My night your morning...back to Indo we go...

One of my offices in Indonesia...nice huh?

View down the beach...

Cold shower anyone?

Mr. Lobos "hut/shady shack" where he was passed out on the bench

"Asep" chillin with Dr. D, rollin' with the IPOD on...nice....

Thus the term "Lap Top"? with a friend reading my every other word...too funny...

Asep...rocking to the IPOD...(don't ask me how many times he made me re-take the picture, haha

One of Mr. Lobos six kids...the youngest, "Aldo" or was it "Jesse" (so American) and all of 9 years old...adorable...

Seriously?...wow, huh?

"Can I have some of these fish?"

What do you really think of my swim trunks?

"Two Handed" and with a cigarette no less...

Serious "fishing"....

First Glimpse up from the IPOD...at the Fisherman Returning...

Lovely net around my bed....

Me and Mr. Lobo (ok, Mr. Lobo and I, dad)...c/o of Dylan's lovely self portrait

Mr. Lobo, is running for some part of parliament...then as he says, "Computer Enhanced Photo"

The Man himself, Mr. Lobo:

View looking at some of the beach huts:

Greetings Friends and Family...so, some of you actually want to hear about the rest of the Indo trip...ok, ok..here goes the second to last chapter...

continued:

The evening /night of my final stay in Bin Tan…what a day…some great fun…alone with my thoughts used to be a scary lonely place, though now…it is a place of peace…to relish…like the warm sun beaming down on me…warming my soul…

Step into the crazy mind of one "Dylan"....

I sat on the beach, listening to the waves, snapping a lot of pics…then, I gazed up and saw some fisherman coming in on there boat..(see pics of fisherman)…all of a sudden…they are anchoring…or making a valiant effort in this regard anyway…finally, they are anchored…I can’t help cure the curious in me, perhaps they are used to it, so I walk out… and watch them unload their catch of fish for the day…(see pictures of the men carrying fish, the fish in the sand at low tide, the view of low tide in Bin Tan and the man who probably asked if he could have a few of the smaller ones and threw them into his bucket as a happy man)…fish after fish, I didn’t think I would actually exchange words with them politely, shoot, I didn’t even know if they would speak English, not everyone does in Indo as opposed to Sing (for Singapore) where English is the first language….all pleasantries of course…for who wouldn’t be proud of this catch…you count, I don’t recall…perhaps a mackerel, or a tuna? I have no idea…some good Maui did for me in the fish department; as much as I didn’t think I would speak to these kind people, I didn’t think the smell of the fish would soon become so poignant/powerful and nearly overwhelming...not to worry…but they are dead fish, what did I expect, a rose?

No…not really, but wow, what a sight…all of a sudden a man comes up with his bucket as though he attempt at fishing was not as fruitful and appears to ask if he may have some of the smaller ones…they oblige him, he smiles and begins to fill up his bucket with the little fish..smiling..he continues with the intent of dinner perhaps?

Not a worry, I watch this for a while…and turn my gaze to the beach… and back to the hut where Mr. Lobo may still be asleep, who knows…I say may because earlier in the day, he arranged for me to have an Indonesian massage (now I know what some of you lovely people are thinking…not that kind of massage)…by this very traditional Indonesian older lady (probably the only the pic I didn’t take, but I think I got it somewhere later..I will check and if it is there, it will be posted)…

So…massage arranged, into a hut I go…shorts on, shirt off…soon the smell of a peppermint like massage oil on my body with the healing hands of what must be years of experience rubbing away my tired mind…within minutes, I am fast asleep…side note…I don’t know if I have told you this, but for me anyway, and I don’t know if it is b/c I am a chiropractor, chatty or what or all, you guys can form your own opinion and typically do just that anyway, BUT,…I can NEVER (ok, once or twice) fall asleep when I get a massage…not the case this time…my body is so sleep deprived and having worked 10 - 12 hour days for 10 days straight, I succumb to the healing hands, just as I did the night before to the sound of the waves and as I will shortly again…sleep…I awake during the massage only recall being asked to turn over then in a blink…I am out again…like a light switch…fast asleep like a baby…I am still not sure how much time has passed…the massage was only an hour per one Mr. Lobo (see picture, he is running for Parliament too, quite the guy…impressed he is too that my son is adopted, thinks we must be some “special people”…I tell him my son is the special one and we are the lucky ones…; perhaps more on that conversation later…

