16October2025: Suffering From Airconditionosis: Jasmine Tea, Papaya Juice, Lots of Water and Latitudes of Melt Airconditionosis is an affliction suffered as a result of a travelling companion cranking up the air conditioning to a polar vortex setting causing shivering throughout one’s sleeping period necessitating comforters for warmth. Resulting morning symptoms are predominately feeling like crap.Continue reading “RKS 2025 Travel: Destination Southeast Asia (Short Attention Span Version)16October2025: Suffering From Airconditionosis: Jasmine Tea, Papaya Juice, Lots of Water and Latitudes of Melt”
Author Archives: Robert K Stephen (CSW)
RKS Literature: “How to Use Your Enemies”: Vary Your Procedure (Baltasar Gracián)
Vary Your Procedure Not always the same way, so as to confound those observing you, especially if they are rivals. Don’t always fulfil your declared intentions, for others will seize on your predictability, anticipating and frustrating your actions. It’s easy to kill a bird that flies straight, but not one that twists and turns. ButContinue reading “RKS Literature: “How to Use Your Enemies”: Vary Your Procedure (Baltasar Gracián)”
RKS 2026 CANADIAN WINE: Maison Smith Montpetit 2022 Merlot a Proud Right Banker (Not a Wanker!)
Samples from Maison Smith Montpetit, located in the heart of the Similkameen Valley in British Columbia, arrived today a brutally cold winter day where minus 13 Celsius seems balmy. Tonight minus 24. Fine for icewine but not so for humans. The labels bespeak first growth Bordeaux. Simple yet dignified. Only 150 cases of this 2022Continue reading “RKS 2026 CANADIAN WINE: Maison Smith Montpetit 2022 Merlot a Proud Right Banker (Not a Wanker!)”
RKS Literature: How to Use Your Enemies: Avoid Outdoing Your Superior (Baltasar Gracián)
Avoid Outdoing Your Superior All triumphs are despised, and triumphing over your superior is either stupid or fatal. Superiority has always been detested, especially by our superiors. Princes like to be helped but not surpassed. Advice should be offered as if a reminder of what they’ve forgotten, not an insight what they’ve never had. BaltasarContinue reading “RKS Literature: How to Use Your Enemies: Avoid Outdoing Your Superior (Baltasar Gracián)”
RKS Literature: “How to Use Your Enemies” (Baltasar Gracián): In Your Affairs Create Suspense
“In Your Affairs Create Suspense It is neither useful nor pleasurable to show all your cards. Not immediately revealing everything fuels anticipation, especially when a person’s elevated position means expectations are greater. It bespeaks mystery in everything and, with this very secrecy, arouses awe. Even when explaining yourself, you should avoid complete frankness, just asContinue reading “RKS Literature: “How to Use Your Enemies” (Baltasar Gracián): In Your Affairs Create Suspense”
RKS Literature: The Final Words of Frankenstein’s Creation (Mary Shelley)
“But it is true that I am a wretch. I have murdered the lovely and the helpless; I have strangled the innocent as they slept and grasped to death his throat who never injured me or any other living thing. I have devoted my creator, the select specimen of all that is worthy of loveContinue reading “RKS Literature: The Final Words of Frankenstein’s Creation (Mary Shelley)”
RKS 2025 Travel: Destination Southeast Asia (Short Attention Span Version):16October2025: Eastern & Oriental Express Embarrassing Good-Bye and a Brutal Travel Day
16October2025: Eastern & Oriental Express Embarrassing Good-Bye and a Brutal Travel Day A rough jerky night on the train. Feeling a tad better but when you don’t feel up to snuff even a luxurious Pullman Cabin equates to being a sardine in a tin can. No appetite so half a croissant and a sip ofContinue reading “RKS 2025 Travel: Destination Southeast Asia (Short Attention Span Version):16October2025: Eastern & Oriental Express Embarrassing Good-Bye and a Brutal Travel Day”
RKS 2025 Travel: Destination Southeast Asia (Short Attention Span Version):15October2025: Forget That Martini and Gourmet Dinner: I Have the Queasies!
15October2025: Forget That Martini and Gourmet Dinner: I Have the Queasies! Back on the Eastern & Oriental Express hot and steamy. It has been in and out of stultifying heat on Penang Island and then thrust into the chill of air conditioning. It has been plaguing me the entire trip. Why on earth did IContinue reading “RKS 2025 Travel: Destination Southeast Asia (Short Attention Span Version):15October2025: Forget That Martini and Gourmet Dinner: I Have the Queasies!”
RKS 2025 Travel: Destination Southeast Asia (Short Attention Span Version):15October2025: Penang Island in Malaysia
15October2025: Penang Island in Malaysia Travelled on a bus from the Eastern & Oriental Express train to the Butterworth ferry terminal for the twenty-minute trip to Georgetown on Penang Island. Arrived at the Penang Island ferry terminal for a Vespa tour of Georgetown. Met Jimmy my driver and off we went to the “first stop”Continue reading “RKS 2025 Travel: Destination Southeast Asia (Short Attention Span Version):15October2025: Penang Island in Malaysia”
RKS Literature: Frankenstein Must Destroy the Creature He Created (Mary Shelley)
“I am, the soothing voice of my Elizabeth and the conversation with Clerval will be forever whispered in my ear. They are dead, and but one feeling in such solitude can persuade me to preserve my life. If I were engaged to any high undertaking or design, fraught with extensive utility to my fellow creatures,Continue reading “RKS Literature: Frankenstein Must Destroy the Creature He Created (Mary Shelley)”
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