2003-05-26 - 12:09 p.m.
It's interesting. I am sitting here wanting to weep over something that is not even mine. Well... maybe weep is too strong a word for it, but I am definately feeling sorry for myself.
Let me explain. My wife bought me a porsche. Not a real porsche though, just a little oragne porsche 914. I can vividly remember in high school walking up to people with these cars and saying "I'm sooooo sorry." Then walking away while these people fumed at me for being a smart a*.
So now I own one (well my wife does actually), and we have to return it to the person we bought it from. It has a dead cylinder ( 3 cylinders 130 psi pressure, the fourth 40 psi. Not good, and on a 4 cylinder engine really not good). Fortunately the person we got it from decided to take it back. But it doesn't make it any easier.
You see... or maybe you don't. Porsche has always been my favorite car. Yes the 914 isn't, but it is still a porsche. I got to drive it once on the freeway and it did not feel like it has a dead cylinder. I was doing 90 in 3rd gear for the 5 speed. It felt exhilarating and liberating and fun. Oh well. There are not many times in life you can say you have gotten the chance to almost touch a dream, let alone test drive one.
Will
Note 2011- We kept the Porsche and it has been worked on by a Flagstaff mechanic who is also doing body work etc. Need something to drive when stateside.
Trying yet again to maintain a blog of our travels abroad, especially as the children are getting older.
Monday, May 26, 2003
Wednesday, May 14, 2003
Voice of Will: Employment Change
2003-05-14 - 8:46 a.m.
I just recieved a letter from an old friend, Brian (welby to many others). It seems his life is changing directions in regards to employment. It must be going around, because so am I.
In order to understand these ramblings, I need to give some background. I have worked in the field of mental illness, and group homes for seven years now. I rather like the clients I work with, I appear to understand my job and how to do it. And apparently I am too trusting of my employers.
In February of this year, my wife was tenitavely offered a job to teach english in a private school in Japan. We were thrilled. I mentioned that if everything went smoothly to my employer that we might be leaving as soon as early June. Well apparently what I said, was understood as "Leaving Early JUNE." And I was scheduled as having given notice, and to be let go.
Well after meeting with the superviors about this issue, they apologized for misunderstanding me, and told me I have a job. Not a week goes by, and the owner of the company tells them I do not have a job. Well there is always unemployment, god I hate the idea of taking handouts though.
Will
I just recieved a letter from an old friend, Brian (welby to many others). It seems his life is changing directions in regards to employment. It must be going around, because so am I.
In order to understand these ramblings, I need to give some background. I have worked in the field of mental illness, and group homes for seven years now. I rather like the clients I work with, I appear to understand my job and how to do it. And apparently I am too trusting of my employers.
In February of this year, my wife was tenitavely offered a job to teach english in a private school in Japan. We were thrilled. I mentioned that if everything went smoothly to my employer that we might be leaving as soon as early June. Well apparently what I said, was understood as "Leaving Early JUNE." And I was scheduled as having given notice, and to be let go.
Well after meeting with the superviors about this issue, they apologized for misunderstanding me, and told me I have a job. Not a week goes by, and the owner of the company tells them I do not have a job. Well there is always unemployment, god I hate the idea of taking handouts though.
Will
Monday, May 12, 2003
Voice of Will: Graduation
2003-05-12 - 11:42 a.m.
On Friday my wife and I graduated with 2 degrees each from Northern Arizona University. During commencement we were told about change, about how the future may not work out how we have planned it, and about Swaziland. And our speaker is so full of sh* it is not funny.
He was not full of sh* about any of these things. Yes, the future is change, and you cannot determine how it will work out, and well Swaziland is just kewl. No he is full of sh* about the importance of a bachelors degree, and how important "this" day was.
On a relative scale, college graduation is just like high school graduation. At the time it seemed pretty impressive, but it reallly doesn't mean anything. (well if you run out of toilet paper, you might have something to wipe with) To a future employeer it means you can be trained. It's nice to know that I can be trained like any other moss, spore, or monkey.
And in comparision to some other days it is hardly worth my while. I believe the day my wife said "yes" or "I do" is much more important. The day's I held each of my children for the first time. Lets not forget the day's I first learned about their existence, hearing their little hearts beating like a steam engine. Now those days were important, earth shattering, and something I will remember forever.
Unfortunately, my graduation day is just snippets of things I would like to remember. The biggest problem is thinking "I spent $XXXXXX for this?"
Will
On Friday my wife and I graduated with 2 degrees each from Northern Arizona University. During commencement we were told about change, about how the future may not work out how we have planned it, and about Swaziland. And our speaker is so full of sh* it is not funny.
He was not full of sh* about any of these things. Yes, the future is change, and you cannot determine how it will work out, and well Swaziland is just kewl. No he is full of sh* about the importance of a bachelors degree, and how important "this" day was.
On a relative scale, college graduation is just like high school graduation. At the time it seemed pretty impressive, but it reallly doesn't mean anything. (well if you run out of toilet paper, you might have something to wipe with) To a future employeer it means you can be trained. It's nice to know that I can be trained like any other moss, spore, or monkey.
