For every visit to this bustling city, I find myself in a state of constant bewilderment from all the skyscraper and mall projects going on simultaneously. It must be boom-time for architects, construction companies, civil engineers and builders.

I wonder how long Bangkok’s older buildings, like the one above, will be around before being torn down to make room for yet another shiny office tower or sprawling shopping center.

I’m not always as positive about new stuff as I like to think I am. Music is probably the best exemplifier of this. With a few rare exceptions, I never listen to contemporary artists or bands.

Worse yet, I tend to glorify old stuff more than they deserve to be glorified. It’s like a battle, a war between the comfort of the known (the old and familiar) and the unknown (new and different).

Fortunately, I am totally cognizant of this confrontation. It isn’t easy, but I try hard to question and challenge myself as soon as I notice that I’m recoiling from something that rattles my comfort zone.