Trip, Health & Home

February 22, 2011

6:42 PM williamjohn.shields: hey dad

6:43 PM me: Hi William how was your trip?

williamjohn.shields: it was great

Really beautiful

6:44 PM me: Before I forget get me the phone of the school and you'll have the 2 boxes in 5 business days

williamjohn.shields: oh

right!

me: Great, relaxing I take it.

williamjohn.shields: let me just give you my number

6:45 PM there’s no school number per se

me: That'll work

williamjohn.shields: +639483629936

me: Great thanks

Are you there for a bit?

6:46 PM I have to pickup Mom in Wheaton

williamjohn.shields: oh ok

for a little while

6:47 PM me: Ok, I'll be back in 10

8 minutes

6:55 PM me: Hi honey its mom

6:56 PM williamjohn.shields: hello

how are you?

6:57 PM me: Just getting home from nj after work. Wanna hear about the trip

williamjohn.shields: sure!

6:58 PM me: How was the boat ride

williamjohn.shields: oh, my trip!

the boat ride was fine

very long

but the deck is covered in bunk beds

so I slept

6:59 PM but then I had to spend all day in manila

me: Did u travel back alone

7:00 PM williamjohn.shields: after manila

but on the boat with my friend Caitlin

me: Where is she stationed?

williamjohn.shields: nueva ecija

south central Luzon

7:01 PM me: Did ya have fun

7:02 PM williamjohn.shields: it was a lot of fun

romblon is probably the most beautiful place I’ve been

and the town romblon itself is really neat

very Mediterranean

or what I imagine that would be

and they mine marble there so everything is marble

me: Wow

7:03 PM Going into the house from the car

7:04 PM Dad here

7:08 PM Still there?

williamjohn.shields: still here!

me: Flag ceremony

7:09 PM Great

Jeannie had cataract surgery last week

williamjohn.shields: how did it go?

7:10 PM me: Mom has been away since last Wed

It went great, she can see

7:11 PM Rosie had an allergic reaction to her chemo, so she had to spent a few days in hospital

7:12 PM But she is home now, all is well

williamjohn.shields: oh no

7:13 PM me: You heard about Andrew’s adventures at Chinatown Coffee I understand

williamjohn.shields: yes, I did

7:14 PM me: That worked out, Andrew didn’t have to pay anything

williamjohn.shields: I understand everything turned out ok

oh good

me: Yes, all is well

7:15 PM And you are well? How is your skin?

williamjohn.shields: I went to a doctor in manila on Monday

he told me to use moisturizer

me: And?

williamjohn.shields: which was frustrating

but coincidentally

the one shower I have taken since

me: Why?

williamjohn.shields: caused no reaction

so there's another one tonight

shower that is

7:16 PM we'll see how it goes

me: There are teams in package, different types

williamjohn.shields: thanks

i'm not sure how much moisturizers will help

I’ve tried before

7:17 PM me: Another reaction or shower?

williamjohn.shields: I would just rather they be straight with me

and tell me there’s nothing to do

rather than try to bullshit me about moisturizers that wont work

me: I understand

7:18 PM williamjohn.shields: anyways, this is just making me upset

me: Ok how's school?

When did you get back?

williamjohn.shields: Monday night

so yesterday was the first day back

its ok

they waste so much time on extracurricular here

7:19 PM its ridiculous

me: Very different approach to education

williamjohn.shields: yeah

in some ways its understandable

7:20 PM builds community, etc

but its also borderline negligent

me: Different philosophy and culture

williamjohn.shields: and sure, practicing dance routines is good for building community, character, etc

but at the end of the day

me: Anything else interesting?

williamjohn.shields: its just practicing dance routines

7:21 PM and I’ve been coming around the cultural reason for it

but at the end of the day

they're not properly educating the students

at least in ways that almost all other Asian countries are

so good luck Philippines!

7:22 PM me: I understand, they do not have the tiger country approach

Part of it is isolation but part Philippine

7:23 PM williamjohn.shields: yeah

I mean

this is a pretty unlikely country

and pretty impossible to govern

7:24 PM me: I had a Philippine guy work for me when I started at GU - nice guy but so laid back it could be called Lazy

7:25 PM williamjohn.shields: sounds about right

me: Yeah so spread out

What do you do with the extra curricular activities?

