No news seems like good news these days

 I met an American teacher in a coffee shop this past week, and our conversation turned to politics, coronavirus, and turmoil in the United States. We agreed the news has been a bummer lately. Everyone knows the score: a president who won't commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses; unfounded accusations of mail-in voting fraud; a Supreme Court about to become a bastion of conservatism for the next 30 years or so; the downplaying of the coronavirus despite the death of more than 200,000 Americans; the refusal of many Americans to wear a face mask despite those deaths; tensions with China; climate change rejection; blah, blah, blah.  It's outrageous and serious stuff, but one of those weird coincidences occurred when we both said almost at the same time we've taken a couple of days off from watching the news just to clear our heads. For someone like me -- with addiction issues and OCD tendencies -- it might be just what the doctor ordered, so to speak. The same day I talked to the teacher my absentee ballot arrived by email from the Greene County Board of Elections. The lady I've worked with there to get my ballot has been professional and courteous. Well, as I looked over the ballot, I felt for that moment that maybe I could have a small impact. I sure hope so because we need a change. We didn't even talk about the president's taxes, since that story broke a couple of days later.

• • •

Our son Elijah has developed a short, snapping, left hook to go with his overhand right. My glasses have been knocked off my face several times and he nearly knocked a cup of hot coffee out of my hand. He'll roll back to front but still doesn't go front to back. As noted before, he hates being on his back and we block his turnovers when he sleeps with pillows and a stuffed shark and alligator. Or maybe it's a crocodile. Regardless, he'll force the issue and work his way to his belly. Of course, we worry. We worry about everything (remember my OCD tendencies.). It's no different with Joanna. Kids give you plenty to fret about.

• • •

My luck continues with lottery tickets. I hit another ticket (for chump change) this week, ticking off my wife. But four tickets of chump change is worth about $30 U.S., which is, well ... still chump change. I believe my ship will come in one day -- the Titanic.

• • •

In "Digger World" on the clever children's cartoon Peppa Pig, there are two characters – Mr. Potato and Mr. Bull – who readily recite the mantra of the true digger: "Building things up and knocking them down ... it's all part of the fun in Digger World."  I always think of Digger World when I walk in Bien Hoa. A building goes up for a fancy restaurant, the restaurant fails and three months later, the building is completely torn down and a new building almost always goes up in its place. The noise and construction dust this cycle of construction creates is staggering. I mention this because the hotel/motel behind us is being knocked down, creating noise and dust pollution beyond our wildest nightmares, but I guess it's all part of the fun of living in Digger World. The "diggers" here are under contract so work will start 6:15 a.m. on Saturday, Sunday, whenever, and continue until dark or a little beyond.

• • •

Our son Elijah got his passport, so if we send all of our passports to the embassy we should be able to get our visas to come to the U.S. We'll wait  until after the election to decide what to do.

Missions accomplished: Hospital, embassy trips successful

We made a trip to the International Hospital in Bien Hoa last week, and the results were more than satisfactory.  I'm still a decaying old man, unfortunately, but the hospital staff took care of my needs politely, efficiently, and effectively. I got an eye exam, drops for my glaucoma and a cyst removed from my back ... all in less than three hours and for an extremely reasonable $129, including post treatment meds. I've had unusual experiences at this hospital in the past -- a staffer wondered aloud if I had cancer for what turned out to be gall stones, a doctor asked me if the nurse treating me was pretty, and my wife Phuong was incorrectly diagnosed with rubella when she was pregnant with Joanna. But all is well now after last week's visit. Health care here is dealt with on the spot, from what I can gather. If the expense is going to be significant, like with Phuong's pregnancies and C-sections, insurance is purchased before the expensive treatments begin. At least that's my interpretation of events. The Vietnamese language remains out of reach for me even after nearly eight years here, so it's difficult for me to get a thorough and accurate account of things. I do know that my hospital trip went smoothly because my wife was with me to interpret and guide me through the process. I've begun looking into purchasing U.S. health care for my wife and two children. We must be covered when we arrive in the U.S., or maybe we have a small window of time. That's why I'm looking into it.
• • •

Our trip to the embassy for our son Elijah's passport application was smooth but pretty long -- nearly three hours. The embassy employee clearly appreciated our preparation, but there's a daunting amount of paperwork. Anyway, once the little guy's passport arrives, we'll surrender all of our passports to the embassy where they will be stamped for travel to the U.S. ... and off we go. Maybe. We'll make a firm decision after the election. We don't want to enter chaos, especially with two little ones. Also, we're not sure what the school situation will be like when we arrive. Of course we'll check all this stuff out, but there's a lot to check out. I enjoy going to the embassy in Ho Chi Minh City because we stop at the Coffee Bean, which sells bagels and cream  cheese, which I haven't found in Bien Hoa. Just as well, I guess, since I'm overweight due to lack of sleep and lack of exercise ... but not a lack of eating. I do most of the cooking while Phuong takes care of Elijah and I've become enamored with butter. Buttered toast, butter on potatoes, butter instead of cooking oil and buttered popcorn. I couldn't find butter here the first three or four years, but now there's imported New Zealand butter. I'm making up for lost time. I always load up on stuff like peanut butter, cheese, butter and yogurt when we go to the big supermarket since it's a bit of a hassle to go across town in a taxi. Cheese and peanut butter are not popular here, but readily accessible, which only adds to my girth. 

• • •

I was sitting on our third floor balcony reading (281 straight days of reading, according to Kindle) when the legs of my chair "exploded" ... KABOOM!.  I was on the ground before I had any idea what had happened and my left hip and elbow were in serious pain. I know I'm a fat ass, but I've sat in this chair for years. There were no sounds of splitting or breaking, just KABOOM. I was stunned, and looked up and saw my wife and daughter Joanna. They rushed upstairs when they heard the loud KABOOM and Joanna asked: "What happened?" Good question. My theory is that the chair went inside to an air conditioned room for the first time in a long time that week, then came outside in the grueling heat, expanded and KABOOM. Like a potato in the microwave that isn't punctured. Joanna said "Poor daddy" and went back to bed. I put ice on my hip, which was previously damaged in one of my motorbike accidents. Next day: more ice and walking and it's much, much better. I won't say I was lucky ... I'll say I was fortunate. I will say I was lucky when I bought two winning lottery tickets last week -- $5 and $10 payoffs for $2 investment.

• • •

CNN remains our viewing staple and the network's perspective certainly paints a bleak picture of events in the U.S. The coronavirus pandemic is still raging, wildfires are still raging in the Western U.S., the president is  always raging, and people in the streets are raging over inequality. My wife and I discuss the day's news in bed each night between Elijah feedings. I consider these dark times but my wife always sees a silver lining. She truly is amazing. I've seen dark clouds in silver linings my entire life, and that's been a problem for me. Living with Phuong creates such a positive atmosphere. And that's what's really needed right now. 

Key rollover; Delaware ties; progress; aging wastes time

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.