Just a test of the private posts function, as part of my slow ongoing effort to soup up this site.
Category: GENERAL
Trying BlogGTK
I’m trying BlogGTK and seeing if I like it as an offline blog editing app. It took me ages to get anything to connect, because none of the programs I was trying to use could connect to my xmlrpc.php file. Turned out it was a problem easily solved, by editing my .htaccess file according to the method described here. Anyway, not sure which app I’ll be using now, but I am glad I got this working. I think it’s working, anyway…
50-some Randoms
Back from my travels. Bit exhausted. Doing this quiz that was ganked from Jade Park, then grocery shopping, then diving back into the rewrite of the story I’m resubmitting this week: 1. Spell my name as it sounds: Goard Seller. 2. Am I a worrier? Yeah, but I’m trying to cut back on it. 3. What’s my favorite CD? John Coltrane’s Live at the Village Vanguard. But that’s a box set complete, and I’m calling it a CD because it comes in one package and if you don’t like it, well, frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn. 4. …
in bangkok
One thing I got to say — the raised pedestrian walkways make life a lot easier. I wish they were building that in Seoul, instead of a silly canal to Busan. (So we wouldn’t have to stand at every corner for five minutes waiting to cross the street.) Oh, and the VIP seats in the movie theaters? Well, maybe not VIP, but I saw Cloverfield (“Cleverfield,” I appropriately typoed) at the SFX cinema in Central World I think it’s call, and that was SO worth it. Airplane first-class style seats. Blanket because the aircon is so high. Fine time. Wish …
Going Soon to Thailand-Way…
Got my tickets booked up, and now I’m just trying to book places to stay in Bangkok and in Rai Leh. But to get myself in the Bangkok mood, I stopped by Somtow’s World, since he’s probably the most famous Thai I know of, aside from the King, of course. It’s odd I’ve never read any of his books — though I do have a copy of Spaceship & Haiku on my shelf at home — given the interests we have in common. He’s a composer, and I studied composition; he’s an author of spec-fic, and so am I. But …
Make Lemonade… in Luang Prabang
An okay night’s sleep in Luang Prabang has me a little more positive again. I still was trying to get out of the country ASAP, but wouldn’t you know, all the flights are full until the 28th. I saved myself a few days, though — going to Bangkok then. Strangely struck by a disinterest even in lying on a beach in Rai Leh (the real spelling of what I called “Ryleh” in my last post, since nobody called me on it) and Ao Nang. Anyway, I am in Luang Prabang for a few days. Trying to decide whether to bus …
Luang Nam Tha, Luang Prabang Again, And Throwing in the Lao Towel
But it was a long few days in Luang Nam Tha. Actually, just outside Luang Nam Tha. Sneezing. Coughing. Wondering, is this what malaria is like? Except I knew it was just a damned cold. And still is. Ugh. But the food? Some of the best I’ve ever had, at this pricey little village place called The Boat Landing. Have the Lemon Mint Fruit Shake. And the Pumpkin Soup, which isn’t really pumpkin but instead is zucchini. The Black Tai Stew. Oh, good grief, go for a week and eat everything. Then take a bus to Huay Xai and fly …
Vientiane afternoon
It’s a quiet afternoon in Vientiane. I got an air ticket to Luang Prabang, because taking the bus for 11 hours doesn’t appeal. I would upload a photo, but I forgot to install LightZone and the few I’ve taken so far are all in RAW format. Silly me. The thing about traveling with a new PC is you find out there’s software you installed besides the OS, and use occasionally, but forgot to install before leaving. Anyway, in its place, here’s a slice of cheesecake I made for Christmas, and which happened to be on my the flash card in …
Twenty Minutes to Boarding
The Business Lounge — where I can go, for only the second time in my life in the Incheon Airport — is the best way to spend the 40 minutes or so I had till boarding time, when I got through security and immigration. But i’s not quite as fun as it was when I was in this lounge with Lime, who was marveling at the free food, free cans and bottles of everything, and so on. I’m traveling again, this time to Laos, and it’s just under twenty minutes to boarding. I’ll be doing some vegging, some writing, and …
The Past Week, and Praise for Pat Condell
It’s been a whirlwind week, meeting people from the textbook gig I had this year for a dinner party (complete with karaoke and a stop at a wine bar), frantic syllabus-drafting and a meeting with fellow teachers to discuss the new Listening & Speaking Course guidelines, followed by Indian food and beer, an end-of-semester lunch meeting with my department, where we wished the department head a good year off on sabbatical in San Francisco, followed by a meeting with Charles and Jeffery at Carne Station, and lots of meat and drink. Last night, Lime and I went on a futile …