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Friday, October 31, 2003
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
How I spent my presidential visit...
Here's how I spent the presidential visit...
My job was press liaison officer for the airport. That's Ninoy Aquino International Airport, known as NAIA, not Clark Airfield, as the Philippine press was reporting right up until the day of the visit!
After more than a week of overtime filled with meetings and site visits, I got to the airport at about 7 a.m. in advance of the 12:30 landing of Air Force One. I was supposed to take care of the 150-some Filipino press that planned to report from the arrival, and make sure the traveling American and International press (about 12 people) made it from Air Force One to the motorcade.
After I explained to the local media officers early that morning what route their press buses should take to not tromp through areas cleared by the Secret Service and arrive at a timely manner to be screened. Of course, they did the exact opposite.
We finally got them all sorted out about an hour away from the arrival. I suggested that after screening, we put them in a small gated area, complete with barbed wire, to hold them until they're all together, then I can send them to the press platform. (Cameramen first, so they get good positions.)
The Secret Service agents loved that idea. "Cool, a cage!" "We're not calling it a cage," I said, "let's call it the 'waiting area.'" "Right. Waiting area. Nice barbed wire."
The departure went much smoother. No protocol. No band. No light, either, as it was about 9:30 p.m.
The press, while a little frisky, was remarkably well-behaved after I explained to them what the ground rules were. Really, it was hard for them to get up the confidence to jump a rope with the Filipino's Presidential Security Group and Secret Service agents surrounding them. But what I did discover was that the poor state of the local media isn't just due to maliciousness, but they honestly don't have a _clue_. I got asked the most bizarre questions. They could have found the answers to these months ago....
"What time are they coming?"
"What kind of plane is that?"
When the backup plane carrying White House staffers landed: "Is that Air Force Two?" "No, it's the backup plane." "Then you call it Air Force Two?" "No, AF2 is whatever plane the Vice President uses." "So what is that?" "The backup plane." "But what is your technical name for it?" "The backup plane."
Later: "We called it Air Force One's Little Brother." "Whatever."
"That tail number is 28000. Is Air Force One's 28001?" "I don't know." "But doesn't it have a tail number?" "Yes." "Then what is it?" "I don't know. Could be anything." (Why do they care about the tail number?!?)
"Where is President Bush going after the Philippines?" "Thailand." "Not to Singapore?" "No, Thailand." "What is he doing in Thailand?" "To the APEC Summit, the whole point of this trip that has been reported for the past several months."
"What is President Bush doing tomorrow?" "He'll be doing a state visit in Thailand." "Who will he see?" "The Prime Minister." "What is his name?" "Thaksin." "How do you spell that?" "T-H-A-K-S-I-N." "Then what?" "He'll visit the King of Thailand." "What is his name?" "I think it begins with a G. How the hell should I know?"
My job was press liaison officer for the airport. That's Ninoy Aquino International Airport, known as NAIA, not Clark Airfield, as the Philippine press was reporting right up until the day of the visit!
After more than a week of overtime filled with meetings and site visits, I got to the airport at about 7 a.m. in advance of the 12:30 landing of Air Force One. I was supposed to take care of the 150-some Filipino press that planned to report from the arrival, and make sure the traveling American and International press (about 12 people) made it from Air Force One to the motorcade.
After I explained to the local media officers early that morning what route their press buses should take to not tromp through areas cleared by the Secret Service and arrive at a timely manner to be screened. Of course, they did the exact opposite.
We finally got them all sorted out about an hour away from the arrival. I suggested that after screening, we put them in a small gated area, complete with barbed wire, to hold them until they're all together, then I can send them to the press platform. (Cameramen first, so they get good positions.)
The Secret Service agents loved that idea. "Cool, a cage!" "We're not calling it a cage," I said, "let's call it the 'waiting area.'" "Right. Waiting area. Nice barbed wire."
The departure went much smoother. No protocol. No band. No light, either, as it was about 9:30 p.m.