7:26 PM williamjohn.shields: watch them

they usually last forever

and are stupid

I mean

they're not even cool

me: Work and learning were very low priorities

Ha-ha

williamjohn.shields: its like beauty pageants

7:27 PM my office is full of teachers that have classes right now

part of it is they have so much paperwork to do

they have to skip some classes

but once they've skipped five

its pretty easy to skip the sixth

7:28 PM me: Yikes

williamjohn.shields: yeah

sorry

just venting

7:29 PM me: It's ok, vent away

williamjohn.shields: no i'm done

how are things at home?

7:30 PM me: Good generally, Mom and I have been working so much we haven't done much else

7:31 PM williamjohn.shields: oh bummer

listen

I have class now

but maybe ill catch you in a bit

7:32 PM me: Ok, I'll be around, have a great day we love e and miss you

9:41 PM williamjohn.shields: hey dad

9:42 PM me: Hi William, how did class go?

williamjohn.shields: alright

had to do some light disciplining

but nothing too bad

how is your evening?

me: Before I send tomorrow can you think of anything else?

9:43 PM williamjohn.shields: I don’t think so!

thanks though

I’ve been really kicking myself for not taking the GRE before I left

me: Ok, the usual, catching up with Mom after her trip.

williamjohn.shields: so I think that I will ask you to bring my GRE book when you visit

do you guys have any better idea of when you're coming?

9:44 PM me: Can it be arranged to take in Manila at some point?

williamjohn.shields: oh

maybe!

I should look into that

me: I will put it in the box

9:45 PM Not a problem, there is room.

Anything else?

9:46 PM williamjohn.shields: no I don’t think so

9:47 PM me: It is almost definite that Mom is going to get a big promotion.

9:48 PM williamjohn.shields: that’s wonderful!

to what?

me: Everything about title et al is tied up in University politics but the promotion will happen.

9:49 PM williamjohn.shields: right

me: In theory Assistant Budget Director Associate Budget Director and slight chance Budget Director

williamjohn.shields: wow

that’s really great

obviously she deserves it

9:50 PM me: Yes, it is. She has deserved it for a long time.

williamjohn.shields: but I’m glad it's finally happening

9:51 PM me: Tell me about your trip, that is what you have not said before.

williamjohn.shields: romblon is beautiful

9:53 PM me: She has been concerned about added stress when it was discussed in past but she really won't be under any more than she has for years - she has been doing the job for a long time - just not given the credit

williamjohn.shields: right

that’s great

me: What did you do?

williamjohn.shields: kind of just hung out!

ate a lot

went to the beach

there's a beautiful old Spanish church in town

me: Had fun with friends?

williamjohn.shields: this was on the island of romblon

on the island of Tablas I visited my friend's site

9:54 PM me: I'll look it up

williamjohn.shields: the next day we took a 4 am jeep three hours to the port

where we took a boat to romblon

me: Hear about earthquake in Christ Church today?

9:55 PM williamjohn.shields: no

bad?

me: Sound great. I look forward to photos.

williamjohn.shields: I will post them soon

9:56 PM do you and mom have any idea when you might come here?

me: Unfortunately yes, close to surface, early report 65 dead, Cathedral down and many other buildings

9:57 PM williamjohn.shields: that's horrible

e

9:58 PM anyone you know hurt?

9:59 PM me: BRB

10:00 PM Not that I know of

10:01 PM I'm back, Andrew had a question

williamjohn.shields: oh ok

do you guys know when you might come visit?

10:04 PM me: Oh, your question, I don't really know. I am try to IEF to let me use my IEF frequent flyer miles for Mom. It is still up in the air because one of the people that has to be consulted on the unusal request wife had a bad stroke and is only in office a couple hours a week

10:06 PM I can go when I chose, it will be part of a China trip to Shanghai and Shenyang. I'd probably have to go to Paris as part of travel. It would be a spectacular trip for her.

10:07 PM williamjohn.shields: no kidding!

I’m just trying to think about the things to do with you guys

think about what kind of thing you want to do

me: She is thinking of just making the Philippine leg of the trip due to time.

williamjohn.shields: oh!

too bad

10:08 PM me: Be with you!

Explore

williamjohn.shields: naturally

but you don’t want to come all the way over here just to go to Narra

we don’t even have to go to Palawan

me: I'll probably give a talk in Puerta Princesa.

williamjohn.shields: really??

