Happy Happy Birthday!
Today’s my Birthday! Some of my students bought me a present: a poster of Naruto. They know I’m a huge (no fat jokes!) fan of the Anime and Manga for Naruto. I will post it on my wall when I get home later.
I also got phone calls from friends, which made me very happy, especially from my ultimate best friend back in the USA, Jackie. It’s rare I get to speak with her. So it’s a good start for a birthday.
I bought Krispy Kreme donuts for my morning class, as they demaneded food. It’s my understanding the birthday boy/girl always buys meals for all others (a polar opposite of the USA custom where all others give to the birthday person).
*~ I also received a creamy, dreamy black forrest cake! ~*
I forgot to share yesterday’s photo to you!
Pasar Ikan Muara Angke
Jakarta, Indonesia
Most of the fishermen at Pasar Ikan Muara Angke work on large, commercial fishing ships. Some fishermen work on small boats. Sometimes a small number of men will wade into the filthy, murky water of Jakarta to catch fish for themselves. The water is a dank cesspool of rotten fish bait, discarded trash and excrement, as the fishermen rarely come to shore to the public toilets, choosing the sea as the preferred alternative.
Bahasa Indonesia Lesson for Today:
Pasar: Market
Ikan: Fish
Pasak Ikan: Fish Market
Take Care!
*~ Rodney ~*
I Witness
I’ve decided to start updating my photography website, Beyond Exposures (check the links on the right side of this page) with images I’ve captured to date. I’ve shot approximately 5000 photographs since my arrival in Jakarta. From these 5000 I’ve only kept approximately 50 as possible portfolio entries hahaha.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Note: Just because I have kept only 50, this
does not mean the other 4950 are bad. It only
means I feel these 50 are the best of the best.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“I Witness” is the name of my overall, umbrella project of photography around the globe. As I am in Indonesia, the sub-collection’s name is “I Witness: Indonesia.” Within that collection will be mini projects. To make it more simple: I will work on projects that support larger projects, yet each project can stand on its own as a body of work.
I will post a new photo (every day, or so) on Beyond Exposures in the “I Witness: Indonesia” gallery. This the first of many to come.
I’ll post another photograph later today, and a new photo each day (at least for the next 50 days hahaha).
Bahasa Indonesia Lesson for Today:
Jalan: Road
JLN: abbreviation for “Jalan”
Buntu: EndJLN Buntu: Dead End
Take care!
*~ Rodney ~*
Halfway Normal
Since Saturday, July 14, I’ve been very very sick. Of course I did not tell anyone. It happened out of nowhere. Friday, July 13 (yes, Friday the 13th) I was fine. But I woke up on Saturday the 14th having to run to the bathroom, just barely making it. I felt SUPER hot. Hot Hot Hot. Hot with a capital “H” because I was that hot! Yet, my skin felt very cold. When I sweat, it was cold. I felt like Linus (a character from Charles Shultz’ Peanuts cartoon) when he lost his security blanket.
I still went to work, albeit rushing to the bathroom before and after each class. I felt beyond run down. I am sure this contributed to my extra muscle pain and being tired. My abs felt like I’ve been doing a million sit-ups. And throwing up is not fun! As the saying goes: I was squirting out of both ends. This went on and on.
Some friends here noticed. “Rodney, your lips are so red. Are you OK? Do you have a fever?” I told them I was fine, of course, then proceeded to rush to the bathroom. *~ LOL ~*
I never share “sick” news with anyone, not even Jackie (the closest person who is like family to me). I know the script that will be said: “Go to a doctor!” Ha! Doctors? Hmmm, no thanks! I was told by one friend that I have exact symptoms of “Inside Fever” (feeling super hot, but cold, clammy skin, red lips, blah blah blah). I am not sure how I got it. I believe the last place I ate was at a Sundanese restaurant, but the food seemed OK (although it was sitting out in the open for some time, hmmm).
Anyway, I decided on Saturday (July 21) to go out shooting. Hell, if I can go to work like this, I surely can go shooting!
*~ BIG MISTAKE ~*
I got some of the best, most unusual photographs (which I might post on next blog entry) this weekend, but at a price. I did not get ’sick’ anywhere, but I felt super sick. After downing almost 2 liters of water, I felt perfectly fine again. This morning I feel Halfway Normal. No more squirting out of both ends. No more “I’m Hot Hot Hotttttt” feeling. I just feel a mild “warmer than normal.”
Additionally, my Internet connection is actually working at a halfway normal speed! But it is too little, too late. I’ve decided to just get the 3G (3.5 G actually) high speed wireless solution. It will not cost any more than this one, but it has a 1.5GB per month limitation. This Dial-up wireless speed connection is just too slow. But that is a story for the next blog entry…
Bahasa Indonesia Lesson for Today:
Sakit: Sick
Take Care!
