Dearest Rachel – Yesterday morning, I woke up to this sight as I headed outdoors on the way to church: I suppose it shouldn’t have come as so much of a surprise; the night before had me falling asleep to the sound of rain on the bedroom roof, and it had been getting chilly asContinue reading “Leaving Just In Time”
Tag Archives: preparations
House Calls
Dearest Rachel – So I’m taking the day off from the ‘office,’ as I managed to get everything done that I’d intended to yesterday. At the same time, I’ve got lots of stuff to do here at home, such as laundry and packing for Monday’s flight out. And, as it so happens, I have toContinue reading “House Calls”
For What May Never Come
Dearest Rachel – A trip to the grocery store after dinner with the folks, while unusual in and of itself (most of the time, we just go home, and Daniel joins Logan in the family room to watch this or that anime that he has already in progress), isn’t entirely unsurprising. Sometimes things need toContinue reading “For What May Never Come”
Maybe A Little Too Casual
Dearest Rachel – I’ve mentioned before how someday, I’d like to get so accustomed to traveling that it could be done practically on a whim. I’ve joked about how calling Kerry (my travel agent) up out of the blue and telling her to “book me something before I change my mind,” but it still hasContinue reading “Maybe A Little Too Casual”
Options and Add-Ons
Dearest Rachel – So, this is a weird situation to be in where, after decades of telling ourselves we would be going to Japan and taking Daniel with us, to show him a little bit of what each of us individually and separately fell in love with (and these encounters long before otaku culture wasContinue reading “Options and Add-Ons”
Who Would Believe It?
Dearest Rachel – We’ve had to get out of the house at ridiculously early hours in the past – flights don’t really concern themselves with the schedules of their individual passengers, for instance – so you know I’m capable of getting up early. And, of course, there are the many work days when I’ve beenContinue reading “Who Would Believe It?”
Where Your Treasure Is…
Dearest Rachel – So, as we landed in the States a little more than a week ago (and thus were able to receive text messages, being back in-network), one notice I got was from one of our old buddies in the anime fandom community. Doc is the type to keep his eyes open and earContinue reading “Where Your Treasure Is…”
Pretending Everything Is Normal
Dearest Rachel – The last few overseas trips I’ve taken have started off with a ride to the airport first thing in the morning, or even in the wee hours, prompting me to wake up absurdly early in order to catch my flight. Not so today; with the flight scheduled for four in the afternoon,Continue reading “Pretending Everything Is Normal”
An Hour or Two of Calm
Dearest Rachel – First thing in the morning, I find myself sitting up in bed, firing up the computer and starting this letter to you. Thankfully, I’m not fighting off another cold – the one Daniel and I both just dealt with (although I’m not sure if he isn’t still dealing with the symptoms; likeContinue reading “An Hour or Two of Calm”
You Just Have to Deal With It
Dearest Rachel – Much like any other human, I complain about the the things that go wrong in, or are just unpleasant in my life without bearing in mind that there is plenty of ordinary stuff that makes it so much better than most (and with enough life experience behind me, you’d think I wouldContinue reading “You Just Have to Deal With It”
What You Least Expect
Dearest Rachel – I knew from the outset that whatever I was expecting from a classroom here in Honduras, it wasn’t going to be like what one was like in the States (or, for that matter, since I’ve seen more of their classrooms in the years post-graduation, Japan). The trouble is, I couldn’t visualize whatContinue reading “What You Least Expect”
The Risk of Ruin or Loss
Dearest Rachel – It seems that all too often, I wind up telling you about stuff that happened a day or so ago, rather than what’s happening to me right in the moment. It can’t be helped; it’s just easier for me to focus on writing first thing in the morning (or at the veryContinue reading “The Risk of Ruin or Loss”
The Part You Used to Play
Dearest Rachel – So, yesterday was Mothers’ Day; the real one, not the early one we observed last week in order to celebrate with my mom, since we were going to be on the island this week. And with that having been said, I should mention that we made a point to head to theContinue reading “The Part You Used to Play”
Not Really Trying
Dearest Rachel – I’ve told you before about the running app that keeps track of my exercise regimen on a weekly basis, and how it’s meant to motivate me to keep up with the effort I’ve put in during previous weeks. It also doesn’t hurt that – as with any other social network – thereContinue reading “Not Really Trying”
Sleeping Through the Process
Dearest Rachel – After putting myself through a full-day fast last weekend (with an exception made for a can of coffee to get me through Sunday morning’s shift), I’ve made it through the entirety of this week below the two-fifteen line, and at least once a day at or below two-ten (although I still haven’tContinue reading “Sleeping Through the Process”
Overthinking Preparations
