Saturday, May 2, 2009

The trek nears an end... or is it a beginning?
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No, I'm from Iowa. I only work in outer space.
- Captain James Tiberius Kirk

Greetings, All! I trust everyone is doing well? I certainly am. I know I said I didn’t think I could get around to posting again before my exodus from Thailand, but as things would have it, I have time. That’s a miracle all it’s own. The last few weeks since Phuket have been the busiest since I got here. There was one night I was at the office until 11:30, and another I was there ‘til 11. Thus, there have been quite a few things of postworthy nature and I’ll report all that are appropriate to report.

Finality Approaching
My aforementioned exodus from Thailand will be occurring in less than a week on Friday, May 8th at 6:30 AM. Yahoo. Naturally, things have been winding down for a week or so now. This past week Gregg invited me to have dinner with his family for the second and last time. It was a delicious dinner and it was a fun time. After dinner and episode of the Cosby Show was used to calm down the children before bed. I’m not sure if it worked or not, but they enjoyed it. Then, while his wife put the children to bed and went to bed herself, Gregg and I sat up for hours just talking. It was after 11 before I left. He’s been such a great guy and a great help during my time here. I’m thankful for him.

A couple days later P’Nok invited me out with a few other employees from the office for a lunch at an all-you-can-eat Japanese buffet. The food was fantastic. They had barbecue, noodles, sushi, and pretty much every other kind of Japanese food you could think of. I had my fill and thanked P’Nok thoroughly. He hasn’t been as helpful during my stay, but I don’t blame him. He’s a busy man. He’s rarely in his office, and I’ve only spoken to him a handful of times. But, he’s one of the reasons I cam to Thailand and I am glad he invited me. I would not trade my time here for anything. It’s been great and it has definitely helped prepare me for my time in China.

Michael has plans for the end of my trip as well, but those are not finalized. But, from what he has told me, he wants to go see a new movie coming out here next Thursday called Horsemen. It’s got Dennis Quaid and Zhang Ziyi in it and it looks to me to be very similar to Se7en, one of my favorite psychological detective films. He also wants to go out for a nice dinner that night before the movie, then after the movie he says he wants to go to a bar and have a few beers before heading back to my house so I can finish packing and head off to the airport. I’ve got to leave for the airport no later than 3:30 in order to be there early enough to get the things done that need to be gotten done. So, just not sleeping that night would probably be easiest. If I went to sleep I’d have to be up at 2:30 anyway. So, Michael’s plan has merit. I might go with it, I might not. That waits to be decided.

P’Tote has mentioned at one point that he wants to take me out to eat before I leave, but I’m not sure if that will happen or not. We just got finished eating a fantastic meal of pork steak, chicken legs, steamed carrots, stir-fried greens, rice, and potatoes which he cooked himself. I’d consider that quite a treat. But, he never said it was to be any sort of final meal. I’m not sure of his plans. I’ll have to wait and see.

Congress
This coming week is the convention for which I designed the brochure back in January. It is also one of the main reasons I extended my stay here in Thailand. It starts on Monday and will go through Friday. I will not go on Thursday or Friday, but plan on attending at least two days of it. I’ll go on Monday for sure. It’s supposed to be fantastic. Thousands of Christian leaders from all over Thailand have come to Bangkok to meet and plan. It’s something that Thailand has never seen before and I can’t wait to see it myself. So, since the Congress is this week, that means that Thursday was my last day in the office. Friday was labor day in Thailand. So, my trip really is coming to an end fast, but I look forward to what comes next.

Certified
As of last Wednesday at around 11:00 PM, I am a PADI certified scuba diver. I wasn’t sure if I would ever see that happen. After my colossal failure so many years ago, I had figured that I would never be scuba certified, or if I even wanted to. But, Thailand convinced me that I did in fact want to be certified. Looking at pictures of what the coasts of Thailand have to offer for the adventurous diver really inspired me to go through with the certification. I can also now put that failure behind me permanently. I have done what stopped me, I have proven that I am capable, and I am glad.

Star Trek
The day I leave for the States is the day that the new Star Trek movie comes out. How awesome is that!? I’ve been looking forward to this movie for years, ever since I heard of it on StarTrek.com when it was still my browser home page (when CBS effectively shut the site down by firing its administrators, I switched my home page to Megatokyo.com). It appears my wait has not been in vain. The first reviews of the film have been trickling out this week and I can’t help but report on them. They are PHENOMENAL! RottenTomatoes.com has 17 reviews in already, and every single one of them is positive. That gives the movie as 100 thus far. I don’t expect it to stay that way, but to have so many positive reviews leads me to believe that this movie is going to be fantastic. One reviewer is quoted saying, “Revitalizing the stagnant franchise, the gifted, visionary Abrams has performed a magical act, a movie that stands on its own merits and will recruit new fans, a work that will please the old trekkies and one that points to potent direction in the future.” That reflects the general sentiment so far. Can I wait a week? Yes. Do I want to? No.

