I am the guy that was beating me out of jobs that I was interested in a couple years ago. It is much better to be on this end. It just takes a little time I reckon. There is no substitute for the clock rotations.
Today is a good day, lots of thinking and a few to-do items ticked off the mental list.
Hoping that this short entry finds you very well. I will give more details on the above, soon.
All is well
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
In other news
Had a terrific time hanging out with Katy and Kahler the past couple days despite the monumental project they started in remodeling the main bathroom at Kahler's parents place. They did a beautiful job, I am pretty sure that you can find, or will find very soon, pictorial documentation of it's vastness/grandeur on Katy's blog.
Kahler and I pulled the toilet in preparation for laying the tile floor however, I must say the expectation of the re-install was grossly underestimated. We were on round four when I ran away from it. Godspeed with the new flange my friend. It was just really good to be with my fabulous friends again. We can make stupid allusions to ridiculous things in Zambia with no need for explanation. Needless to say Mrs. Stone was floored when she set eyes on her new bathroom.
Turns out that Grout is much more forgiving than thin set. This was a distinction that I, only recently, became aware of. I was awakened to Kahler shutting the door as he left to mix up a new batch of thin set. He was doing this because this morning when he entered the freshly tiled bathroom found that five or six of the tiles did not seat. He lifted them and chiseled out the mess underneath and had a couple new tiles laid. He was happy to hand the trowel off and I finished the other four, fingers crossed that those bad boys stay down as the grout is now applied and sealed. Katy definitely was not on the sideline while we were doing this either. She painted and repainted baseboards, did a major amount of touch up on all of the walls, stripped the shower caulk out, painted cabinets, and lots of other things that I can't remember.
At Five today I called Ms. Isola of the Shasta County Health Department and we chatted a bit about the position there. It looks like I have to find a way to get to California for finger printing and more background check stuff. They really want to make sure that I am not a criminal. I hope that I don't disappoint.
I am going to follow up with profs at SRPH and seek advice from the usual sources, Uncle Bill, my folks, brother and Jennah, Dr. Rene, Dr. Sweeney, and pray a lot about it. Seems like a pretty awesome wide open door however, ZEHRP appeared the same way. I got taken by that one for sure.
Will make a point, of course, to keep you up-to-date with the decisions and developments with the Cali job, thank you all very much for your prayers and encouragement.
I am blessed and all is very well. I pray that it is the same for all of you, my wonderful readers.
Kahler and I pulled the toilet in preparation for laying the tile floor however, I must say the expectation of the re-install was grossly underestimated. We were on round four when I ran away from it. Godspeed with the new flange my friend. It was just really good to be with my fabulous friends again. We can make stupid allusions to ridiculous things in Zambia with no need for explanation. Needless to say Mrs. Stone was floored when she set eyes on her new bathroom.
Turns out that Grout is much more forgiving than thin set. This was a distinction that I, only recently, became aware of. I was awakened to Kahler shutting the door as he left to mix up a new batch of thin set. He was doing this because this morning when he entered the freshly tiled bathroom found that five or six of the tiles did not seat. He lifted them and chiseled out the mess underneath and had a couple new tiles laid. He was happy to hand the trowel off and I finished the other four, fingers crossed that those bad boys stay down as the grout is now applied and sealed. Katy definitely was not on the sideline while we were doing this either. She painted and repainted baseboards, did a major amount of touch up on all of the walls, stripped the shower caulk out, painted cabinets, and lots of other things that I can't remember.
At Five today I called Ms. Isola of the Shasta County Health Department and we chatted a bit about the position there. It looks like I have to find a way to get to California for finger printing and more background check stuff. They really want to make sure that I am not a criminal. I hope that I don't disappoint.
I am going to follow up with profs at SRPH and seek advice from the usual sources, Uncle Bill, my folks, brother and Jennah, Dr. Rene, Dr. Sweeney, and pray a lot about it. Seems like a pretty awesome wide open door however, ZEHRP appeared the same way. I got taken by that one for sure.
Will make a point, of course, to keep you up-to-date with the decisions and developments with the Cali job, thank you all very much for your prayers and encouragement.
I am blessed and all is very well. I pray that it is the same for all of you, my wonderful readers.
Friday, July 15, 2011
ZamJake in America
The job in California is certainly still on the table. I have not heard in a couple of days but, now I am blaming that on the mandatory background check. It could be that they have already filled the spot however, judging by the interest that the invested in me I would be a little surprised if they just let me drop off. There is no saying for sure though.