I awake from my massage…therapist is long gone..I am in a daze…bearings not certain at best…first the sound of the waves…then the sight of the mosquito net (see sample pic of my room of he bed with the net) and then I realize…I am here in Bin Tan…having just had a great massage…now rested, I stumble out…ever so gracefully of the hut…very relaxed, not sure if I want to go back to sleep, eat or what to do…so back to the hut to find Mr. Lobo and extend my thanks for arranging this massage ($20 Singaporean dollars for the hour…perhaps 15 USD?)…funny thing…and I should of…(a word not in my vocabulary too often anymore)…taken his pic…as he is fast asleep in the common area hut bench..out like I was perhaps moments earlier…so, stumble back to my new residence…

Back at my new residence: where I have a little broken English chat with Mr. Sularto and "Asep"…who is very fascinated with the color of my eyes, my lovely nose…so funny…as US people, we can be so critical of ourselves…just amazing…what we view as something we may not be pleased with, others view as something fascinating, if not an attractive quality…thus my point of not really being so concerned with things of days past…in that department, sure, I don’t want to go to work (if you want to call it work) dis-sheveled, but, I no longer am too concerned about what others may think perhaps as much as I may have used to been, perhaps I this is only for now…but I don’t think so, time will tell, it always does, doesn’t it?

So, now here I am in my bed…mosquito net covered…freshly showered from the lovely day (and by the way, not one to be "editing" my own stuff, but I now officially don't care for the lingering smell of peppermint oil and "Au De Dylan"); granted hot water would have been a luxury (see pic of shower and bedroom) and yes, it was butt freezing cold…but, it was the thought of my lovely odoriferous self keeping me up at night…or a shower…I chose the shower and am glad I did…tomorrow is Wednesday the 28th…the spa is not open until the 29th…as Les is still in Bali for the rest of the week…and the spa is closed…regardless…I work again on Thursday and Les calls it a half day…translation: 11am to 7pm…one thing in my schedule has been established thus far..Singaporeans work much more than we would even contemplate…

I have no problem with this right now, perhaps why I saw so many people in the first ten days…perhaps 75? I am not sure…but a lot…that for now, my “new days off’ according to my friend Les include Sunday and a half day during the week, I get to decide…I am thinking Thursday as the spa is busy on the weekends/Monday and Thursdays were my days off in the states…ahh, the states, becoming such a distant memory, like LA traffic…or at least driving in it…it can stay a memory as far as I am concerned…at least for now…

As Tim McGraw writes in his song, “Live like you were Dying”…”become a friend like a friend you would like to have”…yes, I am listening to my Ipod…how did you guess, “what would you do if you could it all again” a thought I chose not to have and instead, chose to “do it now” or as Nike says, “Just do it”…yes,, quite profound prior to my nights end…but Morgan will tell you…traveling changes a person…you get to experience life…to live it, perhaps now why I understand why he is always so philosophical about things…I get it now…I didn’t before, but I do now…thanks cousin…you have shined a light for me that now shines bright within…and I only hope I can help to turn that same light on a person, I really do my cousin...

So, last story prior to the end of what is surely turning into a novel…surely…ahh, the chill of the shower has come back for a moment…ok..where was I…Tim McGraw, right? OK, Asep has stopped by my room to ask if I am eating…immediately fascinated with my Ipod, he is now listening to it, changing songs…now asking if it I leave to Singapore tomorrow and since I do, can he have my Ipod as my parting gift..I tell him I will bring him one next time, of course he asked me if “I promise”….I reply “Yes, of course…” and perhaps I will, why not…I will be back, not if, but when…it is a short ride from Singapore to here and yet so very inexpensive (about 30/per night in Sing dollars…haha..he is now perplexed with my plum seed (or in Maui, rock salt plum/Li Hing Mui, haha) as I used to eat as he tries one and is immediately shocked at the sour taste it has put in his mouths…perhaps as he is trying to read over my shoulder…I only hope he does understand it, but he eyes are fixated on the screen, more fascinating with my typing then perhaps what I am typing….he says with hand gestures…my fingers move so fast…I do not think he can read it, but you can’t help but wonder; he is fixated on the screen as I hammer away at this…haha, wearing my IPOD, Tim Mcgraw was playing when I handed it to him, I only wonder when it will change to some lovely hip hop song that shocks him out of the room, haha…wait, now he hears Faith Hill and asks if it is Shania Twain…no I reply, it is Faith Hill, the wife of Tim McGraw…(how does he even know Shania Twain? If these people had any idea how music can reach places other things can't, wow) he says it sounds like her (again, really, sounds like her? how does he know this?)…

