It’s no huge secret that one of the things that keeps me going on a daily basis is music. There are certain things I could live without, but music isn’t one of them. Like a lot of people, a good song at the appropriate time can change the way you feel about the shit that happens in our lives. You could be having an absolutely horrible day, and then hear something you haven’t heard in a while that just completely changes the focus of though.
Of all the genres of music, one of my favorites is what I refer to as “the story song”. While all music tells a story in it’s own way, the story song actually spells out something, has linearity, and most of the time a definite beginning and end. With that said, here are some of my favorites.
One for My Baby (And One More For the Road) – Frank Sinatra
This is one of those boozy kinds of torch songs that just sucks you in. A guy is talking to a bartender, telling him his woes, accompanied by some understated but great music. He apologizes to the bartender, but then goes on to tell his tale. No vocal explosions, nothing that feels out of place. Probably one of the most perfect songs about a love that has gone wrong and the regrets felt because of it. Forget “My Way”; this is Sinatra at his absolute best.
A Boy Named Sue – Johnny Cash
Cash sang so many songs that told stories that it’s hard to pick out a favorite. Sue is hilarious, but it’s also kind of poignant as well. When Sue finally meets his dad, he wants to kick his ass, and Cash describes the fight in detail. At the end of the encounter, however, he “comes away with a different point of view”. Brilliantly sung and still makes me laugh every time I hear it.
The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald – Gordon Lightfoot
One of the greatest songs about death ever written. Fantastic lyrics, which are helped by Lightfoot’s unusual (but not unpleasant) vocal sound. “Wreck” has a murky, ominous quality about it. While some would argue that the guitar work within the song is overdone or out of place, I think it actually frames everything out quite well.
The River – Bruce Springsteen
Somewhat depressing, but I absolutely love this song. “The Boss” tells a story about how the events in our lives change the focus of our lives, and sometimes not in the way we want the change to occur. “Is a dream alive that won’t come true, or is it something worse?” is one of the coolest lyrics ever written.
Strong Persuader – The Robert Cray Band
A story of adultery, told from the perspective of the guy who instigated it and caused the break up of a couple. Robert Cray is an amazing guitarist, and the solo in this cut is just incredible. It’s not only the story that’s written really well, but just the overall groove of the song, kind of makes you want to bounce a bit. Not many people know about Robert Cray, and if you have never heard him, he’s worth giving a serious listen to.
There are others that I’ve probably forgotten about, but the songs listed above are definitely on my short list.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
The Simple Pleasures
Sometimes, it seems that life its own self is just a little too complicated. Email, smart phones, schedules, priorities, social networking sites. Don’t eat that, it causes cancer. Eat this, it makes your eyesight better and your sexual prowess goes to a higher level.
There are times, I think, when we need to focus our attention on the simple pleasures. Those things that are uncomplicated, easy, painless. They generally don’t require a lot of thought, allowing a person to just put the brain in neutral and drift a little bit outside of the overwhelming flow that modern life in this year of Our Lord 2010 sucks us into.
Reading a Book
Not a Kindle, not an e-book, not a PDF file, and not an audio book in MP3. A genuine bound book made of paper. A book, even a paperback, has weight, bulk. You know you have something real, something tangible, in your hands. The simple act of picking up a bound book, finding a comfortable place to kick back, turn some pages, and escape into another world. Letting the words of the author paint a picture in your mind. I’m a big fan of reading, and have been since I was in my early 20’s. The nice thing about books is you can read one, put it down for a couple of years, then go back and reread it again, and most of the time the words will refresh themselves in your brain.
Junk Food
There is comfort in things that are familiar and not necessarily good for us. Sometimes they bring back a memory of times past. Other times, they’re just a simple indulgence, something almost but not quite naughty. My wife and I are big fans of Little Debbie Fudge Brownies, which are our go-to junk at the moment.
Taking a Shit/Defecation (also known as “Dropping a Deuce”)
Big fan of this particular natural act. One of the things I used to LOVE doing was to sit on the toilet, drop some social commentary, read the newspaper and smoke. Since my wife banned smoking in our apartment, I cannot do this anymore. Still, for a few moments you’re by yourself, contemplating thoughts deep or trivial. That and the fact that it feels really good to “drop some kids off at the pool.”
Music in the Car
A great song comes on the radio, and suddenly you feel the need to sing along. Even if the noise coming out of your face is horrible to most people and small animals, you enjoy it. Jamming down the road, you can feel your heart getting lighter, like all of your troubles have disappeared, if only for a few brief moments. This morning as I passed by Hagatna Bay, me and Bruce Springsteen were deeply involved in “Thunder Road”.