Cinderella-Fella
When I woke up this morning I sat on the side of my bed in the same pose Bill Murray used in “Lost In Translation” (one of my all-time favorite movies).
I felt so tired. I thought “what am I doing here? Am I still properly focused on my goal?” BUT it is Friday at least and I only have one class to teach today: an 8 AM to 9:30 AM class! I will be FREEEEEEEEEEE for the entire weekend after 9:30 AM! Additionally, the CBN tech will come to my location to see why my internet connection is so slow (now that is service)!
*~ Doing the Happy Snoopy Dance ~*
I started typing this blog at 9:05 AM. You may be wondering “How come he is free to begin this blog during the 8 AM to 9:30 AM class?” Well the answer is easy.
Grrr! Something was lost in translation between this location’s HR dept and the school’s scheduling dept! I could have stayed home and slept! Grrr!
This happens, from time to time, at corporate client locations: meetings and travel occurs, and they forget to cancel the English classes. BUT only my class was vacant. The other two English classes were full! Were my students scared by my Buckwheat hair? Did I use too much cologne (no comments on this from you, Janet!)?
Ok, I’m leaving!
Bahasa Indonesia Lesson for Today:
Anak: Child
Tiri: Step
Anak Tiri: Step Child
I feel like step child today. *~ LOL ~*
Bad Hair Day
I normally cut my own hair when I lived in the USA. I have my own hair clippers, and I typically did a great job of it. I brough the clippers with me to Indonesia. As most salons and barbers are used to Asian and European hair, I felt I could be in hair-jeapordy if I used a salon here. Time to cut my hair! I plugged my clippers into the power and turned them on. *~ BUZZZZZ ~*
Whoa! So powerful! I forgot the electric current is 220 volts. My clippers are designed for 120 current. But, they were working, albiet more powerfully than normal.
*~ Ok, this is good, as my hair is extra long! Extra power needed! hehehe ~*
I start to cut my hair. I typically cut from back to front, right to left. Buzz Buzz. Then I heard a weird sound. *~ Tink! ~*
A screw had come out due to the extra motor vibrations! I see a second screw turing on it’s own and ready to fall out! I quickly turned off the clippers and put the screw back in. I felt I had to continue cutting my hair, or it would look crazy! Ok: Buzz Buzz. Then another, even more omnious sound came. They ENTIRELY fell apart!
*~ Ka-plang! Tinggggg! Ka-plang! ~*
Kyaaa! What the hell am I to do now? I have half cut hair! I called friends to find out where to get clippers, but I did not tell them “why” I asked. How can I tell them I look like Buckwheat from The Little Rascals? If Jackie knew, she’d be screaming laughing at me. *~ CRY ~*
And I Will NOT Post A Picture of My F’ed-Up Hair!
Ok, Today I fixed it, some, buy packing down the other side, and picking out the damanged side. I will buy new clippers next pictures.
Bahasa Indonesia Lesson for Today:
Rambut: Hair
Take care (of your hair)!
Live and Kicking
I’m still alive. still kicking.
I’m dead tired. These 12 hour days are murder. 8 AM to 8 PM. This does not count the extra hours needed after the 8 PM class to “lesson plan” for the next day’s morning classes.
Fortuneately, I got most of that schedule changed. Today I am off at 5:30 PM! So, going forward (pending wierd changes) I should be off at 5:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays, off at 8 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays, off at 6PM on Fridays, and no work on Saturday and Sunday (allowing me to shoot photos again).
I’m just dead tierd and my muscles hurt (monday, for example I had to teach 2 2hr classes back to back). I need a massage.
Any good massage places in Jakarta? I not want the “extra service” ones! Just a normal, massage your feet, place. 
More to come tomorrow
Incosistencies are Consistently Happening
Ok, today marks the end of my first week of corporate classes. I can say I LOVE corporate classes. The people I meet are all wonderful, brilliant and surprisingly fun! The bubble of happiness was getting bigger and bigger and bigger until…
*~ POP! The bubble burst! ~*
On Thursday, G (one of the directors of study) called me into his office:
G: The schedules for next week will be quite heavy with new corporate classes
Rodney (R): “I see. But it is ok. So far I’m enjoying them, and that is what the corp teachers are for: to teach the growing number of corporate classes”
G: “These will be with the Ministry of Trade, and will be held in-school, not in-house (at the company’s location).”
R: *cautiously* “I thought all corporate classes were in-house, and not at the school. If it is an in-school class, then an in-school teacher should cover it, yes?”
G: “There are 10 new classes, and we need all of the corp teacher’s help. These are still corporate classes.”
