15th Floor View

Thai TukTuk

And... Gym Is Closed Again

This was inevitable. Government allowed provincial governors to do what they thought was necessary, and this is just one of the many new rules in place, along with restaurants banned from serving alcohol, and a closure of all bars / entertainment facilities. Back to the home workouts…

Another Thai Temple

Water Fight

Kids wanted to go to the pool, but it’s closed due to COVID. So, we had a water fight in the front yard. Pretty clear who won.

Cheap Chiangmai Lunch

Boiled and fried chicken over rice with cucumbers and cilantro. Cost was 50 baht, which is around $1.50. Simple, but delicious.

View From Friend’s Apartment

Songkran is Almost Over

It’s been a quiet week in Chiangmai as Songkran and rising COVID-19 infections have kept most people inside and public venues shut. Gyms open back up tomorrow, so will be nice to get back into the swing of things. Novel is currently with the 2nd editor as I finalize documents to send to literary agents.

Shower For Sasha

Gave her a shower this morning and although she didn’t like the blow dryer at first, she got used to it

Yard Project

Didn’t like it, so decided to fix it / have it fixed. Cleared out all the rocks, scraped up dirt, laid down geotextile, compressed sand, laid bricks, filled with sand. The last picture has water drops from the aircon, and the middle section of bricks has concrete between the joints to stop the said water drops from busting up the sand. Hard to see, but the surrounding area of tree was fortified with rebar and concrete to hold the bricks, and then filled in with pebbles

Novel Update

I’ve finished the first draft of my novel A Viral State and have so far had 2 people read and edit it. I’m working on preparing a query letter as well as writing a synopsis for my novel which is required to find a literary agent. I’m busy with my 3 jobs during the day, but in the evenings, I’ll be getting everything ready and hopefully have more success in finding an agent than when I tried with Contraception. Who knows, maybe a dystopian novel about an ever-present virus is just what the world needs these days…

COVID-19 in Chiangmai

I’m not sure what else to say besides shit has hit the fan with COVID in Thailand. After months of only a few cases a day, a big outbreak that started in Bangkok has reached Northern Thailand. The country’s Songkran festival starts tomorrow, so my gym was already closed, but a bit disconcerting that someone infected was using the gym for a week.

Chiangmai Food Market

The House Has a Puppy

Though girlfriend is in Singapore, she bought a puppy and had it delivered to the house as a surprise. Her name is Sasha and she is a Beagle. She’s super cute and fun, though a lot of work. I’m fortunate to be able to work from home, so I have time to take care of her, but I’ll be grateful when she’s fully potty-trained.

Thai Food Made By Yours Truly

I’ve been busy working, going to the gym, and revising edits on my novel, so not a lot of blog-worthy things to post. Though I have been cooking a lot more lately and giving some Thai dishes a whirl. Top is chicken, bottom is pork.

Saturday Takeout Lunch

Thai Takeout

Garlic chicken over rice with egg and cucumber. Cost $1.50. Thai food is great, and there are a ton of different dishes to try, but sometimes, I still crave a burger or pasta or even something with potatoes in it.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Didn’t get a beer, but I did get a refreshing malted beverage in a green can along with some spicy Thai sausage.

Job Hunting Amid COVID-19

While the world begins to vaccinate itself and implements new policies based on what vaccine is received (looking at you, China), countries are dealing with how to hire employees amid a pandemic. Most organizations have gone remote, removing the necessity for foreign workers to get a visa or deal with entry requirements, including expensive quarantines.

Though I can’t speak for many countries, I can attest to my experience, having applied for numerous jobs in Singapore over the past two months. There are appears to be four “types” of jobs:

• Companies whose JD blatantly states that they are hiring Singaporeans or Permanent Residents only and that if an applicant requires a work visa, they need not apply. It doesn’t seem “fair,” whatever that might mean, but at least they’re upfront about it...

• Companies that hold the same belief as #1 but don’t say anything in the JD. Though a few hours later, you will receive an e-mail either explicitly stating the same thing (per photo) or either that they are not moving forward with your application.

• Companies who make no mention of only wanting Singaporeans, but when applying, direct you to a website require a SingPass ID number that can only be obtained if you are a Singaporean, Permanent Resident, or current work visa holder. Very smooth.

• Companies that are open to hiring foreigners. This is rare to find, and though they might be open to hiring a foreigner, I don’t think they’ve thought through the logistics, such as applying for a work visa, figuring out who will pay for the $2,000 quarantine, and other things that go into hiring a non-citizen.

I’m lucky to still have work during such unpredictable times, and I enjoy the freedom that working from home provides, though I am eager to get back into an office and have face-to-face conversations with coworkers. I’m not sure what the future will bring, and I will continue applying for jobs in Singapore, though at this point, it seems a bit futile.

UPDATE:

I finished the 1st draft of my 2nd novel - “A Viral State” and am starting the editing/proofreading process to get it ready for literary agents.

Beijing Sandstorm

These photos were taken by my friends in Beijing. There’s, clearly, a massive sandstorm underway and the AQI is through the roof. It’s things like this that make me believe I made a good choice leaving China.