Fne..alas..reading over my shoulder eyes gazed over my computer screen, he has finally realized I am writing about him…he is laughing…perplexed at what in the world I would be so fascinated by…as he is fascinated at how fast my hands move without looking for the letters to type..obviously he understands some of this…just not all perhaps…he is enjoying reading about what I write about this moment perhaps…nonetheless, again, eyes, fixated on the screen understanding only what I explain to him about the things we discuss, from Tim McGraw to my Ipod he wants as a gift;…to his new found fascination with my blackberry cell phone and the instant messaging capability…

I am getting tired…how exactly do I tell him this I wonder…hmmm…more on that later I suppose…but for now…as I was about to say my last little story…since my arrival…I was served the best Pineapple and have asked for it whenever I can, it is soooooo good…so, I head back to Lobos, to ask one more time prior to returning home to type this…his wife serves me a platter of pineapple so large, Aidan would be in heaven…I am…it is gone in a blink…as am I in a minute…(see pic of pineapple, self pic of me and Mr. Lobo who with the next pic of apparently running for some form of parliament..nice work on his photo with photo shop huh Morg? Haha…this is tells me “computer fix photo…I can’t help but laugh…Politics is global, image is still something perhaps…but again, I am an American in Indonesia, perhaps no better time to say one is “from Hawaii” when you have a President named in Obama…haha..never did I think I would say this aloud/much less to myself…such is our world…

Ok my friends and family..for now good night…I wish you all love, happiness and the chance to seize your day…live your life and share your love….until next time…it may be soon it may be days but it is coming (ok, I can’t help but laugh…Ludacris is now playing on the IPOD and he asks me if it is Will Smith…haha..granted it was actually Usher and Ludacris…and here comes U2..this should be an interesting night…

Until next time…goodnight my friends and family…goodnight…

much love, Dylan (or in Indo “mister doctor”)….

PS: My cousin Kristen Rocks all of you!!! xoxox cuz...xoxo cuz!! and you ALL KNOW WHY!!! hahaha

Greetings are you ready for this... (ok, all four of you?)

Hey...how are you all doing without me (as my lovely sister Mika would probably say)...things in Singapore are great...really other than some lovely food poisoning...no complaints...:)

I just wanted to pop in for a quick note to "all four of you" and say hello...my loyal readers...(who, uh humm, don't even finish reading my blog posts at times I am learning)...so, perhaps thanks to Scott for getting me to do this craziness anyway? hmmm...more on that later perhaps...

Well, another Wednesday is flying by...I am seeing new patient after new patient...things are great in that department...as a matter of fact..I still have over ten plus patients who need to come back and go over xrays or something like that...crazy...ok, most of you know I am pretty good with names, right? Well....help, I am starting to forget...so I am having to write stuff on the initial evaluations so I remember...(granted a lot of these are challenging Chinese Names); but hey, I still think I am OK with names)?

Anyway, I just wanted to pop in for a quick note (or long novel)...for a couple of reasons, number one...my mama...(and my biggest "fan" perhaps, haha) loves waking up in the morning and finding one of these lovely emails...haha..so, mama, I love you (well, all four of you, I love you!)...#2 I am still finishing posting my trip to Indonesia posts where I wrote about three million pages and as a result, probably lost some readership (OK, how funny does that sound, almost as funny as me typing this as though I could probably have this conversation with myself...which is probably true you are now saying at this point, thanks)...so, needed a break from all two of those posts.

At any rate...back to #2...yes...sorry, the blog posts got a bit long...it got a little introspective..and as a result...I started to contemplate even posting some of "my thoughts" as I learned (um, certain people in my family don't even finish my posts???? crazy huh? , I mean, I am spilling it all in front of you and you don't read this stuff?)...so I started to wonder if I should even put them up or not and then I remember my dad saying "Dylan, you will be so happy you did this a long time from now, perhaps not now...but you will"...you get the point...so, love it or leave it...you guys are either stuck with me...or...you arne't? hmmm..have to think about that one..

