Long time listener...first time caller.

So.
Last weekend was a fun weekend. 4 day weekends tend to agree with me.

Went to Koh Phangan island and stayed on Haad Yuan. Remember how I was saying how once things get too big they lose part of what made them original in the first place? Well, it appears I have been shown something on the verge of the Tipping Point of being too popular and well known. From people who have been going for the last 2 years apparently they have already started to see it change so it will be interesting to see how it develops in the next few years. So we partied on this island, in the jungle till my arch nemesis (the sun) came up. Very interesting and laid back vibe. A lot of dancing, done by other people, rained just the right amount around 3ish and was a great way to hangout with people from my school and town away from town and school. A part I liked was around 6-7ish in the morning, there is a yoga sanctuary near by so the yoga teachers come by and just dance for a bit before going to work to house/techno music. Spent most of Saturday doing something I can't 100% describe here but was something I will keep in the back of my mind for a while. Saturday night went to bed at 7pm and slept till 7am the next day so that was great. Sunday night was Full Moon party. Went for a drink before taking the boat over to Haad Rin and met up with a guy I met on Koh Tao who was with other Canadians and one girl was from Ottawa, really like meeting other Ottawa people. So many more people at this one, saw one huge jacked beast from 5 weeks ago, funny when you start re-seeing people. Don't some people work?

Randomly saw 2 girls from my school and met the girl who left my class before I got it so really fun talking to her about my students, the school and Thailand and we both went to Brock so that was a highlight of the night. Stayed up all night again, I hardly ever do it and doing it twice in a weekend doesn't really agree with Bert. Forgot my camera again, so devastating for blogging material but I hadn't posted some from my last ones so wherever they end up here is from last time and this is probably the last time I go.

Final thoughts, if you are looking for a book to read, read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Probably the best and most unbelievable book I've ever read. If you want to get into a show but not sure what, watch Friday Night Lights or if you have for some reason not gotten into Modern Family, do that. That is everything, have a fun weekend, Jess have a great wedding and everyone going have an unreal time.

Maybe my favorite website with ways to improve your life satisfaction.
http://www.askmen.com/top_10/entertainment/top-10-proven-ways-to-improve-life-satisfaction_10.html

Got quite involved on the weekend (as British people would say)

I will give an update on the weekend either in this post or the next but I feel like I have some thoughts I'd like to put to computer screen and see what come out so this might not be 1000% Thailand related so if that's what you would like maybe stop now.

Here we go. This isn't due to anything that has happened recently and have thought this before but I feel like people should embrace people not liking them. I don't believe people should go out of their way for people to dislike them but I feel like being great, starting change or making a difference will automatically make people not like and I think that's a good thing. Nobody likes everyone, that is apparent. But the greater you are, the more people hate so I feel like I'd almost want to get to the point of people having a severe hate to you. Name someone great who people don't have a bit of hate for. It's everywhere. People hate Obama for trying to fix something that is basically impossible to fix, people hate Lebron James well for a few reasons, people hate Mother Theresa. So the next time someone hates on you I think you should view it as being on  the right path and unless you are just reckless and doing things intentionally to hurt people, the more people that dislike you means you are probably on to something. I mean, look how many people hate Bieber and he is obviously evoking great, great change.....

Second.

Like Loyd Christmas says "I hate goodbyes". I think it is very sad and is almost like someone dying. Now with Facebook and Skype it is easier but I think we should keep track of who we say goodbye to and how it affects us during and after. I feel like it its easy to say goodbye and you hardly think of that person, it might say something about that relationship. It might not, depending on the type of person you are but if when you stop being around people and it really bothers you, you should listen. We should also be monitoring our dreams of other people. For example, I hardly dream about the people I feel like I care about a lot in my life. I rarely dream about my mom, not sure if I've ever dreamt about my brother and so on. I'm more likely to dream about the person who drove in a taxi or my doctor than someone I see day to day. And the most common place for my dream is my old house on Brent Court that I spent most of my life growing up in, which makes sense. But, I dream about one person consistently for the past few years and if baffles me. I sort of still talk to this person, don't regret the way things are really but it is probably the most consistent dream I have and feel like people should pay attention to that and at the very least notice it, at the most do something about it.

Finally, this weekend is the first time I have ever really felt old. I was talking to another teacher about what kind of music we listened to while house/dance/sort of techno music was playing and we both sort of agreed that we weren't into this but how my little cousin Alex loves this type of music...and I always thought she was wrong for liking it and how she wasn't cool (which she is) then we started talking about how this is what the "kids" are listening to these days and how I'm out of the loop. It hit me like an orange juice truck. There is a generation of people younger than me that like different things and think things I like are lame. One second I thought I was pretty up to date on things, the next I'm some old guy who needs to be told that I'm not N'Sync (k I know that isn't cool). Now I think I get how  people who are sent to prison feel after being in jail from the time they are 20 and get out at 60.  The world really must have changed drastically and the only thing they know is within those walls. I get I'm being dramatic but honestly think how it must feel to be out of it for 30 plus years then try to get back in the game, try to make friends, dress, pick up girls, anything. I definitely get fearing leaving prison and wanting to go back. 

Well that's enough, that's a mild glimpse into what Bert thinks about sometimes. Sorry if it disappointed you but hopefully it made you hate me just a little bit.

