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WELCOME TO MIKE’S 2020 BLOG
YEAR 16 AND MORE TO COME
Nong Nouch Gardens, Thailand
I started the year at home in Pattaya, Thailand. Just relaxing after being away from the family for a year. I got an e-mail wanting to know if I was interested in a job in Bahrain. So, after talking to the family I said yes. Shortly thereafter I got another solicitation for another job in Pennsylvania USA. I had the interview for the first job and they told me that they would get back to me within a week. The interview for the second job went well and they made me an offer which I accepted. I never heard back from the first company.
As a side story, Tay is waiting for an interview at the US Embassy in Bangkok. Hopefully that will happen in the near future and she will get an immigrant visa to come to the USA and be with me. It seems that international work has dried up for the near term. My 2 past jobs have been here in the USA. This and the past job had no leave schedule as my previous overseas work did so it will be better for her to come and experience America. If she doesn't like it we can always go back to Thailand when this job is over.
So here we are and the Covid virus is closing in. Things are closing down and I was finally given a start date for the USA job. I made my plans and left Thailand in late January. I went looking for some masks and hand sanitizer for the flight back to the USA but could not find any. I remembered that I had a small travel bottle and one of our friends gave me a few masks for the trip.
So off to the airport. In the Bangkok airport when checking in it seems that about 50% of the passengers were in masks. One the first flight to Taipei about 50% were in masks. In the Taipei airport 99.9% were in masks. On the next flight to LAX almost everyone was wearing a mask.
So we get off the plane and head to immigration in LAX and EVERYONE took off the mask before getting to the counters. As such I am not sure the masks would have been of any benefit at any time during the trip.
As a side story, Tay is waiting for an interview at the US Embassy in Bangkok. Hopefully that will happen in the near future and she will get an immigrant visa to come to the USA and be with me. It seems that international work has dried up for the near term. My 2 past jobs have been here in the USA. This and the past job had no leave schedule as my previous overseas work did so it will be better for her to come and experience America. If she doesn't like it we can always go back to Thailand when this job is over.
So here we are and the Covid virus is closing in. Things are closing down and I was finally given a start date for the USA job. I made my plans and left Thailand in late January. I went looking for some masks and hand sanitizer for the flight back to the USA but could not find any. I remembered that I had a small travel bottle and one of our friends gave me a few masks for the trip.
So off to the airport. In the Bangkok airport when checking in it seems that about 50% of the passengers were in masks. One the first flight to Taipei about 50% were in masks. In the Taipei airport 99.9% were in masks. On the next flight to LAX almost everyone was wearing a mask.
So we get off the plane and head to immigration in LAX and EVERYONE took off the mask before getting to the counters. As such I am not sure the masks would have been of any benefit at any time during the trip.
Taipei airport
Air map to LAX
LAX early morning approach
Masked up in Taipei
So I was in the LA area for a couple of days to get things sorted out and then headed to Monaca, Pennsylvania located near Pittsburgh.
On the way to Pennsylvania I caught up with an old friend from Bellingham. We met up in Albuquerque and had dinner.
5 days later I get to Monaca on February 4th. Check into a motel with a kitchenette and go out to get the lay of the land. Several days later I go for the orientation training and then off to the office to settle in.
On the way to Pennsylvania I caught up with an old friend from Bellingham. We met up in Albuquerque and had dinner.
5 days later I get to Monaca on February 4th. Check into a motel with a kitchenette and go out to get the lay of the land. Several days later I go for the orientation training and then off to the office to settle in.
A quick stop in Las Vegas
A non-working phone at a rest stop on Old Route 66
Catching up with an old friend
I looked around the area for a suitable rental. Due to the project still being in construction pickings were a bit slim but I finally found a house in a very quiet neighborhood not to far from the plant and the office.
I signed the lease and moved in. About 3 weeks later the virus was really taking over daily life and they told us to start working from home. I was asked if I wanted to go to my home place (Thailand) but as I had just signed a lease I opted to stay in the USA.