The Laughter of Loved Ones
All three women in my life (my insanely cool daughter, my wife, and my grand daughter) all have really incredible laughs. When they laugh, it’s like music to me, especially if I am the cause of the laughter. My daughter’s laughter is like the best drug ever made.
These are all simple things that really don’t mean a hell of a lot in the overall scheme of life, but I think it’s the simple things that give each of us a place to go to when the world is going insane and/or shitting all over us. We should enjoy these things for what they are and take stock in them every now and then.
There are times, I think, when we need to focus our attention on the simple pleasures. Those things that are uncomplicated, easy, painless. They generally don’t require a lot of thought, allowing a person to just put the brain in neutral and drift a little bit outside of the overwhelming flow that modern life in this year of Our Lord 2010 sucks us into.
Reading a Book
Not a Kindle, not an e-book, not a PDF file, and not an audio book in MP3. A genuine bound book made of paper. A book, even a paperback, has weight, bulk. You know you have something real, something tangible, in your hands. The simple act of picking up a bound book, finding a comfortable place to kick back, turn some pages, and escape into another world. Letting the words of the author paint a picture in your mind. I’m a big fan of reading, and have been since I was in my early 20’s. The nice thing about books is you can read one, put it down for a couple of years, then go back and reread it again, and most of the time the words will refresh themselves in your brain.
Junk Food
There is comfort in things that are familiar and not necessarily good for us. Sometimes they bring back a memory of times past. Other times, they’re just a simple indulgence, something almost but not quite naughty. My wife and I are big fans of Little Debbie Fudge Brownies, which are our go-to junk at the moment.
Taking a Shit/Defecation (also known as “Dropping a Deuce”)
Big fan of this particular natural act. One of the things I used to LOVE doing was to sit on the toilet, drop some social commentary, read the newspaper and smoke. Since my wife banned smoking in our apartment, I cannot do this anymore. Still, for a few moments you’re by yourself, contemplating thoughts deep or trivial. That and the fact that it feels really good to “drop some kids off at the pool.”
Music in the Car
A great song comes on the radio, and suddenly you feel the need to sing along. Even if the noise coming out of your face is horrible to most people and small animals, you enjoy it. Jamming down the road, you can feel your heart getting lighter, like all of your troubles have disappeared, if only for a few brief moments. This morning as I passed by Hagatna Bay, me and Bruce Springsteen were deeply involved in “Thunder Road”.
The Laughter of Loved Ones
All three women in my life (my insanely cool daughter, my wife, and my grand daughter) all have really incredible laughs. When they laugh, it’s like music to me, especially if I am the cause of the laughter. My daughter’s laughter is like the best drug ever made.
These are all simple things that really don’t mean a hell of a lot in the overall scheme of life, but I think it’s the simple things that give each of us a place to go to when the world is going insane and/or shitting all over us. We should enjoy these things for what they are and take stock in them every now and then.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Thursday Notes from The Guam Desk
Some notes on this rainy Thursday evening from here at the Guam Desk.
Early this morning, I was at one of the sites I work at taking care of some wiring and maintenance. It’s an apartment building, and our site happens to be on the 11th floor of this building. As I was riding the elevator back downstairs, a Korean woman got on with a yellow Lab puppy that was maybe 6 months old. The dog was on a leash, but it was acting up a bit, anxious to get outside and take its morning constitutional (meaning dump). The woman kept telling the dog “Sit, sit” in Korean, but the dog wasn’t having any of it. I asked the woman, in Korean, if her dog understood Korean. She told me, “He’s bilingual”. For some reason, this struck me as being pretty funny.
++++++++++
I would like to personally thank the Government of Guam, or whoever is responsible for the roadways here on this lovely island, for all the work that is currently underway to do whatever the hell it is that they are doing on the roads. I just wish that you bastards would have thought a little about scheduling. There are currently at least 5 different major projects going on that affect 4 of the major roads here, and each of these projects has turned travel on Guam into one big pain in the ass. The nightmare’s in Barrigada and Sinajana have been particularly annoying to me of late, as I have been doing a lot of work in these areas.
++++++++++
Speaking of GovGuam, the wife and I had a chance to spend some time with the good folks out at the Guam Public Health and Human Services building recently. Now I’ve been around government buildings pretty much my entire adult life, but I can honestly say I’ve never been at a place where you can actually feel the hopelessness as you can at this building. The place just reeks of doom and despair, for some strange reason.
