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January 2008
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Tracy has put the smile back on my face. It's been a wonderful week that flew by much too fast. There has been much closure and I feel closer to her now than when we were officially together. My happiness must show to the outside world and even in my typing as everyone has been so nice, and striking up conversations and the like. In fact it has been downright strange: one person I've met once and two people I've typed to for a long time but never met all this week wrote and said they'd like to visit before I leave. I've been rethinking the whole Visa thing. I don't like that to get the Visa I have to plan out in advance my whole trip. It leaves no flexibility since everything is paid for in advance to have proof for the Embassy. So I got to thinking I have two problems that can mesh together really well if done correctly. The first problem is the Visa requirements, the second is where to spend the other 3 or 4 months. Thailand's entry rules are this: you can visit without a Visa for up to 30 days, you can stay up to 90 days out of any 180 days as long as you leave the country every 30 days. So, if I go for 30 days, go somewhere else for a month, come back for a month, etcetera, I don't need a Visa. Now, I still have to figure out what other country or countries to visit, have to get my visit exit ticket before I leave the United States, and have to check the entry requirements of said countries. But that removes all the pressures and lack of fluidity in plan making of having to get a Visa. Today I work on scheduling the vaccinations.
I want to stay up and watch the New Hampshire Primaries, but I can tell at this early hour it isn't going to happen. I hope against reason that Huckabee pulls out a major showing. Also I fear that Hillary has set a brilliant trap for Obama. One thing I have always believed in is her near mastery of the press, and I don't believe for a second this appearance of them turning on her these last few weeks. Personally, New Hampshire should have been a locked up state for her, so my thinking is, her polling showed it might be close and she set out to be the underdog. She pushes herself way down in the polls, and three things happen. Obama stops trying so hard - goes defensive instead of full steam ahead. His support is strongest among the young, who are historically very lazy when it comes to actually voting and might not turn out as much if they think Obama is a shoe in without their vote. And if the vote turns out to be close Hillary looks much better as the "almost caught up" runner than the "blew a sure thing" candidate. If this vote turns out to be close, or she wins, as much as I hate to admit it, she's ingenious and she deserves it. And if you Obama fans don't learn from this in the states coming up, you deserve her too. Well I guess I'll know in the morning.
I didn't know the next day, because that was one of the worst days I've had in a long time. Pain spasms, continuous muscle contractions and a light show. Spent the day curled up, wishing I had some prescription pain killers and being waited on by Dan.
I got several phone calls while I was unable to answer them (it truly is amazing the ratio of phone calls that come in when I'm asleep, out or immobilized to the total number of phone calls received) and also some email. One from Jia saying I should call Mom which I then did. It only seemed a few days in Garth-time, but ten whole days had based since Tracy left, and I had accomplished absolutely nothing in that time. So I figured rather than freaking out about all that had to be done, break down exactly the steps that HAVE to be done. 1) Vaccinations 2) Exit ticket on March 16th. 3) Place to stay after hotel 4) Mail personal items to family I left another message on the Vaccinations answering machine, which promised to get back to me again within 24 hours. When I called back after that 24 period today, miracle of miracles I got a live person (I really had come to picture an dust covered unattended machine) and set-up an appointment for Monday at 1pm. She was unable to tell me what it would cost, but Tracy told it cost her almost $500 Canadian to get shots for Africa and that's with socialized medicine. So I'm not expecting it to be cheap. Some searching around the net turns up that you don't need an exit ticket with the 30 day instant Visas. But I develop an exit plan, train from Bangkok to Penang. Penang is a lovely seacoast resort area barely over the border in Malaysia. Stay long enough - 24 to 48 hours and train back again. I can do this three times on the 30 day Visa. And the train is only around $50 for an air-conditioned sleeper car. Hard to do online though, so I will wait until I am there - and I'll know my actual end of Visa day to the day (30 days not always being a month and all) - to by the train ticket. Found an online blog of a guy that moved from New York to Pattaya seven years ago and loves it. My hope to strike up a conversation with this guy and obtain as much info as possible. And I'll box up the video tapes for Mom, assorted items for Lorne, and the items Tracy requested tomorrow. These are the most important items, I'll worry about the rest later. So if I actually get these things done tomorrow, I'll be pretty much ontrack. It's going to be a busy period coming: Lloyd is arriving (bicycling from Daytona to here no less) Monday, Kelly is coming for a day or two next weekend (assuming this actually happens, wouldn't be the first time that has fallen apart,) JB & MK are coming for the weekend of F/X (end of the month) and John right after that. Whew.
