I had forgotten how brutal winter can be in the heartland of America. We have already exceeded the annual average snowfall in Springfield, with two full months of winter left. We have also endured a direct hit from the "polar vortex" the first weekend in January. Two nights in a row the temperature reached bitter lows of Minus 11 (& minus 13). Wind chills approached minus 40 degrees, it was bone-chilling cold! Well on Saturday (Jan. 4th) the forecast called for a winter snow storm to hit around midnight, and several inches of snow were forecasted. I did what most people do in America when a snowstorm approaches, went to the grocery store to buy bread so I could hunker down and not leave my home on Sunday. The weather man got it right, in Springfield we got 7 inches of snow overnight with brutal wind and cold and the high on Sunday was minus 3 degrees. I enjoyed my Sunday morning watching the news shows while lounging in my pajama's. The snow stopped around noon and I heard noises coming from the front of my garage. I peeked out of my blinds and saw a heavily bundled man shoveling my driveway. He looks to be in his mid fifties and overweight (stocky).
Now, I am truly perplexed. Who is this old man braving the elements to clear my driveway? I stayed hidden behind my blinds as he worked away to clear the heavy snow. Is he going to come to my door and ask for money? Was he at the wrong address and mistakenly clearing the wrong driveway?
Next thing I know, he is salting my cleared driveway. Next thing you know, he is climbing into his truck and drives away. Wow, I now have a mystery to solve. I Facebook chatted with my coworker Jenn. Shy can't figure it out. Monday morning, I open my garage door to be greeted by my clean driveway. None of my neighbors driveways are clear - nor is the street.
I have the biggest smile on face thanks to this heavy old man that cleared my driveway by mistake (had to be the only explanation). Would he come back to my neighborhood on Monday, clean off the correct driveway, and try to extort me for money. I was spinning with scenarios. When I arrived at work Jenn greets me with "did you figure out who cleared your driveway?" This brought a bunch of questions from Heather, Kristen and Mark (colleagues) where we all speculated who this heavy old man could be. Mark tells a story about when the county contractor accidently paved his driveway, and then charged him "at cost" or they would tear the pavement up. If this guy comes to my home and demands payment for his mistake, and I refuse - would he shovel the snow from the side of my driveway back into my driveway? Would I pay his extortion? LOL, clearly I was now wanting to protect my free driveway cleaning. Todd (my boss) comes into the conversation, and I tell the whole story about this overweight old man shoveling my driveway, and how I couldn't figure out who it was. Todd says "wow, how lucky for you - lots of snow and dangerously cold"...he continues, "did you offer him a chance to warm up in your garage?" Did you take him a mug of hot chocolate, did you go outside and thank this kind stranger?" I immediately turned it around on Todd and asked if he was me, would he really go outside and take the man a hot beverage? Todd admitted he probably wouldn't...
The topic ended, we all got busy. On Wednesday Todd calls me into his office and shuts the door. I of course, think "what have I done to get into trouble?" Todd chuckles at me and says "he has been wanting to share a story with me." He slips on a ski mask and black gloves and says "do you recognize me?" Yes, you are right, the heavy old man that shoveled and salted my driveway in brutal winter weather was none other than Todd. I not only didn't recognize him, I came to work and told all my coworkers about this mystery old chubby man. (Todd is younger than me and in better shape...sigh). Todd couldn't stop laughing...the story quickly got around and everybody shared a good laugh at my expense...My friend and boss knew that I didn't have a snow shovel and performed one of the kindest, generous gestures, and doesn't even stop to let me know it was him...A funny and completely true story.
Speaking of long and never ending stories, the Rodz immigration story is dragging. She called the Dubai Consulate on Jan. 2nd. They told her that they would request her case to be transferred from the Philippines, and if they allowed it she could interview there. She called back last week, and they basically told Rodz, "don't call us, we will call you." Sigh...more waiting.
My favorite Canadian (Kelly Weber) gal has gotten engaged to Sami (the Jordanian IT fiancée). She is in Miami as we speak, but we have a phone date next week - I couldn't be happier for one of my favorite people of all time...Speaking of favorite Dubai pals, Hayley and I finally chatted for about 15 minutes...her boyfriend (South African?) and Hayley have called it quits, so once again, I am a friend.
I had a weird coincidence happen to me in the past week. I was summoned for both Federal and county jury duty in February. What are the odds that I get both demands within 5 days of each other. Yes, it will be something to blog about....
Work is very busy, my new restaurant chain that is opening soon is struggling to pass all the city inspections - now they anticipate a February first opening...keep your fingers crossed. I hope to give you positive updates about Rodz, My new account, and the heavy old tooth fairy that I work for when I return with more musing's on Feb 1st. Stay warm, get a friend to shovel your driveway - and enjoy life for all the good things and good people you share this tiny world with.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
2013 - What a Year It Was...
