In the interest of making semi-regular updates, I am back again, and still working on the resolutions. It's funny that the older I get, the quicker time flies and the more things get in the way of what I want to accomplish. My meaning is, I have been working on my three main resolutions, but the holidays seem to never want to end. I go from Christmas, to New Years, and now I am on the cusp of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year - Tet, which is a big deal here. My biggest challenge is getting a routine, and that seems nearly impossible with the work and holiday travel schedule I have. I tried to wriggle my way out of the Lunar New Year travel, but I failed... miserably. If there is any victory, it is in that I only will be away from home for three days. That travel starts next week.
Due to work and other pressing requirements, I have only had three days off in the month of January. I have been working on Sundays and Saturdays, week dependent, and I am starving for some real weekend time.
As much as I love the public library, I already have a lesson learned... Don't bite off more than I can choose. With the 21 day borrow policy, I don't want to take a chance that I won't be able to extend my borrow. I had to turn in my last book halfway through it, and that was mostly because I was trying to get through three books at one time. It's hard to settle down to just one book, but I think my new rule will have to be one audio and one digital book at a time. Otherwise, I will be returning books unfinished, and then waiting for them to be finished by someone else before I can get back to it.
My exercise plans aren't too bad off, I am managing to get closer to my goals, and I hope after the Lunar New Year, I can focus more on that. I started running in the mornings, but the increase in traffic as early as 5am due to the New Year preparations here have forced me to move it indoors to the elyptical and treadmill.
Since my online course resolution is more long range, I find myself falling a little behind, but I think that will pick up soon.
Other than that, Diep, Megan and I are working on our travel plans. We are working on a July or October return to Mobile, but hoping to make a detour to the Austin area to visit my sister. Still working out the details, but looking forward to getting back stateside near family, if just for a little while... with travel still relatively far in the future.
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Still in Active Pursuit
Since we are only 12 days into the new year, it shouldn't be a surprise that I am still in active pursuit of my new year goals. In some I am doing better than others, but in none have I given up completely.
With regards to reading, I finished one audio book Flying Through Midnight by John Halliday. I very much enjoyed it because it gave me more perspective on some of the special operations activities along the wartime Ho Chi Minh Trail that ran along the border of Vietnam and Laos. Since it is written in a first person narrative with an interesting story behind it, it wasn't dry and hard to listen to, though I must admit my interest built as I neared the end of the book and the author's story moved towards the climax. John Halliday was an aircraft commander of C-123's flying in the 606th Special Operations Squadron out of Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand. His story was captivating, and it was well worth the time I spent listening.
I would like to explain a little more about my reading resolution since this is my blog and I have the time. I have read a little bit about the benefits of listening to audio books. Though many traditionalists may scoff at those who listen to books rather than read them, I can say I get as much - if not more - out of listening. I would also like to say, from my perspective, in the last two years or more that I have been listening to audio books, my listening and retention skills have improved. Initially, I lamented the drawbacks of listening to books; the difficulties of going back to previous pages or chapters to affirm or refute something I read. While I have found no easy way to get around that, I do feel like I am getting better at retention and find myself less inclined to refer back to previous pages and chapters as I had in the past. The benefits for me in listening to audio books lie in the ability to "read" at times that I wouldn't have been able to in the past: when walking to work, on public transportation, and when on road trips on roads that would make me car sick if I tried to read a hard or soft copy. In my time-crunched world, these time blocks are very valuable in that I can accomplish two things at once. For the record, I do have a digital book I am working through at the moment. When I finish, I will talk about it a little.
Another thing about my reading right now is where I am getting my books. I have a Fairfax County library card that allows me to read and listen to thousands of contemporary and classic books. I use Libby and RBDigital apps to borrow the books, and extend the loan when needed. These apps usually sync across devices and allow me to download the books to read or listen to when I am not able to get a wi-fi or cell data signal. The public library is one of the few perks that I get my money's worth from my local taxes.
As far as my exercise resolution, I must admit that I am behind on this one, but I have made some improvements. I was able to run half a dozen times since the new year for at least thirty minutes without stopping. This, while I was performing temporary duty and staying in a hotel, rather than at home. I am still slow and not up to the four full hours per week I committed to, but I am definitely doing something more than before, and I am progressing to meet my goal.
