Sleeping Around

Inspired by the writings of my wicked smart funny friends Jesse Seret (Perfect Calm), Trish Deitch (Distant Dock), Jessica Schickel (Chagrin and Bear It), Jen Sincero (Hey Little Bad Ass), and Janine Schulz (Oiling of a Rusty Mind), and encouraged by people I’ve met here and there, I will now commence the blog. Maybe just about beds. Maybe about other things too. But the beds are a constant. I’ve been keeping record of every mattress, hammock, waterbed, and couch I’ve spent the night on for some time, as many of you know.

Not every bed makes it into the bed collection. Sometimes I forget to take a picture. Once my computer was stolen on a night train in deepest India and I lost an important year of photos. Sometimes the beds in which I’ve slept would cause too much of a stir if made public, so. But there are lots beds in the bed collection. And stories behind each one.

If beds bore you then there is still some hope for us having a blogger/reader relationship. Let’s see how it goes. I’m only about 80% comfortable with this set up and welcome your input.

Love and kusheln from my red velvet bed in Berlin,

Noa
June, 2010
~ Friday, October 21 ~
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Thimphu (October 21, 2011) — On Friday night we decided to go dancing at Space 34, Thimphu’s oldest and most happening nightclub. We being: Chime Dorjee, Jamyang Dorjee, Jia-ling Loo, and Rigsal Dorji. Later, O.T.’s son Jamyang Lodro joined us for pre-dance fun at Om Bar. It’s interesting to note that all of these youngsters are blood-related to lamas of the highest rank. But it’s like that in Bhutan. Everyone is related.

I like dancing in Thimphu, particularly at Space, more than almost any other club in the world. The music is silly pop. I’m not involved, not really connected, and therefore desensitized to any drama or attitude. We just dance, in a circle, and have fun. My age doesn’t really seem to be an issue, though my height is a bit of a challenge. I wonder though, should they install a blood testing machine to make sure you’re not related to your dance partner?

Sometimes boys with their Korean hair-dos get into slappy fights with one another. They pull swords off the wall and get hyper-mad but no one ever seems to get hurt. Younger members of the royal family often turn up. The clubs all close early by law and people drive to a nearby parking lot to “party” under the stars. I was eager for this part of the night to wind down so I could go back to the kangaroos on my bed.

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Chime and Jamyang invited me to spend the night with them at their auntie’s, who is also a friend of mine, Aum Yangchen, Choing’s mom. I stayed here back in 2002 after we wrapped Travellers and Magicians but the house isn’t as warm and cozy as it was back then because it lacks the warm presence of Aum Yangchen and Dasho are in New York visiting Choing. Chime kindly offered to share her room so we put another mattress down and she gave me the very soft kangaroo blanky. There was no floor space left. We chatted and laughed until wee hours as her phone buzzed with the texts of a misguided suitor.