Happy New Year! It is the time of the year when most reflect on what has transpired in the past year, and resolve to make changes in your life going forward into the next year. Well, I hate those TV recap shows (always liked the radio top song of the year countdown) so I hope this turns out more like the radio version than the TV recap version. I watched the CBS nightly news on New Years Eve and what is one of the lead stories? Dubai, setting a world's record for the most fireworks exploded in a show (1/2 million). Of course, they featured the amazing annual event from the Dubai Mall and the 162 story high Burj Khalifa.
They literally pack thousands of people into the Dubai Mall area, and then after the 15 minute extravaganza, they then spend the next 3 plus hours trying to get the traffic jam unclogged. The subway runs all night - then the workers clean all night and by noon on New Years Day you can't even tell that there was a party. Rodz works next to the Dubai Mall, so she gets a good viewing of the event. I called her at about 1:30 in the morning Dubai time New Years Day (10 hours ahead of me here in the Midwest) and she said "too many people, the buses still aren't running and she is stuck at the Mall"...lol, just what I expected to hear.
Speaking of Rodz, the latest on her attempt to immigrate to America, the story just plods along. Her case file is at the American Manila Embassy in the Philippines. Her final step in the process is an interview (checking to make sure her requests to immigrate is legitimate and for the right reasons) with American personnel in the Embassy. As I shared earlier, the passing rate for those interviews in the Philippines is barely over 50%, so Rodz has been dreading the long trip home fearing disappointment in the end. Well, last week I called the Embassy in Manila to try and schedule her interview, and there is literally no interview spots available. I was told to pay another fee, and then wait for the first available time...sigh. Her Visa expires at the end of February, I am as frustrated as can be. The young lady that I spoke to did share with me, that if the Dubai consulate requested the case, that her immigration file could be transferred to Dubai and her interview take place there...a glimmer of hope in a frustrating process. Rodz is planning on calling the Consulate on January 2nd and requesting the file transfer. Keep your fingers crossed that they grant it.
Yes, I know your thinking, John must enjoy paying all these fees...lol, well thankfully the job is going well, and I have been hitting my bonus's. My new chain that is opening in Kansas City is very promising. It is scheduled to open January 15th, and I am very excited. Last Friday I spent the afternoon in Kansas City finalizing the last couple of menu items. I didn't get to eat lunch, so on my 3 hour drive back to Springfield, I decided to stop for a Diet Pepsi and a hot dog at the local gas station. After consuming my dog, and finishing my journey, I wasn't feeling well. I went straight to bed. I don't know how long I slept (I don't think it was even an hour), but I woke up violently ill. I barely made it into the bathroom where I had an epic bout of sickness! Hot dogs look the same after you eat them as before, but where the rest of the projectile material came from only God Knows. I emptied my stomach and filled the bowl in a matter of seconds, and yet I felt no better. I went back to bed, slept until 9 am on Saturday. I tried to run my normal errands, but was too sick. I came back home crawled back into bed, had the chills and could not get warm. I slept until about 7 pm when I got up still nauseous, but hungry (trust me its a real weird combination) I finally got a small bowl of cereal to stay down. I went back to bed, and when I woke up on Sunday I finally started feeling better. I guess it was food poisoning, all I know is I never want to experience it again. I have a check up on Thursday, and for once I am excited about weighing in. My BMI needs to be less than 25 for me to have free insurance at work, and no, I am not there....yet.
If I would have stayed working at Transmed in Dubai, my contract would have been completed today. I had a fairly large bonus that would have been due to me, and I still think about some of the decisions that I made. Looking back, I regret leaving Transmed, when they learned that I was taking a new position they were quite generous in their attempt to retain me - sadly, the grass was not greener where I went. That being said, I am very grateful for what I have now. I am surprised that I miss the people as much as I do. I literally tear'd up by the sweet Christmas card that I received from Kelly last week. Rarely a day goes by that I don't think of my friends in Dubai and wonder how they are fairing. I know that those three short years changed me forever and hopefully made me some life long friends to go with my life times worth of stories.
I can assure you, that being disappointed by my Dallas Cowboys football team hurts just as much in America as it does in Dubai...lol. I will say watching baseball in the early evening is much better than watching the occasional game that I got to see at 4:30 in the morning in Dubai. I am sure that my sleeping time is much better in North America. I stay up until about midnight so I can Skype for a minute with Rodz to start her day and end mine, and then sleep like a baby until 6 in the morning. My hours in the Middle east were crazy, mainly because I had to work so many hours and I tried to stay current with American sports at the same time. I probably cut my life short a year from that experience, now watching Dallas choke the season away up close and personal this season probably cost me two years...
