The inflation/Carlos Pueblo

 The inflation/Carlos Pueblo

The inflation occurs every year and has been with us all the time. Recently, I think of my time to preparation of coming to the United States in 1975. I was required to show a $2,000 proof of the fund to support myself for the first year. That amount is about a month of expanse now in Houston for myself. $2,000 U.S. dollar can purchase much less goods now than in 1975 and it is called the inflation. The inflation is more significant after a long time of the economic growth such as several generation of continual growth in the American history. Many people are richer than ever before and how do we manage the inflation if we are not catching on?

Don't waste our time, we must work to have earned an income, first. Second, we must save money every day and our expanse must be less than our income. Let rich people to worry about the spending not us and the national economic growth is too huge for us to worry. Some people are beneficial due to the inflation such as producers and merchants can sell their goods in higher prices and the debtors can pay their debts less of value; however, we must be able to pay back the loan first. It is very simple yet people usually ignore.

I did what I learned from the text book about the inflation. I invested huge in oil stock and vehicle manufacture stock. Both have been depressed for the past 15 years. I finally run into the inflation and get rid of my oil stock and get back all my loss with a little bit of better than the bank interest of certificate. I appreciate the inflation.

I also only purchase goods on sale. I drive less nowadays. I also consider to travel less from now on. I shall contribute my part of effort to force the inflation down.

如何面對通貨膨脹？／莊峻華

 如何面對通貨膨脹？／莊峻華

每年通貨膨脹持續存在，就是美金一直在貶值中，今年較為顯著，因為汽油漲價，原油一桶漲到120美元，一加侖汽油比去年貴一倍以上，一般食物價錢，有顯著增加，銀行利息，稍微增高，美金漸漸買不到去年同額商品，這是通貨膨脹，我查一下書架中之美國歷史，美國一直在面對通貨膨脹，我們個人如何面對通貨膨脹？

我一直握有石油股票，石油股一直備受市場壓抑，這次我一舉全數賣出，手握現金，十年餘投資回報率，比銀行定期高，但比不上高科技基金，高科技股現在暴跌，我將逐漸領出現金，渡過這困難的幾年，一切都是按課本操作。

我不再向銀行高利貸款，過去我還借信用卡錢，交3％手續費，現在省下，我已經多年不上餐廳用餐，而且我一直開舊車，我都在存款準備年底交所有稅捐。

我要更堅持每日清晨運動，網球和游泳，入冬後改成散步，維持身體健康，不為病痛折磨，早睡早起，一年復一年。

Asking the passerby for directions/Carlos Pueblo

 Asking the passerby for directions/Carlos Pueblo

Traveling around the world in a frugal way required to ask the passerby for directions especially I am not that good or updated with the current i-phone technology. I just come back for a two months traveling on a four cruises  with several cities in and out of airports, motel, and hotels, etc., a lot of asking plus some Google researches.

My first cruise was a Eastern Caribbean 10 day route from the Manhattan pier in New York City. I was lucky that I invited my brother-in-law to come along. He lives in the city and very good at the city location. I came back to Houston to wait for the second cruise to across the Atlantic Ocean with the same ship. This time, I could stay at his sofa in his apartment. I therefore decided to wait at New Haven, Connecticut due to the cost of five night motel. I first needed to get out of the La Guardia Airport to the Grant Central station to take that MTA North line train. An information center girl wrote me a note 1. M60 Bus 2. Stop 125 Take train 4 or 6 to 42nd Street Grand Station Terminal. I asked many passerby for directions. Stop 125 is at the famous Harlem District, a nice lady was carefully watched me getting down the elevator to the subway station. On the train, two ladies were carefully again to make sure that I got off at the right station. I always ask questions to get help and also practice my language.

At New Haven, the Yale University campus, I also asked questions to get around such as to reach West New have drug store to get my Covic-19 test two days before boarding the ship. I ask and there are always kind persons there to help me at the right time to remind me to get off the bus. I was in panic when I learned that no shuttle bus available on Sunday to the rail station to return to NYC. This homeless man across the Green Park called me and told me to move to the front of a big church to wait for a regular bus, as a matter of the fact that there are two buses can go to the rail station. I got to the Grand Central and following my Google search note to find a bus to the Manhattan pier, a kind lady security walked me out of the station toward a bus stop that bus took me to the end and I could see the huge ship park right there.

The cross Atlantic cruise ends at Civitavecchia, a port north of Rome, Italy. I have been there twice before. The ship arranged a fee bus to transfer us to a rail station and I paid 4.5 Euro ticket to Rome and another 7 euro to the Rome International Airport. Turkey Air sent me to Istanbul International Airport to be consolidated with passengers fully loaded back to Houston. I asked all the way for directions and had a good time.

