To all the beautiful people to which I have some sort of connection, hi.
It's Tom here in Regina just sending you all a big hello. This is
unfortunately the first email I have written in three weeks so I ask you to
excuse the email to everyone as it would take me a long time to wrtie
everyone individually. You're just going to have to believe on that one
because I'm really slow. Yah I can hear some of you just snickering at that
but sometimes the truth needs to be said.

So I'm in Regina as I said before, and to answer the question of where am I
working, I am not. Now before you gasp for breath and wonder why not, let
me say this, it's alright because I plan on being in Calgary one way or the
other in the fall, whether working or going to school I am not sure, but I
plan on being there. Well I gotta tell ya the job prospects here in Regina
are not what they are in Calgary. I tried to get a sweet ace job at Ipsco
here, which is a metals manufacturing facility, but it turned out to be a no
go. So I'm back to the idea of getting a job on the rigs. Thats the goal
and I now know what I need to do for my shoulder, so I actually could handle
it. Ahhh, money. What's money really that it is able to motivate us so
much. Nevermind I won't start with the philosophical ponderings that all to
frequently go through my head. I'll tell you though, if I could remember
half the things that went into my head, I would be a very learned person.
And I'm really humble as well.

WEll to those of you who are newly engaged, married, and the like, I bid you
congratulations, enjoyment and all the blessings that can be said here, oh
and even the ones I wouldn't mention. Another good group of you guys are
tree planting and I wish you the best. Keep at it and finish hard because
you'll probably regret it if you don't(I know from first hand experience.No
comments from you are needed mullet). To all my future pastoral friends get
ready for sweet year. Keep in touch. Especially you jerks who've gotten
married and are yet to be married. I know that you'll be busy with all
sorts of stuff but thats no reason not to say hi every once in a while.
Well maybe I should take my own advice seeing as how I haven't written
anybody in three weeks. Man, I don't even do anything. Oh well I still
wanna hear how its going.

Hey and how bout those Greeks. Any soccer fans on my list will appreciate
their victory in Euro 2004. And if you're not a soccer fan you should be.
You know, even you flames fans can appreciate the hard work of an under dog
who beats other teams, seemingly against all odds to win the
championship(OH, SORRY. The flames didn't win! Eat that! Vancouver
Canucks for ever!!!)

Well I now bid you good bye. "So long, farewell, ofeedersein(yah sorry
andrew, I'm not sure ho to spell it), adieu..." I'd love to hear from y'all.
Later

Tom

~~~~~~
Oh, Tom.

I don't think we know each other, but after reading your big hello I
think we should change that. See, Tom, I'm always looking for new
friends who are Canadian, because secretly I wish I was Canadian.
It's true. I like maple syrup and curling so why shouldn't I be
Canadian? Plus, I don't like or trust Texans one bit. Let's not
forget that detail, ok?

One of my best Canadian friends, Melanie (she lives in Toronto), has
promised to sponsor me when I finally get up the courage to renounce
the motherland. A prospect all too inviting in these politically
dicey times.

I visited Calgary once and it is a lovely place. Maybe when you get
back to Calgary and I immigrate we could totally have coffee and
reminiss about the times when we only knew each other as internet pen
pals. I can practically see it now. I'd be all, "Tom? Tom Ross?"
and you'd be all, "Brian?" And then I'd go, "It's me, buddy! How's
life on the rigs!?" And we'd shake hands and stuff.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'd like to address a couple of
points from your email. To start off, yeah, I can respect an underdog
like the Greeks. But honestly, Tom, I was rooting for Portugal. I
work in Newark, New Jersey and we have a section of town here called
the Iron Bound. It's primarily Portugese and so I have a number of
Portugese friends and aquaintences. I've been told that I'm Portugese
at heart. Isn't that sexy, Tom? Yeah. I think so too.

So, anyway I was rooting for Portugal, even if the honkinng and flag
waving did cause my friend Bevin to get stuck in Iron Bound traffic
when she was trying to pick up her mom from the train station. Even
so. I was disappointed when Portugal lost, but I'm glad you've found
some joy in the outcome.

I've been doing a little research on Ipsco, since I take an interest
in my friends lives--it's only right. I'd never heard of them before
you told me you were working there. I guess that's because I'm not in
manufacturing. But the Ionbond and SafeTap products seem to be very
forward thinking. And I note that the Ipsco stock is up today.
Huzzah Ipsco!

If, when you get to Calgary, you do end up going to school, what will
you study? Engineering? Music? Physics? Spanish? Enquiring minds
want to know, my friend. They want to know.

As for your philosophical musings, those were my favorite parts of
your letter. Don't censor those thoughts, Tommy. Oh, may I call you
"Tommy"? Some people are sensitive.

I am not newly married, nor am I newly engaged, but I offer my
congratulations to your friends who are. Marriage is such a
monumental event. I hope none of the brides (or grooms!) get the
wedding jitters! Will you be able to attend the weddings? I hope so,
and so do the happy couples.

Well, Tom, I'd better wrap this up. I've got my ladel in the inkpot,
the summer squash is about to turn, and I better get off the roof
before the sun comes up over the treetops if you know what I mean. I
think you probably do.

Fondly,
Brian Blaho

P.S. I look forward to lengthy future correspondence.

