To mark the end of my first five year plan and the beginning of the second, I have created a new website for my pictures and for my blog. Please visit it at:
larry-crook.squarespace.com
Monday, July 27, 2015
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Iceland
Tomorrow I fly to Iceland where I will celebrate my 70th birthday! When I return I will post some of my impressions and pictures.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
First Five
Five years ago I started a blog that was supposed to document my plan to live the next five years as if they were my last. Well, I made it through those five years, but certainly not unscathed.
I lived in Scotland for a year, and in Bhutan for a month. I made several trips to Thailand and Burma, and helped to grow our NGO - TBBHI - and for that work I was given a state and a national award by the American College of Physicians. I also made two shorter trips to Hong Kong.
I moved from Scotland to Albuquerque and then to Seattle and bought a slightly used new Nissan Sentra, and a new Nikon DSLR camera. For fundraising I had two photography shows in Gallup, one of pictures from India and one from Bhutan.
While in Scotland I wrote a first draft of a memoir of the year I spent in Greenland. I’ve created a calendar each year of black and white photos I’ve taken, also several small books from various trips I’ve taken.
I read somewhere that many of the most important events in a man’s life happen when he is not there. I believe that is true.
My grandson Oran was born while I was away. My son Derek died, as did Brad, my father in law, and Blanche, my stepmother. Life changing events all, and I was powerless or absent for all.
Next post: The next five years!
I lived in Scotland for a year, and in Bhutan for a month. I made several trips to Thailand and Burma, and helped to grow our NGO - TBBHI - and for that work I was given a state and a national award by the American College of Physicians. I also made two shorter trips to Hong Kong.
I moved from Scotland to Albuquerque and then to Seattle and bought a slightly used new Nissan Sentra, and a new Nikon DSLR camera. For fundraising I had two photography shows in Gallup, one of pictures from India and one from Bhutan.
While in Scotland I wrote a first draft of a memoir of the year I spent in Greenland. I’ve created a calendar each year of black and white photos I’ve taken, also several small books from various trips I’ve taken.
I read somewhere that many of the most important events in a man’s life happen when he is not there. I believe that is true.
My grandson Oran was born while I was away. My son Derek died, as did Brad, my father in law, and Blanche, my stepmother. Life changing events all, and I was powerless or absent for all.
Next post: The next five years!
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Boston, New York, and now New Mexico
Last month Nonnie and I went to Boston where I was given an award for volunteerism at the national American College of Physicians meeting. It had been more than twenty years since I had been in Boston, and it was nice to be back, even if was still winter there, no flowers and no leaves. We had a couple of great dinners with friends and spent some time just walking around the city.
We then took the train to New York and spent three nights there. During the days we walked, took pictures, rode the Staten Island ferry, went to the MOMA, and visited the new WTC memorial. One night we ate on my friend Suzanne’s apartment roof and we also had a couple of great meals out, including one at my favorite restaurant, Sevilla, with my friend Mark. Mark and I were interns together so many years ago, and have been eating there since those days. The restaurant hasn’t changed much, but we we have.
Now I am back at Shiprock, working in the clinic, visiting friends, seeing the sights. The other morning I drove out to the Shiprock to photograph it the clouds, but the ground was muddy and wet, and soon the clouds dropped like a veil and the entire huge rock disappeared. It was strange weather for this time of year, but they really need the rain and now everything looks green.
I’m here for two more weeks then back to Seattle, to get ready to celebrate my seventieth birthday in Iceland in July.
We then took the train to New York and spent three nights there. During the days we walked, took pictures, rode the Staten Island ferry, went to the MOMA, and visited the new WTC memorial. One night we ate on my friend Suzanne’s apartment roof and we also had a couple of great meals out, including one at my favorite restaurant, Sevilla, with my friend Mark. Mark and I were interns together so many years ago, and have been eating there since those days. The restaurant hasn’t changed much, but we we have.
Now I am back at Shiprock, working in the clinic, visiting friends, seeing the sights. The other morning I drove out to the Shiprock to photograph it the clouds, but the ground was muddy and wet, and soon the clouds dropped like a veil and the entire huge rock disappeared. It was strange weather for this time of year, but they really need the rain and now everything looks green.