OK, have a great Wednesday, I did! Keep in touch with me too...I miss all of you guys (all four of you, yes, I know)..very dearly...and hope you guys keep in touch with one another...matter of fact, that will be one of today's plans or tasks I have to give you..haha..and you have to do it or I will unsubscribe you...fair enough? and you have to email me when you do it...

READ BELOW OR GO HOME: IMPORTANT COURSE OF ACTION REQUIRED:

PLAN OF ACTION: Take a family member or close friend you have been thinking of a lot and haven't contacted in a bit...(ok, Mika..or Lennie (with an "ie") (ie: HINT) this should be easy for you guys)...and drop them an email...preferably call them (if you like, I can post everyones telephone number in here too?)...call them...tell them you love em, miss em or just give them friendly shout hello, heck, you don't even have to mention my name (notice, red, stop and read, green, go do it?)

**THIS PART IS IMPORTANT: BUT, what you do have to do is email me telling me who you contacted and how it went (you can thank me later) what the response was, so by the way, if a family member or friend of family, etc...calls you, you better call back!!

***(and by the way...whoever contacts Mark and Ari...tell them I love em too and miss them :)

Fun little exercise in futility I know..but you are family and I have to have my fun some how, right? Besides, it keeps your spirit alive and lets me know you all still not only think about one another, but also love one another as well...so, do it.. and do it now and then drop me an email...remember...life is for living....get your day started living it with your friends and family..do it..you will all have a better day for it!

Love and hugs to you all....

God Bless...

-Dylan

Singapore Diaries goes Indo...the marathon continues....

Greetings friends and family...not even sure if you guys read this stuff anymore; as it is turning into a diary of sorts (thus Singapore Diaries?)...I hope this finds you all well...as I mentioned, I wrote a lot on my little holiday, ended up with a lovely case of food poisoning on the last day...not so lovely actually...exactly what I didn't want to do, lose more weight...at any rate...just figured I would post some of this stuff for your potential reading enjoyment...this one is a bit random, introspective...and all over the place...but guess what? who cares...haha...ok, the pics will follow, I just wanted to get this one posted as yes, sorry...there is more to come from this little fun last week adventure...re-reading what I wrote, the temptation to edit profoundly is there, but I don't, I leave it mostly the way it is...I hope you get something out of this...I did and I do...especially the store about "Adam" in here...WOW...what a trippy guy...kind of intense for a "Dylan" blog post...but alas...interesting anyway...

Ok…yesterday was quite a day; not sure I got to finish my little moped adventure…but you will see pics that are sure to make you look twice; one in particular b/c I am sure my mom is reading this and saying…”you went on a moped ride, with your host/owner of the place to go shopping, on the back of his moped, are you crazy?”

At any rate, the last part of the question remains to be seen, not sure, kidding…but really…it was quite a mini tour…the only thing I wish is that I could somehow get the name of the little places we got to stop by, the name of the bridge you will see…we actually stopped by his home and got a picture of his father and either a friend or brother as he called them all family…all broken English aside…I asked how long the trip would take and he he shrugged, either “I don’t know” or “I have no idea what you are asking”…so I asked “Asep” the younger kid looking guy (who I perceive to be gay by the lovely glances in my direction…to the handsome “American”…ok, I am sorry, I find the handsome part more funny than the gay guy comment more funny and it has nothing to do with my self esteem”…he pointed to his watch and said that it would “probably” be one hour…haha…I should have known better…as some of you know…I had time to email you, blackberry messenger Gaylin (granted you were all sleeping, ha…, you will learn to love the buzzing of your cell when it is me, kidding…turn em on silent or be prepared for a Dylan intrusion if they go to ur cell)…anyway, 2.5 hours later…the journey consisted of mini stops…
I asked how long the journey to the store was, and he said about 20km…ok, no problem on a scooter that probably went a max of 35 to 40 mph (60km/hr…you do the math) and what he meant was 20 km each direction…haha…no worries it was fun…

