One of our neighbors -- a 39-year-old man -- died this past week. He had a real problem with alcohol and would scream and shout at his mother. When he was sober, which was seldom, he was an OK guy. Not cool, but OK. He died of lung failure, or so we were told. His death set off three days of singing, chanting, karaoke-like tributes, and music. A typical funeral here. All of this was very loud, of course, and disrupted our sleep, especially Joanna's. Some of the music was awesome, a melancholy type of jazz that was very listenable. I want the album. But most of the music sucked, a twangy, whiny, cacophony of throaty drivel. The issue for me was the lateness. There were tables set up in the street pretty much in front of our house and, of course, people got drunk. Consequently, there were fights. Now that's how you pay tribute to a man who spent much of his life drunk.
My tennis saga continued a couple of weeks ago when two more guys walked slowly across my court while Tai was kicking my ass in a match. I got so angry I cursed out the a-holes and walked off. They responded like the real men they were and mimicked me. I told them "your mother sucks socks that smell." Tai and I have moved to another tennis complex where he has resumed kicking my ass (2-6 on Friday). At the new court, a young Vietnamese guy playing on the court next to us saw me and said: "Hey, OLD man." I responded: "Hey, LITTLE man." We've been fine ever since.
I gave up on the walk now that I am back on the court. The heat and Bien Hoa's dirty air would not let the skin rash on my face heal. Too bad, because I really enjoy walking. I look forward to getting back to Yellow Springs to resume my walks in Glen Helen -- with Joanna and Phuong.
Joanna is a walking machine these days -- she started walking for real at 11 months, 1 week old. Now, she balks at the stroller and is more than happy to hold your hand as long as she's walking. She reminds me so much of my daughter Jessica, who was one of the all-time great young walkers of her generation. Joanna also likes dancing, which I think is cool for an 11-month old. She'll stand and shake it to the Beatles and Elvis and If You're Happy And You Know It. This reminds me of my youngest son Alec, who was one of the all-time great young dancers of his generation.
I found a place that makes great sweet potato french fries with cheese. Not great for my gall bladderless body, but too tasty to ignore. The fry place is next to Banh Mi Kebab, which makes excellent pork sandwiches on a triangular, toasted, pita-type bread. Awesome.
Our family has the flu. Phuong can't breathe, Joanna has a runny nose and sneezes, and I've got all of the above and then some. Old Man.
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Friday, June 9, 2017
Joanna walks, uses the remote, sneaks up stairs
Fitness, rest and proper diet are crucial for Phuong and I as we try to keep up with our 11-month-old whirlwind Joanna. We have to be sharp because Joanna has an incredible knack for finding danger anywhere and everywhere. Five new toys don't interest her, but power outlets, electrical cords and plumbing are a source of fascination. Joanna has almost mastered the TV remote, switching channels and finding maximum volume with ease. She loves our fans and she tries to put her fingers through the grill so she can grab the whirling blades (Phuong bought a protective cover which prevents Joanna from mangling her fingers). I left the door to Joanna's bedroom unlatched while she napped and I foolishly went to another room for a minute. Ninja Joanna left the room without a sound and Phuong somehow "sensed" trouble and tracked down Joanna as she crawled up the stairs toward the third floor and balcony. Oh God! She hasn't mastered going down stairs, but she has no trouble going up.
The latest challenge is that our daughter is now WALKING. She had been taking a few steps here and there the past few weeks, but she gained confidence and began really WALKING the day she turned 11 months old (Friday, June 9, 2017). She also got a vaccination that day for encephalitis, which didn't seem to affect her at all. She didn't cry, of course, but she made a noise like she was really irritated when the nurse stuck the needle in her thigh. The other parents in the room gave us a thumbs-up to acknowledge Joanna's toughness. For the record, Joanna weighs almost 11 KG (about 24 pounds) and is 75 CM tall (about 30 inches).
We took Joanna to Lido for ice cream after her vaccination on Friday, and she loved it. She seems to love animals, and she couldn't take her eyes off the fish and turtles they have there. A trip to the zoo is planned for her first birthday.
