News From Guam

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 16 Apr 04 - 06:45 AM

I don't know Rick Lee. I'd like to hear his music some day, especially if it fits well with Bob Zentz.

Congratulations to John. Welcome to the 'Cat.

Not much happening in Guam this week. We have some headquarters people visiting us and I've been in so many meetings I am developing calluses on my butt. But every afternoon I leave the office and go down to the sea where I float around communing with the fishes. They attend no meetings and their schools are more enjoyable than any I've ever been in. It's a nice way to unwind.

They moved the canoe down to the park behind the Chamorro Village. Last week we worked on it under the blue sky and next to the shining water. Boats plied in and out of the marina while we worked. People would drive by and stare at the red and black hull with what seemed to be wonder in their eyes. They were looking back into their own history.

This Saturday we will have a BBQ while we work. It promises to be a good day. I will take my guitar to practice for Tuesday.

Tuesday I will be on the local NPR radio station performing songs both accompanied and unaccompanied. That should be fun. The DJ, Jay McDonald, invited me some time ago but I only recently agreed.

There is another tropical depression forming down around Chuk. This one promises to develop into a typhoon and the models predict it coming this way. Cross your fingers. The last one, Sudal, hit Yap very hard, wiping out homes and businesses. There is a great need for aid in all forms down there.

I would say that there is a good chance of getting to Australia next Easter for the National. Keep me apprised.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 08:44 AM

freda, you missed a great singing session, hymn singing is secular. I think Tom put on a session at a festival year ago, called something like You don't have to be a christian to sing hymns.

Coupla years back my Jewish friend knew more hymns than I did & I used to go to Sunday School, & he didn't have that excuse!!

As you say, Brett, I'm still grinning. So many great singing sessions & conversations & concerts.

sandra (what's going on in Guam?)

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: freda underhill
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 04:29 AM

not tooo addicted, jennyo!

i had a secular easter at the folk fest, didnt attend any hymns OR hers.

Enda Kenny (irish folkie now living in Oz) said this was the best festival he had ever attended.

Brett, Charlie and Judy, are you thinking of coming out again? if so, time it around the National for next year (always on at Easter) -you wont regret it!

still goofy grinning

freda

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: JennyO
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 04:01 AM

Hi Brett.

Bob was also performing with Rick Lee as well as by himself. Have you met Rick? They are both great guys and we loved their music. John did some CD swaps with them and we bought a couple of Rick's CD's. So we ended up with one of Bob's, a CD of instrumental versions of shanties by both of them, called Scuttlebutt, and 2 of Rick's. I also bought a live CD of Bob Brozman. I've not seen him before and he is amazing. So we have hours of good listening in front of us.

BTW, John is a mudcatter now too. Look for postings by jack halyard. He hasn't posted often yet - not as addicted as Amalina and I are (not yet anyway ;-))

Jenny

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 03:07 AM

Bob's a great guy. I visited with him when in Virginia once and he gave me a copies of two of his CDs. We had been in an ersatz Irish pub, singing and drinking all evening. It was magical.

Once when helping Gordon Bok lug his equipment out to his car after a wonderful coffeehouse evening he turned to me and said, "That's the kind of evening that'll put a goofy grin on your face for a week." Sounds like you are still grinning.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 13 Apr 04 - 04:34 AM

Brett - we had a great time & even met a few Mudcatters, incl. Bob Zentz whose CD I bought because of its cover - anything that looks like sea songs & shanties has to be added to my collection.

We had a great shanty sing with Danny Spooner. The room rocked! It did too in Hrothgar's Hymns session, esp. when John W, Margaret & Danny led a few hymns. Margaret moved to get away from John's enormous voice, then covered both ears as she had Danny's equally loud voice in her other ear!!

more on the Ozcatters thread.

sandra

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 09:48 PM

Hi Woody,

You mention your tomatoes and it brings up a reminds of your lovely home in the woods. I hope you and your wife are still very happy and enjoying your life together. I trust you are all well. Life in Guam, as you can see in the thread, is varied and interesting. I am having lots of fun and working out plenty of personal issues though I don't go into that very deeply in this public forum. I am still avoiding women except for passing friendships. I find that is the best route to my own happiness.

