I was fortunate enough last week to be lying next to my son Elijah when he rolled from his back to his belly for the first time. He was 3 and a half months old. He elevated his left arm and twisted his hips simultaneously to make the maneuver happen. He rolled from his belly to back a while ago after I placed him on his belly, but maybe that was just luck. He's only done it a few times since. Maybe he doesn't need to -- he prefers being on his stomach and would sleep that way if we let him. We don't. My wife took him to a baby spa this week, and he spent time in a jacuzzi, was stretched, and got an oil rubdown from a young staffer. Our neighbor jokingly tried to persuade me to get the same treatment, but I correctly pointed out that my weight was too much for the massage table.
• • •
With coronavirus, stifling heat and monsoon season strongly influencing our lives here, watching U.S. politics and news on TV has become our No. 1 prime-time and morning activity. I'm a lifelong Democrat born into a family of Democrats in Wilmington, Delaware. It so happens that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is a Delaware guy. In fact, he was my cousin's teammate on Archmere Academy's undefeated high school football team. Archmere is in Claymont, Delaware. My cousin was quite a player. Anyway, what's happening in the U.S. is upsetting me and my wife as we consider moving to Yellow Springs, Ohio, next year with two young children. Coronavirus and racial injustice shake our confidence. So does the current leadership. I will get my ballot for the November election around Sept. 18, and I'll Fed-ex my vote the next day. My daughter Joanna wants to go to Yellow Springs -- she's heard me talk about it and knows I have a house there. Phuong has taken many virtual walks around town using Google maps and giggles at my tiny house. Joanna also mentions going to Africa since we watch a lot of nature shows on TV and video. That could happen if the election goes the wrong way for me.
• • •
Despite language issues, teachers remain patient and committed to making Joanna's school experience positive and enjoyable. I know Joanna can be supremely stubborn, she'll test the limits every chance she gets, and following direction isn't her strong suit. (These are just some of the reasons I love her so much.) But teachers have adapted somewhat to her style and the results are very noticeable, especially at home. Her interactions are more sophisticated, her wit is sharper, and she's more responsive to my requests. She loves dancing, and that's being encouraged at school -- clap clap ... cha cha cha ... shake your booty. She'll dance to YouTube alphabet videos and the ubiquitous Baby Shark videos. And it's not just silly jumping around. This girl takes her dancing seriously. Most important, she's a wonderful and respectful big sister to Elijah.
• • •
One of the inconveniences of aging is the amount of time spent on body maintenance and repair work just to live at a reasonable level. Back stretching is needed to cope with sciatica; constant cleaning is necessary so keys and wallet aren't misplaced; lots of short walks enable arthritic ankles and a balky left knee to function at a ... well ... functional level. There's also nightly eye drops to stave off glaucoma and a conservative diet and no booze to help deal with no gall bladder (and other issues). As my aunt who lived to be 96 once said, constantly seeing a doctor and taking medicine isn't great, but it beats the alternative. Regardless of health issues, two small children leave little time to whine except in a blog.
• • •
Good streaks: I have read (almost exclusively Jack Vance books) the past 266 days in a row; I haven't had a drink of alcohol for 9 months; and I haven't had a cigarette for a little more than four-and-a-half years.
Saturday, August 29, 2020
Sunday, August 16, 2020
Coronavirus comeback; laid back; voting for hope, change
We're dealing with a coronavirus resurgence in Vietnam that has put us back on limited lockdown with masks required. There are also limits on the number of customers in the few coffee shops that are open. Many "nonessential" businesses, such as nail salons and barber shops, have been re-shuttered. Some folks work around the restrictions because they need money for groceries.
We have a couple of active cases in Bien Hoa -- a doctor and his wife who went to Da Nang. Road blocks are set up to detour traffic around their neighborhood, which happens to be across the street from the supermarket where I shop. The detour added to my taxi fare on Saturday, but no big deal. Safety first.
Joanna's school closed last week for two days -- Monday and Tuesday -- and we kept her out the rest of the week. She returned to school this week, but I limited her to half-days. Nine and a half hours a day for a 4-year-old seems a little extreme to me. During time away from school, I work with Joanna on bike riding (with training wheels), and provide academic instruction in the afternoons -- I continue to read to her and I have her write letters and words using dot to dot. We draw cartoons on our whiteboard that are based on the animated BabyTV show "Beep Beep," which is about the misadventures of two trucks and a "road," who are friends. Joanna loves the "Beep Beep" work, but she won't do something unless she is comfortable and confident in what she's doing. She slyly watches and listens. She's more capable than she lets on, and sometimes thinks it's funny to goof up, especially on the bike. With the language barrier at school, even though it's "bilingual," English-speaking Joanna can run into difficulties. She seems very bright to me, but she doesn't like taking any orders from anybody, and a language issue only adds to her frustration. Anyway, not all of the students have returned to class yet, so things are low-keyed. And that seems better suited for Joanna. Her clever sense of humor remains intact throughout all this; she recites the planets quite often and always points to my stomach and laughs when she says "Jupiter."