I am actually sitting in Muldoons (a little coffee house) in College Station. Same place, just different people. I am in College Station to visit my old profs and academic acquaintances for advice, PhD programs, and job opportunities. All the same great folks are there and happy to see me back in one piece.
The visit was very promising though and I enjoyed explaining my adventures to old friends. You have to embellish the stories a little bit right? If I don't take some story telling license it just wouldn't be as much fun to listen to me talk. Here I suppose I am only half fooling myself that with the most effective hyperbole at best I probably only have about four and a half minutes before time is up. I can get up to Feb. in that time frame but, I am hopeful that I will have it up to snuff after a few more attempts.
There is nothing quite like 'ol CS in the summertime. The roads are manageable and the campus is clad with international students (at least more noticeably, than usual).
Still a few folks that I need to catch up with here is CS so I will definitely be back soon but, getting down to see my brother and Jennah is more important right now. Will go and speak with the powers that be with the University of Houston School of Public Health and the business school (for Chris). Hopefully one of us can find some promise there whether it be with a PhD program for me or MBA for him.
It is hot here in Texas! Holy smokes, North Cali would not be a bad change of scenery in that aspect. Was told a few time today at A&M that I would fir righ tin as my hair has gotten long and shaggy again. Apparently there are some hippie tendencies in my blood. Mom, Dad, which one of you was it? Or did it skip a generation?
Well there we go. I just got done talking to Wes, an old buddy here in CS. He is feeling the oldness a little too. All the folks that he went to school with are gone and he is married trying to figure out what the Lord has next for him. I know that I have been missing those conversations, that was great to get to catch up a little.
Ok, well I am off to Houston now. I will keep you updated if I hear anything from Cali, Denver (contacted a recruiter there), SRPH, or any other that I might not have on the radar yet. Have a blessed day, all is well here in Jake's little world. Trying to kill ZamJake one baby step at a time.
I am actually sitting in Muldoons (a little coffee house) in College Station. Same place, just different people. I am in College Station to visit my old profs and academic acquaintances for advice, PhD programs, and job opportunities. All the same great folks are there and happy to see me back in one piece.
The visit was very promising though and I enjoyed explaining my adventures to old friends. You have to embellish the stories a little bit right? If I don't take some story telling license it just wouldn't be as much fun to listen to me talk. Here I suppose I am only half fooling myself that with the most effective hyperbole at best I probably only have about four and a half minutes before time is up. I can get up to Feb. in that time frame but, I am hopeful that I will have it up to snuff after a few more attempts.
There is nothing quite like 'ol CS in the summertime. The roads are manageable and the campus is clad with international students (at least more noticeably, than usual).
Still a few folks that I need to catch up with here is CS so I will definitely be back soon but, getting down to see my brother and Jennah is more important right now. Will go and speak with the powers that be with the University of Houston School of Public Health and the business school (for Chris). Hopefully one of us can find some promise there whether it be with a PhD program for me or MBA for him.
It is hot here in Texas! Holy smokes, North Cali would not be a bad change of scenery in that aspect. Was told a few time today at A&M that I would fir righ tin as my hair has gotten long and shaggy again. Apparently there are some hippie tendencies in my blood. Mom, Dad, which one of you was it? Or did it skip a generation?
Well there we go. I just got done talking to Wes, an old buddy here in CS. He is feeling the oldness a little too. All the folks that he went to school with are gone and he is married trying to figure out what the Lord has next for him. I know that I have been missing those conversations, that was great to get to catch up a little.
Ok, well I am off to Houston now. I will keep you updated if I hear anything from Cali, Denver (contacted a recruiter there), SRPH, or any other that I might not have on the radar yet. Have a blessed day, all is well here in Jake's little world. Trying to kill ZamJake one baby step at a time.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Back in the swing
Fighting a little jet lag headache and sore throat but, I am back in the proverbial Texas saddle.
Job Update: Decided against spending a substantial sum to get there. Made the decision however, I was a little disappointed that such an opportunity could not be realized. Well all reservations were relieved when I received an email this morning asking if I might be available for a Skype interview in order to maintain my candidacy. They are still working out he details on that end.
Can't wait to update you with the results of that meeting. For better or for worse I am thankful that I am still able to be considered for the position.
Will update again soon. Have a terrific day.
Also, thank you to everyone that met me in the airport and prayed for my trip back. I am so happy to be home.
Congrats, Katy on making it until Kahler got back!
Job Update: Decided against spending a substantial sum to get there. Made the decision however, I was a little disappointed that such an opportunity could not be realized. Well all reservations were relieved when I received an email this morning asking if I might be available for a Skype interview in order to maintain my candidacy. They are still working out he details on that end.