A few times I had to put my headset on to escape from the din even in the relatively sound dampening spot we were seated in. Thankfully I easily lose track of time. It was 10:30 when my stomach began to give me trouble because I had taken my pills before leaving the house and they were by now eating into it. I tried unsuccessfully to catch the attention of any waitress as they darted by. Finally I got up asked Robin (our actual waitress - who was counting money and preloading coffee filters simultaneously - for crackers and if our order would be coming in the foreseeable future. I got the crackers but no answer and seemed unable to rouse her from her money counting concentration after that. At 10:40 I noticed people who had arrived 20 or so minutes after us beginning to get food. And also became aware that there didn't seem to be enough complaining going on around us there would be if there was really a 1 hour lag time. I starting to suspect our order had not gone in. I spent another five minutes trying to get someone to check into this when I suddenly realized that the DVDs orders had to go out by noon because it was Friday and that the situation was officially ridiculously Snafued even by Grams standards. So an hour and half after entering we got up, yelled to Kendall that we couldn't wait any longer and left for the house. Normally I wouldn't give a restaurant my business for a long time after an incident like this, but tomorrow is Sheila's last day there. So I will go for that, but since I am leaving in a month - it shall be mine as well.
Lloyd's impending arrival, my pedicure appointment and my vaccination shots were all scheduled for today, making it a much busier than usual day. I thought I would leave the house, grab a hurried breakfast at McDonald's and arrive for however long I had to wait at the Salon and then go looking for 1555 Saxon. Well, I didn't have to wait at all, the Salon was empty so I was waited on right away. This left me too much time to kill, so I returned to the house and fiddled with the computer. The Vaccination place turned out to be the Board of Health. I'm pretty sure this wasn't mentioned previously. I remember the Internet page had a list of three places, one was that God awful hospital across from my doctor's place, one was too far away, and this place. But I sure it didn't say Board of Health. I will say this, it was better than going to the DMV. And it did prepare me for going to another country, for I definitely felt like English was a second language here. Almost all the people in the waiting area were talking Spanish, every English poster had a Spanish equivalent, but not all Spanish ones did. There were three lines, and no clear indicator of which one to get in. Once I had determined which line, I waited not an unreasonable amount of time to tell a clerk with a reasonable grasp of English why I was there. She gave me a form to fill out (real basic info) and get back in line again. Second time through she takes the info and gives me a number, 103. 101 is called soon after I sit down. Cool. Twenty minutes later they call a name instead of a number. A long time later they call 102. Now I'm wondering, name or me next? Oh, and the reason I'm there today is it immunization day. And mostly that doesn't mean people traveling abroad, that means children - infants. By and large infants scream when you stick them with sharp objects. And when the infant in the other room screams, the babies in the waiting room - like startled elk - begin to scream as well. Let me just say, I LOVE my headset. I could not have managed this otherwise. My number is called - in clear English - by nice woman (nurse or doctor, I never asked) with no accent. I gave her the list of 4 required vaccinations, she recommended three more. I was handed a great deal of literature and sent to the cashier. Except the cashier wasn't there. Eventually she reappeared and spend 20 minutes (no exaggeration) translated the seven checkmarks on the form into her computer. $348 - Not as bad as I feared, not as little as I'd hoped. I was then sent back to the nurse/doctor who I think was very happy not to be sticking a screaming child, and we had a lovely (and frightening) discussion of the soon to collapse economy and topic on which she was surprisingly knowledgeable (by which I mean she agreed with me.) Seven near painless needles, each counted down (1, 2, 3, stick) and seven little round bandages later I learn that will be two more shots each a week apart. And no, those haven't been paid for yet. Then she said "Sit out in the waiting room for twenty minutes just in case you have an allergic reaction." Now here's the thing, my body is giving me false symptoms all the time, and except where they are particularly painful or annoying I have learned to ignored them. So now I'm sitting in the waiting room paying attention to my body. And there's a bunch there: two toes on my right foot have no feeling - is that symptom? My ears are ringing - how about that? Was that there before? I'm feeling a little woozy, well she said I'd feel wiped out today. And then I thought - if I'm going to be wiped out, I'd rather be home before that hits. And I think, this whole waiting thing feels like a 'cover your ass' scenario. And with ten minutes to go I was in the car and drove home without incident.