* * *
Low-keyed is perhaps the best way to describe our son Elijah. He's a little older than 3 months and doesn't complain about much of anything except when mom's milk isn't at the ready. He loves company, and when's he's whining ever so slightly he'll stop whining instantly when I lay down next to him and baby babble. I read that if you copy the sounds a baby makes, the baby will make more sounds. This technique has worked like a charm for Elijah. He constantly baby babbles whenever he sees dad, which is all the time. We have funny little conversations about who knows what, but we both enjoy it. He'll roll from stomach to back -- but not vice versa -- especially when he's angry. Otherwise, this laid-back boy will chill on his back or stomach, examining his right fist. My wife Phuong is mostly recovered from the effects of giving birth, but she battles fatigue a little. So do I, but no doubt age, lack of exercise, and helping my wife deal with two very young children are big factors. I can't really exercise because of back issues. I know I'm old because I count my 7-minute walk to school with Joanna as a "workout." Sometimes that walk will take 20 minutes -- I'm not sure Joanna is 100 percent committed to school, and she loves spotting birds, butterflies, bees and snails on the way to school. She's got a decent eye and showed me the butterfly and snail pictured on the right.
* * *
We're working toward getting our son a passport, which would put us closer to coming to the U.S. Coronavirus has added hurdles to our immigration efforts, but no worries. no hurries. Still, we'd like to see changes in our country that would make the situation safer for my children and more welcoming for my Vietnamese wife. I like Kamala Harris as Joe Biden's VP pick. She's well-spoken and tells it like it is. Honesty and a straightforward approach to governing are necessary steps toward making America respected for its leadership and righteousness -- again. With so many negatives facing the U.S. -- the lack of any decisive action during the pandemic; racism; birther BS; lack of concern about climate change; mail-in voting misinformation -- voting this November is a must, not an option. I'll mail-in my vote from Bien Hoa. That's my right.
We have a couple of active cases in Bien Hoa -- a doctor and his wife who went to Da Nang. Road blocks are set up to detour traffic around their neighborhood, which happens to be across the street from the supermarket where I shop. The detour added to my taxi fare on Saturday, but no big deal. Safety first.
Joanna's school closed last week for two days -- Monday and Tuesday -- and we kept her out the rest of the week. She returned to school this week, but I limited her to half-days. Nine and a half hours a day for a 4-year-old seems a little extreme to me. During time away from school, I work with Joanna on bike riding (with training wheels), and provide academic instruction in the afternoons -- I continue to read to her and I have her write letters and words using dot to dot. We draw cartoons on our whiteboard that are based on the animated BabyTV show "Beep Beep," which is about the misadventures of two trucks and a "road," who are friends. Joanna loves the "Beep Beep" work, but she won't do something unless she is comfortable and confident in what she's doing. She slyly watches and listens. She's more capable than she lets on, and sometimes thinks it's funny to goof up, especially on the bike. With the language barrier at school, even though it's "bilingual," English-speaking Joanna can run into difficulties. She seems very bright to me, but she doesn't like taking any orders from anybody, and a language issue only adds to her frustration. Anyway, not all of the students have returned to class yet, so things are low-keyed. And that seems better suited for Joanna. Her clever sense of humor remains intact throughout all this; she recites the planets quite often and always points to my stomach and laughs when she says "Jupiter."
* * *
Low-keyed is perhaps the best way to describe our son Elijah. He's a little older than 3 months and doesn't complain about much of anything except when mom's milk isn't at the ready. He loves company, and when's he's whining ever so slightly he'll stop whining instantly when I lay down next to him and baby babble. I read that if you copy the sounds a baby makes, the baby will make more sounds. This technique has worked like a charm for Elijah. He constantly baby babbles whenever he sees dad, which is all the time. We have funny little conversations about who knows what, but we both enjoy it. He'll roll from stomach to back -- but not vice versa -- especially when he's angry. Otherwise, this laid-back boy will chill on his back or stomach, examining his right fist. My wife Phuong is mostly recovered from the effects of giving birth, but she battles fatigue a little. So do I, but no doubt age, lack of exercise, and helping my wife deal with two very young children are big factors. I can't really exercise because of back issues. I know I'm old because I count my 7-minute walk to school with Joanna as a "workout." Sometimes that walk will take 20 minutes -- I'm not sure Joanna is 100 percent committed to school, and she loves spotting birds, butterflies, bees and snails on the way to school. She's got a decent eye and showed me the butterfly and snail pictured on the right.
