We are adopting – how you can help

Sawadee Khrap

I just received this letter from my sister in California.  Her daughter, Jessica and Jess’s partner Stephanie are planning on adopting a child and they are seeking a special person (Birthmother) somewhere in the U.S. for help.

This blog is presently getting over 300 visitors a day and hopefully one of them, or someone they may know, is looking to make an adoption plan.  Please read the letter below and if you, or someone you know, can help please contact Stephanie & Jessica directly by email or through the web-sites shown in the letter.

Dear Family & Friends,

As many of you know, we are hoping to start a family through adoption, specifically open adoption. Open adoption is an adoption process in which birthparents and adoptive parents select each other, and although the adoptive parents are solely the parents of the child, the birthparents remain a part of the child’s life in some capacity. We believe that it is healthy for an adopted child to know who their birthparents are, where they came from, why they look like they do, and other important issues that can come up for the adopted child. Plus, you can never have too many people that love your child.  We are thrilled about adopting and hope to make a connection soon with a young woman or couple who are considering a loving family for the baby they are bringing into the world.

We are working with a nationwide adoption agency (www.adoptionhelp.org) specializing in open adoptions, and we are currently in the “waiting” phase. We have been approved to be adoptive parents, and we have created a web site and a ‘Dear Birthmother’ letter that we hope will entice a potential birthmother to choose us over the thousands of other people in our situation. And although most of the birthmothers find prospective parents for their baby through the adoption agency, about 10% of all adoptions come about from networking with family, friends, acquaintances, and even complete strangers…and that is why we are asking you for help. We realize that it is unlikely that you know of anyone who is in the difficult place of having to consider giving her child up for adoption, but you never know. You might be surprised, you just might know a friend of a friend of a friend that is looking to make an adoption plan. So, we would be so grateful if you could keep an eye out for us, or pass along this email if you know of someone that could help us.

To see our adoption web site, please go to www.foxparker.com.

If you would like to speak directly to our representative at the adoption agency, please call toll-free at 1-800-877-6736 and ask for one of the intake counselors who will answer any and all of your questions.

Thank you in advance for helping us to grow our family. We have so much love to give, and we cannot wait to have that chance to be parents. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Steph & Jess

All my prayers and hope go with Jessica and Stephanie – I knew them before they formed their partnership and attended their marriage.  What a wonderful couple and I know there is a child out there or will be out there that would be a blessing into their extended family.

Thanks for any support you can offer.

Ciao 

Flasher

Sawadee Khrap

Jerry sent me another :  Can’t read the author’s name, the JPG is so pixelated – so I’ll put it up and if they email to remove, I’ll take it down.

Flasher

 

enjoy:  Nice Photoshop work – or Painter, not sure

 

 

 

 

 

Ciao.

 

Miguel’s New Site – Grand Opening Party

Sawadee Khrap

Hey, you guys in Chiang Mai be sure and visit the original Miguel’s on the moat before Thapae Gate (Chaiyaphum Rd.  082–897–6427) and get your free INVITATION to the Grand Opening Party April 25th for the new location at Nong Hoi.  Here’s ours, we will be there for sure  – hope to see you there too.

Great Authentic Mexican Food and Drinks

MguelsGrandOpening

Mark says that there will be some “sunrises” – I can’t wait to see what that means – I asked him would it be some beautiful boys.

He just laughed and said that it would be hard to beat Nu – thanks Mark for the compliment, I know Nu appreciates it.

I think, Randie, his sister, will be the manager.  We meet both Mark and Randie at the last Expats meeting where they came as a new sponsor for the club.  I hope I have the spelling of her name right. 

SEE YOU ALL THERE !

Ciao.

Computers

Sawadee Khrap

Jerry’s done it again – sent me this – Hope you enjoy:

For  all of us who feel only the deepest love and affection for the  way computers have enhanced our lives, read on.

