Saturday,
My roommate just came home. Saturday night he plays poker out here. Its a $40 buy in. He came back with 280. The Thanksgiving day tournament was a $100 buy in. He came back with second place and $280. James, once again, has the heart of gold. He rented a Hertz big ass van to steal a Llama that he saw being abused on his way to ...somewhere. Him and his friend Roger, fought the llama into the moving van and they dropped it off in an animal sanctuary they new of.
His life has been a bit harder than mine, so finding this place has been even better for him than it has been for me, as impossible as that could be.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Wednesday November 25?, 2015
Wednesday....
Its the day before "Thanksgiving". We work tomorrow, but are off and paid for the Holiday on Friday. I've gotten myself a little bummed out trying to educate myself about the ...about all the crap that is going on in this world. I have a sister who doesn't read this, but is completely sold on the whole religious war deal set forth in the bible. Muslims vs Christians. The Paris idiots I've read were not refugees, were not Syrian, but European Nationals. The little news I see out here on TV (the AFN or armed forces network) always refers to them as "terrorists". I'm not sure how they know their religious beliefs, but they are reported to be Islamic extremists. I have a "Facebook friend", who now proudly lives in TX, loves Donald Trump, and posted a picture of an atomic bomb (orange reddish mushroom deal) with the text "We have been at peace with Japan since (insert actual bomb dropping dates), Its now time we make peace with Islam". WE completely suck as a species. A friend of mine posted an Onion article that had a picture of a earthish planet with the headline ...Distant planet worries that it may someday be habitable by humans.
I don't get it. I mean how can we be so cool as individuals to each other, but separate us into groups and we become complete jackasses. This island is a great example. There were a number (I'd guess a very small but extremely vocal) of people (long time residents of Kwaj (say at least 4 or 5 years)) that convinced the overseer' of the island (Commander, ....?) construction workers were all idiots and we should be quarantined to this side of the island. In March, there were a few houses in the residential section that got "invaded". We were blamed first, even though there were only about 40 of us here, and I was nearly the youngest. It turns out it was some of their kids. How does it start, I don't know, but someone starts it, and so many follow like sheep with the hate, never really questioning things...
Its the day before "Thanksgiving". We work tomorrow, but are off and paid for the Holiday on Friday. I've gotten myself a little bummed out trying to educate myself about the ...about all the crap that is going on in this world. I have a sister who doesn't read this, but is completely sold on the whole religious war deal set forth in the bible. Muslims vs Christians. The Paris idiots I've read were not refugees, were not Syrian, but European Nationals. The little news I see out here on TV (the AFN or armed forces network) always refers to them as "terrorists". I'm not sure how they know their religious beliefs, but they are reported to be Islamic extremists. I have a "Facebook friend", who now proudly lives in TX, loves Donald Trump, and posted a picture of an atomic bomb (orange reddish mushroom deal) with the text "We have been at peace with Japan since (insert actual bomb dropping dates), Its now time we make peace with Islam". WE completely suck as a species. A friend of mine posted an Onion article that had a picture of a earthish planet with the headline ...Distant planet worries that it may someday be habitable by humans.
I don't get it. I mean how can we be so cool as individuals to each other, but separate us into groups and we become complete jackasses. This island is a great example. There were a number (I'd guess a very small but extremely vocal) of people (long time residents of Kwaj (say at least 4 or 5 years)) that convinced the overseer' of the island (Commander, ....?) construction workers were all idiots and we should be quarantined to this side of the island. In March, there were a few houses in the residential section that got "invaded". We were blamed first, even though there were only about 40 of us here, and I was nearly the youngest. It turns out it was some of their kids. How does it start, I don't know, but someone starts it, and so many follow like sheep with the hate, never really questioning things...
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
11-24-15
Tuesday....
I posted this on Facebook today. I found an old flashdrive....
