HB2ME
…. stands for Happy Birthday to me ….
Ah, the joys of growing older (yep), wiser (maybe), slower (yep), more handsome (doubt it). Growing older doesn’t feel strange or odd or depressing. In many ways, its sort of interesting. For example, I am now 6 years away from being eligible to retire. Technically speaking, I could have only one more job assignment after Indonesia – while not likely, it is possible. As for retirement – target date is around 57-58 after Thasya finishes college – still a ways off …. but its in the “single digits”.
RE my body, I’m doing ok. Yeah, after going on a hash or dancing all night …. I am a bit slower at moving around the next day. But, I feel fine …. I have plenty of energy during the day, not too many aches and pains. My weight is good …. so I won’t complain. So – HB2ME …… BTW – tonight Decy and I go out dancing (I’m taking 1/2 day vacation on Wednesday so I can sleep in – but have to work some that day). On Sunday Decy, the girls, and I will go to the 4 Seasons hotel for a Sunday brunch buffet …. its sweet !!!! and only about $25/person.
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Decy’s son, David is coming to Jakarta today. Decy will pick him up and deliver him to his father. The father will take primary responsibility for helping David get established here. If all goes well, David will send for Anna (his wife) and the two Choo Choo’s (grandbabies).
About the movie studio coming to our house on Friday – they got hung up in a “shoot” … so that was postponed. Don’t know when they will come do the survey.
Here’s some good news – competition works (sometimes) in Indonesia (infrequently) … we received our broadband internet access bill from “Speedy” (no laughing please). Anyway, seems that broadband competition is coming to Jakarta – so they reduced their monthly bill from $250 to $90 … now this is a very nice drop in price and we very much appreciate it … so I won’t complain that access is still only the equivalent of 256kb or that it is 3x as much as it should be … besides, its now better AND cheaper than Angola.
The internet access is also good enough that I can use Yahoo Voice (as most of my family now knows). This alone has saved me no less than $300 in phone bills over the last 2 months (when I started using using YV).
Now, if only I could do something about the horrendous electric bill. It still stays stubbornly around $800 a month. We’ve played with the thermostats a bit, tried to optimize the temperature (except in the computer room), and we did move one AC unit … its reduced the costs about $200 per month – but still want to try to squeeze another hundred or so off the bill. To do that, I will probably have to buy a new PC – mine overheats all the time and unless the room is incredibly cold the PC shuts down. I’ve had the PC cleaned & serviced here in Jakarta but that didn’t solve the problem. If I buy a new PC (which I need to do sooner or later, I was hoping “later”) then I can raise the temperature in the study room.
Well, that’s enough blogging for now … it is already 456am … and I need to get some other things done before work … ciao ciao