Brett

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Peter Woodruff
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 09:06 PM

Hi Brett,
It is Sring here in Maine, at least for Easter. I don't know if we'll have another snowstorm. My tomatoes are doing well in the window.

Peter

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 07:48 PM

As I said, Easter is taken very seriously. Therefore there was no one hundred people at the party. It was a birthday celebration for his daughter and another family member. His daughter is in her teens and the other kid is in her stroller.

It was quite a spread, as island parties tend to be. There was more food than anyone could eat. Even taking the smallest portions no one could have left the food table having tried it all. There was BBQ ribs and chicken, two kinds of lumpia, shrimp kelaguen, cold but spicy, spaghetti, potato salad, papaya cole slaw, and many more. The deserts were all over the board including some of the best watermelon I've had in a long time.

It was a very nice time. I met another friend of theirs who came to the island for two years and has been here 38 years now. This is a very different group from the bunch I knew in Maine who told me all the horror stories about life in Guam.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 10 Apr 04 - 08:17 PM

Yesterday my friend Gordon invited me to a party for this afternoon. He expects there to be at least a hundred people there so it could prove interesting.

Easter is taken very seriously here on the island. A majority of the people are Catholics. The office was empty on Friday and we've had to schedule meetings around Holy Thursday and Holy Friday, putting them off to Monday. Friday was designated a liberal leave day which means that supervisors cannot interfere with requests for leave.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Apr 04 - 01:48 AM

Never fear, Naemanson. Your thread is a bright spot.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 08 Apr 04 - 11:34 PM

Well, Freda, Sandy, and Jenny, you all have a good time. Watch out for...

Never mind, if you start watching out for things you may not have a good time!

Thanks for the encouragement, Roger. Every once in a while I start to wonder if I am reaching anyone with this.

Happy Easter to the Christians. Happy spring equinox to the others.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 09:44 AM

Great threads, Brett, keep 'em comin'.

RtS
(just had to be post 667- the next door neighbour of the Beast!)

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: freda underhill
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 08:15 AM

hi Brett

sandra, jennyo and i will be going to our national folk festival tomorrow. I hope Guam hasnt blown away when we get back!

have a great Easter, we'll spend all weekend sampling musical delights!

best wishes

freda

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 05:14 AM

Latest prediction is that Sudal will turn more northerly and move up between us and the Philipines. It is not unknown for them to pull a u-turn and come back at us from the west. It ain't over till the fat guy sings.

Will do, Amos.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Amos
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 07:06 PM

BRett:

PM me your addy anyway.

A

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 06:52 PM

The typhoon has kept to its westerly course and skipped off south of us. We have a grey blustery day but nothing more than that. All is well.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: JennyO
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 10:51 AM

Hello Sandra. I noticed you forgot the singing session tonight. I hope you have a note from your mother. I'll be looking for it when I see you on Thursday night.

About 36 hours to go now - 2 more sleeps and then - YAY - Canberra here we come!

Jenny

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 09:17 AM

I'm off to Canberra in about 12 hours so will have to await a week(!!) to find out what happens. ratz.

And ratz for being on holiday - I forgot a singing session tonight! But at least my bag is packed!

sandra

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Amos
Date: 05 Apr 04 - 09:51 PM

Brett:

PM me yer addie over there, mate. I may have a CD to send you when mail service is restored!!
A

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 05 Apr 04 - 09:24 PM

Now Charley, you know I don't drink... much. And I've never had a rusty nail in my life. Maybe in my foot once or twice but not to drink.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 05 Apr 04 - 07:07 PM

C---------------------------------F
In this wind-y old weath-er! Storm-y old weath-er!
G7----------------------------------------C
When the wind blows, we'll all go to-geth-er!

