“I’m a little tired out but I’m feeling OK, but I got a little lost along the way, and I’m just around the corner from the light of day, just around the corner to the light of day” – Bruce Springsteen
Notes, happenings, and commentary from here at what we affectionately refer to as The Guam Desk.
-+- Incredibly wonderful phone call from The Awesome Daughter this morning. She and her coworkers are currently roaming around Texas on what the Air Force calls a field problem. The Wonder Kid seemed totally upbeat and happy, and I got to hear her laugh a bit, which is always a good thing (if you heard her laugh, you would totally understand). We talked about showers in field conditions, MRE’s (aka Meals Refused by Ethiopians) and other field related things. She also advised me that she would be going on temporary duty to the wilds of Indiana in July, which I believe she’s kind of looking forward to. For the first time ever, she asked about my beloved bride and how she is doing. I’m taking this as that she is being more receptive to my marriage, and think it’s a good sign.
-+- The Gorgeous One is still in the Philippines, still coming back at the end of June. She has had to once again be the peacemaker between one of her brothers and his wife, which ended up in her taking the sister in law to the doctor to get her eye looked at (which we paid for). This brother in question apparently had words with his wife after drinking way too much, and gave her a shiner for her troubles. I found this unusual, because the brother in question is generally pretty mild mannered. I still and always will believe however that there is no excuse for hitting a woman, ever. She’s also been dealing with various drama scenarios with my mother in law lately. It can be said that my bride has patience and wisdom far beyond her years, much more than I do. I will not be happy until she is back here on Guam with me.
-+- I had to take one of the new Japanese managers assigned to my department up to one of the remote sites today, to let her see some things first hand. It was a nice little reason to get out of the office, and I think she understands a few things a little bit better now.
What I find odd is how some of my male coworkers think she’s the hottest thing in the world, in particular one of my Palauan coworkers. Maybe I’m just middle aged and happily married, but I for one don’t see the attraction. The woman is “not hard on the eyes”, as the saying goes, but then again, she is not in possession of overly massive beauty either. Certainly not to the levels that some of my male coworkers feel she is. She’s nice, and I think I can work with her; beyond that, nothing else. Sorry, boys, I just don’t see the attraction.
-+- Friday evening I will once again be participating in the annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life, held at the G.W. High School track. This is a massive event that gets well supported by everyone here on Guam. If it is anything like previous years, we can expect to see around 20,000 people or more out there, lots of BBQ action going on, and people pitching in for a very worthy cause. I will be participating along with several of my coworkers, as the company will have a tent there. It’s a lot of fun, and I look forward to it every year.
-+- Just got home after stopping by the grocery store and buying my Guam Sports Bingo (nee lottery) ticket for the Thursday night draw. I’m not greedy: a million dollars would solve all of my financial problems and I could retire and live well.
-+- Instead of dinner, I’m enjoying a couple of glasses of orange juice instead. Been thinking about it for a couple of hours now, and the first glass went down really well. Ice cold and delicious. Think I’m have me another one, which will make my wife very happy indeed.
That’s about it from here at The Guam Desk, out here in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, where the women are strong, the men good looking, and the children are all above average.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Pop Culture (Such As It Is)
And now it’s once again time to take a look at pop culture from my somewhat weird perspective. Social commentary, as it were, concerning life as we know it here in the Year of Our Lord 2010.
++I took the time the other night to watch an episode of “Glee”, since my daughter and every other female I know under the age of 50 is in love with that show. Now I see why it’s so popular with the women folk, and I must admit, I even enjoyed it slightly.
++Of all the horribly bad commercials on TV, I think that the ones for hotelplanner.com are the worst of the lot. Every time I see those two guys, in their rejected-from-Kmart sweats, I feel the urge to beat the shit out of them, slowly. The best commercial on TV, by far, is the GEICO commercial with Charlie Daniels in it.
++On the subject of commercials, there is one that cracks me up but gets missed by those who are unaware of the connection. There is a commercial for Keystone Light, where an old lady is standing underneath a tree. When asked what is wrong by Keith Stone, the old lady tells him that her kiki is stuck in a tree. Kiki happens to be a very beautiful girl. What is unknown to most people with no Filipino connections is that the word “kiki” is also Tagalog (language of the Philippines) slang for the vagina. When I hear the old lady say that her kiki is stuck in the tree, it makes me laugh. Either she has done something that defies the laws of physics and anatomy, or she’s a lesbian who has hooked up with a woman at least 30 years her junior. Another example of my screwed up sense of humor, maybe.
++The masses here are getting spun up in election mode again, and with it the bullshit that we all have to deal with. Normally I try to ignore all the fuss, but sometimes it’s not possible. The ones I hate the most are the trucks that drive through my neighborhood, blaring their gibberish, with pictures of “Whatever Asshole We Think Should Win” mounted in the back of the truck. A couple of times, I literally had my BB gun in my hand, hoping that a couple of potshots would hurry them on their merry way. I do not want to hear that shit in my apartment, period.
