Guess its been a while, 06/25/2013

A little bored tonight and cant really motivate myself to do anything so I thought I would write a little and see what happens.

Whats been happening...

Finished the second semester of the masters program, waiting for one last grade to come back in the ethics class, might mean the difference between holding my 4.0 and and A-.  The other class was kinda a waste of time and a little frustrating that I had to pay for it, but a nice way to pad the GPA, an easy 96%.  So hopefully that essay goes over as well as the rest and I can be three courses down with a (first ever) perfect record.

The new chain for my motorcycle came in, just in time because now the headlight isn't working.  I love the bike and riding here is great with the weather.  Even when it rains, it really hasn't been that bad and easy to plan around.  But its almost impossible to keep the fucking bike running without something going out.  I was really hoping with the chain, that everything would be up to spec for a little while at least.  Part of me is tempted to just go back to the stock setup and call it a day... So now until I can figure out the problem I have to make sure that I am back before dark as I dont want to get stuck out without lights... and back to the bicycle for everything else.  Yea for (ever more) exercise.

I guess the big thing is that I have started training for a new job.  I am a support diver for an underwater tourism company.  The company operates 'BOBs', breather observation bubbles, or underwater scooters for those unable to scuba dive or snorkel.  Basically you pay like $100 to ride an underwater scooter while getting pushed around by a scuba diver (me) and your picture taken with a couple fish. Today was my third day, second in the water.  We had to cancel after about half the people went because the current was too strong and it was impossible to handle the BOBs underwater, you have to be careful since the boat is moored, not to get pushed too far past the boat or you will have to struggle your ass off to get the BOB back.  Even with the little drive fan/prop it doesn't always put out enough thrust to compensate for the current.  Because I was working so hard, I didn't really notice that I was almost out of air and when I got on the boat I had something like 0-50 bar left in the tank, not good.

So far I have seen a bunch of turtles, some fish, and today there was a reef shark out and about until it was swarmed by the divers in the area looking for something to look at.  There isnt much on the reef where we moor, so while cool to look at, it was gone pretty fast.

I am going to be out there pretty much every day this week, which worked out well since this is the week between semesters for CSPP and then going to a 3/4 day a week schedule starting next week.  This would be a pretty cool side gig to work out while living here. Going to finally work on that sweet tan I have been trying for since I got here.

5/10/2013

The bike has been running really well since the work was completed last week.  I didnt realize how much better it could be, but now that everything has been cleaned and a few parts replaced it is really smooth and run to ride.  Given the weather here, thats a nice thing because I dont really have the funds for a many other pastimes right now.  

The only thing that I am spending money is training, Muay Thai and BJJ.  The last week or so I have been a little lazy.  My toe injury has been lagging, although mostly better.  And I think I might have rolled my ankle while running trails.  And I might have been a little sick last week, but other than that everything is going well and there is no excuse to not be in the gym.  The BJJ class has started attendance cards aimed at tracking progression and training hours, both needed for belt advancement.  I have wanted to get my blue belt for a while, but have never trained in one place long enough, although I am sure I have the hours down.  Some of the guys who are getting ready for their blue belt tests are definitely better than me, but not by much.  So a couple weeks/months of consistent training in one place and I think I will be up there too.  I am hoping that the attendance cards and grading advancements will help to keep me on track.  Before there was no way to track progress so it was hard to keep motivated.  Especially since I am better than most of the 2/3/4 stripe belts in the class even though i dont have any.  

I am also starting to work a little more, I have 4 whole days of work and a day of training coming up in the next week or so.  The job so far has been deathly boring.  I like the experience and am happy to be able to add that to my resume, but the work is mind-numbing.  Soon I may be hunting for another job.  I dont like this constant change, I just want to find something regular, part-time and interesting.  It doesnt have to pay great, but something engaging would be excellent.  

I have started thinking about a return to China as well.  The US just doesnt hold my appeal for me.  I thought before that China was not the place for me, but now that I am back it doesnt seem that the states has that either.  I am starting to hunt through a variety of scholarship programs that would put me back studying in China for a semester or two.  I am planning on going through the Fullbright application, but it looks like it is aimed at people who have not lived abroad before so I may not be quite at the top of the list.  But there are a couple language study programs, both short and long-term.  Also now that I have a better idea of the work load, I am pretty sure that I could work a teaching job, just English or Business and have plenty of time left to dedicate to the degree...  I have been realizing that since moving to Denver, each place I have lived has been shorter than the one before.  Jersey 18 years, Denver 7, Zhengzhou 4, Wuhan 1, now Hawaii a couple months and already thinking about an exit.  The one real problem that I have been rolling over in my head is trying to find a place in China that I would be able to run outside, without hacking up a lung or having the run induce more internal lung damage than the cardio benefits... and have it be a city that I would want to be in with a college and jobs... why do you make it so hard China.  Anyway there is something called the CLS, critical language scholarship, a 7-10 intensive language training program that I am going to concentrate on first and also look at the Boren scholarship, another language scholarship, but it would require a service commitment to a US intelligence agency for a period equal to the scholarship.  Not the worst thing since it is pretty much guaranteed work placement... but it if means another year back in the states after being abroad then I am not sure if it would be for me.

