Mikes Writing

becoming even less

My wife has this Khmer friend that married an American guy. He’s a millionaire or perhaps a kazilionaire or whatever it could be called. One time when they were talking my wife’s friend told her,

If he ever runs out of money I am gone

This is after buying a house, gold, jewelry, a car. More things. Lots of bling. Stuff.

I met him once a few years ago at a dinner we invited them to. I listened for three hours as he regaled me with his accomplishments, degrees, money. On and on. She told my wife that money and things mattered more than love and happiness. Then after the hours they left. Finally. I told my wife after they invited us out for drinks and dinner I was not going. I just told her bluntly I did not like either of them and life’s too short to be around someone I did not like.

Of course this pissed him off. I was supposed to want to be around him. So I could listen to more of his stories. More of the wonders of being him. He was undeterred and they bought a home and had a housewarming party. My wife asked again if I would go. I told her she could go but I had no intention of ever wanting to be around him again.

I did get to see him at a wedding party later for a brief time. Thankfully they were not sitting at our table. Somewhere in there they invited us again to socialize. I said no. He got mad and told my wife I could,

Just fuck off

So I have. Now when she asks me about something with them. I tell her I am still fucking off. Since I don’t do Facebook or instagram or TikTok or telegram I don’t see them.

What I think my wife wanted was for us to be friends with them. After all he was American and I was. This was supposed to be a social match made in heaven. Not.

Now it’s been years. I have not seen them. I’m still fucking off actually so I have no more for them.

I figured out a few things from this.

So where does this leave me here? Well I don’t do much with Khmer people any more. I’ve tried and there is a limit and boundary. Their social life and culture is vastly different. Many of them like things and will do ridiculous and stupid things to accumulate them. I’d rather not go through the “fucking off” thing again so I just don’t.

It’s not much better with expats. They seem to be so different and do some weird things. Some just stay drunk all the time or sit at bars on Sok San road trying. Others want to socialize nonstop. I’m not good with either.

So I just stop. I’ve realized wanting more is a bane of existence and no one needs more. My acquaintance Bill insists on a new iPhone every year. It’s not because last year's model is bad. It’s just a thing he desires. He also built a house here he doesn’t live in and has spent. Money and time and energy he has spent here. To really only still be separate. Because of just how different Khmer people are. We can cross borders. Become almost residents here. Live our lives out in some happiness and more. We just cannot ever be them.

I’m writing all this because the blog is about my life here. What I see. How I feel. It all could be wrong. But like a YouTuber named Tobe said in one vlog,

Doing it wrong is still doing it

I like his YouTube channel. He talks a life he walked away from that was wrong. So he did some wrong things and right ones. It’s all him.

I think we all need to just walk from things. We think somehow one more watch or car or motorcycle answers some problems. Guarantees some happiness.

Don’t end up like this guy Mike I started with. Live for less and then when you get a thing find true happiness in it. From within.

Maybe the most important things are those buried deep inside. Replace money and things with moments, memories, and experiences.

Or don’t. Really up to you. Me? I’m still busy just fucking off.

I went here once. So I’m sharing it. A time and place that still fills my memory bank. Enjoy.

Melaka Malaysia

It was a place I just went. History and culture met there. And lots of the things I value more.