Loy Loy Krathong

My favorite Thai holiday "Loy, Loy Krathong" (considered by some 2 b: "Thai Valentine's day"). The candle fills the Buddha with light, while the krathong's floating symbolizes letting go of all your anger, & past sins. People cut a bit of their fingernails or hair (anything dead) and place the clippings (and some coins to "pay off the river god") on the krathong as a symbol of letting go of past transgressions and negativity. My favorite part of the night is 46 min after the festive banana trunks have sailed away, when shirtless young boys equipped with head torches snake through the rivers to pluck krathong "wish coins" formerly gifted by horrified romantic couples watching from the nearby shores/ riverbanks. I envision these gaggle of thieves later rushing into "seven" with  soggy wet jean pockets full of other people's "prayer coins", ready to buy candy or dim sum, and it makes me gloriously happy!!! 

Studio fixed

I FLASHED- At LAX's MAC counter, when I told the clerk that she was a "ridiculous person". I overheard her blatantly belittling a Korean women, who (in broken English/ but in perfect nonverbal gesturing) was shyly attempting to purchase/ or try on a color of lipstick. 

"UM, I'm sorry you are going to have to speak EEEeeeENGLISH WHEN YOU VISIT AMERICA, or I CAN Not eVen help YOU",.... The clerk then sarcastically shaked her "studio fixed" head at me, looking for imperialist sympathy/ possibly a "high five" (not sure). She snarled,"I just CAN NOT DEAL WITH THEM, it's like hello, learn EnGlish"! 

The bewildered/ sad look on the elderly Korean woman's face, and how she gracefully "bowed out" of being purposefully dismissed, INFURIATED ME. "I'm sorry, did you just really say DEAL WITH THEM? ha! She is obviously either asking to try on the lipstick or purchase it, was helping her really that much of a stretch for you? I'm gonna go get your manager, because I was going to buy a lipstick myself, but listening to how uncultured and ignorant you are, is both hilarious, and repulsive. YOU SELL MAKE UP, Let's all calm that shit down gurl!" 

I reported her, and the manager happened to be Chinese- American!!! HIp Hip HOOORAY!!!!

Kitty

Typically Thais do not partake in Halloween festivities, (w/ the exception of "party- goers" &/ or children enrolled in "western'esq private schools". Teaching at the British International School, I stepped into a "mom & pop shop" this morning to buy my kiddos treats, & was greeted w/ predictable shock and an angry glare from the elderly shopkeep. I realized that she either HAD NO IDEA WHAT HALLOWEEN WAS, or assumed I was just some drunk "white devil" draped in cat regalia, (here merely to abuse her beloved country w/ my absurdity). I explained that I was an English teacher down the road. She smiled widely, and asked,"So, why are you dressed as a cat"?