Thursday 13: Smorgasbord of updates

13 interesting things that have happened or we have planned in the past week.

1. Recently it's been nice and warm!  It's probably hit 50 degrees the last two days - A very welcome change.
2. Last night we were able to visit Andrey, the vocational student who was in South Africa - He seems well and in good spirits as he is studying to become a ships engineer.
3. We are coming to the end of our first week with the after-school program - We'll add a few new kids everyday and will max-out at about 30 after a few weeks.  We're still nailing down the schedule but the kids are great and we have a good time with them.
4. We are trying to potty train Campbell at the moment and it's going....  well, poorly.  Any thoughts or hints would be appreciated.  Our main issue is not that he doesn't let us know when he needs to go, it's that he refuses to sit on the toilet at all.
5. As mentioned in the previous semi-controversial post, I will be going rabbit and pheasant hunting this weekend with my new hunting buddy Roman.
6. Jenya and I plan to go to the northeastern city of Donetsk to see Shakhtar play Tottenham in the UEFA Cup on February 18th.  It'll be about a 3 day round trip by train and an absolutely memorable one.  My first professional game and it's my Ukrainian team and a decent English side in the second-highest European club competition.
7. At the end of March we will be going to Belarus to do a Hope Center style camp at an orphanage.  It should be a exciting time for our staff and we hope they let us back in this time.
8. For April and May we have our Bulgarian friend Kremena (from Sweden) visiting as an intern!  This is will overlap with our other friend Meghan who will come here on May 2nd after she finishes school in Egypt.  How fun and international we are!
9. Sarah went to the village of Bagerava to visit some of her favorite kids from camp last year.
10. I was in Bagerava earlier in the week to bring some much needed aid to a few families.  An apartment building in town burned down leaving many families without anything.  Further efforts may include providing beds for all the buildings former residents.
11. Sergey M. is back in town today after having been the MC at a concert in Kiev featuring Coldplay and the Ting Tings among others.  He's become kind of famous over here.  He will be here for a month helping out with the after-school program.
12. The grocery store still had diapers yesterday.  This was by no means assured so we were excited to get another week's supply.
13. Did I mention that I'm going hunting?

Thursday 13: Topics that don't involve the election

It's been so long since I've done a Thursday 13, I can barely remember how to count backwards from the number.  As a review for the newbies, this is just a format where you pick a topic and throw out a list of 13 (generally items that can't be posts on their own) and encourage commenters to add their 2 cents.  

In the past day or so, I've come across some extremely well written pieces regarding the election, it's aftermath and historical implications.  Fortunately that means that I am not obligated to do any of that.  Here are my top 13 topics of discussion which have nothing to do with the election:

13.  Since we're now past Halloween, we can start seeing and complaining about the presence of Christmas lights.

12.  In that same vein, this year commemorates two decades of trying to avoid the mall during the holidays.  It's a big anniversary.

11.  I've found a new blog I really like:  Jason at Meno - very thoughtful but easy to read and less long-winded than mine.

10.  Can Liverpool maintain their winning ways and give me good trophy in my first half-decade as a fan?

9.  Only 4 more days until the next KOR Kast.  Who's gonna be listening with me?

8.  Because she asked for it, I bought Sarah an iPod shuffle for her birthday.  It sounds nice but it was as an alternative to the iPod nano that I bought her as a gift previously.... which I monopolize constantly to listen to soccer podcasts.  I'm a bad husband.

7.  I have decided to spend less time at the office because, as Marshall put it, "I'm supposed to be sharing the organization with people and everyone at the office already knows."  My calls are forwarded to Panera...

6.  I decided to upgrade the RAM on my little MacBook...  increasing it 3X.  You know your computer needs a little help when it takes a while to CLOSE a program.

5.  Global Action has a new website.  Same address, new look and feel.  I like it.

4.  It's getting close to hunting season and as a carnivore, that makes my mouth water.  Yummy venison.

3.  For the first time in my life (that I can recall) I am going some place warm in the middle of winter.  Phoenix and Tucson in December should be just what the doctor ordered, even if only for 3 days.

Back to the holiday theme: with the economy being what it is (uh oh, I'm getting dangerously close to politics) let's think about how we are going to do better with our Christmas purchases.  Maybe foregoing gifts and...

2. ...giving the gift of water with Advent Conspiracy or... 

1. ...sending a Ukrainian orphan to summer camps (hehehehe).