Bottled water is all very fine but how about the fixings for a rusty nail or two?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 05 Apr 04 - 06:39 PM

Typhoon Sudal is not yet expected to hit Guam. The predicted Closest Point Of Approach is 178 nautical miles. We are expecting winds of up to 65 knots on Thursday. Everyone is battening down the hatches and preparing for the worst. I went to the commissary last night to get some water, I was low anyway, and found the shelves stripped bare. The line of full grocery carts stretched a long way. There was no water. I stood in line waiting and talking with the others. then I noticed a pallet on the other side of the registers. It had been loaded with water. I walked over and grabbed 10 gallons. It will have to do.

The sky outside my window is gray with clouds moving north to south instead of the usual east to west. The breeze is picking up.

If you want to see the projected path of the typhoon click HERE.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 04 Apr 04 - 11:28 PM

Latest News: Tropical Storm 03W has formed and stands a good chance of developing into a typhoon. Curent forecast shows it running off to the south of Guam, just skimming past. Could make a turn more northerly at some point and hit us but no one knows yet.

Those of you who wake up groaning on Monday morning should not read the rest of this post.

One of the men at the party is named John. John arrived at Guam many years ago on a catamaran on which he and his wife were cruising around the world. They had just spent a year in New Guinea. They arrived intending to spend a few days in Guam and stayed for 13 years. John now works for a charter boat firm in Hawaii. He repairs the charter boats after the tourists beat them up. His work day runs from 8:00 AM to noon after which he spends the rest of the day wind surfing. He looks like a very happy soul. I don't think he finished his trip around the world and I get the impression that he doesn't care.

It's raining again.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 04 Apr 04 - 09:42 PM

By all means, Kelli, send them along.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Apr 04 - 09:59 AM

Hey Dad,
About your picture project for Papa...I still have the interview on tape that I did with him three or four years ago, he talked about Guam quite a bit on it...I've got the tapes somewhere, I never had time to type it up because I ended up not being able to use it for the school project I orginially taped it for.

Do you want it? I'll see if I can find the tapes and send them to you.

love
Kelli

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 03 Apr 04 - 11:38 PM

That was a good evening. We had a good time though the evening was slow to get off the ground. It started when one of the party goers opened a bottle of very fine tequila and persuaded us to do a few shots with him. It was smooth stuff with a capital smoo. Dinner consisted of Mahi-Mahi, Wahoo, and Yellow Fine Tuna, all fresh caught that day and grilled. There was also sashimi, fresh baked bread, salad, cut up vegetables with dip, local corn on the cob, rice (of course), and barbequed ribs. There was a wasabi based sauce for the fish. The party was BYOB so I had a six pack of beer and some soda. Dinner was eaten on the lawn with the full moon shining down on us. There were about 8 or 9 of us there.

After dinner the Pago Bay Reefers started playing their music, a mix of blues and folk. They really are very good. There were only 3 band members there, Dave on guitar, Steve on banjo, guitar and mandolin, and RR on national steel guitar and dobro. He also plays base but didn't bring it along. I learned that RR is the owner of American Music, the best music shop on the island and that his instrument collection is worth more than most houses here. They played for quite a while and I had begun to think I wasn't going to get an opportunity but I did play along with the bones. At one point we were interrupted by a brief shower but it passed and the moon came back out. Then the dessert came out, lemon meringue pie, chocolate cake and some kind of almond flavored bread rolled up with a frosting inside. Decaf coffee was available but no dairy. Instead she added Bailey's Irish Cream. Very Yummy.

I finally was asked to perform and I started with Henery the Eighth. I wanted people to sing along and that one is sure to get them thanks to Herman's Hermits. I followed up with a number of songs including Sally Free & Easy (at reduced volume, Charley), I'd Like To Have A Mistress, Eat Bertha's Mussels, Dramamine, Long Time Ago, Pump Shanty, Mary Mac, and Northwest Passage. We had a good time and they did their best to sing along. One guy, the tequila guy, just sat their with a smile and listened. Later while cleaning the kitchen I gave them Derelict and I caught him singing along with the "yo ho ho and a bottle of rum" refrain.

