...a blog by the Siamerican Wanderer, AKA Jao Moragoat, a dual national Thai American global citizen, whose goal is to make an impression if not impact on the very well beings of...you.
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Into the twentieth week, or about five months since the rebirth—a life changing moto-bike accident which has left the Siamerican’s left arm mostly senseless and flail—tis time for a post not flooded with only boring jargon, giving readers some eye sweets, treats, and snacks.
After a healthy and active life of 25 years, and then suddenly one day be deemed to continue on without the use of an arm due to severe nerve damage, most can only imagine how different and difficult life might become. Of all the forced changes in daily task function and routine, transport certainly stands out as one of the most significant adjustments, considering he has shifted from ‘conveniently commuting sometimes,’ before, to ‘inconveniently commuting daily,’ now.
At least for the time being, convenient and swift A to B executions on a motorbike are no longer the norm. Instead, walking, busses & sawng taews (trucks with its bed converted into public seating) mass transit sky trains, and the occasional cab have become the new means, dictating more expense, time allocation, and patience capacity than before what once was needed to get around, particularly back and forth to/from work, teaching English full time.
On the bright side, the circumstances having throwing him back into the real world, the Siamerican has been coerced, contentedly opening his eyes to his surroundings, giving him more opportunity and less excuse not to sharpen his observation skills. Alas, not to allow this arcade of aesthetics syntax distract digress into recess, let us indulge in the images of the Krungthep concrete jungle. [Read more →]
Last Tuesday, the SW finally checked into the hospital to proceed with the dreaded Myelogram procedure. As expected it was quite an unpleasant procedure involving needling of the spine to inject some radioactive contrast dye to help determine/confirm the lesion site at the brachial plexus spinal roots via a CT scan. During the overnight in the hospital laying down, no serious symptoms were experienced.
pinky, thumb and forefinger can extend open nearly all the way as of 4 months post injury
after the fact, had orders not to get up, not even to pee!
However, at the time of this writing three and a half days after the fact, he is barely able to sit up for more than 10 minutes at a time before his head starts bulging with unbearable migraines and nausea. Apparently this is normal for up to several days and he can only hope it will pass through a weekend of rest, as trying to stay on his feet to commute and work the past few days has proved torturous. [Read more →]
Alas, exams have been completed as of last week. Assuming nothing went wrong and all classes were passed, SW will be at 90 out of 129 credits for a bachelor’s degree in communication arts, remaining thirteen classes expected to be finished within 2010, knock on wood. [Read more →]
The featured Thai song of this entry is called ‘Jai Ter Gort Krai?’ ใจเธอกอดใคร by the band, Neo-X. The 2004 pop rock hit title literally means ‘Who is your heart hugging?,’ conveying feeling and meaning suitably common in ‘rebound’ relationships.
Have you ever hugged-kissed your lover, and yet suspected she (he) was thinking about –missing their old lover all the while? When one is left suddenly heartbroken, the most potent and quickest remedy is to find a replacement. [Read more →]
The featured Thai song of this entry is called ‘Fawk kwam kid tueng’ ฝากความคิดถึง by the three man band from Southern Thailand, Labanoon. For those of you who don’t read or understand Thai language, you’re probably wondering who the Fawk is Kwam Kit Tueng? As often as common Thai names and words may connote potty meanings in English, actually the phrase and song title literally denotes to “give you (abstract noun of) missing.” The most equivalent meaning in English language would be to ‘Send my loving,’ or perhaps just ‘missing you (from afar)’
Released roughly a decade ago, this unplugged tune has a simple yet powerful arrangement, which general meaning is of missing that special someone—whether lover, friend or family member—despite being physically and /or chronologically distant, still maintaining and remembering the closeness-connection within one’s heart.. [Read more →]
Following are two worthy North American based, Southeast Asian ethnic artists’ indy music videos for sharing and comparing purposes. Have a look and listen, then leave your comments and opinions in the form below. [Read more →]
In this thirteenth week since my accident, my calendar counts 93 days of this new life. Three months might as well have been three years or even 30 years for that matter. Aside from my deforming and inactive left arm and shoulder, physically I pretty much look like the same person I was – though I do keep my hair much shorter now, mostly for convenience in this hot tropical summer weather.
Beyond a casual glance, however, both physical and mental aspects of ‘me’ have, completely detoured astray from the usual paths they once were accustomed. On one hand, seemingly for the worst ( Literally and metaphorically), yet on the other hand, destined and determined for the best. Life moves on. While it has been extremely difficult adapting life routines commanded by one good upper limb, my breath has not ceased to circulate the rest of my existence, though rotten aspects of my old life continue to pierce and penetrate my struggling sanity. [Read more →]
With their comeback last year, the New Kids On the Block showed the world that they still knew how to draw crowds of screaming girls. Even so, the thirty-something boys back on the block will never be able to match the teeny zeal appeal they had two decades ago–which pioneered the way for Vanilla Pop Boy Bands into the nineties and second millennium. Without speculating too much the future success of these old boys, let us reminisce with a lovely ballad that initially helped launch NKOTB into the limelight back in 1988. With the help of Youtube IT time machine, matured generations can be beamed back to their youth, newer generations discovering a reverse to retro all the while, pumped by the featured tune “Please Don’t Go Girl” While this song’s lyrics are nothing spectacular from any other “Love You’ bubblegum pop ballad of the time, some of the falsetto descendo melody are moving enough to reckon with— particularly on the verse ‘..I guess I always will…’ and ‘…always love you…’ Without further delay, Enjoy!
Voice recognition technology has come a long way. The initial impression that I got about it five years ago was that it was virtually worthless software, at least that particular version which seemed to produce results nothing even close to what was intended.
I must say that I’m impressed with the Microsoft Windows XP version that I’m using at the moment, which after a few sessions of voice training, works like a charm.In fact, I used it to write this entry. Sure, it’s not 100% reliable to use as a standalone composition tool, but it certainly does make things a whole lot easier to write, particularly when you only got one good hand to work with. [Read more →]
The Compaq Presario V3000 (and generally all Compaq and HP computers alike) is one of the most affordable known-name notebooks–laptops on the market. For the most part, they seem worth the money— sturdy, light weight, compact, and overall efficient for the low cost.
So far in six months since its purchase, the hardware has proved efficient enough with the initial owner –a family member –that is until I acquired it and inspected it more thoroughly to ensure everything was in working order. The function I would be needing to use the most would prove to be the only defunct: The internal soundcard ! [Read more →]