I'm remin....remininx...reminiscing over a summer spent with two really great people homeless in tents and kayaks in Alaska. The blurry one has the best story behind it. I put the bear spray in my back pocket (directions said only to use within 25 ft) and grabbed some pans walking toward the bear, as it ran towards me the third time. I remember hearing Tom tell Jessie to take pictures "you should make some money off of this" as he pushed her out into the cove in her kayak. ... I kept banging the pans as the bear kept running towards me. I'm thinking "shouldn't the bear go somewhere?" and "why am I still walking towards this bear so fast?" Apparently grizzly bears can't see that well. I was speaking English as I yelled "hey bear". I guess they go by their sight, and it had to get close enough to see how ugly we were. For some reason Jessie spent the night in her smelly dads tent. I woke up in the morning to something big in the weeds next to my tent.
It wasn't a bear, but I thought for sure it was as I unzipped the tent. Tents, of course, are like forcefields to 800lb bears. It was a cow moose and her calf. They ran off to the water, kicking Toms kayak along the way, and swam away into the cove.
I posted this on Facebook today. I found an old flashdrive....
I'm remin....remininx...reminiscing over a summer spent with two really great people homeless in tents and kayaks in Alaska. The blurry one has the best story behind it. I put the bear spray in my back pocket (directions said only to use within 25 ft) and grabbed some pans walking toward the bear, as it ran towards me the third time. I remember hearing Tom tell Jessie to take pictures "you should make some money off of this" as he pushed her out into the cove in her kayak. ... I kept banging the pans as the bear kept running towards me. I'm thinking "shouldn't the bear go somewhere?" and "why am I still walking towards this bear so fast?" Apparently grizzly bears can't see that well. I was speaking English as I yelled "hey bear". I guess they go by their sight, and it had to get close enough to see how ugly we were. For some reason Jessie spent the night in her smelly dads tent. I woke up in the morning to something big in the weeds next to my tent.
It wasn't a bear, but I thought for sure it was as I unzipped the tent. Tents, of course, are like forcefields to 800lb bears. It was a cow moose and her calf. They ran off to the water, kicking Toms kayak along the way, and swam away into the cove.
 |
| Tom and I being goofy |
 |
| Stewart BC on Canada Day. These people know how to have fun |
 |
| um...yea |
 |
| That little fuzziness on the other side of the cove was a pic of the second time the bear ran at us. The third and fourth times...well, I didn't get a picture ok |
 |
| We used Tom's 4cyl Honda pulling a trailer with 3 kayaks and a bunch of shit up thru BC to get to ? I can't remember, but we left the car and trailer there for the summer... |
Sunday, November 22, 2015
November 22, 2015
Sunday...
I played ultimate with the firemen last night (Saturday night). They play in a field just behind the Vets Hall where most the island goes to do their drinking, especially on a Saturday night. We don't really see too many of them out on the patio in the back mainly because we quit playing around 7pm or so. Most the fireman are pretty good guys. I watched two of them collide at near full speed trying to cut off a Frisbee I had thrown to a team mate. I don't think I've ever seen two guys hit at such high speeds. There bodies just completely bounced and went the respective opposite directions. NO one was injured.
I went from there back to my shoebox to sleep, cause I heard the boat was leaving at 7am. The company boat. Someone else was taking it out and wanted me to come.
I'll try and finish this later
I played ultimate with the firemen last night (Saturday night). They play in a field just behind the Vets Hall where most the island goes to do their drinking, especially on a Saturday night. We don't really see too many of them out on the patio in the back mainly because we quit playing around 7pm or so. Most the fireman are pretty good guys. I watched two of them collide at near full speed trying to cut off a Frisbee I had thrown to a team mate. I don't think I've ever seen two guys hit at such high speeds. There bodies just completely bounced and went the respective opposite directions. NO one was injured.
I went from there back to my shoebox to sleep, cause I heard the boat was leaving at 7am. The company boat. Someone else was taking it out and wanted me to come.
I'll try and finish this later
Friday, November 20, 2015
November 20, 2015
I live the best life. Yes, I'm grateful. I can't stop being grateful. I am completely cognizant of how well things have worked out for me in my life. I am a white guy, born into a (at the time) middle class family, with the best parents. I don't know that they were always great together, but growing up with them, they didn't let on that there was too much animosity between them. They got in arguments, and we (my two older sisters and I) would ask them if they were getting a divorce. Mom always said "yes, and you're going with him". We would say something smart ass, or not, but us being there and being obnoxious usually calmed the storm.