I’m here for two more weeks then back to Seattle, to get ready to celebrate my seventieth birthday in Iceland in July.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Friday, April 17, 2015
Saturday, April 11, 2015
The Rest of the Thailand Trip
We spent nine very hot days in Sangklaburi, visiting with friends, seeing the sites, eating great food - and working. Thank goodness we had air conditioned rooms, at least at night I could feel cool and comfortable. Sitting here now in my house in Seattle with cool cloudy weather outside it’s hard to remember just how hot it was.
Only my grandson Oran seemed to be immune to the heat, or at least he was the one least able to articulate his complaints. The evenings were better and we would sit outside drinking beer with ice and eating fresh fruit and think ‘this isn’t so bad…’
We did a one day workshop in Sangklaburi at the home of a British colleague - the house was cool and there was plenty of electricity for fans to cool the attendees (and presenters,) but the next two days we did another workshop in the primary school in Palan Japan, inside Burma. The building had little desks for little students, and the diesel generator wasn’t powerful enough for more than one fan plus the computer and projector. The students tried hard to remain actively involved in spite of the heat, but it was hard.
Then it was time to leave. We took two big slow buses back to Bangkok where we stayed at a beautiful resort hotel on the river for the last three nights. Every morning I had wonderful hot coffee, fresh papaya, watermelon, pineapple, and freshly baked pastry, delicious bread and cheese, and plenty of juice. It was so good. One night we ate at the Benihana restaurant, which Oran really liked - lots of activity to keep a three year old interested. Overall Oran, who just turned four this week, was very good, especially when he was rested. He made lots of friends and was not at all shy about playing with the local kids where ever we went.
After my family left I waited in Bangkok for my friend Joyanna, who is an officer of TBBHI and has a lot of public health experience, to arrive. She and I worked together in Shiprock, and she agreed to help us with an assessment of the health needs of the communities we serve, and with managing all the data we have been collecting for the past few years. It was much cooler that last week, and Joyanna is energetic, so it felt like we (she) got a lot done.
And then it was back on the big slow buses to Bangkok for a last dinner in the Sky Bar on the 38th floor of a hotel in a different world from the one we left that morning. At 4:00AM we checked out, went to the airport in a taxi driven by a maniac, and started our long trips home.
It’s been a week since I arrived home and this is the first day I have stayed awake all day, and last night was the first night I slept through, so perhaps my jet lag, at last, is resolving, .
Only my grandson Oran seemed to be immune to the heat, or at least he was the one least able to articulate his complaints. The evenings were better and we would sit outside drinking beer with ice and eating fresh fruit and think ‘this isn’t so bad…’
We did a one day workshop in Sangklaburi at the home of a British colleague - the house was cool and there was plenty of electricity for fans to cool the attendees (and presenters,) but the next two days we did another workshop in the primary school in Palan Japan, inside Burma. The building had little desks for little students, and the diesel generator wasn’t powerful enough for more than one fan plus the computer and projector. The students tried hard to remain actively involved in spite of the heat, but it was hard.
Then it was time to leave. We took two big slow buses back to Bangkok where we stayed at a beautiful resort hotel on the river for the last three nights. Every morning I had wonderful hot coffee, fresh papaya, watermelon, pineapple, and freshly baked pastry, delicious bread and cheese, and plenty of juice. It was so good. One night we ate at the Benihana restaurant, which Oran really liked - lots of activity to keep a three year old interested. Overall Oran, who just turned four this week, was very good, especially when he was rested. He made lots of friends and was not at all shy about playing with the local kids where ever we went.
After my family left I waited in Bangkok for my friend Joyanna, who is an officer of TBBHI and has a lot of public health experience, to arrive. She and I worked together in Shiprock, and she agreed to help us with an assessment of the health needs of the communities we serve, and with managing all the data we have been collecting for the past few years. It was much cooler that last week, and Joyanna is energetic, so it felt like we (she) got a lot done.
And then it was back on the big slow buses to Bangkok for a last dinner in the Sky Bar on the 38th floor of a hotel in a different world from the one we left that morning. At 4:00AM we checked out, went to the airport in a taxi driven by a maniac, and started our long trips home.
It’s been a week since I arrived home and this is the first day I have stayed awake all day, and last night was the first night I slept through, so perhaps my jet lag, at last, is resolving, .
