Creating the World You Want

My partner was slogging through a Khmer History book, probably because it was too dry, or the translation into Thai not very good. He made the comment that why do only foreigners write about Khmer history? He threw out there that Cambodians don’t care about their history, but I told him that Khmer Rouge killed most intellectuals and that is probably why.


So, I bought him in Thai, “Creating a World Without Poverty,” by Muhammad Yunus and he is speeding right through it. He loves it and it is well written. It is something he is very interested in the idea in coming from poor roots himself. I try to inspire him to think big, that good ideas trump complaining. And some great ideas come from regular folks like you and I. If I give him the freedom to think perhaps he will change the world, too. I got him into reading years ago and he told me no one at work enjoys like he does, besides cartoon books. They also don’t ask him about the books he reads, so what is this with lack of curiosity here? Is it part of the non-thinking ideal here? I hate to generalize, but it seems more a product of education level. They are short-changing themselves is all I can think. The lights are on but no one is home!



Nevertheless, I will focus on someone I can inspire and make a difference in. And today, he showed me how much I mean to him in his excited enthusiasm about life... after coffee, that is!

B is for Brain

What if you are reading a book, and you find yourself dragging out finishing it. I find this happening now and am wondering if what is this fear of not wanting to put it to bed. It feels like a small death. But, you say, why and when there are so many good books to read? Why I am being so foolish? I don’t know, if I keep it going, diving back into a faraway place and out, I may somehow will make me that think that life doesn’t end. But I know even more so now that my end is closer than the beginning was. I even dreamt about this a few times at night. And I thought that I would live forever. Damn fool! I am still a bit pissed about this, because even since I was a kid watching all the science miracles and cryonics, I thought by now they have figured out a way to put your brain in a new body. Fat chance, and even if they could with my luck and my brain, it would end up being worse than what I have now. And who really wants an old damaged brain in a young body… eeeks! Kids are going up too fast as it is! So back to my book, I know deep down this can’t be the cause that I am just not setting aside enough time for a brain injured person(me) to read. I can’t read on a bus or when it is noisy. Same with talking, the more input the harder conversation is, so I have to switch to being a listener more. There is always a positive spin on things. I was thinking about this while talking to a friend, as I get older I am more able to see the subtleties of life. The slight upward cadence of a person’s voice when they are happy to talk to you, as well as the slight downward tone that can be a wide variety of causes, from being busy to not happy to talk at this moment. As a listener, I see when people have to talk, even when there is nothing important to say. So, now I have to finish this smart book Finding Orwell In Burma, to change my perspective at this moment. We only really have this moment.