So, we drive over this bridge (see picture) that was just an amazing sight…houses along the river bank that flows to the beach, people would have to walk to their (I have to watch my grammar as my English major father is correcting me/watching my every syllable apparently, thought it was funny I spelled ferry “fairy” the first time, haha, no worries…but thanks, lol, laughing out loud pop) huts on what are essentially “planks” (and yes, I have already experienced these “planks”, Sularto stopped for a second to let me snap a couple of pics, though in my want to move this exciting journey along…I only took a few to make the point, after all, as my good friend/best friend, and camera provider (yes, Scotty, you friend), lol….has often said when I didn’t have a camera, “Dylan, chill, some of the best memories are kept here, for you…(as he would point to his head)”…and he is right, they are, but I do my best to show you guys…being the non-photo pro…the camera is doing the work…it has probably “seen” far more than I could have ever imagined…(yes, I am talking about the camera…or he who personifies everything non human, (dad, did I say that correctly?)…

First stop…a market…what I perceive to be the main purpose of our trip…turns out he is buying cigarettes for another guest, four packs of Marlboro lights no less (I would think enough for a couple of months, not so for a Chinese guest here for the CNY, Chinese new Year)…I get a couple of pics of the outside of the store, cruise around for a second, no intention of buying anything..and come to a display in the store (end isle cap, type of thing, ie: box of powdered s***); trying to read the sign, I will let you decide…(see pics of container with bags of white powder and sign with relative pricing)…I presumed it to be sugar…but hey, made for an interesting site in a grocery store with all we read about in this world today, lol…ok, so I get off track here in there..I did say stream of conscious writing, didn’t I? haha…

***btw (by the way) as I write this stuff, I am obviously interjecting some personal thought and recollection of things that come to mind, be it a way some of you have touched or impacted my life, a thought it leads me to get off track or a memory something will remind me of, after all, this is an adventure….point in case…Gaylin says, “you write as though you are very single”…how do I respond to that…my thought I have just had as an example is when you read a book, think the author is some incredible person (ok, not saying this is me or anything silly people, just an example), just saying, at the end of the book you will read something like, “David Baldacci is the author of fifteen previous consecutive NY times bestsellers….blah, blah, blah, he and his wife are still residents of Virgina where they live with the X kids...blah, blah, blah...and they invite you to to visit him on www.davaidbaldacci.com you get the point…it is my story so, alas, it is not in his novel (my blog) you learn this, you learn it all post script…got it now babe? Kk, no worries, haha…yes, I also have two beautiful children Madison and Aidan who reside in Colorado at the current…fair enough (but I have not written one NYT best seller and probably don't intend too, may write a novel...hey, you are reading it, but certainly not best seller materal, haha?

Haha…can’t believe I even just put this in here…oh well, again, I have really stopped living for other people (ie: less my family, lol) and doing things not necessarily in a selfish manner, but living life for me, where I am, and in the now…less you haven’t noticed that by now…crap, this is gonna be a long post…so, it may be posted in bits and pieces…haha… or Chapters, crap, I will decide when the power turns back on in Bin Tan, thus I can’t even charge my phone to communicate with the world, thank goodness my laptop is charged, thank you Craigs list…haha, love it, 290 bucks…mini ACER…my word processer, skype phone, web cam, email service…and lifeline to all things USA, lol…moving on….

So, “Sularto” my guide/host/manager of the property….discovers I am a doctor and so now, instead of the normal “mister” this and “mister that”, it is now “doctor mister”, haha…I can’t help but chuckle at this…Sularto is always apologizing for his English…you learn that some things are universal….a shrug, a thumbs up, an “A-OK”…it all conveys the universal “no worries” ; after all, where do I have to be…well, nowhere and precisely nowhere fast…so our journey continues with “Doctor Mister, ready!? (a question or a command, still don’t know)”…I shrug…and in no time I am on the back of the scotter/moped/moto bike (I am really not sure because it is faster than any moped I recall and slower than a motorcycle (mom, if you are gonna ask if I was wearing a helmet, I will try not to smile to give away my answer, but a: they didn’t have them and b: wait until you see some of the crazy pics of people on these things, I will probably post the one with the small baby in the middle (yes, three on one bike) and the dad driving and the mom holding baby…)the part you will not like is I took this picture while I was on the back of our motorbike…but hey…I lived…no scrapes, no bruises, no “Morgans in Thailand once or even twice for that matter, lol…cousin, I couldn’t resist…(I will probably get food poisoned for that comment now, won’t I and freakin "A", low and behold I did, lovely Karma huh? ok, sorry cuz but that sucked sh**), lol…see you all impact me somehow…and I love you all for it…I only hope I make some sort of positive impression to you as well… if that is still feasible..