The press, while a little frisky, was remarkably well-behaved after I explained to them what the ground rules were. Really, it was hard for them to get up the confidence to jump a rope with the Filipino's Presidential Security Group and Secret Service agents surrounding them. But what I did discover was that the poor state of the local media isn't just due to maliciousness, but they honestly don't have a _clue_. I got asked the most bizarre questions. They could have found the answers to these months ago....
"What time are they coming?"
"What kind of plane is that?"
When the backup plane carrying White House staffers landed: "Is that Air Force Two?" "No, it's the backup plane." "Then you call it Air Force Two?" "No, AF2 is whatever plane the Vice President uses." "So what is that?" "The backup plane." "But what is your technical name for it?" "The backup plane."
Later: "We called it Air Force One's Little Brother." "Whatever."
"That tail number is 28000. Is Air Force One's 28001?" "I don't know." "But doesn't it have a tail number?" "Yes." "Then what is it?" "I don't know. Could be anything." (Why do they care about the tail number?!?)
"Where is President Bush going after the Philippines?" "Thailand." "Not to Singapore?" "No, Thailand." "What is he doing in Thailand?" "To the APEC Summit, the whole point of this trip that has been reported for the past several months."
"What is President Bush doing tomorrow?" "He'll be doing a state visit in Thailand." "Who will he see?" "The Prime Minister." "What is his name?" "Thaksin." "How do you spell that?" "T-H-A-K-S-I-N." "Then what?" "He'll visit the King of Thailand." "What is his name?" "I think it begins with a G. How the hell should I know?"
Monday, October 27, 2003
Houston, we have intelligable speech
It's getting closer to the time where I can put away my secret decoder ring.
I'm coming to realize that much of what I thought was gibberish coming from Nicholas is actually an expanded vocabulary. I could never figure out a word, but now racking my brain I'd say something that might be it, and lo and behold... that's what he was saying. The other day it was something along the lines of "mayhe". Mayhe? Ok mom, think, think... put it into context, think... "Amazing?" I'd ask him. Yes! A point for mom!
He's such a chatterbox. A year ago, I never thought there would come a day that I would look at him and say "Nicholas, be quiet! You're talking too much and I can't hear anyone else!", but that time has come.
We're still missing a lot of sounds. Several from the beginning of words (i.e. F, S, SH, L, R, K... ok, lots) and several all together (i.e. G, TH). While we're working on those, he has in the meantime successfully replaced "me yes" with "I", and we hear "May I have...." which is simply music. Get him on a topic he likes (Star Wars, Spiderman) and he won't stop talking. His grammar is coming along slowly as well and he's become so much more open to correction, using past tense and putting in all the words required for a proper sentence. We used to hear "Help me my 'oes" and we're getting to "Please help me put on my shoes" It's coming!
I'm coming to realize that much of what I thought was gibberish coming from Nicholas is actually an expanded vocabulary. I could never figure out a word, but now racking my brain I'd say something that might be it, and lo and behold... that's what he was saying. The other day it was something along the lines of "mayhe". Mayhe? Ok mom, think, think... put it into context, think... "Amazing?" I'd ask him. Yes! A point for mom!
He's such a chatterbox. A year ago, I never thought there would come a day that I would look at him and say "Nicholas, be quiet! You're talking too much and I can't hear anyone else!", but that time has come.
We're still missing a lot of sounds. Several from the beginning of words (i.e. F, S, SH, L, R, K... ok, lots) and several all together (i.e. G, TH). While we're working on those, he has in the meantime successfully replaced "me yes" with "I", and we hear "May I have...." which is simply music. Get him on a topic he likes (Star Wars, Spiderman) and he won't stop talking. His grammar is coming along slowly as well and he's become so much more open to correction, using past tense and putting in all the words required for a proper sentence. We used to hear "Help me my 'oes" and we're getting to "Please help me put on my shoes" It's coming!
Well, that went better than expected
10/28/03 It did go better than expected. Kind of. We told the kids about selling the house.
I wanted to wait until it was a done deal, but Ian thought it would be better to tell them now, so we did. After the initial tear burst from Katherine (and the accompanying one from me) it actually went OK. I try not to think about all the good things about our house that we're going to miss and never go back to, and we talked up a lot about the good stuff from selling. One big point was that when we do buy another house it'll most likely be closer to grandma and grandpa, and that went over pretty well. Unless of course we buy in some place like Colorado or Florida.
