I’m writing this while high over the Pacific. Wait, I’m not high. The plane is very far above the Earth. Anyway, I know I’ll not be able to update right when I get in so this will have to suffice for a little while.
This journey to the Philippines is a journey into the future in several regards. First of all, I am moving into the future relativistically. I did a quick and relatively simple time dilation calculation (come on, I spent four years studying Physics. I have to use it for something). Anyway, I made a couple estimates and calculated that based on my velocity in the plane and the amount of time in the air, the principles of Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity predict that I’m essentially moving 25 microseconds into the future. I can’t even blink my eye in that amount of time, so don’t be too jealous.
The second way I’m traveling into the future is that I’m leaving on Wednesday afternoon and arriving Thursday night even though the flight lasts for less than 11 hours. This is the first time in my life that I have ever crossed the International Date Line. It has shot me into the future, at least when looking at a calendar.
The other way that I consider this flight taking me into the future is the metaphorical sense. I have made the leap. I’ve let go of the life I know so well, but I’m doing it much to the extent that a boomerang does, which will inevitably return before taking off again. With fire in my eyes, I am opening this new chapter of my life and I feel like I did when I was 5 years old waiting to open presents on Christmas morning. The differences should be clear, but the similarities are undeniable. I know that everything waiting for me is exciting and will provide entertainment for a long time, but I don’t know exactly what to expect. Presents, they don’t play themselves; it’s up to me to use imagination and child-like enthusiasm to take the toys out and use them to have fun. Likewise, I can’t expect to sit around and let experiences fall upon me; I must be active no matter what it is.
This flight is certainly taking me into the future. There will be difficulties, problems, complications, troubles, and hardships. With those will come experience, rewards, excitement, adventure, and fun. I say bring it on!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Out with a Bang
I have been having a phenomenal final week in the states. Everything seems to be going my way. I randomly got in touch with someone who works a resort wh
ere I'm looking to find a job and I'll be meeting him within my first couple days. I also managed to get in touch with someone living in the city I'm flying into (Manila) and they are happy to take me as their guest for a few nights. I can't thank either one enough for the help they've offered.
I picked up several thousand Filipino pesos (not much money), my visa was approved and shipped back in time, packing is coming along, and I'm finishing up the last few things I wanted to take care of here (minus going to Pearl Harbor).
Meg took me to Waikiki a couple nights ago and I had a hard time leaving. We went to the international market where we practiced our haggling skills, sipped pina coladas next to the beach set in front of a setting sun, went to a rotating restaurant overlooking the entire town, and finished up indulging ourselves at half-priced sushi night in a spectacular sushi/karaoke bar. We ended the night fat, happy, and exhausted, not to mention Meg let me drive her manual 6-speed car all the way home on the other side of the island which was the cherry on top of one unforgettable night. For anyone who knows me well, I have a little bit of an obsession with driving stick-shift cars which is heightened by the fact that I don't have one thus am rarely ever able to drive one.
The car was only the beginning of my driving adventures recently however. I was able to finally meet up with Mark and he took me flying with his wife Claire. Allow me to attempt to describe the things I set eyes upon today:
There were sheer cliffs painted with lush vibrant growth rising with pride 2000ft vertically from the frothy blue ocean below. Ridges farther inland folded and cut back into the mountains where streams of water sprung from the high volcanic r
ock. Around the ridges we would see the water courageously cascading down the mountain with the vigor of a stampeding herd of wildebeest. The gorgeous black jagged shoreline covered with greenery was sprinkled with mansions - resort-like houses of the wealthy far from the hustle and bustle of regular American life. The climate change within the islands was spectacular. Flying not 20 miles from the lush rain forest climate of an island would often reveal a harsh, dry, and seemingly unforgiving desert with sparse houses along lonely dirt roads. These are the kind of roads and homes one might picture when imagining moving as far as possible from society. However, continuing another 10 minutes around the island would transform brown into green, dry into wet, and barrenness into abundant life. On the way back to Honolulu Mark gave me a brief lesson on flying and a "crash course," so to speak,
on stalling. After demonstrating, he told me to pull out of a stall. I absolutely love roller coasters, but there is something about not being on a track and completely at the mercy of wind and gravity that makes weightlessness in a puny 4-seat plane particularly thrilling.