++++++++++
I don’t know about anyone else, but I for one will be glad when election season is finally over. You can’t drive 100 feet on this isle without being inundated with all of the posters and road signs. It has gotten to the point where it’s more or less a blight on the landscape, especially the Calvo-Tenorio signs. The damn things are everywhere.
++++++++++
Generally, I like rainstorms, and I’m particularly fond of thunderstorms. We’ve had some doozies lately, though. I was driving around the southern end of the island the other day, and it rained so hard so fast that I literally had to pull over to the side of the road and wait it out.
++++++++++
That’s pretty much it from here on Guam, where the muumuus are large, the men good looking, and the children are all above average.
Early this morning, I was at one of the sites I work at taking care of some wiring and maintenance. It’s an apartment building, and our site happens to be on the 11th floor of this building. As I was riding the elevator back downstairs, a Korean woman got on with a yellow Lab puppy that was maybe 6 months old. The dog was on a leash, but it was acting up a bit, anxious to get outside and take its morning constitutional (meaning dump). The woman kept telling the dog “Sit, sit” in Korean, but the dog wasn’t having any of it. I asked the woman, in Korean, if her dog understood Korean. She told me, “He’s bilingual”. For some reason, this struck me as being pretty funny.
++++++++++
I would like to personally thank the Government of Guam, or whoever is responsible for the roadways here on this lovely island, for all the work that is currently underway to do whatever the hell it is that they are doing on the roads. I just wish that you bastards would have thought a little about scheduling. There are currently at least 5 different major projects going on that affect 4 of the major roads here, and each of these projects has turned travel on Guam into one big pain in the ass. The nightmare’s in Barrigada and Sinajana have been particularly annoying to me of late, as I have been doing a lot of work in these areas.
++++++++++
Speaking of GovGuam, the wife and I had a chance to spend some time with the good folks out at the Guam Public Health and Human Services building recently. Now I’ve been around government buildings pretty much my entire adult life, but I can honestly say I’ve never been at a place where you can actually feel the hopelessness as you can at this building. The place just reeks of doom and despair, for some strange reason.
++++++++++
I don’t know about anyone else, but I for one will be glad when election season is finally over. You can’t drive 100 feet on this isle without being inundated with all of the posters and road signs. It has gotten to the point where it’s more or less a blight on the landscape, especially the Calvo-Tenorio signs. The damn things are everywhere.
++++++++++
Generally, I like rainstorms, and I’m particularly fond of thunderstorms. We’ve had some doozies lately, though. I was driving around the southern end of the island the other day, and it rained so hard so fast that I literally had to pull over to the side of the road and wait it out.
++++++++++
That’s pretty much it from here on Guam, where the muumuus are large, the men good looking, and the children are all above average.
The Lottery Pipedream - Revisited
I think we all have these little “what if I won the lottery” scenarios running through our brains at one time or another. Our minds toy with the possibility of winning millions of dollars, and what we would do with the lucre once we laid our hot little hands on them. This is my personal pipedream.
I find out that we won, say, $6 million. I tell not one living soul other than my bride about our windfall. As soon as the money is in our hands (so to speak) we start making plans to leave Guam. I quietly turn in my resignation at work, telling them that I have found other employment. The wife quits her job, phoning in her resignation.
Within 48 hours, all of the stuff we want to keep is on its way to the Philippines, the apartment is given back over to the building manager (with two month’s rent paid for their trouble), and the car is given to one of my friends to do with as he sees fit. We fly into Manila, spend the night in a very nice hotel, then head out into the provinces not very far from my in-laws. We tell the in-laws that I have taken early retirement from work, and have come to settle down in the place we both plan on staying for the rest of our lives.
The wife and I start the process of finding a modest but comfortable place to build our retirement home. I will have very little input in this process other than location. Knowing my bride as well as I do, I know that whatever decisions she makes about the house will be fine with me. Close enough so that family and friends can easily come visit; far enough away so that they are not in our faces all the time. We like our privacy as well. My only requirement would be for an individual office, a “mans room” where I could hang out in when I need some alone time.
Since she’s not up on long plane flights, I then depart for a couple of weeks, headed for the US mainland. First stop, Texas, where I spend a week with my daughter, her husband, and The Princess (aka, The Granddaughter). Arrangements are made to purchase a home for them along with a couple of new cars, and a trust fund is set up for The Princess so that she can attend the college of her choice once she is of age. After Texas, various other relatives are visited; mortgages are paid off, debts are settled.