Anyone else have something?

Thursday 13: Top things from home that I wish I had here

Since I have the time on this dreary Wednesday afternoon, I am really going to try to make this 13 as diverse and entertaining as possible.

The top 13 things from home (that I currently own; not counting people), that I want to have here:

13.  Since it's not too interesting to count all my guns individually, I will make my bird gun, shorty shotgun, 300WM, Beretta and SKS the same item... oh and throw in a set of cammies for good measure.

12.  An REI to return my worthless pair of Asolo boots to.

11.  A set of nice, big Air Force Academy Football stadium cups.  Hot days call for more than a shot-glass worth of water.

10.  My American digging and flat shovels.  They have a weird idea that reversible shovels (ie. the same angle on either side of the digging head) are a better design.  

9.  My faithful dog Diesel.  He would have to do a little behavioral training to get along with the guard dogs but he would love it.

8.  My bed complete with my pillow.  I don't really know what the current sleeping situation is lacking but it's just not the same.

7.  An Apple store (ok, I don't own that but I still want one).  I get tired of tech people not knowing how to open a window.

6.  Our entire photo library prior to coming here.  All lost in the great HD crash of '08.

5.  Bath tub.  That one is pretty much Sarah's.

4.  Venison.  This speaks for itself... one can only eat so much bologna.

3.  An oven.  Also Sarry...

2.  My truck!!!!  I miss it almost everyday... in which I do not buy gas.

and...

1.  Gold Bond Medicated powder.  If you don't know what this is, you better find out.  Like the swiss army knife of the hygiene isle.

Friday 15?

I am so annoyed at our internet provider that I decided to do a Special Edition Friday 15 of the sites that I can no longer visit directly (I thank my lucky stars for Bloglines or I wouldn't be able to read your blogs at all).  Since I can't comment on your posts I figure I can give you all some link love - in no specific order.

15.  The Partlows

14.  Whatever that site was that I needed for the trailer hitch I was looking for today

13.  Drudge Report

12.  The Sudduths

11.  Indexed

10.  Stuff Christians Like

9.  The World Soccer Daily podcast site

8.  It is Quite Cool

7.  Andrews Update

6.  English Premier League official site

5.  Heavy Lifting for Hefty Living

4.  a little R & R

3.  The World Through My Window

2.  All the rest of those places I tried to quickly pop into this week

AND

1.  The Gaws!!!

Sorry to those of you who haven't posted to your blogs in more than a century...I can't really say that I have missed checking in on yours since you have no new content.  Since I can't go to these sites, please do so in my stead and leave a comment when appropriate.

Resolution of Innermet Issues...not really

I made reference in an earlier Thursday 13 (see number 8) to the fact that it is not uncommon to call our Internet provider to inform them that our service is out and have them tell us "We know" and not much else. We decided to switch to another provider and now I have another such situation. As correctly diagnosed by several of my much smarter friends, the aforementioned issue with my computer was one of non-compatibility between the ISP and my Mac.

Yesterday our techie friend called them to suggest that this may be the issue and would anyone like to guess what their response was? The told him, "We know but there are only 1 or 2 Macs on our network so we don't want to make any updates to correct the issue." As I understand it, it is a simple and standard procedure to stay up-to-date on just this kind of compatability software...and yet they refuse.

It's a good thing that my T13 list of aspects that I love about Ukraine was posted before I learned about this or it may have never been published - out of spite.

Thursday 13: What I love about Ukraine

I already did my less than flattering "you know you're in Ukraine" list so now here is my 13 things I love about living here.

13.  Learning a language by necessity and everyday usage.

12.  Being able to be drive a bit crazy and not even get a glance from the other motorists.

11.  Living in the only county on the planet where the currency is worth LESS than the dollar.

10.  Being surrounded by people who are willing to help with no expectation of remuneration (this is mainly just a Hope Center thing).

9.  Bologna and pickle soup...seriously, I love it.

8.  Going to my house for lunch break, coffee break, pee break, etc.

7.  2 blocks from the sea...how great is that?

6.  Getting paid in room and board; I haven't seen a bill since I arrived.

5.  The ice cream.  You'll just have to come here to try it for yourselves.

4.  The peacefulness of the camp (when our neighbors aren't jackhammering).

3.  Liverpool games coming on at 5...in the evening!

2.  We have our own basketball and volleyball courts, soccer field, park, running trails, garden, dinning room for 100, ping pong tables, security guards and cooks.  It's sort of like being a millionaire.

