Mr. Paul Keating, my fellow LIP writer wrote a great article about winter last month, with a lot of responses from people who were still wearing thermal socks. I’ll say that the popular response was anti-winter. And yet they still live through it every year, as with that Mid-Atlantic Blizzard that’s happening as I write.
I guess it would be the same for me when I chose the Philippines to live, and then if I groused about the rainy season. I’d get no sympathy (BTW, I like the rainy season!). In the early 1950’s while I was a wee tyke, my Mother told my Father that their middle son Paul was leaving New England at the first opportunity. “How can you know that?” was my Fathers query. My Mother explained that in the morning she would bundle her five sons in warm clothing to send us outside, two for school and the youngest three to play. And young Paul would return inside within twenty minutes and complain about the cold, the wet cold snow, and cold wind. I do remember that I really did hate the cold.
A few years later I had a revelation, presented to me at Minot Elementary School (it’s long gone now) in the Neponset area of the Dorchester section of Boston. My 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Ahearn had us do diorama of a village in Malaya (it was the name then) and I asked how they survived the winters living in a house that was made of grass? THE REVELATION: “They have no winter” she explained. My young little mind could not grasp that concept, and so, it must be a lie which I found out later, it was not, oh joy!
Geography is now the subject that has fired my interest, and given me a purpose in life. I then set a goal that I, Paul Thompson would dedicate my life to finding this place called the Equator, for it must be Utopia or at least the promise land. The quest begins!
Leap ahead to October 1964, the goal still boils within me, but how may I reach it? Off to the Boston Army Piers for my Selective Service Physical, passed 1-A, the Army recruiter tells me I’ll be called before the end of the month. But if I sign up now he’ll give me a choice of schools and or jobs. “So young man watta’ ya wanna’ do?” Drive a tank! I exclaimed. “Second choice four eyes?” he asked. This Navy Chief with a large cup of coffee in his hand said, “I’ll let you drive a ship.” They’re huge, which could be fun to do, it wasn’t. (Getting back to winter) The Navy Chief told me that if I show up Friday he would send me to Boot Camp at Great Lakes Il. I scowled; he jumped in real quick and said, San Diego CA. if you can be here at 5am tomorrow (I was there at 3am). My first taste of a warm winter in Southern California, and it was good! So good in fact that Boot Camp and the pain that went with it just didn’t matter, as it was warm.
Since that day I’ve have never lived further north than Norfolk VA. And that was too north for me. Albeit the ship’s I sailed took me too many very cold places on the planet, we just never stayed long. Nor had I visited New England unless it was the full summer season. (Mom said to Dad, “I told you so.”) Florida, California, South Carolina, Costa Rico, Puerto Rico, Philippines UAE, North Africa and Diego Garcia on the Indian Ocean and many, many more warm spots on Earth where the sun shines daily. As warm or even hot is good.
The goal in life should be to live between 15 degrees North and 15 degrees South skipping some of the not so good longitudes. I still look to the sky once in a while and thank Mrs. Ahearn for showing me the light of knowledge! Oh! The first time I found that equator, was when the Navy gave me a big certificate that made me a “Shell Back” and ten years later I became a “Golden Shell Back” when I crossed on the International Dateline. But I had to go through the punishment again to get it, kinda’ like “The Order of the Blue Nose” when I crossed the Arctic Circle.
I had found it, the equator, and it was excellent!
Paul
I find this article Sickening.
In fact I am turning a bit green, I have a illness and its called “Envy”
I was on a ship(USS Plymouth Rock LSD)for a short cruise but never had to go thru the “ShellBack” ritual.
Neal;
Did you plan to be on the Plymouth Rock? As I know you are all things New England. (lol) You’ve only got 4 months till it warms up in your neck of the woods, look at the bright side; you can remove those snow tires soon. Neal, am I an ass or what?
Paul
No I didnt plan it but its funny how it turned out.
I was at Camp Lejeune and went on a “Northern Wedding Boldguard” exercise.
I wouldn’t like to use a other term than “ASS” but the almighty may boot me off his sight.
Neal;
My dream was to meet the idiot who named Military Exercise’s, and I would not buy him a beer. Plus, I can’t imagine what that other term would be?
Paul
Be forewarned that if there is any further busting of my balls about living in my frozen hell of RI as you are there in the nice tropical weather “swilling” beer, I will be forced to use all of my foulmouth Tagalog words that I have learned in the past 25 years.LOL
Neal;
Okay, Okay, Forewarned is forearmed, snow is off the table and spoken of no more. But CNN did say you should dig out the snow chains and put them over your snow tires!