When I was little, they would send us to bed, and we would sneak down to the top of the stairs to listen to them talk at the kitchen table. I'm pretty sure they new we were listening....
When I was little, they would send us to bed, and we would sneak down to the top of the stairs to listen to them talk at the kitchen table. I'm pretty sure they new we were listening....
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
November 17, 2015
Tuesday...
This weather out here is so strange compared to Ohio. I have not gotten past the fact that it is not July or August anymore. I can't believe its mid November. Back home there is all this Christmas talk on the radio. There is radio here but I don't listen to it. There is AFN TV here, but I don't listen to it either, there is just no time for that here. Back home there is leaves changing, temperatures changing, sports change, clothing changes, moods change. All of it kind of reminds you of the time of year it is.Today is the closest I felt to a November day. It started raining at noon, when we left work to try and get some sleep for a big concrete pour at 8pm tonight. The pour would last at least 8 hours. It has not stopped raining. Apparently there is one of those Chinese New Year looking deals on the radar just south of us dumping rain. We had a volleyball game tonight, scheduled at 7:30,two miles from my shoebox, but because of work I couldn't go. Then I found out on facebook, thru an accidental post, that the work got cancelled (yea communication within this project sucks). So the rain stopped long enough for many of us to make to the chow hall somewhat dry, but still having to wade thru 6inch deep puddles. Then the rain started again. At 6:15 I packed a cooler full of dry clothes and tennis shoes and a towel, then headed out the door in my swimsuit sandals and an old tshirt. I loaded the cooler on the back of my bike and headed off in a pretty good rain. The temperature had to be around 78 to 80 degrees. This will sound funny, but it was cold. It reminded me of November in Ohio. Chilly. You have to understand that your body, ok my body, acclimates, has acclimated. My air conditioner is usually at 78 degrees, any lower and I come out of the shower all chilly.
We won our volleyball game tonight. Well, you play best two of three, and we won the first two. I can't believe there was a team so pathetic. I pretty much thought we were the most pathetic. We have a huge amount of athleticism, but were lacking volleyball skills. That seems to be changing. So we beat them the first two games, so we didn't need to play a third, but I got them to stay for some practice. That was so much more fun than the game.
I saw the guy who is "care taking" for the very nice Gemini catamaran moored out in the harbor tonight at volleyball. The same catamaran that I offered the guy, who no longer lives here, but is trying to sell it for 60k, ...I offered him 30k thru a facebook message. I told him it was most likely an insult, but it doesn't hurt to ask. He wrote me back after a few days saying that it is priced to sell at 60k in "my market" (Kwaj). Its been for sale since I got here. Anyhow the guy who is looking after it here and usually he says hi to me or at least acknowledges my presence ....didn't tonight when I saw him at the indoor gym we play volley ball at. Its a 2014 boat, a nice one at that, I see where he's coming from. It's too bad.
The other guy, meaning the guy who just bought (4 months ago) the 36 ft Macgregor catamaran was at the gym tonight also. That guy never stops smiling. Everyone was talking about a b boat (they call the rental boats "b boats") that went down last weekend or so. It got flooded somehow, and a May day was called, and the boat got towed back in upside down. All parties were rescued. There is a 6 mile limit to the b boats, I guess so the small boat marina can come to a rescue if they must. I heard it was the guy who owns the catamaran that I really want that was "captain" of the b boat that went down. Of course, being the evil guy I am, I wanted to make an offer on the catamaran at that time thinking he just lost (which I hear they lost a lot of crap...scuba, personal and so forth) a bunch of stuff along with having to pay for the boat repair (if he was at fault for the sinking). I wanted to, but couldn't bring myself to do it. I just suck as an evil business man. Ken was still smiling tonight at volleyball (they played before us). It turns out it wasn't his fault the boat went down, it had some sort of hull leak.
