“The elephant is loose,” – the children from the village screamed with piercing quails. The young girls ran for their lives. The mothers in horrific terror scooped up the toddlers and the men grabbed anything at hand in which to drive away the beast.
The elephant is I, and yesterday was my last day at “The Cabin”. The cold iron chains that tied me in place are as real as those little green monsters that climb the walls at night. I need more than a free mind to get to the other side of the wall. I need a free body, for that is where my experiences lie and wait to be discovered.
My status is officially documented at “The Cabin” as outpatient – I’m obligated to return on Tuesdays and Fridays for one-hour therapy sessions with Ali and physical training with Krum or Ty. They tried putting me up at the Hotel Centre’, located inside the ancient stonewalls of the inner city. The room was small and the bed as hard as the solid teak floors. This morning I located the Bodhi Serene, a thirty-eight room boutique hotel build in Lanna1 style. Because of the holidays the only room available was a specious junior suite costing 5,000 baht. This was the second most expensive room in the city at $ 165.00.
Today is organization day. I found the Mungilala Clinic not far away. Chiang Mai is the Thai version of Philadelphia. A densely populated metropolitan area with a downtown that still works for pedestrians. The Mungilala Clinic owned and operated by Dr Roongrat and Dr Sudhisakwas was highly recommended by the hotel’s staff as the cities best holistic medical center specializing in traditional Chinese acupuncture. I believe this may be my last chance for passive medicine before Dr. Anson, my neurologist in Vegas, will get to sterilize his scalpels and buy his next Porsche from the profits of my operation. My treatment begins on Monday and will continue twice a week until I leave Thailand. I’ll see if I can arrange a pincushion photo of yours truly for the next posting.
I also found the Powerhouse Gym, a ten-minute taxi ride away that offers Pilates instruction. On Monday I sign up for private lessons and continue my quest for a healthy new year. I am determined that 2011, the year of the rabbit, will be significantly better than 2010 was for me. How fitting, the year of the rabbit, I am ready -- get rid of the heavy and bring on the fluffy.
If you noticed that this blog is going downhill since I left all the drama that’s surrounds rehab centers – you’re right. So, as to not waste any more of your time, or mine, my postings will be shared only when there is something worth sharing. I wish you all a very joyful, healthy and prosperous New Year. Celebrate and have a glass of lemonade on me. Remember, celebrations do not have to be associated with alcohol. Go for a hike, smell the roses before the thorns catch you in the ass, give some love to someone deserving, give some love to someone undeserving and cherish your friends and family – I do, you’re the only ones I have.
12/31/10 Larry Rubenstein
1. The Lanna Kingdom, founded by King Mengri in 1259 was seated in the northern Thai city of Chiang Rai. Its signature decorating style is a beautiful, enduring tribute to that time in Thai history. The steep gabled roofs that descend from an elongated pinnacle into a set of curving eaves identify Lanna architecture. The eaves were made to resemble flames. Most traditional Lanna structures are made from teak and elevated from the ground making it necessary to ascertain that the ground where the structure will be located is seismically stable (or that the structure itself is protected from earthquake damage).
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