Kompasu Update

Well this baby is on us now....think the eye just went over. I had to go out in it because I left some things at the house in the garage to pick up later and take to my friends for disposal and I was afraid that when the direction of the wind changed, they might blow into a neighbors yard or something so when I was pretty sure the eye was over us, I got in the car and drove over to the house (about 5 minutes from the hotel).

I got back just as the wind and rain was starting back up so I got a little wet getting out of the car but overall, it hasn't been too bad. Kind of nice to have a storm as long as everything is open back up tomorrow since I have tons of stuff to do!!!

I took some video on my camera earlier of these two idiots enjoying the storm just a little too much...noticed they had a big bottle of awamori in their hands so that might explain it...and no, they weren't Okinawans...I kept waiting for one of them to fall on their butt in the wind. I'll try to post it to youtube here shortly.

I was kind of impressed with the pressure of the wind on the car while I was sitting at lights...I could really feel it, that is for sure. I am glad I didn't stay out too long...too much time means too much of a chance that something will fly at and damage the car and since it isn't my car...that would be very BAD!!

Anyhow, so now I will watch a movie and work on some of my organization of stuff that has miraculously filled this hotel room, and see what more this storm might have to offer.

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Five Years Ago on In My Words...Order of Sandwiches

Kompasu Cat 3

Well folks....looks like enough of you didn't have your fingers crossed for me....haha. The storm is going right over us around 3pm this afternoon as a Cat 3 Typhoon now...which is gusts to 125 kt...not too bad...I am not worried about any of my stuff since I don't have anything outside at this time, but I am hoping that my shipment will go as planned and I am hoping that it will pass quickly enough that I can get some things done today.

So far there is no wind outside and the skies are still blue but the outer edge of it hasn't hit us yet. Looks like it was a good thing I rented a few movies yesterday...I better get moving...have a lot to do this morning before my movers show up and I am counting on them to come early since they'll probably be trying to get everything done quickly so they have less to reschedule.

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Last Year on In My Words...Progress or Maybe Not

Typhoon Kompasu

It isn't a typhoon just yet but should be by the time it gets to us....what do you want to bet that it will delay J's return flight from his business trip? Tracking is about the same only now it will be going right over us and a bit later in the day...hope my shipment still goes as planned....since that is the same day I am supposed to turn over the keys to the house....hmmmm.

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Four Year Ago on In My Words...In Other News

Typhoon Eight

So our first typhoon of the season (started in June) is upon us...and of course it is during one of the busiest weeks of my three years here...haha.

Typhoon Eight is not expected to get very big and if it stays on track and forecast, it should only be a Cat 1 when it swings within 17 miles of us on Tuesday early AM....I am hoping that most of it will be no big deal since Tuesday is also the day that the smaller of my shipments is set to go...fortuntately it is a really small shipment so it shouldn't be too hard to keep everything dry....

I'll keep you updated on the status of this little guy....keep your fingers crossed for me.

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Two Years Ago on In My Words...Out of Habit

Sony XBrite SDM-HS75P 17" LCD Monitor

I have this monitor. I LOVE this monitor. Lately this monitor has been having issues...keeps changing the input and then complaining that the cable is not connected. I figured that my video chip on my motherboard was going bad, but in just having two email conversations with Sony's Esupport on this, it turns out that they are not going to develop any drivers for this monitor so that it will function with Windows 7. Is that just crap or what? I mean, this monitor is only 4 years old and they aren't going to bother to keep all the customers that they have using this monitor that might be migrating to the newest operating system this year!!

This is just like Sony...so eager to force purchases and lock people into proprietary situations. Well I say NO....I am not going to buy anymore Sony products...I am tired of this treatment.

Microsoft is not one of my favorite companies out there but at least they support their software long after they are not even selling it....they still support XP and even Win98 in some cases...even though they are not making a dime off it, because they knowt that some day those same customers will remember that and continue to use their products.

Well obviously Sony thinks they have such a lock on the market with their Blue Ray and other products that they don't feel the need to show at least that level of customer support.

So I guess I'll be using this monitor for the next week (until my computer gets shipped) and then I'll be selling it to someone that is not on Win 7 when I get to Hawaii. If I had time, I would sell it now and replace it with another brand so I wouldn't have to ship it.


Grrr...this kind of thing just pisses me off!

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Last Year on In My Words...Making a Cup of Coffee

Sparsely Living

So our big shipment is gone and we are living with the bare essentials. We have done this before...in fact, we had to do it for 3 months while we waited to close on a house a few years ago so we are old pros at it.

