h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The last couple days have been really hard, for both of us.

You seem to have read enough to be concerned, and I can't thankyou enough for being here, Nick.

She didn't want to come back, at all. Didn't want... well, it's a big horrible mix-up, and totally stupid, and never should have happened.

But she's slowly coming around. Mostly, because she knows there are people here who care for her.

Thanks for being such a friend.




Sorry I haven't posted lately. Geez, not even since before my trip.
Well, I'm online all the time now, so I'll see you around, yeah?

How's the construction projects? Neverending? Yeah, that's them.

Take it easy, Nick.

And thanks.

Every now and then, I drop in to see what's doing in the MotMV. Jack and Charlie had both invited me to play any number of times. But it's not really my kind of thing, and any kind of consistent times weren't happening. Still, I like a giggle as well as the next guy.

But this latest thing involved a number of people that I know, like and respect. I can't and won't take any sides, as I don't know all of the players. And one in particular, I've never been particularly fond of. I can only hope that people, in their own way, can lick real or perceived wounds, and get past it. Because they all ARE friends ...

Drive safe, Nick.

And thanks.

Here's to surviving your meet.

Been there, done that, and what little sanity I had remains ...

Glad to hear there's been no permanent damage, then.


How's life on the homefront?

It goes on ... With summer arrived, the usual mayhem at work with less people around. Then 2 to 20 more working hours at the residence.

How's with you? I seem to recall a snippet some time ago about a change of residence, you had work of some kind ... Aside from obvious long-distance considerations, what makes up your current world?

Change of residence, yes.
I've moved eight miles west of Seattle, in a small but nice apartment in Bremerton, Washington.

I like it. It's laid back, and quiet. Mostly.

As for a job, still nothing. Been looking into going back to school, maybe do something with computers.

Or maybe fixing radios, but I hear people who do that are crazies...


Anyway, possibly school, and a job, until I figure out where I'll be living, someday.

The main candidate being Israel.
Kinda scared, especially as of late, what with all that's going on over there, but I'm hopeful that everything will end up okay.

I have a bicycle, that I ride sometimes. I read quite a bit, write from time to time, but mostly, my life consists of waiting for the morning of August 26.

You understand.
*sigh*

Take care, Nick.

Bend with the knees, not the back. And it's the not the voltage, it's the amperage. The one that kills you.


...
Yeah, I dunno.

Talk to you later.

Indeed, them techy-y types are not to be trusted, ... never turn your back on one.

So if you opt to tackle some schooling, what general direction might you aim at? I'd given some thought to courses over the years, and about the only stuff that appealed was I.T. certification stuff. But the cost of the courses, and most especially the testing, is far too prohibitive. So I took on a correspondence thingie that I've wanted since I saw it in match-book covers back in the 60's ... Locksmithing. Hey, you never know when you might meet a damsel in a chastity belt and in distress.

So from the 26th of that eighth month, ... how may days together will you manage this time? Obviously not enough, of course.

And indeed, the happenings in that part of the world have been very unpleasant, outright frightening, for a very long time. I really can't comprehend the mind-set you'd have to develop to just get on with it each day, hoping and assuming that if something horrendous is going to happen, that it'll be someone else or their family.

Hey Nick.

I've actually been thinking of IT, or something like that. Systems security is really getting big, these days, especially in the Seattle area.

We've got Amazon.com, and Microsoft, and Real, the guys who make the video player, and they're always hiring people.

So, looking into it, at any rate. And it's usually in English, no matter where you go, so I could probably get in with a company in Israel, if it comes to that.

And funny you should mention lockpicking... it's kinda become an inside joke between Yael and myself.

But also, I sorta trained myself how to do that.

Not that I can really talk about it, at all... and not that I'm very good, but given enough time, I can usually find suitable bits and pieces of metal and operate low security locks.

Yeah. Ya never know, right?

Anyway, she'll be here for 3 weeks. ...actually, umm... I think it's 18 days. 15? ...dang. About three weeks.