Dearest Rachel – At some point in time, I’d like to get to where traveling halfway around the world can be taken as nonchalantly as my drive across town to the ‘office.’ Oh, I get that longer distances will take more time; that’s a truism that no amount of technology (aside from portals or transporters,Continue reading “Overthinking Preparations”
It Never Evens Out
Dearest Rachel – This would probably come as no surprise to you – although I don’t think I ever managed to establish a routine while you were around, what with post-retirement travel plans, the subsequent quarantine, and so forth – but I don’t ever spend an entire day at the ‘office’ since retiring from theContinue reading “It Never Evens Out”
Preparations of the Day
Dearest Rachel – I get it; on this day of all days, I should be telling you about the things I’m thankful for. It’s not as if I don’t have anything to be thankful for. Between being at leisure all year as opposed to just today, and having the ability to brush off the worstContinue reading “Preparations of the Day”
Not Today
Dearest Rachel – I woke up again – sort of – at four in the morning today, but this time around, I couldn’t bring myself to get up and go work out. And just like yesterday, it prompts the question as to ‘why,’ but from the opposite direction. Some of the reasons I might giveContinue reading “Not Today”
Magical Matsuri Tour
Dearest Rachel – Roll up, roll up for the magical matsuri tour! Step right this way… In some ways, this weekend is going to be the absolute antithesis of one of those stereotypical English ‘mystery tours.’ I know exactly what I’m getting into; I’ve been to all twenty-four Anime Centrals up until now. There isContinue reading “Magical Matsuri Tour”
Lines of Attack
Dearest Rachel – You might remember this from the very first days of our marriage; on our honeymoon I had brought along a guide of things to do and see while at Walt Disney World. Back in those days, if you wanted to do certain things there, you needed to make reservations ahead of time,Continue reading “Lines of Attack”
Am I Missing Anything?
Dearest Rachel – I wonder if this trip would have driven you crazy; the answer to the above question is, of course I am. I’ve limited myself to a single suitcase (which itself is limited to fifty pounds) as well as my electronic items in my carry-on backpack (while the suitcase Kerry and the travel agencyContinue reading “Am I Missing Anything?”
Not So Easily Said
Dearest Rachel – As much as I’m not particularly fond of their attitudes, I have to give the TikTokers their due. Being able to talk straight through everything, without hesitation, without self-consciousness – I’d say it was easier said than done, but the whole point is that it’s not so easily said at all. For me toContinue reading “Not So Easily Said”
Go Pro Envy
Dearest Rachel – So yesterday found me saying one last goodbye to the gang in the booth, as well as the praise team, over the weekend. As I spend more weekends working the booth than not, it’s going to be weird not doing so for at least thirteen straight weekends. While hanging out in the greenContinue reading “Go Pro Envy”
Snippets for the Future, Nothing for the Now
Dearest Rachel – One of the problems with spending so much of one’s waking thoughts on a big event in the future is that there’s not much thought being put into what’s going on around one in the present. To be sure, it may well be that most people aren’t trying to document their lives likeContinue reading “Snippets for the Future, Nothing for the Now”
The Last Thing That I Need
Dearest Rachel – I suppose it could be worse; at least this way, I’ve got just enough time to let it run its course before I head out. This morning saw me waking up at about three-thirty to a very unpleasant sensation; not so much for the sensation itself, as what it represented. Lying there, tryingContinue reading “The Last Thing That I Need”
The Odd Preparations
Dearest Rachel – I don’t think I’ve completely shaken off Basel Syndrome (which, upon re-reading that letter to you, I was surprised to discover that I’d defined it as more of an irrational preference for staying in my hotel room/cabin rather than going outside of it; whereas now, I think of it as a fearContinue reading “The Odd Preparations”
Last-Minute Preparations
Dearest Rachel – As embarrassed as I may be to relate this to you, at least I can take comfort in the fact that you wouldn’t be giving me grief about it, as you were every bit as prone to procrastination (on a regular basis, I might add) as I have been this Christmas season.Continue reading “Last-Minute Preparations”
Jumping Into the River
Dearest Rachel – This is one of those titles where the contents actually tie in, but they don’t tie together all that well, so bear with me. It’s an ongoing occupational hazard of having to give a title to each of these letters; I start with an idea, usually based off of current experiences, andContinue reading “Jumping Into the River”
Cheating With Side Dishes
Dearest Rachel – Considering our interpersonal vocabulary, I’ll bet you saw this title and thought the topic might be a little salacious, no? And maybe I’ll touch on that in more detail later on, now that I think about it (or not). But for the moment, bear in mind that today is Thanksgiving, with allContinue reading “Cheating With Side Dishes”