Not so quick insert regarding my ferry ride and profound experience (see pics of boats/views, Adam/et. al.):

On the ferry, my new friend, “Adam” a muslim man; he says, “Doc (I think I have a name tag at this point), I will tell you a story, this story I don’t share very often, but he continues…when I saw you in the duty free store, so full of life, they way you communicated to the clerk in the store, he says, “This guy, I have to know this guy…he (this being me) is so full of life (shocking, yes, a: he is talking about me?? And b: wtf…he was watching me? Lol…retrospectively, all very complimentary):

We meet in the line as we are prepared to board the ferry…he is a congenial man…quiet on the surface as my Singaporeans are, muslim no less, perhaps moreso on the surface, but, “Adam”, is a great guy…who owns/works for a supplement company of all things…more on that later…stuff for joints, all natural, some I have not even heard of…and directs me to a website I have put in my cell so I won't forget...

At any rate, “Adam” shares this story with me and yes, I am changing topics once again (and this is very deeep and random for me too) and will need to fit this in somewhere on my 90 page blog, lol…(see pic of Adam, small Chinese man, big personality), says, “I don’t share this story very often”, he continues…"But, close your eyes and listen to this for a minute” (afraid of puking on the ferry, I cringe at the thought, but, shit, why not…), eyes closed... he now says, “Visualize this, you are at a funeral/wake, mulling about, listening to the people speak of the person whose life is no longer…it is getting close to your turn to view the body, yet you will only be able to see the face…the things you hear of the other person, they really no longer matter, BUT, it is how they are remembered (profound shit for a ferry ride no less, but hey, in the blog as I thought it was pretty profound, thank you Adam!, but I truly believe I cross paths with people for a reason, thank you Adam, more on his supplement company later, perhaps...)

The story continues, …"The good things they did, the not so good…do you like what you hear?…it is almost time to view the face of the body…are you even concerned about what is being said?” he asks…, eyes closed, I nod, …"Sure"…I am intrigued…where could this be going…

At any rate, he continues, “You are next, next to view the face of the diseased…you have heard all the things people have said, obviously you even have some thoughts about this person yourself, especially at this point, your own thoughts aside of the diseased…so, you are next…you get to the face, immediately fix your gaze on the person in the casket…perplexed you look…
Immediately confused yet with a new awareness, you see YOUR FACE…” (ok, wow, what a freakin point), “He continues, “what do you think, how will people remember you? Do you care? You are dead after all, what does it matter?

He continues, “Doc, when I first heard this story, I thought to myself at that very moment not to long ago, that life is for living and I am in charge of my life…no one else…sure people impact it, but things I decide, I decide for me, not for “them”…so, will you live your life for others (I answer some yes, others no); he nods in agreement…but the point being…life is for living, live it…a theme in life I have often shared, now more than ever…as I travel, a diplomat of my profession as a chiropractor, spreading the word of chiropractic with honesty and integrity in order to "spread the word" as chiropractors say in SE Asia of sound chiropractic care…my "Gonstead" technique of Chiropractic is just a bonus for me, for that is another path I chose long ago... Caring for others with a form of health care with no drugs or surgery, with the ability to help others heal…body, mind and spirit…something I have learned, now again, more than ever, to not take lightly and now pursue with a new-found passion for my “job”/life choice/career…so with that, I urge you all to follow your heart and as "Adam" would say, “God willing”…you will find your way, but do today, what you dream of, life is after all, for living…live it…(lovely "little" insert huh?)...

