Sometimes things don't work out as you thought they would.
The last time I bid on a job in 2013, it took me 7 months to find a position. During that 7 months, I was a complete mess. Lovely Little Girl felt the tension and it caused more anxiety for her. Lovely English Lass was my support, but it was hard on her as well. (One of LLG's teachers said "It would help ease her anxiety if we could tell her where she'll live next year." LEL responded, "It would help ease mine too!") When we found Buenos Aires open, it looked like a life-line.
However, one of the more difficult things you have to do when you have a child with a CLASS 2 medical clearance is that you have to start your research into your next post very early. You have to find a school that can accept your child, has the proper therapies for them, and is a good fit. Added into this is that I am still rated as a fair-share bidder, meaning I have to bid on places that are rated as having a 15% hardship rating, or more. Most of those posts do not have sufficient schools or resources to help LLG, or Crazy Little Man for that matter. So we have to find the places that can. The problem is that MANY people in the same boat as us are bidding on those same jobs. Plus, the person in the job can extend, which many do. You see the problem?
Well, I looked at the proposed bid list for 2017, when we are scheduled to leave Buenos Aires, and saw numerous posts that fit with what we need for CLM and LLG. However, none of these are Hardship posts, and without doing a hardship post I probably wasn't going to get these jobs. I had to take a look at what I was going to do, and how it would affect my family.
One of the things I could do is curtail from my assignment here in Buenos Aires and take a one-year assignment in a hardship post by myself. This is what I've done. We will be leaving here next summer (2016) and I will go to Karachi for a year. As you can imagine, this was not an easy decision, as I certainly don't want to be away from my family for a year. Sadly, that's the new nature of the Department of State. You sometimes have to go places without your family. We told the kids that the Department had a job that they asked me to do, and I wanted to do it to serve my country. They've handled it well so far, but I'm sure it'll get more difficult as we get closer to the date. LEL and the kids will be in the States, so at least the children will get to live "at home" for a year before we head out again.
Before someone says it, yes, I know the Military has to deal with this all the time. I'm not comparing my situation to that at all for one simple reason: DoD is much better equipped to support something like this. DOS doesn't have the support system that DoD has to handle deployments away from dependents. (Base privileges, counselors, etc.) The Department has been trying to establish that sort of system since we've moved into "Expeditionary Diplomacy" and more and more officers have to do tours away from their families. Sadly it's still a work in progress.
Look, I'm not going to say woe is me on this. I chose this lifestyle and it's one that for the most part I enjoy. I meet new folks, see new places and get to experience the world with my family. Before my kids are 10, they will have lived or visited at least 8 countries. Know how many I got to see before I was 10? One. The one I was born in. I never got to go on an actual safari, or see the Andes Mountains or visit Scotland or England. Heck, I still haven't been to Boston yet. (Although LEL has, I might add.) My son speaks Spanish better than many High School students in the States, and has given flowers to a Secretary of State. Not a bad life, actually.
I want to thank all of my friends and family for their support on this. It's not going to be easy (probably easier for me than for LEL) but I know this is the right thing to do. I'll keep you updated on what happens next.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Monday, September 14, 2015
MILB: "Passin' Me By" by The Pharcyde
Sometimes there is a song that just gets lost in the shuffle, or a group that's passed over even though they were so much better than those who made it bigger. How is it that The Pharcyde didn't go on to be one of the best hip-hop cliques in the world? "Ya Mama" was an absolute gem, full of witty insults that should have taken the world by storm. The video for "Drop" directed by Spike Jonze is awesome and features Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys in it, along with a sample of him saying, "mmm, DROP" over and over. However, the song I'm here to talk about today is "Passin' Me By".
Released in March of 1993, it's a awesome mix of jazz, hip-hop and even a little rock thrown in. The samples are from Quincy Jones, The Weather Report and a guitar riff that can only be Jimi. The mix, along with the storytelling keep it interesting and strangely up to date in the sound. You could put this song on the radio today and I think it'd be a hit.
Lyrically, it's the story of unrequited love. (And since I've already talked numerous times about my numerous encounters with unrequited love, I think you can understand why I dig this song so much.) The song is the four MCs (Bootie Brown, Slimkid3, Imani and Fatlip) all talking about how they've fallen for different girls, but the girls keep passing them by. (Hence the name of the song.) This is a very old formula, and one that has been mined significantly in music history, especially recent music history. Heck, "Happy Together" by The Turtles is just about this sort of thing. However, this was one of the first times it appeared in Hip-Hop.
Each story is different, with the outcome the same in all four scenarios. Bootie Brown talks about being in love with his teacher, who was married, and he had to give up on it. First crushes can be brutal, and every one alive has had that same feeling, so this one is universal. Imani talks about his crush, but realizes that letting her get away will probably make him a better person in the end. Slimkid3 discusses this girl he's friends with and has a crush on that he thinks likes him, but that she in the end doesn't. Hey, the friend zone sucks, but sometimes that's the way it is. Everyone, I think, can understand that. You get close to someone and you think that maybe you have a chance, but it turns out that they don't see you that way and in the end you're better off being friends.
The last verse is something that can tear at you, since it involves opening yourself up to really having your heart torn out. Fatlip's verse talks about writing a letter to his prospective lady, telling her that he's in love with her and wants to make her happy. He sends her the letter, and then 3 days later he receives it back labeled "return to sender". Talk about a gut punch! I actually do have experience on that one as well, and I can tell you there is nothing worse when you're young that laying yourself out there emotionally and having the person completely reject you. I was a sophomore in high school and sent this girl a rose for valentines day, along with a note. Needless to say, it didn't end with her running into my arms, and boy was I embarrassed. It isn't their fault you opened yourself up to it, but that doesn't stop the pain.
