Right - so where was me again.....?

Right.....made it back to The States.

So, I had determined that, given the wonderful economic climate not only at my home base in Ora-gaaan, but also EVERYWHERE , it'd be best to hang in Hai Phong forra while and see where this opportunity takes me.

So, went back to America for seven weeks during June and July. Literally busted my ass trying to coax somebody to come over here to cover for me at my school as a E.S.L. instructor from a native English-speaking country, but no dice.

I had offered that they teach for nine hours a week at my school free of charge to me. In return, they'd get my entire house rent-free, use of my Broadband Internet at no charge, use of MY SKOOTER free of charge, and they just hadta pay the electric, water and garbage bills (at a whopping $15USD a month)! Plus they would word an additional three hours a week where they worked in private tutoring and earned 250,000 Dong ($15USD) per hour for that! A fair chunk of change here.....

Was a bit bummed - because of the economic depression, I thought that SOMEBODY.....ANYBODY.....would grab this chance.

Nada nada enchilada!

I mean, I COULD obviously understand people with kids and shit like that....or those lucky enuff to have an actual JOB, and possibly understand those who own a house AND a mortgage on it.....but that weeded out everybody except for about a dozen, non-spawning, non-house-owning, non-employed people.......

......I guess that they felt safer and more financially and emotionally secure in an economic depression home in The States then they did running 12 time zones away for a summer in Vietnam teaching English.

Aw well....

Kinda sucked because, at the 11th hour, my buddy Finchy (that's not his real name, but he kinda looks and slightly acts like Chris Finch from The Office television programme back in 2004, sooo.....) hooked me up wiff an American E.S.L. teacher named Dave from the desert SouthWest who did an amazing job in my absence! Many thanx and kudos to Dave....thanx for having my back!

Sad part was, that after I had committed to Dave (like, LITERALLY two days before my flight left for The States), a few people E-Mailed and Facebooked me: "Hey....uhhh....E?? IS that offer to teach for the summer at your school for nine hours a week and live in your house for free still open??"

Christ, talk about lousy timing!!!

So, ran back to The States, got lucky and caught up with pretty much 90% of my closest friends (some of whom made journeys of several hundred miles to meet all together in Buffalo), and hung out and enjoyed the hospitality and company of some friends I had not seen in a long-ass time (Go-Go = since 1993......Dino = since 1990....Big Mo = since 1988....Rico = a dog's age), hadta forfeit all of my shit in a storage unit (TRIED to sell it ALL TOTALLY on the condition that, for $85, you clear it ALL outta the unit - people came back and stated - "uhhh......I'll pick this and that piece and...." but nobody took it all, so I left it be to the storage guys to dispose of), and had some great times with my family (both, nuclear and extended)!

DID a lot of events that were critical to me - The Chugwater Chili Cook-off, a trip to Rockaway Beach, Oregon.....sadly missed a couple of others - GayDay in Buffalo and watching the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

Loaded up on essentials that I badly needed (hippie soap from Portland, Oregon......a GALLON of Frank's Red Hot [Tam is now LITERALLY addicted to Frank's], cumin powder, chili powder from the American Southwest, Gilette Fusion razors, Arm and Hammer toofpaste, and a buncha other stuff). I DID buy two cartons of Export A Greens from Duty Free going into Canada.....but I smoked 'em all in the seven weeks that I was in The States...............really shoulda planned THAT better.....


So....here I am....back in Hai Phong.......co-owning a tiny English Language school and just hangin'.....livin' the dream......


Assorted ramblings coming up next week.


-E-

Oh, and P.S. - I probably WILL need someone to cover for me at our school NEXT summer......same offer will probably apply.....keep it in mind if the economic depression is still lingering about during that time.....

Oh, and P.P.S. - I was elated to hear that BOTH, Trent and T.O. said that they have NO WORRIES about The Bills offence this season! Good.....

.....that'll break the string of three consecutive seasons of a 7-9 record......

....because THIS season??

The Bills are going 5-11.....

....mark my words on that.