Pasok Po...

A couple of entries ago, I posted a few photos of my soon to be obliterated view from my bedroom. This time around, I'm bringing the camera inside my room to record the knick knacks I surround my self with.

As mentioned before, I've been living inside this tiny bedroom for nearly three years now.This Friday marks my third year in Thailand, so this is a post to celebrate what is yet another year in the Land of Smiles, if you may. (Gosh, it has been that long?)

Like most bedrooms, mine has evolved over the years: from the spartan, characterless space that it was into something I consider as a treasure chest of my travels, well sort of. What I like about the latest incarnation of my bedroom is how its ornaments remind me of my little trips here and there as well as memories of home and the people close to my heart.

While I don't have a theme for my bedroom (puhlease, I don't want to live in a film set), my only rule is I have to use organic materials as much as possible, so there's a lot of wood and grass in my bedroom instead of some metal or glass (which I could not afford anyway).

Anyway, let's begin snooping around, shall we?

Let's start with the accessories I hang on my little shelf. The photo below shows some necklaces Fuchsiaboy gave me, such as this rather controversial cork necklace, right Donita? Also, I have a necklace a teacher in South Cotabato gave me when I went there for a field visit three years ago. You can also see in the photo the little origami cranes Liwayway brought me from Japan.

More accessories, please. Here's a stack of bracelets I hardly wear these days. And of course the humongous safety pin that Fuchsiaboy introduced me to. I used to have about four of them but I gave the rest to my sister. The copper holder is another present from La Donita from a Khmer artist. (Don, ang laki ng presence mo sa room koh!!!)

Here you can see my little hand-made terracotta cows and oil burner from Koh Kret. The tea set is from Bubbles, which he brought me from South Korea. The little Japanese fan is another present from Liwayway.

Below is my pen holder, which is actually a sticky rice container. The round basket behind it is another accessory holder (some pins, brooches, bracelets, etc.). The bigger basket serves as a receptacle for my wallet, cellphone, and watch - I hate these items being just thrown around the place. The little BluGre mug is a gift from Thea when I visited Davao last year. It now contains loose change.

Now let's talk about my baskets. I have about ten all over my bedroom. I prefer to keep my bags, CDs, books, and some clothes in them rather than getting a proper cupboard. I find closets rather ghastly, and please let's not talk about plastic containers. I love the texture of woven grass, hence the profusion of baskets. I get most of them from Chatuchak.

I got the pretty quilt in the first photo below from my first trip to Jakarta last year.

Recently I decided to post some photos of my friends and family on my wall. I should've done it a long time ago because it's really nice to be reminded everyday of the people who matter most to you. These photos always make me smile.

Hanging above my bed is this thingie (I honestly don't know how to call it) from Penang when I visited the former Czarina of Penang a couple of years ago. In the background is Lara Stone... that's how I call the big painting that towers beside my bed.

My bedside table has some books and a reading lamp. If you look close enough at the black book you can read the title of the book I'm currently reading.

Below is a photo of the grass mat I bought from a man selling them on the street. It was dirt cheap so I decided to get one. I love how it adds texture to the floor. The mangosteens are my dinner tonight.

Also you can see a part of my bed, which I bought early this year. My old bed was sagging and we all know every gay man needs a strong bed, chai mai?

This is my fern Daria Werbowy. I have taken care of plants before but somehow they don't thrive that well under my care. So I've since sworn not to welcome any living thing in my room until one day my BF forced me into getting one. I grudgingly dragged home the fern last May and it has somehow survived all these months. It has grown on me, to be honest because it does bring a lot of life into the room. Please God don't let it die.

Let's move on to my window chuchuvelles where a few creatures reside. The top ledge has a collection of elephants I got from Surin and this Ganesh statue a guy gave me. I don't know how to call that woman with a soft wrist (it was also given to me along with Ganesh), but it is prominent in Thai spirit houses.

The next ledge has this pendant/toy I got from a trip to Amphawa and then the male puppet is from Hanoi. The Rama puppet is from my latest trip to Indonesia and the bulol rice god is from the Philippines (I found them in Kultura).

Several months ago I bought a wooden bench from Chatuchak. I actually needed it for my work-out but it has served mostly as a table for my books, candles, and flower vase. The terracotta container is from Koh Kret and I picked that little box from a second-hand stall at the Philippine Embassy in last month's celebration of Independence Day.

And of course the flowers, which I try to change every three days. I love them flowers to death! It's amazing how it lifts my mood every time I see them first thing in the morning.

Lastly, here's my new plant that I bought just this evening. I'm naming her Alek Wek. After the success of Daria Werbowy, I feel more confident in taking care of another supermodel plant, hence, Alek. She's also my gift to myself for my third year in BangCock.

The wooden chair is a recent acquisition. It's really one of those cheap things you buy in the mall, but I needed a fold-able chair to sit on while I read the papers in the morning while having coffee. To make it more elegant, I covered it with a fabric I got from Si Pan Don in Laos last year (hola, Bitch of Bangkok!).

So that's pretty much my little crib, dear readers. Now close the door on your way out, ok mai?