Birthday in Kampot

I'm in Kampot, Cambodia today, for my birthday. It was a nice day I suppose. I went out and listened to a Dharma talk (mp3), then came back to the hotel and meditated, then went out for pizza. No one remembered though. Nobody said hello, nobody emailed me. Nothing on facebook, nothing in my gmail. It's OK, as I choose to lead a simple life of practice, and I feel gratitude for the year I've lived.

DD307 Project Available Online

This is the second piece of work I'm publishing recently, also associated with my undergraduate work. This is a short qualitative study I did for the Open University course DD307 Social Psychology. The ebook version includes full colour renditions of marked up interview transcript (thematic analysis) and it is invaluable for anyone completing such work at undergraduate level to study the kind of format required. This submitted work received a level two (good) pass.

Happy 2012

I'm in Krabi ... in the rain. I might stay here or go to the beach. Not sure. May all be happy in 2012 and forever.

First Book in Ten Years

Just published my first book in, many, many years. It is a collection of all the work I had to do over a two year period at The Open University to obtain a Creative Writing diploma. All types of writing are covered, and grades and tutor comments are included, making it useful for anyone starting writing courses at this level.

Results, and Starting Again.

As planned, I finished my last academic courses. I went back to Europe with a ticket I booked six months in advance. Results: English: grade 2 pass psychology: grade 3 pass Now I'm back in Bangkok, thinking my next move.

Nothing

I hate blogger.

Still Here

I just checked the last time I wrote here and was shocked at the gap.

I'm still here, in Thailand. It got better, my last essay was an A.

But I've had health issues, which in turn sparked a mid-life crisis. It's all a bit overwhelming, as I have a trip to the UK for the exam booked, I have to finish both courses by mid-May. The cheap hotel in UK I usually stay in has been taken over by a chain. I have no place now, and I need/am thinking of accessing health services... and don't know how. I mean, if it was a long illness (hopefully it isn't), I can't afford to live there, where would I go? It's things like this getting me down. Usually I don't mind being a homeless wanderer, but then I had these health issues and it all seemed a bit shaky.

But I'm still here. I'm leaving to the border with Burma tomorrow to renew my Thai visa. Then I'll be back to see if it's possible or best to renew my full passport in Thailand. Then I shall try and go away for my birthday on the 6th. Then hopefully I can focus my mind enough to at least finish both courses (my niece forgot to post an essay until the last minute so I don't know if it was accepted or not), then I just start the long trip south to the airport in KL and very sketchy plans as to where to go or how this will work out. If I get through it all, there's definitely a life-review and changes coming!

I think I learned recently, that, ... cherished solitude and simplicity become isolation and lonliness when things get harder.