Miscellaneous Thoughts on the Human Condition

More unconnected thoughts on the human condition and life in general, from where I’m sitting.

-We had a tsunami warning yesterday because of the earthquake in Chile. It reminded me of something funny that I saw on my last trip to the southern end of the island. We have signs all over the island that point to the tsunami evacuation route you’re supposed to take if one comes close. There’s one of these signs down near Inarajan that points directly to the ocean. Ok, it’s not “ha ha funny”, but I found it amusing.

-If anyone needs a really good hard laugh, take yourself to your local video store and rent Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me as soon as possible. The language may be a little rough for some people, but for 90 minutes I laughed my ass off.

-I was in the grocery yesterday picking up a few things when I noticed something. I didn’t realize that they still made (and still sold) Nighttrain wine. For those of you unfamiliar with it, its wine whose primary market is bums, winos, and alcoholics on a budget. Seriously nasty stuff, like fruit flavored lighter fluid. I didn’t realize there was still a market for it, but apparently there is.

-At the company I work for, the HR department blasts out an email to all hands whenever someone leaves the company, gets fired or just quits. In the last 3 weeks, at least 7 people have left either voluntarily or involuntarily, including my supervisor. Considering the small size of our company, that seems like a lot to me, and it’s a little disconcerting.

-Why is it that almost everyone who owns a Lexus SUV on this island drives it like they’re both drunk and has a learning disability? They all seem to want to drive at least 10 MPH below the already too low speed limit, in the passing lane. None of them seem to feel the need to signal lane changes, wanting those following behind them to just guess what their intentions are. Having money does not necessarily equate to having intelligence.

-I find it odd that I’m a picky eater who enjoys watching Food Network so much. Watching people prepare food that I my own self would never in a million years actually eat. Nigella Lawson (seriously beautiful English woman), Alton Brown (massively cool nerd) and Duff Goldman (politically incorrect baker) are my favorites. Iron Chef America is must-see TV in my house, along with Good Eats. The ones I don’t like are The Barefoot Contessa (too Caucasian), Rachel Ray (too perky and irritating) and Bobby Flay (asshole).

-It’s sad to actually say this, but it’s true. Anyone who does not believe that racism is alive and well here on Guam is blind to it. Even more so, but to a smaller extent, in the company I work for. I will expound on this subject a little more in depth in a future blog.

-The place where I go to wash clothes is a great place to people watch. Nothing like observing people going about a banal, boring, but quite necessary task. Besides, there’s really nothing better to do while you’re washing your drawers if you forgot to bring a book, like I normally do. Every once in a while, there’s also an opportunity to have some interesting conversations as well.

-It might be a good thing that my wife is still in the Philippines. If she saw the condition of our apartment, she would probably kick my ass. I’m not saying it’s horribly filthy dirty, but by Wife Standards, it would not please her. I might have to break out the cleaning supplies and give the place the once-over today.

More later. Breakfast awaits, and I have to shoot at the Boonie Hens again.