Everybody's wrong but you
No one should talk about anything you do
You think you're strong and under control
But you've been drinking so long
Your bucket's got a hole
The ones who love you have done all they can
Oh man.... you're losing track
Those wasted days are never coming back
It's true.... and everybody's wrong but you
Everybody's wrong but you
No one to blame but 'you know who'
You can have another beer and try to forget
Wash it down with yet another cigarette
You say you're gonna stop, you swear that you can
Oh man..... you're losing your style
No need to try when a simple denial will do
And everybody's wrong but you
Everybody's wrong but you
The other people, they haven't got a clue
Your baby tried, she wanted to stay
Until she found her pride and knew she had to get away
You lost your passion, you lost your plan
Oh man.... you're losing ground
You tumbled down off a merry-go-round or two
And everybody's wrong but you.
Thai Massage
Not enough sleep last night, some 4 hours or less, but I couldn't get back to sleep so what the hell, a nap later in the day will be fine. It's cloudy today in Chiang Mai, looks like rain, and that's fine too... especially when it's about 78 degrees outside. I'm reading the facebook entries from Eugene where it's frozen fog and a chilled populace, and I'm delighted to not be occupying that part of the world in winter. I've done it enough, it has zero appeal... unless you like the color grey.
Once again I have nothing in particular to write about this morning, just going through the motions (he said half in jest), because in my heart of hearts, I know there's plenty to say. Just turn on the tap and see what happens. Let's begin with a little sociological information I got this morning from Noi, who is the owner of the coffee place near my guest house, where I tend to go most mornings. She is probably in her early 50s, vibrant, not beautiful (more on that later), very nice, well-dressed, seemingly fit and has that vibe of being a solid, good person.
I had ordered a cappucino to go, thinking I'd take it down the road to the internet place, but once we got talking, I sat down and continued the conversation. She spent 25 years as a massage girl, beginning when she was 26 and making 1000 baht a week cleaning rooms in a hotel. (I don't know what the conversion rate was then, but it's $30 now, and it was very low wages at the time). One of her older friends asked her if she'd like to change careers, and suggested that she could do massage, and Noi said, 'sure'. The friend asked an older woman if she would train Noi and the woman said yes, for 1000 baht. Noi couldn't afford it and had to decline. Some time later, after the friend intervened, the woman said OK, 500 baht. Noi sold a piece of gold jewelry that she had to raise the money for her education and began a week's training with the woman.
It hurt her hands, her wrists, she wanted to quit, needed a little time off, but eventually finished her training and began earning 3000 baht/month, changing her life. She worked in a bunch of places, hotels, salons etc giving traditional Thai massage, no 'special massage'. At the time, if a hotel found that one of its employees was having sex with a customer, she was immediately fired. Fast forward to today and the situation is reversed. If a woman won't give a 'special massage' she won't get hired for those hotel jobs. Back in the day, Thai massage was an honored art form, but with the influx of many young women from the countryside who come to the cities to earn money, the focus shifted to a more 'sensual' type of experience, and it bacame increasingly difficult to make a living doing traditional massage. Noi estimates that 70 percent of the massages that happen are of the 'special' variety, and of course many of the practitioners are basically untrained in the real thing, so the public has lost an appreciation of what real thai massage can provide. Noi has heard of women getting trained and then working on the very first day of the training. Oy. Eventually Noi decided to get out of the business, it just got to be too much. She hated when the clients would ask for the extras and then be disappointed and bored when she wouldn't comply. Many of her friends who are still plying the trade are quite happy to make the money and the beat goes on. I'm not revealing any great wisdom when I say that sex sells.
Me, I think I've had 5 Thai massages so far. Three of them were straight up massage, the fourth one was the one who, after 5 minutes asked me if I had a girlfriend and did I want her to be my girlfriend. The fifth one 'accidently' strayed over my junk (a few times) and then when I got aroused, offered me some extra service for an additional $10. There are many many parlors up and down Loy Kroh, which is kind of like the reddish lightish district of chiang mai, right around the corner from where I stay, and the women are calling 'Massage Massage as you walk by'. Some of them are blatantly sexual in their approach, reaching out, winking, 'I want to massage you' so I can see why it would be really hard to make a living as a straight masseuse. Ch ch ch ch changes...
The lady boys seem more aggressive this year as well. It turns out the my Guest House is just down the road from a main lady boy pick up spot. At night, 4 or 5 of them are hanging on the street waiting for cars to pull over and make some kind of deal. I have to walk the gauntlet when I come home at night and this year, a couple of the 'girls' are too damn pushy. I don't care if they say something, but don't start following me down the street and don't touch me. I've had to twice get a little bit insistent that 'Don't walk with me!'. Understand, I've got nothing against lady boys, but show some respect... do what you do, but keep your hands to yourself and don't be following anyone who obviously is not interested in your 'art form'. Noi was complaining also, as her place is right on that same corner and sometimes they use her patio as a 'bedroom', moving furniture around and leaving some 'evidence' of their activities. Oy again.