On my way home from tennis Friday to pick up Phuong and Joanna to go to Lido, some ass clown hit the back of my motorbike when I stopped because another guy pulled out on me. I say ass clown because the guy started screaming at me after he hit me and began a showy display of checking his bike for damage. Remember, he rear-ended me when I stopped to avoid smashing into the guy who came off a side street and pulled out in front of me. So it's obvious I'm the douchebag that caused all the problems for both riders. Anyway, I just left the scene. I almost got hit that night when a family of four on a bike crossed a busy intersection diagonally as I tried to make a proper left turn with my signal on. Again, I appeared to be the culprit because the woman yelled at me. Have I mentioned that I hate riding a motorbike here.
Otherwise, all is well enough. My tennis is improving (it couldn't have gotten worse), most of my students are very cool, and it's hot as blazes.
The latest challenge is that our daughter is now WALKING. She had been taking a few steps here and there the past few weeks, but she gained confidence and began really WALKING the day she turned 11 months old (Friday, June 9, 2017). She also got a vaccination that day for encephalitis, which didn't seem to affect her at all. She didn't cry, of course, but she made a noise like she was really irritated when the nurse stuck the needle in her thigh. The other parents in the room gave us a thumbs-up to acknowledge Joanna's toughness. For the record, Joanna weighs almost 11 KG (about 24 pounds) and is 75 CM tall (about 30 inches).
We took Joanna to Lido for ice cream after her vaccination on Friday, and she loved it. She seems to love animals, and she couldn't take her eyes off the fish and turtles they have there. A trip to the zoo is planned for her first birthday.
On my way home from tennis Friday to pick up Phuong and Joanna to go to Lido, some ass clown hit the back of my motorbike when I stopped because another guy pulled out on me. I say ass clown because the guy started screaming at me after he hit me and began a showy display of checking his bike for damage. Remember, he rear-ended me when I stopped to avoid smashing into the guy who came off a side street and pulled out in front of me. So it's obvious I'm the douchebag that caused all the problems for both riders. Anyway, I just left the scene. I almost got hit that night when a family of four on a bike crossed a busy intersection diagonally as I tried to make a proper left turn with my signal on. Again, I appeared to be the culprit because the woman yelled at me. Have I mentioned that I hate riding a motorbike here.
Otherwise, all is well enough. My tennis is improving (it couldn't have gotten worse), most of my students are very cool, and it's hot as blazes.
Thursday, June 1, 2017
My baby rides on the motorbike; lotto ripoff; black eye
I won't mince words. Joanna has been a passenger on our motorbike, standing between me and Phuong when I ride the bike. Phuong holds Joanna, and Joanna holds the back of my shirt or my hair popping out from under my helmet. I know it's dangerous and stupid, but the rides with Joanna aboard are limited to our neighborhood and the shops and stores that are very close by. It's convenient, and I'm not comfortable always asking Phuong's mom or sister-in-law to watch Joanna if Phuong and I need to go somewhere. Taxis are not reliable -- they can never find our house and the drivers act like they're the stars in Death Race 2000, a quality 1975 satirical film starring David Carradine, Simone Griffeth and Sylvester Stallone. I don't feel safe in the taxis. I don't feel safe on the bike, either, but Joanna loves riding and actually cries when the ride is finished. And not because of the way I ride. Of course, I'm ultra careful, but I realize there are no guarantees when you ride -- people are stupid on the bikes here and many are more than willing to kill or injure a baby so they can get to the coffee shop faster. We only ride in the middle of the day when traffic is lighter. And I ride very, very slowly.
