"Look up, the sun is just a cloud away..."

From the song Get It Over With by Rihanna.

It's nice to be able to stay in, relax and listen to music on a sunny afternoon.

The weather in Bangkok has been much more mild lately as well, so there's usually a nice breeze when I open my window and balcony door. 

Edit.

It's amazing how walking home can be transformed by simply journeying down the opposite side of the street that one usually takes.

"Drive fast---I can almost taste it now.
L.A.---I don't even have to fake it now."

From the song American by Lana Del Rey.

You can't make people care...

Um, you're too old to wear that.

"She's an ugly girl, does it make you want to kill her?
She's an ugly girl, do you want to kick in her face?
She's an ugly girl, she doesn't pose a threat.
She's an ugly girl, does she make you feel safe?
Ugly girl. Ugly girl. 
Do you hate her?
'Cause she's pieces of you."

From the song Pieces of You by Jewel.

"'We are moving from despair to hope,' he [Michael Sidibe, the executive director of the U.N.AIDS] said."

From the November 21, 2012 New York Time's article, New H.I.V. Cases Falling in Some Poor Nations, but Treatment Still Lags, by Donald G. McNeil Jr..

Words can't describe how nice it feels to take motorcycle-taxis through the busy streets of Bangkok. My favorite is when the weather is really beautiful, and I just stare up into the picture-perfect sky to see the city pass by in my peripheral vision.

Sure, sometimes they can feel pretty dangerous and like you're literally inches away from something going terribly wrong---but their speed and convenient ability to weave in and out through jam packed traffic is definitely worth it.

Here are some more pictures I took while riding them.

Thailand's rainy season has finally ended, and sudden downpours and rainstorms are becoming a lot more less frequent and far in between. On top of that, the temperature is no longer unbearably hot, making simple tasks such as getting around Bangkok and walking solo around the city much more pleasant.

Even though it's Thanksgiving week, it's easy to feel disconnected from it all while alone here in Thailand. I'm still trying to figure out what I should do to celebrate, but it'll most likely be a regular Thursday for me here. Going to some special restaurant or buffet to enjoy some traditional Thanksgiving dishes doesn't sound all that particularly interesting since I'd be unaccompanied. It would be nice to have some American friends here (or friends at all for that matter) to observe the holiday together, but alas, that's not my current reality.

Overall, things are still good for me here. I think I vacillate between appreciating/needing my time alone and wanting to be social every now and then, but I've sort of come to value not having to deal with anybody but myself. I know that sounds like an immodest statement, but I mean it in the most unassuming and complication-free way.

To all the countless Americans who are preparing for a busy week ahead of travel, cooking, and family time, I'd like to wish you all safe travels and a very warm and loving Thanksgiving.

As for me, I am thankful for my health, friends and family back home, and the fact that all is well and uneventful here for me in Thailand.

Happy Thanksgiving, America!

There's nothing better than going through an entire issue of a magazine in one sitting, getting completely transported into the world of its content.

It lasted a good three years, but my earring phase is officially over.

"If you can figure out who you are, you can find other people who are the same."

From the book, Far From the Tree, by Andrew Solomon. Page 24 (e-book edition).

Peel away the layers.

It's such a nice and relaxing Friday here in Bangkok.

"My pussy tastes like Pepsi-Cola."

From the song Cola by Lana Del Rey.

This is the first sentence of lyrics in the song... um, yeah haha.

Life in Bangkok.