I also started a course to learn the programming language Python. I registered on edX.org (an online site that allows you to audit Massive Online Open Courses, known as MOOCs, for free). I haven't spent as much time as I would have liked on the course to date, but I am plodding along at an acceptable rate at the moment.
Finally, I just got back from seven days of temporary duty, as I mentioned above, in a place I definitely wouldn't want to live. It's very nice to be home. Here's hoping the routines will solidify while my home life is stabilized!
With regards to reading, I finished one audio book Flying Through Midnight by John Halliday. I very much enjoyed it because it gave me more perspective on some of the special operations activities along the wartime Ho Chi Minh Trail that ran along the border of Vietnam and Laos. Since it is written in a first person narrative with an interesting story behind it, it wasn't dry and hard to listen to, though I must admit my interest built as I neared the end of the book and the author's story moved towards the climax. John Halliday was an aircraft commander of C-123's flying in the 606th Special Operations Squadron out of Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand. His story was captivating, and it was well worth the time I spent listening.
I would like to explain a little more about my reading resolution since this is my blog and I have the time. I have read a little bit about the benefits of listening to audio books. Though many traditionalists may scoff at those who listen to books rather than read them, I can say I get as much - if not more - out of listening. I would also like to say, from my perspective, in the last two years or more that I have been listening to audio books, my listening and retention skills have improved. Initially, I lamented the drawbacks of listening to books; the difficulties of going back to previous pages or chapters to affirm or refute something I read. While I have found no easy way to get around that, I do feel like I am getting better at retention and find myself less inclined to refer back to previous pages and chapters as I had in the past. The benefits for me in listening to audio books lie in the ability to "read" at times that I wouldn't have been able to in the past: when walking to work, on public transportation, and when on road trips on roads that would make me car sick if I tried to read a hard or soft copy. In my time-crunched world, these time blocks are very valuable in that I can accomplish two things at once. For the record, I do have a digital book I am working through at the moment. When I finish, I will talk about it a little.
Another thing about my reading right now is where I am getting my books. I have a Fairfax County library card that allows me to read and listen to thousands of contemporary and classic books. I use Libby and RBDigital apps to borrow the books, and extend the loan when needed. These apps usually sync across devices and allow me to download the books to read or listen to when I am not able to get a wi-fi or cell data signal. The public library is one of the few perks that I get my money's worth from my local taxes.
As far as my exercise resolution, I must admit that I am behind on this one, but I have made some improvements. I was able to run half a dozen times since the new year for at least thirty minutes without stopping. This, while I was performing temporary duty and staying in a hotel, rather than at home. I am still slow and not up to the four full hours per week I committed to, but I am definitely doing something more than before, and I am progressing to meet my goal.
I also started a course to learn the programming language Python. I registered on edX.org (an online site that allows you to audit Massive Online Open Courses, known as MOOCs, for free). I haven't spent as much time as I would have liked on the course to date, but I am plodding along at an acceptable rate at the moment.
Finally, I just got back from seven days of temporary duty, as I mentioned above, in a place I definitely wouldn't want to live. It's very nice to be home. Here's hoping the routines will solidify while my home life is stabilized!
Saturday, December 28, 2019
New Year's Resolutions
As I sit here in my bed in Nha Trang City nearing the eve of the 2020 New Year, I find myself thinking about those resolutions I should make for the coming year. I've been hot and cold on resolutions through the decades, but I find myself seeing the benefits more as I start nearing the end of my life cycle. Every year, I see the advice on how to set reasonable resolutions, and I think I will give it a try in the true sense of the S-M-A-R-T principles. For those who don't know, SMART is the principle for which we establish our performance criteria in the federal service. It is a mnemonic that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. If you have ever attempted to write performance objectives using SMART, you know that it is easier in theory than it is in practice. So, here goes:
Resolution 1: Read* one book every month of 2020. That isn't to say that I can't read more than one, but it is to say that my intent is to finish one book in every month of 2020. * read includes listening to an audio book in its entirety.
