2006 January

Hmm, I just posted a bit about being home and it didn't save. That's odd. I'm going to try and save this one and see if it works.

After eighteen hours of flying, two hours of layover and a couple more hours in the immigration line, we are finally here! Wow, what a city.  We basically just drove from the airport to the hotel Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square but I can tell I like it. The cityscape is made up of the stuffs sci fi writers describe. Looking out my window this morning I can see the sky train whizzing by two - no four trains, in and out of the local station. There are also several high rises that dominate the horizon. Concrete, steel and people for as far as you can see. It reminds me of New York, just more spread out. When we drove from the airport early this morning around two am the city was still a buzz. There were full conversations going on in corner restaurants with bowls of food spread out as if it were afternoon. A city that never sleeps. There's something quite delicious to me in that recipe of people, cityscape, no time lines and many, many cultures all mixed together. We are off to breakfast now and some light walking around this morning before we hit the daily market with Aunt Punons sisters.

I must tell you about the Thai greeting before I move on. It's simply wonderful. Aunt Punons younger sister came into Bangkok from her hometown of Pisunuloke, which was a six hour bus ride! Her older sister Supranee arranged to have a truck for all our luggage and her two sons Big and Bomb both came to help us unload the luggage and say hello. Everyone was so nice and loving to get up and come out on a week day/ work day evening just to greet us and  take us from the airport to the hotel at 2am. This epitomizes the Thai culture in a nutshell. Through giving you receive much. I was overwhelmed by the generosity and it gave me great joy to see how tightly knit the family is. This trip is starting our decidedly well, and surprisingly smooth. Our travels were wonderful. More on Korean Air later… and it's all good!!!

 It will be a whirlwind trip, we (my Aunt Punon and I) are visiting four cities while we're there with additional airtime in between. Thirteen days of culture and education on my not so distant past. My Father, Uncle and Aunt came to America in 1973 and they have all called this country home since then. I was born and raised in NC/SC then moved to CA when I was 18 and on to WA this past year. The USA has always been home to me. Sometimes I imagine how different my life would have been if I was born in Thailand. I think of the advantages and the disadvantages. I'm really looking forward to taking a peek into the beautiful culture that makes up the Thai people. Keep your fingers crossed that I don't come across like a “spoiled American.”  :) 

(*PS* The title is a joke!)

Gnomedex 6.0 will be held in Seattle, WA on June 28th - July 1st 2006. I sure hope you can make it. More details to follow as well as registration and an updated blog posting on the Gnomedex.com site.

I'm so blessed to have great friends! Thank you Maryam for inviting me out for a manicure/ pedicure and dinner. You are the best! I really needed that break from work.

Thank you to Beth, Nate and Elliot and Owen to for having me over this week.

And, thank you to all my friends who have made me laugh and kept me occupied while Chris was at CES. :) My friends ROCK!

Okay, I admit it. I am what most would call a “purse whore.” I've been known to be a “shoe slut” as well. Don't get all uptight it's just a funny way of saying I LOVE new purses and shoes. I can't help it, my mom loves them and she taught it to me. ( <— blatant shirk of responsibility.) Now no matter how hard I try to resist or how much I bargain with myself (”You can only spend x amount this year on purses… so choose well…) I still love purses and get a funny little girl smile and a tickle in my tummy when I pull a new one on my arm. Yes, I am one of “those” women who immediately comes home and puts the purse on and preens in front of the mirror. The obligatory guilt doesn't come until much later. Usually it's when I look at my spending and think to myself -wow that was a lot for a purse. Or, when I'm cleaning out my closet and giving to the Goodwill. Because my most recent “kick” is quality over quantity I've purged my closet of cheap knock offs. I only have two really good purses - you know the ones that come with dust bags.  So I did the math and thought really hard about my “investments.” I gave a new home to one Coach limited edition bag and it's matching wallet. The second was a Micheal Kors and of course the matching wallet.

These are the things I miss about my collection of 20 cheap purses. 

1.)I could pick a purse of fancy for the night and be silver and flashy if I wanted to.

2.)I could have a red purse or a blue purse or one with fur…

3.)I never felt ”confined” by my choices.  

What I don't miss.

1.)I don't have to find somewhere to put all these purses. (They aren't falling on my head when I walk into the closet now.)

2.) I don't ever curse because the interior isn't made well and therefore rips easily. (Cheap purses aren't made well.)

3.) Tassels don't fall off or silver doesn't “flick” off of my purses and on to me and everything else. 

What I like most about good quality purses.

1.) The structure usually holds it's intended shape much better. If it's an “elbow bag” they generally come with feet which makes for easier sitting. 

2.) The hardware never changes color or looses luster.

3.) I can see the value in quality workmanship.

Now - how do I get the best of both worlds? That was my latest dilemma… I want choice and quality. I also don't want to store a bag that will be out of season.  I may only want to carry that turquoise cuffs bag only one night in the summer with that really hot looking white gauzy outfit. Oh but I digress…. here's my latest smile/style maker Bagborroworsteal. I saw a  link to it several months ago and never really thought that much about it. Jake sent me a link to them recently and said he thought of me when he saw it. Perfect timing; I was going over last years purse spending and saw the hard money facts. If I do the math I paid enough for a “Diva” membership and I only have two purses to show for it. I could have “borrowed” 12 or more for what I spent. Since style is ever changing who knows if I'll want to carry that Coach number in five years or even next year. So, I signed up. I'm trying it out for three months (the required contract of sorts.) I figure I'll write about my choices and tell you what I think and if it's worth it - to me. I'll also include some pics - not doctored ones - real ones and I'll tell you what I like and don't like about them as well. It's like netflix for purses!!!

Ahhhh, purses…. more, more, beautiful purses…it's like heaven.