Back to INDO story:

So, back on the bike I am and off we go…until “mister doctor, I will stop, let you take photo of mangral grove…(no mangos, a lot of swampy land/marsh land/mud swamps/red dirt and a body of water with some probably profound name saying “if you have been dropped off here, be very concerned”, lol…really, it was quite a site (see pictures of “the plank I walked”, the guy fishing (for what type of fish in mud I do not know…, the tree, Sularto on his phone, ironically at one point, taking video of me on the little walk I got to see later, ok, a little disconcerting, but nonetheless, that is him, as curious as me and a very welcoming person/man…) additional pics of motorbike, me on motorbike as taken by him and perhaps another self portrait) ***
***I will probably leave these little notes here as they cue me to put what pic where b/c as it is, I am probably on page eight of this lovely novel and if I really want you to read this, I have to come up with a couple of ways to do it. By days? Hours? Adventures? No, the last would be too long…chapters perhaps with day stamps..we will see what I decided, who knows, could be left as is…want you to read it, perhaps either wanting more to know or actually have questions post script…quite the writer I have become, lol….btw, my assistant “Amy” got me the reservation as she was giving it up to go somewhere else; otherwise, I would be in a very dead and boring, shut down, Singapore as they celebrated Chinese New Year with their respective families (which would have been fine, but this is a heck of a lot more fun and cheap too, I will tell you how much as soon as I find out@!!! Haha.., all I know is that in Indo, things change in that regard, in Sg, they negotiate everything…in Indo, they may quote x initially, to get you in the door, but on check out (as I heard a guest go through this already, as I was sitting within ears range and yes, mine “work well” as you know, all piano playing aside, but she was on the phone literally next to me in the common eating area (see pic of the “kitchen area”)…so I got to hear the conversation of “that was not what you originally quoted”…as for me…I didn’t come with a lot of money, crap, I don’t have a lot of money at the moment anyway, so, they will get what I planned for and be happy with “mister, doctor”…haha…we will see… in time.

Ok, where was I…next little adventure…Sularto says…I have to make a business stop…ok (I am thinking, what, is this man in finance, international business of some sort…bottom line, I am on his dime/time and his moto bike no less, I am his guest…whatever he has to do, I am along for the ride…and that is fine)…translation of business:

Next stop is apparently his house (see pics of house/chickens/cats)…I ask him for a glass of water and we pick up this fruit from a friend (he said we were getting chicken?) and it is like lychee, but not a lychee, the kind a prickly skin…but inside, it tastes the same…I know this b/c naturally, he insists I try it…and to my delight, it is is just great!

AGAIN: ***my apologizes in advance as a lot of this blends together as my time since getting here has all blended together as working twelve hour days with no day off until this trip can do that to a person, especially a person who wasn’t (see mom, WASN;T) sleeping well…we will see about that when I get “home”…which Singapore (Sg/Sing) is, our new home…

Ok…back to the house…he says, “Mister, Doctor”, you wait ten minutes…I am immediately thinking, "Crap, me, wait here? “Ok I say, no problem, thumbs up”, I will sit and wait and answer an email to you guys Anton and Diana and write Gaylin to check in…lest I get lost entirely in Indo…haha…not gonna happen…with my great sense of direction.

Again, me waiting meant, he is sending "the boy" to get food, we will wait, he hands me the Indonesian phrase book (“Aseps” visit just tells me his name is Susy and is Sularto’s son…the pic is then of Sularto, Susy and Sularto’s Father…quite a pic…they loved the fact they could all see it instantly…amazing, crap, I loved the photo opportunity too!

***that was funny, “Asep” the probably twenty year old (I later learn 28...he looks like a kid!) or so (granted I can’t tell the age of a person in SE Asia to save my life, thank goodness I don’t have too) had just stopped by the bench I have now called my office for the moment (see pic with bench and computer) to write this and was essentially intrigued by the computer, then, knowing his English is less than ideal, "Asep", did in fact recognize his name in the script of this post (yes, this novel rather) and what followed were several questions about it and no worries…next I showed him pics that Morgan had taken of me, he was intrigued, now wants copies, oh joy…not a problem, he wants me to SMS/text them to him, instead I said I would email them, but at any rate, he doesn’t have email…besides, what do I really care…he means well, pure innocence of not so great English…the point of his visit…”When do I leave?", and he is leaving for the morning to have half a day off and will be back in the afternoon, not to mention, he won’t be serving breakfast, “Ms. Annie” will…simply was an FYI to me…nice guy, like I said, they all mean well and are essentially, great people; after all…we are their guests…I say we b/c I am not the only one here…from the couple I met from Singapore, my three German neighbors (two Thomas and one Andre, who is fried from the son by the way, which perplexes me as the rays are not so hot per se, just penetrating apparently)...you get the point...