At a  recent computer expo (COMDEX),Bill Gates reportedly compared  the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, 
‘If GM had kept up with technology like the computer  industry has, we would all be driving $25 cars that get 1,000  miles to the gallon.’

In  response to Bill’s comments, General Motors issued a press  release stating:  (Sorry, I don’t have a link to the copy)

If  GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be  driving cars with the following characteristics (and I just love this part ):

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash…….. 
Twice  a day.

2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car. 

3.  Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason.  You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would  simply accept this.

4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine. 

5.  Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive – but would run on only five percent of the roads.

6. The oil, water temperature and alternator warning lights would  all be replaced by a single ‘This Car Has Performed An Illegal  Operation’ warning light. 

I love the next one!!! 

7.  The airbag system would ask ‘Are you sure?’ before deploying. 

8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car  would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you  simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and  grabbed hold of the radio antenna. 

9.  Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to  learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls  would operate in the same manner as the old car.

10.  You’d have to press the ‘Start’ button to turn the engine off.

PS – I’d like to add that when all else fails, you could call ‘ customer  service’ in some foreign country and be instructed in some foreign language how to fix your car yourself!!!!

Please share this with your friends who love – but sometimes hate – their computer!

Ciao

 

Max at Kew Lom Lake

Sawadee Khrap

MaxKewLomLake2

 Wow – I just got these great pictures from our friend Max — He and several of his friends spent the weekend at this great place in Lampang.  On Kew Lom Lake – at the  Wang-Kaew Isle resort.   Approx. 160Km from Chiang Mai past Lampang but before you reach Phayao.

Looks like a very peaceful place to relax and enjoy the company of good friends – he says that they took a bamboo-boat from the resort for a 2 hr round-trip tour of the lake – caves, landscapes,  – then back to the resort’s natural gardens and comfortable rooms with WC/hot showers and a balcony overlooking the lake. Very reasonable – they paid about 1200 Baht ($40 US) person/night for lodging, food, drinks and tours — not bad.

——— SLIDESHOW —-—

P.S.  I just ran across a web-site for “big game” fishing and it shows the Kew Lom lake – Don’t know how they do for the fishing, or how big they are BUT judging from the photos of the boys in Max’s shots, there must be a lot to catch at the resort ().  New and I will have to check it out and let you know – fishing and the resort – ha ha .

Ciao

Painting a Portrait

Sawadee Khrap

Image008Mark Gerard  just sent me this terrific article on the actual thought process that  created this portrait.  He sent it to me as a Word document and I converted it to a web-page to post here.

 —— Painting a Portrait ——

I think I’m going to try some painting too – but not with actual paints but digitally.  Adobe Photoshop has brushes and is capable of producing images that appear like copies of paintings – coupled with special printing paper, very realistic paintings are possible. 

Now, with my studio close to completion and several boys already willing to pose, I should have enough material to start painting – errr, (Is painting the proper word to use, or should I say processing?)

CorelPainterBut the “real” painting program is Corel Painter.  This program is “the cat’s meow”. 

Corel says “ultimate digital art studio for anyone ready to expand their definition of creativity. Working with the most advanced digital painting and natural media tools available, you can create the art you’ve always envisioned”.

I had an older version and found it had a very steep learning curve – probably because I have no painting talent.  But now, as I am slower and have the time to learn – not to mention the great material I can “paint” – I think I’ll get the latest version ( 12, I think is out now ) and try learning again.

