Chit Chat and All That...

Sounds great. I would love to try kayaking again.

Do you live in the countryside? Which part of the US?

I'm in the village at the moment and love being woken up by the cockerels and hearing the chickens throughout the day. Very soothing for my tinnitus.

 

I'm really excited to try it!!

US very country. Though the farmland keeps getting sold and people are moving in. The people around me are holding out, but it is getting more populated all around.

I've always loved the countryside sounds. My T kind of took that away from me when it got worse, but I"m still enjoying it. Though I hate how much the city noises help to mask my T, cause I"m a country girl and I want to feel relaxed in my "natural environment." Village? Are you in the UK? I can't remember!

 

Put a big fan in the coop keep the air flowing it helps to cool the girls down. Or take the garden hose to them. Yeah it helps.

 

I do keep the coop doors open and all the vents propped, but it has been viciously hot. Ash has been broody for a month, even ice under her hasn't snapped her out poor thing.

Maybe I will try a fan.

 

Hiii!!!! Just checking in with you all.
Hope everyone is doing ok.

Sorry, I haven't been around much. Had a major project in the house which took most of my time and was taking care of my mom for a month or so.

Anyways, tinnitus is the same... what else is new... ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Any news on the Susan Shore device? I really have to catch up now. lol.

Hey @Shera, I love kayaking! Really relaxing. Hope you like it as much.

 

Do @Christiaan you mean you were having a panic attack on the train?

 

I'm English but living in Russia Couldn't make it up...

I long for the wilderness now, but unfortunately I will be back to my stuffy flat in a few days.

 

Glad you have you back, Once!

No news on Susan Shore, but FX-322 is sounding very promising, with reports of improved word scores on Audiograms after injections. Check out the Tinnitus Talk Podcast episode, they interviewed Carl LeBel, if you haven't already.

Sorry to hear that your mom is sick, and that tinnitus is still giving you a hard time.

 

Welcome back! Hope your Mum is better now

 

@OnceUponaTime Good to hear from you. Hope you're mom is doing better and it's all well. This is the time for big projects! Hope it wasn't too stressful. I have been wanting to go kayaking for over a decade. And I'm in the area to do it!

@all to gain Okay, that's why I felt confused. I know I love the wilderness/forest. I just would love to have a cabin of my own to retreat to.

@Tanni Love your Captain Marvel avatar!

 

Oh, I will check it out.

On another note, I have to go to the dentist.
This sucks! Tinnitus sucks!

 

Thank you! I think she looks pretty badass

 

Cancel culture gone mad - https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/26/uk/proms-concert-culture-war-gbr-intl/index.html

 

National traditions often change, as they are (sometimes) supposed to bring together as many people of different colors and cultures under the banner of one flag. You'll get used to it. We once had a warlike national anthem (Wien Neêrlands bloed), which glorified Dutch racial superiority. It was not a very suitable anthem for a migration country, as we were historically a safe heaven for people of different religions and cultures (I myself am the product of this multicultural society: partly Dutch, Frisian, French, German, English, Portuguese, Creole, and Jewish, based on the last 5 generations). We eventually changed it for the more humble and inclusive anthem, het Wilhelmus.

 

Ey! Sorry for overlooking your message @all to gain . Yeah, I had a panic attack on the train. I never had this before. But since the worsening, I am practically unable to go to the beach (even the damn seagulls make it all overwhelming!), take the train or take the car to another city, as it is just too much for me. I'm practically bound to my own city and cannot leave it for whatever reason. So you see that my world has become pretty small

 

Many traditions are invented traditions and are in fact not very old. I studied anthropology (2 degrees) and have looked at this indepth. And obviously things change over time... but... all that said... I don't want to get used to it! I have little time for political correctness, and this is what this boils down to.

 

@Daniel Lion do you ever regret going to live in Laos?

I saw your post in the election thread saying that you would like to return to the US for the sake of your children's education. Is that the only reason? I know life expectancy isn't high in Laos, but what about other things? Have you ever had any anti-American sentiments thrown at you whilst there?

 

@Christiaan you asked me to explain the Russian mentality (of Russians in Russia at least).
To explain it in full is difficult even though I find it very easy to understand after years living here.

A few things (for starters):

One thing is for sure, Russians (very generally speaking) respect strength. Never back down!! I have never backed down to anyone here, and it flummoxes them, i.e. that Westerner isn't scared of us, but that is as much to do with my personality as it is to do with knowing the mentality here. Of course, one walks a very thin line doing this, and I expect a fight at any time, but I have so far played it to a T. Literally LOL

Russians don't like losing (again very generally speaking) and will do anything to get the required result regardless of the rules. The way to counter this is to... wait for it... beat them! Use their own mentality against them. Take no prisoners. Be underhanded.

Just two things about the mentality. Very generalised, yet very true, especially on the national level, not so much on the individual level. There are lots of great people here who don't fit the above with whom I have a great relationship, but there are enough who do fit it for me to mention it, and at the national level, as I said, the above are the mentality.

