Recently I've received some feedback from certain viewers stating that they're unhappy with the rather slow progression of the blog. They want better posts, and they want them more often (as if this were a television sitcom). Well, there's a reason why the blog has bogged down of late.
Nothing....is....happening....here.
This is far more palpable for the rest of the family than for myself. Kaddi's tennis circuit has ended. Soccer and baseball have long been over for Jake. Meg's ballet and swimming lessons are done. The international school has gone on summer break. All the embassy and corporate ex-pat families have begun their annual migration back to stateside normalcy, leaving no one to socialize with Kaddi and the kids. Even Jake's weekly violin lesson, not exactly a highlight, was cancelled this week. because the teacher's kids have an as yet unexplained rash. Our daily lives, never very exciting to begin with, are now slowly dragging across the sandy bottoms of the ocean of life.
For me it's slightly different. The research process is open-ended. I could easily stay here for two years and not exhaust the materials that would enhance our understanding of memory, loss, and the Franco-Thai conflict's role in Thai nationalism. But all my life I've got by doing the minimum. You figure out the exact amount of work necessary to complete a task or achieve a goal, and then portion out your time and effort accordingly. It's a mantra. The problem is, I had officially done the minimum by the end of May. I have the bare minimum of materials necessary to produce a ground-breaking PhD dissertation. What I find from here on out is bordering on over-achievement. I've spoken out against overachievement my entire career. It's a very confusing time for me.
So, for all intents and purposes, 301NIB has reached a stage comparable to a basketball game whose outcome has already been determined. As the final seconds tick away players just stand around staring into the stands and preparing their cliches for the post-game interview. (We're so bored we've been watching the NBA finals.) Our departure date is set at July 24th, so until then many of you might want to find an alternate diversion.
Just remember to check back for the season finale.
4 comments:
Maybe you should have called your site 251 Nights in Bangkok
Nothing going on...isn't that the best time to blog?
No more cop-outs!
I'm with Kelly.
When you have nothing interesting going on, that is your oportunity to shine. If you can't find anything good to write from now to July 24th, you're not quite the literary genius you profess yourself to to be over and over and over again.
It's a good thing you're already last on my links list or I'd have to demote you. I've heard not producing the desire number of blog enteries can lead you to be post second- even when you're flesh and blood.
Just make it up pal! You're in Thailand...who is really going to know and I could use the entertainment. My goal each day is simply to reach the toilet in time (as in to throw-up...just wanted that clarified) so you have to have more to report on.
Julianna
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