Rebecca wasn't all that concerned about the house though she did say she was going to miss it. The boys didn't have an opinion one way or the other. I doubt Jonathon even remembers the house and Nicholas probably only has vague recollections. It's not something we discussed with them much since we didn't know which way we were going to go.
Katherine was very much attached to the house, especially since when we left Virginia we assured the kids that we would be coming back to that same place. Dumb parents, huh? She wants to know if she'll still go to King when we're back and of course there are our neighbors and her friends.
I hate to think about the butterflies in their room, the basement playroom, the backyard with the view of all those trees and our oh-so-green bedroom. That wonderful porch, nice big kitchen and gorgeous floor make me think twice too. Instead, I try to think of the too tiny bathrooms, the terrible paneling in the kitchen, and.... uh... well, the other things that I can't think of at the moment. There must be some. Right?
No no no, there are loads of reasons why selling the house now is a good thing. Financially and even emotionally it's the right thing to do. Now to just make it through the wait. Anyone out there buying? We've got a place for you.
I wanted to wait until it was a done deal, but Ian thought it would be better to tell them now, so we did. After the initial tear burst from Katherine (and the accompanying one from me) it actually went OK. I try not to think about all the good things about our house that we're going to miss and never go back to, and we talked up a lot about the good stuff from selling. One big point was that when we do buy another house it'll most likely be closer to grandma and grandpa, and that went over pretty well. Unless of course we buy in some place like Colorado or Florida.
Rebecca wasn't all that concerned about the house though she did say she was going to miss it. The boys didn't have an opinion one way or the other. I doubt Jonathon even remembers the house and Nicholas probably only has vague recollections. It's not something we discussed with them much since we didn't know which way we were going to go.
Katherine was very much attached to the house, especially since when we left Virginia we assured the kids that we would be coming back to that same place. Dumb parents, huh? She wants to know if she'll still go to King when we're back and of course there are our neighbors and her friends.
I hate to think about the butterflies in their room, the basement playroom, the backyard with the view of all those trees and our oh-so-green bedroom. That wonderful porch, nice big kitchen and gorgeous floor make me think twice too. Instead, I try to think of the too tiny bathrooms, the terrible paneling in the kitchen, and.... uh... well, the other things that I can't think of at the moment. There must be some. Right?
No no no, there are loads of reasons why selling the house now is a good thing. Financially and even emotionally it's the right thing to do. Now to just make it through the wait. Anyone out there buying? We've got a place for you.
Sunday, October 26, 2003
Nicholas
Halloween brought out the, uh, best in Nicholas
'ick -oh- 'eat
'mell my gock!
If you not
I not 'are
I down you un-way!
Translation:
Trick-or-treat
Smell my sock!
If you don't
I do not care
I'll pull down your underwear!
'ick -oh- 'eat
'mell my gock!
If you not
I not 'are
I down you un-way!
Translation:
Trick-or-treat
Smell my sock!
If you don't
I do not care
I'll pull down your underwear!
Saturday, October 25, 2003
The weight of the world.
A discussion with Katherine (to the best of my recollection, this was a few days ago, words are not exact, but the flow of the discussion is).
K: Mom, I miss home.
Me: I know, dear.
K: People take care of their homes there. People here don't care what their houses look like.
*warning bells, deeper subjects ahead*
Me: What do you mean?
K: Well, here they make their home of just about anything. In the States, we have nice big houses.
Me: That's true. Do you think that people here would like to live in a house like ours?
K: Yes.
Me: Why don't they?
K: Because they're poor?
Me: Right.
K: Then they should make more money.
Me: That's true. How could they do that?
K: Get better jobs.
Me: You're right. That would mean more businesses would have to be built and then more people could work.
K: Then they should have more companies.
Me: You're right. But do you know how many people live in Manila?
K: A couple thousand?
Me: If there were a couple thousand they might be able to make enough jobs. Unfortunately there are 10 million people in this city.