I lined some people up to go wakeboarding with Larry's boat last Sunday out to Bigej. The only other guy who uses the boat besides me told me it was running great, and that the fuel filter clog issue was resolved. He was wrong. I had D and K on the boat, along with Cory and Cotton. D and K are a very athletic mid thirties couple getting ready to go sailing in Europe for 5 or so years. D is from Alaska and K from Cleveland. Great people. Cory and Cotton are two land based Navy personnel who play Frisbee with me on a regular basis. Cory is around 25, and married. Cotton just recently turned 21 and never drinks, and I'm told is very religious. Cory is very athletic, extremely so....very fast, jumps great and he is also a guy with great sportsmanship. All around great guy, especially for as young as he is. Cotton is also a great guy, has a heart of gold, but the athleticism and coordination of a lanky 13 year old. He will be the guy everyone wants on his team once he finally calms down enough to harness his own energy. I told Cotton jokingly that I was going to "take him down to the park to pick up cougers".
I went thru all the trouble of getting the boat in the water. Trouble means getting there early to hook the hose up to each engine separately to make sure it runs, which of course there always seems to be a battery issue, and Sunday was no different. So I get them both running, shut them down, the go take the key from the lock box, start up the John Deere tractor to tow the boat the ramp. I put the boat in the water, then get off the tractor go wade to the boat, climb into it, then take it off the trailer and go dock the 27 foot cabin cruiser myself. Tie it off, then take the trailer back to the boat yard and spray it off, get on my bike and ride the quarter mile back to the marina and hope everyone shows up. They did and we took off, and the damned boat ran like shit. Somewhere there was still a fuel filter clog.
These are the troubles I face. It's terrible. :)
This weather out here is so strange compared to Ohio. I have not gotten past the fact that it is not July or August anymore. I can't believe its mid November. Back home there is all this Christmas talk on the radio. There is radio here but I don't listen to it. There is AFN TV here, but I don't listen to it either, there is just no time for that here. Back home there is leaves changing, temperatures changing, sports change, clothing changes, moods change. All of it kind of reminds you of the time of year it is.Today is the closest I felt to a November day. It started raining at noon, when we left work to try and get some sleep for a big concrete pour at 8pm tonight. The pour would last at least 8 hours. It has not stopped raining. Apparently there is one of those Chinese New Year looking deals on the radar just south of us dumping rain. We had a volleyball game tonight, scheduled at 7:30,two miles from my shoebox, but because of work I couldn't go. Then I found out on facebook, thru an accidental post, that the work got cancelled (yea communication within this project sucks). So the rain stopped long enough for many of us to make to the chow hall somewhat dry, but still having to wade thru 6inch deep puddles. Then the rain started again. At 6:15 I packed a cooler full of dry clothes and tennis shoes and a towel, then headed out the door in my swimsuit sandals and an old tshirt. I loaded the cooler on the back of my bike and headed off in a pretty good rain. The temperature had to be around 78 to 80 degrees. This will sound funny, but it was cold. It reminded me of November in Ohio. Chilly. You have to understand that your body, ok my body, acclimates, has acclimated. My air conditioner is usually at 78 degrees, any lower and I come out of the shower all chilly.
We won our volleyball game tonight. Well, you play best two of three, and we won the first two. I can't believe there was a team so pathetic. I pretty much thought we were the most pathetic. We have a huge amount of athleticism, but were lacking volleyball skills. That seems to be changing. So we beat them the first two games, so we didn't need to play a third, but I got them to stay for some practice. That was so much more fun than the game.
I saw the guy who is "care taking" for the very nice Gemini catamaran moored out in the harbor tonight at volleyball. The same catamaran that I offered the guy, who no longer lives here, but is trying to sell it for 60k, ...I offered him 30k thru a facebook message. I told him it was most likely an insult, but it doesn't hurt to ask. He wrote me back after a few days saying that it is priced to sell at 60k in "my market" (Kwaj). Its been for sale since I got here. Anyhow the guy who is looking after it here and usually he says hi to me or at least acknowledges my presence ....didn't tonight when I saw him at the indoor gym we play volley ball at. Its a 2014 boat, a nice one at that, I see where he's coming from. It's too bad.
