It seems like the last couple weeks is about broken stuff. Angie was rear ended on her way to work. The car is broken. The refrigerator also decided to croak. Trying to catch up, gain back lost ground. We have a new car, very similar to the rudely smashed up car. I had it shipped from Texas. Also have a new a new fridge and backup freezer and fridge. Spring is very sprung. The pollen seems worse that usual this year. In Atlanta we complain about the traffic and the pollen, neither one is really as bad as we say.
Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
-
I am back from 8 days in Brazil, both in the North and the South. I had many "peak experiences" during this time. I spent three days in Petrolina which is on the border of Northern States of Pernambucu and Bahia. It is a semi-arid area on the San Fransisco River. The river is damned at this location creating a reservoir only second in size to the "3 gorges project in China". The area reminds me in climate to southern California. The irrigation and the sun makes a great place for citrus and the like. We went to a Gal Costa concert, a river boat ride and lots of other fun activities in a short amount of time. Goat meat (bode) is a specialty in the area and source of local attention. The domestic flight into Petrolini had such a hard landing we bounced enough to warrant a go around. That happens in my little planes as we are learning, it is uncommon with a large commercial jet, for sure. We all lived and the fire equipment stayed at the station.
I was very proud of myself when I was at the immigration desk, when I entered Brazil. The immigration officer asked if I spoke Portuguese (in Portuguese, of course), I said yes (oh crap!) and he asked me a number of questions where I answered without missing a beat all in Portuguese, finally wishing each other a good day. That small event made me feel very good. The formal Portuguese lessons are worth the effort and expense.
I participated in a Undergraduate Business Administration class at the Federal University of the San Fransisco Valley (UNIVASF - Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco). Great fun, great education, great enrichment.
The statue is the Gaucho, a source of pride and an archetype in the South. This statue is an icon of Southern Brazil. I was given 4 days to decide whether my Futebol team is the Gremio or Internacional, serious business. I have two days left to decide.
All of these pics are from Northern Brazil except the last one. You just don't return from trips like this without change.
Spring has sprung in Berkshire. The weather was great Saturday. I riggged up a tractor back-blade on the tractor and it has become a formatible dozer. We took the llamas for nice hike outback. The woods were as beautiful as expected; the buds are getting green and you can still see through the woods. Nothing is hidden by the leaves as it will be in a few months. I got some more sand for the garden and will be turning that in soon. The chickens have been having a great time picking bugs from around the house and letting us have their eggs. I went for a very nice plane ride a few days ago in a Cessna 172. The weather was near perfect. It was possibly one of my best flights ever. My interst in aviation is hightened lately; I was just reading about the DeHaviland Twin Otter aircraft. I am expecting to get a ride in one of these this year. They are 20 seat twin torboprops (Approx. 580 HP each) with a 12,000 lb takeoff weight. They seem to be very rugged and versatile. They are non-presuri...
We are back! This last trip brought the total countries visited to 100! It is a crazy milestone. It is difficult, time-consuming and can be (IS) expensive. After I got back from Antarctica in 2007, I started thinking about it. After 2010 I was thinking about it more (as I moved from NY to Georgia) and in 2014 it had become a real goal. Between Angie and I we have been to 109 Countries. We are tied at 100 countries each. We have 9 countries different in our lists. For example, I have been to San Marino. She has not. She has been to Israel. I have not, yet. There has been some fun competition in this area. That's why we had to establish rules. 1.) Must be listed (as a country) with the US State Department 2.) Being in an airport doesn't count. You have to get through immigration somehow and not in a DMZ or a no-mans-land 3.) A passport stamp is not required. I have been to Canada, Paraguay, and Uruguay without getting my passport stamped. There are friendly borders in many places...
It seems like the last couple weeks is about broken stuff. Angie was rear ended on her way to work. The car is broken. The refrigerator also decided to croak. Trying to catch up, gain back lost ground. We have a new car, very similar to the rudely smashed up car. I had it shipped from Texas. Also have a new a new fridge and backup freezer and fridge. Spring is very sprung. The pollen seems worse that usual this year. In Atlanta we complain about the traffic and the pollen, neither one is really as bad as we say.
I was recently reminded about the importance of frequent walks. Its a great multi-dimensional therapy, and it is still free. This possom startled me the other day on my walk. I was in my zone, mostly looking down and passed just inches away from him. The hissing and pointy sharp teeth convinced me to do a double-step away. I often visit the many trains that pass through town here in Duluth GA. This particular train is a "milk run". It has about ten cars. It makes its way up from Inman yard in Atlanta to service the many business through this corridor. Many business get their deliveries through trains here. Train runs are not limited to the mega-huge enterprises, inland ports and Amtrak service. These are smallish operations. Some examples include cardboard manufacturing, scrap metal, drywall manufacturing, lumber wholesaling, and cement deliveries for making concrete.
A Commonplace Book: Work Jokes: Meeting Bullshit Bingo
I get such a kick out of some of the office rumors/facts that go around work. There was some major secret news at work today (last few days) where the seniors were going around telling the high level managers what the lower folks already knew. It is all about information. Information is everywhere. Management of information is not like the days of the iron curtain. Trust is not something you can count on. The golden rule does not apply. It is an unfortunate. There are new rules of no rules. That also is unfortunate. Integrity must come from within. There is no substitute.
Comments