February 16--Nothing in particular

[zyzyly]

It's nice to have nothing much to write about today. I went to work, updated a lecture, listened to my office colleagues try to figure something out, had a meeting with a woman from the university that we are collaborating with, came home, did some homework, took a nap, got up and put my record albums away (all 8 boxes of them), ate a nice salad, watched the first episode of the OJ Simpson thing that I recorded, then read stuff on the internet for a while before ending up here.

I didn't take a picture today. I thought about taking a picture of my right thumb. I sort of half ripped off my thumbnail the other day, and have a hello kitty bandage on to protect it, but it is too dark to get a good shot.

I looked into my archives and found a favorite shot from when I was in Thailand five years ago.



It is of my brother-in-law Lan, and our niece Nim, who was about 3 at the time. She was born a few months after Malida and I were married, 8 years ago. I call this picture "The Two Innocents".

Lan is pretty well incapacitated by mental illness, but he and I get along well and love each other. I gave him the hat he is wearing in the photo, the year before, and he wore it every day until I got him a new one. Whenever I visit, he always digs into his treasure and gives me something important to him--maybe a book where he made notes, or a belt buckle or something. I keep them all. Before he became ill he was a school teacher. Whenever Malida calls to see how they are doing, Lan always asks, "When is Michael coming back?"



Another of Lan, when we visited the village where Grandma lives. Whenever I look at this picture, I wonder what he is thinking about. Were I to caption this, I would call it "Lan lost in the wilderness".

Interestingly, Nim often asks when I am coming back as well. Whenever I am there, she is like my shadow. She loves that I like to take pictures of her. I was standing around one day and she came up to me and asked (in Thai), aren't you going to take my picture?



So I did.

Comments

[randomdreams.livejournal.com]

It'd be interesting to know what he is thinking about.

[egg-shell.livejournal.com]

Even when you write about "nothing in particular" I enjoy reading it very much - I'm glad you are writing here again.

Nice hat.

I was thinking about the fact that he likes to give you a gift of something of his every time you see him. And now parts of him (his past) are safely residing with you.

[katbyte.livejournal.com]

How did he become sick, or was it something he had that just became worse? I hope he is happy.

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

Oh my, she's adorable. (Or was at that age and is now probably a gawky teen!)

[w. lotus (from livejournal.com)]

I remember that first picture.

It's such a treat to know there are people far away who hold you in their hearts. I'd love to see what Nim looks like now.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

he speaks fairly good English, and sometimes I try to talk to him, but it never really makes much sense. He did ask me for a shortwave radio, which I brought him. He likes to listen to the BBC. My understanding is that he thinks he is an exiled member of the British Royal Family.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

yes--I like thinking of these things that way.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

I think it was just something progressive that started in his 20s. I would have liked to have met him before he became so ill.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

She is about 8 now. I posted a picture from last year on today's post.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

It's interesting that the photo I took right before that one, of her by herself, popped up on my Facebook memories thing today.

I posted a pic of her from last year on todays post.

[randomdreams.livejournal.com]

Whew. Man, that's difficult. I'm sorry for him.

[pinkroo.livejournal.com]

so dang cute.

I like that you and Lan have a relationship. Such a wonderful thing, to have more family in your life.

[howeird]

Thanks for posting the photos. So many of my Thailand photos are of people. The gift giving to a visitor is a very Thai thing, and it shows me that young Lan is still in there, close to the surface. ♥