run

A Friend Who’s Finding Her Soul Via a Camera and Smiles

/ Sloan / Leave a comment

In a far far away place known as Chicago, there lives a rad little lady. She runs along the Lakeshore in the wee hours of the morning, teaches children by day-time and captures moments of lovers, families and sunsets on the weekends with her camera lenses. Her name is Emily Alt and boy does she have a deal for you!

My former co-worker, friend and fashion inspiration has begun a venture in a photography business this year. She specializes in making YOU look fabulous while capturing the moments that matter most: weddings, reunions, senior photos, family portraits, basically anything you want. I swear she either only photographs attractive people! She’s that good.

With the holidays coming up she’s running a sweet special and a giveaway—holy moly who doesn’t love something for free!? Especially when you get to get all dolled up, hang with your family and Emily!? I’m jealous, if I wasn’t kicking it here in Thailand sipping on Thai Coffees 24/7 I’d be figuring out a way to rig the thing and win myself. Maybe I’ll bribe her with a tasty glass of vino when I eventually return.

 

Check out her website HERE.

Click HERE for more details on the giveaway.

Email here at emilyaltphotography@gmail.com

 

I’m so glad that even though I’m here far away in Thailand that my friends back in the USA are doing awesome things that I can be a part of. Even by just writing a blurb here on WordPress I get to connect with friends from the past and hopefully help her carry out her dreams of capturing your life and spreading joy this season.

 

Cheers!

74, 25, 1

/ Sloan / 2 Comments

10% and 90%? No. 50% and 50%? No. 75% and 25%? That’s probably closer.

 

This is me trying to figure out the mental to physical strength I’m going to need in February. Yep, you guessed it, I signed up for a 50K trail run in Thailand. What the fuck am I thinking? Part of me said after I entered my credit card into the little box. This is going to be awesome! The other part was saying. 5:30am is not a good time to make big decisions, but I threw down the money and now I have to begin training—for realz.

 

74% mental: (I know, you think I’m nuts…bear with me) 50K is what? Like 30-something miles? That’s a lot of time on your feet, a lot of time in your brain, a lot of time to talk yourself out of something. Or in my case I’m pretty good at talking myself into things. Being here in Thailand is tough on my brain, on my emotions and on my regular life routine. Running has been a savior, if I can convince myself that 89 degrees isn’t that hot (mostly because yesterday was 94 degrees) and I can go out and run—I’m golden. Just 7-10 hours of that on race day and done is done!

 

25% physical: So yeah, I do have to train for this thing. My current idea of a training plan is as follows:

 

6xweek: run

2xweek: 2 a day runs

3-4xweek: yoga

1xweek: try to get out for over 2 hours (we’ll see how this goes)

 

Other activities: badminton, push-up, squats, lunges…etc.

 

By February 2nd it’s just going to be another long day in woods…right?

 

Wait wait wait!!! Where’s that extra 1% ? you ask?

 

1%: Support. Cheerleaders. Positive energy. Love. And Gu… don’t forget the Gu.

To Understand

/ Sloan / 2 Comments

Soon soon hok. 007. Even in Thai his name is Bond, James Bond. Friday night my director invited me to dinner with her and her friends and after we finished an amazing meal we went and saw the new Bond movie, Skyfall. Even though the movie was dubbed over in Thai the action spoke for itself—there was a bad guy, there was a couple beautiful women, lots of guns and things exploded. I got the basic plot and understood the movie. Spoiler alert: He gets the bad guy and all is well at MI6.

007

007

Last week was our first full week in Kamphaeng Phet. I’m trying to establish some sort of routine, develop healthy habits and feel a sense of community. Again, my director invited my roommate and I to attend yoga class with her. Being familiar with yoga I wasn’t nervous about not getting the poses. Neung, song, sam…kaow. One, two, three…breathe in. It’s not difficult to understand if you are looking and listening.

Running the Historical Park each day I have been able to see and recognize (and surely they recognize the White Lady) many men who also enjoy a hot, sweaty run. Some smile. Some wave. Some nod their heads. Some don’t acknowledge the fellow runner, just like in the states it’s all about what you feel like doing. All this in recognition of us all being runners and enjoying the same high—no matter what side of the planet we’re on, it’s the same. We understand.

To understand another culture is one thing. To accept the fact that I am probably not going to learn Thai to fluency, I’m not going to be able to order a meal with out a crazy game of charades, I’m not going to learn all the vocabulary to get through an entire yoga class with out bending when I’m supposed to stand or breathing out when I’m supposed to breathe in—I know these facts. But the ability to understand is coming, it’s developing.

With that said, that doesn’t mean that this isn’t hard. It doesn’t mean that every day isn’t going to be a struggle, because it is. What it does mean is that I’m learning to grow. I’m learning to communicate in different ways. A simple attempt at the language brings a smile to the old ladies face who sold me some weird fruit I hadn’t seen before. Kahb kuhn, kaah. Thank you very much.

 

A smile is the best reaction. A smile is universally understood. In all the confusion, frustration and difficulties I find myself smiling. A smile of gratitude, a smile of uncertainty, and a smile a joy. Because you know what? I’m in THAILAND. How could I not smile at that fact?