Mark Twain

I'm reading Ron Powers' biography of Mark Twain. It is thick, detailed and wonderful. My favourite quote so far from the literary legend is:

"Ah, well, I am a great & sublime fool. But them, I am God's fool, & all His works must be contemplated with respect."

homework

This week I set a writing assignment for my English class. Write a paragraph about yourself. Try to include examples of past, present and future tenses. I especially enjoyed reading about their hopes for the future:

I want to business women.
I'll try al my best to study at university. I'll looking for a job, so I'll have a perfect job.
In the future I have three purpose. I want to be a teacher English, Guide and work in organization, same to you.

My fave, though... worthy of being put on stationery anywhere in Asia...

I hope that my imagine will be truelly. : )

more Talk About Running

Over New Year I read What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. This bit sums it up for me:

I'm often asked what I think about as I run. Usually the people who ask me this have never run long distances themselves. I always ponder the question. What do I think about when I think about running? I don't have a clue.

On cold days I guess I think a little about how cold it is. And about the heat on hot days. When I'm sad I think a little about sadness. When I'm happy I think a little about happiness. ...But really as I run, I don't think much of anything worth mentioning. I just run.

...All I do is keep on running in my own, cozy, homemade void, my nostalgic silence. And this is a pretty wonderful thing. No matter what anyone else says.

hi Ali

I haven't blogged in a month. Ali is starting to worry. The rest of the planet seems quietly disinterested but I'm happy to start writing again. I like posting stories. It helps me to write about things that have happened. Or could have. Or might yet. So...news?

At Christmas Brooke and I turned our Spirit House into a Nativity Scene and the empty plastic bottle (baby Jesus) was found wrapped in toilet paper lying in a cardboard box. Sounds dodgy but I reckon it looked pretty fab.

After Christmas I ran a half marathon in Chiang Mai. Although the 5am start was a bit rude, I managed a PB, came fifth out of the women and got to climb on stage to receive a trophy from a lovely fellow who had no idea how to pronounce my name.

Several guests have been in and through the house in Poipet, prompting me to think that as well as saving the world I really should go buy some beds.

The cold season has hit town. The other night I slept under a blanket, wearing every piece of clothing I could find including multiple layers of socks. I thought it was a little excessive... then a friend asked whether that was the same time I was sick and suggested that perhaps I had a fever? There's an idea! Anyway, I self-medicated for four days with as many green pills as I could swallow with my rice (no prescription necessary) and am feeling much better now.

Training for marathon number two has just started. The locals are very supportive. It is usually the guys who cheer me on but last weekend's run in shorts and a baggy T-shirt prompted a giggling high school chick to call out "hey sexy girl!" The training runs will get longer. The days will only get hotter. I'm a little scared!

More soon...

Poipet Pip