The ex-wife is contacted, and a deal is made concerning spousal support. She gets 10 years in advance, cash, and that ends that, financially speaking. She then has enough cash to do whatever she wants to do with the rest of her life.
A quick stop in Portland to see some friends, and then it’s back to the PI. By this time, the Bride has the construction of the house well underway, and we go about looking for something to occupy our time. Starting a restaurant has always been something I have wanted to do, so we start looking around for a good location for that. We also consider starting up our own Jeepney service and other business ventures, just to give us something to do so that we don’t get bored. These businesses would also supply employment for some of the in-laws.
More college educations are paid for, but nothing too crazy or overly flashy. The wife and I quietly fade into our existence, spending time with family and developing some businesses. I take occasional trips to the US to visit with family, maybe a couple of times a year. I also finally get time to concentrate on finishing the book that I know resides inside me.
The key to all of this is to not be flashy with the new wealth. Just live modestly but comfortably, taking care of those we care about. Maybe do some charitable work, but again, not so that we are in the spotlight.
Granted, this is just a fantasy or a dream, but I figure it’s a nice dream to have.
I find out that we won, say, $6 million. I tell not one living soul other than my bride about our windfall. As soon as the money is in our hands (so to speak) we start making plans to leave Guam. I quietly turn in my resignation at work, telling them that I have found other employment. The wife quits her job, phoning in her resignation.
Within 48 hours, all of the stuff we want to keep is on its way to the Philippines, the apartment is given back over to the building manager (with two month’s rent paid for their trouble), and the car is given to one of my friends to do with as he sees fit. We fly into Manila, spend the night in a very nice hotel, then head out into the provinces not very far from my in-laws. We tell the in-laws that I have taken early retirement from work, and have come to settle down in the place we both plan on staying for the rest of our lives.
The wife and I start the process of finding a modest but comfortable place to build our retirement home. I will have very little input in this process other than location. Knowing my bride as well as I do, I know that whatever decisions she makes about the house will be fine with me. Close enough so that family and friends can easily come visit; far enough away so that they are not in our faces all the time. We like our privacy as well. My only requirement would be for an individual office, a “mans room” where I could hang out in when I need some alone time.
Since she’s not up on long plane flights, I then depart for a couple of weeks, headed for the US mainland. First stop, Texas, where I spend a week with my daughter, her husband, and The Princess (aka, The Granddaughter). Arrangements are made to purchase a home for them along with a couple of new cars, and a trust fund is set up for The Princess so that she can attend the college of her choice once she is of age. After Texas, various other relatives are visited; mortgages are paid off, debts are settled.
The ex-wife is contacted, and a deal is made concerning spousal support. She gets 10 years in advance, cash, and that ends that, financially speaking. She then has enough cash to do whatever she wants to do with the rest of her life.
A quick stop in Portland to see some friends, and then it’s back to the PI. By this time, the Bride has the construction of the house well underway, and we go about looking for something to occupy our time. Starting a restaurant has always been something I have wanted to do, so we start looking around for a good location for that. We also consider starting up our own Jeepney service and other business ventures, just to give us something to do so that we don’t get bored. These businesses would also supply employment for some of the in-laws.
More college educations are paid for, but nothing too crazy or overly flashy. The wife and I quietly fade into our existence, spending time with family and developing some businesses. I take occasional trips to the US to visit with family, maybe a couple of times a year. I also finally get time to concentrate on finishing the book that I know resides inside me.
The key to all of this is to not be flashy with the new wealth. Just live modestly but comfortably, taking care of those we care about. Maybe do some charitable work, but again, not so that we are in the spotlight.
Granted, this is just a fantasy or a dream, but I figure it’s a nice dream to have.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Time once again for a large heaping dose of my personal gibberish, sponsored by Marlboro and Maxwell House Coffee.
+ = +
My vote for “Biggest Asshole in Media” has once again swung. For a long time, I believed that Sarah Palin was one of the most irritating people to ever draw breath. No more, kidlings. Now, beyond a shadow of a doubt, Glenn Beck has now replaced Sarah Palin as far as levels of assholish behavior are concerned. At least with Palin, I could always go to my sexist side and think, “Well, she’s a retarded bitch, but I would still have sex with her if I had a chance.” With Beck, there are no options, no “He’s an asshole but he does have this one redeeming quality, so I’ll let him slide.” I would personally love to see Beck get his ass kicked on national television. Now that’s reality TV at its finest.