Last night, I met Ben, an Engineer in Singapore (he says, not a prestigious profession or lucrative for that matter, but much needed in Singapore, so I don’t quite get why it could be a field with demand, but not pay well, everything in Singapore (mostly) pays very well; relatively speaking that is…, Ben, has been there for three years…plays soccer on Sundays and upon learning I play, has since exchanged info with me and asked me to come play with them (um, on the "French squad, and yes, granted they have a US one, though learning the level I played, he wants me to play with his team...haha, keep you posted on that one, ever the patriot, lol)…that we will see, with all my free time, I have already lost a ton of weight, from this jet lag and not eating properly (until now mom, until now) and not sleeping…again, previously (mom, they are all pokes at ya in fun and and love…no worries…)…

Ok, I was trying to tell a story here (which just reminded me of something…I told Gaylin I was getting tired of hearing myself talk with all the new patients and explaining chiropractic and she says “Finally!” (ie: apparently I talk too much, lol); yes, we had a good laugh, but this is my story, so, too bad, I am the author, so I get the editorial privilege…same goes for my photos…haha…ie: when you take a pic of someone and they don’t like it b/c “they” don’t look good…if I like it…it stays…haha…
Ok.. back to the stop of his house…

Not so steady in a stop he calls/or what sounded like “mangal grove”/perhaps I can look that one up, but for now…all I can say was the dirt was like the red dirt you see in Maui…so I presume, it stains like a mother…anyway; take a look at the pics…you will be able to figure out where some of this is via my lovely descriptors..and the manner in which I post them…haha…you will all tell me in time I suppose…my only concern at this point is a: I am certainly not gonna go back and editorialize this stuff and b: it is gonna be long from this little adventure to Indonesia/Bin Tan Island…such is life…remember, as Adam says, live it...or in my case...write it down too, lol...

Anyway, we finish the motorbike ride since Susy has brought back the chicken and fish (or so I am told) and head back…the drive of the motorbike, fun, wind blowing in my face, just glad I brought my sunglasses…I point to his fuel guage, which is now very low…he says, “Oh yes, thanks!” (great, I am being the responsible one here?)…we pull off to get some petro/gas…though I will tell you now, you would have never guessed it was a gas station for that matter…

Upon pulling in, an elderly lady with a small baby comes out, so I ask if I can take their photo, she nods…either yes or no, either way, she is getting her pic taken (see pic of grandma with baby in front of gas station)…

We carry on…all fueled up, snapping more pics as I ride on the scooter and 20km later, we are back…this time…I am tired…so I head to the beach to relax and listen to the waves (see pic of beache, huts, views)…

This morning I wake, to write some of this stuff down, at least I am doing some of it now so I don’t forget…wow, it truly is an adventure…and suddenly realize I cannot possibly write all of this stuff down…omg…oh well…I did want to add a couple of things…”Mr. Lobo” and his “Shady shack” are quite nice people, he has been in operation for ever twenty years and at current, he is running for some form of the Indo Parliament I believe (real quick...he and his wife? have lived there for a long time and have six kids! His youngest.."Aldo"...cutie that he is playing Dominos (see pic...all coming eventually)...I know this because there is a poster of him with some writing…(pic pending…don’t want to forget this…so, one more little story and then I am getting tired…good a nap be in my immediate future…nice…very nice)…all this and an ipod to tune out the already tuned out world…I am in a state of bliss…new friends, great food, a bed, the lovely shower (see picture)…the list goes on….and then, this thought...I can only wonder, which one of you will be my first visitor at times…ha, we will see…the spa awaits, the spa awaits, just a 20 hour flight and you are here…haha…and if you are ever so fortunate, you will fly in the upper deck of the 747 as I was so shockingly upgraded, for my smile I think Morgan, not sure, lol…

Another couple I meet is Joavien…she is a pilates instructor/dance choregrapher…here with her husband, Yong Hua (pronounced young huah) who works with the Singaporean Air Force as a “Technician” for sixteen years…they have already invited me back to there house in Sing for a “house party” one day soon… (ie: BBQ?)…

Life is great even with the crazy work schedule and flood of new patients…love your notes…from Facebook to the emails…thanks to you all…be well and take care…much love, much love…

God Bless,

Dylan (“mister doctor” for now….)