Can't wait to update you with the results of that meeting. For better or for worse I am thankful that I am still able to be considered for the position.
Will update again soon. Have a terrific day.
Also, thank you to everyone that met me in the airport and prayed for my trip back. I am so happy to be home.
Congrats, Katy on making it until Kahler got back!
Monday, July 4, 2011
At last, the day that would never come
Here I am in JoBurg, 2 July, 2011 on my way back. It was more difficult than I thought it would be to say goodbye to Mike, Lindy and Claire at the airport. Though the same is certain for the lab techs as well. They will definitely be remembered.
So here I am as the sun begins to set in the evening of the second of July, two thousand and eleven. It is still mid morning back home and I am drinking coffee as a tribute (not that I wouldn’t drink a cup even it is were two in the morning back home… In this instance I find myself searching too broadly for poetry). My trusty MacBook managed the year in Zambia like a champ and keeps me company here as I wait for the connection to Heathrow Airport.
I am looking back on my time in Zambia trying with little success to separate that blasted project from the country itself. I don’t know how to do it. Perhaps if I were to come back at a later date, in a different capacity, or at least (which goes without saying) with another initiative I would be able to snag the perspective that doesn’t loath the place that housed the operation that taxed and tested me beyond my limits. As it stands however, short of wanting everyone to get to see the majestic Victoria Falls, there is no way that I can be pumped about anyone heading to this/that part of Africa.
It is hard to believe the extremes that I have seen. Here in the Tembo Airport I am enjoying a cup of, comparatively sublime, filtered coffee with flock of paper Mache geese lamps just above me while there are those that will never see anything like this and are more than thankful for the instant (Ricoffy) coffee in the mug with the broken handle. As I have said before though it is better to have this explicit dichotomy bolster a thankful heart than guilt.
Of course, there is the sort of lifestyle awareness that inevitably accompanies such an experience. I am enthusiastic about looking up opportunities that the lab techs might be able to exploit. The programs are there and have been and I might have been one to look dimly on them once; however, if they are going to continue I would rather see them support individuals that I know deserve a legitimate shot.
Struck up a conversation with a Zambian fella on the plane (Lusaka to JoBurg). He was an electrical engineer that is currently working in South Africa. We chatted about his background, family, career, education, and politics of Zambia. I accidently have a decent knowledge about that place (or at least enough to keep up an hour long conversation), what do I use that for now? I reckon I will iron that one out soon enough.
Oh, I had one last adventure before I was able to escape my year-past motherland. My bags were miserably overweight. The allotment is two bags at 23kg (~50lbs) each. Well I heaved them on the scale and the larger of the two tipped the scale at 32.1kg and the smaller at 25.4kg. Ok, now what? How much is it for an overweight bag? Mr. Banda informed me it was one hundred U.S. per bag. Well… Alright then, I have to go throw a bunch of stuff away. I removed myself from the queue to sort out this dilemma.
Mike, Lindy, and Claire are not yet gone as there is a place on the stairs where you can watch folks get checked through. I tried my darnedest to explain, through a very naive version of sign language, the details of the situation. Aha! I will just take a hit for a hundred bucks and move a couple kilos into the one that is already past obese. I rearrange and march back up to the counter. Sure enough the one is good to go at 22.3kg and the other weighed in at a whopping 37kg. Fella then decides to inform me that they do not take bags over 30kg. Brilliant! Next idea.
I exited the holding pen and explained the predicament to Mike and Lindy. They know the drill. May not have told you about a terrific couple that has been staying the past couple weeks with the Howard’s. Carl and his wife Sandy are from Cleveland, Texas where he is the head of Calvary Baptist Church and she is an elementary school counselor. All that to say that they will be returning to Cleveland very soon and would be able to take some of the heavier items of mine back with them where I can just pay them a visit and pick up my ten kilogram of wooden hippo, dress pants, and a couple coats.
Once again, I am thankful for the relationships that I have been able to develop and for the patience to make it through that without exploding. After the fiasco I managed to weigh in at 23.1kg the third time around. Mr. Banda was too tired at this point to put up a fight for the 0.1kg.
Turns out I am ripped… or, more likely I was tapping some hundred dollar adrenaline trying to fool the scale by tossing that hefty bag on the conveyor, ha.
It’s all done now though and I sit here with my violin and messenger bag happy as I can be considering the flight time remaining. The sun has gone down now and I see the lights of the baggage-mobiles scurrying here and there. Hoping that mine makes it where it needs to be. The flittering green and red luminescence from the monster birds waiting to take off to who knows where are proof that I am leaving Africa for real and I will be home soon.
