Eclipse

Don't forget about the eclipse....especially if you are in a spot to see it. We might get to see it right around sunset here....but they are also going to broadcast it on NASA TV if you want to check it out from a location that won't get a good view....

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Three Years Ago on In My Words....Next Blog Please

Contacts

If you don't drop the contact into the actual contact case before adding the solution, you will wake up to a crusty clear thing stuck to your countertop.

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Two Years Ago on In My Words...Beading Again

Second Level of Hell

Okay, first I get talked into joining Myspace by my sister and my neice as a way for us to all stay in touch more and I really don't mind it now that I have it set up the way I want it to be and I don't download anything from it so I have not had any virus or trojan issues with it.

Now, I have started using Facebook as well. Hitch here is that I had to use my real name so I can't open it up to loyal readers here, unless you already know me in real life.....sorry, but I have to secure my anonymonity anyway I can (or at least delude myself that I have some, whichever the case may be), so if you are a family member or friend that is using Facebook and reads my blog, send me a add request and we'll get connected.

So far, I have had some fun customizing it and playing around with some of the applications....

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Two Years Ago on In My Words...No Watering Needed

Chatan Summer Carnival

Last night, J and I were supposed to meet some friends for dinner but didn't end up finding them so we ate some sushi at a "sushi go round" place near the Ferris Wheel. It wasn't the place that I really like to go to but they were super busy so we opted for the second best place in the area.

Anyhow, after eating our fill, we decided to walk a bit. We ended up heading towards Sunset beach because there were tons of people around and it seemed like something had to be going on. We were right.....once again, I had stumbled upon the Chatan Summer Carnival. I did this once before when my sister was visiting several years ago.

So we hung out, watched a bit of the music acts, had a few drinks and then realized that, like most festivals in Japan, there would be fireworks at some point.

Eventually they did start and there was one part where they shot out these red ones onto the water in front of us. Everyone assumed it was a dud that went to low or something but it turned out that it was the set up for a series of fireworks that were launched off the water into these beautiful arcs. I had never seen them done that way before so it was completely cool.

I took a bunch of pictures but these are three of the 6 best ones that came out....enjoy.

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One Year Ago on In My Words...Rogue Valley

On Our Way

We are on our way home....in Bangkok now. Will be in Oki tomorrow...on a timed computer so I have to make this fast. Will update all the blogs with pictures and stories when I get a chance.

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Three Years Ago on In My Words...Grand Theft Auto

Chase Update

She is doing much better now. The medicine must have kicked in and my friend P who is watching her for me said she is eating and drinking like normal now. She has even gotten a bit frisky.

Retraining will have to occur when we get home since she is sleeping in their son's bed but oh well, I am just glad she is feeling well and in a happy environment....she just might not want to come home with us....haha.

I pick her up the morning after we get back for a grooming appointment...what a way to reintroduce her to us right? Poor thing but she'll feel better in the heat, not having that fur.

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Three Years Ago on In My Words...Carpet Freshener

First Time

Yesterday, J and I took a cab over to a different (busier) section of the island to catch a movie. We ended up seeing the new Dark Knight one and it was pretty good.

Interesting thing about movies here, there are about 1/2 hour of previews, and then they plan the national anthem that everyone stands up for. I think this is pretty cool, and even though I don't understand it, I know it is about their king and how much they love him and hope that he has a long life.

While we were in the movies, the power went out. This is the first time that I have ever had this happen and it was kind of weird because we were inside of a mall as well. I guess the whole place went down because of a huge monsoon outside. It only took a few minutes to come back up and the emergency lights were on the whole time we were waiting but while we sat there, we could hear the wind and rain pounding the building. It sounded like a typhoon to me.

By the time we got out of the flick, the rain had stopped and we cabbed it back to our side of the island to get some dinner and some Muay Thai fighting in. The roads in some spots were flooded over so it must have been coming down in buckets while we were in the mall but we missed most of it.

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One Year Ago on In My Words...Bend Rocks

Smoking

Okay, these are the options:

1. Smoking has become popular in Europe again and I just didn't know it therefore just about everyone smokes that lives there.

2. The only tourists from Europe are smokers.

3. Tourists from Europe become smokers while on holiday.

The smokers are driving me nuts. The only meals that I don't have to deal with it are at lunch when we eat at this little tiny (3 tables) Thai place that no tourists would ever go in.

No matter where I sit in our open air restaurant at the hotel, I am downwind from a smoker...I am sick of it. I guess I am spoiled being able to eat just about anywhere in the US and not dealing with it anymore.

NOTE: Sorry to all those smokers out there that read my blog, but since I know most of you in person, I know you are the considerate kind of smokers that don't do it when you know it bothers others around you....these tourists are not that type. They seem to think that everyone should enjoy smoking as much as them and since they are on holiday, no one else matters but them.

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Three Years Ago on In My Words...The Swing of Things

Great Book

I'll obviously update my reading blog for July at the end of the month and all the books I have read on vacation will be included but I wanted to say that I just finished "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and it was terrific. I read it in two days flat and just couldn't put it down.