I saw Lloyd's bike as I entered the driveway. Cool. Lloyd was his usual self even after a 40 mile bike ride and we talked for several hours and then we went grocery shopping. As I type this he is in the kitchen cooking. We enjoyed a very healthy spinach and sunflower salad, squash and lentil soup and Gouda cheese with Apples and Pear slices for dessert. Very nice having that kitchen actually used. All of us went to bed early.
Ten days. Really? Okay, sorry I've been silent for so long. It didn't feel that way. Let's see. Lloyd stayed for two days and I greatly enjoyed his time here. He is a naturally born story teller, and it is always a pleasure to be in earshot of him. Also he spent much of his time here cooking us healthy and interesting dinners. My freezer is now stocked with healthy goodness. He left saying he would return with Uncle Charlie in a day or two but sadly this did not occur. Dan and I went to see Cloverfield, which while I enjoyed it, I can see will not be everyone's cup of tea. Before we got to the theater (this is three or four days ago) we went to VariAsian, because I had been going to go with Lloyd and Uncle Charlie and now I was itching to go. It's the one buffet I will occasionally indulge in, and I can't tell you the last time I was there. Well Dan and I stuffed ourselves as slowly and thoroughly as possible, but still had much time to kill before the movie. We decided to go to Borders. My brain was functioning rather well that day - I would have tied myself to the computer but I really needed to get out of the house - and I was thinking a book on how HTML, Javascript and CSS interact would help fill in a lot of the gaps in my self taught knowledge of the subject. After shopping, I thought rather than walk back to the car and drive around the mall, we'd walk the length of the mall. I felt this would help us digest and any exercise would be good exercise. Lloyd and I had gone for a walk that turned out being longer and faster than I expected I would go, so I was heartened on that. Went we got to the theater, I was hot - both from the walking and the overeating. I couldn't stop sweating. And it got me to thinking about bustling through airports and sitting forever on airplanes. I figure I'll be more comfortable if I drop about 10 pounds and get more exercise under my belt before I go to Thailand. 10 pounds became a target of 260 when I discovered had packed on a few extra pounds while I wasn't paying attention. And now a few days later I have 8 to go. It's funny that people I have been trying to get in touch with for years are suddenly and unrelatedly popping out of the woodwork. A couple weeks back Deloris Borza (Dee Dee) of whom I will get around to writing a couple stories and will probably lend an anecdote or two herself, found me on the Internet. And a couple days ago, an old Ultimate Universe fan turned me onto a internet game that is offshoot of Galactic Warzone (which UU is as well) and through that I have found Carol Trubeck's brother, which I assume will put me in touch with Carol any day now. I forgot to get my second vaccination shot, and went today only to discover that the hours on the website bare no resemblance to their actual hours and I have to go Monday. Slowly everything trip related is getting done, but now with three weeks to go, I am beginning to feel the pressure of the lack of planning and things left undone.
My sister wrote to say I was way behind on my blog. I've had so many emails, IMs, calls and in person conversations that I thought a lot was written here that isn't. I'm tempted to go looking through the logs but I still have some company so I really don't have the time (it's Jan 31st here in typing time).
