As Bushie's World Turns (The Update Thread)

[patrick1]

I will also need crisp, fresh dollar bills (2006 or newer) as they have a better exchange rate.

oh my god...

No, that is good policy and it really has nothing to do with exchange rates.  I had to pay about $130 bucks for my entry Visa into Chile. If the bill had the slightest imperfection, they kicked it back to you. I had about 300 bucks in my pocket and barely had enough acceptable cash.  Many money exchanges would work on the same principal and only accept newer, clean bills.  They are a bit scared of accepting phoney money. 

[patrick1]

That $2000 would be better spent on an engagement ring.  Oh and God has a magic money tree that will finance your trip and protect your job too!

Pat, stop being a d!ck. Despite our general assholery as a group, ok has managed to pick himself off the canvas after many setbacks. It does trouble me that he is even bringing up the issue of job security for a week vacation, but we shouldnt throw up past mistakes in his face.

[patrick1]

BUMP...

There is a Kenya update that i forgot about when I updated Wednesday Night.  This is also a work update combined into one.

One of my coworkers is considering my offer of a schedule swap with me effective Saturday, December 31, 2011, taking my 4/10 schedule (6:00-17:00 Saturday-Tuesday) and me taking his 9:45-18:45 M-F schedule.

What this schedule would do for me is two-fold.  (1) It would give me my Sundays back and allow me to worship at church every week like I long to do.  (2) It would also allow me to take fewer hours of leave when I go to Kenya.  The trip is Friday, March 16 - Sunday, March 25, 2012.  Under my current schedule, I would have to take minimum 60 hours, probably 70 hours because of jet lag recovery on Monday, March 26, 2012.  By switching to a regular Monday-Friday work week, I would only have to take minimum 48 hours possibly 56 hours with the same jet lag recovery.  That would give me more leave for the remainder of 2012, especially if I encounter icy roads in January, February, March or December.

Haha, the update is back baby.  Honestly though, you CANNOT miss work for some snow my man and no motel stays either.   Good luck in the planning of your trip. 

[patrick1]

I wouldn't  expect nor ask for a motel stay, Bushie.  I also wouldn't express any trepidation about driving in the weather to your co-workers or bosses.  It is a phobia that is best expressed to the forum if at all.  

From my experience, any weakness is typically used against you in the workplace. So I wouldnt even use a jet lag rest day excuse for that additional day- just say you are getting back that day.

[patrick1]

I wouldn't  expect nor ask for a motel stay, Bushie.  I also wouldn't express any trepidation about driving in the weather to your co-workers or bosses.  It is a phobia that is best expressed to the forum if at all. 

From my experience, any weakness is typically used against you in the workplace. So I wouldnt even use a jet lag rest day excuse for that additional day- just say you are getting back that day.

I definitely don't mention either scenario around the workplace.  I'm trying my darndest to get on permanent in January, and I'm not going to let anything ruin it.  January happens to be my supervisor's projection of when to get me on permanent.  I don't know if that's early January, mid January, or late January.

Cool man and good luck.  What are your rules for asking time off?  I personally wouldnt ask for the time off until you have to and you have a permanent role.

[patrick1]

If there is a motel stay to be had, it will be because my employer would put me up there so I can be closer to work.

Do employers really do that? It seems like it would cost more than whatever they gain from your working that day.

Maybe if you are a baller on Wall Street and there is a blackout, blizzard or something. No motel sixes for that crowd though.

[patrick1]

I went up to the church office and talked to the trip organizer this morning for about 5 minutes and put down $300.  I also applied for my passport in Downtown Oklahoma City.

I now have $1200 left to put in toward my airfare within the next 5 1/2 weeks by Saturday, January 7, 2012.

Do you live far from the passport office?  Why go out of your way to apply for something you can do through the mail?  I had to go in person once but my flight was in two days.

Am I misunderstanding you or are you really paying for this trip in cash.? Seems rather inconvenient/archaic.