Come on Boys – the cameras ready, the paints are ready, the lighting is fine and even if we don’t make a masterpiece – we can have a lot of fun – you pose – I shoot ———   WOW   I can’t wait to get started.  Email me if you want to be a model – by appointment only

Ciao

 

Novice Monks – Wat Suan Dok

Sawadee Khrap

NoviceMonks1Sunday and Monday were filled with picture taking at Wat Suan Dok.  52 young men from very young to their 20’s were ordained as Novice Monks.  I took a lot of shots and New used the video.  He will make a DVD of the event, both for practice and for the Temple.  He’s starting a small business of video and photos so this is a good starting project – hopefully I may be able to post it . – I’ll try

The day begins with the boys getting their head and eyebrows shaved then into the white novice robes for the ordination.  After being ordinated they then put on the traditional orange robes.  The final part of the second day is when they receive their bowels – each morning they will leave the temple to walk the local neighood to receive the offerings from the people – what they receive is what NoviceMonks2NoviceMonks3they have to eat.  It is a lesson in dependence and humility – something we in the West I think have lost with our children.  Most will be here for at least the following month.

This is a quick post and so I don’t have a lot of information to add – just the sideshow:

—— SLIDESHOW ——

ciao

 

Seussical – at the Kad Suan Kaew Theater

Seussical-1-5Seussical-1-6Seussical-1-4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday night  we went to see “Seussical” at the Kad Theater at Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Center – what a delightful evening.

Check out the SLIDESHOW

Seussical-1-1Seussical-1-2Seussical-1-3

 

 

 

 

And our friend Jim put his photos in his FaceBook – he’s done a much better job of telling the story than I do – I’ll have to take more time and have each of my photos captioned – wow a lot of work – we’ll see

 

Ciao.

 

Look At This Gallery – Mark Gerard’s Watercolours

MarkGerardLookAtThisGallery

MarkPaintingsLookAtThisGallery

 

 

 

 

 

Last night, Thursday 19th, we went to see our friend, Mark’s Grand Opening of his presention of over 30 of his original watercolours at the Look At This Art Gallery, Nimmanhaemin Road, (opposite the Amari Rincome Hotel).  In addition there were also four others artists showing their works in acrylic and oils.  

Nice show, great attendance, especially liked Mark’s paintings – check it out, I’m sure you’ll find one you want for your home.

LookAtThisGalleryLookAtThisGallery2

 

 

 

 

 

And they have a great staff too –

ServerAtLookAtThisGalleryBartendersLookAtThisGallery

 

 

 

 

 

LookAtThisGalleryBusCard

 

 

 

 

Ciao

 

La Vie en Rose – Grand Opening

LaVieEnRoseGrandOpening

 

La Vie en Rose
Grand Opening
on
Monday, March 16, 2009.
20:00 till 22:00.
 
Fireworks, Lanna Style Hot Air Balloons.
 
Famous Saxophone Quartet “Four Brothers”
 
Free Red Wine  Free White Wine
Free Beer (Heineken – Chang)

 
Nimman Kitchen (by Krit) will present a
variety of delicious snacks.

 See the SlideShow – this Gay owned and operated bar just opened in Chiang Mai opposite the HillSide4 Condos.  Great crowd, music and food sparked the event.  I was having camera problems and so didn’t get a lot of pictures – but I did get some of the boys that were there.

LaVieEnRoseGrandOpening-3LaVieEnRoseGrandOpening-4

 

 

 

 

 

LaVieEnRoseGrandOpening-2

 

You’ll recognize New and Narin and here is also a shot of the bartenders –  We had a great time and saw a lot of old friends we hadn’t see in a long time – maybe now there will be a place where we can meet.

There are rumors that the area will cater to a gay’er stock of businesses – who knows, but there is certainly enough room for several other venues – hopefully gay too.

Come and enjoy the evening.

 

 

Ciao

 

David Crisp – memorys

Sawadee Khrap

If you check out my earlier post on David’s Service you will find a comment by Kathy Humphry requesting the names of David’s friends here in Chiang Mai.  She then sent me a beautiful letter of her experiences with David in Scotland.  For all of you who knew David but not in detail, I thought I’d post it here:

Hi Frank

Thank you so much. Many of us here in Scotland have been reading the web and seeing what you have done in Chiang Mai.