I love thai massage, it's a one hour vacation for your body, and every part gets kneaded, pulled, stretched, worked. First the masseuse washes your feet, then you change into a loose fitting pair of yoga type pants and a lightweight shirt. You lie on a mat on the floor, they pull curtains around you so you're separated from the mats that are to the left and right of you. Then it's an hour of delicious pleasure/pain, OMG I could go for it every day, and I may almost do that, especially at 150-200 baht per session ($5-$7). Noi tells me that I should tip 50 baht or so. I didn't know that, but now I do. Normally, the woman who does the work gets like 40 baht of the 200 you have paid. OK, now I know.
I finished my new song last night and it's a winner, feels true and solid and well written. It took me a period of 24 hours from start to finish and now it's something I'll sing for the rest of my life. What a trip that is! I'm gonna cut this post right here and then begin the next one with the completed lyrics of 'Everybody's wrong but you'.
Once again I have nothing in particular to write about this morning, just going through the motions (he said half in jest), because in my heart of hearts, I know there's plenty to say. Just turn on the tap and see what happens. Let's begin with a little sociological information I got this morning from Noi, who is the owner of the coffee place near my guest house, where I tend to go most mornings. She is probably in her early 50s, vibrant, not beautiful (more on that later), very nice, well-dressed, seemingly fit and has that vibe of being a solid, good person.
I had ordered a cappucino to go, thinking I'd take it down the road to the internet place, but once we got talking, I sat down and continued the conversation. She spent 25 years as a massage girl, beginning when she was 26 and making 1000 baht a week cleaning rooms in a hotel. (I don't know what the conversion rate was then, but it's $30 now, and it was very low wages at the time). One of her older friends asked her if she'd like to change careers, and suggested that she could do massage, and Noi said, 'sure'. The friend asked an older woman if she would train Noi and the woman said yes, for 1000 baht. Noi couldn't afford it and had to decline. Some time later, after the friend intervened, the woman said OK, 500 baht. Noi sold a piece of gold jewelry that she had to raise the money for her education and began a week's training with the woman.
It hurt her hands, her wrists, she wanted to quit, needed a little time off, but eventually finished her training and began earning 3000 baht/month, changing her life. She worked in a bunch of places, hotels, salons etc giving traditional Thai massage, no 'special massage'. At the time, if a hotel found that one of its employees was having sex with a customer, she was immediately fired. Fast forward to today and the situation is reversed. If a woman won't give a 'special massage' she won't get hired for those hotel jobs. Back in the day, Thai massage was an honored art form, but with the influx of many young women from the countryside who come to the cities to earn money, the focus shifted to a more 'sensual' type of experience, and it bacame increasingly difficult to make a living doing traditional massage. Noi estimates that 70 percent of the massages that happen are of the 'special' variety, and of course many of the practitioners are basically untrained in the real thing, so the public has lost an appreciation of what real thai massage can provide. Noi has heard of women getting trained and then working on the very first day of the training. Oy. Eventually Noi decided to get out of the business, it just got to be too much. She hated when the clients would ask for the extras and then be disappointed and bored when she wouldn't comply. Many of her friends who are still plying the trade are quite happy to make the money and the beat goes on. I'm not revealing any great wisdom when I say that sex sells.
Me, I think I've had 5 Thai massages so far. Three of them were straight up massage, the fourth one was the one who, after 5 minutes asked me if I had a girlfriend and did I want her to be my girlfriend. The fifth one 'accidently' strayed over my junk (a few times) and then when I got aroused, offered me some extra service for an additional $10. There are many many parlors up and down Loy Kroh, which is kind of like the reddish lightish district of chiang mai, right around the corner from where I stay, and the women are calling 'Massage Massage as you walk by'. Some of them are blatantly sexual in their approach, reaching out, winking, 'I want to massage you' so I can see why it would be really hard to make a living as a straight masseuse. Ch ch ch ch changes...
The lady boys seem more aggressive this year as well. It turns out the my Guest House is just down the road from a main lady boy pick up spot. At night, 4 or 5 of them are hanging on the street waiting for cars to pull over and make some kind of deal. I have to walk the gauntlet when I come home at night and this year, a couple of the 'girls' are too damn pushy. I don't care if they say something, but don't start following me down the street and don't touch me. I've had to twice get a little bit insistent that 'Don't walk with me!'. Understand, I've got nothing against lady boys, but show some respect... do what you do, but keep your hands to yourself and don't be following anyone who obviously is not interested in your 'art form'. Noi was complaining also, as her place is right on that same corner and sometimes they use her patio as a 'bedroom', moving furniture around and leaving some 'evidence' of their activities. Oy again.
I love thai massage, it's a one hour vacation for your body, and every part gets kneaded, pulled, stretched, worked. First the masseuse washes your feet, then you change into a loose fitting pair of yoga type pants and a lightweight shirt. You lie on a mat on the floor, they pull curtains around you so you're separated from the mats that are to the left and right of you. Then it's an hour of delicious pleasure/pain, OMG I could go for it every day, and I may almost do that, especially at 150-200 baht per session ($5-$7). Noi tells me that I should tip 50 baht or so. I didn't know that, but now I do. Normally, the woman who does the work gets like 40 baht of the 200 you have paid. OK, now I know.
I finished my new song last night and it's a winner, feels true and solid and well written. It took me a period of 24 hours from start to finish and now it's something I'll sing for the rest of my life. What a trip that is! I'm gonna cut this post right here and then begin the next one with the completed lyrics of 'Everybody's wrong but you'.
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