June 3rd, 2017

Gabba Gabba Hey,

I got the video of a red/light/red traffic light.  I only took video of one light sequence and caught this gem.

Showed this to a couple people and they were not as outraged as I, but to be fair they usually aren't.  While the focus was on the light, unsurprisingly caught three traffic violations that are not immediately noticeable.  First, a truck barrels through a red light without slowing down.  Hard to tell from the angle but he doesn't even tap the brakes as he goes through the light.  To be honest, as this occurs at almost every light every time, not sure if it'd count as an infraction, but have to hope so.  The other two illegal moves are the cars that he almost hits.  They are coming out the wrong way of a one  way connector spur as they make an illegal U-turn instead of taking a minute to go down the road to the proper place to do so. .  I know I complain a lot about the drivers here, but I could take a 30 second video of any intersection and would be able to find something you'd consider road rageable in easily 1 out of 3 of them.

This is gonna be the last entry for a couple months as I head to the States on Thursday.  First to the Bay area to house/dog sit for my sister/take Mom to Vegas, then a week in the DMV (DC/Maryland/Virginia) for UVA orientation and some baseball, then a couple weeks in Seattle.  If you're not on the calendar, better reach out soon.

Am equal parts intrigued and apprehensive about this trip.  Just from watching stuff on-line, the discourse in the States these days feels toxic.  Insulated here as most expats are world wise and therefore, incredulous at the current administration, and think that my peer group in the States is overwhelmingly the same, but know that we're gonna hit some pockets of Fox News devotees along the way.  What will be different is when we take in the daily nuttiness.  As we are the complete opposite time wise from the East coast and that the scandalous reveal of the day happens while we are sleeping, every morning is like Twisted Christmas.

Not much going on around here other than Spring cleaning, getting The Boy ready for school (and prepping our new guest room...come visit), and saying so long to departing friends. Year 5 of this stupid dance and in addition to the annual migration of a  bunch of good ones, we are losing our best friends this year.  We had our last dinner with them last night, and while it was crude levity as usual, their departure, along with The Boy heading off for a life of his own, makes the prospects of life here less appealing.  That is too soft...fucking grim is what it feels like.  I know we will see them again and will fall in like so many old friends that we live far from but see every so often, but it'll never be the same.  I love those guys and my soul hurts.  Ugh.

It was Dragon Boat Festival this week and it is quite a big deal apparently.  A 4-day weekend, events all around town and caught me totally unawares.  5 years in and how have I completely missed this thing?  The answer is, and it is always the answer, the dumb ass lunar calendar.  This is as early as it gets and as we typically bug out at the end of school/first sign of flying cockroaches, have missed it previously, The Dragon Boat Festival is on the 5th pagan day of the 5th pagan month and is said to celebrate fealty and filial piety.  Had to look both those words up...fealty is subservience from vassal to lord, and filial piety is respect for ones parents/elders.  I have mixed feelings on both.

Follow-up to last weeks money talk...looked up the definition of spondulix as a slang for money, and it is an old English term that refers to a shell that used to be used as currency. Used it on a British couple the other day and while it took them a second, they knew the term.   While it is a bit clunky to say, and sounds better in an English accent, I like it and gonna try to work it in.

Follow-up on last weeks note about Paul's testimonial in the yearbook to his lunch table.  Took this at graduation...here is the table along with all his J-O buddies that called it home the last four years.

Graduation was a nice ceremony but was not an emotional roller coaster as expected/feared, mainly cause there was a 30 minute speech at the beginning that took the air out of the room.  In the original Total Recall movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger, near the end he gets deposited on the surface of Mars without his space suit and his eyes start popping out.  For those of you that love that movie, you know what I'm talking about...for the rest of you, about 55 seconds in.

It's been good times with you Boy-o...and you look really tall in these photos.

An article from HuffPo popped up in my FB this week feed about why it is hard to talk to people about our travels.  No surprises here, but reading this article makes me understand how pompous it can sound and I promise not to share unless asked. 

Finally for this semester, did you take the Myers/Briggs test I shared last week?