The other guy, meaning the guy who just bought (4 months ago) the 36 ft Macgregor catamaran was at the gym tonight also. That guy never stops smiling. Everyone was talking about a b boat (they call the rental boats "b boats") that went down last weekend or so. It got flooded somehow, and a May day was called, and the boat got towed back in upside down. All parties were rescued. There is a 6 mile limit to the b boats, I guess so the small boat marina can come to a rescue if they must. I heard it was the guy who owns the catamaran that I really want that was "captain" of the b boat that went down. Of course, being the evil guy I am, I wanted to make an offer on the catamaran at that time thinking he just lost (which I hear they lost a lot of crap...scuba, personal and so forth) a bunch of stuff along with having to pay for the boat repair (if he was at fault for the sinking). I wanted to, but couldn't bring myself to do it. I just suck as an evil business man. Ken was still smiling tonight at volleyball (they played before us). It turns out it wasn't his fault the boat went down, it had some sort of hull leak.
I lined some people up to go wakeboarding with Larry's boat last Sunday out to Bigej. The only other guy who uses the boat besides me told me it was running great, and that the fuel filter clog issue was resolved. He was wrong. I had D and K on the boat, along with Cory and Cotton. D and K are a very athletic mid thirties couple getting ready to go sailing in Europe for 5 or so years. D is from Alaska and K from Cleveland. Great people. Cory and Cotton are two land based Navy personnel who play Frisbee with me on a regular basis. Cory is around 25, and married. Cotton just recently turned 21 and never drinks, and I'm told is very religious. Cory is very athletic, extremely so....very fast, jumps great and he is also a guy with great sportsmanship. All around great guy, especially for as young as he is. Cotton is also a great guy, has a heart of gold, but the athleticism and coordination of a lanky 13 year old. He will be the guy everyone wants on his team once he finally calms down enough to harness his own energy. I told Cotton jokingly that I was going to "take him down to the park to pick up cougers".
I went thru all the trouble of getting the boat in the water. Trouble means getting there early to hook the hose up to each engine separately to make sure it runs, which of course there always seems to be a battery issue, and Sunday was no different. So I get them both running, shut them down, the go take the key from the lock box, start up the John Deere tractor to tow the boat the ramp. I put the boat in the water, then get off the tractor go wade to the boat, climb into it, then take it off the trailer and go dock the 27 foot cabin cruiser myself. Tie it off, then take the trailer back to the boat yard and spray it off, get on my bike and ride the quarter mile back to the marina and hope everyone shows up. They did and we took off, and the damned boat ran like shit. Somewhere there was still a fuel filter clog.
These are the troubles I face. It's terrible. :)
Friday, November 13, 2015
November..something...ok 13th or so, 2015
Friday, lol the 13th, 2015...
I posted on Facebook "I have NO idea how i got so lucky with this life.....but I'll take it.". Ok so I'm full of euphoria/endorphins and way too many beers. Seriously though, I had a guy dress up as ....me...for Halloween. I mean how great is that.... I get a lot of comments from Ultimate players that I cannot ........well there is all that, I mean people are really nice out here, for the most part. It is all Americans, except for the Marshallese workforce here mainly during the day. I hear there is a lot of weenies on island, but haven't really met too many.
Then there is the sun. I know that is truly the key to my euphoria out here. Of course the sun out here couldn't have created the great family I grew up in. I have a memory of my pre 10 year old life, that involves laughing so hard at something at the end of dinner that I couldn't stop. It wasn't so much that I couldn't stop, it was that I was having so much fun laughing, that I really didn't want to stop. One of my sister probably got me started doing something stupid, but I couldn't stop... It felt good, of course it did, who doesn't love laughing. My sisters and parents ( this is how I remember it, it could be wrong, but who cares to correct me), left me in the kitchen. I was laughing so hard I was crying. It was basically nothing that I was laughing at. That was my childhood gift to laugh so hard I cried, ...and couldn't (/could) stop it.
THAT is how good I feel here...mostly
I posted on Facebook "I have NO idea how i got so lucky with this life.....but I'll take it.". Ok so I'm full of euphoria/endorphins and way too many beers. Seriously though, I had a guy dress up as ....me...for Halloween. I mean how great is that.... I get a lot of comments from Ultimate players that I cannot ........well there is all that, I mean people are really nice out here, for the most part. It is all Americans, except for the Marshallese workforce here mainly during the day. I hear there is a lot of weenies on island, but haven't really met too many.
