Collin’s books, other books

ONE WAY TO CURE A HANGOVER

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Last week Jack returned home after having his best pipe and his typewriter all shot up, and drank too much with some of Mu’s relatives, bisnet associates and assorted hangers-on.  This week he cures his hangover en route to Shaky Jake’s in search of expert advice regarding his current situation. 

DK Books 2nd ed.

Selections from Arno Petty’s Intelligencer and Weekly Gleaner

  • NO PROBLEM. Speaking less oracularly than is his wont, an elder statesman has said that Thais have no
… Read more

HOME SWEET HOME

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Last week we met Mu and learned the key to her libido. This week we meet all of her household, including a distinctive rhythm section and Mu’s sister, Bia.

Current edition

Selections from Arno Petty’s Intelligencer and Weekly Gleaner

  • ALL FOR ONE, AND ONE FOR ALL. Western men have been known to misconstrue what is happening when they marry a Thai lady. Suddenly, as often as not, they discover that there are two cousins from upcountry who need a place
… Read more

Fashion statement du jour: IoT wrist monitor

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In line with much of the general population, I rarely get a full night’s sleep. Neither a world leader with many responsibilities nor a wild young lad, I’m merely an insomniac.

Recently – yielding to Sara’s incessant advice that I buy a smartwatch – I acquired an Apple Watch. I still wasn’t too sure why I’d done this, so Sara badgered me into loading it with an app called AutoSleep. Every morning, now, AI independently verifies my latest defeat in … Read more

KEY TO MU’S LIBIDO

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This week we meet Mu, Jack Shackaway’s love interest and chief cultural critic.

Previous editions

Selections from Arno Petty’s Intelligencer and Weekly Gleaner

  • TAKE IT EASY. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Bangkok, do pretty much whatever you want; but remember that certain institutions—notably the Royal Family, the Buddhist sangha, and the military—are above criticism. Remember also to respect the strictures concerning pointing feet, touching others on the head, etc. Any good guidebook will give
… Read more

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TEA & BISCUIT FUND

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Last week Jack found cause to rejoice that he hadn’t yet sold his ancient Royal typewriter after all, never mind he was now a state-of-the-art hack writer fully equipped with a computer.

Selections from Arno Petty’s Intelligencer and Weekly Gleaner

  • ENOUGH FOR TEA. The new chief of police in the City of Angles (or is that ‘Angels’?) is talking about giving Bangkok’s finest a pay raise. Would that this be true. Law enforcement officers can’t possibly subsist on
… Read more

THE BEST OF TIMES

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Compared to 2020, all previous years, even the Disco Era, were the golden age of human existence.

Dave Barry, Washington Post

Good riddance 2020. The year from Hell, right? So everyone says. But it’s really only a matter of how you look at it. 

NY Times Andrea Chronopoulos
“What Makes You Think 2021 Will Be Better?” by Wajahat Ali

Whatever. Here’s something from a collection I call “Leary’s Laws,” call it a gloss on Dave Barry’s above comment.

Things

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THE TRAFFIC IS JUST MURDEROUS THESE DAYS

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 This week we join Jack Shackaway on an interesting trip through Bangkok traffic. His trusty old typewriter, which he’s meant to get rid of for years, proves useful.

dreamstime

  • HAPPY DAYS. Soon everybody in the country will have a couple of Benzes, not to mention pots full of chickens. Dearie me, yes; the race to NIC-hood (Newly Industrialized Country status, for those of you from outer space) is bringing on a New Day for us all. Now if only
… Read more

Serializing Kicking Dogs: Status report

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Even among loyal fans, after only four or five Kicking Dogs chapters and a few SIDECARS, interest in this project has waned. Fizzled away to fuck all, in fact. 

The last bit is classic Leary alliteration, though he’d never say “fuck.”

Leary habitually seasoned his conversation with “gosh” and “darn.” Gosh was salt, and darn was pepper. Sometimes, if a communication required a bit of mustard, he might go so far as to say “frigging.” That’s how I knew the

… Read more

WRONG WAY

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Last week we learned some ins and outs of executing a contract, Thai-style. This week we learn how some manage to accomplish this deed with greater style than most do.

WRONG WAY

Selections from Arno Petty’s Intelligencer and Weekly Gleaner

BARING ARMS. Maybe you were wondering what those signs in Thai on the doors of the bars on Suttisarn Road and similar venues are all about. These areas have been declared Weapons-Free Zones, you will doubtlessly be relieved to know. … Read more

Dopamine addiction: The haikus

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Enough with the novels, already. Time to spin some haikus, eh?

I admit it: the internet is eating my mind. And here are some related haikus, straight from the poet, by God.

Self-portrait: Tenuously me

Spring day darkening:

the locust digital swarm

eats my absent mind.

Read on for the essential lowdown on dopamine addiction.

Dipping for Dopamine

Delivery vehicles,

Every damn Like

A dopamine fix. 

Proto-cyborg Lament

The battery defunct,

My 5G iPhone is dead.

I am diminished. 

Oxymoron… Read more