Sunshine Cafe

I'm off the rig now. Whew! what a relief. The stress was fairly high, with the last 24 hours being particularly challenging. We worked until 10:00 pm, then I got up at 4:45 am the next morning to furiously complete adjustment and testing, since the helicopter flight was scheduled for 10 am. We finished, with about 5 minutes to spare.

When I got to the hotel I took a relaxing hot bath, then walked down to one of my two favorite restaurants, the Sunshine Cafe. I sat down to enjoy a hot bowl of Tom Yum Goong soup and an ice cold Singha beer and watch the sunset.
What a great way to unwind and de-stress. The young lady in the photograph has been studying English so she can work at higher-paying jobs.
I helped her with a few phrases, and told her how to say "thank you" in several different languages, since she serves people from many parts of the world. Pattaya is a popular tourist spot. I have tried to learn how to say "thank you" in each of the countries I have visited. It wasn't until I started going down the list of "thank you" phrases that I realized how many places to which I have traveled. Travel has its hardships, but it has greater benefits. For me, it helps me to have a better perspective on life, and what is important.

While sitting at the cafe, several thoughts came to mind, I jotted them down in my notebook. I have written several here. These are not profound truths. In fact, I have not given them deep, critical analysis to verify if they are universally true. I have simply written them here to share my thoughts, and maybe stimulate new thoughts:
1. Ignorance of the shortcomings/ills/hardships of life can promote a sense of joy and well-being.
2. Human connection, fellowship with people who find pleasure in your company, this is a primary ingredient of paradise.
3. Diligence, effort and honest intention are better than competance.
4. Competance without diligence, effort and honest intention is of no value.
5. Alive with life and personality, even if a bit messy, is better than orderly and sterile at the expense of personal expression.
6. The hardest worker is the most valuable, but they must not work so hard that they damage themselves.
7. Truly seeking God brings you to Him.
8. Excessive, prolonged self indulgence results in ugliness.
9. Happiness is seeing the truth beyond present circumstances.

So, those are some thoughts, for what they are worth.

One more note. I had a different perspective on this trip. Each trip has the potential for many problems, many of which are very difficult to solve, must be solved under difficult conditions in an abnormally short time frame, and may result in the client losing confidence in my abilities. It is always tough on me, as I happen to have a condition called "perfectionism." Anyway, this time I just kept praying that God would use whatever happens to glorify Him, and to help me to withstand whatever happened. The project did not go smoothly, we had several setbacks, and the client was not totally happy with the finished product, they were just agreeable that it was an acceptable product that will serve its purpose. I got a report back today from my client's, client's client (guys at the top of the food chain) that they were pleased with what I had done for the project, and were pleased with my contributions to it. So, I guess it has been a success, and God held up His end of the bargain (see Romans 8:28).