Jataka Tales – Wat Suan Dok

Sawadee Khrap

Sorry to have taken so long to post some pictures.  Here are some shots from Wat Suan Dok as they celebrate the reading of the Jataka Tales.  The Jataka is a collection of stories of the previous Lives of the Buddha, told by the Buddha for universal application.  10 of the favorites are read throughout the day in the temple. 

This is normally done on Loy Krathong Day (Nov 24th), but because most people are at the major celebrations in the city, Wat Suan Dok celebrates it the week before.  The balloons will be released during the week and on Loy Krathong Day.  I will get more shots as the festival continues.

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Ciao

 

Chiang Rai- Photo Club – Monk Chat Project

Sawadee Khrap

Well the week off helped.  Didn’t have the camera with me all week, for that matter I haven’t taken a picture in about 2 weeks.  With Loy Krathong  coming next weekend ( 24th) and the assignment for the Photo Club to get at least one shot of the festivities, I guess I will fire up the camera again.

I went to Chiang Rai to meet a possible special friend but even with a delightful weekend trip, we didn’t find each other to be right for a lasting relationship – too bad, could have been nice.  Had a great time though –  we went to Doi Mae Salon and the beautiful temple there – In Chiang Rai I had a foot massage – the girl was a little aggressive and I still feel where she went a little over board with the stick and pressure – one sore spot – Ohh Well.

We had our first meeting of the Camera Club – at Tusker’s Bar – great meeting and met some new friends.  Looking forward to see it grow.

And finally I have started a new project with the Novice Monks at Wat Suan Dok.  During the next year, each monk will have a chance to go home and visit their village and family.  Some have not been home for 3 – 4 years, what a welcome trip.  Cambodia and Laos are the homeland for many, some others are from China, Burma and of course – Thailand.  Each have a unique story to tell about how they took up the Robe and what it was and is like living in their villages.  Sooooooooooooooooooo Our project is:

  • I will teach them HTML and PHP so they can created a web site and I will give them space and an email address on my site to post their completed web site.
  • They will study and learn how to program and will do all coding for their little bio and tell about their lives and the village life and culture where they come from.   

So far we have 5–6 Monks in the group – stay tuned for a great viewing experience as we post their web sites and stories.  Please make any suggestions on what would be interesting to include and I will pass it onto them.

It’s been a long dry picture spell  – so with the holiday approaching next weekend – I should have some new images to show you –

Ciao

 

Latest trip to Lak Tang – and my break

Sawadee Khrap

Sunday, our two car caravan went to Lak Tang.  All from the Expats Club, attending were

Leigh & Kris, Ramlah, Christine, Ka, Wayne and Lucy.  We had a great time and saw some real beautiful scenery even thought it was very cloudy.  It was Sunday so we didn’t go to the 1 Baht School, class is out, but we did make it to Wat Fa Wiang Inn Temple and a side trip to the Refugee Camp.  We dropped off donations and met several of the people there.  I didn’t get any pictures, batteries went dead on the way – I forgot to re-charge them before leaving – sorry.   Thanks everyone for going.

I understand that they also want to go again and so sometime in the future we will plan another trip – check the Expats Newsletter for details and times.

And now for my break:

Since my breakup with Tasanai I haven’t been that excited to keep everything up to date – I guess I am a little more depressed about it than I thought.  I realize that this is to be expected as we were together of almost 2 years, but just feel tired now and need to take a short break from the blog and such. I think a week should do it.

Then I can get back to work and also finding my special one who will be a active part in my retirement.  Sometimes I wish I could just retire and sit back and watch the grass grow – but that’s not my nature.  Since I cannot work in Thailand but I still have to remain active – helping my partner build his retirement business affords me the activity I require.  Soooooooooooooo, my search for Mr. Right goes on.

Back next week – see Ya.

Ciao

Donations update

Sawadee Khrap

Thanks everyone, we really appreciate and I know the Village of Lak Tang can use the money to finish the school building.