I've been buying lottery tickets from an older gentleman for the past year or so, and I thought he was OK and that we had a good relationship. I thought wrong. Monday, the guy tried to rip me off for 40,000 dong, which isn't much, but it's still money. I bought one ticket for 10,000 dong and gave the old guy 50,000 dong to pay for it. He strolled off. I chased him down and demanded my 40,000, and he pretended he didn't understand and tried to sell me four more lottery tickets. This guy speaks a little English, and knew what he was doing. Some guy who saw the entire incident unfold intervened and I eventually got my 40,000 dong change. I was disappointed because I thought I knew the guy and I sort of trusted him. The same type of thing happened with a neighbor girl. She would come to my house to watch cartoons and I would give her candy or buy her some chips. That girl stole 500,000 dong out of my wallet when I went outside to buy her and her sister ice cream cones. I hate when people choose a few bucks over friendship. Hell, if they'd just ask nicely, I'd give 'em a few bucks.
Another day of tennis, another ass-clown walking across my court during my match. This was the second time this turd face has done this, so I told him in Vietnamese that I would walk across his court during his match since he was wasting my money. All his friends made fun of me, going "oooooohhhh" when I talked. The guy laughed and pretended not to understand, so I did the most feminine, wimpiest walk I could across the court and pointed at him, trying to "imitate" him so I could show him and his buddies what he looked like to me. All his friends laughed AT HIM this time, and he apologized. We'll see what happens the next time. I notice that the Vietnamese never walk across a court where Vietnamese are playing. My wife insists race is not a factor in their disrespect for me, but I'm not so sure.
My employer took me off the class that refused to speak to me, and all my classes have been wonderful ever since. The two replacement classes bonded instantly with me and one of them insisted I keep teaching them. I invited them to take a walk across my tennis court on Friday.
I smashed my left eye on the corner of a glass shelf while cleaning, and I've got a pretty good shiner developing. The shelf is Phuong's, so maybe this is payback for the time I gave her a black eye when I "playfully" tossed a puzzle to her in a toy store.
Easy rider Joanna is very close to walking -- eight days before she turns 11 months old. She currently takes baby steps, so to speak, and it won't be long before she really gets rolling. She's having a rough time with her new teeth and it's tough to see her in pain.
I've been buying lottery tickets from an older gentleman for the past year or so, and I thought he was OK and that we had a good relationship. I thought wrong. Monday, the guy tried to rip me off for 40,000 dong, which isn't much, but it's still money. I bought one ticket for 10,000 dong and gave the old guy 50,000 dong to pay for it. He strolled off. I chased him down and demanded my 40,000, and he pretended he didn't understand and tried to sell me four more lottery tickets. This guy speaks a little English, and knew what he was doing. Some guy who saw the entire incident unfold intervened and I eventually got my 40,000 dong change. I was disappointed because I thought I knew the guy and I sort of trusted him. The same type of thing happened with a neighbor girl. She would come to my house to watch cartoons and I would give her candy or buy her some chips. That girl stole 500,000 dong out of my wallet when I went outside to buy her and her sister ice cream cones. I hate when people choose a few bucks over friendship. Hell, if they'd just ask nicely, I'd give 'em a few bucks.
Another day of tennis, another ass-clown walking across my court during my match. This was the second time this turd face has done this, so I told him in Vietnamese that I would walk across his court during his match since he was wasting my money. All his friends made fun of me, going "oooooohhhh" when I talked. The guy laughed and pretended not to understand, so I did the most feminine, wimpiest walk I could across the court and pointed at him, trying to "imitate" him so I could show him and his buddies what he looked like to me. All his friends laughed AT HIM this time, and he apologized. We'll see what happens the next time. I notice that the Vietnamese never walk across a court where Vietnamese are playing. My wife insists race is not a factor in their disrespect for me, but I'm not so sure.
My employer took me off the class that refused to speak to me, and all my classes have been wonderful ever since. The two replacement classes bonded instantly with me and one of them insisted I keep teaching them. I invited them to take a walk across my tennis court on Friday.
I smashed my left eye on the corner of a glass shelf while cleaning, and I've got a pretty good shiner developing. The shelf is Phuong's, so maybe this is payback for the time I gave her a black eye when I "playfully" tossed a puzzle to her in a toy store.
Easy rider Joanna is very close to walking -- eight days before she turns 11 months old. She currently takes baby steps, so to speak, and it won't be long before she really gets rolling. She's having a rough time with her new teeth and it's tough to see her in pain.
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