Mytacism

The tiny city of Chang Rai, Thailand is by far the most enjoyable place I’ve ever been to. It’s nestled far to the North of the country, near the “golden triangle.” As an American, I stood out quite a bit among the locals, since I am tall, pale, and blonde. The people of Thailand are known for their smiles, though you never know what is going through the mind behind the smile. The city is peppered with rice patties that are still farmed using water buffalo – which are magnificent creatures all on their own. In the wet season, you almost never go a day without the heavens weeping, but the air is hot and you are often grateful for the cool showers. In the evenings the surrounding jungle comes to life, all abuzz with insects and creatures that I try not to imagine crawling into my bed. But there is something about that city – something that I can’t help but love, because though it was bereft of much modern technology, it is one of the few places I have been where I felt wholly alive. My very spirit felt alive and aware of all that surrounded me.

My favorite pastime in the world is an ancient one – celebrated by the greatest minds of all time – the art of reading the written word.  Granted, some writing is far superior to others, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion about to what degree Chaucer is superior to say, Glenn Beck. Though I am personally a devotee of many types of writing, I am willing to shamelessly admit that my soul finds the most joy in the world of fiction – specifically the realm of fantasy and science fiction. It’s a true escape to explore and discover a world that exists solely in the mind of its author, and to take a moment to appreciate the time and effort they have put into working out the society, terrain, and philosophies of this new world. To these I tip my hat, and gobble up the great stories of space battles, dragon slayers, and courageous heroes – and find myself wishing like a child from time to time that I could visit and take part in their grand adventures.

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Every time I go out to a Thai restaurant, (and around here we have many to choose from) I can’t wait to be served a hot bowl of steaming, flavorful curry. It doesn’t really matter what flavor, though I think yellow may be my current favorite, I just love curry. So recently, I decided to attempt my own version in the glorious comfort of my own home. It was tricky to locate all the necessary ingredients in my local store, for almost all of it was new to me, but once I did I already felt like I had accomplished something great. I toted the bulking bags of strange spices home, and got to work. The name of the recipe was The Green King’s Yellow Curry. It sounded so regal, I just had to try! Though it didn’t turn out quite like the local restaurants, I’m pleased to say that I licked my bowl clean, and can’t wait to try again.