R: “But they are in-school. So, as corp classes, will they still pay more per hour?”
G: *thinking* “well, uh, they are in-school. Only the in-house classes are paid extra.”
R: “But, you stated in the meeting *all* corporate classes will pay more per hour…”
You see where this is going, right? Grrrr. I looked at my new schedule and almost passed out! They added 4 new classes meaning i work from 8am to 8pm EACH DAY! I screamed bloody murder! No way! I managed to get them to remove one of the classes, and I am going to get them to remove another soon too, as newly hired teachers come on board. Grrrrrr. I’m not done with them yet! Any friend of mine will say I am very nice guy (too nice and I get walked on at times) but they will also say I am the MOST STUBBORN man on the planet at times. I’m taking a stand! I will not be a beast of burden, allowing them to weigh me down with more and more and more!
They are going to bring out my “YENDOR” (rodney spelled backwards) side! If Rodney is a nice guy and an Angel, then Yendor is evil incarnate! Yendor is the Superman to my Clark Kent. *~ LOL ~*
Over and over and over there are inconsistencies this week. With work, with my friends, with life in general. Inconsistencies are consistently happening!
*~ Janettttttttttttt! I need your advice! ~*
On a good note, I will lose my 4-hour Saturday class! Today is the last day I teach it! It begins at 9 AM, and it is already 7:48 AM (even later, as I am not done typing)!
Bahasa Indonesia Lesson for Today:
Tetap: Consistent, Consistently, Everlasting, Steadfast, Adamant
Tidak: Not (makes negatives)Tidak Tetap: INCONSISTENT!
Ok, I feel Yendor’s Leo side (yup, I’m a Leo, but my Rodney side keeps the lion chained up hahaha) is coming out. I won’t wear dress shirt and tie today! GRRR! I’ll write more after Seaworld today. Chipmunk-chan and I are going to Sea World! Then hang out at Starbucks, which I really can’t afford but I miss the place. She will crochet while I read and web surf on my new Internet connection (which is FINALLY working properly!).
Take care,
Rodney
Apa Kabar?
Hello everyone,
I’m still alive here! I’m writing this FAST so do not complain about my spelling and grammar! I “teach” English, but it does not mean I “use” it properly when stressed for time hehehehe.
For the last two weeks I’ve been swamped under with classes! “Overtime” does not begin to describe the extra work. For example: I had 3 weeks giving private English lessons to three Catholic Priests. They wanted to know my religious beliefs *~ Kyaaaa! ~* Anyway, my schedule is back to normal, for now. Why do I say “for now?” Because MANY things have been happening for me:
1. I received a much-needed raise! My manager tells me the school has been receiving a massive amount of possitive feedback from students.
*~ No, I did not pay the students to do this! hahaha ~*
2. The school decided to have five teachers focus purely on corporate classes. As I have a corporate background with Bank of America, and received glowing feedback from my currently corporate classes (I teach a mix of corporate, adult and kid classes) the school asked me to be one of the five! This means even more pay, on top of the pay raise! Wakakakakakaka!
3. I’m finally getting Internet access! It will be 3G wireless. Basically, I have a SIM card that allows my USB modem to access the 3G network. It is unlimited access, with unlimited bandwidth usage, for a flat 350,000.00 Rupiah (hmm, about US$37). I can use the connection anywhere! Does this mean no more trips to starbucks? Of Course I will still go to the 24hr starbucks! I just will use my own connection instead of paying for their ridiculously-expensive prepaid wifi. The modem is working. The login and password exist (per the tech support staff at CBN) BUT they won’t make the account active until July 8. *~ Kyaaaa! ~* Why the wait? Why can’t they flip the switch and turn it active??? I should have said “OK I will pay on July 8 too!” grrrr. Anyway, I’m just impatient. On Sunday morning I will be like a little boy waiting for Christmas to come. Hahaha
4. I’ve been working and editing many photos shot over the last few weeks. I’ve not shot in the last two weeks due to all the overtime work I’ve been doing, but this was a blessing, as I had over 2500 photos to edit, keyword, rate and caption. I’ve narrowed those photos down to about 82 that I like, and from the 82, maybe 50 I love.
This weekend is a way cool Japanese event where I’ll get to see the latest gadget as well as various Anime and Manga exhibits. There should also be lots of Cosplay Wakakakakakaka! Saturday is also a coworker’s surprise birthday party, but I’m sure I won’t be missed, while attending the Japanese event. (I also want to try to use my pitifully bad Japanese language skills)
Anyway, I must go as I’m using the school PC. Hopefully on Sunday I can use my OWN connection and update on a more regular basis of every day or two days at the latest.
Bahasa Indonesia Lesson for Today:
Apa Kabar?: What’s Happening?
*~ Rodney ~*