It's got some great lyrics in it as well, including, "My dear my dear you do not know me but I know you very well now let me tell you all the things/ now let me tell you about the feelings I have for you." A little creepy, but still full of feeling. The chorus is almost a wail of, "She keeps on passing me by!" It's full of emotion and you can definitely understand the feelings behind it.
There are songs out there that anyone can listen to and suddenly relate to it. Back in 1991, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was one of those songs, even though no one back then had any idea what Kurt Cobain was saying. The biggest problem is that this song was released when there was a bit of a fight for the soul of Hip-Hop. Gangsta Rap was out and getting all the headlines, while critical praise was coming out for groups like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and Nas. While those three groups still ended up being very popular, the G-Funk and Bad Boy production basically took over for Hip Hop. Some groups got lost in the shuffle, and that's kind of what happened to The Pharcyde, I think.
However, it's not like this song hasn't gotten some acclaim. Pitchfork named it number 41 on the Top 200 tracks of the 90s. It beat out songs like "Closer" by NIN and "Mind's Playing Tricks On Me" by The Ghetto Boys. Heck it was even referenced in Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" by T.I. with the line, "In a hundred years, not dare would I/ Pull a Pharcyde, let you pass me by."
Released in March of 1993, it's a awesome mix of jazz, hip-hop and even a little rock thrown in. The samples are from Quincy Jones, The Weather Report and a guitar riff that can only be Jimi. The mix, along with the storytelling keep it interesting and strangely up to date in the sound. You could put this song on the radio today and I think it'd be a hit.
Lyrically, it's the story of unrequited love. (And since I've already talked numerous times about my numerous encounters with unrequited love, I think you can understand why I dig this song so much.) The song is the four MCs (Bootie Brown, Slimkid3, Imani and Fatlip) all talking about how they've fallen for different girls, but the girls keep passing them by. (Hence the name of the song.) This is a very old formula, and one that has been mined significantly in music history, especially recent music history. Heck, "Happy Together" by The Turtles is just about this sort of thing. However, this was one of the first times it appeared in Hip-Hop.
Each story is different, with the outcome the same in all four scenarios. Bootie Brown talks about being in love with his teacher, who was married, and he had to give up on it. First crushes can be brutal, and every one alive has had that same feeling, so this one is universal. Imani talks about his crush, but realizes that letting her get away will probably make him a better person in the end. Slimkid3 discusses this girl he's friends with and has a crush on that he thinks likes him, but that she in the end doesn't. Hey, the friend zone sucks, but sometimes that's the way it is. Everyone, I think, can understand that. You get close to someone and you think that maybe you have a chance, but it turns out that they don't see you that way and in the end you're better off being friends.
The last verse is something that can tear at you, since it involves opening yourself up to really having your heart torn out. Fatlip's verse talks about writing a letter to his prospective lady, telling her that he's in love with her and wants to make her happy. He sends her the letter, and then 3 days later he receives it back labeled "return to sender". Talk about a gut punch! I actually do have experience on that one as well, and I can tell you there is nothing worse when you're young that laying yourself out there emotionally and having the person completely reject you. I was a sophomore in high school and sent this girl a rose for valentines day, along with a note. Needless to say, it didn't end with her running into my arms, and boy was I embarrassed. It isn't their fault you opened yourself up to it, but that doesn't stop the pain.
It's got some great lyrics in it as well, including, "My dear my dear you do not know me but I know you very well now let me tell you all the things/ now let me tell you about the feelings I have for you." A little creepy, but still full of feeling. The chorus is almost a wail of, "She keeps on passing me by!" It's full of emotion and you can definitely understand the feelings behind it.
There are songs out there that anyone can listen to and suddenly relate to it. Back in 1991, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was one of those songs, even though no one back then had any idea what Kurt Cobain was saying. The biggest problem is that this song was released when there was a bit of a fight for the soul of Hip-Hop. Gangsta Rap was out and getting all the headlines, while critical praise was coming out for groups like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and Nas. While those three groups still ended up being very popular, the G-Funk and Bad Boy production basically took over for Hip Hop. Some groups got lost in the shuffle, and that's kind of what happened to The Pharcyde, I think.
However, it's not like this song hasn't gotten some acclaim. Pitchfork named it number 41 on the Top 200 tracks of the 90s. It beat out songs like "Closer" by NIN and "Mind's Playing Tricks On Me" by The Ghetto Boys. Heck it was even referenced in Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" by T.I. with the line, "In a hundred years, not dare would I/ Pull a Pharcyde, let you pass me by."
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Heritage
So, sorry I've been out so long. I've been very busy with my job and also a trip to the US. You know how those things go. However, there was something that happened while I was away that I wanted to talk about and hopefully it won't lead to a lot of folks coming onto my blog and blasting me.
The Confederate Flag, or more precisely the Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia, recently came up in the news, as I'm sure you've all seen. The debate is over whether this symbol is one of heritage or of hate. It's a discussion that needs to be had, to be honest, as this is one area where I think the country needs to have a discussion.
Let me lay out my bonafides for you in why I can talk about this. Yes, I lived most of my life either in Florida, DC or overseas, but I was born in Arkansas, have family that still live in the South, and can trace some of my family back to the South at least to 1800. I can make scratch biscuits and gravy, BBQ with the best of them, think Dr. Pepper is God's gift to man, understand what chitlins are and why I won't eat them, and can even tell you what the plural of Y'all is. (It's all y'all in case you were wondering. Y'all's is the possessive, as in, "Are those y'all's boiled peanuts?) I have been told, but not verified for myself, that at least one of my ancestors voted for secession as a member of a State legislature. I know some of my ancestors actually fought in the war on the side of the South, many under the very flag of the Army of Northern Virginia, probably under John Bell Hood's Texas Brigade, and one of them on the side of the North. (He was basically disowned afterward and lost everything.)