The house is great.  We have been working on building a treehouse in the backyard.  Its coming along. At some point a trip is planned to the scrap yard to get cup holders, foot pegs and steps, and a glove box or two to put into the tree.  We have already turned a trash surf board into a bench seat at the second level.  The next ideas are a trapeze and some cargo netting... and a sign that bans falling from the tree.  

I also finished cutting a trail from the backyard to the downhill bike trail that runs all the way from our house to the trail system that goes to Wa'ahila ridge.  Those trails connect to others that depending on your path could be a couple hours or more of trails that start and finish out the back door.  

The last home improvement will be some concrete to fix the steps and solidify the fire pit.  Now that I write all this I realize the house is amazing.  Between the house, roommates and the martial arts training it is the only thing that is keeping me around and delaying my search to return to China, but I dont think its going to be enough...

4/28/2013

Last night I attempted my first layer cake.  Chocolate cake, chocolate mousse and a raspberry sauce, with frosting to make it look even.  It came out ok, will out some pictures up later.  But was a good experiment, I find that layer cakes require patience, which I don’t really have when baking and also I ate a lot of chocolate mousse and cream.

            To make up for that this morning I chopped the rest of the trail from our house down to a mountain biking path running down the ridge.  Now we should be able to make it from the back door to the top of the Wa’ahila Ridge national park.  I was going to try and do that today, but I am just not feeling that right now.

            The mangoes are coming and they taste great.  It is nice have fruit trees right next to the kitchen; I don’t see why more people don’t do that.

Finally, I finished my training with Ala Ka’I Na Keiki, so I think next week I will be a fully credentialed skills trainer.  I am not sure what that really means as it seems they will take pretty much anyone and if you are willing to go through the training then you’re all set. But that means that I might start working again, as a sub and part time.  But I am not sure yet how I am going to respond to working with kids.  It really will depend on the ages that I work with.  From the China experience, working with older kids can be a lot of run and rather rewarding, but I remember teaching the little shits in swimming can get old real fast.  I am interested to see how this turns out.

            I finished my first term in the CSPP online classes.  Still waiting for the final marks, but I should have gotten at least a 93%, have to see how the last assignments are graded, could have put a little more effort into them but after the final paper it is hard to stay motivated in the class. A week off and then the next term starts, two classes this time.  I am also going to be doing some volunteer work through UH as a research assistant on some psych projects the students there are working on.  After next week, between work, study and volunteer time, I could be doing something like 40-50 hours a psych related stuff a week.  I hope I like it, because I am going to be diving into it full steam.  Along with the boxing and working out, I should be able to keep myself pretty busy without spending too much money.  And hopefully maybe even have a little coming in.

4/24/2013

Been awhile since my last post, but thought i would try and start writing again before the habit is dead.

I finally got the bike to pass safety inspection today and was able to get the title transferred and registration into my name.  Two days ago I took it to pass safety and failed because the bright lights indicator light in the dash wasn’t hooked up.  One problem after another.  Three mechanics looked over the bike and no one thought that the light would be a reason to fail safety.  After all, none of the other lights on the dash worked…  Anyway a couple hours fucking around with Brandon and the one light was hooked up.  Ugly wiring with a ground run randomly into the frame, but it works.  Safety passed, papers received, now I can finish the conversion that I have been sitting on since I got the bike.  New fairings, lights and signals.  And hopefully I can get rid of the ridiculous amount of random wiring that is hanging of the side of the bike. 

Tomorrow I am going to meet with a psych student at UH to talk with her about how I can help with a study that she running.  I am going to try and meet with a couple of the grad and doctoral students to see if they are running projects that I would be interested in and volunteer to help them out.  I am almost done with my first class through CSPP and am looking forward to getting some experience in the research field.  Between that and a little part-time work with Autistic/behavioral disordered children I should start getting a wide-ranging introduction into the different areas of the psych world and start refining where I want to go.