K: That's a lot of people.
Me: Yes, it is. Do you think there's room to make new jobs for all those people?
K: Hmmmm....
Me: So, Katherine, if there's not enough jobs for all the people, how are they to get money to build nice big houses like ours?
K: They could all work together to build a big house. They could all bring stuff and then build it together and then all live in it.
Me: That's a great idea. WHere would they build it?
K: Hmmmm.
K: So why are so many people poor?
Ian: Well, there are so many people in the city, and not enough jobs. But not only that, there is a lot of money in the Philippines, unfortunately all the money goes to just a few people and those people are in the government. They make the laws and they decide who gets money and when.
K: That's not fair. They should give it to the poor people.
Me: You're right, it should be shared, but the rich people won't share it.
K: Then the poor people should be in the government.
Me: You are absolutely right! How would they do that?
K: They should kick out the people there.
Ian: (we pretty much skipped over the whole voting thing, next time) Well, the people in the government are rich and if you have lots of money you can decide who's going to make the laws here. And if you take out one rich person, another rich person will take his place, so the poor people can't get in.
K: Then the poor people should fight.
Me: (OK, getting touchy) Fighting is an option, you're right. If you don't like something or if something isn't fair and you've tried to fix it the right way. What would poor people fight with?
K: Sticks and brooms and things.
Me: So the poor people could all fight together with their sticks and brooms and push out the rich people from the government.
K: Yes.
Ian: You know, they've done that before! They fought and put in a new leader. Unfortunately, he turned out to be just as bad as the people they'd taken out. In that case, it didn't work.
K: Oh. Well, then they should fight again.
Me: Yes. If the poor people have sticks and brooms to fight with, what will the rich people fight back with?
Rebecca: Guns!
Me: Yup. Guns, and who will use them?
Katherine: (resigned) Soldiers.
Rebecca: Police!
Me: Yup. So, you have one side all with poor people carrying their broooms and sticks, and the other side with the soldiers and police, all paid by the rich people, who are shooting guns.
Katherine: That's not fair.
Me: No, it isn't. What would happen?
K: Poor people would die.
Me: That's true. Is it worth it for people to fight when they know they could die?
K: No.
Me: There are people who think that dying is OK. IF after they died they knew that things would change, that things would be better, that it had been worth it. Here, there's no certainty of that. People could die and the government would stay the same. Would that be worth fighting for?
K: No... I miss home.
Our conversation slowed after that. It's a lot for a 7 year old to digest. It's a lot for a 29 year old to digest.
K: Mom, I miss home.
Me: I know, dear.
K: People take care of their homes there. People here don't care what their houses look like.
*warning bells, deeper subjects ahead*
Me: What do you mean?
K: Well, here they make their home of just about anything. In the States, we have nice big houses.
Me: That's true. Do you think that people here would like to live in a house like ours?
K: Yes.
Me: Why don't they?
K: Because they're poor?
Me: Right.
K: Then they should make more money.
Me: That's true. How could they do that?
K: Get better jobs.
Me: You're right. That would mean more businesses would have to be built and then more people could work.
K: Then they should have more companies.
Me: You're right. But do you know how many people live in Manila?
K: A couple thousand?
Me: If there were a couple thousand they might be able to make enough jobs. Unfortunately there are 10 million people in this city.
K: That's a lot of people.
Me: Yes, it is. Do you think there's room to make new jobs for all those people?
K: Hmmmm....
Me: So, Katherine, if there's not enough jobs for all the people, how are they to get money to build nice big houses like ours?
K: They could all work together to build a big house. They could all bring stuff and then build it together and then all live in it.
Me: That's a great idea. WHere would they build it?
K: Hmmmm.
K: So why are so many people poor?
Ian: Well, there are so many people in the city, and not enough jobs. But not only that, there is a lot of money in the Philippines, unfortunately all the money goes to just a few people and those people are in the government. They make the laws and they decide who gets money and when.
K: That's not fair. They should give it to the poor people.
Me: You're right, it should be shared, but the rich people won't share it.
K: Then the poor people should be in the government.
Me: You are absolutely right! How would they do that?