Now that I've established my Southern bonafides, let me tell you where I land on the role of heritage of the Confederate flag. To me, it ain't heritage. There are many things that the South has to be proud of, and that flag isn't one of them. I'm proud of my ancestors, but don't agree with what they fought for. The Civil War was about slavery pure and simple. Know how I know this? I read the founding documents on why the States decided to secede. Here is the Declaration from the State of South Carolina as to why they were leaving the Union. Solely about slavery, and how numerous states weren't following the Constitution and returning runaway slaves back to their masters in the South. It also talks about the election of Abraham Lincoln, and how he was anti-slavery, and that it was too much for them. Here are Mississippi's and Georgia's just to make sure you understand it was not only South Carolina. This was a flag that fought against the Union in order to keep men enslaved. It was used as a standard in the 1950s and 1960s to push for continuing segregation. I'm sorry, but I can't support that. I understand the arguments that you're just honoring the memory of your ancestors, but that flag has been used for hate, at least since the 1950s, and has also been adopted by others outside of the US to voice white supremacy ideas. (See the usage by German white supremacists as a stand in for the banned swastika.)
There are many things that you can be proud of in being a Southerner. Some of the best things about the US is because of the South, and that's something that needs to be celebrated more, rather than an antique of a past that really isn't as we'd like to remember it. Here's a list of things that better show the heritage of Southerners in the US. Feel free to use any of these to show your pride in being a Southerner, as it shows the best of us.
1) The Constitution
2) The Declaration of Independence
3) George Washington
4) The Gemini and Apollo space projects (Huntsville, AL)
5) William Faulkner
6) Harper Lee
7) Jazz
8) The Blues
9) Country and Western Music (We have both kinds here.)
10) Rock and Roll
11) Soul Music
12) Elvis
13) Southern Rock
14) Peanut Butter
15) Dr. Pepper and Coca-Cola
16) Gospel Music
17) Dolly Parton
18) Alex Haley
19) Brooks Robinson (Greatest fielding 3rd Baseman ever. I will hear no arguments.)
20) Otis Reading, Sam Cooke, Bo Diddley, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin
That's just 20 off the top of my head. There is so much more, but I don't need to flog a dead horse. I know that my blog won't change minds, and I'm sure it will enrage some people I know. However, it's something to think about. It doesn't dishonor the heritage of the South to remove the flag. In fact, to me, it moves the South forward. Sometimes we can't move forward because we're so fixated on remembering the past. If you want to honor your family that fought in the civil war, find out the flag of the group they fought with (regiment or even company) and use that. The catch-all flag, which wasn't even the official flag of the Confederacy, just doesn't do it now. It has too many bad feelings associated with it now.
As always, these are my own thoughts and not those of the US Government or the Department of State.
The Confederate Flag, or more precisely the Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia, recently came up in the news, as I'm sure you've all seen. The debate is over whether this symbol is one of heritage or of hate. It's a discussion that needs to be had, to be honest, as this is one area where I think the country needs to have a discussion.
Let me lay out my bonafides for you in why I can talk about this. Yes, I lived most of my life either in Florida, DC or overseas, but I was born in Arkansas, have family that still live in the South, and can trace some of my family back to the South at least to 1800. I can make scratch biscuits and gravy, BBQ with the best of them, think Dr. Pepper is God's gift to man, understand what chitlins are and why I won't eat them, and can even tell you what the plural of Y'all is. (It's all y'all in case you were wondering. Y'all's is the possessive, as in, "Are those y'all's boiled peanuts?) I have been told, but not verified for myself, that at least one of my ancestors voted for secession as a member of a State legislature. I know some of my ancestors actually fought in the war on the side of the South, many under the very flag of the Army of Northern Virginia, probably under John Bell Hood's Texas Brigade, and one of them on the side of the North. (He was basically disowned afterward and lost everything.)
Now that I've established my Southern bonafides, let me tell you where I land on the role of heritage of the Confederate flag. To me, it ain't heritage. There are many things that the South has to be proud of, and that flag isn't one of them. I'm proud of my ancestors, but don't agree with what they fought for. The Civil War was about slavery pure and simple. Know how I know this? I read the founding documents on why the States decided to secede. Here is the Declaration from the State of South Carolina as to why they were leaving the Union. Solely about slavery, and how numerous states weren't following the Constitution and returning runaway slaves back to their masters in the South. It also talks about the election of Abraham Lincoln, and how he was anti-slavery, and that it was too much for them. Here are Mississippi's and Georgia's just to make sure you understand it was not only South Carolina. This was a flag that fought against the Union in order to keep men enslaved. It was used as a standard in the 1950s and 1960s to push for continuing segregation. I'm sorry, but I can't support that. I understand the arguments that you're just honoring the memory of your ancestors, but that flag has been used for hate, at least since the 1950s, and has also been adopted by others outside of the US to voice white supremacy ideas. (See the usage by German white supremacists as a stand in for the banned swastika.)
There are many things that you can be proud of in being a Southerner. Some of the best things about the US is because of the South, and that's something that needs to be celebrated more, rather than an antique of a past that really isn't as we'd like to remember it. Here's a list of things that better show the heritage of Southerners in the US. Feel free to use any of these to show your pride in being a Southerner, as it shows the best of us.
