Bangkok: Sawasdee Khrap
Bangkok changed the way I think about cities. In its neon streets, crowded temples, and layered history, I discovered what urban texture truly means—and why some places stay with you long after you leave.
I know there are far worse things happening in the world, but I wish governments (at all levels) would communicate with their staff and update their websites with the new policies before announcing them to the media.
It creates confusion and frustration when people call to ask questions, and the response is, "I don't know either."
I field phone calls about it, and I have to say, "I'm learning about it at the same time as you."
I write about COVID-19 reaching the Okanagan, panic buying, changing routines, and why disruption might still reshape life for good.
I reflect on solitude, silence, writing, aloneness, and a Harper's article that stayed open on my desk for years.
I write a public letter to email, from Pine and early joy to Basecamp's Hey and the chore email became.
I remember David Jewell, our Whitehorse friendship, his personality, and the shock of discovering he had died.
I start 2020 thinking about Atomic Habits, frictionless living, feeling lost, and building better small decisions.