Then there is the sun. I know that is truly the key to my euphoria out here. Of course the sun out here couldn't have created the great family I grew up in. I have a memory of my pre 10 year old life, that involves laughing so hard at something at the end of dinner that I couldn't stop. It wasn't so much that I couldn't stop, it was that I was having so much fun laughing, that I really didn't want to stop. One of my sister probably got me started doing something stupid, but I couldn't stop... It felt good, of course it did, who doesn't love laughing. My sisters and parents ( this is how I remember it, it could be wrong, but who cares to correct me), left me in the kitchen. I was laughing so hard I was crying. It was basically nothing that I was laughing at. That was my childhood gift to laugh so hard I cried, ...and couldn't (/could) stop it.
THAT is how good I feel here...mostly
Saturday, November 7, 2015
October 7, 2015
Saturday,....or our version of Friday....
I traded emails all day with my surfing friend Joe. Joe actually can surf, just to clear that up. My surfboard is the size of the Titanic and still I can't stand on the damn thing. Joe's board is well, very similar in size to a tooth pick. His former girlfriend and now wife Kristen, has a board slightly resembling a splinter. They took a trip to Fiji about a month ago and got married there. I'm not trying to distract from the fact I can't surf, just being descriptive. Along those lines...Kristen is a mostly quiet with that look in her eyes that says "I'm quiet, but you're stupid"...Ok, that's wrong she is completely nice....maybe I'm just being insecure. The look is more like "I'm sorta quiet because I don't completely know you, but I'm fairly sure you don't want me opening up". She has the athletic body and blonde hair you would expect from a good surfer. Joe is, according to his phone number, Jewish. That's part of the code he uses to help you remember his 4 digit number. Yes, it is kind of sad to need help remembering 4 digits. I don't know if he looks Jewish, but he is in shape cause he can paddle that damned toothpick just as fast as I can paddle while lay on top of the titanic and not get wet while paddling the half mile paddle from the "Shark Pit" to "Met Rocket". We did it one evening. I couldn't believe it. He was basically swimming next to me, cause I sure as hell couldn't see his board. I was basically on a kayak and I was feeling like a champion paddling right alongside him, until I realized I was on a "kayak".
We tried the kiteboarding. He went first. There just wasn't enough wind. He came back, and on the way back Kristen showed up. She's not a real big fan of the kiteboarding. She doesn't say it, but I can see the "why do you two idiots mess with those kites and lines and all and never get anywhere " look. Ok, so I read a lot into her eyes. She never disagrees with me though when I read her eyes out loud. Joe gave my kite to me and suggested a down winder to some beach with an acronym. There are a lot of acronyms being thrown around here for landmarks. I did my normal pre race struggle getting into the bindings and took off. It was on an off. I went by our man camp where I saw ten or so heads in the water bobbing around. It didn't work out, there just wasn't enough wind. There were a few moments where some upwind locations seemed possible but in the end, I ended up at the acronym beach all safe and sound with Joe there as support.
Some guys saw me later at the chow hall and told me "it looks like you're starting to "get it"", in regards to the kiteboarding. Obviously they were the heads bobbing at the beach I saw as I went by. I held back the whole "ummm I've been kiting before ....blah blah blah". .
I traded emails all day with my surfing friend Joe. Joe actually can surf, just to clear that up. My surfboard is the size of the Titanic and still I can't stand on the damn thing. Joe's board is well, very similar in size to a tooth pick. His former girlfriend and now wife Kristen, has a board slightly resembling a splinter. They took a trip to Fiji about a month ago and got married there. I'm not trying to distract from the fact I can't surf, just being descriptive. Along those lines...Kristen is a mostly quiet with that look in her eyes that says "I'm quiet, but you're stupid"...Ok, that's wrong she is completely nice....maybe I'm just being insecure. The look is more like "I'm sorta quiet because I don't completely know you, but I'm fairly sure you don't want me opening up". She has the athletic body and blonde hair you would expect from a good surfer. Joe is, according to his phone number, Jewish. That's part of the code he uses to help you remember his 4 digit number. Yes, it is kind of sad to need help remembering 4 digits. I don't know if he looks Jewish, but he is in shape cause he can paddle that damned toothpick just as fast as I can paddle while lay on top of the titanic and not get wet while paddling the half mile paddle from the "Shark Pit" to "Met Rocket". We did it one evening. I couldn't believe it. He was basically swimming next to me, cause I sure as hell couldn't see his board. I was basically on a kayak and I was feeling like a champion paddling right alongside him, until I realized I was on a "kayak".