1) The Constitution
2) The Declaration of Independence
3) George Washington
4) The Gemini and Apollo space projects (Huntsville, AL)
5) William Faulkner
6) Harper Lee
7) Jazz
8) The Blues
9) Country and Western Music (We have both kinds here.)
10) Rock and Roll
11) Soul Music
12) Elvis
13) Southern Rock
14) Peanut Butter
15) Dr. Pepper and Coca-Cola
16) Gospel Music
17) Dolly Parton
18) Alex Haley
19) Brooks Robinson (Greatest fielding 3rd Baseman ever. I will hear no arguments.)
20) Otis Reading, Sam Cooke, Bo Diddley, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin
That's just 20 off the top of my head. There is so much more, but I don't need to flog a dead horse. I know that my blog won't change minds, and I'm sure it will enrage some people I know. However, it's something to think about. It doesn't dishonor the heritage of the South to remove the flag. In fact, to me, it moves the South forward. Sometimes we can't move forward because we're so fixated on remembering the past. If you want to honor your family that fought in the civil war, find out the flag of the group they fought with (regiment or even company) and use that. The catch-all flag, which wasn't even the official flag of the Confederacy, just doesn't do it now. It has too many bad feelings associated with it now.
As always, these are my own thoughts and not those of the US Government or the Department of State.
Friday, April 24, 2015
MILB: "FRNKLYSTVN" by warrenpeace feat. Scroobius Pip
I love underground bands that I find randomly. warrenpeace are definitely underground. Signed to Scroobius Pip's Speech Development Records, they're a combination of Punk, hip-hop and spoken word. And if you don't think I'm geeking out on that, you must not know me well. Made up of two guys, warrenpeace decided to go big time with their first single. If you're going to talk truth to power in pop music, who better than to go after one of the biggest stars of the last 30 years.
"FRNKLYSTVN" starts off with a spoken word intro by Scroobius Pip. Great flow, and a fantastic stream of thought on how love exists because you believe in it. The act of believing you're in love makes it exist. (His example of the tooth fairy is awesome, by the way.) The video is brilliant too, with the opening starting with Pip in the living room and a mellow flow then moving to the basement where warrenpeace start in.
The basics of the song are a punk guitar and a drum machine. Pure adrenaline, with a pounding beat that pushes the song along. Now, I will say for my American readers, it'll be difficult for you to understand the accents. These are not the posh movie accents of Downton Abbey. if you needed the subtitles for the movie "Snatch" then you're definitely not going to pick up these lyrics. So let me just clue you in. The basics of the song deal with a very famous singer who flirted with the very right-wing BNP in the late 80s and early 90s. Heck, this singer even named his first solo album, "Viva Hate" and had songs that many people said were possibly racist. (The singer stated that, and I'm paraphrasing here, that only an idiot would think these songs were racist and that they were actually not.) I speak of course about Stephen Morrissey, former lead singer of The Smiths. The song basically bashes him for what they see as his hypocrisy, and say that he's "working class for the middle classes." It's a brilliant and breathless take down of a man that I personally think might take himself a little too seriously. (Cue the hordes of people coming for my head. Morrissey fans can be some of the most passionate I've ever seen, and that includes football fans and "Twilight" fans put together.)
The idea is that at one time, Morrissey might have flirted with right-wing xenaphobia in the 1990s. Some of his songs, which most of his defenders say are tongue in cheek, could be a bit hateful if viewed one way. "National Front Disco" and "Bengali in Platforms" are the usual examples, plus his interview in the Guardian where he referred to the Chinese as a subspecies. (I know, it was probably taken out of context, so I'm not going to get into that.) The fact is that Morrissey is very outspoken about everything, and warrenpeace decided to say something about it. It's an awesome song.
Here's the question: Can you love a performer and detest either their personal views or actions? Are you able to make the distinction and still appreciate the music away from the musician? The best example of that is of course Michael Jackson. Great entertainer, but it was very difficult for me to separate the things he'd been accused of doing from the music. However, with bands or musicians that don't share the same political philosophy as I, it's much easier for me to separate out what my differences from their music. Interesting thought on this. You can love a performer without actually liking them, at least in my opinion. Give the song a chance, as you might like it.
"FRNKLYSTVN" starts off with a spoken word intro by Scroobius Pip. Great flow, and a fantastic stream of thought on how love exists because you believe in it. The act of believing you're in love makes it exist. (His example of the tooth fairy is awesome, by the way.) The video is brilliant too, with the opening starting with Pip in the living room and a mellow flow then moving to the basement where warrenpeace start in.
The basics of the song are a punk guitar and a drum machine. Pure adrenaline, with a pounding beat that pushes the song along. Now, I will say for my American readers, it'll be difficult for you to understand the accents. These are not the posh movie accents of Downton Abbey. if you needed the subtitles for the movie "Snatch" then you're definitely not going to pick up these lyrics. So let me just clue you in. The basics of the song deal with a very famous singer who flirted with the very right-wing BNP in the late 80s and early 90s. Heck, this singer even named his first solo album, "Viva Hate" and had songs that many people said were possibly racist. (The singer stated that, and I'm paraphrasing here, that only an idiot would think these songs were racist and that they were actually not.) I speak of course about Stephen Morrissey, former lead singer of The Smiths. The song basically bashes him for what they see as his hypocrisy, and say that he's "working class for the middle classes." It's a brilliant and breathless take down of a man that I personally think might take himself a little too seriously. (Cue the hordes of people coming for my head. Morrissey fans can be some of the most passionate I've ever seen, and that includes football fans and "Twilight" fans put together.)