Hi Paul – I swear I saw a peacoat and a knit watch cap on a farmer this morning at 5:30AM when I took the dogs for a walk. Temperature was 20C (68F). The high today was 31C (88F). That kind of winter swing in temperature sends chills down local backs.
I never was one for real winter. This imitation stuff is just fine. 😆
Hello Paul;
My brother-in-law asked for my old Navy leather bomber jacket when I retired, and I gave it to him. He wears it to his store in the market every morning this time of year, and passes me as I sit on my wall having coffee in t-shirt and shorts. I guess he never had the mid watch in Bergin Norway within the Arctic Circle, in January. (Order of the Blue Nose)
..I hope the beer can developes enough frost that yor lips stick to the side of the can !!! 6-8″ of snow on the way and winds gusting to 35 with only 6 days to go before gear up to Manila!!! Funny article Paul.
Brian;
I know that you’re dreamin’ of gear down as you glide smoothly over the South China Sea and see the lights of Manila. They’ll be warm temperatures and Ice Cold San Magoo’s awaitin’ fer ya. And no they never stick to your lips as the stop sign did when you were a kid. Why would we have stuck our tongue to a pole like that?
Seems we are pretty similar, I grew up in Vermont and loved the cold and snow, but once I joined the Marine Corps and got a taste of warm weather Ive never been back. The rainy season in the PI is ok its just the typhoons and floods that are a hassle. I now reside in sunny San Diego, 47 degrees out this morning as i head out to work, brrrrrrr,,, maybe time to think of warmer places.
Oh, I work right near NTC drive by it every morning, wonder if you have seen the place recently? Its sad, kinda like I envision what it would be like if I was to return to Subic. God the ghost that haunt those places.
Zeke
SEMPER FI
I was on the Rock/MCAS Futenma 83-84 and made several trips to Subic.
Provided support to 3rd FMF and to radio battalion pers on the Rock 1972-1975. Officially attached to unit in Yomitan but day/week/2 week/month trips here, there and everywhere were in my POD.
Loved to get down to Ginowan City (Futenma) and party after the eve watch! 😉
Paul K
Thats going back a few years!
The best thing about the Rock for me was being able to hop on a C130 and scoot down to the RP and the Scuba diving was great,specially at Bolo Point.I was impressed by how safe and clean the place was.
The Japz were not really that crazy about us being there, maybe it was a Jarhead thing and they didn’t like the hellraising.
Neal – Yep, loved that tour. Was there pre- and post-reversion. Life was “annoying” at best under U.S. (military) control of island before handing it back to Japan.
Only thing that didn’t improve with the reversion was the USD:Yen conversion rate: suddenly, I was poor (shot of whiskey went from 10 cents to $1.00; liter of beer from 25 cents to $1.25, “ladies’ drinks” from 25 cents to without limit!).
The Oki problems have always been there. Before the USMC became the target, it was the USA Green Berets. Their bases were established on the best farm lands of the island, and the locals forever demonstrated against them until they finally pulled out completely.
The group I was attached to quietly closed the doors and sneaked out of the country unnoticed sometime in 1998, and by 2008 all signs of the place were gone. Never had anybody demonstrate against us or even know that we were there!
OKI was a safe and clean place.
Bolo Point was however treacherous at best, bad currents, you had to read and time the waves to make a entry into the water or you would get smashed into the coral. But it was amazing diving.
Forgot to mention – during those years, I was on three search & rescue parties, looking for some Marines (1-2-1) who were swept off the rocks at Bolo Point by rogue waves. Those were such a common occurrence that I never understood (outside of making the morning report look good) why they were called “rogue.”
Got 2 back, dehydrated and suffering from exposure, got one corpse, and never got the other poor chap.
Zeke;
We New Englanders are quite bright, I referring to those of us smart enough to move. I had a tour of the old NTC in 2001 and the guard was kind enough to let me walk around. Fond memories? I don’t think so. But when I lived in San Diego in the early 80’s I’d get so angry as to where to go on vacation. As anything you could ever want to do, you can do it in San Diego. And it was fun to stand on my patio early in the morning on Imperial Beach, in full dress uniform and shout “Alto!”
Paul, I enjoyed your story tremendously. I like you hate winter and as I write this the snow is falling outside my window. Pain at Boot Camp in San Diego. Now if you were on the other side of that chain link fence I could see where you would have pain. From my running miles upon miles upon miles on that other side I always saw a nice paradise. Young sailors standing still getting a tan,watching the girls walk by (teasing on that one) and generally from my perspective enjoying life. Bring me to the warm weather.
