Well, here it is, the new year.  For me, here, the final stretch.  Going back for good in the spring.  Job or no job, I need my family and they need me.  The Christmas break was probably the best 10 days of my life.  It was sooo hard to leave. 

I have a lot of work to keep me busy.  I'm gonna make some noise before I go. (Ahem, the good kind.)  Wish me luck.

A twofer.

Why won't they ever admit that they are wrong, EVER?

Looking for a new place.  The realtor tells me he has a listing and asks me to text him my email.  I do.
Nothing.  Another text.  "Oh, I sent it."  Send it again.  Nothing.  Another text.  By the way, check the address.  People often leave out my middle initial.  "I sent it twice and it wasn't kicked back."  Yeah, I know.  The guy who has the same email as me except for the middle initial gets them.  Sooo, I'm lying or my email reception is bad, right?  Just text me your email.  Ok, now attach the email and reply.  Nothing.

They just don't listen.

Simple negotiations.  An agreement is reached.  The agreement is put in writing.  No objection to the agreement.  The meeting to sign the agreement.  "Oh, that's not what I agreed to."  Yes it is.  That's why I made the concessions that I did.  Because you agreed.  Were you listening?

A joke is made.  A "zinger" at person A.  Person A gets it, laughs and zings you back.  Good clean fun.  Meanwhile, person B, who is present for the exchange, doesn't get it and takes offense.  The joke and it's intended mark are explained to person B.  Later, person B comes to you to ask a favor because you "owe" her for that joke.  Wha??  Were you listening?

Oh well, now you know.

When one moves to the "tropics", one expects certain things.  I was not surprised, for the most part, when I moved to Puerto Rico.  I had been to St. Thomas and St. John.  I saw the beautiful scenery surrounding the beautiful people.  I also saw the locals peeking around the corner.  I peeked back.  Not so scenic. Not so beautiful.  So when I moved to PR, I got what I expected.  Beautiful scenery and beautiful people. Also the local peekers.  

 

A few things did surprise me, though.  First, the crowds.  Where did all these people come from?  Lines everywhere.  Lines of traffic. Lines to get in a store. Lines to get out of a store. Lines to get in line.  Then the prices.  We walk through Costco and my wife picks up things and shouts that this is 1/3 the price in the states.  The freshness of the products.  Everything is just at its expiration date.  The garbage.  Everywhere.  

My biggest surprise, though, and certainly the most insignificant in the big picture, is scotch.  Puerto Ricans love scotch.  I don't get it.  Of all things in all places, scotch?  I can see getting tired of rum.  You can only mix it with so many things and you can't drink it straight.  Bourbon.  I love bourbon but I can see it sits a little heavy in this climate.  It's like smoking cigars.  I can't do it in the heat.  Vodka. Meh.  Gin. Blech.  Whiskey.  Better.  But scotch?

Well, now I know.

Background

This blog title is named after a slogan my father in law always uses after someone has gone through a trying time.  If, after the ordeal, you have your health and are not in jail, "Oh well, now you know."  His other slogan, along the same lines is, "Well, you learn."  He's a pragmatist.  He is also one of the most positive people that I have ever met.  He wouldn't hurt a fly.  As a matter of fact, killing flies, or spiders, etc., in his house is strictly forbidden.  "Put it outside." he says.  He is a survivor of World War II, not a concentration camp survivor, he's Polish and Catholic, but a work camp survivor.  He was separated from his father.  He was beat up by the Nazis, as were his mother and his sister.  He was also nearly starved to death but he survived.  I guess he has seen enough to make him philosophical.

 I am not so positive or gentle.  I am trying to learn from his example.  I was born at the tale end of the baby boom.  Although from a middle class, working stiff family, life was pretty good and I took for granted how great life was there in the USA.  Abundance, space, low prices, nice people (generally).  Now, my comeuppance.  I took a job in the Caribbean paradise known as Puerto Rico.  When I was offered the job, I couldn't believe it.  Two feet of snow on the ground outside my window and the sunny tropics on the other end of the line.  More money than I ever made before.  Darn right I'll take the job.  When do I start?  When ?  Two months? Holy crap!  My kids are still in school here.  I still have my house, my two cars, my board memberships. 

Well, we worked it out.  I would go and my wife and kids would follow after the school year.  I will bring the paid for car down and leave the new one up there.  (Toyota Financing's idea, not mine.)  We will rent the house, sell the furniture.  Simple right?  Oh well, now I know.