The Chiang Rai Alternative Hour #27 – 1st March 2020

Music from The Cavedwellers, Circus Brekovic, Deerhoof, Descendents, Gregory Isaacs, The Milkshakes, Queen, Didjits, Octafish, Elvis Costello, Emporer Yes, Althea and Donna, The Soul Owners, White Blacula and This Heat.

Weight: 79.0kg
Resting heart rate: 48

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for being able to sit on this plane. To be able to afford to visit my friends. And for having a home to return to.

To-do list

  • Meditate on the plane – reflect on these days ✅
  • Please try to stay calm when back ✅
  • Wear mask all day ✅
  • Finish reading book ✅
  • Take some photos

It’s Tuesday as I write. Getting back was equally emotional and equally flat. I felt numb. Amy is angry at the inconvenience that my trip has now caused us. She’s not so much upset with me as upset with the situation.

I drank a couple of whiskies and fell into a deep 12-hour-long sleep. I got up for lunch and fell back asleep again for the afternoon, got up for dinner and then went back to sleep around 9 pm.

Now it’s Tuesday morning and everything still feels flat. The situation with the virus is looking increasingly likely to postpone the WDS tour which meaning losing all the money on our flights in South East Asia. That’s the situation now and what we have to deal with.

Amy and I are stuck at home for another 12 days. I don’t anticipate any illness from the virus so we just have to wait and carry on as best we can.

If I took the time to bleed from all the tiny little arrows shot my way – 24th January 2020

Flow
– challenging but attainable goals
– strong focused concentration
– intrinsically rewarding
– feeling of serenity
– loss of self-consciousness
– timelessness/lose track of time
– lack of awareness of physical needs
– complete focus on the activity

How to achieve flow?
– Doing challenging leisure!

extrinsic = external
intrinsic = internal

extrinsic motivation can undermine intrinsic motivation and growth mindset

Growth mindset

– focus on learning not outcomes
– good performance takes hard work
– hard work is good
– effort = good
– make the most of deficiencies
– capitalise on mistakes
– no decrease in internal motivation
– performance increases over time

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to be able to watch the sunrise in the morning and prepare myself for the new day.

The choice of being horribly depressed or incredibly liberated is up to you.

Neil Pasricha

To-do list

  • Book flights after school. ½
  • Cut down on feeds – focus on Stoicism. ✅
  • Be more curious today – learn more about someone. ✅
  • Do not complain! Do not complain! ✅
  • Random act of kindness. ½

Finally, the English camp is over. I decided to sit and talk with Aiza a little as we’d never really been introduced.

At the coffee shop, there were some Japanese tourists and I held the door for them and said ‘Oaskini doso’ much to their surprise. They were very happy and it made me feel good.

I was very conscious of not complaining about anything today and may have succeeded. And in a big effort, I managed to book most of the flights for the WDS tour. A beautiful Sichuan hot pot to complete the day.

The only downside is the feeling that Amy is not so happy at the moment – she is always annoyed or upset about something in this country. I understand it is more difficult for her here than it is for me (in some ways) and I know she appreciates the things we have but I hope she can ward off these imbalances in her happiness.

Tomorrow we will be teaching again. I’m feeling confident in my lessons and look forward to them more than school, even though I have more fun with the students at school.

Do you know you’re not dead? – 31st December 2019

Amy was in a bad mood yesterday due to PMT. She confided with me today that she is feeling lonely due to her old friends here in Chiang Rai not quite having the same mindset as her so finds them quite difficult to talk to and to understand. Whilst I am fine here in relative isolation, she is finding it quite difficult. She has to rely on me to go and do things together and sometimes I resent not having enough time to myself as I am working all the time.

We both understand each other’s situation well enough but it is also something that Amy needs to address for herself.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for the year that I have had. I have grown and adapted to adversity. Hopefully, I can understand my reactions to adversity in the future and deal with it in a less emotional manner.