Ron;
Yes the Navy Boot Camp only had a chain link fence between us and the Marine Boot Camp. One night I am patrolling the fence carrying this 12 pound pre-WWII piece (Rifle for non-military) and I spy this kid skulking by the fence. He wants to climb it, and escape to the Marine side (He just didn’t know) I put the barrel of my piece in the fence and gave him a hand using it as a step. I don’t think he was wanting to thank me after the Marines got a hold of him. Ahh Memories! He knew your pain.
Hello Paul, so you’re a Bostonian. 🙂 Today it snowed the whole day here in Chicago and will snow again tom. For the next seven days, it is going to in the 20s. But I am not complaining. I plan my wardrobe with military precision, pardon my expression. So I am pretty insulated during bad weather.
I cannot understand though some people I see presumably Americans who should know better about four seasons. It’s snowing very hard and yet they don’t use the hoods of their coats. It just hangs out there. Worse, they think they are water proof, going out in the cold and snow without anything that covers their heads. I suspect they refuse to put on heads because of vanity. Because aside from the lack of head gear, they look good. Hair is nicely done. But you have seen heads and eyebrows covered with snow flakes, right? It’s just a wonder for me why they are not bothered by those.
Despite the cold though, I still think I prefer cold over hot and humid. 🙂
Roy;
You have certainly figured out the Kano in the winter. You’re right, it is vanity, much better to look cool, than admit you’re not only cool but darn cold. I remember as a teenager in Boston, my buddies would dress to impress rather than to be warm. I was the un-cool guy who was warm. And a couple of years later I was the guy who was gone! (But still un-cool)
Hi Paul, enjoyed the article. It brought back old memories, I to had a choice; the draft or quickley join the Navy. I made the right choice. Loved San Diego, I would be there now, if it wasn’t so expensive. I also spent time in Cubi Point (15 months). I have many fond memories of my time spent there, would love to visit again in the future. Right I am looking out my window at about 10 inches of snow, and a temperature of about 15 degrees, at least the sun is shinning.
Later, a Retired TMC/SS (Shellback)
Hey Doug;
The draft had a way of causing (forcing) quick decisions, sail on your hotel, or carry it on your back. I’ll assume the choice was as good for you Chief, as it was for me. After one tour on the L.Y. Spear (AS-36) I knew it was a better man than me that sailed on Boats. I remember the shout I heard at last call at the club, “Diesel Boats Forever!” Then the fights would start.
My wife thinks I’m a bit off when I go out to my patio with coffee and shout “Goodmorning Bataan!” (T/Y Robin Williams) Great to hear from you Shipmate, I hope you can get back here sometime.
I haven’t lived too many places, the coldest place I’ve lived is Dallas, and the hottest too =D I hate the cold!!
Gary;
I never knew that the Big “D” ever got cold. Hot I knew, Wow! Boston to Manila in one town!
Hotter than Manila and barely cools off at night, but not too humid in the hottest months like say Houston. Not nearly as cold as Boston, or for as many days, but they get their ice storms & occaisional snow that sticks for a few hours or maybe overnight. It’s always trying to get warm there however.
August in Dallas is great conditioning for Philippines climate. When I moved here in the ’90s it was after a “lifetime” in the Redondo Beach, CA area. I really didn’t dig the weataher. This time I landed MNL Sept 5 after 11 Augusts in Big-D, and now Gensan weather feels nice!!
Hi Gary;
That’s proves you’re never too old to learn, I know the Left Coast and the Right Coast of the U.S.of A. Yet, know very little know very little of the in between. Thanks for wising me up, as I did not know that about Texas.
thanks again Paul really enjoyed your article, I spent many many year
on NTC bootcamp, school, than stationed their after school, finally
got out for one year than right back did four tours their, being from
Missouri and when my recuriter asked me do you want Great Lakes or
San Diego and it’s Nov. guess my answer???oh by the way my time not
in San Diego was spent in Alaska and I’m still in Alaska and I hate
the cold, when people ask me why do you live in Alaska I just tell them I live for the summers they are great. Will be heading or to the
Philippines end of Apr for about 3 weeks. again really enjoy reading your articles.
Hi Barney;
What a recruiter you had to ask if you want to go to the Lakes in November. I wonder if he made quota that month. After a winter in Alaska you deserve a trip here, have a safe trip and enjoy yourself! Glad I made you smile.