= + =
Recently on my Facebook page, I posted links to two videos of two bands doing the same exact song. The first was a video of U2 doing a cover of “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, which I followed with a video of The Who doing the exact same song. There are very few, if any, bands that can surpass the original when it comes to great rock compositions, and this comparison is a case in point. Other than The Edge, who is a great and sorely underrated guitarist, the U2 cover blew chunks. I personally thought that Bono should have had the shit kicked out of him for the travesty he made of the song. The rest of the band seemed to be phoning it in as well. The bottom line is this for bands who wish to cover rock and roll classics; make an effort when doing so or don’t even attempt it.
+ = +
This is from the “What Goes Around, Comes Around” Department. For years, I used to punk on people who were addicted to their smart cellular phones. Used to make smart-assed remarks about them, give them a lot of shit when I would see them hunkered down around their phone doing things. I even made comments like “I would only want one of those things if it gave me hot coffee and a blowjob”.
I’ve now had a Blackberry Bold for the better part of a month at the insistence of my boss, and can now understand the attraction. Not only can I check email while sitting on the toilet, it has a ton of other features that I really like. The video camera is first rate for what I would use a video camera for, and I especially like the little voice recorder where I can record notes for later use. It also has a lot of other things that I really love, like the games. For all of you who I used to give shit to for their smart phones, I’m sorry. I’m now one of you. As far as the “hot coffee and blowjob” scenario is concerned, I think that will be in the next generation Iphone.
= + =
And now a look at what I like to call “Completely Retarded Behavior”.
I work for a company that has roughly 250 employees. Every once in a while, if someone gets promoted or there is a policy that The Powers That Are want to put out, an email gets sent out to every employee telling them about it. I have no problem with that because it’s a great way to get information out in a hurry.
What I DO have a problem with are those people who feel that they must share their opinions, however absurd, with everyone in the company. They’ll do a Reply All to the email and spout their bullshit or congratulate whoever got promoted. To me, this just seems like ass-kissing the management, letting them know that they are In The Know.
It would be better if, once they found out someone got promoted, to send that person an email letting the person who got promoted how they feel, instead of the ENTIRE COMPANY. Or, do what I did and find the person and tell them face to face what I thought. It’s a sad thing when people with obviously room temperature IQ’s have access to computer equipment.
+ = +
There should be a rule that, if your waist measurements are larger than your height, you should not be able to purchase fast food, period.
As Dr. Hunter S. Thompson said, “That is all Ye Know and all Ye Need to Know”.
+ = +
My vote for “Biggest Asshole in Media” has once again swung. For a long time, I believed that Sarah Palin was one of the most irritating people to ever draw breath. No more, kidlings. Now, beyond a shadow of a doubt, Glenn Beck has now replaced Sarah Palin as far as levels of assholish behavior are concerned. At least with Palin, I could always go to my sexist side and think, “Well, she’s a retarded bitch, but I would still have sex with her if I had a chance.” With Beck, there are no options, no “He’s an asshole but he does have this one redeeming quality, so I’ll let him slide.” I would personally love to see Beck get his ass kicked on national television. Now that’s reality TV at its finest.
= + =
Recently on my Facebook page, I posted links to two videos of two bands doing the same exact song. The first was a video of U2 doing a cover of “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, which I followed with a video of The Who doing the exact same song. There are very few, if any, bands that can surpass the original when it comes to great rock compositions, and this comparison is a case in point. Other than The Edge, who is a great and sorely underrated guitarist, the U2 cover blew chunks. I personally thought that Bono should have had the shit kicked out of him for the travesty he made of the song. The rest of the band seemed to be phoning it in as well. The bottom line is this for bands who wish to cover rock and roll classics; make an effort when doing so or don’t even attempt it.
+ = +
This is from the “What Goes Around, Comes Around” Department. For years, I used to punk on people who were addicted to their smart cellular phones. Used to make smart-assed remarks about them, give them a lot of shit when I would see them hunkered down around their phone doing things. I even made comments like “I would only want one of those things if it gave me hot coffee and a blowjob”.
I’ve now had a Blackberry Bold for the better part of a month at the insistence of my boss, and can now understand the attraction. Not only can I check email while sitting on the toilet, it has a ton of other features that I really like. The video camera is first rate for what I would use a video camera for, and I especially like the little voice recorder where I can record notes for later use. It also has a lot of other things that I really love, like the games. For all of you who I used to give shit to for their smart phones, I’m sorry. I’m now one of you. As far as the “hot coffee and blowjob” scenario is concerned, I think that will be in the next generation Iphone.
