How I Became Wealthy

I am the wealthiest man on earth. My riches appeared quickly, and seemingly out of nowhere, but mine is not a get-rich-quick story. No, there was a lot of work for many years. But when the wealth finally came, it came all at once, while I was sitting in an armored vehicle on Faisal Avenue. I was thinking about the stoics.

Seneca carefully accounted for all his possessions each night. He would then make plans to throw them away and acquire them again through his efforts. In the morning he would decide to keep his things and subsequently feel immensely wealthy.

If I lost my job today, what would I have to do? OK, I have a plan for that. If the stock market crashed, what would I do? I have a plan for that. If I die tomorrow, have I done what I need to do? Hmm, looks like I'll be busy today.

Seneca prompted these exercises, and they have been fruitful. But when I discounted all my assets, that's when I became truly wealthy. I then perceived more clearly the value of what remained.

I have Madeline and her relentless creativity. I have Caleb and his boundless curiosity. I have Henry and his fearless adventures. I have Katherine and her tireless determination.

Can I ever be other than rich with such a team?

"Turn pain into information, fear into prudence, mistakes into initiation, and desire into undertaking."

Three Months

Just over three months to go. It is beginning to feel as though this year might actually end.

"Mom, was that the last time we have to say goodbye to dad?" Caleb reportedly asked Katie a few days ago.

She replied in the affirmative.

"Can we make him a welcome home sign?"

I miss you too, buddy. Three months to Disney World, which will truly be the happiest place on earth.

A Tribute

I just listened to a podcast with this quote about/tribute to Steve Jobs (paraphrased because I am writing from memory):

"Steve Jobs was the last true artisan. He made computers that were beautiful on the inside even though no one ever opens their computer. He did it because he wanted to deliver authenticity."

I like that idea: deliver authenticity.

And I will take it one step further: Quality is love. When we love others, we strive for quality in all that we do. Especially the parts no one sees.

It's Funny the Things I'm Sad About

When contemplated, the foreign service life is a grand adventure. When chosen and approaching relentlessly, it can be unnerving.

Over the past year, Madeline has mentioned several times that her friends will go to such-and-such middle school and such-and-such high school. She wonders where she will go to high school.

I grew up a few blocks from my high school. I would sit on the front porch and listen to the crowd roar at the football games. I looked forward to being an Idaho Falls Tiger. Years before I became one, it was already a deep part of my identity.

It makes me sad that my children won't have that. I suppose they'll have something else. Even so.

Guacamole

A little Christmas surprise

How Many In Your Party

When browsing for hotel rooms, you know how they ask you how many adults and how many children?

I thought this was to help you find the right room. Foolish me. This is actually to discourage large families (and by large, I mean small compared to 30 years ago--three is the new six) from coming to their hotel.

Put in more than two children and the website says they have no rooms for a party that size. Read the "room details" section and they usually limit the party to three or four per room maximum. This is especially true in Europe where they hate children.

As a soon-to-be world traveler with two-plus children, I can:

A) Ignore the hotels' signal that they will not accommodate my family. I have done this before for a night here or there, but for a week long vacation, do I really want to stay somewhere that is clearly telling me they would rather I go somewhere else? Nope.

B) Reserve two rooms. Um, expensive, plus I'm kind of ticked off that they hate children in the first place, so why do I want to give them my business?

C) Vacation rentals. Some have raved but I have a branding problem. Specifically, "Alkilis745" offering a two-bedroom in Athens is not a brand I trust. Supposedly vetted by Tripadvisor, but only one review, probably from Mr. Alkilis745, if that's really his name.

D) Here you go: Disney Vacation Club. That's right. I'm the sucker who wants to buy into Disney's timeshare program. Disney is a brand I trust. Disney loves kids! Plus Casey from the sales DVD is so peppy.

The Curious Spectacle of a Dying Bird

My desk is by the window. Outside the window is a very large tree. I looked out to see many passers by stopping and staring up at the tree. I could not see anything noteworthy in tree from my vantage point.

Over the next several hours, the crowd grew, perhaps to 30 at it largest. Construction staff (of which there are many buzzing around) were tugging on ropes draped over high branches.

The nearest branch from which one might attempt to climb the rest of the tree is about 30 feet off the ground. A ladder was brought in, but attempts to scale it were aborted for the uneven ground. Pointing. Discussing. Embassy construction managers and engineers huddled. A second ladder, and lashing. Alas, the same result.

Then a forty foot pole, from whence I cannot even guess, arrived and was employed by a team of three, one holding the pole, two balancing him. And the tree was jabbed. The pole pushed branches aside and at last, about three hours into the ordeal as I peaked up periodically from my work, I saw the object of interest, a large hawk, tangled in a rope winding through the tree for who knows what reason.

By hour four, the bird was out of the tree, dead.

I can't put my finger on why, but I found it reassuring that scores of workers would leave their posts for hours to pursue the rescue of an almost certainly doomed bird.

Getting Out Update

Departure moved up three weeks to May 15. Only three weeks, but somehow it feels so much better. Five months to Disney World.

I Gotta Get Out of This Place

The last few nights at home, Henry woke up yelling for daddy to stay. Maddie repeated that her heart hurt and she couldn't make it stop.

So we decided to get me out of here sooner. My tour was set to end in early May. We were committed to having the kids stay in school in Arlington until the end of the school year, an incredibly late June 22. Then we wanted to spend a little time in Idaho. So we set an Egypt start date of early July.

Unfortunately, I don't have enough leave to get from early May to July. So we extended my tour by a month. Now we have given up on the kids finishing school in Arlington and I am trying to move my Egypt date up a month and get out of here as originally scheduled. Some wheels have already been put in motion, however, around the July date. So wish me luck in turning the heavy gears of bureaucracy.

Vacation Review

Caleb's Kindergarten holiday party. After breakfast, it was reading time. Caleb chose all Hanukkah books.

Dance rehearsal

Henry pretending to eat at the Etz Hayim Hanukkah party

Maddie as angel

Caleb and Henry as shepherds

Among other things, Santa brought suit cases, Camelbaks, and headlamps for the soon-to-be world travelers

Displaying newly pierced ears

Wizards vs Celtics (we all wore green)

One week home (Merry Christmas)

First, Merry Christmas.

But before I get to all the Christmas morning photos, videos, and gift summaries, a little recap of my week home.

It is a psychologically messed up thing to come home after so long away. For one thing, I was the only one on vacation for the first five days. Katie was working and the kids were in school, so I was mostly in the way.

Which gets sort of to the heart of the funny psychology going on. Everyone is happy I'm home, but everyone has defense mechanisms and rhythms to deal with my absence. Upon becoming not absent, I mess up those mechanisms and rhythms, everyone becomes confused and frustrated, sort of wishes I weren't here, feels guilty for having such feelings, and everything just gets, well, weird.

Not to mention I have become quite accustomed to not having anyone ask where I'm going or what I'm doing. So this sudden barrage of inquiries is disorienting.

Katie, for her part, especially enjoys the parenting and house keeping tips I have picked up by not doing any parenting or house keeping for eight months. She says something like, "Wow, thanks. I never thought of that." Then she hands me a diaper and wipes and goes in the bedroom (which is now hers, not ours) for an hour. Kind of a mixed signal if you ask me. Is she really thanking me for my wonderful insights about her parenting?

I can't read minds you know.