~~~~~~

Oh, Tom!

I was just thinking about you so I thought I'd drop you a line.

Today was pretty slow at work, but my friend Bevin (you remember her
as the girl who had to pick up her mom at the train station and what
not) called and was like, "hey Brian! Let's have a hang!"

So I was all about that, even though I have to do the floors in my
apartment because I'm having houseguests this weekend and I want to
put my best face forward and whatever whatever.

So, Bevin and I are gonna have a hang this evening and there will
probably be burrittos and that has me totally psyched!

Cordially,
Brian

P.S. Hey! Write me back!

~~~~~~

Well I'm half tempted to think that you're just playin with me sooner
because otherwise I'm not sure if I really wannna spend my ever so precious
time(as if I actually DO anything:) writing to some random person who I
don't know. That being said I doubt that Brian is a random stranger and my
speculative mind wants to think that Brian is the middle name of one of you
guys in the apartment. And Bevin? Give me a break! Thats gotta be Kevin no
doubt. So quit screwing with me. If I'm gona write, I sure as heck want to
write to someone I know. NO offense if this really isn't ryan but I don't
really know you and i don't write emails to complete strangers.

Tom

~~~~~~

Oh, Tom.

I'm very real. Really, really real.

http://sooner.diaryland.com
http://www.andromeda.rutgers.edu/~blaho
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22brian+blaho%22

See? I even googled myself for you. For the record, Bevin is really,
really real too. She'd be hurt to know you think she's a boy.

But, Tom, it's also true that until you emailed this random stranger,
we'd never met. I was, as I mentioned very grateful to receive your
thoughtful and at times philosophical update about all those folks
getting married and life on the rigs and whatnot.

I hope we can be friends even though we've never met. I hope so.

Brian

P.S. I made this one short because even though you're not really
doing anything your time is totally valuable. You should write me
back anyway.

~~~~~~

Hello Everyone,

Here is my latest update. It has been a while since I've written, haha, but you'll see the reasons for that in the update (if you don't know already!).

From Cam

There was an attachment, the text of which follows. Follow this link to see the letter in its original format including pictures of Cam in flip flops. (!)

Cam�s OnSite Newsletter � Vol. 4 � January

Hello Everyone!

Much has happened since my last newsletter! In recent news I am now back and settled in Lao. My health is improving so that is encouraging and good news. Thank you to all the people who have prayed for me during this time! It is much appreciated and I really felt comforted during that time. I am still not quite back to normal health but I am getting better so that is good. For those of you who do not know, over the last little while I have not been in very good healthy. Two Sunday�s ago I had a very bad pain in my appendix area. The pain lasted all night and even kept me from sleeping. In the morning I went to see a doctor who works in a small clinic in the Australian Embassy. I was worried that I might have had appendicitis as the pain had not gone away. The doctor then referred me to go to a hospital in Bangkok, Thailand to possibly have my appendix removed. I was referred to Thailand as the medical facilities and physicians in Lao are not the best. So I was on a flight to Thailand that same day and was checked into a very nice hospital � the nicest hospital I have ever seen! I ended up staying in the hospital for a week as appendicitis was not the problem and it took many tests to diagnose the true problem. The pain was a result of a bad bacteria infection in my intestines. The doctor said it likely came from contaminated water. It could have been from ice made from unclean water or even vegetables washed with normal tap water. Because I am living with a local family it was very easy for me to catch something! So now I am currently taking medication, watching what I eat and on the mend.

Other exciting happenings that have occurred since I last wrought was a trip to the Southern most part of the country, taking part in a Hmong New Year celebration, and the Christmas season. For my trip to the South of Lao I went with some foreigner friends over the [International] New Years� break. We traveled and saw various waterfalls of the Mekong River and some rare, nearly extinct, fresh water dolphins whose habitat is in the Mekong River near Cambodia.

As well, we got to see an ancient ruin called Wat Phou. Wat Phou is an ancient Khmer temple and ruins from the Angkor society that existed in Cambodia over a millennium ago. This was an enjoyable trip and a nice chance to relax.

Hmong New Year was an interesting celebration of the Hmong people group. The Hmong are one of the many ethnic groups in Lao � there are over sixty ethnic groups in the country! CAMA, the organization I am involved in here, largely works with the Hmong people. They are the producers of many CAMACraft products that are sold. Hmong New Year is a week long celebration that celebrates their New Year and takes place in December. There are several Hmong people who work in the CAMACraft office and so I was invitied, along with several other Lao people to participate and join in on one day�s celebration. We drove out to a Hmong village, about an hour out of the capital city, and dressed up in Hmong traditional clothes. There was a big celebration with dancing, singing and eating. Hmong New Year is often a time when couples form and marriages happen shortly there after. It was an interesting and fun event to observe and be a part of.

�Christmas time� also occurred here in Lao. Christmas time was fairly low key as it isn�t really celebrated here. Christmas is more or less considered to be �Foreigner�s New Year� by the locals unless they know the true meaning of the season. I missed the festive decorations that our culture had but I was also glad to miss all of the Christmas advertisements that happen. For Christmas Eve and Christmas Day my host family attended a local service that we regularly go to.

I am still studying Lao language and now I am making better progress. I am fully able to have conversations with people. Albeit only about basic things and I don�t understand most of what is said but I am excited to be at the point where I am able to communicate to some degree.

Living with my host family also goes well. After many months of learning hard lessons � cultural and personal, I am now fully apart of their family. Currently my host family mom is making sure (almost forcing!) that I eat plenty of food so that I regain the 10 pounds I lost from being sick! I am really enjoying living with this host family and am learning much from them. The Lao are extremely hospital and being a guest, and now even a member of their family, has been an amazing experience for me.

Thanks again to all those who have been thinking of me regularly! I am very, very grateful for that, especially over this past little while of not being healthy!
From Cam