10:09 PM me: Sure, easy to arrange

williamjohn.shields: that’s awesome

10:10 PM everyone who comes here goes to el nido

but that’s very far

me: Don't worry about agenda

williamjohn.shields: and I’m not sure how comfortable the journey would be

but I hear Honda bay is very close

me: Is that the underground river?

williamjohn.shields: or rather, it is very close

but I hear its nice

no, but that is only an hour from Puerto Princesa

and near Honda bay

we should plan on both

I haven’t been to either

10:11 PM me: Good, don't

williamjohn.shields: I haven’t been north of Puerto Princesa yet

10:12 PM me: Don't worry about our comfort, I'm use to it and Mom is no delicate flower.

williamjohn.shields: oh I know

me: Great to go some place new to both.

10:14 PM On a separate trip I will be going to Cambodia. One of the things I am thinking is that if IEF approves thus for Mom we can use our mile to have your join mew in Cambodia

10:15 PM williamjohn.shields: yes!

I would love that

me: But don't count on it. I was talking to Australia about their Philippine program when you called.

10:16 PM williamjohn.shields: yeah?

me: It is in Masbate

williamjohn.shields: oh

we're not allowed to go there

me: Maybe I'll end up there

10:17 PM Too far south?

williamjohn.shields: no

me: I'll be able to go

williamjohn.shields: its in the northern Visayas

but it has a history of political violence

me: Oh, well it will I'll still go

10:18 PM williamjohn.shields: that’s great though that you get to go

me: That remains to be seen

10:20 PM But the location is not a problem, I have contacts there

10:21 PM williamjohn.shields: awesome

well i’m looking forward to you guys coming

10:22 PM me: Me too as I said we miss you

Regardless I will be coming

williamjohn.shields: still maybe in the summer?

10:23 PM me: Yes, that's the plan. I have to go to Argentina in early June

10:24 PM williamjohn.shields: oh that’s great

I've always wanted to go to Argentina

me: I'm getting far behind in travel, Ghana is also

Also in the offing

williamjohn.shields: wow

that’s great

10:25 PM me: And Eritrea

10:26 PM Problem is time, the program is so busy planning on hiring 2 maybe 3 people in next couple of months.

williamjohn.shields: where are you going to put them all?

10:27 PM me: Good question, I think we'll turn Board room into offices

10:28 PM I re opened the warehouse; I hired Dan Hutchinson from across the street to run it.

williamjohn.shields: oh awesome

10:29 PM me: The first floor is all boxes, but I'm bring in so much money they can't say anything

10:30 PM williamjohn.shields: Hahira

making yourself indispensable

me: They are talking about making me Vice President IEF

10:31 PM Not indispensible, but they would lose hundreds of thousands if I left.

10:32 PM I personally just want to be left alone, which is pretty much the case.

10:34 PM williamjohn.shields: yeah

well

time to ride home for lunch

good talking to you

10:35 PM love you

10:36 PM me: Ok, always a pleasure, talk to you soon. Sign up for Flickr I want to show you some things that you can't see without logging on.

Love you

Everything Under the Sun

February 2, 2011

9:08 PM me: Hi William

williamjohn.shields: hey dad

9:10 PM me: Happy groundhog day! Mom and Andrew are making me watch the movie of the same name

williamjohn.shields: hahaha

i havent seen that movie in forever

9:12 PM me: It's apparently become another "Field of Dreams" in the Shields house

williamjohn.shields: moonstruck?

9:13 PM i've been watching, though im not done with it

the social network

have you seen that?

me: West Side Story

9:14 PM No but Ying was telling me about it tonight

williamjohn.shields: i think you'd like it

Aaron Sorkin wrote it

me: What do you think about it?

williamjohn.shields: its really good

really well shot

and well written

9:15 PM it just looks really great though, the colors that David Fincher uses

and the actor who plays Mark Zuckerberg is good

me: She said it was good, but mostly because of the history of Facebook

williamjohn.shields: yeah

i don’t know

9:16 PM i mean, apparently there’s fabrications

that they openly admit

9:17 PM me: Isn't that the same guy that was in Juno or was it the actor the played O'Neill in the Hanson movie?

9:18 PM williamjohn.shields: Hanson?

no, its not Michael Cera from Juno

did you see the squid and the whale?

with Laura Linney and Jeff Daniels?

me: No but hear of it

williamjohn.shields: oh, Eric O’Neill. no, not him either

9:19 PM me: Oh well, I did recognize him from the trailers

9:20 PM How's the weather cyclone in Australia affecting you?