The Reefers sat there amazed as I reeled the songs off because they generally work from paper. RR kept making comments about the memory storage in computer terms. I guess they've never had to free themselves from the paper crutch. My thanks to Roll & Go for the repertoire and the need to work from the head instead of the page.

The hostess has two yellow Labrador retrievers. The female had puppies about six weeks ago. At one point I walked through the living room and it seemed as if everyone held a squirming furry little body with a cute fuzzy face. Nothing like a puppy to put you in a good mood.

I finally headed home and dropped into bed around 11:30, very tired but happy with the evening. It was indeed a good time.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 07:22 PM

Brett-

Sounds like a better offer than the one from the Egyptian lady. She might have plans to roll you, wrapping you up like a mummy! If we read about that happening to you, don't expect us to keep a straight face as we share the sad news.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: freda underhill
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 06:33 PM

that sounds fantastic Brett - enjoy your party, wish i could be there to hear you sing again.

best wishes

freda

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 06:17 PM

I don't remember what the list said about Australia. I will check on it and report back. It seems ludicrous to have one line for a place as big as Oz but then they may only be refering to the Cairns area because that is the easiest are for us to reach.

Thursday night I went down to Le Tasi Bistro to listen to the folk band and deliver a couple of CDs a friend wants to get some air play in Guam. (He likes the idea of being able to say his music is heard on the radio as far awa as Guam.) Anyway when I took my seat some women at a table called me over and invited me to sit with them. They had heard me sing there the one time I filled in for the band during their break. One of the women invited me to come to a party, a BBQ she was having at her house. When I agreed she passed me her card for the address. She is "Diane M. Strong, Ed.D, Diver, Adventurer, Writer..." She also gave me a postcard with the cover of her latest book about one of the tour divers in Chuk (Truk Lagoon). Her web site is http://www.strongdiver.com. I haven't had time to check it out yet but will after I finish this post. The admission to the party is one musical instrument. I believe she is trying to set up a music party.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 10:22 AM

what does it say about Oz? We might be a low crime spot, except for a few pockets!

Over the past couple of years criminals in Melbourne have been shooting each other all over the place (24 dead at last count?) Latest was the father of 2 previous victims. The papers are full of the supposed next victim! And naturally nobody's talking, including the next target. After all the latest victim wouldn't talk, either.

Of course Sydney & Brisbane are a different world.

Do we have a good (safe) rating as a potential terrorist target?

sandra

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 10:37 PM

On my way home I drive by a Navy housing area. There is a contractor replacing the huge concrete fence around the area. It had been damaged in either an earthquake or typhoon. The old fence is coming out in 2'X4' pieces of precast concrete blocks. My friend Gordon has been making off with these blocks by the pickup truck load. He's been using them as walkways and patio blocks at his house and at a rental house he has in Agat. I saw him there when driving in to work the other day, sweat streaming down his face as he carefully tipped another block into his truck. He estimates he's moved about two tons of them by now. He's quite the scrounger and pack rat. And he is yet another example of the good people I have met here.

Today at lunch one of our officers had a list of places we can easily reach from Guam. The list showed terrorist and criminal threat levels. Some areas, like North Korea, are strictly off limits. Others, like China are low level threats. One amusing point. Each country is listed as having a certain threat level for criminal activity. That would denote a certain familiarity with the police reports in those countries. The indication for Guam, a United States possession, is "undetermined". Ain't that odd?

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Amos
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 06:29 PM

Jeeze, Brett, your story reminds me of a lovely lass in Gran Canaria de Las Palmas, who earned her living in a sailor's bar some thirty-odd years ago.   She had an address, but fortunately, she was not at home, so the adventure went no further and I was blessed with a lucky escape. Not the first nor the last, but certainly the last of that kind.

:>))

A-roving! A-roving! Since roving's been my roooo-eye-innnn....


A

(Find that passport yet???)

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 06:16 PM

You know, we sing the songs but who ever really expects to live the life reflected in those songs. But then, there has to be a reason those songs grip us and lodge in our hearts and minds.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 08:19 AM

Brett-

She took me aloft and her tops'ls she lowered,
In a snug little harbor she soon had me moored;
She laid in her fores'ls, her stays'ls, and all,
With her lily white hand on me reef-tackle fall...

