Maestro in Asia

[Maestro]

ok so maestro in thailand for a month, alongside doc and the fam, where to begin...

well first off let me say doc is a great guy, i cant say enough good things about him, his candor is what he would call being an asshole but i was just glad i wasnt the one taking the flack for once lol. honestly he did alot for me out there and in the past, i cant really hope to repay doc but id do anything for him and i feel fortunate to have the experience i did

the rest, his family(vanessa and rich) are great, vanessa is very cute and funny, also her looks of horror as doc recounted many stories to me of his past were priceless, lol just as the stories were. and lil rich is great, im sure with parents like his and the unique perspective he will have will really turn out a special person, if hes anything like either parent we would all be so lucky to know him, and hes very cute aswell.

ahh and the people doc surrounds himself with, friends and acquaintances are very interesting aswell. i had a great time with all of them and was glad to have those experiences and look forward to more next year i hope

ok now for the Muay thai and russboasia facilities, they are imo top notch, even with the removal of a few items the place is very well suited to a overall great fullbody workout. the gym has many nice machines and the atmosphere is great, located in northeastern phuket the place is quiet and safe perfect for either lifting or training or both. i did both, minus 1 week of tonsolitis i was training 5 days a week for a month and lifting 5-6 days a week which is more then usuall for me but it was great, it was the only thing keeping me in decent shape after all the swesons and cookies i ingested on a daily basis

the muay thai coach John who trains doc and others in the past me aswell now is very good. top notch muay thai and hes a great trainer and a great guy. im looking forward to training with him again and i really miss it already, the muay thai facilities is on the second floor of the gym and is an open air hall, its very quiet very nice and peaceful. in low season its windy everywhere and the rain really isnt a problem for the gym or for the thais. theres no need to worry about bringing your own equipment as they have just about everything although if u like go ahead but all the stuff is there

i have a video of john ill be uploading sooner or later i dont have my usb cable for my camcorder so god knows when that will happen but itll happen sooner or later.

as for everything else..food, beaches, girls etc its all great. if your poor and really wanna just blast off to thailand for a month id say get the ticket taken care of and see what doc can do for you at that time, prices for accomodation are higher in the peak season and go down from there, but u never know what youll get into. umm food wise its cheap as hell to eat out, depending on who you are and your appetite the budget will vary, personally i said fuck it and doubled my budget when i got there, its thailand and i love to eat so i spent alot of time going around eating thai food. but again if your looking for super cheap and just wanna be a thai warrior or something u can get a good meal for about a dollar, plate of fried chicken n rice is like 30 baht plus a drink would be around 45-50 so 1-2 dollars for a nice little meal. fruit is cheap, water is cheap, lots of things are cheap. the cheapest places are the local 24/7 type of thai stores they had the lowest prices i could find although "tesco lotus" and carefour and other such places are decent to i got a roasted chicken for 3 bucks one day at 11pm at tesco that was nice cause i was hungry that day and the restaurants were closed.

girls are everywhere, plenty of farang women to bang but becareful they have boyfriends often, the ones that are single always let out the same signals as they do anywhere, if u dont care about that well then just hit on all of them lol. the thai girls are cute, some arent but most are ok, u can go bang the whores in patong or well theres whores everywhere but personally if i was there and was free to do as i please id just bang the local girls, they definately are into farangs and im sure are much cleaner, places to go find local women are pretty much anywhere, the malls, supermarket whatever lol they are dumb and cute and dont know anything, take em out to a movie or something and bring em home

im not speaking from experience...but i doubt its more complicated then that, please god dont let my gf read this or im dead haha

beaches are everywhere, the west side of the island has all the best beaches my favorite was laem sing beach and surin beach. kamala beach was very nice and patong beach i only saw from a distance but looked similar to kamala. bangtao beach i ate at a few times and is also very nice, honestly they're all nice depends on what u wanna do, with good weather i could stay there the whole day and just forget about everything, read a book or drink something fruity i dunno its great though

traffic and all that shit has been reported on by doc several times, its just chaos, i never got hurt or had any problems but u basically just gotta expect the thais will do the dumbest more irrational things possible and you should foresee all the bullshit they WILL do. and going in with that mindset will save u on some aggrovation even though thats inevitable, just remember whether u there for muay thai or to kick back, your still on vacation and whatever hurry you think your in to go wherever, take it easy and be safe

pretty much everything else is what it is. the massages are cheap as hell and are very good... heh and they are everywhere. the clothes can be cheap, imported nike and shit is not bla bla plenty of places to go for mall shopping etc lots of great western food, italian food is amazing there

in a nutshell the place is clean, fun and relaxing. doc is great, anyone lucky enough to spend an extended period of time with him or his family is very lucky and phuket is a great part of thailand to go to

im sure im forgetting lots of crap to comment on but some things are better left alone others are just my own to keep more will come to me and maybe ill comment on them i dunno just giving the report, back in malaysia now and just loafing around gotta get ready to make the rounds to the local muay thai gyms and see whats what and resume life here in KL.

[doc]

We will go there, tomorrow night, in your honor.

And the next night, the next, and the next...