Diving with Mark on Monday and going to Coconut Island (Gilligan's Island) on Tuesday will round out my final domestic activities. Wednesday morning I leave for Manila and will be out of the states indefinitely.
ere I'm looking to find a job and I'll be meeting him within my first couple days. I also managed to get in touch with someone living in the city I'm flying into (Manila) and they are happy to take me as their guest for a few nights. I can't thank either one enough for the help they've offered.I picked up several thousand Filipino pesos (not much money), my visa was approved and shipped back in time, packing is coming along, and I'm finishing up the last few things I wanted to take care of here (minus going to Pearl Harbor).
Meg took me to Waikiki a couple nights ago and I had a hard time leaving. We went to the international market where we practiced our haggling skills, sipped pina coladas next to the beach set in front of a setting sun, went to a rotating restaurant overlooking the entire town, and finished up indulging ourselves at half-priced sushi night in a spectacular sushi/karaoke bar. We ended the night fat, happy, and exhausted, not to mention Meg let me drive her manual 6-speed car all the way home on the other side of the island which was the cherry on top of one unforgettable night. For anyone who knows me well, I have a little bit of an obsession with driving stick-shift cars which is heightened by the fact that I don't have one thus am rarely ever able to drive one.
The car was only the beginning of my driving adventures recently however. I was able to finally meet up with Mark and he took me flying with his wife Claire. Allow me to attempt to describe the things I set eyes upon today:
There were sheer cliffs painted with lush vibrant growth rising with pride 2000ft vertically from the frothy blue ocean below. Ridges farther inland folded and cut back into the mountains where streams of water sprung from the high volcanic r
ock. Around the ridges we would see the water courageously cascading down the mountain with the vigor of a stampeding herd of wildebeest. The gorgeous black jagged shoreline covered with greenery was sprinkled with mansions - resort-like houses of the wealthy far from the hustle and bustle of regular American life. The climate change within the islands was spectacular. Flying not 20 miles from the lush rain forest climate of an island would often reveal a harsh, dry, and seemingly unforgiving desert with sparse houses along lonely dirt roads. These are the kind of roads and homes one might picture when imagining moving as far as possible from society. However, continuing another 10 minutes around the island would transform brown into green, dry into wet, and barrenness into abundant life. On the way back to Honolulu Mark gave me a brief lesson on flying and a "crash course," so to speak,
on stalling. After demonstrating, he told me to pull out of a stall. I absolutely love roller coasters, but there is something about not being on a track and completely at the mercy of wind and gravity that makes weightlessness in a puny 4-seat plane particularly thrilling.Diving with Mark on Monday and going to Coconut Island (Gilligan's Island) on Tuesday will round out my final domestic activities. Wednesday morning I leave for Manila and will be out of the states indefinitely.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
I Have a Plan ... kind of.
My plan has yet to include securing housing and having a visa, but it does involve having plane tickets. As you can see from the map, I'll be in the Philippines 
from the 6th of August until I leave for Bali at the beginning of November.
I don't know a single word of the language, I don't have a place to stay, I have not figured out what to do for transportation once I arrive, there is not a single person there whom I've ever met, I don't know what the food is like, I am clueless about the culture, and I have no idea if I need any vaccinations or medication. I'm not just taking a little road trip vacation to Florida. I'm moving across the world to the Philippines completely on my own. If there has ever been a time in my life that I've been out of my comfort zone, this trip is going to blow it out of the water.
Am I excited? Absolutely. I'm ready to tackle whatever challenge comes my way and adapt to any situation.
Am I nervous? You bet I am. I'm closing my eyes, climbing to the edge of a cliff, and taking the biggest leap of faith of my life. This year is going to be amazing and exciting. I'm going to learn more than I ever expected about other parts of the world and come back with more stories than I'll be able to remember (thank you Blogger.com). However, it will not be without tremendous challenge.
