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Last Visit 2021-12-07 08:02:03 |Start Date 2005-05-26 16:50:55 |Comments 1,827 |Entries 526 |Images 1,337 |Videos 8 |Theme |

Category: travels

07/18/07 08:01 - 66ºF - ID#40152

i made it!

So here I am in Doha, Qatar. Transit time: 26 hours. I flew Buffalo to Boston to Londond to Bahrain to Doha. The best part is 2 of my 3 pieces of luggage made it with me! I had to laugh though because neither of them really had my clothes in it. I packed so fast and chaotically I had no idea what would be. Perfume, books, a few shoes, a blanket, tea lights/oil holder/burning oils....no matches :P

No matter, I'm hooked up to the net now and my 3rd bag should arrive at some point. My apartment is nice and not the gross grey/blue one I was shown during my interview! I'm pretty exhausted so I'm hoping they will let us get out of here for today so I can go take a nap.

Oh, and it's so hot that you don't have to use hot water to take a shower. The sun warms the water in the pipes! Yowza. More later, with pictures and such.

Thank you for all the well wishes!

local time: 3pm
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Permalink: i_made_it_.html
Words: 178
Location: Niagara Falls, NY


Category: potpourri

07/14/07 03:21 - 77ºF - ID#40105

until we meet again

Um, yah so I just got a call from my future boss. I have to leave MONDAY!!!! Holy crap. I'm not done packing. I'm not done taking things and putting them into storage. I think I'm going to vomit. Some how they processed my visa on the contingency that my police clearance will be OK. So kids, I guess this is ciao time. Until we meet again.
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Permalink: until_we_meet_again.html
Words: 67
Location: Niagara Falls, NY


Category: potpourri

07/13/07 05:36 - 72ºF - ID#40098

a lesson from Luna Lovegood

I'm moving half way around the world. I have to fit my life into 2 duffel bags and a backpack. There are people I really want to say good-bye to. However I have to acknowledge the fact they obviously don't care to say good-bye to me as they have ignored me for the last 6 weeks. That makes me sad.

I'm only half way through my authentication process on both my diploma and fingerprint report. I'm not supposed to be able to get my visa without the finished document with the stamps from Qatar. Yet, the woman from HR sent me an e-mail today with an attachment titled 'permanent visa'. The note read: "Your department has made living and travel arrangements on your behalf. I trust you have your itinerary."

I feel nauseous. I hope they don't expect me to fly out on Monday! I'm not ready. I thought I'd been rescheduled because of my delay in paperwork. How do I pack my life away in 2 days. Say good-bye? I just don't care anymore. There are few people that even seem interested in the fact I'm leaving and cared to spend any time with me before I go. (thanks for the kind letter (e:metalpeter)).

I've had more friendships break up. I'm beyond caring about it. I'm weird, I'm quirky, I'm sensitive, I'm goofy, I'm clever, I'm blunt, I'm giving and just sometimes I talk bad about people that piss me off. Like it or don't. I don't need to try to convince anyone that I'm worth spending time with. Life moves at a fast pace and if the current takes you away from each other that's just the way shit's creek works ain't it?

You don't have to tell me things will be good when I get where I'm going. I know they will. It doesn't make it hurt any less to know people you cared about can walk away from you without so much as a 'bye' uttered from their lips. Again, just the way shit's creek flows and I just lost my oar. Gotta go with the current or you'll drown flighting it.
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Permalink: a_lesson_from_Luna_Lovegood.html
Words: 354
Location: Niagara Falls, NY


Category: potpourri

07/05/07 03:55 - 78ºF - ID#39927

back from houston

Just drove in this afternoon. I can't take anymore screaming babies for a few days. Gonna head back to my pad in b-lo, crawl into my bed and either pass out or play video games. I need my alone time. I can't wait to sleep in MY bed, alone. Lots to do tomorrow. I'll talk about my travels soon. Ciao.
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Permalink: back_from_houston.html
Words: 60
Location: Niagara Falls, NY


Category: potpourri

06/30/07 02:13 - 72ºF - ID#39865

golf

I admit it. I was bested in Wii Golf last night by (e:joshua).
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Permalink: golf.html
Words: 14
Location: Niagara Falls, NY


Category: potpourri

06/29/07 02:23 - 71ºF - ID#39846

oy, this visa

Yesterday I had my appointment to take care of all my medical testing. Bill: $279. I got my physical, vision tests, chest x-ray, urinalysis, shots and blood work done. Pisser of it was I had to fast for one of the blood tests. By the time they got around to sucking out 5 vials of blood I hadn't eaten in 16 hours.