I went up to the office to get some computer gear. At first it sounded like I could go to the office to print documents and the such but was told the next day that was not an option. So I had to buy a printer and supplies to get on with my work. I found a good printer at a discount and went over to pick it up. By now no one is out and about. The roads were almost void of any traffic. They shut down construction at the plant site. All in all I feel fortunate that I was able to keep working from home as there are so many laid-off.
I signed the lease and moved in. About 3 weeks later the virus was really taking over daily life and they told us to start working from home. I was asked if I wanted to go to my home place (Thailand) but as I had just signed a lease I opted to stay in the USA.
I went up to the office to get some computer gear. At first it sounded like I could go to the office to print documents and the such but was told the next day that was not an option. So I had to buy a printer and supplies to get on with my work. I found a good printer at a discount and went over to pick it up. By now no one is out and about. The roads were almost void of any traffic. They shut down construction at the plant site. All in all I feel fortunate that I was able to keep working from home as there are so many laid-off.
2nd day at work
The plant
Ohio River
I settle into the routine eat-work-sleep and go to the gym. Then they closed the gyms and the only thing open is big box chain stores. Masks and latex gloves become the uniform of the day when going out. The restaurants are closed except for take-away. I go shopping about once a week and cook at home - microwaves and toaster ovens are great. A tank of gas is lasting me about 3 weeks. Every several days I would get in the car and drive to the next town just to get out and keep the battery charged. With the gyms being closed I started walking in the area. I try to get in 6 days a week about 4 kilometers a day.
Finally the restaurants and gyms open backup and things start to return to almost normal. The weather is definitely late fall and the temperatures have dropped into the low 30's at night.
Finally the restaurants and gyms open backup and things start to return to almost normal. The weather is definitely late fall and the temperatures have dropped into the low 30's at night.
Early December dusting of snow
The stage set for Christmas next-door
On the road near Hoover Dam
Then it is the election season. The news that is reported, regardless of which agency is reporting, is slanted towards a particular narrative and if you have a broad enough spectrum of news feeds to watch and read you can see that there is news that is not being reported at all or under reported by many main stream outlets.
Unfortunately the political news that is reported is generally op-ed news and most certainly leaves out or glosses over many of the facts. With this style it is no wonder that the voters are do not have a clear picture of the truth.
The election is over and I will leave it to your judgement if the election was a fair election or if there were irregularities from either side. Regardless if the irregularities were enough to change the outcome of the election, they need to be corrected. I have always had to present identification at every location I have voted and feel that should be the gold standard to keep American elections fair and representative of the voters will. My opinion is that the government works for the voters.
It is now middle of December and the Pennsylvania governor has again shut down restaurants and gyms again and reduced capacity in the stores. The Covid 19 vaccine has been approved and hopefully is on the way to provide some much needed relief and the opportunity to get back to 'normal' what ever that is going to look like.
I hope everyone is safe and healthy.
Unfortunately the political news that is reported is generally op-ed news and most certainly leaves out or glosses over many of the facts. With this style it is no wonder that the voters are do not have a clear picture of the truth.
The election is over and I will leave it to your judgement if the election was a fair election or if there were irregularities from either side. Regardless if the irregularities were enough to change the outcome of the election, they need to be corrected. I have always had to present identification at every location I have voted and feel that should be the gold standard to keep American elections fair and representative of the voters will. My opinion is that the government works for the voters.
It is now middle of December and the Pennsylvania governor has again shut down restaurants and gyms again and reduced capacity in the stores. The Covid 19 vaccine has been approved and hopefully is on the way to provide some much needed relief and the opportunity to get back to 'normal' what ever that is going to look like.
I hope everyone is safe and healthy.
This is the end of Mike’s 2020 Blog – Thanks for stopping by for a read.
Be safe in your travels and please don’t drink and drive and certainly DON’T text – nothing is worth texting when driving – please pull over if it is that darn important – remember we did very well for years and years without having smart phones. Remember that you are supposed to control the smart phone not visa-versa.
Stay safe and have a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Years.