Simon's Blog

Recently, John Wall of the LA Clippers considered taking his life when he was dealing with a torn Achilles and the deaths of his mother and grandmother. He felt hopeless and depressed. But Wall is not alone in his feelings. Many athletes have these ups and downs, and they survive because of their friends, family members, and colleagues who can relate to their experiences. After the 2018 Olympic games, Chloe Kim returned home and threw her gold medal into the trash bin. In 2011, Serena Williams revealed that she had been battling depression since winning Wimbledon. “I cried all the time and was miserable to be around.” Despite their extraordinary physical accomplishments, these athletes face incredible and increasing mental challenges.   For Chloe Kim, you’d think she would be ecstatic, but she felt the complete opposite. “I hated life. I just wanted a day where I could be left alone.” Ex-NFL star Ricky Williams is proof that fame doesn’t dissolve depression. “I ...

The most beautiful I watch her I want her She walks quietly Deep in thought Never saying a word Never looks my way Doesn’t offer a word I don’t exist If her husband knew I look at her Would he take my head They don’t seem one Seem un-one Am I seeing correctly Always deep in thought Connected to a distant reality Only she can describe If only she knew I’m her distant reality I want her   Famous Cards https://simondalexy.com/  

Just this morning, I had someone tell me about the herb kratom. In conversation with many people about drugs, kratom never comes up. Obviously, it’s not a high-class drug that most people know anything about. So, after deciding to research this plant, I discovered that kratom is native to Southeast Asia where its leaves have been used as herbal medicine for many generations. It grows in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Papua New Guinea and has opioid-like properties. Since forever, the effectiveness and safety of kratom have been unclear, so it has not been approved for use in the United States and many other countries.   But in cultures where the plant grows, its leaves are chewed to relieve pain, increase energy, improve sexual desire, and heal wounds. It’s also used as a deworming agent in Thailand. At low doses, Kratom has euphoric effects like coca. But taken in high doses, the effect can be intense, lasting for hours. In 2018...

Tried to connect with someone  Realizing it didn’t stick  You think it was clear Tumbled like Alice   Language blunders often Appears inadequate  And in all honesty That shouldn’t surprise   Our sophistication  Relying on expressions To convey the complexities Numerous methods    Frustrated by people’s reactions  To correct what I’ve said Not fully grasping my meaning Anxiousness equals anger   The language to connect To sense make To decipher a chaotic existence Language seems a tool for fools   It reaches so far Oh! The need for adequate art To convey ridiculous experience To get a clearer picture   Language to share ideas and feelings Through listening and speaking   The ego is powerful Trying to out due  Trying to compete for space Hindering harmonious conversations   How to remove ourselves  So the rivers can flow Can flow Can flow Famous Cards https://simondalexy.com/    

Nothing seems more confusing than having a conversation about Marxism. Just the topic itself causes people to stress out as if they are being forced to discuss religion. But when I hear people talk about Marxism their understanding of him and his ideas seems very vague. People often bring up socialism and communism as if those were the ideals of Marxism. Mostly, Karl Marx was critical of capitalism and wanted desperately to replace it with something that would benefit most people. Marx saw clearly that capitalism’s purpose was solely to increase profit and capital, but that capitalism had very little to contribute to the well-being of people, community and their environment. If capitalism were to work for people, it would need a complete reboot or be highly regulated, causing it to become something totally different.    At 17, Marx travelled to the University of Bonn wanting to study philosophy and literature, but his father insisted on law instead. Even though he to...