Did it list

  • Read 3 chapters.
  • Contacted KL venue for WDS tour.
  • Talk with Kimi and Rosie.
  • Recorded another TCRAH.

Very out of routine due to parties every other night.

Various Artists – Live at Bar Open DVD – 1st August 2006

Cat #: 009TZM

On a hot crazy night, tenzenmen brought together Baseball (Melbourne), ni‐hao! (Japan), Sabot (Czech Republic) and The Thaw (Sydney) and crammed them into the confines of Bar Open in Melbourne. Here’s what happened! 112 minutes of some of the most exciting music from around the world.

14th May 2021 – I found these pictures and text at the Thaw’s original blogspot.

ohayo!

we’re gonna be touring with ni-hao! (from japan!) around sydney and melbs! weeela.

ch-check it out:

tuesday feb 14th + empire hotel, sydney
(ni-hao! / the thaw / rose turtle ertler ++ scooter show)

wednesday feb 15th + mandarin club, sydney
(ni-hao! / the thaw / vincent over the sink / le paper dolls)

thursday feb 16th + baropen, melbourne
(ni-hao! / baseball / sabot / the thaw)

friday feb 17th + public office, melbourne
(ni-hao! / grey daturas / the thaw / dad they broke me / eddie current suppression ring)

saturday feb 18th + pony, melbourne
(ni-hao! / witch hats / twitch of the death nerve / bad cop bad cop)
(2am: the thaw) 
phew! come and danc your legs silly

14th May 2021 – I have no idea how I managed to organise all this! There’s also radio appearances and photoshoots in that time too. It seems crazy now, I guess I knew quite a few people and they must’ve helped me a lot. I think I must’ve enjoyed doing it so much that I didn’t realise how much work it was – I certainly don’t have any memory of it being difficult.

2am at the Pony, Melbourne

we made it back from melb in one piece (barely!).

the whole week was a blast – ni hao are aweome, fun, exciting and amazing musicians. we played with loads of rad bands and managed to avoid the killer trams on the streets of melb town. 

anyone at the bar open show will be pleased to know that it was recorded and the entire thing will be put on dvd for sale sometime in the near future. it was a great night of diverse music; us, baseball, sabot and nihao!

also, for those down in melb who missed out at the show (damn lazy fuckers!) we’ve got some cds in missing link for purchase at a measly $6. almost as cheap as those ‘potato cakes’ you have down there. [or u can send us an email and we’ll send one out to ya, s.w.a.k!]

so big ups to twitch of the death nerve, dad they broke me, grey daturas, bad cop bad cop, witch hats and everyone else we played with. hope to see a few of you up north sometime soon. we luv u melbourne!!!!!!!!!! we miss all the awesome people we met down there and hopefully we can come back soooooooon!!!!!!!!

The Thaw, ni-hao! and Twitch of the Death Nerve
The Thaw and ni-hao! outside 2RRR, Sydney

Pulsating lights and mirror balls – 22nd May 2005

8pm – gateway hotel, newcastle – supporting my disco, with naked on the vague and poland

back to the airport to pick up limited express (has gone?) and round to a friend’s house for a BBQ supposedly with the rogers sisters and popfrenzy peeps in tow. we had to leave before they got there though but everyone felt good and happy eating a traditional aussie outdoor lunch under a cloudless bright blue sky.

so, replenished, we headed off to newcastle and by the time we got there it was dark with loud snoring coming from the back of the car. eventually we found the gateway hotel and loaded things in and organised equipment etc. the room is really used as a discotheque and we couldn’t figure out a way to get good light onto the stage so it was pulsating lights and mirror balls for all the bands!

poland and naked on the vague played short sets to a small but appreciative audience.

the brisbane crew rocked up as promised and limited express (has gone?) played an energetic and destructive set to cap off the tour. the sound wasn’t great but everyone enjoyed the chaotic energy of jj and yukari with koji getting up off his drumseat quite a few times too.

my disco finished off the night with their excellent june of 44-ish hard post rock sounds.

we hung around chatting with various members of various bands and sold merchandise in a steady flow until the pub kicked us out.

thankfully there was little traffic on the way back to sydney and we got home at about 1.30 which meant i could get about 5 hours of sleep before going to work in the morning.