The idea is that at one time, Morrissey might have flirted with right-wing xenaphobia in the 1990s. Some of his songs, which most of his defenders say are tongue in cheek, could be a bit hateful if viewed one way. "National Front Disco" and "Bengali in Platforms" are the usual examples, plus his interview in the Guardian where he referred to the Chinese as a subspecies. (I know, it was probably taken out of context, so I'm not going to get into that.) The fact is that Morrissey is very outspoken about everything, and warrenpeace decided to say something about it. It's an awesome song.
Here's the question: Can you love a performer and detest either their personal views or actions? Are you able to make the distinction and still appreciate the music away from the musician? The best example of that is of course Michael Jackson. Great entertainer, but it was very difficult for me to separate the things he'd been accused of doing from the music. However, with bands or musicians that don't share the same political philosophy as I, it's much easier for me to separate out what my differences from their music. Interesting thought on this. You can love a performer without actually liking them, at least in my opinion. Give the song a chance, as you might like it.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Flight to Fort Lauderdale
so this week I'm in Fort Lauderdale for the management officer's workshop. I'm looking forward to seeing my co-workers from around WHA but am already missing my family. However, let me tell you about my plane ride over to Miami and how interesting THAT was.
Lovely family took me to the airport to drop me off, which I appreciated very much. When we arrived, I noticed a large group of young girls, about 60, in their early teens, wearing tshirts with Micky mouse on them. Turns out it is quinceanera season. Yes, all of these young ladies were on my flight.
As we boarded I thought that I'd get a seat to myself. Instead I had one of these birthday girls sitting next to me in the window seat. She looked panicked and moved suddenly to a seat on the other side of the aisle when another of the girls got up. Upon her friends return, they asked if I'd move to the smaller window seat so she could sit next to her friends. Sensing a possible danger I said yes and moved over. After 5 minutes one of the chaperones came by and I heard my new aisle mate ask if she could move because she wasn't comfortable sitting next to me. (They didn't realize I understood them.) So one of the guy chaperones moved next to me instead, and then demanded that I raise the window so he could watch the take-off. Apparently it was the first flight for many of these people, as when we started the take-off roll, they started wooing and talking loudly and excitedly. There were selfies and duck faces everywhere.
After take-off the girl who originally sat with me returned and spent the rest of the flight on the aisle. Sleep was difficult with all the moving and photos on phones, but I got about 3 hours of sleep. We were over an hour ahead of schedule and had to wait until 4 am for them to open the door to let us out. When I got to immigration, the officer looked at me, smiled and said, "Welcome home, sir."
Now I'm at Einstein Bagels and waiting until I can check into my hotel. I've already walked through Publix and bought LEL more Key Lime juice and I've seen the ocean.
However, if you're ever on a plane and see a large group of young girls on it, and they offer you tickets for a later flight, I say take it. Either that or practice your duck face.
Lovely family took me to the airport to drop me off, which I appreciated very much. When we arrived, I noticed a large group of young girls, about 60, in their early teens, wearing tshirts with Micky mouse on them. Turns out it is quinceanera season. Yes, all of these young ladies were on my flight.
As we boarded I thought that I'd get a seat to myself. Instead I had one of these birthday girls sitting next to me in the window seat. She looked panicked and moved suddenly to a seat on the other side of the aisle when another of the girls got up. Upon her friends return, they asked if I'd move to the smaller window seat so she could sit next to her friends. Sensing a possible danger I said yes and moved over. After 5 minutes one of the chaperones came by and I heard my new aisle mate ask if she could move because she wasn't comfortable sitting next to me. (They didn't realize I understood them.) So one of the guy chaperones moved next to me instead, and then demanded that I raise the window so he could watch the take-off. Apparently it was the first flight for many of these people, as when we started the take-off roll, they started wooing and talking loudly and excitedly. There were selfies and duck faces everywhere.
After take-off the girl who originally sat with me returned and spent the rest of the flight on the aisle. Sleep was difficult with all the moving and photos on phones, but I got about 3 hours of sleep. We were over an hour ahead of schedule and had to wait until 4 am for them to open the door to let us out. When I got to immigration, the officer looked at me, smiled and said, "Welcome home, sir."
Now I'm at Einstein Bagels and waiting until I can check into my hotel. I've already walked through Publix and bought LEL more Key Lime juice and I've seen the ocean.
However, if you're ever on a plane and see a large group of young girls on it, and they offer you tickets for a later flight, I say take it. Either that or practice your duck face.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
A funny story
So yesterday I got a new blackberry for work. Supposedly everything was switched over, and when I turned it on my emails started to come up. So all good, I suppose.
After work, I was looking for a ride back home. I'd heard one of the people that lives near me was still in the office, so I texted him, asking if he could give me a ride home. Strangely he didn't text back, as he usually does. Didn't think too much of it, and caught a cab back to the house.
Around about 7:30 pm, our CO alarm went off due to low batteries (we hoped). We opened all the windows, changed the batteries, but also called one of the people that works for me to see if there was anything else I needed to do. His wife answered the phone saying, "Hi Paula!" Paula (not her real name) works in my section, and is this man's secretary. When I explained that it was me, she sounded puzzled as she told me that Paula's name had popped up. I shrugged it off, and went on with my day.
This morning, I went to my IT department to ask what was going on. I'd tried calling my phone number, but the new phone didn't ring at all. One of the IT guys took my number and called it. The phone rang, so I thought I was being over dramatic. I answered the phone, but the IT guy said, it was still ringing. I said hello, and this male voice answered, "Paula?" I quickly apologized in Spanish and hung up.