It was nice spending my Christmas this year with my parents and my Uncle Bob and his extended family in Ohio. I didn't get lottery tickets in the "Christmas gift game", but ended up with a nice pair of gloves. As much as I miss my pals in the UAE, it's good to be home in America. I hope 2014 is a great year for all of us, and I do plan on returning here on the 15th and sharing good news on Rodz's immigration saga. Happy New Years to you and God Bless!
 |
| Burj Khalifa New Years 2012 Fireworks |
Speaking of Rodz, the latest on her attempt to immigrate to America, the story just plods along. Her case file is at the American Manila Embassy in the Philippines. Her final step in the process is an interview (checking to make sure her requests to immigrate is legitimate and for the right reasons) with American personnel in the Embassy. As I shared earlier, the passing rate for those interviews in the Philippines is barely over 50%, so Rodz has been dreading the long trip home fearing disappointment in the end. Well, last week I called the Embassy in Manila to try and schedule her interview, and there is literally no interview spots available. I was told to pay another fee, and then wait for the first available time...sigh. Her Visa expires at the end of February, I am as frustrated as can be. The young lady that I spoke to did share with me, that if the Dubai consulate requested the case, that her immigration file could be transferred to Dubai and her interview take place there...a glimmer of hope in a frustrating process. Rodz is planning on calling the Consulate on January 2nd and requesting the file transfer. Keep your fingers crossed that they grant it.
Yes, I know your thinking, John must enjoy paying all these fees...lol, well thankfully the job is going well, and I have been hitting my bonus's. My new chain that is opening in Kansas City is very promising. It is scheduled to open January 15th, and I am very excited. Last Friday I spent the afternoon in Kansas City finalizing the last couple of menu items. I didn't get to eat lunch, so on my 3 hour drive back to Springfield, I decided to stop for a Diet Pepsi and a hot dog at the local gas station. After consuming my dog, and finishing my journey, I wasn't feeling well. I went straight to bed. I don't know how long I slept (I don't think it was even an hour), but I woke up violently ill. I barely made it into the bathroom where I had an epic bout of sickness! Hot dogs look the same after you eat them as before, but where the rest of the projectile material came from only God Knows. I emptied my stomach and filled the bowl in a matter of seconds, and yet I felt no better. I went back to bed, slept until 9 am on Saturday. I tried to run my normal errands, but was too sick. I came back home crawled back into bed, had the chills and could not get warm. I slept until about 7 pm when I got up still nauseous, but hungry (trust me its a real weird combination) I finally got a small bowl of cereal to stay down. I went back to bed, and when I woke up on Sunday I finally started feeling better. I guess it was food poisoning, all I know is I never want to experience it again. I have a check up on Thursday, and for once I am excited about weighing in. My BMI needs to be less than 25 for me to have free insurance at work, and no, I am not there....yet.
If I would have stayed working at Transmed in Dubai, my contract would have been completed today. I had a fairly large bonus that would have been due to me, and I still think about some of the decisions that I made. Looking back, I regret leaving Transmed, when they learned that I was taking a new position they were quite generous in their attempt to retain me - sadly, the grass was not greener where I went. That being said, I am very grateful for what I have now. I am surprised that I miss the people as much as I do. I literally tear'd up by the sweet Christmas card that I received from Kelly last week. Rarely a day goes by that I don't think of my friends in Dubai and wonder how they are fairing. I know that those three short years changed me forever and hopefully made me some life long friends to go with my life times worth of stories.
I can assure you, that being disappointed by my Dallas Cowboys football team hurts just as much in America as it does in Dubai...lol. I will say watching baseball in the early evening is much better than watching the occasional game that I got to see at 4:30 in the morning in Dubai. I am sure that my sleeping time is much better in North America. I stay up until about midnight so I can Skype for a minute with Rodz to start her day and end mine, and then sleep like a baby until 6 in the morning. My hours in the Middle east were crazy, mainly because I had to work so many hours and I tried to stay current with American sports at the same time. I probably cut my life short a year from that experience, now watching Dallas choke the season away up close and personal this season probably cost me two years...
It was nice spending my Christmas this year with my parents and my Uncle Bob and his extended family in Ohio. I didn't get lottery tickets in the "Christmas gift game", but ended up with a nice pair of gloves. As much as I miss my pals in the UAE, it's good to be home in America. I hope 2014 is a great year for all of us, and I do plan on returning here on the 15th and sharing good news on Rodz's immigration saga. Happy New Years to you and God Bless!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)