Decimated – 21st May 2005

8pm – the rev, brisbane – supporting the rogers sisters and love of diagrams

had to get up after a few hours sleep to get to the airport for the band to fly to brisbane and into the hands of their brisbane contact kirk. by all accounts brisbane was another blistering show with the merchandise being decimated and promises of fans driving down to newcastle for the final show.

I was mad as hell – 20th May 2005

 9pm – mandarin club, sydney – midnight special! (now with naked on the vague onstage at 11pm)

we all surfaced late and chilled out. we took to the streets at the absolute worst time traffic wise and by the time we made the city i was mad as hell and the band were getting nauseous with my erratic driving – we loaded the gear into the mandarin club, with the fine help of the pure evil trio who were lending their equipment for the night and i spent the next 20 minutes looking for somewhere to park only to have a parking meter swallow my money for nothing in return! at least things could only get better!

the band ran through soundcheck quickly as chief soundman tobey had to dash off to another venue to play a show. we headed off for food and relaxation before getting back to the club at about 10 or 10.30 just as more people were coming through the door.

the mandarin club room on level 4 is pretty spacious and i’m not sure how many people were there but naked on the vague had done some table rearranging earlier to help push interested spectators closer to the stage and as they played their short 20 minute set there were a few people up close and i think everyone else paying attention pretty much.

naked on the vague is matthew from vincent over the sink playing bass and lucy on keyboards and most of the vocal duties. while i prefer the quirkier tunes of vincent this band was pretty great too – it’s kinda fucked up new wave – almost no-wave. i want to see more of this band.

we had a shortish break in which time more people came in and the merch stall got busy. limited express (has gone?) took the stage at around 1am in the end and there were many people here ready for special show time! and they certainly got a show!

the sound was a little ropey in places due to the small pa (no fault of tobey’s) but that didn’t detract from the power and energy of an up close and personal experience – in which jj decided once again it would be a good idea to get on my shoulders during one song. the crowd seemed into it and when the set finished there were shouts for more but the dj’s took over after a brief silence.

i went to man the merch stall but as i sat down the dj’s stopped and it looked like an encore was coming – we got a bassless mophin’ fellet, crowned off with a full band free style riding. i desperately wanted them to come back for more but the band felt the energy was spent so sydney – you missed out on the limited express (has gone?) version of bad brains ‘i against i’.

when i told my friend this he promised to drive to newcastle on sunday to see it! people partied on some more to the dj’s and most everyone picked up some merchandise on their way out during the night. unfortunately for us and our tired bodies this meant we had to stay til the 3am finish knowing we had to get up at 8am to get to the airport for limited express (has gone?) to fly to brisbane in the morning. not to worry though – everyone was pumped and happy and excited.

load out, drive home and once again i went straight to sleep as the band refuelled and koji watched ping pong club!

Pimping – 19th May 2005

8pm – annandale hotel, sydney – supporting the rogers sisters and love of diagrams

picked the band up from the airport eventually and sydney traffic dictated it would take us an hour to get home.

we sorted merchandise and ate and rested in preparation. tonight was an important show for me as i’d been pimping the hell out of the band and wanted people to feel the excitement and energy that i feel when seeing limited express (has gone?)

we got to the annadale hotel at about 7pm and went thru the usual soundchecks and setting up merchandise. was cool to sell some merch even before any bands had played too!

limited express (has gone?) hit the stage just before nine and played a fantastic set to a three quarters full annandale crowd – not too bad a turnout for a thursday night support band i guess though i’d been hoping for more – many of the people had come just to see them though which was heartening. jj took a couple of jumps off the stage and yukari took the mic stand to all corners during mophin fellet. spy crowned off another great performance and the merch stall was flooded with people wanting cds, t-shirts and information – the band so happy to talk with people and sign cds.

the stall only quietened down when love of diagrams took to the stage and played another great set of tunes – during their set i was reminded of what a great drummer monika is and overall they had a really good sound tonight.

the rogers sisters played another good set that didn’t quite click for me but had the crowd happy and shouting for more. after they finished the merch stall got busy for limited express (has gone?) cds and we’re hoping that all those happy people will come again tomorrow night and bring all their friends.

we finally leave and when we make it home we eat and work out all the money taken and it looks like we might just break even.