Going to pay for my three-dollar (16 rand) cup of coffee and mosy around the shops here to spend the time I have left. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers as I am sure that they are the only reason that I have gotten this far and I am trusting them to finish me off to sweet Aggieland.
All is just dang dandy.
3 July, 2011, DFW Airport, I made it but, it was important apparently that it not be easy. My flight from Johannesburg was delayed four hours. I was told that it was necessary for them to change planes as the intended failed inspection. I reckon that set back might have been a blessing in disguise because the key is that I am sitting in Dallas right now.
Sorry Mom, Dad, Brother, and Jennah, despite my catch me if you can run through the Dallas airport and cutting to the front of every line/lane/queue I made it to the gate only to watch my plane pushing back. I will be there four hours later than scheduled.
Going to try and recount the more interesting bits of this long flight back if I can. There was a group of us in the JoBurg Airport trying desperately to sort out this pickle we found ourselves in with three connections still pending. With a little… persuasion, (ya, that’s what it was) I convinced the South African Airways fella to let me update my itinerary. I was there with Amy and her group bound for Texas as well. Amy was really quiet and intrinsically the worrying sort (ahem, mom, thanks for teaching me how to work with that). She appreciated my ‘calming spirit’ and followed me around from gate to gate as we made our way through JoBurg, to Heathrow and off to Dallas.
Brother, can you believe that they had The Glenlivet on the plane? It beat the heck out of the Johnny Walker that I had on the previous leg. Might have taken advantage of that, you know, persuation and waiting until they look the other direction when they pass by pushing the little beverage cart.
Sis, you need to come to Victoria Falls. I know that I have said it before but, for real. I want you guys to see it and you to get some more stamps in that passport of yours.
It feel like it has been ages since I have been in America. I know that I was just here in December but, I am feeling to difference more intensely this time. Katy, I am sure that you can relate very well. It is going to take some time, I think, before I fit back in or at least until I feel that I fit in.
Everything is a comparison; just as it was when I arrived in Zambia. This time it is just working in the reverse.
Can’t wait to get on this last little puddle jumper and find my way back to my comfortable bed and my amazing family. It has been a long time coming but here I am. I have learned so much and, as expected, hind-sight says that the year was well spent and that I have experience that few with my pedigree ever get to realize. The details will come. I reckon I am too sleep deprived now to make any deep or insightful over-arching intellectualities concerning lab work over the past year in a developing country.
All is a bit blurry but, the sleep should solve that nicely. All smiles over here, will be there in a matter of hours now.
So here I am as the sun begins to set in the evening of the second of July, two thousand and eleven. It is still mid morning back home and I am drinking coffee as a tribute (not that I wouldn’t drink a cup even it is were two in the morning back home… In this instance I find myself searching too broadly for poetry). My trusty MacBook managed the year in Zambia like a champ and keeps me company here as I wait for the connection to Heathrow Airport.
I am looking back on my time in Zambia trying with little success to separate that blasted project from the country itself. I don’t know how to do it. Perhaps if I were to come back at a later date, in a different capacity, or at least (which goes without saying) with another initiative I would be able to snag the perspective that doesn’t loath the place that housed the operation that taxed and tested me beyond my limits. As it stands however, short of wanting everyone to get to see the majestic Victoria Falls, there is no way that I can be pumped about anyone heading to this/that part of Africa.
It is hard to believe the extremes that I have seen. Here in the Tembo Airport I am enjoying a cup of, comparatively sublime, filtered coffee with flock of paper Mache geese lamps just above me while there are those that will never see anything like this and are more than thankful for the instant (Ricoffy) coffee in the mug with the broken handle. As I have said before though it is better to have this explicit dichotomy bolster a thankful heart than guilt.
Of course, there is the sort of lifestyle awareness that inevitably accompanies such an experience. I am enthusiastic about looking up opportunities that the lab techs might be able to exploit. The programs are there and have been and I might have been one to look dimly on them once; however, if they are going to continue I would rather see them support individuals that I know deserve a legitimate shot.
Struck up a conversation with a Zambian fella on the plane (Lusaka to JoBurg). He was an electrical engineer that is currently working in South Africa. We chatted about his background, family, career, education, and politics of Zambia. I accidently have a decent knowledge about that place (or at least enough to keep up an hour long conversation), what do I use that for now? I reckon I will iron that one out soon enough.
Oh, I had one last adventure before I was able to escape my year-past motherland. My bags were miserably overweight. The allotment is two bags at 23kg (~50lbs) each. Well I heaved them on the scale and the larger of the two tipped the scale at 32.1kg and the smaller at 25.4kg. Ok, now what? How much is it for an overweight bag? Mr. Banda informed me it was one hundred U.S. per bag. Well… Alright then, I have to go throw a bunch of stuff away. I removed myself from the queue to sort out this dilemma.