Here's luck to the gal with the black curly locks,
Here's luck to the gal who run Jack on the rocks;
Here's luck to the doctor who eased all his pain,
He's squared his main yards, he's a-cruisin' again...

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 06:44 AM

Wow! This place continues to amaze me. Last Saturday I met two amazing and interesting people. One is a racing sailboat captain. He works for a very rich man who has a deep and abiding interest in racing sailboats. His employer owns 5 boats, 40', 50', 75', 90', and a 115'. Al's job is to coordinate the 9 permanent crew members and keep them trained to a fine point for winning races. They are based in Hong Kong but he doesn't like living in Hong Kong so he lives in Guam and does most of his work by remote link. He is currently rebuilding a damaged catamaran and building a power trimaran to use to explore the Pacific islands and to carry mail and cargo between them.

The other person is a Japanese woman who is attending language classes (English) at UOG. She is a carpenter in Japan with a shop and all her own tools. Those of you familiar with the chauvinist society in Japan should realize how unusual this is. She was extremely interested in the carving on the canoe parts working her way in close to help as best she could. Unfortunately she had to leave before she could get her hands on an adze and do some cutting.

One funny thing happened. When I saw my middle sister two weeks ago she gave me a T-shirt she had decorated with Japanese characters. She told me it meant "wisdom". At the canoe Wakana saw the characters and asked me if it was the name of my girlfriend. While one reading of the kanji is "wisdom", or "smart head" as Wakana put it, the other interpretation is "pretty girl" and is used as a girl's name in Japan. My sister got quite a laugh out of that.

You know, adventures come in all shapes and sizes. Since I left Maine I have been determined to enjoy whatever adventure comes my way. Now I doubt if I will ever get involved in the grand adventures like climbing Mount Everest of canoeing down a class 5 rapid but the little adventures are much more fun. One jumped out at me (literally) last night.

I had just eaten dinner at the only Indian restaurant on Guam. It was very good. I had Tandoori Chicken and Paratha bread. I was getting into my car when a lovely young woman engaged me in conversation. She is Egyptian and very talkative. She kept the talk flowing while standing inside my private space and making a point to touch my arm whenever she could. I was immediately suspicious. My first impulse was to cut and run but then I decided to ride the train. She was VERY friendly and it has been a long time since I had any female contact after all. And she was quite sexy.

Now, I would like to remind everyone that one of the common themes in sea songs in the harlot who invites Jack Tar to drink with her after which he wakes alone and naked. This came to mind repeatedly as she talked and pranced and then finally asked me to come into the bar where she worked to by her a drink.

What the hell, I thought, and I took the plunge. What followed was an hour of shameless teenage cuddling while we drank overpriced drinks. At one point while she was away from our corner I stole a sip of her rum & coke. I couldn't taste any booze in that drink. Finally I begged poverty and left. It was true. I had spent my last forty eight dollars on the four drinks we shared. She gave me her phone number and told me I had to call her but I will not. I can't afford her tastes. Still it was a very amusing incident and has given me more of an idea of what the world is like.

The bar, by the way, is a karaoke bar. I had never been into one before. There were TV monitors in every corner showing insipid scenery and scrolling the words to the songs. Some were in English but later an Asian man started singing and the words scrolling up the screens looked to be in Vietnamese or Thai. It was really very lonely. He sat at the bar, alone, with the microphone, while he sang the song. He looked very sad.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: GUEST,freda underhill
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 11:21 PM

yes, Naemanson, lots of us enjoy your made up stories from Guam. keep well & best wishes

fred

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 10:47 PM

So, what is it that I have to do to make you come over here? Besides sending you two plane tickets that is...

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Amos
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 10:20 PM

Brett:

About losing identies: You made it very clear to me when you were here that you have a really world-class personality. Personable, accomodating, warm and funny and smart as a whip.

Don't make me come over there!!