Bert Brandon III

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCWdCKPtnYE&feature=related

I have a lot of free time so this might not be a high quality post

So this is day 4 of almost constant time in bed with my laptop and this are starting to improve. Newsflash: drugs help. Not doing anything may also have healing powers. Going back to the hospital tomorrow, the guy in there knows me; don't even give him my card, not something I want to get used to. Overall health care grade I give Thailand would be B+ and would be higher if they would have drained my knee the first day like I asked them but other than that, very clean, nice, fast and not very expensive.

I haven't done anything fun in the last few days so this next part is more just me being slightly negative but honest and more Bert inspired.

I saw an article about something and I came to the realization that it isn't cool anymore and I feel obliged to tell people that aren't sure what it is or see it and wonder if they should think it’s cool anymore or not. It used to be cool, yes. But once things get too big and popular like Facebook or Jesus, they become less exciting and just become lame. Once you see celebrities start to do something, you should probably stop. I'm talking about planking. If I was in charge of the world, this would be cancelled. Sort of at the same level of being Iced. The reason these things are great at the beginning is because nobody knows what you're doing, you're an early adopter. It goes to show how great the game is when hack bloggers...blog about how they aren't cool anymore which would have had to of been cool at some point. But were past that point team. And I'm sorry. I have no doubt there is some new trend spreading across some country or state that will sweep the world up in a month or two but unfortunately by then, it just won't be that great anymore. So if you're into something right now that nobody knows about, keep it quiet, you're way cooler than them and me. If you don't know what planking or being Iced is, Google it. Oh and if you're wondering, Bert, you handsome and exciting young man with a very bright future ahead of you, what makes you able to say what is in or out, cool or douchey? My answer to that is, you're reading my blog not the other way around. BAM!

Goodnight.

Bert Brandon III



I've been to a Thai hospital twice...have you???

Alright.
So.
Somehow my right kneecap has gotten infected. Some say jumping rope at Full Moon, not healing properly and making my knee swell up twice the normal size is the reason. Another reason (Thai reason) is I ate too much chicken...Obviously the chicken diagnosis is right. It only started to hurt around Thursday in Malaysia, then Sunday I was told to go to a hospital on Monday, googled what I think was wrong with me, called Water on the knee thanks to my good friend google. Went to the hospital on Monday, they cleaned it, gave me antibiotics and told me to come back everyday for the rest of the week. I asked the guy cleaning it if he could drain my knee because that what the internet told me, he said no, that's just blood. Alright, I'm not a doctor and seeing how Chiropractors are fringe doctors, I didn't have any cards to play. Woke up this morning, way worse, wouldn't put socks on, got to work and went right back to the hospital, took bandages off, infection got way worse, doctor said we should drain it (doctor of the year award) so he gave me a few shots with a needle which may or may not have hurt, then cut my knee which MAY or may not have hurt, stuck gauze in the hole of my kneecap and go back tomorrow to take it out. I should have taken a picture of it but I really don't want to remember this at all. Have a doctors note to miss 5 days of school but would prefer to be better tomorrow. Want to be ready by the 15th weekend to go rock climbing. The only thing that may be mildly funny about this situation is my works pants aren't very loose and the bandages they put on are really thick so I can't take my pants off on the one leg but I can take them off the other leg so I'm laying on my bed with half my pants on till I go back tomorrow..

Other news.
Malaysia was fun, ate McDonald's, went to a English movie theatre and watched the new Transformers movie, I liked it, long but I brought a beer in and just loved it. Really missed being in Canada for Canada Day, complained a lot about it and I'm ok about that. Painted Canada and Poutine down my arms, Canadian flag on my face and the letters Canada on my face, with permanent marker. I was pretty proud of the artwork done of me by a fellow Canadian we found in McDonald's from Halifax and her friend from VancouverAmerican (Lauren)...(she only gets a blog shout out because 1-I forgot my camera and needed to get some pictures of my weekend 2-she helped celebrate Canada Day with me and were pretty loyal and don't hate) until a lady comes up to me and says "Ya well get a real one" 

Went to a national park, there was a monkey part and a turtle part, I chose the turtles

Found out that my brother's wife's brother Marc, who I'm friends with on fb and a girl named Carla who works at the same school as me know each other from South Africa and went to school together and I think that is pretty crazy. Also, I feel like my Skype intake and requests aren't as high as I would like so consider this a warning to everyone out there, add me, Skype me or there might be a consequence, bertbrandonthethird. FREE people.

I think that's about it, I will take some more drugs, not leave my room and oh I found a pretty fun website, mildly rude but if you think funny fb statuses are funny then go here: http://failbook.failblog.org/page/7/

Almost forgot, a man who appeared homeless came up to me and Lauren while eating Indian food (which I am becoming a fan of, love Nann bread) and was like do you know Dr.blah blah and I said no but you could google him and probably find him, told me he just got out of a coma and talked about random things, thought he was going to steal my wallet but ended up being harmless. Asked for the bill. the waiter said the "homeless" guy already paid for it, said we treated him like a friend so he will treat us like one. Blew my mind, just goes to show just be nice to everyone and it will work out most of the time. And they have fun money; you can't rip it or get it wet and you can see through part of it. That is all, have a fun Tuesday.