++If you haven’t had a chance to scope it out, check out “America: The Story of Us” on the History Channel. Even if you aren’t a history buff, this is a really well put together series about American history. It has some great special effects, and is extremely well written. This is one of the few things that I think I will actually spend money and buy the entire series on DVD when it comes out. It’s on the same level as Ken Burns “The Civil War” series. Historically correct, addicting as hell, and fun to watch.
++I have been doing a lot of downloading off of YouTube recently, after a friend showed me how to do it. I’ve been on a big Heart and Warren Zevon bender recently, downloading a ton of music videos. If there is anyone out there that wants to learn how to do it, email me or Google it. Pretty simple and a lot of fun.
++Went to the movies on Saturday to check out the new Robin Hood flick. Russell Crowe is really good in it, and so is Cate Blanchett. You would think that, since it was directed by Ridley Scott (who also directed Crowe in The Gladiator) that it would be sort of The Gladiator Part 2 but set in England, but it really isn’t. A very well done action flick that doesn’t overdo it. I especially liked Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian, and the supporting cast is also quite good. A different spin on the legend of Robin Hood than what I expected.
++SLANG PHRASE OF THE WEEK: “Dropping a Deuce”
As in, “I really wish this stupid meeting would end so I can go drop a deuce.”
++I took the time the other night to watch an episode of “Glee”, since my daughter and every other female I know under the age of 50 is in love with that show. Now I see why it’s so popular with the women folk, and I must admit, I even enjoyed it slightly.
++Of all the horribly bad commercials on TV, I think that the ones for hotelplanner.com are the worst of the lot. Every time I see those two guys, in their rejected-from-Kmart sweats, I feel the urge to beat the shit out of them, slowly. The best commercial on TV, by far, is the GEICO commercial with Charlie Daniels in it.
++On the subject of commercials, there is one that cracks me up but gets missed by those who are unaware of the connection. There is a commercial for Keystone Light, where an old lady is standing underneath a tree. When asked what is wrong by Keith Stone, the old lady tells him that her kiki is stuck in a tree. Kiki happens to be a very beautiful girl. What is unknown to most people with no Filipino connections is that the word “kiki” is also Tagalog (language of the Philippines) slang for the vagina. When I hear the old lady say that her kiki is stuck in the tree, it makes me laugh. Either she has done something that defies the laws of physics and anatomy, or she’s a lesbian who has hooked up with a woman at least 30 years her junior. Another example of my screwed up sense of humor, maybe.
++The masses here are getting spun up in election mode again, and with it the bullshit that we all have to deal with. Normally I try to ignore all the fuss, but sometimes it’s not possible. The ones I hate the most are the trucks that drive through my neighborhood, blaring their gibberish, with pictures of “Whatever Asshole We Think Should Win” mounted in the back of the truck. A couple of times, I literally had my BB gun in my hand, hoping that a couple of potshots would hurry them on their merry way. I do not want to hear that shit in my apartment, period.
++If you haven’t had a chance to scope it out, check out “America: The Story of Us” on the History Channel. Even if you aren’t a history buff, this is a really well put together series about American history. It has some great special effects, and is extremely well written. This is one of the few things that I think I will actually spend money and buy the entire series on DVD when it comes out. It’s on the same level as Ken Burns “The Civil War” series. Historically correct, addicting as hell, and fun to watch.
++I have been doing a lot of downloading off of YouTube recently, after a friend showed me how to do it. I’ve been on a big Heart and Warren Zevon bender recently, downloading a ton of music videos. If there is anyone out there that wants to learn how to do it, email me or Google it. Pretty simple and a lot of fun.
++Went to the movies on Saturday to check out the new Robin Hood flick. Russell Crowe is really good in it, and so is Cate Blanchett. You would think that, since it was directed by Ridley Scott (who also directed Crowe in The Gladiator) that it would be sort of The Gladiator Part 2 but set in England, but it really isn’t. A very well done action flick that doesn’t overdo it. I especially liked Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian, and the supporting cast is also quite good. A different spin on the legend of Robin Hood than what I expected.
++SLANG PHRASE OF THE WEEK: “Dropping a Deuce”
As in, “I really wish this stupid meeting would end so I can go drop a deuce.”
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Notes from The Weird Side of Town
I realize that I haven’t written anything in a while about this wonderfully strange thing I like to call “My Life”, so I thought it time to do so.
++ My awesome daughter took the test to become a Staff Sergeant in the US Air Force last week. I know she was stressing about it, and even if she doesn’t make it this time, I’m incredibly proud of her. Every time someone tells her that she can’t do something, she proves them wrong. The kid is simply amazing. A great airman, a doting and devoted mother to my perfect granddaughter, and, most importantly, just a cool human being. She amazes me at every turn, and I consider it an honor that she’s my kid.
++ The Gorgeous One (AKA, my mahal, my asawa, the woman who married me in spite of my faults) and I got some good news last week. We received word from her doctor in Manila that the insurance company had in fact decided that they would pay for my beloved’s medical treatment, and we would pay the deductible. This means that we will pay a total of $140 instead of the nearly $700 that we would have had to pay if they decided not to cover it. I had no idea how we were going to pay for it if they didn’t cover it, so this is a bit of relief to both of us.
