From Eh to Fin*
Canadian Expats Living the Creative Life in Thailand
In August 2024, Krazines received its first submissions of art and stories from Aleesha and Parzival (Parz) Sattva, who reside in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I learned that this couple emigrated to Thailand from Canada in 2016 after Aleesha, who her husband calls “the Audacious Ideas Generator,” had watched the HGTV series, House Hunters International and dreamt of destinations where she and Parz could experience indoor/outdoor living. He was on board for an adventure, too.
In 2016, they made the move and remain very happy to reside there.
I remembered Aleesha from my art-making experiences in Sketchbook Skool, an online art school, where she had run SBS’ Spark Program for several years, and I got to know Parz through our monthly email exchanges. We’ve corresponded on theories of consciousness and most recently, about his and Aleesha’s use of role-playing games (RPG) for their creative writing practices.
For the Nine Lives-themed issue of Moss Piglet (January 2025), they introduced me and our readers to their friend, Chompoo, who is seen below with Parz. The couple met Chompoo’s mother, Gop (rhymes with cope), a couple years ago, along with her brother, Peace.
In addition to painting watercolors, Chompoo creates hand-decorated baskets, candles, plant pots, and more. Here’s hoping she has more to share with Moss Piglet readers in the future.
YouTube Adventures with Parz and Aleesha
Parz and Aleesha host an art and creative writing channel, drawingxpressions, on YouTube, as well as distribute an online newsletter through Substack.
In the June 6, 2025 episode of drawingXpressions (see video below), Parz discusses Journaling Solo Role-Playing Games (RPG). “It has really turned our writing experience on its head,” he says.
I leaned forward in my chair while watching this episode, in which he describes the benefits of solo RPG and how he goes about his practice, using a fountain pen and gray ink. I was so intrigued, I have decided to try solo RPG for myself.
More on that later.
In the meantime, I invite you to not only watch this program, but click its “like” and “subscribe” buttons. Help support your fellow creatives.
Solo RPG Magic in Pages of Apothecaria
Parz and Aleesha are using the book, Apothecaria, for creating writing activities. Apothecaria was created by Anna Blackwell at Blackwell Games.
According to the publisher, “Apothecaria is a solo journalling RPG in which you take the role of a village witch, creating potions for the unfortunate villagers, adventurers, and monsters who come to you for help.”
Apothecaria’s creator, Anna Blackwell has announced a new Kickstarter campaign for her four new creative RPG zines, entitled Death and Pottery Collection.
This collection includes:
Our Once Proud House is a multiplayer game revolving around a "tumbling block tower" and a deck of playing cards.
A Conversation With Death is a duet RPG about someone who has just died and Death itself.
Death Road Services is a solo journalling RPG about running a service station on the infamous Death Road.
Mistorical Museum, an improv based party game where the objects around your house become the latest artefacts in a ridiculous museum.
Click HERE to visit the Kickstarter page for this campaign.
Take a writing journey with Journey (the book, not the band)
For my solo RPG creative writing project, I’ve purchased the book, Journey , by Luke Miller from Graycastle Press. Luke describes this publication:
I’ve seen how frustrating it can be to stare at a blank page or an empty map, yearning for inspiration. Journey was born from that struggle, a tool to help me, and now you, unlock the hidden potential within our worlds.
My goal (with the help of Journey) is to develop a library of stories and art about Ferkelburg (translation: Castle Piglet), the fantasy hometown of Krazines/Moss Piglet.
Fun fact: Did you know that in times of old, giant tardigrades lumbered about the countryside around Ferkelburg, eventually giving the municipality its name? While they were docile creatures, you wouldn’t want to try to milk them.
Moss Piglet dedicated its January 2021 edition to Ferkelburg, which included drawings, photos, fun facts, poems and stories from Krazines’ artists and authors, including a subsection by Joan and Jeffrey Johannes about the town’s cemetery.
Paid subscribers to this newsletter or subscribers to the Moss Piglet art and literary journal may obtain a free PDF of the January 2021 issue by contacting me at info@krazines.com between June 16, 2025 and August 31, 2025.
It may be hard to spot in the image below, but Jeffrey snuck my name onto one of the cemetery’s tombstones. Fortunately, he left off the date of my departure or I might already be expired.
Learn More about Solo RPG
If you would like to learn more about solo RPG, follow Parz and Aleesha on their writing adventures by tuning into their YouTube channel. New programs every two weeks.
You can also visit the newsletter, The Soloist, on Substack to obtain even more information:
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Until Next Time
The heading for this edition of the Moss Piglet Primer newsletter is entitled, “From Eh to Fin.” The word, eh, refers to a Canadian slang term, which turns a statement into a question, e.g., “drawingxpressions is a pretty cool video channel, eh?”
The word, fin, is Thai slang for feeling awesome.
I’ll be back on July 1, 2025 with a new edition of Moss Piglet Primer. Hope you have a cool, awesome summer (or wonderful winter for those living below the equator.)