Bye, Bye, Brony
Dearest Rachel – The weirdest part of this isn’t so much that Daniel has decided not to go this weekend, as much the fact that I’ve been asked to drive Logan to a pickup point where he can meet a friend of his, from whence they’ll drive up to the convention in Milwaukee together. It’sContinue reading “Bye, Bye, Brony”
Picking the Lyrics Apart
Dearest Rachel – I want you to know that I’m not trying to avoid your memory – heck, if I was, would I be writing to you every day like this? – but there’s only so much I can take of going through my offline music library, where I’m guaranteed to encounter one of ‘our’Continue reading “Picking the Lyrics Apart”
Caught Unprepared
Dearest Rachel – So last night was the annual meeting of the volunteer leaders in preparation for this year’s Awana Sparks club. Lots of heartening news; including the fact that we have enough volunteers for each team to have four or five leaders, while at the same time, we have enough kids already registered suchContinue reading “Caught Unprepared”
Preparations for Company
Dearest Rachel – I set my alarm early today, as I usually do nowadays for Saturday mornings, so that I don’t miss the men’s Bible study. It’s not something that you could have related to, but when you were here, that wasn’t one of my priorities anyway. In any event, I probably should mention thatContinue reading “Preparations for Company”
For the Last Time
Dearest Rachel – “Tomorrow at this time…” Daniel’s voice trails off as we ascend the escalator into Tokyo’s International Port building. He doesn’t need to finish the thought; we both know we’ll be taking this same route through the building thirty or so hours from now, as we prepare to make our way to theContinue reading “For the Last Time”
Anticipation and Preparation
Dearest Rachel – So. The time is pretty much upon us now. After a week of Daniel and I warning various people about our upcoming absences, we have to actually start making preparations to fly out Thursday evening to meet our ship that will take us around Japan. This is not going to be aContinue reading “Anticipation and Preparation”
Confusingly Early
Dearest Rachel – Morning at the Royal Dead Sea hotel, and we get our wake-up call at 6 o’clock. That’s half an hour earlier than we’ve ever had a wake-up call, and actually earlier than I’ve set my alarm for today. It makes me wonder if we have enough time to get ourselves put together, outContinue reading “Confusingly Early”
Gobble, Gulp and Go
Dearest Rachel – A week or so ago, I finished transcribing my notes from our first trip here back in 2014. I had meant to use them to compare what we’d seen and heard then versus now, but also as filler, under the assumption that I wouldn’t be likely to be able to write fullContinue reading “Gobble, Gulp and Go”
The Difference in Mornings
Dearest Rachel – It says something good about a hotel bed when you wake up in it thinking year at home in your own – although I think it may have had more to do with the ambient traffic noise that I’m so used to back there. It’s less complementary when you check the alarm,Continue reading “The Difference in Mornings”
Pa(ni)cking
Dearest Rachel – In the eponymous book describing it (and the many adventures Arthur Dent takes under its influence), The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy has emblazoned on its cover two critical words: “Don’t Panic.” In theory, it’s good advice for the traveler, whether you’re escaping a planet that’s about to be destroyed, or justContinue reading “Pa(ni)cking”
Not Suited for the Season
Dearest Rachel – Halloween was never celebrated much at our place, was it? What with it being on a major thoroughfare, our house was only ever visited a handful of times at best on any given year. and that was before we were dealing with things like the pandemic and social distancing and the polarizationContinue reading “Not Suited for the Season”
Preparations and Purchases
Dearest Rachel – You were instructing me to help you out in finding a protective screen for your touchscreen computer, as you were planning on taking it with on our travels. You seemed to be looking forward to the trip. For my part, I didn’t know how to react to your request. I hadn’t intendedContinue reading “Preparations and Purchases”
Battle Plans
Dearest Rachel – I can’t guess as to how much you still remember of your past life on this plane – especially things from so long ago (although, for all I know, you might be able to see the distant past just as well as the relatively recent, from your perspective), but I’m reminded today,Continue reading “Battle Plans”
Press ‘2’ For Snow
Dearest Rachel – I just sent the letter out to you yesterday, but I wonder if I shouldn’t make ‘Retail Therapy’ a whole new category of story for me to tell you about. There have certainly been enough purchases that I could retroactively add the category to, and I’m sure that I will make moreContinue reading “Press ‘2’ For Snow”
I Should Be Panicking
Dearest Rachel – By this time tomorrow, if all goes well today, I’ll be driving the boys and myself off to Rosemont for the first Anime Central in three years. There are so many things to take care of before hand – both the usual things, like packing and shopping and such, and some not-so-usualContinue reading “I Should Be Panicking”
Have You Seen Him?