1.  It's where the Lord put us. 

Thursday 13: The top items from my childhood that I wished I still owned

I am encouraging Sarry to do a 13 of her own this week.  We'll see if that comes together (probably dependent on when the boy takes his nap).  In the meantime, here's mine.

The Top 13 things from my childhood I wish I still had...

13.  The wallet I lost in the bedroom of my old house that had $6-$7 in it...I mean that's real money!

12.  Some baseball or football card that was in my grasp and I'm sure is now very valuable.

11.  My innocence...

10.  My toddler "polka suit"...oh wait, my mom DOES still have that.  Good thing we're in Ukraine or poor Campbell would already have his own picture in that thing.  If your pants come up past your nipples and your belly still overhangs them, you have got a problem...

9.  My walkie-talkies that were as big as a Volvo, had a battery life of 7.5 minutes and a range of 19 inches.  They sucked but the antennae made great whips for sibling fights.

8.  Big Wheels; I think that one is obvious.  Even with a split front wheel (you guys know what I'm talking about) those suckers were the fastest things on 3 wheels!

7.  My love of liver...it would really help to have that back over here.

6.  My FULL thick blond hair.  If you haven't seen the back of my head in the past couple years, you'll just have to trust me on this one.

5.  $1/gallon gasoline.

4.  My first hand-carved whiffle ball bat (I know for a fact that some of you remember this one).

3.  The machete that my grandpa gave me when I was 7 or 8.

2.  All the money that my parents spent on Ritalin.  Put that in a savings account and I could have gone to a real college!

1.  My full set of Star Wars bedding.  Nothing helps a boy sleep at like laying his head on Boba Fett.

As before, give me at least your top 5 if not all 13.

Thursday 13: Best things about having parents visit (another continent)

I forgot one very important part of the "TT" process.  All commenters are to be asked to submit their own 13.  Since many of my readers are actually employed - and I'd like to keep it that way - I am only asking for all of you to take a few minutes and give us your Top 5.

So here it goes:

13.  Can I count backup child care for numbers 5-13?

12.  Getting to revisit all the places in town that you never get around to.

11.  Taking a chance and visiting a few new ones.

10.  An extra laborer for those jobs that you really don't want to do alone.

9.  Having someone to work with that speaks English (or maybe that is just my thing).

8.  Seeming for once, by comparison, to be very proficient at the local language (only me?)

7.  Spending less time on Skype/phone and more face-to-face.

6.  Campbell remembering what hanging out with Mimi and Pops is all about.

5.  Letting your parents see what your life is like now that you're all "growed up."

4.  Getting some phat family pictures.

3.  Having a functioning hard drive on your computer....I had to throw that one in there.

2.  An occasional allsome gift; which sometimes is just your own stuff that they brought with them

1.  New movies...that we can now watch on our functioning computer!

Ok, now give me your 5...

Stay tuned next week for the "top 13 items from my childhood that I wish I still owned."

Thursday 13: The most awesome things that have happened this week

I'm about to choke the computer as this is the sixth time I've tried to write this post. Since it's Russian I never know what it's telling me in error messages, but when Internet Explorer just dies and takes all my work with it, I get the basic message.


So this is my T13 that should be good enough to make up for skipping last week: The 13 most awesome things that have happened this week.


13. The weather is getting really nice and spring is in the air.

12. I saw a 140 lb dynamo named Dima demolish a concrete patio 12ft long by 8 ft deep by 3 ft tall (and the 2 staircases that went with it) in less than 8 hours of work...by himself...with only hand tools.

11. I saw Lil' Trucker ride his first tricycle....

10. ...without a helmet! I didn't wear one, he shouldn't have to either.

9. We haven't had liver once this week.

8. I've gotten to have a bonfire almost every day with all the junk wood I have collected.

7. Liverpool won once, Shaktar twice.

6. My parents finally committed completely to coming next week (actually Saturday). Flying standby is tough, but it does get them here!

5. Cam learned with surprisingly few spankings that even though he CAN escape from his crib, he is not ALLOWED to do so.

4. I am on the run of a lifetime in our semi-nightly Pinochle league...I'm talking some seriously awesome hands.

3, 2, and 1. The Hope Center is getting one of these!

