The Mt. Maunganui Chess Club meets every Monday night at the RSA. This most recent Monday, I stopped in to give it a look. Betsy, the loyal partner (as she would be referred to here), came with me, book in tow. The current book, on a side note, is Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. Chess club was a breath of fresh air. The atmosphere was pleasant and mature, which isn't always a given where chess is being played. The competition was solid, which is always nice. In addition to these positive points, the RSA is walking distance from our house! Furthermore, the games being played were mostly without a clock, while a few were 25 minute games with a clock. I played three games, winning two. I had a fantastic time. I plan on being a regular at the club, while I probably won't bring along my buddy at future meeting. Reading for hours on end, while I play chess, isn't Betsy's first idea of how to spend an evening.
Good news, my back is feeling much better. I slept on the floor a couple of nights, applied Tiger Balm and "Deep Heat" pretty much nonstop, and slowed down a bit at work, giving my back a chance to heal. My efforts seem to have been successful. Work itself, on the other hand, is getting a bit monotonous. I can't say I'm too surprised. Washing dishes isn't quite as dynamic as teaching four math classes.
Betsy started her new job yesterday! I'm not going to spill the beans, but I will say we're both pleased with the circumstances of her employment. It close by and stress free, among other things. Stay tuned to her blog for more details.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Tiger Balm
I'm beaten, battered, and bruised. I'm on Team Sidetrack Cafe, and I am playing injured right now. I am a dish washing warrior. Really, I'm a dish washing victim. My upper back feels like I've been beaten with a baseball bat. It hurts. It really, really hurts. Two days ago I awoke in the morning to a pretty sore back. It seemed I had pulled a muscle just to the left and below my right shoulder blade. This occurs every four months or so, and isn't too remarkable generally. However, generally I'm not washing dishes for a living. I got a tip from a coworker that I should try a Chinese remedy called Tiger Balm. I found some after I got off work, and kept a steady supply of it on my back for the rest of that day, and the next. Then last night I awoke at 4:30 AM with a throbbing, tight ball of pain in the afflicted spot. It hurt a lot. Betsy had to rub the balm on for me, while I periodically moaned and grunted. I had get up at 7 AM for work, so I took two ibuprofen and went back to sleep.
Things weren't much better at 7 AM. Upon arriving at Sidetrack I told Marina that I wasn't sure I could make it through the day, but I would do my best. It was rough. My back hurt. A lot. The rigor of the work caused the pain intensify and spread to include the entire top one-third of my back. I felt like I'd been jumped by thugs whose attack focused on my upper back. At noon, after the major rush of the day, Marina told my I could go. Phew.
On the other hand, I do like my job. I have become friends with my coworkers, and generally don't mind going to work each day. I usually get up early, and at least one day this week caught a stunning sunrise over the ocean on my way in. Can't beat that. I have the mechanics of being a dish washer down. I know exactly what kind of plates, cups, cutlery, bowls, dishes, etc. can fit on each of the two types of dish racks. I know by heart how long the dish cycle is, and usually turn to retrieve the completed rack within a few seconds of its conclusion. My ears even seem to have tuned in to the sound of the dishwasher, so I usually notice the second it clicks off. I've even learned to plan ahead, calculating the best plan of attack based on the amount of space available to stack washed items, the demand for particular items at a given time (ie. how is our supply of brown cups?), which racks I have available, how much time is left in the current cycle, etc. I wouldn't say I've mastered it, but I'm damn good!
I made it to my weekend! I now have two consecutive days off. We also have some visitors headed our way, in the coming months. For those of you coming, we're very excited to see you!
More good news, Betsy got a new book. She picked up a virtually new copy of War and Peace at the Red Cross Thrift Store for $5. She's really excited to have found such a nice copy, and to read it. No, I'm not making this up; reading War and Peace does actually sound fun to my awesome, intelligent little girlfriend.
Things weren't much better at 7 AM. Upon arriving at Sidetrack I told Marina that I wasn't sure I could make it through the day, but I would do my best. It was rough. My back hurt. A lot. The rigor of the work caused the pain intensify and spread to include the entire top one-third of my back. I felt like I'd been jumped by thugs whose attack focused on my upper back. At noon, after the major rush of the day, Marina told my I could go. Phew.
On the other hand, I do like my job. I have become friends with my coworkers, and generally don't mind going to work each day. I usually get up early, and at least one day this week caught a stunning sunrise over the ocean on my way in. Can't beat that. I have the mechanics of being a dish washer down. I know exactly what kind of plates, cups, cutlery, bowls, dishes, etc. can fit on each of the two types of dish racks. I know by heart how long the dish cycle is, and usually turn to retrieve the completed rack within a few seconds of its conclusion. My ears even seem to have tuned in to the sound of the dishwasher, so I usually notice the second it clicks off. I've even learned to plan ahead, calculating the best plan of attack based on the amount of space available to stack washed items, the demand for particular items at a given time (ie. how is our supply of brown cups?), which racks I have available, how much time is left in the current cycle, etc. I wouldn't say I've mastered it, but I'm damn good!
I made it to my weekend! I now have two consecutive days off. We also have some visitors headed our way, in the coming months. For those of you coming, we're very excited to see you!