$100+  US   or   approx   3500+  Baht Donors:

David – UK         Michael – US

Less than $100

Phillip – Chiang Mai       Tom – Chiang Mai         Ted – US

These donations have been added to the moneys received from the Expat’s meetings for a TOTAL of over 17,000 Baht    so far  – much needed construction funds.  

In addition, local donations by the Expat members allowed us to deliver on Nov 1st a full pick-up truck of needed items to the community so far.  Clothes, Blankets, Food, a Bicycle, and many school supplies.  I didn’t get to go and so didn’t get any pictures – but I promise that I’ll be there for the next load and be sure and get a lot of images to show you.

Please keep sending in what you can – lets get that finished school built this year. 

Thanks, Thanks, Thanks

ACIM

Sawadee Khrap

I am starting to modify the look and feel of the Blog.

There is no sense in trying to re-invent the wheel and there are several established  excellent sites for ACIM.   So my first change is to remove the old links category for ACIM daily lessons. 

Please take a look at the new ACIM sidebar.

  • Foundation of Inner Peace
  • Pathways of Light

The first offers the lessons exactly as presented in the book and also has a Audio version you can listen to.  This is almost the same as I had before –

The second is a link to Pathways of Light’s comments and suggestions on each lesson.

Both are excellent study points and really offer a better format than my ACIM category and daily readings.  And with both you can sign up and have them sent to your email address – pertty neat.

I am also preparing, for the sidebar, a yearly guide to daily lessons that was used when I was attending Pat Wescott & Dave Davis’s Miracle Center in San Mateo, California.  This study schedule is designed to allow one to completely read the entire book (3 sections) in one year – a day at a time.  I’ll add it to the sidebar soon.

Hope you like this format – appreciate your comments.

Ciao

Donations to Lak Tang Area Project

Sawadee Khrap

I have had several inquires as to how to make donations to the Lak Tang Project.  Since there is no credit card capabilities and only Thai Baht can be used – perhaps the easiest way is to send your check to me and I will give it to the Project in Baht.

Send any donation to

Make the check payable to:     Frank Nystrom

and mail to: 

Frank Nystrom

P.O. Box 237

Phrasing Post Office

Chiang Mai, Thailand  50205

And Please make an note on the check “For the Lak Tang Village Project”

I will convert to Baht and present it to the Project.  I’ll also keep everyone updated as to what has been donated.   So far we have collected 6000 Baht+, donated items, food, clothing, toys – 1/2 truck load.   There is a caravan scheduled to go to the School on Nov 4th and I will have pictures to show and update on donations received so far.

Thanks to everyone who helps.

Ciao

Expat’s Newsletter write-up Lak Tang

Thanks, Thanks, Thanks – What a great write-up in the Expats Newsletter about our presentation of the plight of the peoples of Lak Tang Village and the 1 Baht School.

Please take a look at the “CEC Meeting Notes”  page 3  Issue 17 Oct 7, 2007.  Thanks Michael LaRocca for this nice mention.  So far we have raised 6,000+ Baht and a car load of donated items, clothes, food, medicine, etc. And there is planned 2 caravan trips to the Village within the next week or so, each with a truck load of donations.  Several people have also told me that they are working with others to raise more items within the next few weeks. I am impressed.  The winter is here and these people really need help and the Expats of Chiang Mai haven’t let them down.  God Bless

The Newsletter is also running a quarter ad for out project – see bottom/right  page 5

What a great outpouring of help.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Wow, I’ve been busy this week – not any time to post, or at least I was waiting to post with some new photos – but didn’t get them processed yet.

I have started to teach some of the monks at Wat Suan Dok about web programming.  Helping them understand HTML and how to write simple code to put up their web page.  We have gotten together at Monk Chat and discussed code and planning a page.  It’s really nice showing them how to do it.

I think next week there will be a caravan of people going to see the 1 Baht school and bring their donations – this coming Saturday will be the next Expat meeting and I am going to be there to gather the donations collected for the School and area. – I hope it will be a good turn-out.  I did get my picture in the Chiang Mai Mail mag  – but it doesn’t say that I gave the talk on the school project – what the hell – at least my picture is in the article.

Well this is just a update – Things should slow down after this weekend.

