A couple of brief personal updates
With all that’s been happening recently, I have barely talked a word about myself. I know most of you are probably saying “I know, and it’s great!” but settle down! I try to keep this site professional and it’s taken a few turns in its content in recent months as I realise what is important to you folks, the readers.
Before anything else, I must thank you all once again for visiting my site. Sunday was the busiest day for visitors on my page, with over 1270 visits from different people. Every single visitor is appreciated and I hope you will return. Let me know what kind of things you want to hear about from Okinawa and Japan. If it’s possible, I’ll write about it.
Well, a couple of bits of good news and a bit of bad news. First my car, and it’s both good and bad news here. The good news came in the middle of last week when my mechanic was fitting some new camshafts to my car. He’d found the balancer belt on my car (which spins a shaft to do something with the vibrations of the engine) was completely split, so that you could lay it down flat. While not a problem in itself, if that falls apart it can cause the timing belt in your car to jump or break. If that happens, the valves stop moving and the pistons smash… basically your engine is dead. I was very lucky here and am so glad he picked up on it. I’ve no idea how long it had been going round like that, seemingly clinging onto the gears by sheer luck.
But then on Saturday my luck ran out somewhat. I was parked in the middle of the island doing some shopping and when I came back to the car I’d found somebody hat hit the back of it. It looks like a big 4×4 or people carrier has hit one side of the wing/carryhandle on the back and tried to drag it backwards. the boot lid now has a dent in where it was pushed down, the paint came off where the metal was stretched and the boot is now about 1cm out on the passenger side (as you can see below). I can’t work out what has been bent out as the brackets still seem fine, but I’ll have to have a look at it again this week. It’s not a large amount of damage, but is something I notice whenever I go to the car.
But then this morning I got a bit of a boost, having heard that my application for a 5th year of my working contract here in Okinawa has been accepted. I’m pretty pleased with that, especially having not been 100% sure if I would get it. I’m pretty sure I will be able to remain at my current school. If I am told otherwise (and there is a tiny chance of it)… well, I’ll cross/jump off that bridge when I come to it.
Right - personal updates over and done with. Back to business!
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Glad your going to be sticking around for a bit longer. Perhaps if we can ever dive again, we might catch you in the water!
Very kind of you to say so
I look forward to diving with you sometime when:
a) the water is calm
b) the water is slightly warmer
c) you guys are allowed off base
Kadena have cancelled all pool work until further notice - their pool is 59F!!!
Hi Dave,
Good to see some updates. Must be a different cooky all along what’s going on right now. Do you feel that people react differently to you right now?
God to see that you’ve got another year there, is it difficult to get permanent residency in Oki
Sucks big time with your car, I’d be rather upset about it. Wonker who did a runner!
Hi Dave,
Been ages since I caught up on your blog, sounds like a lot’s been going on.
On a personal level, pleased for you that you got your extra year, and hope you can stay at your school; and can’t believe another of us has had car damage - that’s four in the last two weeks - me, Jue, Hel’s fella and you. Not good. And all caused by someone else’s lack of care and/or competence.
It’s taken Mazda over two weeks to provide a new sill (due on Friday) so my car can finally go in for repair - not as if it’s an unusual car part really is it?! Anyway, given it’s not even 6 months old, i’m hoping the repair work is top quality - time will tell, the service certainly hasn’t been so far - and I work for my insurer!!
On the Okinawan level, I hope things get sorted soon, and everyone isn’t tarnished by the few idiots who exist in every community.
You take care
Bim x
Bim - I know, it has been a while. Sorry to hear the Mazda still isn’t repaired. You should have told me what you needed and I’d have sent it across from here - usually only takes about a week!