Friday, April 10, 2015
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Wednesday March 11
Oran spotted me before I saw them. I
must have scanned a thousand faces waiting by the arrivals gate at
the airport before we connected; Colin pushing a luggage trolley with
Oran cheerfully riding on top while Sarah walked beside. They looked
very good after traveling for almost twenty four hours. We got a
taxi and went to our hotel and said goodnight.
We met at breakfast in the morning.
Oran, who loves fruit, was excited to have a whole plate full of
fresh fruit in front of him. The breakfast, a typical large resort
buffet, was good, with both Asian and western choices. After eating
we went to the MBK shopping center on the sky train, and after
shopping and drinking coffee Nonnie took Oran back to the hotel while
Sarah, Colin, and I we went for a foot massage. Sarah was very
doubtful at first as she had never had a foot massage, but sixty
minutes later she was addicted; so relaxing!
Yesterday morning after breakfast we
went by sky train to the Chao Praya river where we took a river taxi
boat to Wat Pho, one of the most famous spots in Bangkok, and
unfortunately for us one of the most crowded. It was very hot so
after seeing the huge reclining Buddha we took an air conditioned
taxi to the River City shopping complex, where we had a good lunch
with a great view of the river. On the way home in the free shuttle
boat the driver picked Oran up and put him in the driver's seat
beside himself and let Oran drive the boat. The Chao Praya is a big
bustling river and our little boat was all over it, but we made it
back fine and Oran couldn't stop talking about his driving
experience.
Today we went back to the river and
took a tour of the klongs – canals – in a long tail boat, a long
narrow boat with an inboard motor and a propeller on the end of a
long drive shaft that can be moved up or down – in or out of the
water. The ride was fairly smooth and we only got splashed with
water a few times. We saw lots of houses, new and old, a huge
variety of flowers and fruit trees, birds, and a big Monitor lizard
sunning himself on a concrete pier.
Tomorrow we check out and travel to
Sangklaburi, on the border with Burma.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
March 8, 2015 - Bangkok
Yesterday morning I woke up refreshed
after a good sleep. We arrived the night before after a long flight
from Seattle to Tokyo to Bangkok. I thought I was going to miss out
jet lag but last night I couldn't sleep and today I have been
staggering around totally unable to figure out what time it is,
Our 39th anniversary was on
the 6th, but because we crossed the international date
line we essentially missed it. So yesterday, the 7th, we
celebrated with dinner at 22 Kitchen, at the top of the Dusit Thani
Hotel, where we stayed the first two nights. The views were great
and the food was even better. I had clam chowder and then scallops,
both cooked in a unique style. Nick, the young chef from Hawaii, was
up checking on how everyone liked their food. We complimented him on
his food and his presentation, which was beautiful.
On the flight out we each watched about
a half dozen movies, including Mocking Jay (part 1,) Finding Vivian
Maier, 300; Birth of an Empire, The Drop, Happy Feet 2, The
Equalizer, and more. So what did we do on our first day in Bangkok,
after getting a foot massage? We went to the movies. We saw Chapie
in a posh theater where they give you a blanket and hot coffee and a
muffin from Starbucks as you relax in your private luxury seat. The
theater was great, the movie so so, a cross of Wall-E and Robocop.
Today we stretched breakfast time out
for a couple of hours then did some errands, packed our suitcases,
and took a taxi to our current hotel, The Anantara Sathorn. We have
a big room, actually two rooms, on the 19th floor. After
dinner we went to Zoom, the rooftop bar, 39 floors up, where I took
in the specatular views while Nonnie kept a death grip on her
chair.
Tonight Colin, Sarah, and Oran arrive
and I will go to the airport to meet them. Then we have three days in Bangkok before we go north to Sangklaburi.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Port Angeles
Last week Nonnie and I drove to Port Angeles for two nights to try out my new camera. We took the Bainbridge Island ferry, which always offers some interesting views looking back at the downtown skyline and the Space Needle. During the rest of the drive the weather was cloudy and overcast but it didn’t rain, and the traffic wasn’t bad. I guess not too many people go to such a rainy area in February.