The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins
Staying on the subject of Star Trek, I found a video online of a certain man singing a certain song relating to a rather well-known fantastical creature of small stature. I find the video to be absolutely hilarious and couldn’t help but share it given the upcoming release of a long-awaited film. Enjoy!

Believe it or not, while fumbling through the related links on YouTube.com I came across yet another amazing video that just begs to be shared. This one is a little more serious, but not by much. At least it’s tastefully done. Anyway, enjoy this one as well!

I hope you enjoyed those videos if even a little bit and I hope to blog again before next Friday. If nothing else I’d like to share with you what the Congress is like. But if I don’t, know that I’ve really enjoyed myself here and feel as if this has been a productive and educational trip which I am happy to have been able to experience. Thanks for following along and have a great day!

Caesar1280's Anime Ticker

.hack//Legend of the Twilight, Air, Air: The Movie, Akira, The Animatrix, Appleseed, Aquatic Language, Ayakashi: Japanese Classic Horror, Beck, Black Lagoon, Blame!, Blood the Last Vampire, Bokurano, Burst Angel, Castle in the Sky, Cowboy Bebop, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, Digimon Tamers: The Runaway Digimon Express, Egao, FLCL, Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shambala, Gankutsuou, Gatekeepers, Genshiken, Ghost in the Shell, Ghost in the Shell: Innocence, Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society, Gin-iro no Kami no Agito, Grave of the Fireflies, Grenadier, Haibane Renmei, Hellsing, Highlander: The Search for Vengeance, Hikaru no Go, Howl?s Moving Castle, Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade, Jyu Oh Sei, Karas: The Prophecy, Last Exile, Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, Midori?s Days, Milennium Actress, Mushi-shi, My Neighbor Totoro, Naruto, Naruto: The Movie, Nausicaa, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death And Rebirth, Ninja Scroll: The Movie, Other Worlds, Paprika, Perfect Blue, Pet Shop of Horrors, The Place Promised In Our Early Days, Prétear, Princess Mononoke, Read Or Die, Read Or Die: The TV, Samurai Champloo, Samurai Seven, Samurai X: Trust & Betrayal, She and Her Cat, Spirited Away, Steamboy, Tide-Line Blue, Tokyo Babylon, Tokyo Godfathers, Trigun, Voices of a Distant Star, Witch Hunter Robin, Wonderful Days, Wrath of the Ninja, X

Anime I've Seen - .hack//Legend of the Twilight - .hack//Sign - 5 Centimeters per Second - Air - Air: The Movie - Akira - The Animatrix - Appleseed - Aquatic Language - Ayakashi: Japanese Classic Horror - Baby Blue - Beck - Black Lagoon - Blame! - Blood the Last Vampire - Bokurano - Burst Angel - Castle in the Sky - Cowboy Bebop - Cowboy Bebop: The Movie - Digimon Tamers: The Runaway Digimon Express - Doorbell - Egao - FLCL - Fullmetal Alchemist - Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shambala - Gankutsuou - Gatekeepers - Genius Party - Genshiken - Genshiken OAV - Ghost in the Shell - Ghost in the Shell: Innocence - Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society - Gin-iro no Kami no Agito - The Gokusen - Grave of the Fireflies - Grenadier - Haibane Renmei - Happy Machine - Hellsing - Highlander: The Search for Vengeance - Hikaru no Go - Howl's Moving Castle - Innocent Venus - Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade - Jyu Oh Sei - Karas: The Prophecy - Karas: The Revelation - Last Exile - Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi - Midori?s Days - Milennium Actress - Mushi-shi - My Neighbor Totoro - Naruto - Naruto: The Movie - Nausicaa - Neon Genesis Evangelion - Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death And Rebirth - Ninja Scroll: The Movie - Other Worlds - Ouran High School Host Club - Paprika - Perfect Blue - Pet Shop of Horrors - The Place Promised In Our Early Days - Prétear - Princess Mononoke - Read Or Die - Read Or Die: The TV - Samurai Champloo - Samurai Seven - Samurai X: Trust & Betrayal - Serial Experiments Lain - Shanghai Dragon - She and Her Cat - Spirited Away - Steamboy - Tekkonkinkreet - Tide-Line Blue - Tokyo Babylon - Tokyo Godfathers - Trigun - Trinity Blood - Vampire Hunter D - Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust - Voices of a Distant Star - Witch Hunter Robin - Wolf's Rain - Wonderful Days - Wrath of the Ninja - X Total: 93