So, the phone company got our numbers mixed up, and I was getting this poor woman's phone calls. I then realized that when I texted my friend last night it possibly popped up on his phone as this woman asking for a ride home. Uncomfortable to say the least if his wife was reading it at the same time. So I may have accidentally started a martial argument.
They're fixing my phone as we speak, but I have to say I laughed my head off when I realized what had happened. Somewhere in BA there is a guy who is pondering why a man was answering Paula's phone. Sometimes it's a screw-up that just makes you smile all day long.
After work, I was looking for a ride back home. I'd heard one of the people that lives near me was still in the office, so I texted him, asking if he could give me a ride home. Strangely he didn't text back, as he usually does. Didn't think too much of it, and caught a cab back to the house.
Around about 7:30 pm, our CO alarm went off due to low batteries (we hoped). We opened all the windows, changed the batteries, but also called one of the people that works for me to see if there was anything else I needed to do. His wife answered the phone saying, "Hi Paula!" Paula (not her real name) works in my section, and is this man's secretary. When I explained that it was me, she sounded puzzled as she told me that Paula's name had popped up. I shrugged it off, and went on with my day.
This morning, I went to my IT department to ask what was going on. I'd tried calling my phone number, but the new phone didn't ring at all. One of the IT guys took my number and called it. The phone rang, so I thought I was being over dramatic. I answered the phone, but the IT guy said, it was still ringing. I said hello, and this male voice answered, "Paula?" I quickly apologized in Spanish and hung up.
So, the phone company got our numbers mixed up, and I was getting this poor woman's phone calls. I then realized that when I texted my friend last night it possibly popped up on his phone as this woman asking for a ride home. Uncomfortable to say the least if his wife was reading it at the same time. So I may have accidentally started a martial argument.
They're fixing my phone as we speak, but I have to say I laughed my head off when I realized what had happened. Somewhere in BA there is a guy who is pondering why a man was answering Paula's phone. Sometimes it's a screw-up that just makes you smile all day long.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
A busy time, and a lack of sleep
How do you know when you're not getting enough sleep?
When your staff looks at you and asks you to go home because you look exhausted. When people at work keep asking you, "Are you ok?" When the couch in your office starts talking to you, saying things like: "A little nap won't hurt. Come on over and sit down..."
To say I've been busy is an understatement. With the arrival of our new Ambassador, I've been burning the candle at both ends. Actually, I've been burning more than one candle at both ends. I couldn't take the vacation I'd planned because I needed to be here to make sure that when he arrived, everything was taken care of. I also wanted to be here so that I could answer any questions he had. I wanted us to start off on a good note, so that when it came time to ask questions about Management Issues he came to me first and got the correct answer. That doesn't always happen, and I was adamant that I get off on the right foot. It'll make my life, and my staff's lives, easier in the long run if I put in the work now.
The good news is that it worked. He arrived, and everything was going the right way. After his first day with me, he shook my hand and said, "I'm going to stump you, Jay. I haven't been able to as of yet, but I'm going to try!" That's one of the best compliments you can get as a Management Officer. It means you thought through all the possible pitfalls, and mitigated them. Of course there have been some bumps, but it looks like we're on our way to getting the benefit of the doubt for at least the first month.
The main issue I've had is that with all of this going on, I haven't been able to sleep well. I know my mind has been going 100 mph, and it's been an issue. I had finally decided to get into a workout schedule, and then I got sick again. (Apparently that happens a lot here in Argentina to newcomers.) So that hasn't helped any at all.
Look, the long and the short of it is that I've been worried about this arrival, and it's caused me some issues. I decided that my staff had things to get done, so instead of bothering them with issues I needed solved, I took it upon myself to make sure it got done. Not great managing, I know. I also realized I wasn't spending enough time with the family, and I needed a break.
Luckily for me, the hard work paid off, and the Ambassador seems to be happy, and our hard work was recognized. My boss told me to take a couple of days off, and I decided he was right. So this Thursday and Friday I'm taking the day off (with the caveat that I have a lunch I am hosting for members of the Diplomatic Community at the Hard Rock Cafe on Friday, so that's 2 hours I have to work). Then on Saturday, Lovely English Lass and I are taking advantage of having her parents here to go and spend the night at an estancia. Should be a good time, and I'm sure that the kids will love being with their grandparents.
Now, if I could just get some more sleep, maybe people would quit coming up to me and asking if I'm ok...
When your staff looks at you and asks you to go home because you look exhausted. When people at work keep asking you, "Are you ok?" When the couch in your office starts talking to you, saying things like: "A little nap won't hurt. Come on over and sit down..."
To say I've been busy is an understatement. With the arrival of our new Ambassador, I've been burning the candle at both ends. Actually, I've been burning more than one candle at both ends. I couldn't take the vacation I'd planned because I needed to be here to make sure that when he arrived, everything was taken care of. I also wanted to be here so that I could answer any questions he had. I wanted us to start off on a good note, so that when it came time to ask questions about Management Issues he came to me first and got the correct answer. That doesn't always happen, and I was adamant that I get off on the right foot. It'll make my life, and my staff's lives, easier in the long run if I put in the work now.
The good news is that it worked. He arrived, and everything was going the right way. After his first day with me, he shook my hand and said, "I'm going to stump you, Jay. I haven't been able to as of yet, but I'm going to try!" That's one of the best compliments you can get as a Management Officer. It means you thought through all the possible pitfalls, and mitigated them. Of course there have been some bumps, but it looks like we're on our way to getting the benefit of the doubt for at least the first month.
The main issue I've had is that with all of this going on, I haven't been able to sleep well. I know my mind has been going 100 mph, and it's been an issue. I had finally decided to get into a workout schedule, and then I got sick again. (Apparently that happens a lot here in Argentina to newcomers.) So that hasn't helped any at all.