Mike, Lindy, and Claire are not yet gone as there is a place on the stairs where you can watch folks get checked through. I tried my darnedest to explain, through a very naive version of sign language, the details of the situation. Aha! I will just take a hit for a hundred bucks and move a couple kilos into the one that is already past obese. I rearrange and march back up to the counter. Sure enough the one is good to go at 22.3kg and the other weighed in at a whopping 37kg. Fella then decides to inform me that they do not take bags over 30kg. Brilliant! Next idea.
I exited the holding pen and explained the predicament to Mike and Lindy. They know the drill. May not have told you about a terrific couple that has been staying the past couple weeks with the Howard’s. Carl and his wife Sandy are from Cleveland, Texas where he is the head of Calvary Baptist Church and she is an elementary school counselor. All that to say that they will be returning to Cleveland very soon and would be able to take some of the heavier items of mine back with them where I can just pay them a visit and pick up my ten kilogram of wooden hippo, dress pants, and a couple coats.
Once again, I am thankful for the relationships that I have been able to develop and for the patience to make it through that without exploding. After the fiasco I managed to weigh in at 23.1kg the third time around. Mr. Banda was too tired at this point to put up a fight for the 0.1kg.
Turns out I am ripped… or, more likely I was tapping some hundred dollar adrenaline trying to fool the scale by tossing that hefty bag on the conveyor, ha.
It’s all done now though and I sit here with my violin and messenger bag happy as I can be considering the flight time remaining. The sun has gone down now and I see the lights of the baggage-mobiles scurrying here and there. Hoping that mine makes it where it needs to be. The flittering green and red luminescence from the monster birds waiting to take off to who knows where are proof that I am leaving Africa for real and I will be home soon.
Going to pay for my three-dollar (16 rand) cup of coffee and mosy around the shops here to spend the time I have left. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers as I am sure that they are the only reason that I have gotten this far and I am trusting them to finish me off to sweet Aggieland.
All is just dang dandy.
3 July, 2011, DFW Airport, I made it but, it was important apparently that it not be easy. My flight from Johannesburg was delayed four hours. I was told that it was necessary for them to change planes as the intended failed inspection. I reckon that set back might have been a blessing in disguise because the key is that I am sitting in Dallas right now.
Sorry Mom, Dad, Brother, and Jennah, despite my catch me if you can run through the Dallas airport and cutting to the front of every line/lane/queue I made it to the gate only to watch my plane pushing back. I will be there four hours later than scheduled.
Going to try and recount the more interesting bits of this long flight back if I can. There was a group of us in the JoBurg Airport trying desperately to sort out this pickle we found ourselves in with three connections still pending. With a little… persuasion, (ya, that’s what it was) I convinced the South African Airways fella to let me update my itinerary. I was there with Amy and her group bound for Texas as well. Amy was really quiet and intrinsically the worrying sort (ahem, mom, thanks for teaching me how to work with that). She appreciated my ‘calming spirit’ and followed me around from gate to gate as we made our way through JoBurg, to Heathrow and off to Dallas.
Brother, can you believe that they had The Glenlivet on the plane? It beat the heck out of the Johnny Walker that I had on the previous leg. Might have taken advantage of that, you know, persuation and waiting until they look the other direction when they pass by pushing the little beverage cart.
Sis, you need to come to Victoria Falls. I know that I have said it before but, for real. I want you guys to see it and you to get some more stamps in that passport of yours.
It feel like it has been ages since I have been in America. I know that I was just here in December but, I am feeling to difference more intensely this time. Katy, I am sure that you can relate very well. It is going to take some time, I think, before I fit back in or at least until I feel that I fit in.
Everything is a comparison; just as it was when I arrived in Zambia. This time it is just working in the reverse.
Can’t wait to get on this last little puddle jumper and find my way back to my comfortable bed and my amazing family. It has been a long time coming but here I am. I have learned so much and, as expected, hind-sight says that the year was well spent and that I have experience that few with my pedigree ever get to realize. The details will come. I reckon I am too sleep deprived now to make any deep or insightful over-arching intellectualities concerning lab work over the past year in a developing country.
All is a bit blurry but, the sleep should solve that nicely. All smiles over here, will be there in a matter of hours now.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
FLY
On a plane in thirty minutes. Was pretty sure this day would never come. But it has and all is just as near perfect as it can be. Can't wait to see you all again soon.
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