:>))

Stay well, pal,


A

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 08:56 PM

But Sandra, didn't you know I make it all up? Just kidding. I will keep up the thread for as long as I think anyone is enjoying it.

We started out the day with a power outage. The computers quit and the lights dimmed until they went out. We were two hours without power. Apparently it was island wide. I'll have to check the paper tonight to see what happened.

I never did get to the water last night. I left the office later than I intended and then had to come back to retrieve my ID card. Tonight I have to do my laundry but I should be able to get to the beach before that.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 06:56 AM

Brett - I really missed this thread with it's descriptions of life on Guam. I hope you realise that it's your real job, telling us about life on this wonderful tropical island.

Check out the Oz Catters meet @ Easter @ the National thread - there's info on the Top Half Folk Festival in Darwin in June. I dunno if you could do it in a weekend, tho, Darwin is half a continent away from Cairns.

sandra

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 01:53 AM

I didn't mention my new project. When I was home Dad gave me a his photo album from his days in the Marine Corps. He also told me the whole story of how he ended up in the Corps and what he did while enlisted.

I now have his photo album and I bought a scanner. I plan to scan all his pictures into digital format, have him write down what he remembers of those places and people, and put it all together in an electronic album or a hard document. Once that's done I think I will start with other family photos.

He joined the Marines in Connecticut, went to basic training at Paris Island, and ended up and an engineering battalion working in Peking. His unit was one of the last to be pulled out of China when the USA realized it couldn't influence the outcome between the communists and the Kuomintang.

Time to go. I have a date with a beach and some warm salty water.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 01:41 AM

No packages yet. Maybe the slow boat got delayed.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Amos
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 08:03 PM

Well -- did you get the packages you mailed yourself in which you believed it would be found? Or is it still to be found somewhere alse?

A

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 07:45 PM

Our cardboard boat performed well in the regatta. They used a double paddle and won the race with the boat still intact and way ahead of the other 11 boats. The boat is now enshrined in the area of the building where they keep the trophies and photos of the management heads. Maybe I have a future as a boat designer after all.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 20 Mar 04 - 04:10 PM

Amos, waiting is. You cannot grok a person or event until waiting fills. You should wait, praising and cherishing this event until you grok it in its fullness.

In other words, I will tell you when I find it. **grin**

I forgot to mention that I found out how the canoe sailors deal with a storm at sea. When the seas build up too rough to sail in they take down the sail and lash it to the deck. they then lash themselves and anything loose to the canoe, let it fill up with water and ride out the storm, either inside the canoe or hanging on to the outrigger. Once the storm passes they bail out the canoe and raise the sail.

Also, I found out that the canoe ships water continuously while sailing. A loaded canoe has almost no freeboard so every wave adds to the load. There is one person who bails continuously while at sea. There is even a special seat built into the bottom of the canoe for him/her to sit in while working.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Amos
Date: 20 Mar 04 - 12:54 AM

Brett:

I don't mean to be obsessive or anything, but.....did you find your passport???


A

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 19 Mar 04 - 11:49 PM

I'm back! I had a friend try to cure my computer's senility while I was off island. He did but in the process wiped the hard drive clean. I don't miss many of the files. No big deal.

I am supremely jet lagged. The last two days have ended with me dragging myself around trying desperately to stay awake until the real bed time. It ain't easy. And it's going to be a while before I want to fit myself into an airplane seat again. It's a long way from New Hampshire to Guam.

Today I went by the canoe to see who showed for the regular Saturday meeting. There was quite a crowd but as I approached I could see it was only a buch of kids. There was a strange van parked there. It was a group of troubled kids on an outing. Some of them were very interested in what we were doing and asked good questions. Manny had a model of a Chamorro canoe he'd made and he showed them how the thing sailed. Then we went over to the real canoe and showed them what we are doing. We fielded questions ranging from "How many people can sail in the canoe?" (4), to "Where is the bathroom?" (Men forward of the outrigger, women through the hole in the bottom of the deckhouse.)