This is an interesting resolution, because I am pretty sure that I read and listened to close to or even more than 12 books last year. The problem is that I didn't keep track of them. I will try to keep track of them on this BLOG, listing the book and some insight, to include my synopsis of the book and a rating. I really got into audio books in the last year, and I believe I get as much out of listening to audio books as I do reading books (especially digital books), I actually prefer paper books as I often refer back to specific sections when reading, which is really hard to do with audio and digital books.
Resolution 2: Take and complete at least one online programming course on a Massive Online Open Course site (i.e., EdX or Coursera).
I have taken and completed a couple of technical courses on Lynda.com, but they are shorter and easier to finish. While I have enrolled in several programming courses on MOOC sites, I have yet to finish one. I believe I will take, and finish a programming course in Python, though I will allow myself to take a different course if I change my mind. I will continue to take Lynda.com courses, though.
Resolution 3: Work out at least four days for an hour more on each of those days each week during 2020.
These workouts can be split into smaller session in the day, but in order to count, I have to complete an hour for the entire day to count for the week. I thought about making a resolution to lose weight, but I think it is easier to make a workout resolution that will hopefully lead to a reduction in weigth, and overall health improvement.
So, that's it. Three resolutions that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. Wish me luck!
Resolution 1: Read* one book every month of 2020. That isn't to say that I can't read more than one, but it is to say that my intent is to finish one book in every month of 2020. * read includes listening to an audio book in its entirety.
This is an interesting resolution, because I am pretty sure that I read and listened to close to or even more than 12 books last year. The problem is that I didn't keep track of them. I will try to keep track of them on this BLOG, listing the book and some insight, to include my synopsis of the book and a rating. I really got into audio books in the last year, and I believe I get as much out of listening to audio books as I do reading books (especially digital books), I actually prefer paper books as I often refer back to specific sections when reading, which is really hard to do with audio and digital books.
Resolution 2: Take and complete at least one online programming course on a Massive Online Open Course site (i.e., EdX or Coursera).
I have taken and completed a couple of technical courses on Lynda.com, but they are shorter and easier to finish. While I have enrolled in several programming courses on MOOC sites, I have yet to finish one. I believe I will take, and finish a programming course in Python, though I will allow myself to take a different course if I change my mind. I will continue to take Lynda.com courses, though.
Resolution 3: Work out at least four days for an hour more on each of those days each week during 2020.
These workouts can be split into smaller session in the day, but in order to count, I have to complete an hour for the entire day to count for the week. I thought about making a resolution to lose weight, but I think it is easier to make a workout resolution that will hopefully lead to a reduction in weigth, and overall health improvement.
So, that's it. Three resolutions that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. Wish me luck!
Saturday, February 16, 2019
Dragon Boat Festival
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| Dragon Boat Festival on West Lake in Hanoi - 16 February 2019 |
While Diep and I were lazing around the house - still getting over the jetlag - we heard the drums of a festival on the Thanh Nien Road side of the lake. In all the years I have been in Vietnam, I have never been to a Dragon Boat Festival. That side of the lake is just a short walk from our apartment building, so we decided to see what the fuss was all about.
All along Thanh Nien Road on the West Lake side, motorbikes and people filled all empty space. It was very hard to walk anywhere, and the comings and goings of the motorbikes added to the overall chaos. Closer to the boat race starting point, representatives from about 20 local, province, and national teams milled about, either recovering from their heat, or preparing to race. A variety of sideshows, to include dancers, folk singers, and hula hoop performers dotted the festival area. Food vendors were out selling beverages, sandwiches, and pastries as well. The sights, smells, and sounds made this a uniquely Vietnam experience.
Overall, it was a good time killer, but nothing so special as to hang around too long. I get nervous around crowds, and I had more money in my wallet than I cared to lose should I have been the arbitrary target of a pick pocket. The weather was in the 70s and overcast, which is about as close to ideal as I will ever get in Hanoi. It was great not to be frozen, having just returned from a polar vortex event I care not to repeat anytime soon.
Sunday, January 20, 2019
Back in Vietnam
It has been a very long time since I have updated this blog. As a matter of fact, since my last post, I have received an assignment to return to the U.S. (in the DC area) and have since posted back in Hanoi. Just a little over two years since I last posted and it seems like time went into overdrive.