Originally I had thought about taking pictures of the coastline in the sunshine, but since there wasn’t any Nonnie suggested we go to Victoria BC for the day. The ferry ride took ninety minutes and when we arrived the sun was shining, intermittently at least. After assuring the authorities that we were not coming from an Ebola afflicted country, we were allowed to enter Canada. I had never been to Victoria before, and Nonnie said that the empty flower beds that I saw everywhere were full of dazzling blossoms in the spring. We walked through the Empress Hotel and thought about having high tea there, something we have talked about doing for years, but decided to save it for another trip.
We went in search of a great breakfast but found only a mediocre waffle shop. The old section of town was picturesque, and the Chinatown area had some interesting decorations for the upcoming Lunar New Year. The architecture in that part of town is interesting with many old iron buildings. It looks very British, at least the way Britain used to look.
Back in Port Angeles that night I made the mistake of ordering stuffed calamari at a very nice looking restaurant. They took forever to arrive, and when they finally did they were cold and tasteless. The waitress was very apologetic and did’nt charge me for the dinner, or for the excellent desert Nonie and I shared later. Some cold beer helped the whole evening’s experience seem more like an adventure.
Our last morning we drove to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park. The road was clear of snow, more like August than February. We drove through fog all the way, but when we finally arrived the clouds were breaking up and the sun was burning through, making for some dramatic pictures.
Going home we took a different ferry, to Edmunds, north of Seattle. This time we didn’t have to wait at the Hood Canal Bridge and whole trip home was smooth and enjoyable. And I did get a few interesting pictures, which I will post here.
Originally I had thought about taking pictures of the coastline in the sunshine, but since there wasn’t any Nonnie suggested we go to Victoria BC for the day. The ferry ride took ninety minutes and when we arrived the sun was shining, intermittently at least. After assuring the authorities that we were not coming from an Ebola afflicted country, we were allowed to enter Canada. I had never been to Victoria before, and Nonnie said that the empty flower beds that I saw everywhere were full of dazzling blossoms in the spring. We walked through the Empress Hotel and thought about having high tea there, something we have talked about doing for years, but decided to save it for another trip.
We went in search of a great breakfast but found only a mediocre waffle shop. The old section of town was picturesque, and the Chinatown area had some interesting decorations for the upcoming Lunar New Year. The architecture in that part of town is interesting with many old iron buildings. It looks very British, at least the way Britain used to look.
Back in Port Angeles that night I made the mistake of ordering stuffed calamari at a very nice looking restaurant. They took forever to arrive, and when they finally did they were cold and tasteless. The waitress was very apologetic and did’nt charge me for the dinner, or for the excellent desert Nonie and I shared later. Some cold beer helped the whole evening’s experience seem more like an adventure.
Our last morning we drove to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park. The road was clear of snow, more like August than February. We drove through fog all the way, but when we finally arrived the clouds were breaking up and the sun was burning through, making for some dramatic pictures.
Going home we took a different ferry, to Edmunds, north of Seattle. This time we didn’t have to wait at the Hood Canal Bridge and whole trip home was smooth and enjoyable. And I did get a few interesting pictures, which I will post here.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
My New Camera
For several years I have been thinking about buying a high quality single lens reflex digital camera, but up to now I have hesitated to make the commitment.
Twenty years ago I bought a Hasselblad medium format film camera, which I loved. It was a very high quality camera, totally mechanical - no autofocus, autoexposure, or auto-anything. It didn’t even have a light meter. But it took great pictures.
Ten years ago, just as the digital revolution was well underway, I found a used Leica M6 camera for a good price and I loved that camera also. It used 35mm film, had a light meter, and was solid as a rock. It too was a mechanical camera - no autofocus or autoexposure. And it took wonderful pictures. Using it was a joy.
I thought these cameras were timeless when I bought them; I thought I would hand them down to my sons. But time did it’s terrible dance, and the cameras became obsolete almost overnight. Film became scarce and darkrooms scarcer. The other day I took the cameras out and realized I had forgotten how to load them. So, after all this time and indecision, I finally decided to sell them and buy a new digital camera.
In digital photography size matters - the size of the sensor (more than the number of pixels.) The bigger the sensor the better. Of course cost is a limiting factor, so a new digital sensor for my Hasselblad was not a reasonable choice at $20,000! But a full frame sensor, one that is the same size as a 35mm film negative, was. Although Leica makes a wonderful digital camera, at $5,000 for the camera body it seemed too expensive for my needs (but not for my wants!)