= + =
And now a look at what I like to call “Completely Retarded Behavior”.
I work for a company that has roughly 250 employees. Every once in a while, if someone gets promoted or there is a policy that The Powers That Are want to put out, an email gets sent out to every employee telling them about it. I have no problem with that because it’s a great way to get information out in a hurry.
What I DO have a problem with are those people who feel that they must share their opinions, however absurd, with everyone in the company. They’ll do a Reply All to the email and spout their bullshit or congratulate whoever got promoted. To me, this just seems like ass-kissing the management, letting them know that they are In The Know.
It would be better if, once they found out someone got promoted, to send that person an email letting the person who got promoted how they feel, instead of the ENTIRE COMPANY. Or, do what I did and find the person and tell them face to face what I thought. It’s a sad thing when people with obviously room temperature IQ’s have access to computer equipment.
+ = +
There should be a rule that, if your waist measurements are larger than your height, you should not be able to purchase fast food, period.
As Dr. Hunter S. Thompson said, “That is all Ye Know and all Ye Need to Know”.
Monday Notes from The Guam Desk
Been a while since I’ve posted an update from the Guam Desk, so I thought it was once again time to update all on this wonderful thing we like to call “My Life”.
+++ As is usually the case, there are times when the simplest of plans get seriously screwed up and turn into something that you really don’t expect. This is what happened on Saturday afternoon. The Gorgeous One and I had planned on dropping by her aunt’s house to drop off a couple of things, then head back home. The plan was to stay no longer than 30 minutes or so, hit the grocery store and go home. As soon as we arrived, this plan was immediately thrown out the window, as the aunt wanted to cook spaghetti for everyone, and drafted The Bride to make the sauce. Four hours later, we finally left for the house. She could tell that I was getting just a wee bit bored, because while she and her relatives were talking, I basically had nothing to do. Fortunately, the Blackberry has some pretty cool games on it, so I spent the time doing that.
+++ The Gorgeous One and I spent most of Sunday afternoon playing on the computer at home, with me trying to teach her a few things. My wife, who is one of the smartest people I have ever met, has next to no experience with PC’s, so I am trying to bring her up to speed a little bit. We built her Facebook account, and I think the next step in the whole process is teaching her how to do basic word processing.
+++ Speaking of educating the wife, we had another opportunity last night. I am one of the few Protestants that my wife has ever known, so she has almost zero knowledge about Protestants in general. Part of this is my own fault, in that I rarely partake of Communion during church services. Since we have known each other, I have never done Communion at a Catholic Mass. Last night, I felt the need to take Communion. Afterwards, The Gorgeous One asked me if I was baptized Catholic, knowing that I wasn’t. I had to explain that Protestants also do Communion, just not as often as Catholics do, which is at every single Mass. I explained to her that every Protestant church I have ever attended does Communion on average about once a month. One of these days I’m gonna take her to the Lutheran church down the street and have her sit through a non-Catholic service just so she understands it a little better.
+++ I had a pretty good talk with a new friend the other night, and it seems that there may be some new opportunities coming my way in the near future. I’m not going to hold my breath in anticipation, but when I left our little conversation, I felt really good about what the future has in store. More on that later if shit actually happens.
+++ The Bride and I also had to deal with a part of the Government of Guam today, and if anyone ever gets the opportunity to do that, don’t. The place we had to go to was called the Bureau of Vital Statistics and Public Health, and I have to say that it’s a pretty bleak place. Not a lot of happiness in that particular building, especially amongst the employees. She needed a health certificate for her new employer, and we got the usual bullshit runaround when dealing with GovGuam, with a large dose of filing fees thrown on as well.
+++ Another tourist drowned near the reef recently, very close to the place where the wife used to work. What the hell a 69 year old woman was doing out near the reef at 11 PM is beyond me. We usually lose a couple of tourists a year to drowning, because they end up doing something stupid like ignoring the bad currents out near the reef. That or they think they are far, far better swimmers than is actually the case.
