Mom Says I’m Running Away

Thanksgiving 2008:

If you (as an American) somehow find yourself in Singapore on a random Thursday in November, with no one around you realizing you should be eating until you explode, Fear Not!  Your holiday won’t be a complete waste.  There is always Mr. Rogers to come the rescue… Kenny Rogers that is!

While it was chicken and not turkey it was still delicious, complete with corn, mashed potatos, cornbread and mac and cheese.  Like a little taste of home, kindly suggested by my darling future-wife.

To all my family at home, I miss you dearly and wish I could be with you, but have fun today and know that I am missing the greenbean casserole.

Back in Singapore:

I made it back to Singapore a few weeks ago and within hours of landing I had my camera dropped off with the Canon Service Center here; and since I came in in the morning, and Felicia was at work,  I actually was having my camera fixed before seeing my fiance again - sick, I know.

Anyways the next day I went back and picked up the old 5D and everything was working perfect again, free of charge.

Over the last few weeks I have turned out to be crazy busy.  I got a job shooting some Architecture at a major worldwide hotel chain, I have been editing through a pile for pictures from Laos, visiting fish markets where the prices rise at the sight of my skin color, and planning for our wedding (looking to be July 4th next year).  Needless to say I have been lacking in my blog duties.

I have my camera back in hand and my girl back on my arm. Life is good again.

Day: 438

At closer inspection today, its true, my camera broke. But its not too bad or irreparable, the mirror just came away from the plastic shutter mechanism, I still have all the parts and it looks like a repair will be rather easy. Unfortunately, while it will still take pictures, it won’t auto-focus, light meter, or even allow me to see through the viewfinder. Sucks bad.

Walking around the streets today without my camera left me extremely depressed. I never before realized the how much a part of me photography is, ands how dependent I am on it as a mechanism to see the world. I see it through the lens, the weight hanging at my side is comforting, its so much a part of who I am I feel lost without it.

I know it sounds lame, but if I wasn’t going back to Singapore (where I can get it fixed by Canon for $50) in a day here, I would be out killing my credit card and buying something to capture the moments of my life with.

-depressed-

Day: 437

Today was our Matador Meet-up here in Chiang Mai.

We wandered about the city, ate lunch and took in a couple of temples.

We met even more Matador members and drank.

And drank…

….and then my camera broke…

Election Day 08:

Today I am proud of my country and am proud to be an American.  We elected a president who hopefully has the willpower to pull us from this global slump.

For the last few years traveling the world, I (and other Americans), were constantly being looked down on for the policies of the Republican Administration, and their seeming disregard for everything outside of our borders. Nonchalantly invading countries and throwing our global weight around. I could never be ashamed of being American, but there were definitely moments when the choices of our country embarrassed us in front of the rest of the world, who was just looking for leadership.

Where as I can’t agree with absolutely everything offered by Obama and the Democrats, I do forsee them making some changes that will reverse the pattern of degradation that has, at least in my eyes, become the standard of the Bush policies.

We as Americans have given Obama, the Democrats and Hope a chance.  Here’s to the chance that Hope can actually follow through.

• “To those — to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.” -Barack Obama (His entire victory speech is here)

• “Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history.”    -John McCain  (his entire speech conceding the election is here)

Day: 436

Our Lao bus driver kicks ass!  He got us through our night on the bus and even shaved 3 hours off our expected time.  We made it to the shores of the Mekong by 7am and had some breakfast while waiting for the border to open.

I had teamed up with Chris, a Canadian film guy, and Marisa, an Irish girl on a year long round the world, to try to get ourselves to Chiang Mai with some sort of speed today.

Unfortunately it didn’t work out that well, it was supposed to be only 5hours from the border, but the frustrating day was spent trying get on bus after full bus which never could quite get ups there. We ended up spending 5 hours in Chiang Rai waiting, and when we did finally make Chiang Mai it was past 9 in the evening.

When I finally found a place with a bed it was a shithole, but I was exhausted and dirty from 30hours of travel, so i showered and dropped in the rockhard bed, deciding then to change hostels in the morning.