A Year is Gone

Another year has passed. There were good things and there were not so good things.

I believe the worst thing was how poorly I adapted during this year's deployment. I was such a cry baby. If it were the first deployment I had experienced, I would better understand my behavior. I have experienced eight of them. The deployment last year was the same length so length can not be the reason for my poor coping. I was not doing well before I found out where they were. After finding out it got worse. The Middle East is not where you want your husband to be  but risky locations are part of the job and nothing new. After all, they cruise through the South China Sea regularly against the PRC's wishes. I suppose I will just consider it an unusually bad year and move on, taking my own advice for surviving deployment. Hmm... perhaps that is not a good thing to think. Why should I wish to "survive" deployment rather than flourish during it?

Our CoVid restrictions eased a bit this year but it was not reliable enough to make solid plans. We did not return to 2020 restrictions (thankfully) but they changed so often as to prevent planning since one could not guess what they would be week to week. I believe the strict days of 2020 were almost preferable since they were stable and one could plan easier. I look forward to 2022 with the hopes of more stable easing of restrictions. I would like a vacation soon. Perhaps I could even think of a visit from family.

I have elected to separate from the university at the end of the academic year. Leaving my children in the care of others for most of the day was not good for them nor me. The amount of time spent traveling to and from working left little time for seeing to their needs when I arrived home. It is not that I do not wish to teach any longer. I enjoy teaching very much. I do not like sacrificing so much time with my children. "Quality. Not quantity" goes only so far before one may not prevent the lack of quantity from overcoming the quality.

I have checked with DoDea about teaching in the base schools. The high school will require teachers next year for several subjects so the prospects are good that I could teach there. I have sent my paperwork in to that end. The schools are only fifteen minutes from my house and the day care center is on the way there. There is also the chance of teaching an extension class or two at the Adult Education Center for the University of Maryland. I believe this is a much better alternative to teaching full-time at Tokyo University. I can still enjoy teaching and have sufficient time for my children.

I have received several letters from realtors concerning my house. It seems prices are high and supply is low making my house worth considerably more than I paid for it. I suppose one must be prepared for letters when one speaks to an agent for anything. Even more so when the original agent mistakenly listed your house when all one was seeking was information. My current tenants could not afford to purchase it last year at a much lower price. Their situation has not changed much so I do not suppose they could afford it at a much higher price and I have decided to not have them lose the only house their children have known so that I can profit only to profit. Jared and I are doing well so there is no need to sell it. People tell me to sell it and invest the money. I see no reason for that either. The house is paid for so the lease payments are deposited into the bank and converted to Cd's. That is investment enough for me.

The Navy tried to recruit me this last year. I am surprised at the effort they expended in the attempt. It was beyond the simple proffering of the idea to serve. Their effort continued for several weeks of constant explanations of the benefits and opportunities of being in the Navy. You know... things I already know because I have husband in the Navy.

Speaking of Jared and the Navy... Jared is to receive his first command. At this time, he is scheduled to assume command aboard a destroyer. He is excited. So am I. This is how the Navy is strange. He will not attain the rank of Captain but he will be addressed as Captain. Huh? It has been explained that one is rank while the other is a position. It still makes no sense but it is the Navy. Since when have they been required to make sense.

I have discovered the joy of reading for no reason other than entertainment. Until Jared gave me a Kindle, my reading has been informational and academic. The field of computer science does not sit still but is constantly developing. One must keep up with the new if they hope to do well in the field. My first read was  "Golden Poppies" which I enjoyed. It is a book in a series so I plan to read the other two books of the series "Yellow Crocus" and "Mustard Seed."

I am hoping that 2022 is a better year with no repeat of my pitiful performance during the 2021 deployment. There is some trepidation of the changes to expect with Jared as a ship's Captain rather than XO. I can not imagine it as much different but if they were the same, why would they need both? My aim this year is to spend much more time with Chao lei and June, exploring Japan more. They need better memories than what their school and day cares looked like.

Here is to hoping we all experience a better year despite CoVid.