Ciao

HDR Photos with Photoshop

Sawadee Khrap

I am testing how to make “High Density Range” images using PhotoShop.  In this test photo of the view from Moun-Ju-Kour-Resort in Wiang Haeng.  I posted other shots from the restrauant deck where we had breakfast — It is almost the same shot as  “Return to Kuang Jaw Shan ……” post, but check out the differences.

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This is a combination range using 3 different exposures created from a single camera RAW shot by Adobe LightRoom.  The 3 images and ranges were processed through Photomatix Pro and then further tweaked in PhotoShop CS3 –    Notice the great range especially in the detail in the sky and the shadows in the rice field – remarkable  – what a range of exposure.  I also saved this image at 72 dpi and optimized for the web.

This shot would have been much more impressive if I had made 3 separate camera RAW images covering a wider exposure range than this version using a single RAW image and adjusting it’s exposure.

I am really impressed and now will try to go back and re-process some of my older shots that I have the camera RAW file to work with.   The more I get into this the better I like it – must be because I am finally starting to know how to work the program – not the program working me.  Anyway this is just a test.

Ciao

Monsoon finally here

Sawadee Khrap

Sure looks like the monsoon has finally hit here – rains from the depression from Typhon – tropical Storm are now hitting Chiang Mai.  3 PM and almost dark, heavy clouds and lots of rain — see weather map.  We are right in the path –  Hope we don’t have a lot of flooding like past years.

Ciao

What a mess – & Lak Tang 1 Baht School

Sawadee Khrap

What a mess this Burmese thing is – I’m not going to get involved in the political problems in this part of the world – I am a guest in Thailand – and want to stay that way.  My friend DeeJohn has a great article on the present problems – check it out. 

We were visiting the refugee camp in the Tak Lang Area, but due to the present problems have shifted our efforts to helping to just the local Thai village itself.  First we help the Thais then any refugees, if possible when the present problems clear or are resolved.

LakTangDonations

This is the poster I designed in Photoshop to use for the project – don’t you just love the boy’s photo. It will be at the Expats Club meetings and at Wat Suan Dok and Monk Chat

Here there are enough problems for the present.  I am going to give a presentation to our Chiang Mai Expats Club next week to see what help we can raise to help the 1 Baht School at Lak Tang.   This school (over 200 kids) was (or is, I should say – it’s only half completed right now, several classes have to be held on the playing field due to lack of covered space or rooms).   I’ve got a lot of pictures I want to post to show the school and the children there – I’ll do that in the next post as I get them ready.  I’ll also go into a little more detail about the effort and area.

We’ve also started packaging our Massage Oil – and have a first trial customer “Chakka Massage” .  Tree will have it available at his spa under his own label – Chakka Massage – Sensual Massage Oil.  This is to test the market and see if it is worth while to start a company to commercially produce ( at a profit) the product.   Check out the earlier posts on Chakka Massage.  We want to thank him for doing the trials for us.

Well, I have a lot of catching up to do – stay tuned.

Ciao

 

I agree with this article – Do you ?

America Needs A Leader Like This!

Prime Minister John Howard – Australia

“Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.

A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown. Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made by parliament. ‘If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you’, he said on National Television

I’d be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing people in Australia : one the Australian law and another Islamic law that is false. If you can’t agree with parliamentary law, independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to another country, which practices it, perhaps, then, that’s a better option’, Costello said.

Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should clear off. Basically people who don’t want to be Australians, and who don’t want, to live by Australian values and understand them, well then, they can basically clear off, he said.

Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation’s mosques. Quote: ‘IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians.’

However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the ‘politically correct’ crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia ‘ ‘However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand.’ ‘This idea of Australia being a multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. And as Australians, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle.’

This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom’

We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!’

Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.’

We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.’

If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don’t like ‘A Fair Go’, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don’t care how you did things where you came from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others.

This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom,

THE RIGHT TO LEAVE

If you aren’t happy here then LEAVE. We didn’t force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.”

 

       

I believe this should be applied to every country – If you want to move there, then respect their country, culture and beliefs.  I do in Thailand, and I would expect all others to do the same.