Having been shed of normal, full-time, one-employer type of employment since December, I find that I’ve had time to look at the scales of my life: how balanced am I? I’ve spent so much of my life as so many have, working whatever jobs and whatever hours seem necessary at the time to make ends meet. Last year while working for a post-secondary school, I found myself teaching and counseling…
I’m a pretty typical transplant to Oglethorpe County; in fact, I thought at the time nearly five years ago that I was part of a coming thing out here. Now I’m sure I’m right about that. We didn’t just choose Oglethorpe County as our dream home; we were driven out of Clarke County and ended up here. Oglethorpe County is starting to grow—due to people like my husband and myself…
Just recently I remarked to a newcomer that the jam-up American traffic jam does not occur here on Okinawa. I went on to say that traffic moves slowly at times, but I had never seen it come to a total halt. I had an adventure this week which led me to revise my thinking on Okinawan traffic. It's called the "Okinawan detour." Riding along a busy four lane recently, I…
Every so often I get to comparing driving a car here on Okinawa to what I was used to back in the States. The usual car is rather small compared to our average American car. My son, in fact, calls them "race cars" and he has a point. Quite often I feel like I'm in the Indy 500. I'm not saying we drive fast here, Mama, actually compared to 1-75…
A couple of weeks ago I foolishly told my son about the circus with the elephants, lions, clowns, the smell of popcorn, hot dogs and cotton candy. He was excited about the idea, (so was I!) and I promised him we would go. The first objective was to buy ticket - a nerve racking experience. The Thursday before, I attempted to buy them at the USO on base. "Sorry, all…
Your request for the phone number in our new home made me take a moment to reflect on the "phones" here on Okinawa. I'm sorry, Mama, but we have no phone. Not only that but we won't be able to get a phone off base. "What no phones?" I know it sounds un-American and even foolhardy, but to install a phone is to invite financial ruin (installation costs one arm,…
Note: this was the first column; I took over an existing column named Dear Mother. At the time I had no idea I could do humor! Despite a dismal morning recently, we decided to brave the Nago Cherry Blossom Festival. For those unfamilar with the rock, Nago City lies nestled in the "Mountains" (you know, towering hulks at 1,000 ft.!) on the northern end of the island. Rushing along our…