It's a 2008 Polaris Ranger 4x4 UTV and it represents a serious answer to prayer. About 2 weeks ago I started talking with some people about donating to getting us this little truck. We have a great contact at Polaris who suggested this vehicle to us at a huge discount...he then proceeded to talk with their Scandinavian branch who offered to cover the shipping and customs costs for getting it us down here. We are almost at the amount that was quoted but I expect some tax and other costs. If you would like to donate to put us over the top, let me know and I'll explain how.

Thanks to those of you who have already given, you know who you are and I am truly thankful.

Thursday 13: How you know you're in Ukraine

Today's 13 deals with our experiences here in Ukraine. This is 13 ways that you know you're dealing with a COMPLETELY different culture.

13. When it's normal to be berated on a cold day for not wearing a scarf by a stranger lady with nothing covering her lower half but a mini-skirt the size of a band-aid.

12. When the answer to "is that legal?" is always "sort of."

11. When you know that if you ask 10 people to explain a situation, you'll get at least 11 different stories.

10. When you are told that you must be prepared for something at 5pm, which could either mean 4:15 or 5:30 - but nothing in between.

9. When you are dealing with an office setting and people feel that talking to you and helping you is more important than what they're doing (definitely not an American mindset).

8. When you call your internet provider to learn why your connection is alternating between stupid slow and nonexistent and they just say, "we know."

7. When you are told by a person that will fill his entire sedan to the roof with farm produce that pick-ups are not practical...

6. ...and this makes you start counting the pick-ups that you do see and looking at them longingly.

5. When ping-pong is considered a "man's game" and it sometimes causes tempers to flare.

4. When it's normal to see a lady in stiletto heels move like a ninja across a broken and rubble-strewn street that Americans would use 4x4s on.

3. When you have 'salad' for every lunch and dinner but can go 3 months without having a scrap of lettuce (I love mayonnaise).

2. When you have to get a new drivers license every month.

1. When you can't learn the language right because even your own name changes spelling depending on the context.

Please add your own little pearls from any of your international experiences.

Inaugural Thursday 13

Update:  By my count, it took me almost 6 hours of re-reading, checking comments and being online before I realized...today isn't Thursday!  I am officially amending the post to note my mistake.  Sorry for botching my first attempt, I'll try to remember to get next week's on the right day.

When I first started blogging, I noticed a method that was called "Thursday 13."  It's basically like a top 10 list (but 13) of some topic every Thursday.  It adds a bit a variety to a blog with a format that should be long on cleverness but short on text and grammar.  Why it isn't a Tuesday 12 or Friday 5 I don't really know but this is my first episode of The Gaws Thursday 13.

Subject:  Why I listen to the World Soccer Daily podcast religiously.

13.  Even though the hosts, Kenny Hassan and Steven Cohen are Scottish and English, it's some of the only English I get to hear in Ukraine and it makes me think of home.

12.  They answer e-mails.

11.  It's one of the most popular sports podcasts on iTunes

10.  Where else can you hear a bunch of Yanks calling everyone "mate" and signing off with "cheers."

9.  WSD has found the perfect combination of mocking Scientologists and Arsenal fans with the same joke (calling the latter the former since they are both cults).

8.  Because once you hear someone called "Billy big-boots" you just can't stop saying it.

7.  I love it that the phrase "with all due respect" can become an insult (ie. saying it prior to some vicious criticism, implying that the amount of respect due is exactly nil)...

6.  ...and because "to be fair" can do the same thing.

5.  Due to the time change, it is waiting for me on iTunes every morning Tuesday through Saturday...like an audio morning paper!

4.  Because phrases like "I am fantasteek" (Jose),  "unbelievable" (Rafa), "very niice", "mental!", "dangerous!" and "so sorry" (all Kenny) with the correct accent and emphasis should be a part of everyone's lexicon.

3.  Because the Liverpool FC website and BBC only run articles which cover that Player A is very impressed with Teammate B's current form and believes that they are "one of the top [Teammate B's position here] in the world."

2.  I communicate with my sister Tammi more now - probably related to a common interest - than I used to before she started listening.

and...

1.  Because last week some lady got a wrong number, was allowed on the air where, without missing a beat, the hosts played along and told her that the person for whom she was calling had been released from her job for embezzlement and having an affair with her superior.  You have to love that kind of quick thinking.

I know that some of the references in this 13 are lost on all but 2 of you, but I hope some of it was entertaining.  Stay tuned for next week's list (which I've already started) on weirdest things that happen Ukraine...or something like that.