Pardon Our Dust

As you can see, I switched to a new blog template as part of an upgrade to Blogger Beta. There are a few new features that make finding old posts and adding links eaier. And I even like the color. The link list is now on the left and I've added links to my mailing address, Flickr photo page, and Amazon wishlist (my birthday is on September 10th) plus some political blogs and sites I read. Hope you like the redesign.

In other news, my office just got full time high speed internet. Add that to my free hot water heater and having Fairfield nearby, and I have it pretty good. I am so, so spoiled. Work has been slow this week, but that's ok. I was putting in 12 hours days trying to get the catalog finished and traveling a lot. Now the first ones are being printed and we're planning other trips to make more catalogs for RASP clients. The whole office is going to drive over the mountains to Zavkhan for their trade fair next month. I'll probably go on my own later to work with clients. I've been looking all year for something special that I could contribute to Mongolia and I finally found it. All those years assisting my dad on photo shoots and hanging out at ad agencies really paid off. The free lunch and movies didn't hurt either.

Not going to swearing in proved productive. Nasaa and I took a car out to visit Michael in Ih Tamir. His school director (who he lives next t0) also owns a ger camp so they moved him out there for the summer. We hung out and got to see this big rock called Tiger Choloo. It's just sitting in the middle a field. I blame aliens, aliens or a glacier. Check out the Ih Tamir set on my flickr page. Also check out the Ming Wax Museum that was part of our Great Wall tour. All the sets are lined up on the right and the newest photos are in the middle.

There are a few people visiting Arkhangai for vacation and the new volunteers get here today. It should be a fun week.

Home Sweet Home

The main catalog is done, but won't be printed until after the aimag level ones are finished. We will be distributing those at aimag trade fairs being held in the next month. The one here in Arkahngai is September 15-16. I was figuring out little quirks in PageMaker right up until we sent the files to the printer, but I guess that's the best way to learn. There's been a good repsonse so far. I can't wait to see the finished product.

I'm back in Arkhangai now a day earlier than I expected. There was a Mercy Corps Land Cruiser headed this way with and empty seat and you don't pass up a chance like that. It's a matter of 10 hours on a bus and 7 in air conditioned comfort. It'll be quiet here until new volunteers and my site mates arrive on Sunday or Monday. I think I made the right decision by not going to swearing in. Nasaa is going to the city for a week on Monday, so I would have just missed her. Plus, I'm looking to save some money after spending 3 out of the past 4 weeks in UB.

As promised, I posted galleries from my trips to Beijing and Hovd. Here are some samples to click on for links to the Flickr galleries.










That's all for now. It's good to be home.

Homesick

I'm back in UB (as if I ever left) finishing up catalog stuff. We're making one main catalog with all seven aimags represented and seven smaller ones for each aimag. We should have all aimags and the main one to the printers this week. I had a welcome break last week and went to Hovd in the far western part of Mongolia. I worked at the local RASP office and produced catalogs for a sausage maker and two furniture makers. I could almost spend the rest of my service doing catalogs, but I'm sure I'll find other stuff I'm good at. The mongols understand the concept, but most have almost no idea how to put them together. Plus, there's really no quality printing outside of UB. That will change eventually. Hopefully my work will encourage businesses to spend more on marketing and maybe even demand local design and printing services. But I'm getting ahead of myself...

There isn't as much work to do here as I thought there would be, so I'll go home soon. I haven't been in Arkhangai in over a month and I want to see Nasaa and get back to work in my office. My friends are trying to convince me to stay in town all week and go to the M17's swearing in ceremony, but I really want to go home. I can still see everyone as they come through town on their way up to Darkhan. The only attraction would be to go to the ceremony and I've lived through one already. We'll see.

In other news, I ended my summer losing streak at Dave's pub quiz thanks to a nautical round and a table round about US license plates. We also went to a free Scorpions concert on the main square which was quite an experience. I haven't had a chance to post any pictures lately, but I'll put some up once I get back to site. Until then, enjoy these ones my friend Mike sent me from our trip to Beijing.


Mike, Curtis and I at the Summer Palace

Mike's friends from Orlando and I at the Great Wall


Mike and I at Starbucks...ah Starbucks


Mike and Curtis having a private moment at the Summer Palace

That's all for now. Look for some new Flikr galleries next week.