Category: Journal

Third to last pancake breakfast for 2+ years

2008-02-03

Third to last pancake breakfast for 2+ years; working on my website; just making sure that I’m going to be able to charge my laptop using the solar panel I got and the DC to AC inverter (I’m pretty sure it works, at least when I have the laptop turned off); more web stuff; something either reading about the Zambian Economy or something on my list of things to do….

Working on turning otherrealm.org into a photo album

2008-02-02
Working on turning otherrealm.org into a photo album of the roughly 1500 photos I’ve taken until now and the thousands of photos I hope to take while I’m in Zambia. Only potential problem is that I might run out of my allotted space on the server I have my site on, but I’ll address that issue when/if it arises. Cleaning the bathroom (boy I’ll be glad when I don’t have to do that… [Although I’ll probably have to clean the hole in the ground {eew?}]); A short hike with my pack on; something either consisting of learning how to use my new phone, reading about how to improve the Zambian economy, or more website stuff…<

On this last day of January 2008…

On this last day of January 2008 I am doing my usually morning routine, then doing some things online. After having eaten lunch I am looking into having one of my parents sign-able as an “attorney in fact”… in fact while I’m away in Zambia so they can deal with financial stuff that may arise. Going for another walk with my internal frame backpack, then working on my website for the rest of the night (with dinner somewhere in there).

Riding my bike around five miles and not leaving the backroom of my house…

2008-01-30

Riding my bike around five miles and not leaving the backroom of my house (while reading Peace Corps stuff); working on ” http://www.prospectdesigns.com “; working on my photo album (I have approx. 1500 photos so it’s taking awhile); reading a book on the economy of Zambia….

I have spent quite a bit of money over the last few days…

2008-01-25

I have spent quite a bit of money over the last few days buying things for Zambia. It’s kind of ironic that I probably will have spent more money on things I need/want then most Zambians earn in a year. Hopefully these things can act as an investment which pays off by better being able to help strengthen the rural economy in the country I will be spending the next two+ years.

Last night I had nshima and beef stew which was actually pretty good together, although nshima by itself is going to take some getting used to (rather bland). For desert we added a little brown sugar to the nshima and that was good as well.

Today started with work at “the shack” (Radio Shack) in which I bought a DC to AC converter for my solar panel and a shortwave/FM/AM portable radio. Coming home I ordered some more rechargeable batteries and a battery charger that changes individual batteries. I hopefully will have a little time to rework my blog in prep for my departure for Zambia.

Well today started off with me getting my solar panel…

2008-01-22

Well today started off with me getting my solar panel (Solaris 26 watt Foldable Solar Array from http://www.olympiccampinggear.com ) which I think is going to work well, I set it up to change some batteries and it seemed to be working although the skies clouded over so the charging was going somewhat slowly. I worked on updating http://www.prospectdesigns.com for a few hours, then went up to Northampton to return my sister to Smith and to look at backpacks at a camping supply store there. I got the Kelly Redcloud 6650, which I hope is comfortable. When I got home I saw that the mail had not been gotten so I went to grab it. We almost needed a bigger mail box because there was a ton of mail and so I didn’t notice that one of the packages was from the Peace Corps and had my staging info. I will be going to Washington D.C. for in-country training and need to call to get my tickets tomorrow. I also got an email saying that I need to fax a copy of my diploma to Zambia, which I will do tonight. Tomorrow it’s a hike with my new backpack, hopefully time to put in a couple hours of web design before I have to go to work at “The Shack.”

2008-01-14
Work; walking to Blimpies for lunch because my manager gave all her employees gift cards to said food preparation facility; walking to Dick’s Sporting Goods to look at backpacks and other things; going home and doing something [other than nothing of course]…
2008-01-13
Working on photo album some more then going to REI again to look at packs and other things: more photo album then TMTV (tuna melts and TV, about the only time we watch TV [and this event does not happen often])…

2007-12-31

So, on this last day of the year 2007, I have begun, (or re-begun) my journal writing (I had to keep a journal for an acting class I took back in fall 2006… and I guess I needed to keep a journal for a writing and poetry class I had in high school…) adventure. Right now it might not be every day, (don’t have a ton of stuff to write about right now) but I thought I’d begin now in preparation for my departure to Zambia with the Peace Corps.

So so, this morning I rode an exercise bike I got from the dump a couple weeks back and listened to podcasts. Then I packaged up some books that I sold on Amazon, ate brunch and walked down to the post office to deliver the books I had packed up via media mail. I got to the post office only to found out that it had closed at 12. On the off chance that the one in Pine Meadow would be open I walked over there but to no avail. At least I got more exerciseJ. I had to do some chores (clean the bathroom and do some laundry) and this brings me to the present tense, where I started writing my entry for today because I needed to refresh the wireless IP address (AT&T two-wire routers suck).

So, so, so… (so?) I think I have a connection now so I will very soon bring this first journal entry to a close. I will then probably order another small (in size and not capacity) external hard drive and a solar panel both to take with me (Although I need to be careful not to have these first-world things not alienate me from my community in Zambia). Then dinner and new years eave party the rest of the night.