A couple of very ugly and scary fists fights – 17th May 2005

8pm – warehouse, coromandel place, city, adelaide – with paddington bear affair + more

we got everything packed up and crammed into the taxi for the qirport – it was a beautiful day in melbourne again and i wish we could have stayed longer. the management team came back to sydney and limited express (has gone?) took off on their lonesome but to be met and looked after by zac – so over to him for the adelaide details.

we showed up at the warehouse at about 7:45 only to find that the resident hippies had changed the locks on mossy and the bands. in anticipation of limited express (has gone?) and a good night out, quite a few people had come to the venue early – a pleasant change from the usual adelaidian attitude of being ‘fashionably late’ to the point of missing support acts. after a couple of very ugly and scary fists fights out the front, we decided that it would be better to hold the show elsewhere.

after briefly toying with the idea of a carpark show, we eventually piled into our cars and drove to hindley street and brett & co’s small apartment. the lounge room was cleared of furniture and miscellaneous debris and everybody pitched in to set up amps and drums against 3 sides of the cramped room. with much help from the housemates, we managed to collect about $50 worth of donations before the bands had even started. the bands kept their sets short so that it could all be over before midnight and the neighbours could get some sleep.

the paddington bear affair kicked off proceedings with a short, noisy, and pretty messy set that got the crowd into a party mood. next up was apes of god, which was supposed to be a solo project. a laptop provided pre-programmed music (dance-y 80s new-wave stuff), with emmett singing over the top. others joined in the fun, playing instruments (not plugged in) and dressed in bank robber attire (with stockings and orange bags over their faces).

next up was my sister the cop – fun, tight and rocky as always, despite the unusual conditions. the final of the support bands was i’m gonna fucking kill you who had been practicing in the lounge room prior to our arrival. they played some sort of rocky hardcore and i was very impressed with this being only their second or third show. they made sure everyone in the room got a free, individually titled demo cd-r.

finally, it was time for limited express (has gone?) to take the stage. the trio had been watching the supports quietly from down the hall but burst into life in front of the crowd. due to a lack of microphone stands (the previous band having to duct tape a microphone to a door frame) lehg chose to play a bass-less set but they still sounded amazing.

while the support bands seemed unable to get a nice clear mix after hurriedly getting themselves and their instruments organised, the simplicity allowed by a guitar/vocals/drums combo meant that limited express (has gone?) were definitely the best sounding band on the night. the room full of onlookers were extremely appreciative between songs and looked to be enjoying themselves immensely during limited express’ short set, which consisted of tiger rock, mophin’ fellet and a cover (though I couldn’t pick it). lehg also looked to be having a lot of fun, with yukari singing amidst the crowd and jj surfing on top of the kick drum.

the shortness of the set left the crowd wanting more and they were promised that much more music and fun would be had at the grace emily. perhaps only 30 or 40 people came (more would have arrived had they known about the change of address) but everybody in attendance had a great time.

after the show, lots of people thanked the band, many perused the small merch desk, and others just buzzed with amazement and excitement after what they had just witnessed. it was a good taste of adelaide punk rock and definitely an interesting first night for limited express (has gone?).