In Him, all things are possible.
from the 6th of August until I leave for Bali at the beginning of November.I don't know a single word of the language, I don't have a place to stay, I have not figured out what to do for transportation once I arrive, there is not a single person there whom I've ever met, I don't know what the food is like, I am clueless about the culture, and I have no idea if I need any vaccinations or medication. I'm not just taking a little road trip vacation to Florida. I'm moving across the world to the Philippines completely on my own. If there has ever been a time in my life that I've been out of my comfort zone, this trip is going to blow it out of the water.
Am I excited? Absolutely. I'm ready to tackle whatever challenge comes my way and adapt to any situation.
Am I nervous? You bet I am. I'm closing my eyes, climbing to the edge of a cliff, and taking the biggest leap of faith of my life. This year is going to be amazing and exciting. I'm going to learn more than I ever expected about other parts of the world and come back with more stories than I'll be able to remember (thank you Blogger.com). However, it will not be without tremendous challenge.
In Him, all things are possible.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Visa Complications
Well the visa is more or less in control right now. I am unable to apply for one until I have proof of exit itinerary. Fear not, the consulate made it clear that processing time is about 3 days so I'm not in a critical time crunch yet.
I am left with two options. Option one is to purchase a very expensive yet very effective "Round the World" ticket that is good for 16 flight segments over the course of a year. I intend to make my way around the world based on the guidelines of the ticket anyway, so it appears that I would be saving money. One downside is that I would be restricted to only the destinations that the airline alliance uses. The other downside is that I have to settle on the full itinerary when I purchase the ticket. I do not get charged for changing the dates but there is a fee for canceling or changing locations. I'm waiting for an email back from Cathay Pacific with answers to some very important questions.
The second option is to buy a single one-way ticket out of the Philippines. The reason i would choose this option is because with flights to Singapore for $94 and Indonesia for $118, it's not a huge financial loss to get the single ticket without the Round the World fare. Plus, if I decided later to buy the Round the World ticket, I wouldn't have to start until about Jan/Feb, thus pushing back my year of travel.
There is a lot to think, talk, and pray about here. Although the time crunch is not critical yet, I am still a little pressed and need to figure out where to go from the Philippines very soon. None of my potential contacts have pulled through for me and I'm seriously scraping for advice. If anyone knows or knows anyone who knows anything about Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, or Thailand (particularly the first two and particularly with respect to diving), please please please talk to me immediately.
I am left with two options. Option one is to purchase a very expensive yet very effective "Round the World" ticket that is good for 16 flight segments over the course of a year. I intend to make my way around the world based on the guidelines of the ticket anyway, so it appears that I would be saving money. One downside is that I would be restricted to only the destinations that the airline alliance uses. The other downside is that I have to settle on the full itinerary when I purchase the ticket. I do not get charged for changing the dates but there is a fee for canceling or changing locations. I'm waiting for an email back from Cathay Pacific with answers to some very important questions.
The second option is to buy a single one-way ticket out of the Philippines. The reason i would choose this option is because with flights to Singapore for $94 and Indonesia for $118, it's not a huge financial loss to get the single ticket without the Round the World fare. Plus, if I decided later to buy the Round the World ticket, I wouldn't have to start until about Jan/Feb, thus pushing back my year of travel.
