Day 102 - Republics and Cannibals

Yes, that's Jaws eating a burrito

July 18th, 2015

After dumping my ideas onto the page like I did a few posts ago, I figured I wouldn't have as many things to talk about for a while. Somehow, on the half hour walk to work, I came up with a handful of new ideas to throw down. I’ve heard that walking is supposed to be great for optimal blood flow to the brain, while not being so exerting (such as jogging) to take your attention away from your thoughts.

At work, I chatted with Nadja about podcasts because I've only recently started listening to them. One of the episodes I recently covered from The Tim Ferriss show was on how to approach making a podcast and what to strive for when making it. Listening to it made me want to try my hand. I explained to Nadja how I started listening to it, being the 4 hour work week. Apparently, she knows a group of people from Germany who are living the lifestyle described in the book. They meet up in Thailand every year around now as an annual thing. That's damn good to hear.

Twilight over the Church near the Sharehouse

The rest of the shift went by in a flash. I have a general idea of what needs to be done for prep by looking around and just get to work. I've seen Nadja work and I know what she generally likes done in the place. I go about doing those things. Kafayet shows up at some point and blocks my flow a little bit, though unintentionally. He’s a nice guy, but his instincts haven't fully developed in that sort of environment yet. The shift ends, and I'm left with a tentative final shift tomorrow.

Back home, I write while waiting for something to happen. It’s my final night in the share house and I'm not really sure if I feel like doing anything big. Sandra comes home, pulling me into a conversation with her and Bobo in the kitchen. I wish the dynamic had been more like this when I first moved in. Y'know, social people who weren't super exhausted from work all the time. It’s  shame, but I'm glad I met these guys before taking off.

Sunset as I walk to work

Sandra works in a bubble tea place, and says Thai sweet tea is her favourite kind. I imply that she’s a cannibal, and that the secret ingredient is ground up Thai people. New word of the day for them: cannibal. They drink beer and munch on chicken nuggets with McCain fries while I crunch on celery with almond butter. Somehow the joke of me being God comes up, and they both find it really funny. I also learned the phrase “give me money” in mandarin [gěi wǒ qián]. In English, we will write close approximations to pinyin/mandarin. Likewise, so do the Asian languages; Japanese calls Mcdonalds “Ma-ku-do Na-ru-do.” Say it quickly and it sort of like the original. I learn their names, Bobo’s Japanese name means “give friends,” intended for her to find many good friends, and Sandra’s is “meaning coral,” though it wasn't clear why. Mine means “lover of horses” and couldn't be further from the truth. Being on something bigger than me freaks me out.