Legit

I am now an officially permitted journalist in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

All that stuff in Lao typed all over my badge. I don't know what it means. Maybe it says, "Do not trust this man. Do not allow him in your house. Do not leave him alone with your daughters.

The officials at the Press Office are being reasonably cool about it, that I don't have to pay my fee on non-interview days. But still, time to go beat up my bank account, comparatiively speaking to what I've been spending. More money for transpo, since I have to carry my minder around, the daily fee, and gifts to grease the wheels. Maybe just buying a case of wine now is a good idea, save a few bucks per bottle. I have to hire an interpreter too, unless I can get someone to do it for me for free. Yeah, no problem. People love donating their skills for free to people from the wealthiest country in the world.

A new one for me, last night: Haggling over the price of a whore on behalf of a friend because I can speak more Lao than he.

Puu-ying haa ngaan: "working girls". Not exactly my cup of tea, but hey. Gotta help a brother out.

Expensive!

My pal Ryan is in J-school and he's been giving me some helpful tips on all this crap. Have a gander at his at http://www.ryansholin.com/. Hey. Another grip/electric guy gone wordy. We lost him on the notorious New Mexico Ratner Job some years back. He met a girl. He went West. He got a new career. Hey. They even pay him to write. Who knew that a guy that good with a wrench and with knuckles so calloused from dragging on the ground knew how to type.