The Latest

So all is good. Working and looking for a job. I had an interview with the most happening dive bar in downtown St Petersburg (Bar@548). Fun fact: When the hurricane was coming to St. Pete, Bar@548 was the only business open. I went there that night. I had to see who these people were?! Who goes to a bar in a hurricane?! Well, the interview went well and they even mentioned that they needed help doing videos, and that’s my speciality. They haven’t called back. I also have an interview with the Marriot hotel. Probably an easier job but certainly less money. Oh, and I also taught a demo class via a zoom call with a language school in Bogotá, Colombia. I may work there. I taught about business orientated phone calls. As a teaching device I used an SNL sketch. The sketch was about a guy who just wanted to cancel his cable. He got the runaround but finally ended up talking to a god-like being who was the source of the cable. The language school said I did a good job and we’ll continue the interview process.

(edit from the future) I got the job. 90% sure I’ll take it. I may not be able to do the Camino de Santiago in January, though. 

Dangerous Man At The Bar

After work on a Saturday night there were some big UFC fights being shown at my work so I went there to have a few beers with my co-workers. I was riding my scooter so I was wearing black gloves and I was dressed from head to toe in black. And I was wearing my yellow sunglasses for night riding. Later that night one of my co-workers, McKensie, pulls me aside and tells me that some customers approached her and alerted her to a strange, possibly threatening man dressed in black. We laughed. By the way, that night I was looking dapper in all black. Black suede boots and button down shirt and tie. People took notice and asked why. At first I said it was because I like to dress up every so often but then I remembered it was because I didn’t have any other clean clothes.  

Later all of us workers, some drunk, others not, moved a pirate ship float that we have parked out back. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the football team here and this area has real pirate lore. There’s a big party here called Gasparilla Pirate Festival.

Hotliners

Me and Oppie made a sketch comedy called Hotliners. It’s about a hotline for people who don’t get shotgun and about hotliners who help them. It’s dark and funny. Maybe too dark.  We made light of a suicide.

Teach in Colombia

As referenced above. I’ve been hired to work as an English Teacher in Bogota, Colombia starting in a few months in February or March 2023. I’m really happy but also a little nervous starting anew and ending my time here in St Petersburg. Also, I’ll be leaving my good friends Oppie and Thu. The position is at an English language school teaching Adults with an emphasis on business English. I’ve been to Colombia before while in the military and then as a civilian around 2003. I had rented a room in Medellin for about 3 months. I was living/traveling off my savings so there wasn’t a necessity to socially interact with people while there which indirectly led to depression. Imagine that! I was traveling with a bunch of coin in the bank and depressed! ?? I’ve come to the realization that if you are naturally an introvert but want to make friends and get into the culture, it helps to have a job, even if you don’t need the money, forcing you to interact, sometimes in negative situations. 

Captain Kraut

I went to Oppie’s to film a short video introducing a character he created for every World Cup. BTW, Oppie is a Germany fan because his family originated from there. His character is called “Captain Kraut” We filmed it with my scooter and drone on the street. I didn’t use a German song, instead I used a song from the Brazilian group “Sepultura”

Moto Vlog

I’m still doing my vlog. This episode is filmed on my scooter. It’s hypnotic. You watch the scenery pass by as you take in the information. Don’t know if my Spanish is getting worse or just staying at the same level, but maintaining my vlog in Spanish helps.

Conclusion:

Film and keep filming and yet get your work out there.