There is a lot to think, talk, and pray about here. Although the time crunch is not critical yet, I am still a little pressed and need to figure out where to go from the Philippines very soon. None of my potential contacts have pulled through for me and I'm seriously scraping for advice. If anyone knows or knows anyone who knows anything about Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, or Thailand (particularly the first two and particularly with respect to diving), please please please talk to me immediately.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Part Two Approaches
This is a photo of the Makapu'u Lighthouse on one of my sunrise hikes. Very very cool. To get this picture, I hiked WAY off the trail over a ton of sharp pumice. I would do it the same way all over again.Anyway, I've had even more fun than I anticipated, but part one of my adventures must come to a close. On the 5th of August I'm moving to the Philippines: I bought the plane ticket today. The flight dparts in the early afternoon on the 5th and arrives in Manila the evening of the 6th, even though the flight is about 10 or 11 hours. I am filling out the paperwork for the visa and sending it FedEx first thing tomorrow morning. Over the next two weeks, I'm going to be figuring out my housing situation for the first few days, packing, contacting dive shops, and exchanging money. I will be on Mindoro Island in and around the Puerto Galera area. The reason I'm only going to work out the first few days is that the cheap backpackers lodges don't have websites. What I'm going to do is stay in the cheapest (though safe) place the first 2-3 days then find a place for a few bucks a night. I don't need any luxury whatsoever - all I want is safety. The first two weeks I plan to be unemployed. I'll be walking (or biking, motoring, scootering, whatever) around to all the dive shops scoping them out and seeing which ones I like before I start talking about work.
Speaking of work, I passed the Instructor Exam and I am now a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor. As soon as the paperwork is processed I will be in teaching status. That news is huge, but honestly it's sort of outweighed by the upcoming move to the Philippines.Other exciting news is that Meg comes back from the mainland tonight. I would get her a lei like she did for me, but I have no idea where to get them. Sorry Meg. I'll at least pick you up with a big smile.
Friday, July 17, 2009
These are a few of my favorite things
I am generally a happy person. Do you want to know what makes me stay so happy all the time?
The smell in the air after rain
A child's laughter
That last spoonful of ice cream
Sunrise
Sunset
People letting me pull out in busy intersections
Playing music
Climbing trees
Stopping to listen to the birds
White puffy clouds
Raucous thunder storms
A bag of candy
The way grass smells when it's cut
Mist beneath a waterfall
Warm clothes fresh out of the dryer
Hearing (and understanding) French
Listening to a good story
Telling a good story
Wind blowing through my hair
Seeing people smile
Making people smile (SO underrated)
Soft grass beneath bare feet
Incorrect translations
Dreaming
Folding a pair of pants without creases
Playing ultimate frisbee
(Not getting clobbered in the face)
The smell of air blowing over the sea
Watching lizards catch bugs
Making the first footprints on a field of pristine snow
Seeing sharks
Walking into a clean house
Coconuts
Seeing birds glide through the air
People standing up for something they believe
Hills on the road that make you feel weightless
Being outside instead of in
Cold shower on a hot day
Hot shower on a cold day
Fresh bread warm out of the oven
Lying down looking up at the stars
Knowing I tried my hardest
Green lights
Licking batter from the bowl
The phrase "hakuna matata"
Swinging on a hammock
The last puzzle piece
World maps
Just the right lighting for a photo
Telling people what I really think
Open air markets
Randomly breaking out into song
The purr of a cat
Oldschool Mario on the original Nintendo
Driving stick shift
Making people laugh
Knowing the lyrics to a song on the radio
Jumping on a trampoline
Changing highway lanes without hitting the reflectors
Head, shoulder, and/or back massages
Getting lost in a beautiful painting
Well-deserved naps
Being inexplicably slap happy
New can of tennis balls
Personal letters in the mail
Imagination
Wishing upon a star
Autumn leaves
Singing as loud as I want in the car
Riding my bike down a hill
Landing on the mat and not having to put the bar back up
Waking up before the sun
Sleeping in
Palm trees
Being with family
The sound of waves against the shore
Hugs
Collapsing into bed with eyelids too heavy to keep open
The beauty of math
Watching ants march
Scratch and sniff stickers
Being able to run
Head massages (yes, it's worth listing twice)
Getting responses to messages/emails
Physics humor
Being under the sea
The thought of living in another time and place
Thinking completely in music without words
Finding the 20 dollars I left in my pocket when it appears in the dryer
Grace and poise in animals
The perfectly timed sarcastic comment
Learning a new instrument
Cool accents
The excitement of being in a new place
Waking myself up by laughing in my sleep
Finding out the girl you have a huge crush on likes you
Remember, it's the little things in life that can make a world of difference. Don't forget to smile for no reason and laugh until you cry as much as possible. There are certainly appropriate times for stress, sadness, worry, and struggle but there are too many incredible things in life to remain upset. (All of these things are easily trumped by the good news of the New Testament, but that's a whole other post for another time.) Keep an eye out - I'm going to make additions to this list with no warning at all.
