Ahhhhh....2009

You know...it really doesn't feel like 2009. Seems like we were just worried about the Y2K problems but that is like nearly 10 years behind us now.

It also doesn't feel like we are heading into the last week of Jan.

Oh well....things have slowed down and that is what is making me happy at the moment.

I had the distinct honor of having an English speaking buddy for a month from the end of November to the end of December. Dr. Bronwen Rees was here for a month from Cambridge teaching Buddhism and sustainable businesses. She was teaching my students so it was reassuring to know that I she was reading the problems with the students the same as me. I felt sane again! We were also joined with another English speaker, a Fulbright scholar from The Medical School of S. Carolina. I met her when she came here two years ago to talk at the first Buddhist Economics conference we hosted here. She is back here for four months this time doing some research in community health care systems. The three of us scouted out western restaurants and an incredible Vietnamese restaurant. It all inspired me to do cooking. I am sure that all of that is what brought on my attacks last week that turned out to be gall stone problems. It hurt like hell but that food sure tasted good going down!

Anyhow, not being interested in drastic treatment for the gall stones, I contacted one of our grad students how does traditional and alternative medicine at the Asoke community in Srisaket. I went over there and she treated me for 4 days and the gall stones are no more. The cost was appealing - 0 baht...and she has ordered me not to eat in the evening and to give up meat. I had given up meat pretty much before Lisa, Bronwen and I started doing the western food hunt but if I am going to eat vegetarian, it has to be at home since there is no vegetarian food in the cafeteria. That means evening. So, Ounuea (my "doctor") has arranged for one of the students from the Asoke community on campus (Boy) to bring me my lunch everyday from the community. This is like totally awesome.

The conference that had been scheduled for Dec 5-7 had to be postponed since the demonstrators had possession of the airports and people couldn't get here. It has been rescheduled for April 9-11 right before Songkran and likely during Holy Week and Spring Break.

The Vice president of the University decided not to renew my contract which expires at the end of February for some weird, no longer worth even speaking about reasons. They made me angry. They still wanted me to stay and chair the conference. I wanted to but really couldn't afford to sit here for 2 months with no contract, no income and having to leave the country 3 times to extend my visa only to have to be on the first plane out of Bangkok after the conference. They were willing to pay me but it would have been illegal. With the things that had been said, I was somewhat concerned to do that since all anyone would have to do is call immigration and show I was getting paid while on a tourist visa and they would deport me and I could never return. So, I told them that with no contract, I would be leaving March 1 and I needed to know by last week since I was not going to wait to the last minute to buy an airfare and pay a premium price because they were slow. Aj. Apichai talked to the President of the University and they got me a new contract. It runs til the 1st of May and will set me up to return.

So, I will be returning to the US about the 1st of May and staying for about a year. I had found out a couple of weeks ago that my scholarship for my PhD is not tied to my employment so I will be registered as a grad student here all next year and then will be able to come back and defend my thesis. So I will be doing research for a year. Why not? What are the chances of a woman over 60 who has been working outside the country for most of the last 11 years getting a job in this economy?

I have been making lists of people I want to interview and communities of practice I want to visit. A large number of things centered around Denver - Naropa and deep community development, Marpa Institute of Business and Economics (Bernard Leitear), Art Brock (alternative currencies), David Braden (self-help corporations, Mickki Langston (BALLE and eco communities), the Sunshine Ranch (a sustainable spiritual community)...and in August Thich Nhut Hanh is having a retreat. So I was kind of looking at a trip to Denver in Aug. Turns out now I am going to Denver the end of May for the BALLE conference for the Economics session. I will be staying with David Braden and his wife and trying to set up a mini-conference of my own to bring all of those other people together into the same room because I think they all have pieces to the ultimate economic puzzle. Maybe I will get to go back in Aug. for the retreat anyhow.

John Powers listed a link for me somewhere that led me to a document on the Templeton Foundation Website. (It was The Big Question Series - Does the free market corrode moral character?) I don't think I could find a foundation that was a better fit for my research if I founded it myself. Anyhow, I have applied for a travel grant to cover the cost of my exhaustive trips crisscrossing the US over the next year. I hope to interview Joanna Macy in the Bay Area, Joel Magnuson, Robert Biwas-Deiner (studies happiness measurements) and Mark in Portland, David Korton in Seattle (and hopefully visit a Buddhist Christian Spiritual community there), maybe swing up to Salt Spring Island and see that community (possibly be able to entice Mr. Brosseuk and Mrs. Brosseuk) and perhaps hit Salt Lake City to visit Welfare Square on the way home. I want to go to Tyler, TX to visit the institute for Christian Economics. I want to interview Timur Kuran at Duke, an expert on Islamic Economics. I would like to talk with the Schumacher people in Great Barrington, MA and figure out how to spend some time talking with Ravi in NJ. I will likely be base camping with my sister near Dayton, OH and that will allow me to hopefully work with a couple of heterodox economists at my undergrad alma mater, Wright State Univ. There are also a couple of trips planned to Xavier in Cincinnati to talk to David Loy (Buddhist Philosopher) and Tim Kasser in IL (he studies consumerism). Sometime in this extended stay I will be spending some time in Pittsburgh visiting my son and for sure John.

So with all of this stuff in the works, I got a new title! Director of Buddhist Economic Networking. It's pretty funny but it should help open some doors.

If anyone knows of communities of practice that are sustainable and ethical, I would be interested in knowing about them. The sooner the better so I can try to coordinate this year of travel to minimize the cost. The bus fare round trip from Dayton to Denver is $130, the special discounted, bargain rate hotel room is $139 a night! That would be way out of my league especially if I don't get the grant.

OK....the week-end is here and it is mine. No class prep. No grading. I need to finish a couple of books. I have been asked to write a 7000 word essay on faith based economics for the Journal Interconnections out of Cambridge, UK. I have much work to do.

I am relaxed and smiling again...at least for a while. I see the end of the tunnel....there is light!

Last comment added: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 19:55:14 PST

Comment 1 on Ahhhhh....2009

2009, a year of travel and meet-ups sounds fabulous! Swing by SaltSpring Island anytime, she'd be happy to host you ... but my dear, no man (or woman) is an island ; )

Comment 2 on Ahhhhh....2009

Well, I was notified yesterday that apparently there were a large number of project proposals that were even better fits for the Templeton Foundation than me. Lots of buses and bridges ahead. Things will work out, I just don't know how yet.

Off to another week-end of reading. It sounds terribly boring but it is really very fascinating, stimulating and exciting.

Comment 3 on Ahhhhh....2009

Oh Linda, I'm trying to think of ways. There are a few business ideas. You know my ideas are always half baked and I never seem to know how to get the oven going again. So these ideas would really depend on your initiative. I'm not sure what's the best way or what's the best time to talk about them with you. So let me know and I'll prattle on when you're able.

Comment 4 on Ahhhhh....2009

Anytime, John....it's the week-end here now.

Comment 5 on Ahhhhh....2009

Hi Linda, I'm prattling along in an email. Not making much sense I'm afraid :-( But I'll send something along soon.