Some pictures from the Royal Floral Exposition here in Chiangmai.  

No, the last pic was NOT posed.  This was exactly what was there in the "desert room".

The $3.125 Haircut

Not everything here is hard for a westerner to appreciate.  The prices for food, cabs, etc., are going to be hard to  believe when we return to the states.  The thing that I will miss the most, though, is getting my haircut.

You see, a haircut here is a whole lot more than a haircut at home.  It's a 20 minute shampoo/scalp massage first.  Then it's another 25 minutes of bliss -- facial massage followed by ear massage followed by neck massage followed by shoulder massage followed by right arm massage followed by right hand massage followed by left arm massage followed by left hand massage.

Then one must exert himself to the point of turning over so that the shampoo/massage person can then massage his back. 

Then, and only then, does the Master Haircutter do his thing.  Then, after he is done, the shampoo/massage person takes you back and rinses your hair and gives you a little more head massage, takes you back to the Master Haircutter who then touches up everything and you go to the desk and are astounded, once again, when the charge is ...

$3.125

Merry Christmas!!!

It's been a while since we've posted here.  Maybe it's a result of the post below, or maybe some happenings in the south of this country, or maybe the slow internet connection or maybe (probably) a combination of all of the above.  I've not been able to open Xanga for some time even though Mary has and our friend who also teaches here (and has her own Xanga-site) has been able to.  Normally, Xanga just hangs up and doesn't load.  Anyway ...

This is a CD I burned yesterday.  A strange combination, eh?

1.   Away in a Manger/Angels We Have Heard on High/Good King Wenceslaus/Now Sing We Now Rejoice (instrumental medley) (John McDermott)

2.   The Holly and the Ivy (John McDermott)

3.   Deck the Halls (Nat King Cole)

4.   God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (Garth Brooks)

5.   What Child is This (John Denver)

6.   O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree) (Nat King Cole)

7.   The First Noel (N'Sync)

8.   Go Tell It on the Mountain (Mahalia Jackson)

9.   Feliz Navidad (Jose Feliciano)

10.         I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (Karen Carpenter)

11.         Silver Bells (Bing Crosby and the Andews Sisters)

12.         Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (Gene Autry)

13.         Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) (Nat King Cole)

14.         Little Drummer Boy (Burl Ives)

15.         O Holy Night (Josh Groban)

16.         Hark, the Herald Angels Sing (Mariah Carey)

17.         Joy to the World (Jewel)

18.         Silent Night (John McDermott)

There's method to my madness, however.  I made this for use in my classes this week.  What prompted this was going to the market yesterday and hearing all the worst possible Christmas tunes that exist in the world with only one exception -- I heard no Chipmunks and Dave Seville.  Every other bad carol (and non-religious ones) was sung by teenieboppers with high voices (male or female I have no idea!).  It made me wish for Muzak, believe it or not!

I chose these songs as a mixture of secular and religious, literary and cultures.  I also chose singers and arrangements for specific reasons. Mahalia Jackson just HAD to be the one for a black gospel carol.  With all the bad versions of Rudolph, I had to give them the original by the Singing Cowboy (and they were intrigued by the connection with Gene and MacDonald's).  John McDermott was chosen for a few reasons -- a very good friend sent a CD of his to us (the first package we received while here in China), because I love his voice and because he enunciates his words so clearly (even though a Canadian, he can be understood!)  Nat King Cole because his voice makes Jane melt and he sings so clearly.  Also, no one (including Mel Torme) sings "Chestnuts Roasting ..." as well as he did.  All of the others were chosen both for their clear pronunciation as well as they are singers who are known here (Karen Carpenter and John Denver, especially).  A couple of the German songs were for those of my students who also are learning German along with English.  Some of the boy and girl band/singers also because they appeal to this country's "pop culture" even though they may be passe' in the U.S. already. 

We don't "teach" religion here, but we do have a responsibility to teach Western culture.  One can't teach about Christmas without touching on love, peace on earth, Jesus, and the message of the season.

I burnt this CD and used it this morning in class. I told the stories of the songs, explained some of the symbolisms that were mentioned, and I left the CD with the head student who will see that those who wish it can burn a copy for themselves.  Some of the stories of the songs were traditional stories (Silent Night's mice, for example or Longfellow's writing the words for "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.") Others were personal -- singing "Silent Night" with my son-in-law the German teacher in church.  Singing "Little Drummer Boy" in third or fourth grade (very shortly after the song was written, actually) in Mr. Stindt's class in my Christian day school Christmas service.  Doing the actions to "Away in the Manger" and telling the students how I would do this with the pre-schoolers in the Moorhead Sunday School service.  My dad's eyes tearing one of our last Christmases together when I sat down at the piano and began playing (badly) "What Child is This?" 

It was my Christmas gift to the students.  It may be a greater Christmas gift to some than they really know now.  I can hope maybe that in the future this day will be part of their Christmas memories, too, and that those Christmas memories are more deep than just decorations in a store and shopping.

And tinny voices singing "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth" in the supermarket.

Jim