Instructor exam starts tomorrow (Sat) morning! I think I'm ready so it should be fun. Time for some sleep right now. Cheers!
The smell in the air after rain
A child's laughter
That last spoonful of ice cream
Sunrise
Sunset
People letting me pull out in busy intersections
Playing music
Climbing trees
Stopping to listen to the birds
White puffy clouds
Raucous thunder storms
A bag of candy
The way grass smells when it's cut
Mist beneath a waterfall
Warm clothes fresh out of the dryer
Hearing (and understanding) French
Listening to a good story
Telling a good story
Wind blowing through my hair
Seeing people smile
Making people smile (SO underrated)
Soft grass beneath bare feet
Incorrect translations
Dreaming
Folding a pair of pants without creases
Playing ultimate frisbee
(Not getting clobbered in the face)
The smell of air blowing over the sea
Watching lizards catch bugs
Making the first footprints on a field of pristine snow
Seeing sharks
Walking into a clean house
Coconuts
Seeing birds glide through the air
People standing up for something they believe
Hills on the road that make you feel weightless
Being outside instead of in
Cold shower on a hot day
Hot shower on a cold day
Fresh bread warm out of the oven
Lying down looking up at the stars
Knowing I tried my hardest
Green lights
Licking batter from the bowl
The phrase "hakuna matata"
Swinging on a hammock
The last puzzle piece
World maps
Just the right lighting for a photo
Telling people what I really think
Open air markets
Randomly breaking out into song
The purr of a cat
Oldschool Mario on the original Nintendo
Driving stick shift
Making people laugh
Knowing the lyrics to a song on the radio
Jumping on a trampoline
Changing highway lanes without hitting the reflectors
Head, shoulder, and/or back massages
Getting lost in a beautiful painting
Well-deserved naps
Being inexplicably slap happy
New can of tennis balls
Personal letters in the mail
Imagination
Wishing upon a star
Autumn leaves
Singing as loud as I want in the car
Riding my bike down a hill
Landing on the mat and not having to put the bar back up
Waking up before the sun
Sleeping in
Palm trees
Being with family
The sound of waves against the shore
Hugs
Collapsing into bed with eyelids too heavy to keep open
The beauty of math
Watching ants march
Scratch and sniff stickers
Being able to run
Head massages (yes, it's worth listing twice)
Getting responses to messages/emails
Physics humor
Being under the sea
The thought of living in another time and place
Thinking completely in music without words
Finding the 20 dollars I left in my pocket when it appears in the dryer
Grace and poise in animals
The perfectly timed sarcastic comment
Learning a new instrument
Cool accents
The excitement of being in a new place
Waking myself up by laughing in my sleep
Finding out the girl you have a huge crush on likes you
Remember, it's the little things in life that can make a world of difference. Don't forget to smile for no reason and laugh until you cry as much as possible. There are certainly appropriate times for stress, sadness, worry, and struggle but there are too many incredible things in life to remain upset. (All of these things are easily trumped by the good news of the New Testament, but that's a whole other post for another time.) Keep an eye out - I'm going to make additions to this list with no warning at all.
Instructor exam starts tomorrow (Sat) morning! I think I'm ready so it should be fun. Time for some sleep right now. Cheers!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Weather or Not
I've gotten into this whole sunrise thing. Monday morning I went out toward the north shore, stopped at this park, and spent about 30-45 minutes taking pictures of the sunrise. The next day (yesterday) I drove out to Lanikai before 5, hiked up the pillbox trail (there's a picture of the hike on one of my first few posts). I hiked up in the dark, saw the sun rise over the Mokes, and made it back home by about 6:30. With my jaw injury I took this morning off and I'll probably do the same tomorrow morning then go somewhere else on Friday.