We tried the kiteboarding. He went first. There just wasn't enough wind. He came back, and on the way back Kristen showed up. She's not a real big fan of the kiteboarding. She doesn't say it, but I can see the "why do you two idiots mess with those kites and lines and all and never get anywhere " look. Ok, so I read a lot into her eyes. She never disagrees with me though when I read her eyes out loud. Joe gave my kite to me and suggested a down winder to some beach with an acronym. There are a lot of acronyms being thrown around here for landmarks. I did my normal pre race struggle getting into the bindings and took off. It was on an off. I went by our man camp where I saw ten or so heads in the water bobbing around. It didn't work out, there just wasn't enough wind. There were a few moments where some upwind locations seemed possible but in the end, I ended up at the acronym beach all safe and sound with Joe there as support.
Some guys saw me later at the chow hall and told me "it looks like you're starting to "get it"", in regards to the kiteboarding. Obviously they were the heads bobbing at the beach I saw as I went by. I held back the whole "ummm I've been kiting before ....blah blah blah". .
Thursday, November 5, 2015
November 5th, 2015
Thursday...
We lost our very first volleyball game tonight for the indoor league. It was a team of 3 Marshallese, 2 girls and a guy, and the guy and his wife who own the catamaran I wanted to buy. I found them a 6th player since they only had 5. The two Marshallese girls had played beach volleyball with us a few times, and they were pretty good. The Marshallese guy, who I'd never seen before was real good. During the warm ups someone served the ball fast to him and he put his hands behind his back handcuff style, leaned forward and hit the ball back perfectly. We had a ton of athleticism on our side, but only a few really good players. I would love to say I was one of them, but not so much.
The Marshallese people out here, whom we work with every day, are great. They seem to be always happy, always laughing, and always ready to help out if you need it. They have names like Bilwa, Belele, Batlock (who's last name is also Batlock), Rambo, many of them have American names, but not the American whininess. They are tough. Bilwa is around my age. He's missing most of his front teeth, but he loves to joke around. The guy just smiles a lot. I think his smile is more genuine without the front teeth. He drives around in the bobcat all day, or as much as he can get away with. Whenever I want to use it, I ask the rest of the Marshallese where Bilwa's "car" is. They are mostly treated with respect and dignity by the Americans out here, but there are a few bigots that I happen to work with that don't. One of the superintendents, who is a great guy, gave a great talk to everyone when the RMI (Republic of the Marshall Islands) people were not around. It was basically a "Do no disrespect them" speech. I later asked one of the bigots I work with if he listened to the speech. He didn't seem to think he disrespects them. He is also the guy who gave me the speech about "using your economic advantage to win women over in poorer countries.". Obviously, he has little respect for anyone. He doesn't see it, and never will. I guess morals are not part of everyone's resume.
We lost our very first volleyball game tonight for the indoor league. It was a team of 3 Marshallese, 2 girls and a guy, and the guy and his wife who own the catamaran I wanted to buy. I found them a 6th player since they only had 5. The two Marshallese girls had played beach volleyball with us a few times, and they were pretty good. The Marshallese guy, who I'd never seen before was real good. During the warm ups someone served the ball fast to him and he put his hands behind his back handcuff style, leaned forward and hit the ball back perfectly. We had a ton of athleticism on our side, but only a few really good players. I would love to say I was one of them, but not so much.