Dearest Rachel – You probably remember how, with every year end, I would make a habit of picking up the year-end wrapup from Life magazine (and later, after that one folded, Time magazine), covering ‘the year in pictures.’ Some of them may have been thrown out in the course of the purge, but I thinkContinue reading “Have You Seen Him?”
Stuck With It
Dearest Rachel – It’s one of those things that you used to keep on top of because I couldn’t be trusted to do so myself. And sure enough, I botched it this year, just like you might expect. In my defense, the window is so small, I could hardly be expected to squeeze through. Although,Continue reading “Stuck With It”
Muzzling the Help
Dearest Rachel – Well, it’s almost time. I’ve gotten word from the installers, and they’ll be out to begin work in either two or three weeks from now. With that in mind, I need to pack everything up from the kitchen and the laundry room. That means enlisting Jan’s help, and getting together as manyContinue reading “Muzzling the Help”
To Everything…
Dearest Rachel – So much for the need for a wake up call. My mind is going through this past week, and as I’m lying here trying to get another hour or two of sleep, it’s coming up with a few rules for future reference. Much of it sounds a lot like the third chapterContinue reading “To Everything…”
What I’m In For
Dearest Rachel – It’s just about nine in the morning, and I’m back to wandering around that strip mall I talked about last night. I have a little bit more purpose in this morning’s walk, as I’ve realized what I’ve forgotten to pack (and which you would have taken care of, so I would neverContinue reading “What I’m In For”
Preparing for Takeoff
Dearest Rachel – Were this any other morning, I would probably be making a big deal out of the fact that this is the four hundredth day in a row that I’ve written to you. That’s right; I’ve been letting you know what’s been going on with me, and what’s been happening on the planetContinue reading “Preparing for Takeoff”
from Rachel: Sharing Your Life Message
Question to consider: As I reflect on my personal story, who would God want me to share it with? “5/26 “This question challenges me with the idea that I should perhaps be in one secular, worldly group (like Meg in her Wednesday morning bowling league) so that I could meet and establish friendships with womenContinue reading “from Rachel: Sharing Your Life Message”
Taking Delivery
Dearest Rachel – This never happens to me. In some other context, that would be the punchline to a bad (and NSFW) joke, I’m sure. Either way, it would seem that the joke is on me. It’s bad enough that I woke up sometime between 3:30 and 4:00, unable to go back to sleep untilContinue reading “Taking Delivery”
Winding Up for Winding Down
Dearest Rachel – Monday morning in Basel, and I think I’ve had the most solid sleep of my time here; went to bed around eleven, and didn’t wake up until seven-thirty. May have dreamed about solving some problems back at the old workplace, but it’s hardly worth commenting upon. I’m feeling like I should takeContinue reading “Winding Up for Winding Down”
Woefully Unprepared
Dearest Rachel – I imagine that this a sensation you were quite familiar with in your day; I woke up this morning realizing I haven’t done my homework for a long time – well, at least for this week. And as a result, I’m going to show up at the Bible study woefully unprepared forContinue reading “Woefully Unprepared”
Overpacked
Dearest Rachel – Yes, I know it’s only for four days – including today. But I really have no idea what I’ll need out there In Colorado, so… I’m packing a little bit of everything. Two T-shirts, two long sleeve T-shirts, two rugby shirts, two sweatshirts… and this is just for the remaining three days,Continue reading “Overpacked”
Preparing to Leave the House
Dearest Rachel – I never really considered just how involved this process was of putting ourselves together for a convention weekend. All I ever did was to pack the computers and hard drives and my own set of clothes and toiletries, and call it good. There’s so much else that has to be taken careContinue reading “Preparing to Leave the House”
Letters to Rachel 