The weather here has been weird. I don't know if I'm just now noticing or if it has been unusual the past few days. It rains for no more than 5 minutes at a time, no less than 5 times a day. Plus it's constantly changing depending on where I drive. Like today going out to Haleiwa to dive with Jeremy, I swear it rained 4 times and was sunny and hot in between each one. A couple other noteworthy things about that drive: I passed the Dole plantation and then while we were out on the boat I looked back toward shore and there was a brilliant rainbow. It was there when we surfaced, and it was there as I drove back home. Very cool. (I started writing this paragraph because it started suddenly raining, and now it stopped. Point made.)
The last piece of news is the biggest of all. Ready? I'm thinking of moving to the Philippines. Palau was proving to be very difficult to find housing and transportation. When I looked into the Philippines, there were tons of links to backpackers that I could stay in (as little as $10 per night), they have an abundance of dive shops, and at least two airlines fly there direct for about $700. I'm going to continue researching it, then talk about it, think about it, and pray about it over the next week. I hope to have some sort of decision by this time next week. Don't worry, making a decision means there's still another couple weeks to wait for the visa and to make sure I secure housing and transportation arrangements, so it's looking like I'll be leaving no sooner than the 5th of August. But then again, I can never be too sure. Stay tuned because there's going to be an Instructor Exam update soon, then a follow-up about the Philippines very soon after that.
The weather here has been weird. I don't know if I'm just now noticing or if it has been unusual the past few days. It rains for no more than 5 minutes at a time, no less than 5 times a day. Plus it's constantly changing depending on where I drive. Like today going out to Haleiwa to dive with Jeremy, I swear it rained 4 times and was sunny and hot in between each one. A couple other noteworthy things about that drive: I passed the Dole plantation and then while we were out on the boat I looked back toward shore and there was a brilliant rainbow. It was there when we surfaced, and it was there as I drove back home. Very cool. (I started writing this paragraph because it started suddenly raining, and now it stopped. Point made.)The last piece of news is the biggest of all. Ready? I'm thinking of moving to the Philippines. Palau was proving to be very difficult to find housing and transportation. When I looked into the Philippines, there were tons of links to backpackers that I could stay in (as little as $10 per night), they have an abundance of dive shops, and at least two airlines fly there direct for about $700. I'm going to continue researching it, then talk about it, think about it, and pray about it over the next week. I hope to have some sort of decision by this time next week. Don't worry, making a decision means there's still another couple weeks to wait for the visa and to make sure I secure housing and transportation arrangements, so it's looking like I'll be leaving no sooner than the 5th of August. But then again, I can never be too sure. Stay tuned because there's going to be an Instructor Exam update soon, then a follow-up about the Philippines very soon after that.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
On a Diet
So as of tonight, I'm on a diet for at least a few days. I know, I know, I've never been one for diets, but the truth is, there's no choice about this one. I'm on the "Get your jaw bashed in and split your lip so it really hurts to chew" diet. It's doing wonders for me. It's really making me aware of how much I eat and preventing me from eating when I don't have to. I'll refrain from posting pictures (though honestly it's not really that bad). Although it was bloody, I didn't lose or chip any teeth, I put my retainer in when I got home and everything is in place, my jaw is not broken, and the gash in my lip is not severe enough for stitches. That being said, it
was a really hard hit - the guy was sending the frisbee all the way down the field when his wrist connected with my face. I just hope it heals by this weekend because that's when the Instructor Examination is.
Speaking of scuba diving, I'm officially an Emergency First Response instructor so if anyone wants to learn CPR and First Aid (in Hawaii), let's talk. I finished the Instructor Development Course today by rocking the socks off the Physiology exam. After finishing, I thought to myself: I have nowhere to run off to (until ultimate) and I'm in Hawaii. How about I visit the beach for a little bit. It was beautiful. Don't let me EVER take this for granted. Please.
was a really hard hit - the guy was sending the frisbee all the way down the field when his wrist connected with my face. I just hope it heals by this weekend because that's when the Instructor Examination is.
