to be missed. A blow to the ego, for sure; but I'm very content with my new job. As with anything, it has it's deadly dull spells, but there's something new every week.



Jimmy is starting to really enjoy his own strength. We stand him up - Ray Bolger style - with his scarecrow legs buckling out sideways. We all get a big thrill from it. And, he can almost lift his head on his stomach. The screaming phase has passed, thankfully. Being on his stomach was not a favorite, shall we say.



His head still bobbles in the most silly way when he's excited, and his legs and arms kick out rigid when something really good is going on.



We spent a spent a relaxing hour this past weekend sitting over coffee, and Amnat snapped these photos of me. The first I'd title, "How I Look Now;" and the second, "How I Feel Now." A little out of focus and hang-dog, for sure. But, I keep busy staying out of the sun, swatting mosquitoes, and writing. Lots of new topics in mind, these days.
Made a nice re-connection recently with my old friend Bernie, my thesis advisor from grad school, who says he's just keeping busy thinking thoughts. Thinking thoughts is a pretty good way to spend your days, and it's what I (still) do best (despite the sleep dep and the caffeine buzz).



I'm working on the curriculum for a new advanced level Thai massage course for pre-natal and post-partum chicks. I'll be teaching it at the end of next year, when we get back to the U.S.A. I have something to say on the topic, which was a blind spot for me before. With some forethought, we took photos for the book when I was still pregnant. I got to be my own model, which was quite nice. Hope to be appearing in a town near you for our training courses next year. Amnat could use a nice tour around the U.S. as a welcome to his new home.