Last weekend I competed in an exhibition kickboxing match held at a local gym in Aeia.  My opponent unfortunately was not able to make it, but was lucky to have someone else willing to step up and take his place.  However, my new opponent was 15 pounds lighter (142-156) so I was not able to go full strength.  But I have to give him credit for being willing to step in and give me a match.  I feel bad for him though because in the third round he dislocated his toe kicking me in the knee.  I may have broken/fractured my big toe a couple days earlier so it seems to be going around.  Hopefully by next week I will be fully recovered, just need to be careful (not do boxing matches) until it gets back to full strength/flexibility.

My first class through CSPP is finishing this weekend; I should finish with something around a 95%, so a good start to my Masters coursework.  Not sure if I will be able to keep that up, but happy with the start at least.

Kinda jumped around on this first post back…will try to get back into the habit of writing more regularly.  I have the time, now I just need to focus…

March 22, 2013

I hadnt realized it had been so long since I posted the last update.  I guess life here has been pretty busy.  Its easy to see how Americans get sucked into life here in the states and dont have time to travel or do other things.  Between trying to afford the cost of living and all the things that are on offer in your spare time, there isnt enough time in the day to do everything here let alone save to go other places to play.

Since I have been here I have only been in the water twice, snorkeling and surfing once each.  Time has been really hectic.  As soon as I get settled or find some kind of routine it has been disrupted and thrown out of whack.  I stayed a month in the hotel in Waikiki, then found a house with some pretty cool roommates.  However, after settling in, we were notified that the landlord was taking possession of the house at the end of the lease (end of March) for some family relation and we were given 20 days to find a new place to live.  This sent us scrambling since every other real estate agent said they should have given at least 30-45 and we assumed the same so expected the lease to roll month to month.  Anyway, a couple weeks of constant house searching, a few hopes dashed from early rejections and we finally got a real nice place.  Well not yet, going to sign papers tomorrow, but it should be all done, finally.

Also sold the car and bought a 2000 GSXR-600 Suzuki.  Passed my motorcycle license test for the first time, only took 3 tries.  Guess you really should real the manual.  And have been spending some time bringing the bike back to form.  Overall it runs pretty well.  There is a rattle that I cant figure out, hoping its the cam chain or tensioner, but going to take it for a safety inspection on Monday and hoping to finally get the registration sorted.  Spent the better part of an hour trying to change the rear brake pads today, but can get the damn pins out of the caliper so I am going to have to leave that to the shop on Monday as well.  So defeating to go in and hand them the parts and tell them that I couldnt do it.  But, I dont want to waste any more time on that damn caliper.

Work has been going well.  Now that I am into the flow planning classes is really easy.  I have been making the morning run to Starbucks to get breakfast and plan class.  The coffee situation is pretty strange in the house.  A combination of make shift coffee makers and dangerous grinders.  I ordered new stuff but it is still in the mail.  Once that is here it should be much better and can breakfast at home in the new place instead of at the school.

Since I got the motorcycle I have not ridden my bike.  Between the house hunting, running the half marathon, and going to kickboxing I am pretty run down.  Add to that the new class semester for the masters program and a few other things on the side and I dont have much left.

I have been offered to take part in a smoker (amateur kickboxing event) in April and hopefully will be able to fight in that.  I really wanted to go to boxing today, but just am feeling really run down and want to try and rest. Tomorrow may be the first day that I can sleep in in a while.

Also started teaching my first Muay Thai student.  So now I also am doing private MT lessons, twice a week.  Maybe can get lucky and pick up a few more students, it would be pretty cool to be able to make some nice cash working in the gym.

What else can I update... My roommates are pretty cool and the house seems to have a really good vibe to it.  I am looking forward to the new house a lot.  One it has an amazing view, and two I am looking forward to having a place that I can feel is my house instead of living in a room in someone else's house.  One roommate is very into her garden and plants.  A nice stream of fresh lettuce, herbs, and other vegetables are always around the kitchen.  While the other has more energy than a sane person should and is entirely too happy.  But together the house is nice.  Its really good not having a TV in the house but instead having things centered around the foosball table.  somehow I become one of the better players in the house and the group.  Could only imagine if I was still playing at the level I was when i was living, i mean often at, the stadium playing for drinks.

Beyond that I just need to find some Chinese people to hang out with occasionally so I can keep my Chinese up.  I have been meeting with a tutor, but really need some more regular conversation.  Our new house is next to the University, so I am thinking of going by and trying to see if I can do some work with overseas students.  Maybe tour guide or just English/Chinese conversation partners.

