Being at home and not having to go to work is awesome. I could do this for a living. The pay isn't great but time is money, and I've got loads of time. I see my wife and daughter all day, every day. I read to Joanna constantly. I exercise, help with the laundry and cooking, do dishes, and generally get in my wife's and daughter's way all the time. By the way, this is the same stuff I did before I quit my job at a language center, but one difference is that I'm much happier now.
I've noticed that when she isn't running full speed into furniture and walls, Joanna walks on her tiptoes. I'm not sure what that's about, but it's so cute. In fact, everything Joanna does is cute and it's so great to be home to see it. I know my other children were remarkable as well, but I had a damn job and other issues involving alcohol at the time. I missed so much.
I won a crucial and important battle with my wife Phuong involving Joanna. Our little sweetheart was becoming whiny and demanding. So the NWM (that's me) issued an edict: No more videos or television for Joanna. That meant no more Itsy Bitsy Spider or If You're Happy or Goodnight Moon videos before bedtime. The first two nights (and days) were a little difficult, but then our brilliant daughter brilliantly adapted by bringing more books to her dad to read, and playing more with her toys. We bought some blue-colored play sand and assorted digging toys, and she has dug right in, so to speak. The whining has stopped and so has her demanding behavior. She's now trying to speak more, saying "fish, mommy, daddy, kitty, cheese," and other words -- in English, of course. The pronunciation isn't flawless, but I understand, and more importantly, she's trying to speak and play instead of sucking her finger and staring at a screen. The NWM (New White Monkey) is proud of this edict and even more proud of Phuong for eventually seeing things my way on this issue. Now if I can just convince her that cigarettes and lots of beer aren't that bad ... just kidding. I've gone 19 months without a cigarette and share a beer every other night or so with Phuong. The supermarket at Vincom carries La Trappe Trappist Quadruple, a very good and strong (Alc.10% volume) beer made in The Netherlands.
I have two classes over two weeks at my soon to be former language center. That's good, but I'm scheduled to teach a group of 7-, 8- and 9-year-olds both times. I've taught them twice before. The kids and I are starting to hit it off, but I don't think that matters much now. A class I've worked with quite a bit that was beginning to turn into a special group was taken off my schedule, so now I can say farewell to my farewell tour. Whatever. I told my boss that I thought I was making good progress with the class I no longer teach now, and she "joked": "I guess you did one good thing while you were here." Maybe that creepy teacher was right when he "joked" that the staff and other teachers were celebrating my resignation.
Regardless, I'll remain forever grateful that VMG took me back as a teacher after my multiple motorbike accidents, especially the first one four years ago that put me in a Thailand hospital for a week and continues to give me periodic dizzy spells and headaches. (My son Jack may have saved my life by getting me out of a Ho Chi Minh City hospital and sending me to the Thailand hospital, and my son Alec and my ex-wife Lynda flew to Bangkok from the U.S. to visit. At least I can remember these things now.)
I want to say a special thanks to a woman staffer named Nguyen (a very unusual Vietnamese name -- ha ha), who would help me get pizzas for my students and headphones for my head. And there's Joy, but I thanked her in my last blog, so I'm done with her :).
The students here are incredible. They work hard, they learn fast and they practically never hold a grudge. They're awesome and are always smiling. Hats off to all of them. I'll miss them for sure.
Finally, there's one woman who's so cool, so hot, so wow, and so nice that I quit my job so I could spend every minute with her (and our daughter). Phuong, my incredible wife, got me computers, a printer, found my keys and wallet every day, and somehow always knew where my books were. And there's a wild little girl who's part of this package. Quitting was the right thing to do for many reasons, but No. 1 is Phuong and Joanna. Really, they made my decision a no-brainer.
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