It’s 11 p.m. on a rainy Bangkok Saturday night. And I ain’t got nobody.

Just me in dad’s office, waiting for pictures from the day we scattered my mom’s ashes to upload.

I am in such a partying mood but my partner in crime, Tong, is out of town this weekend.

But then again, it’s raining cats and dogs out there. Better not be outside puddle hopping intoxicated or out on the slippery road with drunks behind the wheels. I should definitely count my blessing.

Oh well, hell. I’m just going to party with myself then. I’ll go fetch my Guinness. You sit tight.

…

Of course, today would be the day I helped Pueng cleared out the fridge (10-year old Grey Poupon and a rusty jar of ancient marachino cherries, anyone?), so she thoroughly cleaned the inside of the fridge.

And therefore, my Guinness is room temperature.

*sigh*

It was an odd day for me today. Definitely got a bad case of cabin fever. I mean, I was ready at 10 a.m. to go see Joy and Jett, but Lily called and told me we had to go in the afternoon. Since I had the plan to go with my dad, I canceled altogether.

But then, my dad didn’t get up until noon-ish. By the time we were done with lunch, it was close to 2 p.m. Dad decided to steal a nap after that while I was waiting for him to get ready in my room. Oh, and I was working while I waited to, proofreading the Tsunami Memorial Design Competition book one last time.

So, you’d understand my dismay when I poked my head in around 4 p.m. and he has just gotten up and was brushing his teeth. I could have gone with Lily to see Joy in the afternoon instead of being at home, waiting in vain for my dad. And while waiting for him some more, I cleared out yet another drawer full of mom’s stuff.

Productive afternoon, yes. But seriously not what I had in mind.

We left the house at 6 p.m. for the mall. I did some damage there today at Zen Midnight Sale weekend with a pair of shoes (which dad, a shoe freak himself, doesn’t really mind spending money on a good pair) and some Thai spa brand bath and body stuff. Even more damaging was our dinner bill. I didn’t see the options for local fish mixed sashimi and ordered the least expensive of the imports instead. Add to that a bottle of hot sake and a green tea creme brulee (ooooh soo soooo good. Nhien, you readin’ this?), and dad’s wallet lost a little bit of weight there.

But it was a good evening out with dad though. It’s a weekend tradition for our family. Usually, it’d be Sunday evening stroll. Dad taking his sweet time waking up and leaving the house. Then again, he prefers going close to closing time so the place isn’t crowded. We shop. We have dinner. We go home.

Exactly what we did today. Dad kept convincing me to buy something nice, something expensive. He doesn’t mind spending the money when you get the bang for your buck. I on the other hand, much like my mother, keep thinking how much stuff I could get for the same amount of money if I go to Lalaisapp Alley instead.

Like Zara, the Spanish H&M, is very reasonably priced for “high end” store, but I still couldn’t bring myself to buy a $40 shirt.

Shopping right now has become quite a drag because the weakened dollars. It used to be 40-some Baht a dollar and now it’s hovering around 32. Everything I picked up in the mall that used to be cheaper here is now about the same price.

Oh, and my Guinness? About $6 for this warm can of heaven. Worth every satang (cent)!

*

ETA: It’s getting a little odd waking up this morning.  Because I was just here a month ago and now I’ve been here for almost 2 full weeks, I’m starting to feel like this–life in Bangkok–is what my life is and that my U.S. life is a dream.

But what life would it make without Guinness!  😉  Then again, just as I start to get comfortable here, I would be reminded of why I left in the first place.  In my social circle, everyone knows everyone here it seems. Being in this city is like living in a fish bowl.  Someone knows someone and something you do will come back or go around somewhere.  There’s a reputation you have to maintain at all time.  Especially if you’re a girl.  So much is expected of you.

And that, my friend, is why I live in the US and not in Bangkok.  🙂