Now I am the proud owner of a Nikon d750 with a 28-300mm zoom lens. I downloaded the 500 page owners manual and am trying to understand it. What a change from my first camera, a single lens reflex all mechanical film camera. Will the Nikon make me a better photographer? Not directly but it will encourage me to take more and better pictures. Now I won’t be able to fault my camera. Now it’s a matter of being in the right place at the right time, and seeing the right picture. If I can see it, the camera can certainly take it.
Twenty years ago I bought a Hasselblad medium format film camera, which I loved. It was a very high quality camera, totally mechanical - no autofocus, autoexposure, or auto-anything. It didn’t even have a light meter. But it took great pictures.
Ten years ago, just as the digital revolution was well underway, I found a used Leica M6 camera for a good price and I loved that camera also. It used 35mm film, had a light meter, and was solid as a rock. It too was a mechanical camera - no autofocus or autoexposure. And it took wonderful pictures. Using it was a joy.
I thought these cameras were timeless when I bought them; I thought I would hand them down to my sons. But time did it’s terrible dance, and the cameras became obsolete almost overnight. Film became scarce and darkrooms scarcer. The other day I took the cameras out and realized I had forgotten how to load them. So, after all this time and indecision, I finally decided to sell them and buy a new digital camera.
In digital photography size matters - the size of the sensor (more than the number of pixels.) The bigger the sensor the better. Of course cost is a limiting factor, so a new digital sensor for my Hasselblad was not a reasonable choice at $20,000! But a full frame sensor, one that is the same size as a 35mm film negative, was. Although Leica makes a wonderful digital camera, at $5,000 for the camera body it seemed too expensive for my needs (but not for my wants!)
Now I am the proud owner of a Nikon d750 with a 28-300mm zoom lens. I downloaded the 500 page owners manual and am trying to understand it. What a change from my first camera, a single lens reflex all mechanical film camera. Will the Nikon make me a better photographer? Not directly but it will encourage me to take more and better pictures. Now I won’t be able to fault my camera. Now it’s a matter of being in the right place at the right time, and seeing the right picture. If I can see it, the camera can certainly take it.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Thursday, January 1, 2015
New and Old Year's Resolutions
Last Year - with outcomes:
Enjoy life more — Maybe, not sure
drink more wine - Yes!
eat more chocolate - I think I did
visit at least one new country - Yes, Burma
visit at least one old friend whom I haven’t seen for more than a year - Yes, Lena, Volodya, and Vanya from Almaty
complete both speech therapy and physical therapy programs - Yes
write in this blog once a week, every week - No, sorry about that
read a book every 2 weeks - not quite, but did read some good books
write another draft of my Greenland memoir - nope… not even close
get my financial affairs in order - yes
have a photography show of my Bhutan pictures - Yes, in Gallup, a success!
And my new 2015 New Years Resolutions:
Go to Iceland for my 70th birthday in July
Go to Thailand with my family this spring
Drink more whisky
Write more letters - keep in touch with more people
read more books
Produce books of my photos - Spiti, Australia, Alaska
Exercise regularly
Eat good chocolate regularly
Be a better man - husband, father, grandfather, friend
write my blog every week
Enjoy life more — Maybe, not sure
drink more wine - Yes!
eat more chocolate - I think I did
visit at least one new country - Yes, Burma
visit at least one old friend whom I haven’t seen for more than a year - Yes, Lena, Volodya, and Vanya from Almaty
complete both speech therapy and physical therapy programs - Yes
write in this blog once a week, every week - No, sorry about that
read a book every 2 weeks - not quite, but did read some good books
write another draft of my Greenland memoir - nope… not even close
get my financial affairs in order - yes
have a photography show of my Bhutan pictures - Yes, in Gallup, a success!
And my new 2015 New Years Resolutions:
Go to Iceland for my 70th birthday in July
Go to Thailand with my family this spring
Drink more whisky
Write more letters - keep in touch with more people
read more books
Produce books of my photos - Spiti, Australia, Alaska
Exercise regularly
Eat good chocolate regularly
Be a better man - husband, father, grandfather, friend
write my blog every week
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