Thats enough for now, Ill try to get back into a more regular spread once we get settled into the new house.

march 9, 2013

A few updates and maybe when I have some more time i can expand a bit.  it has been a busy week.  I have started teaching one person here private muay thai lessons, doing a couple hours a week and hoping that he can help to spread the word that I would like to pic up others.  work is going, not really exciting, but paying the bills.

i sold my car.  got exactly what i paid for it, minus a few administrative costs and an oil change.  I am hoping to change it into a motorcycle.  I passed the license test for the first time, tried twice in CO and failed both times.  after the second time i got on my bike and drove home and figured i didnt need it anyway.  but now i have cash and am ready to buy a bike, but they go so fast.  will be heading out to look at another GSX-R that hasnt sold yet, who knows the last one went right before i arrived to another buyer.

but the real bitch of the week has been finding out that we are getting kicked out of the house.  the landlord informed us that they will not be renewing the lease which expires at the end of the month.  only giving us 24 days notice to find a new place.  besides the short time crush, the place is really nice.  It is going to be hard to find anything that comes close in the same price range and anything near the amenities and convenient shopping that is nearby.  went with the roommates to see 2 places today.  one was a bust, the other doable, but just not quite good enough and not worth the step down for a slight step up in price.

tomorrow is the hapalua half marathon.  so i am also getting ready for that.  I have not been running as much as i would like to be ready for a race.  but with cycling to work and boxing i dont have a lot left for running.  i told my student, i run to improve my boxing, I dont box so I can run.  that being said it would be nice to know that my conditioning is improving and i might be able to move toward a 90 minute 21k.

and my classes open for review this weekend and formally start on monday.  its a busy week.  i submitted a writing assessment to see if i can place out of the 0-credit writing seminar, the remedial writing for grad students who cant write.  since i have been an english teacher i would hope that i can pass out of the class.  i didnt opt for any help on this one since i wanted to see if i could do it on my own.  but at the same time having to take a remedial writing class for no credit is not really on my list of things to do.

March 4, 2013

Been a busy week with starting work and what not.  Completed the first week as an ESL teacher here in the US instead of in China.  Its a little different having a such a mix of students instead of everyone from one place.  It presents a lot of different challenges in the same class instead of having a more homogeneous mix with all the same problems.  But the students are good and the classes have been pretty easy to get through.  The only real problem I have run into is that some of the students know the grammar rules better than I do, or at least the formal names and what not for these things.  I am more of a know it when I write it and microsoft word kinda writer.

The other real bright spot that has come out of this last week was being asked to teach private Muay Thai classes.  One of the fellow students from M-1 where I have been training asked me if I was interested in doing private classes with him to help get his level up to the sparring class.  If I can get a few more students who want to do private workouts I could have a nice little side gig going on.  First I have to get a place to train, most likely back to the UFC gym and see if I can get something really cheap going through them so I can have a place to train with people and maybe start making some side cash.

Tomorrow I am going to the DMV to try and get my license transfered over to an HI license.  I am also going to sit the motorcycle license exam and see if I can pass that test for the first time.  My plan right now is to sell the car as soon as I can after the license change over and then by a motorcycle.  there have been a couple decent bikes for sale and it looks like my roommate and the people who live below us are great with vehicles and could help me to tune up anything that I would need to take an older bike and clean it up a bit.  I would really like to get something in the older street bike style and take it down more like a streetfighter and maybe get the exhaust tucked up under the seat with no fairings and what not.  something that would at least hold its value for the work put in or maybe be worth a little more.

Next week is going to be the Hapalua Half marathon.  I think some of the students are going to come out and run with me.  There is one student who hopefully will be running about the same pace so it could be nice to have someone to run with.  although I have not been running much since the GAR two weeks ago.  between biking to work and boxing, going to boxing and the occasional trail run, i have not had much time to put down the miles running.  have to see how that plays out, i really would like to break that 100 minute mark that i have come close to but not been able to cross yet.

Only i really have to get now is to get out surfing.  was going to head out with the roommate, but he had national guard work that came up so hopefully we can get some time out in the water after the half-marathon or something.  too many activities and what not to be able to do everything and work and study...easy to see how people get tied down into their lives and never get to travel.  overseas there is just so much less to do, less options and variety.  here there is something every week and with the price difference you have to work as hard as you play just to pay for it.  in china you dont have to work that hard because there is nothing to do, you end up a little bored but lots of time to focus on something when you can find it.