* * *
We're working toward getting our son a passport, which would put us closer to coming to the U.S. Coronavirus has added hurdles to our immigration efforts, but no worries. no hurries. Still, we'd like to see changes in our country that would make the situation safer for my children and more welcoming for my Vietnamese wife. I like Kamala Harris as Joe Biden's VP pick. She's well-spoken and tells it like it is. Honesty and a straightforward approach to governing are necessary steps toward making America respected for its leadership and righteousness -- again. With so many negatives facing the U.S. -- the lack of any decisive action during the pandemic; racism; birther BS; lack of concern about climate change; mail-in voting misinformation -- voting this November is a must, not an option. I'll mail-in my vote from Bien Hoa. That's my right.
Thursday, July 30, 2020
Wife aces interview; controlling COVID; termites; big boy
My wife Phuong had her interview for a U.S. immigration visa at the embassy in Ho Chi Minh City last week. She did a fantastic job, readily admitting she had been rejected four times attempting to get a visa to the U.S, and refusing to discuss her first marriage, saying how happy she is now. Her honesty and straightforward approach clearly impressed the immigration officer. He seemed baffled about my wife's previous difficulties at the embassy, including an absurd lifetime ban she received about five years ago trying to obtain a tourist visa to the U.S. to accompany me to an eye doctor's appointment. No matter. My wife will obtain the visa to the U.S. when our son Elijah, who's almost three months old, gets his passport, allowing all of us to come to the U.S. together. We're not in a huge hurry because COVID-19 is surging in the U.S. and we want to see what happens in the presidential election in November. If it takes place -- ha ha. I'll probably have to let my driver's license expire and use the eye drops that the doctors here prescribe for my glaucoma. I'm not thrilled with either prospect, but if I leave the country in November like I planned, I won't be able to get back in, or at the very least I'd have to spend 14 days in quarantine. That's a fact, and probably one of the reasons there's been so few COVID-19 cases here -- 509 as of Friday, Aug. 31. So right now, I'd rather be here than there, if you know what I mean. And obviously, I won't live apart from Phuong, Joanna and Elijah.
* * *
Even with the relatively small number of cases here, about 100 new cases of COVID-19 were reported this week in Da Nang, which is on the central coast. The government immediately sent out a series of emails, asking everyone to wear masks again, and evacuated 80,000 local tourists to cities throughout Vietnam. There's talk bars and cinemas will shut down, and fear that schools may close again. Joanna's school requires masks now, but not everyone complies. Anyway, the government in Vietnam clearly takes this virus very seriously, and any cluster of cases is a big deal. And that's how it should be. Looking at the U.S., that's how it shouldn't be. Here's the conundrum: In an open society like the U.S., people can express themselves freely and demand to make individual choices, like not wearing a mask or choosing to go to a bar during a pandemic. There's a price to pay for this freedom and the COVID-19 numbers in the U.S. don't lie. Vietnam, on the other hand, is a communist country and information is controlled and monitored; people aren't openly critical of the government here like in the U.S. Yet, most of the people here -- but of course not all -- appear ready to make personal sacrifices for the greater good. And the COVID-19 numbers don't lie. I don't like the mask, but I'm wearing it. Besides, the worst thing that happens is that my glasses get steamed up.
NOTE: I had to update this blog when I learned about the uptick of cases in Da Nang on Friday.
* * *
We've had all of the wood cabinets removed from our house. The heat and humidity make this place a hotbed for termites. The wood dust was unsettling, so my wife took action. Also, I had to get both of my computers repaired. My PC got hacked and that resulted in Facebook terminating my account for a few days for violating community standards. At first, I didn't know if I was terminated because of an accident picture I posted, or a photo of my (removed) gall stones I posted a few years back, or just my general, aging appearance. My access returned without explanation a couple of days later. I have no issues with Facebook and Social Network is a good movie in my opinion. My PC Windows were a mess after the hack and had to be reinstalled. My Mac got dropped, resulting in the finger pad becoming uncooperative. Now both laptops are back to some semblance of normal, more or less.
* * *
Our baby Elijah is clearly going to be a big boy. He's does a lot of eating, smiling, jiggling and talking these days. Not a lot of sleeping, however. He's active and loves swinging his right arm. In fact, he delivered a nasty overhand right yesterday that knocked the glasses off my face. Joanna remains a handful for teachers and staff at her school. That's OK with me because she's a handful at home, too. Plus, she's sharp as a tack. Her English speaking and comprehension are top-notch in my opinion. But I'm her dad so of course I feel that way.