Things that I can't live without or will make our live much easier than if we didn't have them include:

Chinese hotwater maker
French press
Rice cooker
Wok
Foreman Grill
Emulsion blender
Futon mats
Tatami chairs/cushions
Tatami tables
Grass mat
Small TV
DVD Player
MagicSing
Wii
Computer x2
Campchairs
Food trays
Pillows and sheets
1 set of towels
Snorkeling stuff
Golfing stuff
Swimming stuff
Yoga mat, balance ball, balance disc, resistance bands

Then of course we have clothes, food, appliances (that don't belong to us), and paperwork stuff.

I don't mind the simplified life...makes finding things super easy, that is for sure. The only thing is that my computer is still sitting on a borrowed desk and the camp chair I am sitting at is not tall enough to make being on the computer at all comfortable so I have a pillow folded in half now that I am sitting on top of just to get some height...haha.

Chase is down to her little cat tent (which will go in my suitcase), and her litter box and food dishes...on the 31st when our next shipment goes, she'll be down to just plastic ware for food and litter so we can ship the rest of it. She'll be at the kennel by then and we'll be in a hotel so it won't matter too much.

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Three Years Ago on In My Words...Hitting Bumps But Living Through It

Gettting Creative

A few weeks back, I had volunteered to make invitations for an event. I unfortunately wasn't able to attend but I heard it was a great time and I got a lot of compliments on the invites. They really weren't that hard...most of it was stamping the bamboo and assembly...the template for the printing part was given to me by a friend and I only had to tweak it a bit to get it work with my stamp set.

Anyhow, I had said I would post a pic of the finished product and I never did get around to it...so here it is in all is glory...heehee!!

Note that I had to smudge out the personal contact info the host...the real deal didn't have the smudged section.

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Four Years Ago on In My Words...Happy Birthday Grandpa This is cool since we are four years later and he just celebrated another one!!!

Moving Is Hard To Do

As most of you readers know, I am a bit of a perfectionist, have a tad case of OCD and suffer from procrastination...not a great combination...haha.

So since we are moving to Hawaii next month, I have had my hands full in so many ways. Fortunately, I have not let the procrastination take over but I think if I could be less of a perfectionist my life would be simpler.

This is a list of the things I have thus far accomplished for this move...there are still quite a few left but at least I am making headway.

• Handed over my two board positions with OIWC
• Updated and reprinted our household inventory sheets
  
• Organized a ton of paperwork required for moving from one country to the next
• Got all the paperwork, bloodtests and money sent to Hawaii for importation of our cat Chase
• Made flight arrangements
• Made two shipment arrangements
• Gave notice at our housing agency
• Purged, purged and more purging
• Sold, or gave away furniture, books, toys, decor and other accessories
• Prepared paperwork to ship our vehicle to Hawaii
• Contacted utilities for shut off and return of modems and accessories
• Created the "BIG MOVE BOOK"
• Started house hunting online
• Had all doctors and dentist appointments so as not to need to worry after move
• Cleaned up, reloaded and maintained giftstore computer
• Weedwacked backyard
• Sold friend's truck
• Found another friend a satellite dish for cheap
• Organized all items left in house for two shipments
• Found home for all plants, and fish
• Had premove inspection done
• Chased out 4 geckos
• Made hotel reservations for our time left here after we have vacated our beautiful home
  

Things that are still left to be done:

• Shipment appts
• Borrowed furniture pickup
• Appt with utilities for internet and phone disconnect
• Purging, purging and more purging
• Yardwork
• Pond cleanup
• Patio furniture cleanup
• Final organization of items for two shipments so that nothing gets mixed up
• Laundry
• Packing
• Car washing and selling
• Hand off of 4 board positions with another NPO
• July month end for giftstore
• Finish database build on store computer
• Repair of friend's computer
• Repair of friend's external harddrive
• Forest Adventure Park
• Several mandatory meetings and events
• Cat and carrier check at airport before date of flight
• Cat health certificate
• Flight to Hawaii
• Rental of car
• Cleaning
  
• Hotel reservations in Hawaii
• Return flight to mainland USA to ship vehicle to Hawaii in October
  
• House hunting in Hawaii
• Saying goodbye to my great friends that are still left here on this beautiful island

Not so much, huh?

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Three Years Ago on In My Words when we were just moving here...Moving Day