The Marshallese people out here, whom we work with every day, are great. They seem to be always happy, always laughing, and always ready to help out if you need it. They have names like Bilwa, Belele, Batlock (who's last name is also Batlock), Rambo, many of them have American names, but not the American whininess. They are tough. Bilwa is around my age. He's missing most of his front teeth, but he loves to joke around. The guy just smiles a lot. I think his smile is more genuine without the front teeth. He drives around in the bobcat all day, or as much as he can get away with. Whenever I want to use it, I ask the rest of the Marshallese where Bilwa's "car" is. They are mostly treated with respect and dignity by the Americans out here, but there are a few bigots that I happen to work with that don't. One of the superintendents, who is a great guy, gave a great talk to everyone when the RMI (Republic of the Marshall Islands) people were not around. It was basically a "Do no disrespect them" speech. I later asked one of the bigots I work with if he listened to the speech. He didn't seem to think he disrespects them. He is also the guy who gave me the speech about "using your economic advantage to win women over in poorer countries.". Obviously, he has little respect for anyone. He doesn't see it, and never will. I guess morals are not part of everyone's resume.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
11-1-15....knock knock kncockin on heavens doorrrr
Aaron is married to Darlene. They have some offspring. Carlin, Carlos, Car....I'm not sure his ten year old kids name, but he's played Frisbee with us a few times. He's pretty much half our height, but he's good for a kid that small and normally uncoordinated. He is better than his dad. That will be the most negative thing I will ever say about Aaron. Aaron dressed as me tonight for Halloween. He had a little bag of cement and a magnifying glass. He had a note on his shirt that said "Keeping it hard for Kwaj" He had a Frisbee that said " Bens Kwaj ultimate". Ok, so I can't really recall what it said, but it was incredibly tilted to sounding very similar. Aaron is bald, so he really doesn't look like me. Then there is the fact that no one here actually knows what I do. I've never had someone dress like me for Halloween or otherwise. It doesn't matter where Aaron and Darlene move, I will forever be their friend.
Tonight was Halloween night at the Vet's Hall. Last night was Halloween night at the "Snake Pit". For some reason the Vet's Hall has a better turnout then the Snake Pit. I'm guessing its an "Amercan" thing. Although, there were a lot of people at both of them, the island fluff (otherwise known as the housewives) seemed to be more inclined to the Vets Hall.
It was f#%^@$% awesome. My last trip back home I grabbed my fake mustache and some face paint.
I cannot remember a time where I danced so much. I went with the fake, very 70's looking mustache and the round, blue 70's style fake sunglasses with blue tint. I was ready to use the idea if anyone asked that I was an "entomologist". Then , with a misguided brain fart, and my own lack of humor, I googled "founder of ultimate Frisbee". The fake mustache was mid to low 70's style. The glasses were kind of the same. I figured that's when Ultimate Frisbee was invented. I mean that era. So, given that everyone here knows I'm responsible for the Ultimate, I figured it would be fun to go as "Joel Silver"...."the founder of ultimate Frisbee". I have no clue if he actually was. It didn't matter I had to have something to go with when I got to the Vet's Hall. It didn't work. People missed the incredibly witty deal I set up. I tried it on a few people, and got basically "you are a complete idiot" look. So I switched it to "I'm a pornstar" . Ok, so I didn't really come up with that on my own, but enough people suggested it that I went with it.
yea....I got no pics...just yet
Tonight was Halloween night at the Vet's Hall. Last night was Halloween night at the "Snake Pit". For some reason the Vet's Hall has a better turnout then the Snake Pit. I'm guessing its an "Amercan" thing. Although, there were a lot of people at both of them, the island fluff (otherwise known as the housewives) seemed to be more inclined to the Vets Hall.
It was f#%^@$% awesome. My last trip back home I grabbed my fake mustache and some face paint.
I cannot remember a time where I danced so much. I went with the fake, very 70's looking mustache and the round, blue 70's style fake sunglasses with blue tint. I was ready to use the idea if anyone asked that I was an "entomologist". Then , with a misguided brain fart, and my own lack of humor, I googled "founder of ultimate Frisbee". The fake mustache was mid to low 70's style. The glasses were kind of the same. I figured that's when Ultimate Frisbee was invented. I mean that era. So, given that everyone here knows I'm responsible for the Ultimate, I figured it would be fun to go as "Joel Silver"...."the founder of ultimate Frisbee". I have no clue if he actually was. It didn't matter I had to have something to go with when I got to the Vet's Hall. It didn't work. People missed the incredibly witty deal I set up. I tried it on a few people, and got basically "you are a complete idiot" look. So I switched it to "I'm a pornstar" . Ok, so I didn't really come up with that on my own, but enough people suggested it that I went with it.
yea....I got no pics...just yet
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