I highly recommend it as well as "The Kite Runner" if you haven't read it as well.

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One Year Ago on In My Words...Traveling Update

Geocaching on the Road

A few days ago, I found my first Thailand cache....amazing, I know, that I hadn't found one in Thailand before but I hadn't for some weird reason. So now I have Thailand as one of the countries I have found caches in. This one was located near a Wat that I probably wouldn't have seen if it weren't for the cache, and that is a great thing. The bad thing was that it was hidden in a spot that could have been better but oh well, it isn't my cache so I can't judge too much.

While in Taiwan, I found 3 caches during our travels and they were all pretty good ones. Two were in tourist destinations we were already headed for and one was in this park at the top of a hill near a pottery village and we really had to hike our butts off to get it. The view at the top was worth it and we found it once we got up there without a lot of trouble...and only a few pints of blood lost to mosquitos.

So on this trip, I have been able to add two new countries to my list and had some fun. I picked up a coin that I will drop in Japan when we get home...the cache here was a micro so no option to drop it there...

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Two Years Ago on In My Words...Making a Dent

Chase Update

Okay, word is that, besides being stressed out at the kennel, she also has a cold that requires the antibiotics. She received one dose at the emergency vet and then is on a two week eye/nose course so she must have an infection from the cold.

I noticed her heaving a bit a few days before we left but I just assumed it was from a hairball or something....didn't think for a second that she had a cold....the stress must have made it worse.

One of our brand new friends (seriously, I only met P a few weeks ago for the very first time) took Chase home today and she is already being spoiled and looked after. She probably won't want to come home with us....haha. It is amazing to me at times how awesome friends can be in our lives but time and time again, ours have proven to be so.

P has two cats of her own that are still in the states getting through quarantine so her family has been missing them quite a bit and Chase will fill in nicely especially since she loves to be petted....(much like a dog in that regard). I am thrilled with her to be out of the kennel, and I hope the drugs do the trick and she is back to her normal self in no time.

I am also thrilled that I don't have to worry about her too much the remainder of our trip and can count on our wonderful friends in Japan to be looking out for us in such a huge way.

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Two Years Ago on In My Words...Ahhhemmmm

Chase Issues

I got an email from my friend who is listed as the emergency contact for my cat while we are away, that Chase has been having issues at the kennel. I guess she is not eating and when she does, she throws it up. They took her to the emergency vet a couple of times and then to another vet the other day. They rehydrated her and have her taking some antibiotics and hopefully that will clear things up.

The consensus is that she is stressing out at the kennel. They moved her to a room that has no other cats in it to see if that will help. I have another friend that is willing to take her home for the remainder of the trip so that might be an option too. Lastly, I have a list of friends that have offered to visit her at the kennel so she doesn't feel so lonely if she does end up staying there.

I feel so bad for her. Last time she was at the kennel was when we moved back to Japan and she did fine but we were visiting her a lot and this time she has been on her own (even though it is a shorter stay). I am sure that has her worried. I am hoping with the help of my friends we can get her back on track and she'll be fine (but slightly pissed at us) when we get home.

We can't change our flight plans from the island here so that basically locks us into the flight plans out of Bangkok as well so there is no going back early...she will just have to tough it out like the rest of us.

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Three Years Ago on In My Words...First Flight

Irritation

There is little that irritates me more than idiots that travel half way around the world and then do nothing but bitch about why it not just like home.....I say STAY HOME, if you want it to be just like home....jackasses!

These English folks today practically yelled at their Thai waitress because she didn't understand that they wanted English style hot tea.....duh, you are Thailand dipshits, if you want English tea, bring it with you or go home.

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One Year Ago on In My Words...Hanging In Independence

Reading on Vacation

Reading on vacation is awesome. What a way to spend some time on a chair in the shade near the water. I love it. I just finished up Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom and it was a fantastic book. I can't believe I hadn't read it before. I was ordering The Five People You Meet In Heaven and saw that this was an earlier book and decided I needed to read it first.

This book hit home so much with me right now. Partly because of some things I have been thinking about lately but also because it completely matches my philosophy on life in general (even if I can't live it all the time).

This book is definitely one of the best for me this year. It has to be just great timing. I can't wait to get to the next one either (I haven't seen the movie yet), but that one will come further into the trip....perhaps I need to get one of those highspeed ebook readers so I don't have to lug all my books with me. Unfortunately, there is something I love about the pages....perhaps the ebook reader would be good for some instances but not all. I know I can't leave real books behind no matter how advanced technology gets....

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Two Years Ago on In My Words...I Don't Miss The Bugs

Reading Update

I updated Mishka's Reading with my June reads....check it out if you have time. I'll have plenty to update in July since I plan to get a few books under my belt on a chair near the beach in Thailand....

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Three Years Ago on In My Words....Laziness

Happy Fourth Of July

I just wanted to wish everyone that celebrates it a Happy Fourth of July. We are celebrating it in Taiwan this year....I'll have to let you know how it goes. Have a safe and fun filled holiday!!!!

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One Year Ago on In My Words...Classic Soft Rock