* * *
Even with the relatively small number of cases here, about 100 new cases of COVID-19 were reported this week in Da Nang, which is on the central coast. The government immediately sent out a series of emails, asking everyone to wear masks again, and evacuated 80,000 local tourists to cities throughout Vietnam. There's talk bars and cinemas will shut down, and fear that schools may close again. Joanna's school requires masks now, but not everyone complies. Anyway, the government in Vietnam clearly takes this virus very seriously, and any cluster of cases is a big deal. And that's how it should be. Looking at the U.S., that's how it shouldn't be. Here's the conundrum: In an open society like the U.S., people can express themselves freely and demand to make individual choices, like not wearing a mask or choosing to go to a bar during a pandemic. There's a price to pay for this freedom and the COVID-19 numbers in the U.S. don't lie. Vietnam, on the other hand, is a communist country and information is controlled and monitored; people aren't openly critical of the government here like in the U.S. Yet, most of the people here -- but of course not all -- appear ready to make personal sacrifices for the greater good. And the COVID-19 numbers don't lie. I don't like the mask, but I'm wearing it. Besides, the worst thing that happens is that my glasses get steamed up.
NOTE: I had to update this blog when I learned about the uptick of cases in Da Nang on Friday.
* * *
We've had all of the wood cabinets removed from our house. The heat and humidity make this place a hotbed for termites. The wood dust was unsettling, so my wife took action. Also, I had to get both of my computers repaired. My PC got hacked and that resulted in Facebook terminating my account for a few days for violating community standards. At first, I didn't know if I was terminated because of an accident picture I posted, or a photo of my (removed) gall stones I posted a few years back, or just my general, aging appearance. My access returned without explanation a couple of days later. I have no issues with Facebook and Social Network is a good movie in my opinion. My PC Windows were a mess after the hack and had to be reinstalled. My Mac got dropped, resulting in the finger pad becoming uncooperative. Now both laptops are back to some semblance of normal, more or less.
* * *
Our baby Elijah is clearly going to be a big boy. He's does a lot of eating, smiling, jiggling and talking these days. Not a lot of sleeping, however. He's active and loves swinging his right arm. In fact, he delivered a nasty overhand right yesterday that knocked the glasses off my face. Joanna remains a handful for teachers and staff at her school. That's OK with me because she's a handful at home, too. Plus, she's sharp as a tack. Her English speaking and comprehension are top-notch in my opinion. But I'm her dad so of course I feel that way.
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Traffic warnings; kids' stuff; visa interview
Reminders aren't necessary about how dangerous traffic is here for motorists and pedestrians. But I got a few on Monday -- whether I wanted them or not, and I didn't want them -- during and after walking Joanna to school. The first came when we were crossing a small street near the school. Joanna was on my shoulders as usual. I stood on a corner about to cross the street and I saw a woman on a motorbike with two kids on the back parked with her back to us on the opposite corner. By the time Joanna and I were 90 percent across that street, the woman had U-turned her bike and raced to cut in front of us, taking her bike on the curb in the process. It scared the Pho out of me. I yelled "Why?" at her, which she most likely didn't understand. But that didn't stop her and her two kids from glaring back at me. I know how to ask 'why' in Vietnamese, but didn't think of it at the time. Not a huge deal, but I was a little surprised at her behavior since there was 4-year-old girl on my shoulders. I dropped Joanna off at school and proceeded on the sidewalk down busy Vo Thi Sau street to the Coffee House for my morning cappuccino. As I crossed the street to the Coffee House a car was slowly coming through the intersection. The car inched through the intersection and flashed its lights, signalling me and another pedestrian to cross while warning cyclists and other cars of its approach. We crossed and then I heard that horrible sound of crunching metal and breaking glass. I instantly looked back and saw that a motorbike had plowed into the side of the car. The cyclist was bleeding from his head and was taken away. His bike was left in the street. The lady driving appeared to be fine -- the cyclist slammed into the passenger side. No one else was in the car. I heard no sound of braking or tire screeching from the motorbike, and judging by the sound of the impact the cyclist drove full blast into the car. All the witnesses said the cyclist was speeding. It's too bad for the driver. She did everything right and went out of her way to be nice to pedestrians and other motorists. Her reward was a huge scare, a big dent in her car and a lousy morning. Of course, I hope the cyclist is OK. Anyway, after my cappuccino, I stood outside on the sidewalk in front of the Coffee House talking to the wonderful manager about the accident when he suddenly pulled me toward him. A motorbike cut behind me on the sidewalk and missed hitting me by inches. I walked home without further incident.
