Random

We're running out for a day away. I'll be back soon with Wednesday and Thursday from Week in the Life.

For now, some random thoughts:

1. People often try to chum up to Solo by asking him questions. They think he's older than he is (Edj- he's turning three this month) and assume that he'll have intelligible responses. They're only partially right.

"What's your name?"

"Sommen."

"What?"

"SOMMEN."

"... Where are you from?"

"De India."

(Puzzled glances at the rest of us.)

"Where are you really from?"

"DE INDIA."

"How old are you?"

"Seven."

And then they give up.

2. If it wasn't for the horrid s*x trade here, I would think that Bangkok was the best city I've ever been to. Indeed, since there's a lot more to Bangkok than that, I AM inclined to think it's my favorite city. Urban and rural in ways (when you go down the little canals, you wouldn't believe you're in a city) with great transportation (the skytrain has changed everything, and river taxis are a dream) and lively people. Everywhere I go, something is happening. Middle aged ladies are doing aerobics in the park. There are dancers on a big stage. A group of kids is inexplicably dressed up like Anime characters. Another group of kids is doing insane yo-yo tricks on the side of the street. (Not for money, just getting together.)

People here seem to be weathering digital technology without losing togetherness. I see people texting and tweeting, lots of urban kids and people seem to have iPhones, but at the mall, highschool students in their uniforms are doing their homework together on tables in the food court.

I love it when a city feels alive.

3. One retro fashion trend that I CANNOT condone, (cannot, will not) is the return of the frumpy small flower print early nineties dress. No no no. It was bad then and it's bad now! Trust me, kids! Yesterday I saw a fifteen year old, obviously hip with her hip friends, sporting one and I wanted to cry out to her to cease and save herself from the humiliation.

Obviously I still have issues with the dresses I wore in the early nineties. But please, it was horrible. Don't make us revisit it!

4. There is a taboo about touching heads in Thailand. I've noticed that it doesn't seem to apply to children. That's putting it mildly. I took some video the other day, of a group of people swarming my kids to touch their hair and heads, lifting their dreadlocks and touching the roots and trying to spring Solo's curls.

Anybody? Are kids exempt from the head taboo?

They do remarkably well with it. Leafy runs away, but YaYa is patient and Solo is either sunny and delightful or crazy. The way he always is.