So I'll start off with the good news, got back from the dentist this morning and had this email in my inbox:

Jim

I have done some changes to the postfix server.

I have received complains about this guy, who uses an email address from
gmail to send bad stuff to our students.

I have blocked that email address from sending mail to our domain. I had
to add some few lines to these files:
/etc/postfix/main.cf
/etc/postfix/header_checks

I have addedd this email address to the header_checks file and then tell
main.cf to look inside this file for headers to be blocked. I also added
my email address from myway.com for testing purposes, and it works!

I hope there is no side effect of the changes I made!

please check it out and tell me what do you think? and whether there is
any side effect!

malo
[your counterpart]

I'm so happy I could poop a deadly, duckbilled platapus! This is everything that Peace Corps volunteers dream of! Sustainability! Less than 1 year ago if I mentioned the word "postfix" to my counterpart, he would stare at me like I was made of kumala. Now, he's EDITING THE MAIN.CF FILE! This is AWESOME! I'm so happy I could crap a monkey. Literally, right here, a monkey would fall out of my highney. Malo, Sisu, Malo.

Even more good news, I'm giving out an exam early for a student that is going fundraising for our school in hawaii his exam or sivi, early. Today, I took a look at his notes and noticed that they were are 1.) from the internet 2.) not from links that I sent this student 3.) Cross-referenced with my notes from class and 4.) Organized by major topic and technology. Sisu Suka! (Sugar Jesus!) I can honestly say, that I feel like I got some work done during my last couple of years and it feels pretty damn good.

Speaking of feeling pretty damn good, (you like that subtle segue? Nice huh?) Today is the end of the Year School Feast for the Tupou High School System! We've got lots of church and eating and church and eating and church... ... ... and eating and saying goodbye to staff that are leaving, which means me! The real Jim Shady. I'll stand up please! So today is my day to shine my big giant chance at the fakamalo. (Fakamalo, literally translated means 'like (faka) thanks (malo)' what it really means is long-winded, frequently rambling dissertations that thank God, Sisu and his cousin Holy Spirit for everything under the sun in a decreasing order of importance. There is also a floating fakamalo theorem that is floating around that states: "The closer your body is to food physically, the exponentially longer a 'fakamalo' will be.") Earlier this morning when I wasn't in such a darn good mood I was thinking of all these ways to subtetly make some stabs at a culture, that frankly, I find to be rather difficult to understand or appreciate. (Sorry, I know Tonga should be magical and delicious. Frequently, for me anyway, it is not.)

However, upon further review, I've decided to keep my fakamalo upbeat and to focus on my all consuming spectacularositicents. I'm tired of accetuating the negative and as of this morning, I can say concretely that Tonga is more technically ready now than it was two years ago as a result of my effort. That may not mean much to the bible-bangers but in good ol' Protestant Work Ethic U. S. of A. that counts for a ton. I feel good and I'm going to celebrate.

I'm going to takes hundreds of pictures and I'll upload them after I eat so much food I have a hard time standing up. 'Kai mate' or, literally, "eat to death". Kick ass!

Oh and things that don't kick ass: The state of my teeth. 7, that's right 7 f*$%ing cavities. I cannot believe it. I honestly feel that I take better care of my teeth now that I ever have. I'd like to compare my early charts with what's they've got now, but man I'm upset about that. Oh, and here is the good news, accoring to recent Peace Corps policy changes, the Office of Medical Services recommends that volunteers get as much of thier dental work done in country as possible. That's right folks! Good old Uncle Sam is recommending that I get my occlusions taken care of in a developing nation after two years of volunteer service. My guess is that its cheaper and easier to get the medical paperwork filled out. Well they can pucker up and kiss my big white butt. I'm going back to america and I'm getting these taken care of by a Licensed American Medical Professional. Just another one of the many things that I can't wait to contact my Senators and Congressmen about as I'm floating about jobless during the next couple of weeks. I'm sick of feeling like a second class American. Sorry for the minor dpression thier.

Finally, Thanksgiving. I miss everyone, I really do. Its times like today that make me more homesick then ever. I'm sure it won't be the last thanksgiving I miss with the family, but I sure hope so. Hope everyone is having a great dinner, playing fun games, watching football and "kai mate". Thanks for the emails and IM's peeps. Serioiusly. Alright, I promise I'll load everything up with lots of pics and multimedia this afternoon.

Ofa Lahi Aupito - Misi. 2 comments - Post a Comment

• Happy Thanksgiving! (not that we even know what it's all about here in Oz).
  
  Mate, you should be giving thanks that UB40 and Maxi Priest will be performing in Tonga.
  
  Now that's a few notches up from 'Oyaba' (an African band) who appeared back in 2001. hehe.
  # posted by nicole : 11/25/2005 12:30 PM

• Did you cry during your fakamalo? You know it doesn't really count and they won't let you leave if you didn't (and I'm sure god only hears you if you cry). seriously, well done. keep in touch when you get back.
  # posted by Mark & Erin : 11/25/2005 6:05 PM