++ Financially, I’m kind of strapped right now. Between the rent and the money I had to send to my insanely beautiful wife, I have a total of $35 to live off of for the next two weeks. You would think that I would be stressing about this, but in reality, I’m not. The electricity works, my internet and cable TV work, and there’s plenty of food in the apartment. I’ve been in far worse situations, and I’m not terribly worried about it. Payday is only 10 days away, and that check will cover everything that hasn’t been paid. Life could be a hell of a lot worse.
++ Last week was my week to give training to everyone in my company. Three classes per day for three days, with the classes lasting about 30 minutes. Some people would think this to be a pain in the ass, but I tried to make it enjoyable for everyone, including me. A boring subject (in this case, security) can sometimes be fun if put into a different light, and that’s what I tried to do. Keep things low key, hit all the important points, but keep it from being dull. Throw some jokes around, interact with the people attending, keep it moving but make it fun. From the comments I received from my coworkers (including from the CEO of the company), I think I was able to accomplish that. It has been a while since I did any public speaking or teaching, and for me, it brought back a lot of memories. I enjoyed it immensely.
++ I have tried not to focus on the negative aspects of my job lately, but it gets hard sometimes. While most of the people I work with are cool, there are more than the fair share of assholes and swine that I have to deal with. Mostly, I’ve been just doing what needs to be done, keeping my mouth shut around anyone in “management” (since there are very few leaders in the company I work in, I won’t use that term), and keep my head down. Try to spend as much time as possible at field sites. Tuesdays are usually my “Weekday from Hell”, as I have to sit in a meeting with people I really don’t like. Today was a little different, in that I was able to say my piece and get the hell out relatively quickly. A good thing, since the meeting went on for 5 additional hours after I left, and, as usual, I’m sure nothing got accomplished. To paraphrase Robert E. Lee, “I would rather face a thousand deaths”.
So that’s about it from here. Between working on my book, playing on Facebook, and watching TV, I’m just relaxing and killing time waiting for 8 PM to roll around so I can call the wife and find out what’s happening in the Philippines.
That’s all from Guam, here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where the women are strong, the men good looking, and the children are all above average.
++ My awesome daughter took the test to become a Staff Sergeant in the US Air Force last week. I know she was stressing about it, and even if she doesn’t make it this time, I’m incredibly proud of her. Every time someone tells her that she can’t do something, she proves them wrong. The kid is simply amazing. A great airman, a doting and devoted mother to my perfect granddaughter, and, most importantly, just a cool human being. She amazes me at every turn, and I consider it an honor that she’s my kid.
++ The Gorgeous One (AKA, my mahal, my asawa, the woman who married me in spite of my faults) and I got some good news last week. We received word from her doctor in Manila that the insurance company had in fact decided that they would pay for my beloved’s medical treatment, and we would pay the deductible. This means that we will pay a total of $140 instead of the nearly $700 that we would have had to pay if they decided not to cover it. I had no idea how we were going to pay for it if they didn’t cover it, so this is a bit of relief to both of us.
++ Financially, I’m kind of strapped right now. Between the rent and the money I had to send to my insanely beautiful wife, I have a total of $35 to live off of for the next two weeks. You would think that I would be stressing about this, but in reality, I’m not. The electricity works, my internet and cable TV work, and there’s plenty of food in the apartment. I’ve been in far worse situations, and I’m not terribly worried about it. Payday is only 10 days away, and that check will cover everything that hasn’t been paid. Life could be a hell of a lot worse.
++ Last week was my week to give training to everyone in my company. Three classes per day for three days, with the classes lasting about 30 minutes. Some people would think this to be a pain in the ass, but I tried to make it enjoyable for everyone, including me. A boring subject (in this case, security) can sometimes be fun if put into a different light, and that’s what I tried to do. Keep things low key, hit all the important points, but keep it from being dull. Throw some jokes around, interact with the people attending, keep it moving but make it fun. From the comments I received from my coworkers (including from the CEO of the company), I think I was able to accomplish that. It has been a while since I did any public speaking or teaching, and for me, it brought back a lot of memories. I enjoyed it immensely.
++ I have tried not to focus on the negative aspects of my job lately, but it gets hard sometimes. While most of the people I work with are cool, there are more than the fair share of assholes and swine that I have to deal with. Mostly, I’ve been just doing what needs to be done, keeping my mouth shut around anyone in “management” (since there are very few leaders in the company I work in, I won’t use that term), and keep my head down. Try to spend as much time as possible at field sites. Tuesdays are usually my “Weekday from Hell”, as I have to sit in a meeting with people I really don’t like. Today was a little different, in that I was able to say my piece and get the hell out relatively quickly. A good thing, since the meeting went on for 5 additional hours after I left, and, as usual, I’m sure nothing got accomplished. To paraphrase Robert E. Lee, “I would rather face a thousand deaths”.
So that’s about it from here. Between working on my book, playing on Facebook, and watching TV, I’m just relaxing and killing time waiting for 8 PM to roll around so I can call the wife and find out what’s happening in the Philippines.
That’s all from Guam, here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where the women are strong, the men good looking, and the children are all above average.
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