As for the t shirt, you should have listened to the master. And the master's master (his wife). You would have been sitting pretty in Malaysia at this time. Hope she doesn't throw your ass out of the condo and start looking for a guy that's more (god forbid, I realize I'm actually saying this) sensitive.

[Uwe]

We will go there, tomorrow night, in your honor.

And the next night, the next, and the next...

As for the t shirt, you should have listened to the master. And the master's master (his wife). You would have been sitting pretty in Malaysia at this time. Hope she doesn't throw your ass out of the condo and start looking for a guy that's more (god forbid, I realize I'm actually saying this) sensitive.

There is a statement I did not expect from Doc...

[Maestro]

im not going anywhere, this girls wrapped around my little finger ok...u are dealing with maestro after all lolo.

she left me a wierd picture in my folder on her comp that says "Your mine to keep" aswell as editing a poem and putting it in said folder lol, as follows;

You're the thought that starts each morning
the conclusion to my day.
You are all in I do
and everything I say.
You're the smile on my face
the twinkle in my eye.
The warmth inside my heart
and the fullness in my life.
You're the hand laced im mine,
and the coat upon my back.
My friend, my love
my shoulder to lean on.
You're my silly, mature, caring
thoughtful, bright and honest guy.
The one who holds me tightly
when I need to cry.
You're the dimple (imaginary =P ) to my cheek
the ever constant tingle in my soul
The voice that makes me weak
the hapiness of my life.
You are all I've ever wanted.
You are all I need
You are all I've dreamed of
You are all this to me

I love you baby 

[Maestro]

im sorry the picture says "I am yours to keep"

the other way around sounds creepy lol. but yea im sittin pretty no worries lol

[doc]

"dimple in my cheek"?

You're not sitting pretty.

You're f*cked.

You had better come right back to Thailand where we can protect you.

[Maestro]

dont tempt me lol..

the next step is to sit her down and watch Dr Zhivago

thatll seal the deal

[doc]

OK Vinny, or Maestro, or whoever the hell you are. Spend a month with my son, influence the hell out of him, and, oh, you're in trouble now.

I can deal with the "Where's minny?!!" screaming shit, especially when my wife chastises the little guy.

I can deal with the "Where's minny?!!!" crap, when we're in a restaurant eating dinner, and he refuses to sit on either of our laps, or, eat his food.

I can deal with the "I miss minny!!!!" crying shit, when we're in the car driving down the road.

I don't care that he yells "minny" instead of "poop" when he has to take a dump. But my wife does, and she's pissed.

And I can even forget that every time he picks up his IPad, he looks around with a sullen look on his face, moaning "Minny. Minny. Where minny?"

But your influence has gone way too far; the wife is not pleased with what we did to the little guy when you were here....

[Maestro]

lol, cute pic i miss that little guy so much!! i hope vanessa isnt to pissed lol i wouldnt wanna get on her bad side...the dark side of the force is strong with her

i hope its an exageration or just joke cause id be sad if he really did miss me, im sure by next year he will have forgotten me and we can start all over again lol

dunk him a few times in the pool for me lol

[Uwe]

Maestro,

knowing Doc for a number of years I would not be so sure that he is joking...

[doc]

OK Maestro, we were talking about this when you were here. Had to do with Thailand's strict visa requirements, in their effort to keep people from just moving here. They want tourists with cash, not low life's that move to the country and use up the various resources. That's why we have to jump through so many hoops to do the visa stuff here.

The following is some crack email that I got from my mom; I usually throw this stuff out, but, this one really does a nice job of describing what's happening in the southwestern US. I realize that Connecticut is far from Nevada / California / etc not just in miles, but in demographics, which is why there are so many issues in those western states. The following really describes it well:

900 teachers just got laid off from the Los Angeles Unified School District . They are $650,000 over their annual budget.

The following English teacher helps to explain one area that looms large over California 's educational crisis.

"As you listen to the news about the student protests over illegal immigration, there are some things that you should be aware of:
I am in charge of the English-as-a-second-language department at a large southern California high school which is designated a Title 1 school, meaning that its students average at lower socioeconomic and income levels.

Most of the schools you are hearing about, South Gate High, Bell Gardens, Huntington Park , etc.. where these students are protesting, are also Title 1 schools.

Title 1 schools are on the free breakfast and free lunch program. When I say free breakfast, I'm not talking a glass of milk and roll -- but a full breakfast and cereal bar with fruits and juices that would make a Marriott proud. The waste of this food is monumental, with trays and trays of it being dumped in the trash uneaten.

I estimate that well over 50% of these students are obese or at least moderately overweight. About 75% or more DO have cell phones. The school also provides day care centers for the unwed teenage pregnant girls (some as young as 13) so they can attend class without the inconvenience of having to arrange for babysitters or having family watch their kids.

I was ordered to spend $700,000 on my department or risk losing funding for the upcoming year even though there was little need for anything; my budget was already substantial. I ended up buying new computers for the computer learning center, half of which, one month later, have been carved with graffiti by the appreciative students who obviously feel humbled and grateful to have a free education in America ..