I didn't just have a little 'faint'. I checked out of that hotel for a good 2 minutes! The last thing I remember is telling the nurse, "I'm starting to feel dizzy", then I slumped over in the chair. When I came to she was holding me upright by my forehead with an icepack. I was soaking wet with sweat. I couldn't see or hear anything.

Slowly I could begin to make out sounds and a silhouette. Apparently they were trying to get me to take a cup of orange juice but I couldn't see it and I was so weak I could hardly lift my arm. They wheeled me into a room and put me on a bed. 15 minutes later I finally had enough colour in my face so they let me sit up. It was fun and all but I felt like I was on drugs the rest of the day.

Today I had to tackle the fingerprinting. I finally got my card from Albany. Dropped $15 for some guy to ink me downtown and another $50 to send it back to Albany.

Then I went to the Registrar's office at Canisius to work on my diploma authentication. I thought I had to get a certified copy of the original, like everyone else, but noooooo. New York State requires the actual diploma, so now it's going to get all messed up with signatures and stamps. They want $30 for a replacement copy for myself.

I dropped another $3 for the county clerk's signature, $10 for the State to verify the county clerk is for real and another $7 for US to verify the State is for real. This will probably take 3 weeks with the use of Fed Ex overnight super expensive service.

Hey, at least I made some progress before I head out of town! I fly to Houston tomorrow so I can say good-bye to my thousand relatives and help my mom drive her 'new' car home. Which is ironic because she doesn't drive really.
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Permalink: oy_this_visa.html
Words: 390
Location: Niagara Falls, NY


Category: potpourri

06/27/07 03:49 - 86ºF - ID#39829

i been thinkin about my doorbell

when you gonna ring it, when you gonna ring it?

theecarey messaged me with this and it reminded me i didn't mention the funnies of sunday afternoon.

someone came in through our outer front door and stole the doorknobs off our front doors. for serious. they were the fancy ornate ones like pmt have on their door, traditional old buffalo home knobs. yep, walked right in and yanked them bitches off the door.

i wonder if it's the same pecker heads that stole my bike.
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Permalink: i_been_thinkin_about_my_doorbell.html
Words: 85
Location: Niagara Falls, NY


Category: potpourri

06/27/07 02:18 - 85ºF - ID#39827

my process

I finally have one thing going smoothly. After about 20 phone calls to various clinics and doctor's offices I found a place that can do all of the tests required for my visa. I'll have that all done tomorrow. Bonus: it's going to be much, much cheaper than I anticipated.

I'm still waiting on my fingerprinting card from Albany.

I just found out I also have to authenticate my diploma with the same lengthy process as the fingerprint card.

Let me hear you say, oh shit!

My leave date is not going to happen July 16.




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Permalink: my_process.html
Words: 94
Location: Niagara Falls, NY


Category: america fuck yeah

06/24/07 12:15 - 74ºF - ID#39792

fingerprinting

It seems Buffalo's fingerprinting department is a one man show. He was on vaca forever. Then he yelled at me saying, "You're just trying to make things difficult for me aren't you" when I told him I do not have my own card.

Silly me to assume a fingerprinting office has the actual cards you get fingerprinted on. No, I have to call Albany to have them mail me a card because my employer from the middle east did not supply me with a NYS identification recorder. True story.

I'm so far behind in the process now I probably won't make my leave date of July 16.
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Permalink: fingerprinting.html
Words: 106
Location: Niagara Falls, NY


Category: dream

06/20/07 05:05 - 72ºF - ID#39742

shades of aqua

I had such a beautiful dream last night. I was walking through a lovely forest full of redwoods and giant ferns. The sun was beaming strands of brilliant light to the forest floor. I could hear a few insects, a few birds, but I knew I was alone. I came upon a small hot spring. The surface sparkled in shades of aqua. I removed my clothes and slipped in. I drifted in the floating abyss. I was overcome with peace and happiness. I wanted to stay there forever.
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Permalink: shades_of_aqua.html
Words: 88
Location: Niagara Falls, NY


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