Anyway, there is so much to talk about and yet it seems extremely hard to know where to begin. I went back to the U.S. for a number of personal and professional reasons that I probably won't go into here on this blog. I can say that my return to the U.S. was quite a culture shock. So many changes to the U.S. from 2002 to 2017, and even though I returned on an annual basis, in general, it sort of hit me in the face once I was back "for good." Ironically, it was the goods and services that created the culture shock of returning, that also creating the culture shock back in Vietnam. I grew used to the comfort of life in the U.S., even though they claimed a premium portion of my pay... cable TV, insurance, car, gasoline, house, cell phone...
I imagine that I won't be able to help but to talk about those differences as I try to get back into this blog. It won't be easy to find the time. I got back to Hanoi at the very beginning of September and I haven't stopped since. I am in a new position here, and it isn't what I was used to doing. After over four months back, I can see that I will eventually catch up and get in a routine, but that eventuality is still several months down the road.
I had a fantastic time in the U.S. Living in the DC area was one of the best experiences I have had. Some of my favorite things included driving by our national treasures and monuments on Sunday mornings. Riding on the street right in front of the Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument, and down Constitution Avenue with nary another car on the road was surreal. My favorite trail in the whole world is the Mount Vernon Trail. I didn't do it as often as I would have liked, but riding my bike from my house to Crystal City on almost total dedicated bike routes was a fantastic experience. I even managed to hop on an 'incentive' ride on a UH-60 helicopter that flew right over all of the best spots in the capital region. I have pictures of it all, but I just don't have the time to post them right now.
One of the best things I did before I left the States was purchase a pixel 2 phone. The camera is phenomenal and I have been happily snapping away while back in Vietnam, too.
Anyway, I hope to get back to chronicling my life back in Hanoi. Bear with me, it could be a while before I have a routine that allows me regular updates.
Anyway, there is so much to talk about and yet it seems extremely hard to know where to begin. I went back to the U.S. for a number of personal and professional reasons that I probably won't go into here on this blog. I can say that my return to the U.S. was quite a culture shock. So many changes to the U.S. from 2002 to 2017, and even though I returned on an annual basis, in general, it sort of hit me in the face once I was back "for good." Ironically, it was the goods and services that created the culture shock of returning, that also creating the culture shock back in Vietnam. I grew used to the comfort of life in the U.S., even though they claimed a premium portion of my pay... cable TV, insurance, car, gasoline, house, cell phone...
I imagine that I won't be able to help but to talk about those differences as I try to get back into this blog. It won't be easy to find the time. I got back to Hanoi at the very beginning of September and I haven't stopped since. I am in a new position here, and it isn't what I was used to doing. After over four months back, I can see that I will eventually catch up and get in a routine, but that eventuality is still several months down the road.
I had a fantastic time in the U.S. Living in the DC area was one of the best experiences I have had. Some of my favorite things included driving by our national treasures and monuments on Sunday mornings. Riding on the street right in front of the Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument, and down Constitution Avenue with nary another car on the road was surreal. My favorite trail in the whole world is the Mount Vernon Trail. I didn't do it as often as I would have liked, but riding my bike from my house to Crystal City on almost total dedicated bike routes was a fantastic experience. I even managed to hop on an 'incentive' ride on a UH-60 helicopter that flew right over all of the best spots in the capital region. I have pictures of it all, but I just don't have the time to post them right now.
One of the best things I did before I left the States was purchase a pixel 2 phone. The camera is phenomenal and I have been happily snapping away while back in Vietnam, too.
Anyway, I hope to get back to chronicling my life back in Hanoi. Bear with me, it could be a while before I have a routine that allows me regular updates.
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Setbacks, Confusion, Reevaluation... Life Goes On.
I have been gone for a while. Not because I lost my urge to write or because I have fallen into some deep, dark depression that I can't climb my way out of, but because there are times that I feel it is better to keep my thoughts to myself.