More good news, Betsy got a new book. She picked up a virtually new copy of War and Peace at the Red Cross Thrift Store for $5. She's really excited to have found such a nice copy, and to read it. No, I'm not making this up; reading War and Peace does actually sound fun to my awesome, intelligent little girlfriend.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Ouch
Washing dishes is hard work. Week one is in the books, and my hands are living proof. Dry skin, cuts, gashes, nicks... can all be found on my paws. My back is another story. I'm bending at the knees, as my coworker Ria warned me to, so my lower back is fine. My upper back, on the other hand, is suffering. All those muscles one uses to lift heavy things out in front of them (think of lifting a 5 year-old out in front of you at eye level- 100 times a day) are getting far more use than they're accustomed to in my case. And they're hurting. And then there's that knob at the top of your spine, but at the bottom of your neck. The sharp, knifing pains start there after a few hours on the job. At that point in the day, dish washing is really hard work.
The new house is a pleasure to live in. Justin and Sarah are great roommates, internet access is quite a convenience, and we're pretty close to the grocery store, ocean, and Sidetrack Cafe. Justin is a sound and lighting engineer, and Sarah is a gymnast and gymnastic instructor. Stay tuned for pictures. The cute kitty here is called Adiva. Believe it or not, she's just as cute as Jazzy. Stay tuned for pictures of her too.
The "Sevens" are this week. And one of them is here in the Tauranga area. The "Sevens" is a rugby league in which each side plays with 7 on the field at a time. The Hamilton Chiefs will be dining at the Sidetrack Cafe all week. That will be a lot of dishes.
Betsy finished The Brothers Karamazov. About a week ago. She's read a Georgette Heyer book since.
The new house is a pleasure to live in. Justin and Sarah are great roommates, internet access is quite a convenience, and we're pretty close to the grocery store, ocean, and Sidetrack Cafe. Justin is a sound and lighting engineer, and Sarah is a gymnast and gymnastic instructor. Stay tuned for pictures. The cute kitty here is called Adiva. Believe it or not, she's just as cute as Jazzy. Stay tuned for pictures of her too.
The "Sevens" are this week. And one of them is here in the Tauranga area. The "Sevens" is a rugby league in which each side plays with 7 on the field at a time. The Hamilton Chiefs will be dining at the Sidetrack Cafe all week. That will be a lot of dishes.
Betsy finished The Brothers Karamazov. About a week ago. She's read a Georgette Heyer book since.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Sidetrack Cafe
I got a job! I’m proud to be the new dishwasher at the Sidetrack Café. It’s a great job!! Can anyone else out there wear whatever they want to work? Okay, maybe some of you can. Can anyone else beat my absolutely nonexistent level of work related stress? If you can match those two, get ready for this: I can see the ocean from my “office.” Believe it or not, I’ve always somewhat enjoyed washing dishes. There’s a certain Zen Buddhist quality to it that I enjoy. In addition, this setup, my office if you will, is a dishwasher’s paradise! I’ve got all the little utensils, all the different types of sponges, plenty of hot water, a great big sink, a few different faucets offering different water stream options from different angles, and a super duper power dishwashing machine that cleans the racks of dishes I load--in about 3 minutes. What more could a guy ask for!? My copilot Ria is a cool seeming 27 year-old Kiwi chef. I feel very comfortable manning the controls alongside her. Am I really the copilot of the chef? Well, I’d say so; ever seen a chef work without clean pots, pans, and dishes? Also, the café is pretty small, so I feel like I’m right in the middle of the action. There’s no wall separating the kitchen from the register, tables, door, patio, street, and ocean(!). If I simply look to my right, I can see all of the above. I’m very excited about my job.
We’ve had some hairy weather here lately. During one 17 hour period, beginning at 2 AM and continuing until 7 PM that night, we were hammered by nonstop rain and wind. The expression “it was raining cats and dogs” would be appropriate. The rain and wind varied in intensity and direction. It was like we were stuck on a weather controlled movie set with a mad monkey at the helm. He was twisting those knobs all around, trying to wreck our little bach (“bach”, pronounced batch, as in bachelor pad; I know I’ve already introduced the bach, but a reminder seemed in order). We were stuck inside all day, wondering “Is this normal?” Turns out it is not. Ron said one fellow he knows hasn’t seen weather like that, for that long, in the 7 years he’s lived here.
Speaking of the bach, the deal just got a little less sweet. Pushing past one month, we’re now considered “permanent” residents. Permanent residents pay NZ $130/week. I definitely grew spoiled during the three weeks we lived for free. We’re considering other options now, as colder weather is approaching. Today we’re looking at a flat listed in the paper.
We’ve had some hairy weather here lately. During one 17 hour period, beginning at 2 AM and continuing until 7 PM that night, we were hammered by nonstop rain and wind. The expression “it was raining cats and dogs” would be appropriate. The rain and wind varied in intensity and direction. It was like we were stuck on a weather controlled movie set with a mad monkey at the helm. He was twisting those knobs all around, trying to wreck our little bach (“bach”, pronounced batch, as in bachelor pad; I know I’ve already introduced the bach, but a reminder seemed in order). We were stuck inside all day, wondering “Is this normal?” Turns out it is not. Ron said one fellow he knows hasn’t seen weather like that, for that long, in the 7 years he’s lived here.
Speaking of the bach, the deal just got a little less sweet. Pushing past one month, we’re now considered “permanent” residents. Permanent residents pay NZ $130/week. I definitely grew spoiled during the three weeks we lived for free. We’re considering other options now, as colder weather is approaching. Today we’re looking at a flat listed in the paper.
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