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A Day In the Life

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(Now you know how many holes it takes to fill James Albert's head.) What have I been doing the last few days?  Settling in.  And finding peace in the Mr. Roger's lifestyle. The last few days have been filled with shopping (beyond linens): floor mats for the bathrooms, drink mixes, drinking glasses, proper laundry and dish soaps, toilet paper, paper towels.  Today we added scissors and other little things.  I keep freaking out when I see the totals.  RM150 'feels' like $150 for a moment until you realize you just bought a whole hell of a lot for $40.  RM1500 for 4 sets of sheets (fitted, duvet cover, pillow cases, bolster covers - I might actually buy bolster!)  and 2 wonderful (tencel filled, in part) duvets is actually pretty damn good. The discounts and grocery stores here are wild.  Their organization structures leave me bewildered. Body wash next to dishwasher soap?  Take your local "dollar store" broaden the product lines by a factored o...
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Feeling better.

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Home Slept in my proper room with the king-sized bed.  After buying new linens.  I've spent too much on those by a factor of 2, but... And, somehow the cut of the duvet and cover are not proper.  I checked that they are the same marked size, but it bunches funny.  So what, I'm asleep when it happens.  Tencel material, a big ass A/C unit in the MB (1 of 5: 3 bdr, 2 in the common area; each sized nicely), and quiet mean I've found my resting spot for a while. Woke after 0700 today.  I'm happy with that.  My days will be diurnal; my activities crepuscular.  1000-1500 is very hot.  Especially at street level.  In the Pullman The lounge on the 24th floor was wonderful.  Here the pool on the 5th serves me well.  Open air, great wifi, no direct sun at this time of year, grills if I ever wish to BBQ (clearly labels as Halal and Non-Halal; #respect matters here.)    Breeze is a bit lacking at the moment as I just "looked" for ...
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Bushed.

 No real entry tonight.  Breakfast.  More sheets. Laundry.  And utterly exhausted. Was up at 0700.  Completely zonked at 1700. Goodnight, j
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Quick Recap of a Looooooong Few Days.

 Best I recall, Senator, the time has gone by thusly... 8 hour layover in KL.  Arrived there Wednesday.  Flew to Miri, arrived at hotel tat  0100, technically Thursday.  Slept a bit.  Breakfast at the hotel. Wandered around town a bit.  Dragged the 32Kg monstrosity of stuff to the new place. By 1400 was dead on my feet.  Nap time, alarm set for 1700.  At 1700 I aggressively told the alarm off.  Slept until midnight.  Peed, drank.  Slept to 0300.  Peed, drank.  Slept until 0500 and decided it was time to see a sunrise in Miri.  15 hours.  Still not enough (there never is.) Walked to breakfast - roti cenai!  Yummy. Walked back to the hotel.  Grabbed the normal suitcase and headed to the apartment.  Realized if I'm gonna sleep here then linens would be nice.  Made a list and set out to Bintang ("Star") Megamall.  Got drenched as a sprinkle turned into a light downpour on the walk. ...
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Long Layover Kecap, While Exhausted

OK, I'm starting an 8 hour lay over in KLIA.  Hello my old friend, Golden Lounge.   I'm starting with an Americano as I need caffeine. How is that possible?  Best guess, jet leg is unavoidable.  I slept across the Pacific.  I woke up near dawn.  I'm in the same time zone having travelled only southward since HKG.  But once I got on the MH flight the energy buzz deflated.  But I couldn't sleep.  Eye mask, check.  Ear buds, tried 'em.  Headphones, tried 'em.  No sleep for the weary. So, expect this to be segueless, digressive, and babble like a damn brook. So, how did we get here? I got home and told my landlord I'd be ending the lease 6/1 and out 5/11. I lolligagged until 5/5 or so and then began to bring all of my AuDHD (Autism "implies" ADHD in the words of my diagnosed.  It does.)  Oversetting goals too.   KY Derby weekend my Sister-In-Law and niece came down to help get me started.  The pair of ...
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it's Happening!

Drafted while taxiing from HKIA terminal to runway.  15 hours SFO to HKG.  I slept 12.5 hours!  I took an ambien once we cleared 10,000' as the galley prep for dinner began.  I heard the service but was half asleep.  12.5 hours later, a polite tap and "Sir, you slept through dinner, please have breakfast."  Sure! 3 hours in HKIA with Dan Dan Noodles, natch.  A shower and... $150 for an upgrade to biz. That's the exact same amount as the excess bag fees were to KL.  (And they might be a problem there to Miiri...) Waiting for the gate to open I thanked the MH crew, telling them they have the best service in the skys.  The soft product is crazy great.  Always smiling, always polite, always informative. They were excited to hear of an American moving to Malaysia.  On of the FAs lives in Miri... Her team told me she's single.  I said she's gotta chose me not the other way and I'm to old for her (30ish).  They pushed. I smiled...
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Almost Home

 SFO The last few times I've returned from Asia I have made the 200 mile drive final stage the same day as landing.  Even in daytime is was a bit wobbly. So, the smart play is to just stay here overnight. Bro will pick me up tomorrow and I'll lollygag home at that point. Long trip but I slept most of KUL-HKG and HKG-SFO. Two servings of Dad Dan noodles in HKIA made me smile. An Ambien on the plane was a good investment. Return stress (spending $5 on a bottle of apple juice!!!) has me emotionally exhausted - bed time.
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Last Day...Stress

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Last full day with an early departure tomorrow.  Yes, I took a valium.  Nightmares of western life, literally, last night had me jittery as hell this morning. I have decided that "Stumpy" is a lousy name.  The stick in the mud is my pal.  And in Spanish a stick is a Palo.  So, reading books written in the 60's leads me to label it Pal-o.  Hey, Pal-o, let's go rob a bank... It's there, just a bit overwhelmed.  But the ripples are reassuring. I can relate. What else...? I'd like to report on the amazing lightning show last night.  But the windows were fogged (20C inside, 25C outside with 100% rH.  Bright, sudden, and very diffuse light.  I pulled the blackout curtains closed. Last really breakfast had to be at auntie's tin hut: So good, of course.  $1.25 So, some more random shots. Merbull? Bullshark! Seen around town. Future home 2nd "Tower" from right.   "10th" floor but floor counting is weird here {Ground, 1, 2, 3, 3a,.....
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Stormy Weather

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Drank caffeine in the PM thinking I'd stay awake to watch F1 at 2300.  Nope. It turned very stormy as the sunset.  Very unusual sense to it.  So, I had to click... I've decided on "Stubby" (for tonight).  I'm really happy with this one. It captured the moment of reflection I hoped for. Why can I not find a version of Stormy Weather by Ricki Lee Jones.  I'm sure she covered it.  "Autumn Leaves" is not the right mood or title, tonight.
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Hard Work (No, Not Mine.)

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A pilot is generally required (by law) to bring a ship in or out of port.  Everywhere.  Miri is no exception.  Miri has a small river mouth, shifty winds, a tight channel, and some seriously difficult turns for the big girls.  Be they long or tall, they're gonna need help getting to and from a berth. Yesterday, it was a barge.  Today it was a working ship - some type of platform for laying cable or providing surface support for underwater work.  She has massive freeboard up front.  That means the wind will push her bow hard.  So, like the barge, she needs tugs to assist.  The Cassandra VI is an Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessel The Master of the vessel is absolutely responsible for its safety.  The pilot gives directions but the Master retains the final say.  In this case, it's not just comms between the Master and the pilot.  2 Tug captains - not even on the vessel - need to be in the loop. 4 skilled mariners to move a single...
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