In the last six months or so, I have suffered - or rather, experienced - some setbacks. In the interest of full disclosure, I had begun the process of becoming a Foreign Service Officer - a diplomat - for the Department of State. I made it all the way through the process, to the very last step, but didn't pass the Foreign Service Officer Assessment (the interview stage). The fact is, I didn't prepare well enough and I wasn't ready for the all day, intensive process. Lesson learned. I was a little bummed about the outcome, though it was no surprise to me in retrospect. I let life get in the way of preparation and the natural order of events just took over. Since the setback, I have spent some time re-evaluating what will happen to me at the end of my tour here in Vietnam, scheduled for the latter part of this year. I have some plans in the hopper, and I am not placing all of my hopes in any one position or location. I will keep it close hold for now, so as not to jinx myself, but I have faith that things will work out.
I recently returned from a work related trip in the border areas of central Vietnam. I took my Olympus with me and captured some photos that I was pleased with. I had lost interest in taking photos for a while, whether for lack of opportunity of being otherwise engaged, so it was good to feel interested in the hobby again.
I particularly liked this photo I took in Tan Trach Village, Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province. The local ethnic minority of this region is the Van Kieu (Bru). I like to think they are named "People of the Clouds" because of the morning fog common in this mountainous area. They slash and burn in their cultivation methods, meaning they will clear a piece of land, plant it for a couple of seasons and leave the land to renourish itself. This "altar" was placed to ask blessings from Heaven and Earth (Cung Troi Dat). It is a simple and understandable concept that they would look to God, Fortune, Fate, or a Higher Power to find favor with them considering the hand to mouth existance they live. A bad storm or arid year could mean the difference between life and death for these people. This primitive fact of life for these locals puts my life in perspective for me and is a reminder of how blessed I am to be in this position that I sit.
I am not sure how much I will be posting on this blog at this point in my life. I may be enjoying my last days here in Vietnam too much to sit down and gather my thoughts. We'll see.
In the last six months or so, I have suffered - or rather, experienced - some setbacks. In the interest of full disclosure, I had begun the process of becoming a Foreign Service Officer - a diplomat - for the Department of State. I made it all the way through the process, to the very last step, but didn't pass the Foreign Service Officer Assessment (the interview stage). The fact is, I didn't prepare well enough and I wasn't ready for the all day, intensive process. Lesson learned. I was a little bummed about the outcome, though it was no surprise to me in retrospect. I let life get in the way of preparation and the natural order of events just took over. Since the setback, I have spent some time re-evaluating what will happen to me at the end of my tour here in Vietnam, scheduled for the latter part of this year. I have some plans in the hopper, and I am not placing all of my hopes in any one position or location. I will keep it close hold for now, so as not to jinx myself, but I have faith that things will work out.
I recently returned from a work related trip in the border areas of central Vietnam. I took my Olympus with me and captured some photos that I was pleased with. I had lost interest in taking photos for a while, whether for lack of opportunity of being otherwise engaged, so it was good to feel interested in the hobby again.
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| Asking Blessings from Heaven and Earth |
I particularly liked this photo I took in Tan Trach Village, Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province. The local ethnic minority of this region is the Van Kieu (Bru). I like to think they are named "People of the Clouds" because of the morning fog common in this mountainous area. They slash and burn in their cultivation methods, meaning they will clear a piece of land, plant it for a couple of seasons and leave the land to renourish itself. This "altar" was placed to ask blessings from Heaven and Earth (Cung Troi Dat). It is a simple and understandable concept that they would look to God, Fortune, Fate, or a Higher Power to find favor with them considering the hand to mouth existance they live. A bad storm or arid year could mean the difference between life and death for these people. This primitive fact of life for these locals puts my life in perspective for me and is a reminder of how blessed I am to be in this position that I sit.
I am not sure how much I will be posting on this blog at this point in my life. I may be enjoying my last days here in Vietnam too much to sit down and gather my thoughts. We'll see.
Friday, January 8, 2016
I'll Stay for a Box of Dental Floss
What in the hell does that mean?! I will stay for a box of dental floss? This is going to be a little embarrassing because I like to think of myself as fairly hygienic, dentally. I brush my teeth twice a day, every day, at least. And, I try to floss my teeth every night, though there are things that get in the way of that from time to time. I know I am supposed to floss every night, but it was never anything that Mom stressed when I was growing up, so it didn't become much of a habit then. I now figure if I can get a floss in at night just before I go to bed, there won't be much of a reason to floss in the morning as long as I brush my teeth and use mouthwash. I am sure I could be wrong, but we all make our own choices.