[patrick1]

I was confused- I thought you went to like the US state departments passport office, but they dont even have a regional office in OKC.  I just recoiled because I remember waiting in a 4 hour line.   That is why I just print out my application and mail in my pics now.

Thanks for explaining.  I'm just so used to putting down a c.c. these days for everything.

Hopefully, the organizers can get you a good flight with a short layover.

[patrick1]

Lime Jello Salad

Please tell me that Snowguy's gelatin and mayonnaise recipes aren't contagious.

No, it has nothing in common except the gelatin.  She puts Lime Jello mixed with almonds mixed with just a little bit of grated cheddar cheese.  It is delicious!

Wow, that sounds repulsive. Although anything in Jello beside vodka makes me vaguely nauseous.  Is this a middle America thing?  I know Jello became popular by giving away free recipe books, but I thought that was like a 50's thing. Didnt really think anyone actually ate that stuff.

[patrick1]

Here is what my diet consisted of today:

2 Bowls Honey Nut Cheerios for breakfast
2 Ham Sandwiches for lunch
2 Hot Dogs for supper

I am already on track to lose even more weight by tomorrow morning.

That's a diet?

While it isnt a balanced or particularly healthy meal plan, I would peg it around 1800-1900 calories and below his metabolic rate.  I mean you could theoretically lose weight eating nothing but Big Macs but that doesnt mean you should.

Bushie, congrats a weight loss thus far.  Keep trying to mix in the exercise and throw in some greens/fruit now and again.

[patrick1]

This thread has taught me that I am really glad that I was never Buskok's boss. I know it is a part of your condition but people really hate being asked the same thing over and again.  Stretching back a few months ago with your scheduling and days off likely hurt you. 

[patrick1]

I've got one more day of work today before I leave for Africa.  Today, I will be getting my CAC card to get into the US Army systems.  I'll have to go to Tinker AFB to do so.  I'll also be maneuvering the systems.

Huh, so this is how Skynet will kill us all.

[patrick1]

bushie, im really not trying to be a smartass.  but *slow down*.   you were saying the *exact same things* with your last fiance.  you kept saying 'im going to take it slow.'  'it wont happen until xxxx at the earliest...'   and look what happened.

I completely understand where you are coming from Ray and that's something I am taking into consideration.  However, when God tells me something that is unmistakeably coming from Him, I cannot ignore it.

To the rest of you on this thread in the past couple pages, it really speaks to my heart that both believers and non-believers (like most of the forum) are being very supportive of this and I really do value all the constructive thoughts I have received.  I have not seen any negative thoughts, just "be absolutely sure" thoughts.  I really appreciate those.  That also confirms to me that my God is behind this because He is causing believers and non-believers alike to coalesce around this idea and get behind me.

Alright I'll bite and be a jerk....

You are very bad at interpreting the Atlas Forum reaction.  Perhaps you should dwell upon your interpretations of what God is telling you.   From a relief perspective, you are also lacking in qualifications to help the people of Kenya. What skills are you bringing to the table? Some misplaced guilt and a savior complex is not enough.

[patrick1]

Bushie, what would be the advantage of getting an MBA and then jetting off to Kenya?  Further, how would you pay back Uncle Sam on what I am assuming would be a meager Kenyan missionary type salary. 

[patrick1]

1. I still can't get over the fact that this guy's username is actually BushKenya. Love it.
2. If he actually ends up living in Kenya, I will literally eat a hat.

Just make sure the hat is culturally competent.

[patrick1]

The trivial is planned months in advance, the major decisions of one's life are done impulsively on the spur of the moment.

Spot on and a nice succinct summary of the thread(s).  Our friend Bushie tries to couch his leaps with a sense of order and planning but usually he just becomes impatient and plunges.

[patrick1]

Sorry to hear that Jeff. Good Luck with the new job.