Not fair. It's 59 days away, and those take forever, but then once we're together, it goes by so fast, all of a sudden...

And yeah, I hate reading the news. It's always bad, seeing things happen, especially in and around her neighborhood.

Some group in the west bank apparently kidnapped a settler, who was hitchhiking. And it might have been right near French Hill, where she lives.


I always worry.
I feel sick, sometimes, especially when I know she's asleep, just watching events happen over there, and knowing I won't get to talk to her for another couple hours.

But, we'll be together soon.
And that'll be the last you hear from me, in a while...

Better things to do, and whatnot

Have a good one.

I too have been working locks, restraints, etc since readin of Houdini as a lad. And had quite a number of 'bits' that I made from scraps of sheet metal, various gauges of wire. I figured I'd look in to the entire field of locksmithing and security ... It's mostly mechanical, some electronics, ... all stuff that is second nature to me. And am now aquiring a tidy little collection of useful 'tools' of the trade.

Yes, I'm a bit familiar with French Hill neighborhood, ... the Lady named it a year or two ago, and I found a map or two. Stuff never really seems to get any better there, and Buddha alone knows what it would take to realistically ever resolve it all. Sadly, I don't expect it in my life time.

I don't really expect things to get any better in my lifetime, either.

I'm leaning more and more toward moving there, to be with her, because she has reservations about moving away. And I'd be happy there, but still, only because of her.

And, if we ever ended up having s, I mean, children, they'd eventually join the army. I'm not really sure I'd like that. If it were their choice to do so, that's one thing, but I don't like the idea that it's compulsory, even though I understand and agree with the reasons for it being so.

*sigh*
I dunno. Maybe by the time they're that age, we can go somewhere else. Or maybe they'll want to do that. Nothing's ever for certain.



It was mainly my time in the Navy, that led me to the, umm, 'Guerilla Resourcefulness' I now possess. Usually, because I'd know right where a part I needed was, locked in a box, but the person with the key was gone for the weekend.

I'm also good at looking busy, and going places I don't belong.
Carry a clipboard, and people just assume you're supposed to be there...

Perhaps you recall that I have a bit more military time than yourself? Or your Lady? I think even milady here has more than the pair of you combined. So indeed, with a seriously understaffed outfit, and budgets decimated at every opportunity, an entire force of all elements that has always been smaller than your Air Force. ... 'improvisation' in all things is learned. Daily affairs, face-to-face situations, ... I don't need to delve further. And in fact, won't.

Heya, Nick.

First off, Yael just asked me to let you know that she's alright, so not to worry.

She's out of school, but they're still throwing tests at her, so she's busy getting that out of the way, and doesn't want to get sucked into the hootoo backlog.


So what do you blame, for all the military cutbacks?
Not asking your political ideals, but was the political climate to blame, or was it just a slow time for warfighting that did it?

Or is there just a big anti-force desire, up there?

The last few years here have thrown everything out of whack, regarding the military, but starting around the 80's what with Reagan and all, everything just went through the roof.

So now that we want a smarter armed force, everything's in a state of flux.

But, somehow we still trick our taxpayers to go along...

...And, I've always wondered this, but never really looked into it. I suppose I should, but what about the RCMP? are they under the military, or separate?

And, do they just do domestic stuff, or international?

Ah, that's sorta good to know of the Lady. Busy and safe are good conditions.

Things were far to calm in the world, so cutting military budgets and putting the money into social programs was very good for vote buying. It just became such an easy target and habit, that in less than a decade, our already small forces was decimated. And not one piece of equipment updated in that decade. Imagine the first major natural disaster? It took a week to lease vehicles to get uniforms in place. Not good optics when the voters' homes are floating away.

Oh, and the Mounties are a national police force. There's a LOT of room between our towns and cities, and they pretty much cover all the areas without their own lesser 'forces'. They also are kinda a quick response source for any major internal problems, like prison uprisings, or seriously huge trouble spots. With their fingers in the 'intelligence' world as well. So alround guys and gals, but not military as such.