Just before I got to Vietnam over 13 years ago, I bought a box of J&J waxed, mint dental floss. I liked the type of floss... it wasn't tape and it wasn't the floss that is lots of little strands "roped" together. It was the type of floss I remembered as a kid, but for whatever reason seems so hard to find these days. I have since purchased several other boxes of dental tape and floss in the search for that perfect floss, to no avail. The other flosses I use in my on-the-road bag, and at work; I even have another box near the bathroom sink, and a box under the sink just in case I run out. But, my go to dental floss is that box that I bought over 13 years ago.
I believed this dental floss was magical. That it was a never ending spool of floss. It amazed me that year after year it never ran out. The box isn't one of the square boxes, but rather a somewhat elongated box. I have had it so long that the writing on it has faded or even rubbed completely off in places, and I have even had to rescue it from falling apart when I pulled too hard on the floss. It wasn't easy getting the spool back in just right (you may know what I mean if you have ever had the top come off of one of those things).
Anyway, I thought the floss would last forever, and that I would stay here forever in Vietnam, as well. It amazes me that at the same time I have decided my work here in Vietnam is enough that I ran out of floss. It is like the floss knew it was time for me to go and finally gave out its last measure. I still won't be leaving real soon because the process isn't fast, but I have made the decision. It is inevitable. It isn't so sad as it is scary. Even in my imperfect world where I seem to be over anxious to complain about, I am scared of leaving because at least I know what to expect here. I am comfortable. Actually, being comfortable for me is worse than being scared. I like to be challenged, and I really am not so much anymore.
I knew the dental floss was about to spool out for the last few days, but I couldn't rush it. I couldn't pull out more than I really needed to make it happen. I guess my stay here in Vietnam was the same way. I knew I was about ready to go. Once my daughter returned to the U.S. to attend university over a year ago, there was no real incentive for staying. I just didn't want to pull more than I really needed.
So, I have a plan. Actually, I have a plan A, B, and C. A lot can happen between now and September (the end of my extension here), but I have to have faith that I will leave and that there is something better for me where I am going.
Just before I got to Vietnam over 13 years ago, I bought a box of J&J waxed, mint dental floss. I liked the type of floss... it wasn't tape and it wasn't the floss that is lots of little strands "roped" together. It was the type of floss I remembered as a kid, but for whatever reason seems so hard to find these days. I have since purchased several other boxes of dental tape and floss in the search for that perfect floss, to no avail. The other flosses I use in my on-the-road bag, and at work; I even have another box near the bathroom sink, and a box under the sink just in case I run out. But, my go to dental floss is that box that I bought over 13 years ago.
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| My 13 year old dental floss |
I believed this dental floss was magical. That it was a never ending spool of floss. It amazed me that year after year it never ran out. The box isn't one of the square boxes, but rather a somewhat elongated box. I have had it so long that the writing on it has faded or even rubbed completely off in places, and I have even had to rescue it from falling apart when I pulled too hard on the floss. It wasn't easy getting the spool back in just right (you may know what I mean if you have ever had the top come off of one of those things).
Anyway, I thought the floss would last forever, and that I would stay here forever in Vietnam, as well. It amazes me that at the same time I have decided my work here in Vietnam is enough that I ran out of floss. It is like the floss knew it was time for me to go and finally gave out its last measure. I still won't be leaving real soon because the process isn't fast, but I have made the decision. It is inevitable. It isn't so sad as it is scary. Even in my imperfect world where I seem to be over anxious to complain about, I am scared of leaving because at least I know what to expect here. I am comfortable. Actually, being comfortable for me is worse than being scared. I like to be challenged, and I really am not so much anymore.
I knew the dental floss was about to spool out for the last few days, but I couldn't rush it. I couldn't pull out more than I really needed to make it happen. I guess my stay here in Vietnam was the same way. I knew I was about ready to go. Once my daughter returned to the U.S. to attend university over a year ago, there was no real incentive for staying. I just didn't want to pull more than I really needed.
So, I have a plan. Actually, I have a plan A, B, and C. A lot can happen between now and September (the end of my extension here), but I have to have faith that I will leave and that there is something better for me where I am going.
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