As for me, my measurables include being 61% extrovert to 39% introvert and  80/20 observant to intuitive, which both feel about right.  The one that hurt the most, but is both telling and obvious is that I rated as 88% judgmental against 12% "prospecting".  They make it sound better than it is..."Judging individuals are decisive, thorough and highly organized. They value clarity, predictability and closure, preferring structure and planning to spontaneity." 

You can dig really deep in the analysis and there were no surprises for me.  Where I see value is seeing other people's results as it gives insight as to how to accommodate them in ways that could be beneficial to all concerned.  If I was a boss, I'd want to have all my employees take this, but have a feeling it would be considered illegal.  For instance, knowing how I like order in my life above almost all else, you could easily play along so as to not aggravate me unnecessarily.  A good example is kitchen towels.  I have a system as to how they are put in the closet and rotated by color so that they are all used equally over time.  I have tried to explain this to Betty but can see immediately that she tunes out immediately.  It is unimportant, and ridiculous with a dusting of OCD, but it is almost a religious rite for me.  How hard would it be to humor me on kitchen towels?  Once you do, we can move onto sponge etiquette.  Knowing a person's hard wired obsessions should make it easier to understand and relate to them, and if they really rubbed you the wrong way, you could back away slowly.

For the record, I am an ESTJ personality type, which they call the Executive.  There is a lot of things in here, but will share the strengths and weaknesses below.  Tell me this doesn't describe me perfectly...

The Good?

Dedicated – Seeing things to completion borders on an ethical obligation for ESTJs. Tasks aren’t simply abandoned because they’ve become difficult or boring – people with the ESTJ personality type take them up when they are the right thing to do, and they will be finished so long as they remain the right thing to do.

Strong-willed – A strong will makes this dedication possible, and ESTJs don’t give up their beliefs because of simple opposition. ESTJs defend their ideas and principles relentlessly, and must be proven clearly and conclusively wrong for their stance to budge.

Direct and Honest – ESTJs trust facts far more than abstract ideas or opinions. Straightforward statements and information are king, and ESTJ personalities return the honesty (whether it’s wanted or not).

Loyal, Patient and Reliable – ESTJs work to exemplify truthfulness and reliability, considering stability and security very important. When ESTJs say they’ll do something, they keep their word, making them very responsible members of their families, companies and communities.

Enjoy Creating Order – Chaos makes things unpredictable, and unpredictable things can’t be trusted when they are needed most – with this in mind, ESTJs strive to create order and security in their environments by establishing rules, structures and clear roles.

Excellent Organizers – This commitment to truth and clear standards makes ESTJs capable and confident leaders. People with this personality type have no problem distributing tasks and responsibilities to others fairly and objectively, making them excellent administrators.

And the Bad...

Inflexible and Stubborn – The problem with being so fixated on what works is that ESTJs too often dismiss what might work better. Everything is opinion until proven, and ESTJ personalities are reluctant to trust an opinion long enough for it to have that chance.

Uncomfortable with Unconventional Situations – ESTJs are strong adherents to tradition and when suddenly forced to try unvetted solutions, they become uncomfortable and stressed. New ideas suggest that their methods weren’t good enough, and abandoning what has always worked before in favor of something that may yet fail risks their image of reliability.

Judgmental – ESTJs have strong convictions about what is right, wrong, and socially acceptable. ESTJs’ compulsion to create order often extends to all things and everyone, ignoring the possibility that there are two right ways to get things done. ESTJs do not hesitate to let these "deviants" know what they think, considering it their duty to set things right.

Too Focused on Social Status – ESTJs take pride in the respect of their friends, colleagues and community and while difficult to admit, are very concerned with public opinion. ESTJs (especially Turbulent ones) can get so caught up in meeting others’ expectations that they fail to address their own needs.

Difficult to Relax – This need for respect fosters a need to maintain their dignity, which can make it difficult to cut loose and relax for risk of looking the fool, even in good fun.

Difficulty Expressing Emotion – This is all evidence of ESTJs’ greatest weakness: expressing emotions and feeling empathy. People with the ESTJ personality type get so caught up in the facts and most effective methods that they forget to think of what makes others happy, or of their sensitivity. A detour can be breathtakingly beautiful, a joy for the family, but ESTJs may only see the consequence of arriving at their destination an hour late, hurting their loved ones by rejecting the notion too harshly.

Would love to read about you "Deviants".  

Talk soon.