Hey little brother I am sorry about what happened Like you, I used to be a runner I ran all the time   Was never on the track team Never made the time I ran solely for myself For entertainment, for meditation   It was a symbol of freedom A form of independence Running took me away I never knew where I went   I can't tell you how often I ran It was something bigger than me It gave me joy It gave me a peace of mind I imagined what it did for you Got you to relax Got you to feel complete Experience the beauty of life   I’m black like you Through and through I wished I was present with you Perhaps I could have intervened   They assumed you a burglar I assume you a runner I assume you a student I assume you as someone’s brother   It wasn’t me that day I know you We miss you We miss your smile

Last week, I had a conversation with a friend about the Kings of Thailand. During our conversation I wanted to know more about King Rama V because of the role he played to ending slavery in Thailand. King Rama V, also known as Chulalongkorn was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was born in 1853 to King Mongkut and Queen Debsirindra and given the name Chulalongkorn. His father gave him a comprehensive education, including constant instruction from Western tutors.   In 1867, King Mongkut led an expedition to the Malay Peninsula. His father became sick with malaria and passed away. Chulalongkorn was sworn in as the new king. He established the Royal Military Academy to train officers in the Western fashion. He then abolished the Nakorn Bala methods of torture, viewed by many as inhumane and barbaric. In 1887, French troops invaded northern Laos demanding Laotian land east of the Mekong River. Siam o...

Once there was a merchant who had a beautiful daughter named Vasalisa. When Vasalisa was eight years old, her mother was dying and called to her. She gave Vasalisa a wooden doll talisman, telling her that she must always keep the doll on her and never allow anyone to see it. She told her daughter that whenever she needed help all she needed to do was to offer the doll a little to eat and drink, and it would help and protect her. When her mother died, Vasalisa did as her mother said, and the doll comforted her.   After her mother’s death, Vasalisa's father decided to remarry. He chose a widow with two daughters, thinking that she would make the perfect stepmother to his daughter. Unfortuantely, Vasalisa's stepmother and sisters were very cruel to her. When Vasalisa came-of-age and boys were interested in marriage, her stepmother would reject all of them all saying, “it’s not proper for younger girls to marry before older girls. One day, Vasalisa’s fathe...

After one day reading Chiangmai daily news, I came across a crazy story called Mae Nak, regarding a well-known Thai female ghost. The story is based on events that took place during the reign of King Rama IV. A beautiful woman named Nak, who lived on the banks of the Phra Khanong Canal had an undying love for her husband Mak. While Mae Nak was pregnant, Mak was drafted into the Thai Army and sent to war where he was seriously wounded. While being nursed back to health in Bangkok, Mae Nak and her child died during childbirth. When Mak recovered from his injuries, he returned home to find his wife and child waiting for him. One morning, the neighbors approached Mak warning him that they are not his wife and kid, but he refused to believe them. One day, Mae Nak was preparing Nam Phrik and accidentally dropped a lime off the table. As she reached to retrieve the lime, she stretched her arm an unusual distance to pick it up revealing that she is most defini...

Becoming a Monk is a symbol of admiration and seen as a selfless act placing the family in good standing within the community. The experience is supposed to make the monk more suitable for societal life and marriage when he decides to depart the monkhood. This gesture is so important that some families will refuse to allow their daughters to marry a man who hasn’t been one. The reality of becoming a Buddhist monk has never been easy. Anyone requesting to be ordained must agree to follow an endless list of rules and requirements. There are 227 precepts of higher spiritual discipline established by the Buddha to create an environment conducive for those wishing to develop themselves spiritually. Due to the nature of being a monk, all applicants must be male and heterosexual. Before the day of ceremony, the prospective monk will visit family members to ask their forgiveness for past transgressions. A monk from the temple will visit the home to pray, chant, and begin the process of sha...

Sydney McLaughlin is an American world record holder in the 400-meter hurdles and first woman to break the 52s mark in the 400m hurdles. Sydney took up running very early. At the age of 17 she was on the cover of Sports Illustrated "ranks as one of the most dominant high school athletes ever." In 2018, she turned professional and signed a sponsorship deal with New Balance at an estimated $1.5 million annual base pay. Sydney knows “there is always room to improve” and promises to push the boundaries in her sport. She mentioned that she has already discussed with her team the possibility that she will compete in future world competitions in other events, like the 400 meters, sans hurdles. “Anything is possible,” she said. Edwin Moses, former American gold medalist hurdler said, “There’s never been a weapon as strong as she is.”     Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_McLaughlin   The Inside Story of Sydney McLaughlin’s Breathtak...