I also heard the whole story of the Quest, our canoe. she was built by Manny's father for fishing off the island of Hoak. After we bought her they sailed her from Puluwat to Pikelot, an uninhabited island where the islanders harvest turtles. It took two days to make that part of the trip. It was 118 miles. They rested on Pikelot for a day and then sailed for Guam. They made that leg (382 miles) in 4 days. Later that day they sailed her to Saipan. After that they made short trips around the island until the typhoon damaged her. She hasn't been in the water since.

I also heard the story of how Malapi lost his left hand. If you remember Malapi was the old man who helped out with the canoe for a while. Back in 1972 he was spearfishing at night from the reef off Puluwat. He had a fish and was headed back to his friends on the reef. He swam with the fish on the spear in his right hand, pulling with his left. Suddenly something grabbed the left hand. He pulled and got free but then realized he couldn't make any progress swimming with his left hand anymore. It was gone. His friends rescued him and took him to the Peace Corps volunteers on the island who arranged to transport him to a hospital.

This morning my friend Peggy and I went out to look at houses. she is curious about what houses are going for. I think she is also trying to persuade me to buy a house. She had one listing of a place in Umatak that they wanted $22,000 for. The other was in Agat and they want $63,000 for that one. The Agat house needs lots of work. It seems structurally sound but it could use paint, a new kitchen, utilities upgrade, new bathroom fixtures, some new windows, air conditioning, reconstruction of the side steps, and extensive demolition in the back yard. There is a 4" cast iron sewer line running across the back yard that is broken in places. It looks as though a previous occupant was building a concrete covered patio back there, maybe an outdoor kitchen. There was water leaking from a pipe in the middle of the yard and another leaking pipe at the outdoor laundry fixture.

The other house was worse! It had no roof, no windows, and no doors. There were pipes in the house but no wires and no apparent utilities in the place. We found the remains of the roof in the back yard. Great view though, mountains all around.

It's great to be back home. The weather has been wet and gray but also warm and friendly.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 16 Feb 04 - 07:30 AM

That's excellant. I wish I had the tune and the chords.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 16 Feb 04 - 06:33 AM

Brett - maybe you can impress the lads a bit more.

sandra


      When I Was A Boy
      Copyright 1997 by Frank Hayes, Firebird Arts & Music (BMI)

      When I was a boy our Nintendo
      Was carved from an old Apple tree
      And we used garden hose to connect it
      To our steam-powered color tv.
      But it still beat that ancient Atari
      'Cuz I almost went blind, don'tcha know,
      Playing Breakout and Pong on a video game
      Hooked up to our radio.

      And we walked twenty miles to the schoolhouse
      Barefoot, uphill both ways,
      Through blizzards in summer and winter
      Back in the good old days.
      Back when Fortran was not even Three-tran
      And the PC was only a toy
      And we did our computing by gaslight
      When I was a boy.

      When I was a boy all our networks
      Were for hauling in fish from the sea--
      Our bawd rate was eight bits an hour (and she was worth it!),
      And our IP address was just 3.
      And you kids who complain that the World Wide Web
      Is too slow oughtta cut out your bitchin',
      'Cuz when I was a boy every packet
      Was delivered by carrier pigeon

      And we walked twenty miles to the schoolhouse
      Barefoot, uphill both ways,
      Through blizzards in summer and winter
      Back in the good old days.
      Back when Fortran was not even Two-tran
      And the mainframe was only a toy
      And we did our computing by torchlight
      When I was a boy.

      When I was a boy our IS shop
      Built relational tables from wood,
      And we wrappered our data in oilcloth
      To preserve it the best that we could.
      And we carried our bits in a bucket,
      And our mainframe weighed 900 tons,
      And we programmed in ones and in zeros
      And sometimes we ran out of ones.

      And we walked twenty miles to the schoolhouse
      Barefoot, uphill both ways,
      Through blizzards in summer and winter
      Back in the good old days.
      Back when Fortran was not even One-tran
      And the abacus? Only a toy!
      And we did our computing in primordial darkness
      When I was a boy.