* * *
Our daughter Joanna continues to make progress in school, especially on the behavior front. Thank you teachers and thank you wife Phuong. Joanna prefers solo work to group work, but she's not aggressive with other kids. I still contend that Vietnamese is a little bit of a stumbling block and frustrates her, but she's slowly catching on with the help of music and songs. She's very affectionate with her brother Elijah, who's quite big for 9 weeks old. He "swims" in a little pool Phuong bought and likes to be rolled on the bed. He's mellow for a baby and we consider ourselves very fortunate to have healthy children.
* * *
Phuong has her immigrant visa interview tomorrow (Friday) in Ho Chi Minh City. It's unlikely there will be a decision right away, but since we have two wonderful children together, rejection based on relationship fraud (again) would seem unlikely. Who knows, however, given the tone set by the current leadership in the U.S. and the competency of people investigating our "case." If approved, we would still have to get a passport for Elijah, a lengthy and somewhat complicated process. Plus, we would have to weigh the wisdom of going through airports and on airplanes to go to a country where Covid-19 cases are surging wildly. It's a lot to think about, and I don't like thinking a lot these days.
* * *
Our daughter Joanna continues to make progress in school, especially on the behavior front. Thank you teachers and thank you wife Phuong. Joanna prefers solo work to group work, but she's not aggressive with other kids. I still contend that Vietnamese is a little bit of a stumbling block and frustrates her, but she's slowly catching on with the help of music and songs. She's very affectionate with her brother Elijah, who's quite big for 9 weeks old. He "swims" in a little pool Phuong bought and likes to be rolled on the bed. He's mellow for a baby and we consider ourselves very fortunate to have healthy children.
* * *
Phuong has her immigrant visa interview tomorrow (Friday) in Ho Chi Minh City. It's unlikely there will be a decision right away, but since we have two wonderful children together, rejection based on relationship fraud (again) would seem unlikely. Who knows, however, given the tone set by the current leadership in the U.S. and the competency of people investigating our "case." If approved, we would still have to get a passport for Elijah, a lengthy and somewhat complicated process. Plus, we would have to weigh the wisdom of going through airports and on airplanes to go to a country where Covid-19 cases are surging wildly. It's a lot to think about, and I don't like thinking a lot these days.
Monday, July 6, 2020
Contrast in Covid-19 clusters; rainy season and adaptation
We had a mini-cluster of coronavirus cases in Vietnam -- 14 in one day. I know that's nothing compared to the United States or Brazil or dozens of other countries, But there's been only 369 cases overall here, so 14 in one day is substantial. Those with the virus apparently caught it in other countries and were repatriated back to Vietnam. I cringe when I see the U.S. Covid-19 numbers, and I cringe when I hear things like increased testing is the cause for the increased cases in the U.S., and the U.S. heritage and monuments are being destroyed by left-wing radicals and thugs and looters. Strange days indeed. My barber actually rushed to grab a newspaper and show me a chart of the top countries with Covid-19 cases and deaths. He pointed to the U.S., which of course is No. 1 in cases and deaths. He waited for a response. Not much I could say about it in Vietnamese. In English, I'll say it's a tragic and unnecessary situation, and that numbers don't lie. My wife has her U.S. visa interview in a couple of weeks. I wonder if Covid-19 will be mentioned at all.
• • •
The monsoon season seems more typical this year, often bringing late afternoon rain on a daily basis. The rain usually lasts no more than an hour, but on very rare occasions it will last several hours and into the night. I used to not like rainy season so much, but I've finally realized the temperature comes down a little before, during, and after the rain. Yes, the humidity goes up, but it's humid pretty much all the time here anyway. The heat can be overbearing with the equatorial sun beating down along with humidity. That's why I appreciate rainy season.
• • •
A new deodorant is on sale here -- Nivea "African" formula. It works. I'm dripping sweat everywhere but under my arms. Now, my chest stinks, not my underarms. Really, it works. However, I'm not sure what it does to your body to make you stop sweating where it's applied. I wash with Lactacyd, a gentle soap that comes in a baby formula. It helps eliminate my heat rash. I use it in tandem with HIDEM cream, which stops the itching and gets rid of the gnarly red spots. I always wondered why my face was so itchy all the time, then deduced that my face was on the verge of heat rash; Lactacyd and HIDEM have taken care of the problem. The reason for these boring and seemingly unnecessary details is to bring home the point that we can adapt to almost any conditions. I'm not small, and I've always sweat heavily. But I'm doing what I can to make my life more comfortable in the tropics. We wake up very early when the weather is at its coolest. Sometimes we'll nap in the heat of the day, but too often life gets in the way. Bottled water is essential and I make sure my daughter Joanna and I stay hydrated. She sweats like her dad. My wife Phuong can take of herself here since she's a local, and our son guzzles breast milk day and night. We've air-conditioned much of the house and our electric bill is impressive. But heat really affects me in a negative way, so the AC is essential. I should stop coffee if I really want to cool down, but coffee makes me feel good. I don't smoke (more than four years without a cigarette) or drink alcohol (more than seven months), and that contributed to my sweating and feeling grimy. In a lot of ways, I'm living a local lifestyle, but I simply can't eat hot soup for breakfast and wear long pants and a jacket to block the sun.