Look, the long and the short of it is that I've been worried about this arrival, and it's caused me some issues. I decided that my staff had things to get done, so instead of bothering them with issues I needed solved, I took it upon myself to make sure it got done. Not great managing, I know. I also realized I wasn't spending enough time with the family, and I needed a break.
Luckily for me, the hard work paid off, and the Ambassador seems to be happy, and our hard work was recognized. My boss told me to take a couple of days off, and I decided he was right. So this Thursday and Friday I'm taking the day off (with the caveat that I have a lunch I am hosting for members of the Diplomatic Community at the Hard Rock Cafe on Friday, so that's 2 hours I have to work). Then on Saturday, Lovely English Lass and I are taking advantage of having her parents here to go and spend the night at an estancia. Should be a good time, and I'm sure that the kids will love being with their grandparents.
Now, if I could just get some more sleep, maybe people would quit coming up to me and asking if I'm ok...
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
MILB: "Do I Wanna Know" by Arctic Monkeys.
I've already done an Arctic Monkeys song previously, but I was recently re-listening to their last album, "AM" and found another great song I wanted to talk about. If you haven't listened to this album, please do. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised to find it has a lot to offer.
The basic idea of this song is that the protagonist is a guy that's still hung up on his ex. He thinks about her all the time, and she's something he just can't seem to shake. He's basically talking through all the issues he goes through, and hoping that she misses him the same way.
Now let me tell you something. Anyone that has ever been broken up with understands this feeling. Your first love breaks your heart, and you end up sitting around listening to music that makes you think of them, and having dreams about them, and wondering if you could call them and try to make it right. It's human nature to think that way, for goodness sakes. It's a warm comfortable feeling, and one that makes you long even more for the people who've left you.
That's exactly what this song's about. Alex Turner does some amazing lyrics for this song (and actually the whole album) evocative of emo without the whiny parts. Lyrics like, "Have you got the guts/been wondering if your heart's still open/and if so what time it shuts." and "Do I wanna know/if this feeling flows both ways/sad to see you go/was sort of hoping that you'd stay/baby we both know/that the nights were mainly made for saying things you can't say tomorrow day" really get across the feeling of want. You can almost see the man sitting in his apartment, listening to the music on repeat with a drink in his hand until he passes out spilling the drink on the couch. These are the visuals you get listening to Alex Turner's voice. He may have lost most of his Yorkshire accent in the recording of the song (except for the random use of summat instead of something in one of the lyrics) but he's definitely got a voice that emotes.
The Arctic Monkeys get a lot of press, especially from NME, about being "The New Rock." Their previous efforts definitely were more raw, and they've been accused of selling out, and having Josh Homme change their sound (he being the lead singer and main group member of Queens of the Stone Age and a friend of the band). I don't believe it, but that's what they say. Still, this song is fantastic, and one that I've really listened to quite a bit. There are several layers to it that require multiple listenings just to find all of them. When you get a chance, see if you can listen to it and hopefully you'll like ti.
The basic idea of this song is that the protagonist is a guy that's still hung up on his ex. He thinks about her all the time, and she's something he just can't seem to shake. He's basically talking through all the issues he goes through, and hoping that she misses him the same way.
Now let me tell you something. Anyone that has ever been broken up with understands this feeling. Your first love breaks your heart, and you end up sitting around listening to music that makes you think of them, and having dreams about them, and wondering if you could call them and try to make it right. It's human nature to think that way, for goodness sakes. It's a warm comfortable feeling, and one that makes you long even more for the people who've left you.
That's exactly what this song's about. Alex Turner does some amazing lyrics for this song (and actually the whole album) evocative of emo without the whiny parts. Lyrics like, "Have you got the guts/been wondering if your heart's still open/and if so what time it shuts." and "Do I wanna know/if this feeling flows both ways/sad to see you go/was sort of hoping that you'd stay/baby we both know/that the nights were mainly made for saying things you can't say tomorrow day" really get across the feeling of want. You can almost see the man sitting in his apartment, listening to the music on repeat with a drink in his hand until he passes out spilling the drink on the couch. These are the visuals you get listening to Alex Turner's voice. He may have lost most of his Yorkshire accent in the recording of the song (except for the random use of summat instead of something in one of the lyrics) but he's definitely got a voice that emotes.
The Arctic Monkeys get a lot of press, especially from NME, about being "The New Rock." Their previous efforts definitely were more raw, and they've been accused of selling out, and having Josh Homme change their sound (he being the lead singer and main group member of Queens of the Stone Age and a friend of the band). I don't believe it, but that's what they say. Still, this song is fantastic, and one that I've really listened to quite a bit. There are several layers to it that require multiple listenings just to find all of them. When you get a chance, see if you can listen to it and hopefully you'll like ti.
Friday, January 2, 2015
Southern Hemisphere Christmas and the year in review
You know, no matter how long I spend in the Southern Hemisphere, it's always hard to get going for the Christmas season when it is so hot outside. Don't get me wrong, I like the weather, and once I get the pool fixed I'm sure the kids will love playing in the pool during their vacation, but it's just weird. Heck, I grew up in Florida where it's warm during Christmas season, but this is crazy!
Last year we were in the opposite of warm in the UK, so I suppose I got my fix for cold weather then. We'll see how this "winter" is, but so far it's characterized with mosquito bites and crazy weather. It's either too hot or rainy and cool. No in between.