I have had to intervene several times for young and substitute teachers whose classes consist of many illegal immigrant students here in the country less than 3 months who raised so much hell with the female teachers, calling them "Putas" (whores ) and throwing things, that the teachers were in tears.

Free medical, free education, free food, day care, etc, etc, etc. Is it any wonder they feel entitled not only to be in this country but to demand rights, privileges and entitlements?

To those who want to point out how much these illegal immigrants contribute to our society because they LIKE their gardener and housekeeper and they like to pay less for tomatoes: spend some time in the real world of illegal immigration and see the TRUE costs.

Higher insurance, medical facilities closing, higher medical costs, more crime, lower standards of education in our schools, overcrowding, new diseases etc., etc, etc. For me, I'll pay more for tomatoes.

Americans, We need to wake up. The guest worker program will be a disaster because we won't have the guts to enforce it. Does anyone in their right mind really think they will voluntarily leave and return?

It does, however, have everything to do with culture: A third-world culture that does not value education, that accepts children getting pregnant and dropping out of school by 15 and that refuses to assimilate, and an American culture that has become so weakand worried about "political correctness " that we don't have the will to do anything about it.

If this makes your blood boil, as it did mine, forward this to everyone you know including your Congressmen and Senators.

CHEAP LABOR? Isn't that what the whole immigration issue is about?

Business doesn't want to pay a decent wage.

Consumers don't want expensive produce.

Government will tell you Americans don't want the jobs.

But the bottom line is cheap labor. The phrase "cheap labor" is a myth, a farce, and a lie. There is no such thing as "cheap labor."

Take, for example, an illegal alien with a wife and five children. He takes a job for $5.00 or 6.00/hour. At that wage, with six dependents, he pays no income tax, yet at the end of the year, if he files an Income Tax Return,
he gets an "earned income credit" of up to $3,200 free.

He qualifies for Section 8 housing and subsidized rent.

He qualifies for food stamps..

He qualifies for free (no deductible), no co-pay) health care.

His children get free breakfasts and lunches at school.

He requires bilingual teachers and books.

He qualifies for relief from high energy bills...

If they are or become, aged, blind or disabled, they qualify for SSI.
Once qualified for SSI they can qualify for Medicare. All of this is at (our) taxpayer's expense..

He doesn't worry about car insurance, life insurance, or homeowners insurance.

Taxpayers provide Spanish language signs, bulletins and printed material.

He and his family receive the equivalent of $20.00 to $30.00/hour in benefits.

Working Americans are lucky to have $5.00 or $6.00/hour left after paying their bills AND his.

The American taxpayers also pay for increased crime, graffiti and trash clean-up.

I know that all of this is true, as I have teacher friends in the Las Vegas system that complain about the same things; and, I know people that rent apartments to these section 8 Mexicans, most of whom are illegals. I've been hearing the medical side of this for years. It's a serious concern, one which is really causing a lot of financial issues in the western US.

Might have to move to Connecticut soon. Or Thailand...

[Uwe]

She is right on the money. Its fairly similar in Illinois. Add to this the Dream Act...

[Maestro]

well..connecticut is a really nice place, lots of cheap houses right now that are usually ridiculously high lol

honestly after talking to you(doc) i really didnt understand it all, and was thinking of moving out that way(vegas area) just to try something new, see a different part of the country and stuff and just different...

now, i think ill stay in the north east for awhile lol. i dont have anything against any races or anything but shit like that is unacceptable for me personally. i cant live like that and i wont let anyone i love live like that either(if i can help it)

honestly i dont think people in connecticut espcially, would ever allow things to really get that bad for long, people there work really hard and no where is perfect but the public schools there are different, i come from a middle class family and most everyone i grew up with was wealthy, or middle class very few lower class

just waking up so forgive my writing is jumbled but basically thats a horrible article and i pity those people, sadly half my family lives out there and ive heard the same things from them this look comes over there face of like total defeat lol

still its really an interesting subject and really america as a whole is a big problem, immigration yea but drugs, gangs and lack of education seem to be tearing this place apart, like i told you doc, yea connecticut is still great, mass is good if you can stand the driving lol, new hampshire, vermont and maine are just nice places to vacation my brother lived there for awhile said everyone was crazy id have to agree with the type of people i know whove moved there or where from there

and rhode island is ok actually, new york is...haha

where to bring up the lil guy though huh? must be on your mind alot...i was even thinking about it alot even now im like geez where the hell is this kid gonna grow up?!? i mean asia isnt bad i guess i wouldnt really know about the schools, i know i dont care how good the schools are here(they're very good) i wouldnt want to have my kid grow up in malaysia

but thailand or phuket inparticular well its got its pros and cons if he's around a bunch of farang kids he would be ok...if hes around a bunch of thai kids i dunno

either way hes got 2 smart parents and alot of love he should be ok wherever, but vegas sounds like a hell hole i wouldnt wanna live there and im an adult.

[Maestro]

lolo, actually dont forget...sarah palin is from connecticut after all lolo

[doc]

Yes, we've been agonizing over where to raise the little guy. And Alaska is out of the question; Sarah Palin is up there now. Let's hope she stays there.