Dan picked Mary K up at the airport without incident on Saturday and for the most part we sat around the house, talked and watched TV. I showed her a few things about Photoshop but for the most part it was very low key. Joe Bob was working F/X this weekend and was to arrive here today. Mary K had brought coffee making supplies into the house and as the pot was always full I was having way too much coffee. I had it burned into my brain not to miss my vaccination shot as if I did I wouldn't be able to fit the last one in before leaving America. I had learned last time not arrive just when it opened and so arrived an hour later at 2pm. There were only 4 customers there but it still took almost an hour to be processed. When I got back to the house, Joe Bob and John had arrived. Three on one is not really my forte, and added with the extra caffeine I was having a difficult time following the conversation and not being completely overwhelmed. I was thinking it was this night, but now I'm thinking it was the night before that Dan, MK, Shaun and I met up with Dan, Lou and JB at Sam Seltzers for dinner. Thankfully I brought my headset as the place was packed and I had to wear it almost the whole time. I've only been to Sam Seltzers a couple of times. Their Prime Rib is actually cooked on the premises (most Prime Rib is premade elsewhere like Cordon Bleu and just reheated. That is why most Prime Rib today almost universally tasteless) and very flavorful. The only problem is that their accuracy of communication either between customer and waitress or waitress and cook or both is pretty shoddy. And with seven of us, many things had to be returned to the kitchen for correction. But they are very accommodating and eventually everyone was full and happy. There was much talking but I think I was pretty spun by then as I mostly just remember wanting to be home. I do remember a piece of Key Lime pie that was three times bigger than I expected and twice as good. I'm sure that played hell with my blood sugar.
So anyway. back to Monday. I've got things a bit mangled here, but now I think I've straightened it out, Joe Bob came up around 10am - because Mary K had to leave for her flight around 11:30. We had quite a teary goodbye, and Joe Bob took her to the plane while I went for my vaccination. When got back John had joined the fray and JB was staying over a night before driving on to the next show, so Dan could show him how some of the DVD software wizardry was done.
Joe Bob slept on the couch and we pulled the air mattress out of the garage for John.
Despite the lateness of the hour when I went to bed I still woke up with the sun. Given lack of sleep, overeating, too much sun, noise and stimulation, and a whopping dose of sugar I expected to be a complete mess. As is often the case my body surprised me. I woke up feeling slightly fritzed but not nearly as much as I had been the day before. As I had been asked I woke up Joe Bob and set about catching up on my email and computer what not while he took a shower. He packed up the items MK had wanted - various computer books, the exercise ball and the chess set - and was off on the road for the long drive home. All the activity around him woke John much earlier than usual. And around noon we went out into the beautifully temperatured and nicely overcast day to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Afterward we headed for the Florida mall but stopped first at a hotel I remembered that had a great weekly rate. While he hadn't minded the air mattress as much as he expected, like me, John likes his own personal space. Room rented we rode further south to the Florida mall for some travel items I needed from Sharper Image. A neck worn Passport wallet - a money belt - a smaller shaver and a rolling case that was both for laptop and personal items (Whatever can't fit in here, isn't coming. I'm going to travel very light.) The only thing they didn't have in stock was the power converter. [Just took a large break to order the power converter online and tell American Express I needed an expiring card shipped early and to be ready for purchases from Thailand.] Shopping completed we stopped at a upscale Mexican restaurant we had spied on the way in. It is impossible to diet around John and so I had just abandoned that quest when I felt him entering the state. We ate with great gusto and left stuffed. I had vowed to myself that I would get a good night's sleep, but John had Torchwood DVDs and we stayed out a bit later than planned watching them.
Part of me feels good seeing all these old friends and part of me is unable to catch up and get centered during the periods of downtime that I steal. Yet another part is relieved to not be working much on getting ready for the trip. Shaun is popping by for a few minutes each day. I had been playing a lot of Black Nova (a UU type game) online and in just a few days it had come to consume a great deal of my time. I knew I had to drop it for Thailand but ended up giving it up for this company. Somewhere this week I destroyed my ship and walked away. Dan is still playing and says I'm still number 3 regardless.
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We
went to Gram's as planned. We could see the chaos as we entered. Almost
every table was filled, including out front, in the courtyard and the side
rooms. Only the central table opposite the counter was free - possibly because
everything except a hot sauce bottle had been removed from it. As this is
one of my favorite spots, that wasn't a bad thing. Unfortunately it left
me facing the clock. We sat down at 9:15 observing what appeared to be an
imminent accident just barely contained. It took twenty minutes to determine
if we had a waitress, and another 10 to get our drinks and our order taken
by Robin. So it's now 9:45. We sit and wait cracking inane jokes between
ourselves as usual. Dan still needing silverware of which they are currently
out of and watching the waitress ballet that reminded me of LA traffic.
So many near collisions. Soon the finger pointing began between waitresses
over who had screwed up what (the fun side show of being near the cash register.)