 

Hey, @OnceUponaTime, how's your chinchilla?

 

Man, these people are so nice. They are so welcoming and chill, maybe because they are Buddhists. The concept of anxiety doesn't exist here. Super nice people, no animosity to me as an American.

I was thinking of you as well, as we both fell in love and settled in foreign lands. It's hard to explain this place, it really is the antithesis to so much we think is normal back in the west,the pace of life and what's important or rents space in people's heads. Aggression, conflict and violence of any kind is frowned upon and not approved of, perhaps something to do with Bhuddas image and teachings?

The majority are not trying to get ahead and accumulate crazy wealth, they live in the moment and are satisfied generally with friends, family, food and nature and of course beer. I could elaborate more but suffice to say the culture is very different and the people very good natured. My biggest problem is the heat at times.

You and your family are welcome to stay with me, i just finished building a steam bath with the help of my brother in law. Herbal steams are popular here. I wore my ear plugs and Peltor X45 when working. My brother in law just accepts me as I am, no issue.

Standing invitation to any chit chatters and tinnitus sufferers, you are welcome here, just give me a heads up.

all to gain, I hope you can get to the country side again, you were happy and rejuvenated.

Change of topics and what brought me to this thread today is as followed.

I remember visiting England in the early 70s with my grandmother and grandfather and my brother. It was an awesome trip. I remember walking into a shop with trinkets in Soho and Maggie May by Rod Stuart was cranked up. I must have been 6 or 7 years old and was absolutely taken by the song. I listened to this song yesterday for some reason and it brought back so much.

 

@all to gain, hi.

Afterthought, just got home and was thinking of an example that contrasts cultures and behavioral responses.

When driving or cycling in my home in Boston, if people had a close call on the roads or a near miss, folks would yell "Fuck You", "you deuce bag " or give the middle finger.

Here in Laos people will smile or laugh in a scary situation or when they made a mistake on the roads or anywhere.
Lecturing someone and making them lose face isn't kosher here. Things very are different.

For the record, all of my kids know how to give the finger, say "deuce bag" and use the F word.

We all sleep together, that's another big cultural difference.

 

In contrast, where I live there is a lot of envy and jealously among people, not only towards me but also towards their own. This isn't really the Russians as much, but the local ethnic group, i.e. as you know Russia is made up of much more than ethnic Russians.

I would not cope well in that heat, but at the same time I have had enough of long, cold winters. I need more light and warmth going through me. A more temperate zone.

I want a better standard of living, but I am not a money person or very materialistic. Unfortunately everything costs so much in the UK, so unless I start making much more money things are going to be tough.

I have thought of moving to another country other than the UK, one where things are cheaper. But I want my kids to grow up in one of their native countries, i.e. UK or Russia. And as much as the UK has lost its way, life will be better there than here.

I would love to build a big log cabin with a big garden and a banya, but doing all that would be very expensive in the UK and getting permission to build a banya in a back garden would be difficult to say the least.

I would love to come and visit, but it ain't going to happen.

 

Recently rewatched Black Panther again (after Chadwick Boseman died, RIP) and it made me really wish Wakanda was real. They'd have a cure for tinnitus for sure

 

@all to gain

What is a banya? Is it some kind of jacuzzi?

In my language bánya means a mine, banya means old witch, so for a fracture of a moment, I was really confused.

 

Crusader King's 3 just came out on Steam, and I need to get used to all the options for it, as I really want to enjoy the weird stories that develop. I always enjoyed the family stories that Total War Kingdoms 2 gave me, and I hope I can get the same results here.

 

Hi, @aot,

The chinchilla is doing great. She is a hands full for sure. Needs, craves, demands your attention... haha. She now lives in a luxury 4 feet high, with different floor levels, "chinchilla hotel." LOL. I must say, it is an expensive pet! The toys and food are very expensive and she goes through them like there's no tomorrow! But she is cute and loving. Super soft!!!

Here she is playing with Pixie. These two are funny together.

 

Both are super cute @OnceUponaTime.

I used to have a lop-eared bunny named Raisin. He was super cute, not very smart tho, and had the softest fur ever. He was very noisy during nighttime, that's the only thing I don't miss about him.

 

Your story about Russian culture reminds me of this clip from dating beyond borders. Apparently, Russian women like men who are overly assertive with a tinge of dominance. At least now I know how you won over your wife's heart

You Know You're Dating a Russian Woman...

 

A banya is basically a Russian sauna, but it's different to say a Finnish sauna. I find the latter more dry and more likely to make me cough, whereas in a banya it is more wet. I prefer a banya to a Finnish sauna.

It is a big part of the culture here, like saunas are throughout the Nordic countries. I have never been to a public banya though, having only been to the banyas of my wife's family.

I find it a very soothing experience, and would love to build one in the UK.

 

Thank you. And why is it hard to build one in the UK?