hmmm...which am i?
Posted on April 07, 2009, filed under "quotes"
There are two kinds of men: those who could be happy and are not, and those who search for happiness and find it not. ~ Arabian Proverb
Posted by Raymond at 10:56 PM | Comments (0)
Chiang Mai, part two
Posted on March 23, 2009, filed under "open_ended_ticket"
After four wonderful days on Koh Samui we flew back to Bangkok so that my cousin could head home. My Papa and I still had four more days to fill so we decided to head back up to Chiang Mai, find some first rate bungalows to stay in and end our trip to Thailand in style. And that is just what we did.
Posted by Raymond at 06:28 AM | Comments (0)
koh samui
Posted on March 18, 2009, filed under "open_ended_ticket"
After three quick, but full days in ChiangMai, we took a plane to the southern part of Thailand to the island of Koh Samui.
Koh Samui is an amazingly beautiful island. It is one of the more popular islands for tourist, but that is not always a bad thing. We stayed at a great resort in the Chaweng beach area and had a blast walking around and renting scooters and exploring the island.
Posted by Raymond at 12:28 PM | Comments (0)
chiang mai
After three great days exploring bangkok we took a plane north to ChiangMai, quoted as being Thailands most liveable city.
ChiangMai was pretty different than Bangkok, being farther north in the mountain areas seemed to give it a more calm feel about it.
Posted by Raymond at 09:13 AM | Comments (0)
hello bangkok
After one taxi ride, one train ride, two bart rides and two flights I finally arrived in Thailand at Bangkok's new and modern Suvarnabhumi Airport and from there it was only 40 minute taxi (metered) ride to the hotel.
I was the first to arrive, then would come my dad and then my cousin, mark, who was surpising my dad by coming to Thailand to celebrate my fathers 65 birthday with us.
Bangkok is a very different place. At times it seems modern, if you look at things like the downtown skyskrapers, but a quick look in a different direction and you can see that the old ways are still in full affect.
Posted by Raymond at 05:45 AM | Comments (0)
Yumm...Chipotle
Posted on February 28, 2009, filed under ""
Getting my fix of Mexican food before I go
- Ray
Posted via email from people & places
Posted by Raymond at 01:30 PM | Comments (0)
have trust in trust
"It is better to suffer wrong than to do it, and happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust." ~Samuel Johnson
Posted by Raymond at 10:09 AM | Comments (0)
an instant message instant
[16:51] Her: maybe I just need to adjust my view of her. Just think of her as a little girl trying to do an adult job.
[16:51] Him: there you go, perfect
[16:51] Him: ahhh...poor little girl
[16:51] Her: mommy will fix it sugar. you go play with your diagrams.
[16:51] Him: lol
Posted by Raymond at 09:47 AM | Comments (0)
honestly, I will never understand
Posted on February 26, 2009, filed under "quotes"
"It is better to be told a hurtful truth than to be told a comforting lie." ~Unknown
Posted by Raymond at 10:02 AM | Comments (0)
Six Days and Counting
Posted on February 24, 2009, filed under "open_ended_ticket"
I most definitely have "short timers" disease. I can barely focus at work knowing that vacation is just around the corner and to make it worse, work is super busy right now and I feel like I am not going to have enough time to get everything done and handed off before I leave. Luckily I work with some really great people and I know they have my back and everything will work out just fine.
I really think this is going to be an interesting trip. I have never really gone on a vacation with just my Dad and I think Thailand is going to be very different than any other places I have visited, which I am actually very excited about, and considering all the craziness of the past year and a half I think my Dad and I both really, really need this time away.
This past year and a half has been very trying and has left me emotionally scarred, well I don't know if scarred is accurate, as I feel the wounds are still pretty fresh and maybe this time away will provide some much needed healing time.
Either way, I am finally getting out of here for a while and I can hardly believe it. It seems as if I have been trying to get away for a "real" vacation for so long and in six days I will be half way around the world in a place I have never been before, seeing and doing things with my Dad and opening up my mind, eyes, ears and mouth to new and wonderful things and none of this would be possible without the love and support of my dearly loved Father.
Thanks Dad and Happy Birthday. We are going to have an amazing time!
Posted by Raymond at 08:51 PM | Comments (0)
do it now
I shall pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." - Jerry Lewis
Posted by Raymond at 08:39 PM | Comments (2)
i knew there was a reason
Posted on February 19, 2009, filed under "quotes"
“As long as the world is turning and spinning, we're all gonna be dizzy and we're all gonna make mistakes.” - Mel Brooks
Posted by Raymond at 08:43 PM | Comments (0)
How good do you want to be?
Posted on February 17, 2009, filed under "books"
Hmmm...well that is an interesting question and one that I am not really sure how to answer. I guess the "right" answer would be "the best that I can."
I am one who sometimes has a hard time finishing "real" books, so when I found the book, It's Not How Good You Are, Its How Good You Want to Be, I knew I had found the book for me. Minimal text, a lot of pictures and on top of that, it was pretty darn inspirational. Perfect.

Posted by Raymond at 11:45 PM | Comments (0)
ok, had enough for a while...
