That was stupid!

I had a meeting with my colleagues and volunteers today to prepare for an outreach activity to advocate about our Khoun Community Radio for Development.

When one person was proposed to be a presenter at the event, I said “I don’t think he is a good choice. He’s boring and annoying when he talks. I don’t think villagers will understand him; he doesn’t even know or understand what he is saying…”

Everyone looked at me. No one said anything.

Then my boss asked, “How about you being a presenter?”

I said, “No! No! I can’t be. I’m not that good. I’ll just be an observer and taking photos.”

Oops!

You deserve a hug for that!

I have to admit it; I like to touch and be touched by others.

Being Lao and in Lao culture, we don't physically touch one another very much. This is especially true when we get older. We shake hands when we meet or part. We pat on somebody on the back when he or she does something good...

By touching I mean hugging, embracing, holding hands, kissing...to express affection or sympathy.

Lao (Asian) people often associate touching with sexual expression. We avoid touching each other (publicly) for fearing that we might offend the other person or be misinterpreted.

I don't know the hidden power of touching. But it feels good when I'm touched by others.

Give me a big hug.

You know I'd walk a thousand miles if I could just see you tonight.

I'm stuck in Vientiane 'alone' and feeling so bored/miserable/pathetic/empty. I should have gone home by now. But I'm still on my annual leave.

I'm in Vientiane because my Singaporean friends and I were traveling from Xiengkhouang to Luangprabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane. They left for Singapore yesterday morning. I decided to stay back in Vientiane because I'm still on holiday. Having travelled with friends since last week and been here in Vientiane for countless times, I have lost interest in doing anything else. Not doing or lacking interest in doing 'anything' makes me feel bored/miserable/pathetic/empty. And I start to miss my friends who have just left.

And I don't feel like going back to my work.

My 2009 New Year's Resolutions- Dos and Don'ts

It's my year to shine! I'll be happier. At least, I'll try. Here are my Dos and Don'ts

Dos

1. Have my teeth whitened- I'll have to try to drink less coffee as well. Just because I can drink it for free from my office, it doesn't mean that I have to drink it.

2. Finish reading a book on er... reading techniques by May 2009.

3. Study 'After Effects' and 'Photoshops CS'.

4. Read about Australia in general and Sydney in particular.

5. Study 'Strine English' a word a day. Bloody hard, I reckon.

6. Save money for Canon Digital Ixus or Nikon CoolPix and Apple MacBook.

7. Save money for my brother's schooling.

8. Exercise more.

9. Drink more water.

10. Eat more rice.

11. Write more.

12. Visit museums.

13. Stand in the sun often.

Don'ts

1. Waste time and energy on things or people that won't change.

2. Spend too much on DVDs.

3. Drink beer or Lao wine.

4. Work on weekends.

These dos and don'ts will be revised on semiannual basis.

Reality Check

Let see what have and have not been implemented on my New Year's Resolutions list:

*Study IELTS for AusAid- I'm applying for Filmmaking course! Accomplished.

*Write a short-film script- about a Lao construction worker who falls in love with a Chinese masseuse but he can't speak a word of Chinese...Ah! Initiated but not materialized.

*Save money and visit friends in Singapore- see you all in Singapore in November! I visited friends in Singapore in April but not in November due to work commitment; an old school mate visited me in Laos in December.

*Help my sister to build her house. Almost completed. It is an on-going commitment for me.

*Write more emails to my host family and old friends- I feel so bad for not keeping in touch with them. Irregularly done. I will try to do it better.

*Consume less Pepsi, Coke, Beer Lao, Lao wine...Strictly followed but could have done better. I should have included 'less coffee' into this list.

*Exercise more- I have only one body; if I don't take care of it, no body will. And if I'm sick, I won't be able to do anything. Seldom practiced besides climbing up the mountain to inspect my radio transmitter.

*Read more books-Thai, Lao and English books- I need to keep my brain stimulated. Bought a lot of books but have not finished reading any of them besides mags.

*Keep updating my blog- I hate writing but...Irregularly done so but have been trying.

*Have my teeth whitened. Have not done but will get them whitened soon.

*Visit my family- at the end of the day, sisters and brothers are the ones who love and care for me the most. Visited them once.

*Have my hair grown- I want to feel my head full of hair again. Have been trying but still have had no luck.

*Finish my food-always think about those African kids who are starving. Have always finished my rice.

I'm 25 today!

At least I wish I were.

I just feel like writing something today.

Thanks to Facebook and Hi5, I have received several well-wishing messages from friends some websites. Thanks to Jeremy and his friends for dinner in Vientiane; that was awesome. I do not usually celebrate my birthday. But it is always nice when someone remembers it and wishes me 'Happy Birthday'. It's very sweet and thoughtful of them.

I really appreciate it a lot.

Thanks!