I met David about 31 years ago. I thought he was a school boy (smoking in the corner) until he stepped forward to conduct “The Magic Fir Tree” which he had just composed.
I was bowled over and have been a supporter ever since. He then went on to found the Hadley Court Singers and I was an early, though not founder member of that.
The next step was the Lasswade Community Orchestra and I was a founder member of that. I am the only original member left sadly. This orchestra moved from Lasswade and became the Open Orchestra which is thriving and will be holding a celebration concert for David on 21st June in the Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh. This is a lovely old Church on the Royal Mile which is the Church the Queen uses when in residence in Edinburgh. David held his 50th birthday celebration concert there playing a whole concert of his own compositions. We will also be playing only David’s work.  It will be a short concert although we could play for many hours as there is quite a lot of David’s music around. I will need to contact someone in the Spirit House Choir as the Hadley Court Singers wish to perform Adam Lay Ybounden which he dedicated to the memory of the husband of one of the orchestra who died in September. We have the music but none of David’s extra markings – speed, dynamics etc and need help if you don’t mind.

David became very stressed in his last year or two at Lasswade. Teachers are treated very badly in my opinion and when the “system” manages to stress out such a natural and talented teacher as David then I can’t imagine how the rest cope at all and how our kids get any inspiration from school at all. He couldn’t wait to retire and join you all in Thailand. When he finally left I thought we would never hear from him again and indeed he did go completely quiet for about a year BUT in September I got a happy e-mail from him.He was really enjoying life again and was really enjoying his new choir. At Christmas he sent a long e-mail for all of us and again was very happy. I am so glad that he found his peace again before he died though really it would have been better for him to have had loads more time to enjoy it.

As soon as he we heard of his death I discovered that whatever conversations I was having, something always reminded me of David. eg my neighbour was celebrating his 40th birthday that week and I remembered David and a few Hadley Court Singers singing outside my bed-room window on a brilliant summer’s day on my 40th before we all had to go to work. I remember all 4 homes that he had in the Lothian area since I knew him and helped him move. He looked after me when my son needed to stay over night in the Sick Children’s Hospital which was almost next door to where David lived at the time. He gave me Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin to read that night and I have always loved those books ever since. (I lived in San Francisco in the early 70’s).

Your loss is greater than ours. We had really already lost David when he left to go to Thailand but all of you had hoped to have a future with him. I can’t tell you how dreadfully sorry I am.”

Thanks Kathy – I know many will appreciate to learn of David’s amazing past.

Ciao

Addendum to Brass Monkey

Balls

 

Here’s a photo I saw on the Internet – and it reminded me about the story Jerry sent me about the “Brass Monkey” I posted last month.

I bet this guy would have a rough time in that cold weather.

I’d like to find out who took this photo – I bet he has a lot more great shots.  But there is no data included with the JPG I have – If anyone has the original photo or knows who the photographer is please let me know.

In any event – I think it’s cute

HANG IN THERE – as they say

 

Ciao

 

While we’re on the subject of being gay

Sawadee Khrap

Jerry just sent me this picture – need I say more.

Being gay

 

No idea who’s picture this is but I hope they don’t mind if I post it here –

If not – please email me and I will remove it.

 

P.S. I would love to give credit to the young (spirit) man in the photo – I hope he writes and lets me know who he is and hopefully I can post more of his philosophy on life.  It would be a great honor to post his comments here.

 

Ciao

What Can I Do With A Male Nude ?

Sawadee Khrap

I just started in earnest looking for data to help me prepare my photo studio and get some ideas for interesting shots.  I have to admit that art does not come naturally to me, at least how to make a “Wow” artistic work.  Taking a photo is one thing – making a great photo artistic is something else – at least for me.

I was going through the videos on YouTube and ran across this one, at least this one really caught my eye and I wanted to post it for you to see too.

 

I am starting to set up my studio and hope to have some shots to show, maybe next month – it will be longer before I open the studio web-site – I hope you will stay tuned to see.   Anyway I hope you enjoy this video as much as I do.

I know I did.

Ciao