K: They should kick out the people there.
Ian: (we pretty much skipped over the whole voting thing, next time) Well, the people in the government are rich and if you have lots of money you can decide who's going to make the laws here. And if you take out one rich person, another rich person will take his place, so the poor people can't get in.
K: Then the poor people should fight.
Me: (OK, getting touchy) Fighting is an option, you're right. If you don't like something or if something isn't fair and you've tried to fix it the right way. What would poor people fight with?
K: Sticks and brooms and things.
Me: So the poor people could all fight together with their sticks and brooms and push out the rich people from the government.
K: Yes.
Ian: You know, they've done that before! They fought and put in a new leader. Unfortunately, he turned out to be just as bad as the people they'd taken out. In that case, it didn't work.
K: Oh. Well, then they should fight again.
Me: Yes. If the poor people have sticks and brooms to fight with, what will the rich people fight back with?
Rebecca: Guns!
Me: Yup. Guns, and who will use them?
Katherine: (resigned) Soldiers.
Rebecca: Police!
Me: Yup. So, you have one side all with poor people carrying their broooms and sticks, and the other side with the soldiers and police, all paid by the rich people, who are shooting guns.
Katherine: That's not fair.
Me: No, it isn't. What would happen?
K: Poor people would die.
Me: That's true. Is it worth it for people to fight when they know they could die?
K: No.
Me: There are people who think that dying is OK. IF after they died they knew that things would change, that things would be better, that it had been worth it. Here, there's no certainty of that. People could die and the government would stay the same. Would that be worth fighting for?
K: No... I miss home.
Our conversation slowed after that. It's a lot for a 7 year old to digest. It's a lot for a 29 year old to digest.
All partied out.
I'm tired of parties. They are exhausting. Of course, the kids will never tire of them. But since August I have been to...
1) Manon's 4 year party (at home, but with a full puppet show, face painting)
2) Annika's 1 year party (well, you know about that one)
3) Sam's 4 year party (at The Little Gym, gymnastics room for little kids)
4) Eric's 7 year party (at the Polo Club bowling alley, full buffet, face painting, ice cream cart)
5) Rebecca's in-class Halloween party (2 classes of Kindergarteners, need I say more?)
6) Seafront Halloween party (MC, games, moon bounce, haunted house, etc etc, and of course, T-o-T)
7) Shawn's 9 year party (at a McDonald's party room, complete with games, cake, enough food for an army and a visit by a giant bird)
And Katherine has been to another classmate's party at Kids at Work and yet another in an apartment buidling penthouse.
And this week another party is scheduled for the 31st at Kids at Work.
I'm trying to lead Katherine either towards a swim party or a small slumber party. Wish me luck. As for Rebecca, perhaps something at the playground next door. I told Katherine the other day that this isn't how parties are done in the U.S. I guess she's been listening to some of the things I say. "But we're in the Philippines, mom, we should do things they way they do them here."
My goodness, I'm tired of parties.
1) Manon's 4 year party (at home, but with a full puppet show, face painting)
2) Annika's 1 year party (well, you know about that one)
3) Sam's 4 year party (at The Little Gym, gymnastics room for little kids)
4) Eric's 7 year party (at the Polo Club bowling alley, full buffet, face painting, ice cream cart)
5) Rebecca's in-class Halloween party (2 classes of Kindergarteners, need I say more?)
6) Seafront Halloween party (MC, games, moon bounce, haunted house, etc etc, and of course, T-o-T)
7) Shawn's 9 year party (at a McDonald's party room, complete with games, cake, enough food for an army and a visit by a giant bird)
And Katherine has been to another classmate's party at Kids at Work and yet another in an apartment buidling penthouse.
And this week another party is scheduled for the 31st at Kids at Work.
I'm trying to lead Katherine either towards a swim party or a small slumber party. Wish me luck. As for Rebecca, perhaps something at the playground next door. I told Katherine the other day that this isn't how parties are done in the U.S. I guess she's been listening to some of the things I say. "But we're in the Philippines, mom, we should do things they way they do them here."
My goodness, I'm tired of parties.
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