Christmas was lovely though. The kids seemed to enjoy their gifts, and I liked having time off work to just spend time with the family and go do stuff. We got out of the city and went places as well, which was very nice. San Antonio de Areco was quite nice, although the next time we go we're definitely going earlier. Tigre was good as well, but the weather was so hot it wasn't enjoyable. When the in-laws get here we'll try again. For presents I got a lot of Bar-B-Que stuff, which I enjoy, and a Nerf gun and some cuff links and other cool gifts as well. Lovely English Lass got more stuff for her budding hobby in photographery, which I hope she liked. All in all, a good time was had by everyone. However, a kind thought for LEL, as Crazy Little Man and Lovely Little Girl are off school for the next month, so she'll need the patience of Job to deal with that!
As for 2014, it was an interesting one, wasn't it? (And I mean that in the US Mid-western "interesting" way, not in the "That's an interesting comment" way.) We didn't know where our next posting was going to be until March. Then we had to move quickly to organize everything so that we could move. Very difficult to plan all of that stuff in 2 months. After that came my disastrous Spanish classes, followed by Lovely English Lass and kids having to go to Argentina without me. All the issues that came up afterwards, and then I had to leave on short notice to get to post, which was great but still stressful. Needless to say, we're very happy to have the back end of that year come and gone.
For 2015, I'm not going to make any resolutions. Everyone breaks those, so I'm going to just try my best this year. I want to travel more through Argentina with the family. I'd like to try and get to Antarctica, as it'll be my seventh continent visited. I'd also like to maybe try and ride my bike more and eat a little healthier. Definitely want to play more football and baseball with Crazy Little Man, and try harder to connect on a better level with Lovely Little Girl. I'd also like to spend more date nights with Lovely English Lass, as we definitely need a break once in a while.
However, which I really want is for my friends in family to have a happy and healthy new year. Thanks for reading my ramblings, and I hope you all are doing well, no matter where in the world you are right now.
Last year we were in the opposite of warm in the UK, so I suppose I got my fix for cold weather then. We'll see how this "winter" is, but so far it's characterized with mosquito bites and crazy weather. It's either too hot or rainy and cool. No in between.
Christmas was lovely though. The kids seemed to enjoy their gifts, and I liked having time off work to just spend time with the family and go do stuff. We got out of the city and went places as well, which was very nice. San Antonio de Areco was quite nice, although the next time we go we're definitely going earlier. Tigre was good as well, but the weather was so hot it wasn't enjoyable. When the in-laws get here we'll try again. For presents I got a lot of Bar-B-Que stuff, which I enjoy, and a Nerf gun and some cuff links and other cool gifts as well. Lovely English Lass got more stuff for her budding hobby in photographery, which I hope she liked. All in all, a good time was had by everyone. However, a kind thought for LEL, as Crazy Little Man and Lovely Little Girl are off school for the next month, so she'll need the patience of Job to deal with that!
As for 2014, it was an interesting one, wasn't it? (And I mean that in the US Mid-western "interesting" way, not in the "That's an interesting comment" way.) We didn't know where our next posting was going to be until March. Then we had to move quickly to organize everything so that we could move. Very difficult to plan all of that stuff in 2 months. After that came my disastrous Spanish classes, followed by Lovely English Lass and kids having to go to Argentina without me. All the issues that came up afterwards, and then I had to leave on short notice to get to post, which was great but still stressful. Needless to say, we're very happy to have the back end of that year come and gone.
For 2015, I'm not going to make any resolutions. Everyone breaks those, so I'm going to just try my best this year. I want to travel more through Argentina with the family. I'd like to try and get to Antarctica, as it'll be my seventh continent visited. I'd also like to maybe try and ride my bike more and eat a little healthier. Definitely want to play more football and baseball with Crazy Little Man, and try harder to connect on a better level with Lovely Little Girl. I'd also like to spend more date nights with Lovely English Lass, as we definitely need a break once in a while.
However, which I really want is for my friends in family to have a happy and healthy new year. Thanks for reading my ramblings, and I hope you all are doing well, no matter where in the world you are right now.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Quick post from New Years
happy new year everyone. I've got another post I was working on to tell you how things are going, but wanted to share a great story from last night.
We spent a lovely evening with a nice couple from Belgium last night, who are in BA for the next 4 months. They have three kids, and while the parents speak English (and quite well) the kids don't really speak it at all. So I was interested in how my kids would interact.
Lovely Little Girl was herself, as per usual, and just kind of enjoyed being by herself. Crazy Little Man was all over the place with the oldest two sons, running around and playing soccer outside and having a great time. At the end of the evening, the oldest of their sons and CLM were sitting around watching soccer highlights together, yelling, "GOAL" over and over. Talking to each other and laughing. Neither speaking the same language, but definitely being friends.
Isn't it just like kids to show you that no matter where you're from, we're really all the same. No kid Is born with the knowledge of being different. It's something that's taught.
Hope you and yours have a happy new year from me and mine.
We spent a lovely evening with a nice couple from Belgium last night, who are in BA for the next 4 months. They have three kids, and while the parents speak English (and quite well) the kids don't really speak it at all. So I was interested in how my kids would interact.
Lovely Little Girl was herself, as per usual, and just kind of enjoyed being by herself. Crazy Little Man was all over the place with the oldest two sons, running around and playing soccer outside and having a great time. At the end of the evening, the oldest of their sons and CLM were sitting around watching soccer highlights together, yelling, "GOAL" over and over. Talking to each other and laughing. Neither speaking the same language, but definitely being friends.
Isn't it just like kids to show you that no matter where you're from, we're really all the same. No kid Is born with the knowledge of being different. It's something that's taught.
Hope you and yours have a happy new year from me and mine.
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