9:21 PM williamjohn.shields: it has rained in a while here

which is nice

*hasn't

9:22 PM me: Good to hear it nice, anything else new?

williamjohn.shields: not really

yesterday was one of the toughest days here

for no real reason

it just was

9:25 PM it's actually just been a rough week

9:26 PM me: Understand, how's things 0with the family?

williamjohn.shields: things are ok

their dad has some diabetic episode going on

his foot is bandaged

but i think he's getting better

9:27 PM me: Give him our best wishes

williamjohn.shields: i will

9:28 PM im thinking about running a half marathon next January in Cebu city

9:29 PM there's a massive bee hive twenty feet above our backyard

so there's a bunch of bees in our nice at night and before dawn

me: Mom here sweetie. What was rough about today?

williamjohn.shields: this week

i don’t know

just feel kind of lost

with my job

9:30 PM me: Does it feel overwhelming? Or directionless?

9:31 PM williamjohn.shields: both

my schedule was set up by the now former principal

and it almost seems that it was set up to make it hard for everyone

beneficial for no one

and extremely inefficient

she paired me with the worst teacher here

and two other

teachers

one of which is great

9:32 PM the other of which is a good teacher, or at least ok, but not easy to work with

this is echoed by some of the good teachers that I’m friends with

i have also become convinced during the past three months that teacher tenure should be eliminated

me: Why don't we all help u with the library project? Already have a box from carol

It might help to have a project outside of the classroom?

9:33 PM williamjohn.shields: maybe

but i havent even been focusing on that

im too exhausted

and im stuck with figuring out ways to pay for shipping

i don’t want you guys to ship everything

way too expensive

9:34 PM me: I agree in principle but the only thing I worry about are the principals. Was that a joke?

williamjohn.shields: not at all

i agree, there should be protections

but bosses can unfairly fire their employees in any profession

9:35 PM me: Don't worry about that part. Did u get me email with the mcps info?

williamjohn.shields: its just

this teacher, they cant fire him

its absurd

no, i am worried about that part

i want to make this work on a larger scale

9:36 PM and i don’t want people to start donating books only to find out that i cant ship them

me: We can fundraise for that or send it book rate

Just think about the kinds of books

9:37 PM williamjohn.shields: you're right

ok

I’ll draft something on Saturday

me: W

The shipping will work out

9:38 PM Dad was going to ask Scott about military ship

Shipping

Shipping

9:39 PM williamjohn.shields: thank you

im thinking about running a half marathon

me: Sorry, it's been an insane I haven't had a chance yet but haven't forgotten

9:40 PM That's great

williamjohn.shields: no, don’t apologize

what's new with you?

9:41 PM me: Everything is on overdrive

9:43 PM I'm now thinking of hiring 2 or3 new people

williamjohn.shields: wow!

where are you going to put them?

me: Just started up a warehouse again

9:44 PM Good question probably eliminate the Board room

9:46 PM How's the planning for the trip going?

williamjohn.shields: done

bought all the tickets

im taking a ten hour long boat ride back though

because flights onto the island are only like three times a week

9:47 PM the island I’m visiting that is

me: Mom back. When do u go?

williamjohn.shields: Wednesday, the 16th

two weeks

9:48 PM me: Hey same day I go to NJ (

williamjohn.shields: oh nice!

you'll stay for the weekend

?

me: For Jeannie’s cataract surgery

9:49 PM Not as exotic

williamjohn.shields: oh no

she has cataracts??

me: Yes ill stay and help

Yeah result of the drugs

9:50 PM williamjohn.shields: oh no

me: She's looking forward to seeing again

9:51 PM Rosie will be having her last chemo on the 10th and the next week is a killer

She's been thru hell

9:52 PM williamjohn.shields: Jesus

me: Plus they have had SO much snow

9:53 PM They're doing well together though

9:54 PM How long will u be away? It will be good to travel to a new place

9:55 PM williamjohn.shields: Wednesday until Monday

9:56 PM me: Will it be fun?

9 minutes

10:05 PM williamjohn.shields: sorry

a teacher came in to talk

yes

im very excited

im visiting the person im probably closest to here

and some other good people as well

10:06 PM me: A long boat ride sounds great

Great. I think that re -connection will be an ongoing thing

10:08 PM williamjohn.shields: is Andrew there?

me: Upstairs to take a shower. Opening tomorrow

10:09 PM Did I tell u that alexia made me a gorgeous cake for my birthday?

10:11 PM williamjohn.shields: hey sorry

got kicked off

did you say anything?

10:12 PM me: To much. Andrew is upstairs. Want to talk to him?

10:13 PM williamjohn.shields: that's ok

or actually

yes

please

me: Ok be right back

10:15 PM Hey what's up do u want me to just sign on Facebook

williamjohn.shields: sure

me: Ok

10:19 PM TTYL sweetie. Luv u