That is all ye know & all ye need to know for now from here at the Guam Desk, where the women are strong, the men good looking, and the children are all above average.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
Theodore Roosevelt
+++ As is usually the case, there are times when the simplest of plans get seriously screwed up and turn into something that you really don’t expect. This is what happened on Saturday afternoon. The Gorgeous One and I had planned on dropping by her aunt’s house to drop off a couple of things, then head back home. The plan was to stay no longer than 30 minutes or so, hit the grocery store and go home. As soon as we arrived, this plan was immediately thrown out the window, as the aunt wanted to cook spaghetti for everyone, and drafted The Bride to make the sauce. Four hours later, we finally left for the house. She could tell that I was getting just a wee bit bored, because while she and her relatives were talking, I basically had nothing to do. Fortunately, the Blackberry has some pretty cool games on it, so I spent the time doing that.
+++ The Gorgeous One and I spent most of Sunday afternoon playing on the computer at home, with me trying to teach her a few things. My wife, who is one of the smartest people I have ever met, has next to no experience with PC’s, so I am trying to bring her up to speed a little bit. We built her Facebook account, and I think the next step in the whole process is teaching her how to do basic word processing.
+++ Speaking of educating the wife, we had another opportunity last night. I am one of the few Protestants that my wife has ever known, so she has almost zero knowledge about Protestants in general. Part of this is my own fault, in that I rarely partake of Communion during church services. Since we have known each other, I have never done Communion at a Catholic Mass. Last night, I felt the need to take Communion. Afterwards, The Gorgeous One asked me if I was baptized Catholic, knowing that I wasn’t. I had to explain that Protestants also do Communion, just not as often as Catholics do, which is at every single Mass. I explained to her that every Protestant church I have ever attended does Communion on average about once a month. One of these days I’m gonna take her to the Lutheran church down the street and have her sit through a non-Catholic service just so she understands it a little better.
+++ I had a pretty good talk with a new friend the other night, and it seems that there may be some new opportunities coming my way in the near future. I’m not going to hold my breath in anticipation, but when I left our little conversation, I felt really good about what the future has in store. More on that later if shit actually happens.
+++ The Bride and I also had to deal with a part of the Government of Guam today, and if anyone ever gets the opportunity to do that, don’t. The place we had to go to was called the Bureau of Vital Statistics and Public Health, and I have to say that it’s a pretty bleak place. Not a lot of happiness in that particular building, especially amongst the employees. She needed a health certificate for her new employer, and we got the usual bullshit runaround when dealing with GovGuam, with a large dose of filing fees thrown on as well.
+++ Another tourist drowned near the reef recently, very close to the place where the wife used to work. What the hell a 69 year old woman was doing out near the reef at 11 PM is beyond me. We usually lose a couple of tourists a year to drowning, because they end up doing something stupid like ignoring the bad currents out near the reef. That or they think they are far, far better swimmers than is actually the case.
That is all ye know & all ye need to know for now from here at the Guam Desk, where the women are strong, the men good looking, and the children are all above average.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
Theodore Roosevelt
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Liberation Day, Meat Sickness and Random Shizz
Brief notes on topics that are on my mind……
Body Odor
Got on an elevator the other day with a woman who was clearly having BO issues. We were the only ones in the elevator, & even though I was on the other side of the car, I could clearly smell her nasty ass. Granted, she was dressed fairly well, but that didn’t hide the fact that she reeked. It’s even worse when it’s woman, because my experience with most women is that they don’t have the same problem with BO as men. This woman was clearly having some hygiene issues.
Do people who suffer from excess body odor know that they suffer this affliction? Have some of them not heard about these products known as soap or deodorant, perfume? As the late comedian Red Fox once said, “Ya gots to wash your ass.”
Then there is the other end of the spectrum. The wife and I were in the grocery store the other day, and there was an older lady pushing a cart around who you could also see the fumes coming off of. This foul odor, however, was caused by the fact that it smelled like she had poured a liter of very cheap perfume all over herself. The kind of perfume that young girls sometimes wear when they hit a certain age and discover makeup and other womanly products. You could sense her presence an isle away, almost feel the smell coming off of her. Horrible, horrible. I love the smell of perfume on a woman, but there is such a thing as too much. When The Gorgeous One wears perfume, there is just a hint of it, and it drives me insane, but in a good way. Makes me want to touch her a lot, hold her in my arms and just take in all of the sensations, the good smell, the soft skin, the entire wonderful package.
Liberation Day
Tomorrow is Liberation Day here on Guam. For those of you who are not familiar with it, it’s a holiday where we celebrate the liberation of Guam from the Japanese during World War II. This year marks the 66th anniversary of the liberation of the island. LD is the biggest holiday on Guam, without any doubt. There is a huge parade through Hagatna, the carnival is in full swing at Chamorro Village, and there will be fireworks. People generally camp out on the parade route starting tonight, and there is a lot of BBQ and beer involved. It’s generally a really good time, even if all you do is just walk around and people watch. Since The Gorgeous One and I live less than 50 meters from the parade route, we’ll probably do what we did last year, which was go watch a little of the parade, then head home and hang out. I just came back from Hagatna, and the insanity has already started.