Tomato ketchup and mayonnaise – 15th May 2005

8pm – bar open, melbourne – with the stabs, twitch of the death nerve and vincent over the sink

everyone stirs themselves slowly and we sort ourselves out with coffee and bread before loading gear out to the car and taking the quick trip to bar open. we’re all a little bit disorgansed and not sure how to arrange tonight’s show – finally we agree to set gold coin donation as entry.

there’s people milling about everywhere and suddenly show time arrives starting with vincent over the sink – these guys are so quirkily cool – their tunes are simple, arrangements odd and style bizarre and uncomfortable – just what interests me in a band. i’m so happy that they had this opportunity to play to a bunch more people than they might usually do and nao-san has tweaked a perfect sound for them.

twitch of the death nerve and the room is getting packed with just a little space in front of stage which singer dan soon takes the opportunity to stomp around. twitch are awesome in their complex and dynamic structure and dan is more than just a capable frontman – he has a great voice too. things get a little bizarre mid way through the set as dan covers himself in tomato ketchup and mayonnaise and then continues to throw himself around the room – crashing into me one time, i give him a big shove which splatters him across the floor but he gets up without missing a beat and continues on his merry way. needless to say the crowd loved the craziness.

next the stabs performed their fucked up aural sonic bliss – they take some standard rock elements and pound them out and the crowd appreciated it greatly. i was kinda distracted trying to organise everything during the stabs set though – hopefully they’ll make it up to sydney one day and i can get a proper dose.

bar open is now packed to the gills and there is anticipation in the air. after a nice introduction from mark (who really does believe limited express (has gone?) are the greatest band in the world!) they unusually kick off the set with tiger rock and we’re treated to yukari bouncing around the stage and floor space and some almost silent subtlety during the bridge section with breathy whispers of tiger rock (supposedly a dedication to yukari’s favourite baseball team).

yukari straps the bass on and here comes special show time in full force with the beginning refrain of aloha! i skip this song on the cd having heard it so many times but there’s something new and fresh about it every time they play it live because the band and audience both respond with big smiles and big bounces and everyone is caught up in the moment – from here on out the audience is captivated – totally sucked in to the experience!

the band are happy enough to play in front of just a few people but when they have the attention of a couple of hundred people up close and personal they turn into pure magic. i’m anticipating jinichiro craziness during stop>go and beckon him into the crowd and he willingly obliges and i soon get the message he wants to go upwards so i squat down and slowly lift jj up on my shoulders, i do my best to stagger and sway to the rhythm! i get a tap on the head and lower jj down and he hops off perfectly in time with the next section of the song. when the song finishes i remind jinichiro that i’m an old man!

the rest of the set maintains the high level of excitement – peaking for me with the new song (possibly titled “ichi ni san shi…”) which is rivetting in it’s typical limited express (has gone?) madness – i’m in heaven right here! talk to me, all right closes out the set with jinichiro throwing his guitar to the audience and performing his almost trademark windmill jump (it’s not like townsend, believe me!). soon the chant of ‘we want more’ is raised and limited express (has gone?) are happy to oblige for a bassless version of mophin’ fellet before finishing off band like with an ass kicking run through free style ridin’ – yukari overcome with emotions and happiness runs up to koji behind the kit and falls forward with her bass flailing and the drum are rendered unusable – this is the end – yukari, not sure what’s going on, goes off to the side and curls into a ball before being beckoned back to the stage for a final bow!

everyone is happy, the room is full of joy. my god – that was special show time all right!

it’s a couple of hours before we manage to get out – the merchandise has halved already – after two days! jj calls japan later to get more sent out! everyone is energised and it takes me an hour or so to count out all the donation coins while the others load out and make a trip back to mark’s with equipment before coming back for us.

i was astounded to find over 500 bucks in donations including a couple of 20 dollar notes! this meant we could pay the support bands a hundred bucks or more! (twitch of the death nerve donating all their share to limited express (has gone?)!)

we find some twitch friends outside trying to get their car started – we can’t help them but as we’re driving away dan appears and races up to the car, dives through the front window and shouts ‘aaallllooohhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!’ much to the amusement of us all!

when we get home mark teaches jj some classical spanish guitar – it’s great to watch mark showing jinichiro the song and see him struggle to play it (it’s pretty complex)! i give in to weariness and fall asleep happy and smiling.


pic: andrew watson