• • •
Our daughter Joanna is very slowly adapting to school as she approaches her fourth birthday. It appears unlikely she'll be a conformist or wallflower. Her "extracurricular activity" will be dance. She loves to dance and sing, and belts out an inspired version of "Take Me Out To The Ball Game," which she stumbled across surfing YouTube. She's meticulous about her clothing, which may explain her aversion to the school uniform. Her intellect and temper appear to be above average. That's why she's in school. And I want to praise her teachers (again). They have shown great skill and patience handling our daughter.
• • •
Our son Elijah is two months old and loves to eat and sleep. He's only fussy when he's hungry, which can be quite often, but he's not over the top when he complains. Actually, he remains easygoing, is starting to smile a little, rolls over from belly to back and loves to look at the blue rectangles on our ceiling, just like his sister.
• • •
The monsoon season seems more typical this year, often bringing late afternoon rain on a daily basis. The rain usually lasts no more than an hour, but on very rare occasions it will last several hours and into the night. I used to not like rainy season so much, but I've finally realized the temperature comes down a little before, during, and after the rain. Yes, the humidity goes up, but it's humid pretty much all the time here anyway. The heat can be overbearing with the equatorial sun beating down along with humidity. That's why I appreciate rainy season.
• • •
A new deodorant is on sale here -- Nivea "African" formula. It works. I'm dripping sweat everywhere but under my arms. Now, my chest stinks, not my underarms. Really, it works. However, I'm not sure what it does to your body to make you stop sweating where it's applied. I wash with Lactacyd, a gentle soap that comes in a baby formula. It helps eliminate my heat rash. I use it in tandem with HIDEM cream, which stops the itching and gets rid of the gnarly red spots. I always wondered why my face was so itchy all the time, then deduced that my face was on the verge of heat rash; Lactacyd and HIDEM have taken care of the problem. The reason for these boring and seemingly unnecessary details is to bring home the point that we can adapt to almost any conditions. I'm not small, and I've always sweat heavily. But I'm doing what I can to make my life more comfortable in the tropics. We wake up very early when the weather is at its coolest. Sometimes we'll nap in the heat of the day, but too often life gets in the way. Bottled water is essential and I make sure my daughter Joanna and I stay hydrated. She sweats like her dad. My wife Phuong can take of herself here since she's a local, and our son guzzles breast milk day and night. We've air-conditioned much of the house and our electric bill is impressive. But heat really affects me in a negative way, so the AC is essential. I should stop coffee if I really want to cool down, but coffee makes me feel good. I don't smoke (more than four years without a cigarette) or drink alcohol (more than seven months), and that contributed to my sweating and feeling grimy. In a lot of ways, I'm living a local lifestyle, but I simply can't eat hot soup for breakfast and wear long pants and a jacket to block the sun.
• • •
Our daughter Joanna is very slowly adapting to school as she approaches her fourth birthday. It appears unlikely she'll be a conformist or wallflower. Her "extracurricular activity" will be dance. She loves to dance and sing, and belts out an inspired version of "Take Me Out To The Ball Game," which she stumbled across surfing YouTube. She's meticulous about her clothing, which may explain her aversion to the school uniform. Her intellect and temper appear to be above average. That's why she's in school. And I want to praise her teachers (again). They have shown great skill and patience handling our daughter.
• • •
Our son Elijah is two months old and loves to eat and sleep. He's only fussy when he's hungry, which can be quite often, but he's not over the top when he complains. Actually, he remains easygoing, is starting to smile a little, rolls over from belly to back and loves to look at the blue rectangles on our ceiling, just like his sister.
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
A foreigner's perspective of U.S. politicians; baby talk
I am fascinated by how people from other countries view the United States and what's going on there. I met a restaurant owner in Bien Hoa who is from New Zealand. A real gentleman. We got to talking U.S. politics -- oh, dear -- and he found Donald Trump to be amusing. The gentleman noted that Trump will say whatever comes to mind, and that he doesn't worry about the consequences. His view of Trump wasn't entirely unfavorable. I accepted his point and admitted that Trump shoots from the lip, but I added he also dribbles and drools all over himself, even more than my 6-week-old son Elijah. The gentleman liked Obama and admired the way he addressed the public, but said that Democrat Joe Biden, Trump's 2020 presidential opponent, talks like he's senile. I pointed out that I believe Biden had a stuttering issue as a child, which may help explain why his speaking style seems disjointed at times. But he is 77 years old. Our conversation ended on that note because our hamburgers were ready. I enjoyed talking with the gentleman and hope we can chat again.