Speaking of scuba diving, I'm officially an Emergency First Response instructor so if anyone wants to learn CPR and First Aid (in Hawaii), let's talk. I finished the Instructor Development Course today by rocking the socks off the Physiology exam. After finishing, I thought to myself: I have nowhere to run off to (until ultimate) and I'm in Hawaii. How about I visit the beach for a little bit. It was beautiful. Don't let me EVER take this for granted. Please.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Complete the IDC. Check.
The Instructor Development Course (IDC) is now complete. I have one week until the Instructor Examination. I'm not worried about the pool portion, the open water portion, or the classroom presentations portion. The thing I'm worried about is the physiology exam. There is a 5-section dive theory exam (Physics, Skills and Environment, Physiology, RDP, and Equipment). Physiology is clearly my weakness. Until the exam, I'm going to be studying as well as trying to knock out my last 13 dives that I need before I'm allowed to be certified. My problem is not having people to go diving with.Meg went back to the mainland so I'm here with Bruce (the rabbit) holding down the fort, quite well if I do say so myself.
I watched God Grew Tired of Us last night and thought it was very interesting. It's about refugees from Sudan who are given the opportunity to live in America. Very interesting indeed. It made me really consider life in America and although it seems like this is the coolest most awesome country, there are a lot of things we don't have right. I'm not talking about government or the way things are run, I'm talking about the general population as a whole - our attitudes. Just watch it and think about what I said. You'll see.
I'm trying to secure some World Cup tickets but my only problem is that the FIFA website is not being helpful. It's not letting me apply for tickets in Cape Town. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Happy birthday Mom!!!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Assistance
I have now been going to scuba class for 5 days. The classroom portions have been relatively bland. Larry is trying to make the material interesting, but the truth is that he is required to go through all of the slides and handouts that are part of the class - an entire 3-inch binder's worth (that's why it takes 10 days averaging 7 hours a day to get through everything). Granted every once in a while we get to go to the pool or beach. The in-water hands-on type work is the type that Jeremy and I like the most. Jeremy is the other guy taking the course with me. He is very cool - 30 or 40 something years old, is a pilot, has been a skydiving instructor, and now runs a business where he takes people out to dive with great whites... outside of a cage. He has a laid back attitude and is fun to work with.
Dell is ridiculous. When I called them to fix the order the first time (when all they had was pink), we settled on a different laptop altogether. A few days later I later realized that we had forgotten about Photoshop. I called him back and had him add it to my order since I asked for it with the original order. It turns out that he added it by canceling and re-submitting my order which pushed the delivery date back several more days, but the worst part is that he charged me for it. When I realized this I sent him a very unhappy email and when he called back the next morning I ended up settling for a $50 gift card. Not a full compensation, but it's enough to at least shut me up I suppose. The new laptop which I ordered on the 28th of May is expected to arrive on the 22nd of July. Good grief, Dell.
Getting back to the scuba class, the first 4 days of the instructor course count as becoming a certified Assistant Instructor. Neat, eh? We sent the paperwork off today so I'll be getting a card soon.
I want to write about more such as my swim today but my eyes are closing because I'm so exhausted.
Dell is ridiculous. When I called them to fix the order the first time (when all they had was pink), we settled on a different laptop altogether. A few days later I later realized that we had forgotten about Photoshop. I called him back and had him add it to my order since I asked for it with the original order. It turns out that he added it by canceling and re-submitting my order which pushed the delivery date back several more days, but the worst part is that he charged me for it. When I realized this I sent him a very unhappy email and when he called back the next morning I ended up settling for a $50 gift card. Not a full compensation, but it's enough to at least shut me up I suppose. The new laptop which I ordered on the 28th of May is expected to arrive on the 22nd of July. Good grief, Dell.
Getting back to the scuba class, the first 4 days of the instructor course count as becoming a certified Assistant Instructor. Neat, eh? We sent the paperwork off today so I'll be getting a card soon.
I want to write about more such as my swim today but my eyes are closing because I'm so exhausted.
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