And in comparision to some other days it is hardly worth my while. I believe the day my wife said "yes" or "I do" is much more important. The day's I held each of my children for the first time. Lets not forget the day's I first learned about their existence, hearing their little hearts beating like a steam engine. Now those days were important, earth shattering, and something I will remember forever.
Unfortunately, my graduation day is just snippets of things I would like to remember. The biggest problem is thinking "I spent $XXXXXX for this?"
Will
Thursday, May 8, 2003
Voice of Will: 64 pages in 12 hours
2003-05-08 - 9:34 a.m.
My wife is amazing. We are both scheduled to graduate from college on Friday. In order to do this my wife had to complete her English independent study. In order to complete this, it is 15 pages per letter grade with a c being 15. So for my wife to get an A she needs 45 pages. With the personal problems we have experienced (see the previous diary entry) she was unable to even really start her work until Monday.
As I sit in the computer lab, my wife has just printed out 64 pages that she wrote in 12 hours. She will get an A (I do not doubt it, she's like that)
What's it about? Oh she is doing a comparison between Akira Kurasawa's renditions of Shakespeare and western impressions of his work. Very interesting, and indepth.
Will
My wife is amazing. We are both scheduled to graduate from college on Friday. In order to do this my wife had to complete her English independent study. In order to complete this, it is 15 pages per letter grade with a c being 15. So for my wife to get an A she needs 45 pages. With the personal problems we have experienced (see the previous diary entry) she was unable to even really start her work until Monday.
As I sit in the computer lab, my wife has just printed out 64 pages that she wrote in 12 hours. She will get an A (I do not doubt it, she's like that)
What's it about? Oh she is doing a comparison between Akira Kurasawa's renditions of Shakespeare and western impressions of his work. Very interesting, and indepth.
Will
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
Voice of Will: Missing her father
2003-05-06 - 1:39 p.m.
Spring break visiting a person dying of terminal liver cancer, small children at the Rennisance festival, a night dancing at a place in Tempe called the Library. All in all, a rather (sur)real experience. Parts of it were pure unadulterated fun. And others were of heartwrenching agony.
My father in law died on April 1, 2003. Just like the bastard, to be ironic in death just like he was during life.
I miss him terribly. Not for anything that I can easily point my finger at and say "There! there is why I miss him." In fact, it was an ornery old coot. He made fun of me everytime we laid eyes on each other but he didn't mind me returning fire. I think it was his way of testing my mettle to see if I was good enough for his daughter. I think I am. I hope he felt so. I will never find out though, becaues we never talked about it. and now never will.
Will
Spring break visiting a person dying of terminal liver cancer, small children at the Rennisance festival, a night dancing at a place in Tempe called the Library. All in all, a rather (sur)real experience. Parts of it were pure unadulterated fun. And others were of heartwrenching agony.
My father in law died on April 1, 2003. Just like the bastard, to be ironic in death just like he was during life.
I miss him terribly. Not for anything that I can easily point my finger at and say "There! there is why I miss him." In fact, it was an ornery old coot. He made fun of me everytime we laid eyes on each other but he didn't mind me returning fire. I think it was his way of testing my mettle to see if I was good enough for his daughter. I think I am. I hope he felt so. I will never find out though, becaues we never talked about it. and now never will.
Will
Monday, May 5, 2003
Voice of Will: Finally Graduating
2003-05-05 - 11:12 a.m.
Wow. After 12 years in college I will finally graduate. Yes, I did say 12 years. What a strange, delightful trip it has been. Along the way, I met an intelligent, witty, punny, beautiful woman who thinks I'm a "catch" (whatever drugs she is on, I keep telling her to keep it up), have had three annoyingly brilliant children (have you ever had a 3 year old climb on top of a 6' refrigerator get what they want, and climb back down without breaking anything??? Or the time my 4 year old was able to beat me at my favorite PS2 game?? like I said annoying), great friends who are now part of the family, Oh... and an education.
When I walk on Friday at 4 pm, I will recieve 2 bachelors of science degrees on in psychology, and one in history. (I originally wanted to be an engineer, but Calc 3 kicked my a* three times. So i changed majors to something easy like psychology, but history kept calling me. So I didn't know what I wanted to do when I grew up. I still don't, but I hope it involves my wife, children, and friends.)
Will
Wow. After 12 years in college I will finally graduate. Yes, I did say 12 years. What a strange, delightful trip it has been. Along the way, I met an intelligent, witty, punny, beautiful woman who thinks I'm a "catch" (whatever drugs she is on, I keep telling her to keep it up), have had three annoyingly brilliant children (have you ever had a 3 year old climb on top of a 6' refrigerator get what they want, and climb back down without breaking anything??? Or the time my 4 year old was able to beat me at my favorite PS2 game?? like I said annoying), great friends who are now part of the family, Oh... and an education.
When I walk on Friday at 4 pm, I will recieve 2 bachelors of science degrees on in psychology, and one in history. (I originally wanted to be an engineer, but Calc 3 kicked my a* three times. So i changed majors to something easy like psychology, but history kept calling me. So I didn't know what I wanted to do when I grew up. I still don't, but I hope it involves my wife, children, and friends.)
Will