• • •
Our son Elijah rolled over from his stomach to his back by himself. I don't know if it counts as an official rollover since I placed him on his stomach. He did this when he was five weeks old. I helped him once and then he did it by himself a few minutes later. I put him on his stomach for short periods a few times every day to help strengthen his neck. He seems to be doing fine and since there are no well visits for babies here that I know of, I check the internet and make sure his development is on schedule. Unlike his sister, he'll go in the crib and sleep without a fuss. Joanna wailed whenever she got near the crib and would hold on to my shirt or whatever with the iron fist grip, perhaps indicating a hint of separation anxiety. If that's the case, it might explain some of her acting out and behavior at school. But, she's only 3 years old (she'll be 4 soon) for goodness sakes, and school is from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. I'm suffering from some separation anxiety because I miss Joanna. She's been doing much better lately and I'm very proud of her regardless. There's an English class at the school, but all other lessons are in Vietnamese, and that may add to Joanna's stress. She understands a little but doesn't speak any significant amounts of Vietnamese.
• • •
Carrying Joanna to school at 6:45 a.m. and back (4:30 p.m.) on my shoulders has clearly been beneficial for my sciatica. I can walk in the mornings now, which is a must since I take Joanna to school and pick her up. Many sidewalks here are in disrepair or filled with trash or parked cars or people sitting on plastic chairs drinking coffee. But we take our time and are very careful when we walk, especially when we have to walk in the streets. Some cars and bikes don't seem overly concerned about pedestrians, even 3-year-old girls, but I knew this going in and try to teach Joanna to be careful.
• • •
The coronavirus is rarely mentioned in Bien Hoa these days; I really haven't heard it mentioned in casual conversation. It's on TV news, of course. I still see a handful of cases in Vietnam listed on worldometers.info -- the site shows about four or five new cases a week. The total here is 349 with no deaths. Our daughter has her temperature taken every day just before she enters school, and she must wash her hands with hand sanitizer. Again, so far so good. My recent illness went away with the help of hot tea and honey and some herbal Chinese medicine my wife's mother buys somewhere near Bien Hoa market. It's effective for colds and such. Pretty sure it wouldn't help with coronavirus.
• • •
I'm teaching English to two private students. Both are extremely bright and making steady progress. One of the students is a retired teacher; the other is a doctor. I only work six hours a week -- two 90-minute classes a week for each student. Since I'm "retired," I'm not interested in working a lot of hours. I always considered work one of the necessary evils of life. And it's a four-letter word.
• • •
Our son Elijah rolled over from his stomach to his back by himself. I don't know if it counts as an official rollover since I placed him on his stomach. He did this when he was five weeks old. I helped him once and then he did it by himself a few minutes later. I put him on his stomach for short periods a few times every day to help strengthen his neck. He seems to be doing fine and since there are no well visits for babies here that I know of, I check the internet and make sure his development is on schedule. Unlike his sister, he'll go in the crib and sleep without a fuss. Joanna wailed whenever she got near the crib and would hold on to my shirt or whatever with the iron fist grip, perhaps indicating a hint of separation anxiety. If that's the case, it might explain some of her acting out and behavior at school. But, she's only 3 years old (she'll be 4 soon) for goodness sakes, and school is from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. I'm suffering from some separation anxiety because I miss Joanna. She's been doing much better lately and I'm very proud of her regardless. There's an English class at the school, but all other lessons are in Vietnamese, and that may add to Joanna's stress. She understands a little but doesn't speak any significant amounts of Vietnamese.
• • •
Carrying Joanna to school at 6:45 a.m. and back (4:30 p.m.) on my shoulders has clearly been beneficial for my sciatica. I can walk in the mornings now, which is a must since I take Joanna to school and pick her up. Many sidewalks here are in disrepair or filled with trash or parked cars or people sitting on plastic chairs drinking coffee. But we take our time and are very careful when we walk, especially when we have to walk in the streets. Some cars and bikes don't seem overly concerned about pedestrians, even 3-year-old girls, but I knew this going in and try to teach Joanna to be careful.
• • •
The coronavirus is rarely mentioned in Bien Hoa these days; I really haven't heard it mentioned in casual conversation. It's on TV news, of course. I still see a handful of cases in Vietnam listed on worldometers.info -- the site shows about four or five new cases a week. The total here is 349 with no deaths. Our daughter has her temperature taken every day just before she enters school, and she must wash her hands with hand sanitizer. Again, so far so good. My recent illness went away with the help of hot tea and honey and some herbal Chinese medicine my wife's mother buys somewhere near Bien Hoa market. It's effective for colds and such. Pretty sure it wouldn't help with coronavirus.