~~~~~~

Oh, Cam.

I don't know you, but it seems that you are doing very well in Lao.
Thank you for including me in your update. The photo of you with your
host family on Christmas morning was especially sweet. You are right
to note that you did not miss much in terms of Christmas advertising,
though I must say my favorite Christmas ad was from Circuit City and
featured toy robots tormenting some poor holiday shopper.

Things are going pretty well back here in the states. I still like my
job and grad school has started up again for the spring term. Parking
is still an issue here at the law school and judging from the
inter-office debate being conducted about the problem over the email
system, I've never been more grateful for my monthly bus pass. We've
pretty much dug out from the recent blizzard, but it's still super
cold. I'm jealous of all those photos of you in flip flops!

In more somber news Marjorie has finally succomb in her battle with
cervical cancer. The services were just over two weeks ago and they
were lovely. I miss her, as we all do, but she'd always been thrifty
and once the accounting of the investments she left me was
complete--let's just say the blow was lessened. Now I'm thinking
about buying a boat.

Well, keep me informed about your acclimation to your new
surroundings. I'll let you know what's goin' down here in the North
East United States.

Take Care and Don't Drink Anymore Unfiltered Water,
Brian

~~~~~~

Hi Brian, my name is Ryan. Rumor has it that a number of my friends
have been sending you emails from time to time. You see, when I signed
up for Gmail, I had my heart set on getting [email protected]. When I
found out that it was already taken, I was quite taken aback and very
flustered to say the least. Due to my stubbornness and lack of
originality, I simply added another 'o' to sooner. Thus,
[email protected] was born. Now, after I signed up for this account
and sent off an email to everyone informing them of my new address, I
realized that the third 'o' in soooner is not exactly obvious, and may
even be considered a typo by some people. Even though I always write
"3 o's" in brackets after my e-mail address every time I give it out,
it seems that people still do not get it. Every now and then I get
yelled at for not returning people's emails, and then I find out
they've been sending them to you all this time. Well Brian, it is time
to end this confusion. I am going to offer you $1.5 million for the
[email protected] e-mail address. Yeah, I'm just kidding. I apologize
for all the random emails you've been getting from my colleagues. Feel
free to forward them on to me, or even reply to them with random
updates on how your life is going. That's always fun too. Anyways,
enjoy [email protected]. Clearly you are a more blessed man than I.

Ryan
P.S. I'm sorry to hear about Aunt Marjorie. I hope the inheritance
keeps your spirits afloat.

~~~~~~

Dear Ryan,

First, thank you for your condolences on Aunt Marjorie. It was a
trying time, but I'm closing on an apartment in the city next week so
that more than makes up for it.

I am totally sad to hear about your crushing disappointment regarding
[email protected]. I promise to use it wisely and for good only, never
for evil. I chose it because I earned my undergrad degree at the
University of Oklahoma where the mascot is the Sooner and I grew up in
the sooner state. There are many of us, as you may well imagine, who
all wanted to be [email protected] and I am perhaps the luckiest boy in
the world to have managed to type it in first.

Anyway, now that I know where those random and strangely personal
emails were supposed to go I will gladly cc you on any correspondence
I have with your friends. I have tried to reply in kind to each of
them, matching warm friendly familiarity where possible. I have also
invited them to be my new internet penpals, but sadly none have
accepted. They seem to be too busy trotting the globe and whatnot to
put up with my foolishness. I understand busy, Ryan, I do. I don't
take their rejection personally. And truth be told it's enough to
learn about how folks are doing on the rigs and whether they're making
nice with their host families and all. That's all I need to make me
happy.

Yours,
Brian Blaho

I'm nothing if not pleasant.

Posted at 1:25 p.m.

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