[patrick1]

I will let you in on a little secret.  Jamespol and I have good, hearty laughs when we review the daily update thread.  We talk at least once or twice a week.  Yes, he still reads the forum through this thing called the Guest account and that no one can ban him from.

Can we all talk about this please?

Which part?

This seems an admission of trolling the forum for the amusement of a banned poster.  If this is the case Atlas should give him his walking papers too.

[patrick1]

I will let you in on a little secret.  Jamespol and I have good, hearty laughs when we review the daily update thread.  We talk at least once or twice a week.  Yes, he still reads the forum through this thing called the Guest account and that no one can ban him from.

Can we all talk about this please?

Which part?

This seems an admission of trolling the forum for the amusement of a banned poster.  If this is the case Atlas should give him his walking papers too.

No, we just discuss the happenings of the forum and we laugh about it on occasion.  Can we not talk about anything we want without people calling for my head because I am talking to one of the most hated people in the history of this forum?

What do you laugh about then, how you have ignored every good piece of advice anyone on this forum has ever given you?  That doesn't seem like something you should be laughing about.

[patrick1]

Bushie, sorry for mis-reading the nature of your yuks with jamespol then.  A lot of good people here have taken time out to try to help you along.

[patrick1]

Do you have some method of defending yourself against these when you go on your next trip to Kenya?:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/lions-unafraid-of-humans-are-preying-on-dogs-in-nairobis-suburbs/story-fnb64oi6-1226382544162

Wildlife don't normally make their way into the main cities on Nairobi and Kisumu.  When I go to Kenya, I will always stay in the main city and not venture out into the safari.  My goal is to have lunch, not be lunch!

You better hit up the treadmill there Bushie.   Lions tend to pick the low hanging fruit for lunch.  Your fellow Kenyans can run for days.

[patrick1]

Tomorrow morning, I am beginning the process of applying for free medical care.  I've mentioned this once, but I am 1/32nd Potawatomi Indian, only 5 generations removed from full blood.  I am Citizen Potawatomi Indian Card Carrier, which entitles me to free prescriptions, free medical care, free dental care, free major dental care, even free hospital visits, and heavily discounted vision care.  I was just enlightened to this eligibility yesterday from my Grandfather's cousin, who is, of course, 1/8 indian.  My mother, who is 1/16, is going with me to Shawnee tomorrow to fill out the application.  This cousin said they cannot deny us because we are a card carrying member of the Tribe, and have never turned anybody down who was a card carrying member.

That will save me a lot of money as I am without insurance until October 1 and without insurance my two major medications run me $3,000 a year.  Imagine, I will be able to save $3,000 a year on medication, plus free doctor visits and free dental care.  I just have to change doctors to the tribal doctors.  That's fine with me.

Snake it until you make it, I guess.

While I support Universal health care in the US as a goal, I don't think you should be taking up resources from people who are actually, you know, Native Americans. 1/32 what a joke.

[patrick1]

Let me see if I have this correct:

So you did not want to claim unemployment, something you actually paid into, because that would be mooching, but you show up for a few hours to a pow wow and you are entitled to free health care in perpetuity. 

I can't speak from direct experience but I know most of these tribes and those on reservations are pretty desperately poor and have a dearth of resources.  Some white guy with 3% and very distant ancestry  taking up resources doesn't seem right to me.

I'd be interested in BRTD take on this- didnt he live on a reservation as a youth?

[patrick1]

My condolences on the loss of your friend.

[patrick1]

My top BMI was around 28 by the way, and things were beginning to fall apart, but then I am an old. It is around 12 now. The fat is all gone.

You mean your BMI was 28 when you were supposed to be 'so fat and falling apart'?  28 isn't very high at all.

And 12 is dangerously underweight.

Yeah, I'd think he means a BMI of 22 or he is talking about body fat percentage.  A 12 BMI is General Wainwright territory- 6 feet around 87lbs.