• • •
I'm teaching English to two private students. Both are extremely bright and making steady progress. One of the students is a retired teacher; the other is a doctor. I only work six hours a week -- two 90-minute classes a week for each student. Since I'm "retired," I'm not interested in working a lot of hours. I always considered work one of the necessary evils of life. And it's a four-letter word.
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Race is a touchy subject, and I've made my mistakes
I don't like to admit it, but I know I've said things and engaged in conduct that I now consider racist. The killing of George Floyd has brought the world's attention to the issues and problems that people of color must face. These are problems I've never had to deal with. I don't consider myself racist. Nobody does. But when I reflect on what I've said, especially my ill-advised and lame attempts at "racial" humor, and how I view the world through white lenses, it's clear to me I've made mistakes and that I have a problem. I need to consider the impact of my words and actions on those around me, white and non-white. Here's an easy contrast: Comedian Dave Chappelle has the genius to deliver a serious message within edgy racial humor. I just have a big white mouth. I grew up in a family that considered black people almost alien beings. They didn't use the N-word, but they had a whole slew of other derogatory terms beyond "colored" or "black." Sure, I would chastise my parents for this. But looking back, my confrontations were due in part to the contentious relationship I had with my parents on every issue. I will give my dad some credit; at age 94 he became an ardent supporter of Barrack Obama. The fact my dad was a hard-core Democrat contributed to his late awakening, but I detected a sincere admiration of Obama. I shared that admiration of Obama and still admire him. Actually, I really miss his leadership, especially with the leadership we have today. Race is a difficult and touchy subject to discuss. But the only way to deal with difficult and touchy issues is to get them out in the open, discuss them, and ultimately take positive action. What action? Hopefully, that will come out of the discussions among people of all races.
• • •
There are a couple of personal streaks that I'll note: I've read 185 straight days and I haven't had a drink of alcohol for more than six months. I used to drink beer or whatever every night before bed and other times of day. That's been replaced with reading. I've read more than 25 books by Jack Vance, mostly science fiction and a few mysteries. His sci-fi books are, well, out of this world.
• • •
Joanna is enrolled in pre-school and, quite honestly, it's been rough going. She doesn't like wearing a uniform or taking instruction of any kind. Thankfully, the administration, teachers and teachers' aides have shown amazing patience with Joanna. She comes by her difficulties in school quite honestly. I was a lousy student, a discipline issue and a knucklehead in general in school. She can do the work and she has the intellect, but she gets bored really fast and goes way off-task. I remember those days. I can't thank the school enough for their work and patience with Joanna. I want to address these issues now rather than when she's 7 or 8 years old ... or older.
• • •
I'm fighting some kind of illness -- no fever or dry cough, but my sinuses are a mess. It's an annual event for me, the ex-smoker, but with coronavirus in the air, I'm a bit cautious and mildly concerned. We take our temperatures all the time and I inhale vitamin C. I walk Joanna to school every morning and afternoon and pick her up as well. Schools are breeding grounds for viruses and facilitate their spread, which, of course, is why they've been closed so long and so often during the coronavirus pandemic. Since my energy level isn't any lower than usual, I'll keep my fingers crossed and my mask on.
• • •
There are a couple of personal streaks that I'll note: I've read 185 straight days and I haven't had a drink of alcohol for more than six months. I used to drink beer or whatever every night before bed and other times of day. That's been replaced with reading. I've read more than 25 books by Jack Vance, mostly science fiction and a few mysteries. His sci-fi books are, well, out of this world.
• • •
Joanna is enrolled in pre-school and, quite honestly, it's been rough going. She doesn't like wearing a uniform or taking instruction of any kind. Thankfully, the administration, teachers and teachers' aides have shown amazing patience with Joanna. She comes by her difficulties in school quite honestly. I was a lousy student, a discipline issue and a knucklehead in general in school. She can do the work and she has the intellect, but she gets bored really fast and goes way off-task. I remember those days. I can't thank the school enough for their work and patience with Joanna. I want to address these issues now rather than when she's 7 or 8 years old ... or older.
• • •
I'm fighting some kind of illness -- no fever or dry cough, but my sinuses are a mess. It's an annual event for me, the ex-smoker, but with coronavirus in the air, I'm a bit cautious and mildly concerned. We take our temperatures all the time and I inhale vitamin C. I walk Joanna to school every morning and afternoon and pick her up as well. Schools are breeding grounds for viruses and facilitate their spread, which, of course, is why they've been closed so long and so often during the coronavirus pandemic. Since my energy level isn't any lower than usual, I'll keep my fingers crossed and my mask on.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)