Anime I Haven't Completed - .hack//Roots - Ah! My Goddess - Angelic Layer - Avenger - Baccano! - Bamboo Blade - Basilisk - Binchou-tan - Black Cat - Bleach - Blood+ - Boogiepop Phantom - Case Closed - Le Chevalier d'Eon - Chobits - Chrono Crusade - Code Geass - Coyote Ragtime Show - D.Gray-Man - D.N.Angel - DearS - Death Note - Dennou Coil - Desert Punk - Digimon - Dragon Ball Z - Ergo Proxy - Eureka Seven - Excel Saga - Fighting Beauty Wulong - Final Fantasy Unlimited - Flag - Freedom - Full Moon - Gantz - Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Gintama - Glass Fleet - Great Teacher Onizuka - Gundam Seed - Gundam Wing - Hayate the Combat Butler - Hellsing OVA - Higurashi no Naku Koro ni - Ikki Tousen - InuYasha - Jigoku Shojo - Kage Kara Mamoru - Karin - Kino's Journey - Love Hina - Loveless - Lovely Complex - Lucky Star - Makai Senki Disgaea - Marchen Awakens Romance - Meine Liebe - The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - Mononoke - Monster - Moon Phase - Mr Stain on Junk Alley - Naruto Shippuuden - Negima?! - Negima! - Neon Genesis Evangelion: End of Evangelion - Nerima Daikon Brothers - NHK ni Youkoso - Night Walker - Ninja Nonsense - Noir - Peacemaker Kurogane - Pokemon - Prince of Tennis - R.G. Veda - Ragnarok - Rec - Red Garden - Robotech - Romeo x Juliet - Rosen Maiden - Rurouni Kenshin - Saikano - Sailor Moon - Samurai Deeper Kyo - Sci-fi Harry - School Rumble - Scrapped Princess - Shin-chan - Shingu - Shion no Oh - Shuffle! - Shrine of the Morning Mist - So Long, Mr. Despair - Solty Rei - Sousei no Aquarion - Speed Grapher - Spice and Wolf - Super Milk Chan - Tales of Phantasia - Tenchi Muyo - Tenjhou Tenge - Texnolyze - The Third - Tsubasa Chronicles - Urusei Yatsura - Venus Versus Virus - Welcome to the N.H.K. - Winter Cicada - X-1999 - Xenosaga - XxxHolic - Yu Yu Hakushou - Yume Tsukai - Zero no Tsukaima - Zipang Total: 116

Manga I've Completed - Cowboy Bebop - FLCL - Manga Messiah - Manga Metamorphosis - Q*Ko-chan - Saiyuki - Shirahime-Syo Total: 7 Manga I Haven't Completed - .hack//Legend of the Twilight - Black Cat - Blame! - Chobits - D.Gray-man - Darkside Blues - Death Note - The Demon Ororon - Desert Coral - Disgaea - Eureka Seven: Gravity Boys and Lifting Girl - Fruits Basket - Getbackers - Hayate the Combat Butler - Kamunagara - Legal Drug - Love Hina - Loveless - Megatokyo - Naruto - Negima - Read Or Die - Rurouni Kenshin - Tactics - Trigun Maximum - XXXHolic Total: 26

Anime I'm Currently Watching
Samurai 7, InuYasha, Samurai Deeper Kyo,
Boogiepop Phantom, and Shrine of the Morning Mist

Manga I'm Currently Reading
Read Or Die, Hayate the Combat Butler, and Megatokyo.hack//Roots, .hack//Sign, 5 cm per Second, Ah! My Goddess, Angelic Layer, Avenger, Basilisk, Binchou-tan, Black Cat, Bleach, Blood+, Boogiepop Phantom, Case Closed, Le Chevalier d'Eon, Chobits, Chrono Crusade, Coyote Ragtime Show, D.Gray-Man, D.N.Angel, DearS, Death Note, Dennou Coil, Desert Punk, Digimon, Dragon Ball Z, Ergo Proxy, Eureka 7, Excel Saga, Fighting Beauty Wulong, Final Fantasy Unlimited, Flag, Full Moon, Gantz, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Gintama, Great Teacher Onizuka, Gundam Seed, Gundam Wing, Hayate the Combat Butler, Hellsing Ultimate, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, Innocent Venus, InuYasha, Jigoku Shojo, Kage Kara Mamoru, Karin, Kino?s Journey, Love Hina, Loveless, Lovely Complex, Lucky Star, Makai Senki Disgaea, Marchen Awakens Romance, Meine Liebe, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Mononoke, Monster, Naruto Shippuuden, Negima?!, Neon Genesis Evangelion: End of Evangelion, Nerima Daikon Brothers, NHK ni Youkoso, Night Walker, Ninja Nonsense, Noir, Ouran High School Host Club, Peacemaker Kurogane, Pokemon, Prince of Tennis, R.G. Veda, Ragnarok, Rec, Red Garden, Robotech, Romeo x Juliet, Rosen Maiden, Rurouni Kenshin, Saikano, Sailor Moon, Samurai Deeper Kyo, Sci-fi Harry, School Rumble, Scrapped Princess, Serial Experiments Lain, Shingu, Shuffle!, Shrine of the Morning Mist, So Long Mr. Despair, Solty Rei, Sousei no Aquarion, Speed Grapher, Super Milk Chan, Tales of Phantasia, Tenchi Muyo, Tenjhou Tenge, Texnolyze, The Third. Trinity Blood, Tsubasa Chronicles, Urusei Yatsura, Welcome to the N.H.K., Winter Cicada, X-1999, Xenosaga, XxxHolic, Yu Yu Hakushou, Yume Tsukai, Zero no Tsukaima, Zipang

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