Hot!

There are three levels of temperature in Bali - Hot, Hotter and Hell. We are currently experiencing the latter of the three. I just walked to the neighborhood store, about three blocks away (measured by the Portland, Oregon block), and by the time I got back, there was sweat streaming from every pore of my body. My shirt, front and back, was plastered to my skin. Couldn't wait to free myself from it and stand under the water in the shower, which it at least mildly cool. Sitting here in the buff now, trying to catch the slightest breeze from the open doors and windows. Oh, did I mention that it's cloudy? Just imagine if the sun was out!

Faulty Connection

Here's kind of a good example of the brain malfunctions associated with MS. It's a bit of a complex tale, so bear with me.

Some time back, my wife's friend had given her a copy of the movie series, Revenge, season 1. There were supposed to be 5 disks, but there were only 4. After watching number 4, we went to the video store to find number 5. Turns out we had to buy the entire 5 disk set in order to see number 5. Okay. The woman in the store said we could buy the 5 disk set and then bring in our 4 disk set and return it and get another 4 disks (of anything) for free.

Well, the day of this transaction arrived. We drove down to the video store, but then I realized, while still sitting outside in the car, that I had brought the set with 5 disks rather than the set with 4. Oh no! I've brought the wrong set. We'll have to do this another time when I can bring the original set that lacks disk 5.

My wife is sitting there listening to me, and then just kind of staring me, as if I'd gone crazy. I can see that she's actually starting to get angry.

"What are you talking about!"

I explain the situation again.

She stares. Then grabs the package from me, takes out disk five, and hands the package, now containing 4 disks, back.

There!

On the Road Again

Just read an article in the Jakarta Post this morning about the ideological gobbledygook behind the 'apocalyptic war' in Syria. Seems it all has to do with a great final battle between the Sunnis and the Shiites over the progression of prophets and the true faith. at the end of which the world will end. Well, I guess that's the Reader's Digest version. It's too tedious to go into detail. Not sure how accurate this can be. It's not really much of a war, is it, as far as great wars go? And I would have to wonder about putting much stock in a prophecy that comes from a man who couldn't even get the story of Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael right. I mean, really. Take a closer look, fellas. Think again.

So, anyway, I'm just chillin' at Starbucks in Sanur, glad to be out of the house again after the forced imprisonment of Nyepi.

Read another interesting thing, too. Apparently there's a Balinese festival here around the same time as Nyepi that I had not previously heard of. This is a kissing festival. Crowds of people get together and kiss one another. This is thought to bring good luck. I don't know if you can kiss just anyone, or if it has to be someone who is already close. Likely, the latter. Actually, I'm surprised that the Muslims don't have a fit about this,  as they do with Valentines Day. But then, I reckon that the source is of considerable importance.