I know I said earlier that I like the rain, and I do, but when it rains constantly for days, and you don't even get any good thunderstorms to go with it, then it does start to get a bit old. I know we need it, so if it keeps coming I will be happy about it and know that all the plants are freakin happy.
Ando Hiroshige (Japanese, 1797-1858), Great Bridge: Sudden Rain at Atake, Edo period, 1857, color woodcut. Rain is pelting pedestrians on the bridge at Ohashi in the city of Edo (modern-day Tokyo).
Posted by Raymond at 11:21 PM | Comments (0)
SF Beer Week...oh my
Posted on February 14, 2009, filed under "drinks"
How am I just now finding out abou this? I can't believe I missed SF Beer Week. Now I have to wait a whole other year for this magical event to happen again.
Posted by Raymond at 05:41 PM | Comments (0)
american furnishings
The site American Furnishings has some really great furniture. I love everything about it. Looking at their stuff makes me want to go out and build something.
This stuff would be perfect for the "getaway".
Posted by Raymond at 03:09 PM | Comments (0)
this is why you're fat
I really just don't know what to say about the site, This is why you're fat, well not so much the site, but the food that they talk about.
The name of the site perfectly describes what is going on here and I have to say that I find the content intriguing...not that I want to try the food, well not all of it at least, but it is just crazy what people will come up with to eat.
Posted by Raymond at 02:05 PM | Comments (0)
//in the mix/2.14.09
Etta James-Never My Love
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Since I am single this v-day and not really all that excited about it, I thought I would post a not so happy song as well. I wrote this song a while back and recorded it with my "band" Operation Razortooth. I am singing as well, no laughing. Enjoy
Operation Razortooth-This Time
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Posted by Raymond at 12:29 PM | Comments (0)
rain
Posted on February 13, 2009, filed under "thoughts_and_things_of_the_sort"
I love the rain, of course I don't know if I would say that if I lived somewhere where it rained all the time, but since I don't, I really enjoy it when it is here and it is made even better if there is some thunder and lightning like there was last night.
Having spent a majority of my life in Florida, I really miss a great thunderstorm. I know that might sound funny, but until you have been on the beach during a wonderful Florida summer day and have seen the storm move in and unleash it's amazing power, then just disappear like nothing ever happened, then I don't you will understand why I miss those times so much.
rain noun (plural rains)
- water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
- drops of fresh water that fall as precipitation from clouds
- precipitate as rain; "If it rains much more, we can expect some flooding"
- anything happening rapidly or in quick successive; "a rain of bullets"; "a pelting of insults"
view other search results from the search string "define:rain" in google
Posted by Raymond at 12:37 PM | Comments (0)
//in the mix/2.13.09
Eurythmics - Here Comes The Rain Again
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Posted by Raymond at 12:35 PM | Comments (0)
a country meadow
Posted on February 12, 2009, filed under "the_getaway_a_dream_in_progress"
If you are going to have a place in the country, it has to have a proper meadow. There is something really calming to me about a meadow. I can just imagine sitting on the porch, cold beer in hand (or some tasty beverage), the summer breeze drifting by making the plants in the meadow slowly sway from side to side...yep, that's what I need.
This article on planting a meadow should be a good reference to keep around for when that day comes.
Posted by Raymond at 03:36 PM | Comments (0)
//in the mix/2.12.09
Fleet Foxes-Ragged Wood
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Posted by Raymond at 12:59 PM | Comments (0)
//in the mix/2-11-09
Posted on February 11, 2009, filed under "in_the_mix"
The Counting Crows-Four White Stallions
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Posted by Raymond at 07:28 PM | Comments (0)
cottage in a day
Posted on February 09, 2009, filed under "the_getaway_a_dream_in_progress"
I ran across this site, Cottage in a day today. This might just get added to the "possibilities" list.
Posted by Raymond at 02:56 PM | Comments (0)
Two for Thailand
Posted on February 07, 2009, filed under "open_ended_ticket"
Less than a month and it's vacation time. Thank goodness. It has been way to long since I headed off to some far away place and this time it is going to be Thailand.
I am meeting up with my Father, who is currently a civilian contractor in Iraq, for two weeks in the "Land of Smiles" for some much needed R&R.
I have been busy trying to plan the "perfect" trip, but the more I look at things and talk to people, it seems better to just play it by ear and go with the flow so that is what the plan is. Fly into Bangkok, hoist our "travel sails" and see which way the winds take us.
Posted by Raymond at 02:56 PM | Comments (0)
In Bruges
Posted on February 06, 2009, filed under "movies"
I watched the movie In Bruges last night and I really liked it. It had a really interesting story line set in the beautiful town of Bruges, Belgium.
Seeing this movie reminded me of just how many amazing places there are to see and how many of them I still need to visit. My "places to visit" list just got another entry.
One of the main actors in the movie, Brendan Gleeson, is an actor I really like. I like just about everything he has been in. If you watch and like In Bruges, take a look at the short film Six Shooter if you get a chance.
Posted by Raymond at 03:03 PM | Comments (0)
sweetwater bungalows
Posted on January 28, 2009, filed under "the_getaway_a_dream_in_progress"
The site, Sweetwater Bungalows has some great tent cabins. These might be perfect prior to actually building something permanent.
Posted by Raymond at 03:02 PM | Comments (0)