Burnt Meat
Speaking of BBQ, the wife and I had the opportunity to spend Saturday evening at her aunt’s house in Yigo (northern end of the island), where they were celebrating a birthday. Two of the people involved are professional cooks, and there was a lot of awesome BBQ ribs, both pork and beef, involved, as well as a ton of other food. I ate so much that it didn’t take long before I was suffering the ill affects of Meat Sickness. That feeling where you have eaten so much and don’t feel like doing anything that remotely involves movement. So full that your pants don’t fit well, and you hope that by taking a shit it will relieve some of the pressure. Consequently, we ended up taking some leftovers home, and they were almost as good the next day fresh from the microwave.
Employment
It turns out that The Gorgeous One has found some employment, at least part time, and has to go to a meeting next week. The notification came a couple of hours ago, and my mahal seems happy about it. She will be working with her cousin and the job itself is nothing that she can’t handle. I’m happy for her, because she is slowing going insane at home with nothing to do. She’s like me in that neither one of us tolerates boredom very well.
Have a Happy Liberation Day everyone!
Body Odor
Got on an elevator the other day with a woman who was clearly having BO issues. We were the only ones in the elevator, & even though I was on the other side of the car, I could clearly smell her nasty ass. Granted, she was dressed fairly well, but that didn’t hide the fact that she reeked. It’s even worse when it’s woman, because my experience with most women is that they don’t have the same problem with BO as men. This woman was clearly having some hygiene issues.
Do people who suffer from excess body odor know that they suffer this affliction? Have some of them not heard about these products known as soap or deodorant, perfume? As the late comedian Red Fox once said, “Ya gots to wash your ass.”
Then there is the other end of the spectrum. The wife and I were in the grocery store the other day, and there was an older lady pushing a cart around who you could also see the fumes coming off of. This foul odor, however, was caused by the fact that it smelled like she had poured a liter of very cheap perfume all over herself. The kind of perfume that young girls sometimes wear when they hit a certain age and discover makeup and other womanly products. You could sense her presence an isle away, almost feel the smell coming off of her. Horrible, horrible. I love the smell of perfume on a woman, but there is such a thing as too much. When The Gorgeous One wears perfume, there is just a hint of it, and it drives me insane, but in a good way. Makes me want to touch her a lot, hold her in my arms and just take in all of the sensations, the good smell, the soft skin, the entire wonderful package.
Liberation Day
Tomorrow is Liberation Day here on Guam. For those of you who are not familiar with it, it’s a holiday where we celebrate the liberation of Guam from the Japanese during World War II. This year marks the 66th anniversary of the liberation of the island. LD is the biggest holiday on Guam, without any doubt. There is a huge parade through Hagatna, the carnival is in full swing at Chamorro Village, and there will be fireworks. People generally camp out on the parade route starting tonight, and there is a lot of BBQ and beer involved. It’s generally a really good time, even if all you do is just walk around and people watch. Since The Gorgeous One and I live less than 50 meters from the parade route, we’ll probably do what we did last year, which was go watch a little of the parade, then head home and hang out. I just came back from Hagatna, and the insanity has already started.
Burnt Meat
Speaking of BBQ, the wife and I had the opportunity to spend Saturday evening at her aunt’s house in Yigo (northern end of the island), where they were celebrating a birthday. Two of the people involved are professional cooks, and there was a lot of awesome BBQ ribs, both pork and beef, involved, as well as a ton of other food. I ate so much that it didn’t take long before I was suffering the ill affects of Meat Sickness. That feeling where you have eaten so much and don’t feel like doing anything that remotely involves movement. So full that your pants don’t fit well, and you hope that by taking a shit it will relieve some of the pressure. Consequently, we ended up taking some leftovers home, and they were almost as good the next day fresh from the microwave.
Employment
It turns out that The Gorgeous One has found some employment, at least part time, and has to go to a meeting next week. The notification came a couple of hours ago, and my mahal seems happy about it. She will be working with her cousin and the job itself is nothing that she can’t handle. I’m happy for her, because she is slowing going insane at home with nothing to do. She’s like me in that neither one of us tolerates boredom very well.
Have a Happy Liberation Day everyone!
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