問道於善人／莊峻華

 問道於善人／莊峻華

約是三月底，開始恢復郵輪旅行，兩次在紐約市曼哈頓港口上下船，一次在西雅圖上下，另一次在羅馬市北郊外港下船，都是舊遊地，但均需問道於善心人士，因為我節檢旅行，喜歡搭乘公共交通工具，所以行前需要谷歌蒐集資料，抵達目的地後，開始問道於路人，遇到陌生善人相助，人生大幸，從小我也養成此習慣，幫助問路人。

我先在紐約市上船，行前約連襟榮祥兄同遊，他到拉闊地亞機場接我，我們搭巴士和地鐵到他的公寓，過去他教我搭地鐵輪渡到他史帖登島住宅，我是先回家看顧琳兒住宅五日後，再搭機回拉闊地亞機場，這次不能住榮祥家，只能搭車到康乃狄克州紐海文市五日候船，這是耶魯大學，我曾住過一週。機場案內小姐給我寫下指示，先搭巴士出機場，在125站下車，再搭4或6線地鐵到42街大中央總站，轉搭紐約市地鐵北線到紐海文市，兩小時火車時程，我就一路問道，原來125站在紐約市哈林區，善心女士下車後，一直指點我到搭電梯下地鐵站始離去，哈林區強人出沒，頗為箸名，問好方向上車後，又開始問道，地鐵乘客多半是少數民族，而且是女性，樂意助人。

登船兩日前，需要作武肺無感染檢驗，於是我約在西海文市一藥局，也是一路問路搭車，有一學生小姐，一路聽到我的問題，等到該下車時，提早要我注意是下一站過馬路。

週日從紐海文綠地公園，準備搭車回曼哈頓港，發現城中專車休息，正在焦慮，一位騎樓下流浪者，招手叫我，問我何處去？我說是火車站，他說專用車休假，但可搭一班車，就在教堂前，又有一位西語小姐告知兩班車，均可抵達火車站。

越洋郵輪在羅馬市外港停靠，我來過兩次，都未入羅馬市，我習慣郵輪之食宿，下船後跟著乘客到車站，搭一火車約是四點五歐元到羅馬市，然後再搭火車到國際機場，約是七歐元，經濟實惠，飛機帶我到土耳其伊斯坦堡機場，再跨大西洋美東回休士頓市。

阿拉斯加兩此郵輪行更精彩，我將在下文敘述。

In Memory of Mr. Ronald Wen of Kaoshiung, Taiwan 1949-2022/Carlos Pueblo

 In Memory of Mr. Ronald Wen of Kaohsiung, Taiwan 1948-2022/Carlos Pueblo

While visiting the Alaskan Governor's mansion at Juneau, Alaska on my Cruise, I learned that my college classmate, Ronald Wen of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, passed away on May the 9th. He had a severe stroke on April 12th at home at Irvine, California. He is a good friend of mine and helping me to solve a visa problem to leave Taiwan in 1975 and I must repeat his kind effort again in memory fo this rare Taiwanese gentleman.

He is from a wealth family, yet he selects to enter Taiwan Normal University, a school to prepare secondary school teacher in Taiwan. He was number one in our junior class; therefore, he was elected as the class leader to manage our class affair such as delivering the monthly allowance from the ministry of education and lease the cap and gown at the graduation, etc. After two years army draft service and two years teaching at middle school, we were all eligible to apply studying abroad in 1975. He was alright to get the visa to come to the United States with a full scholarship while I ran into my difficulty to get mine. I performed poorly at the college with my grade point average and in the result that I didn't pass the national examination to study abroad. I failed to pass the Organic Chemistry yet I did pass English, GRE, and TOEFL. I also didn't get the admission of any American University at all. Finally, I got a part time lab technician job, called the tuition-ship at the Lamar University and was allowed to apply the exit visa in lieu of passing the national examination. It was required by the U.S. Consulate General office in Taipei, Taiwan that I provided a US$2,000 check from the Bank of Taiwan to prove that I had financial support of a year. This was a huge amount for me at that time in Taiwan. He understood my strong desire to leave Taiwan and my family couldn't help me at all. He asked his father, a very generous business tycoon at that time to loan me that amount and that was how I could start my application for a visa.

Before my purchase a single way air plane ticket, a full scholarship letter came from Auburn University in Alabama. I took the check to the U.S. and waiting his instruction to mail my personal check to him. I remember this favor for all my life and I talk about it and write about it. 

He finished his study at the University of Wisconsin with two degrees, one in chemistry and another one in the environmental science. He came to visit us in Houston several times in the 80's, even Amy still remembers it. I have visited him several times when he moved to Irvine, California. I miss him very much. Recently, I read about his whole family's trip to Oregon to visit old professors friends from Wisconsin and I am so happy for him. I don't realize that is a farewell.

悼念高雄溫公隆勳兄／莊峻華

 悼念高雄溫公隆勳兄／莊峻華

日前阿拉斯加州郵輪旅次，於州會珠諾市州長官邸旁，連絡上怡之姊，驚聞大學同窗，高雄溫公隆勳仙逝南加州爾灣市，享年七十三，溫公年輕時有恩惠於我，我在台灣之美憶（3）文中，略有敘述，這次悼念，更需詳述。

隆勳兄家境富裕，其太公為電氣包商，承攬左營海軍工程等，我們大三寒假時到高雄，曾在高雄五月花大飯店，設晚宴招待同學，我尚憶得巧遇楊金虎市長。兄為雄中高材，考入師大，完全是因校譽誠正勤樸，兄成長於一溫暖之好家庭，待人誠懇，腳踏實地，功課曾是班上第一，而且當過班長，發放一年師範生公費，學士服租借等事。因成績優秀，分發到台北市實習，兵伇期滿留任一年，然後全額獎學金，前來威斯康新州大學深造，學業順利，令人欽佩。我在大學期間，碎事纏身，課業掙扎，留學考本科不過，只好多申請學校，好不容易申請到德州東境拉瑪大學，學費助學金，可以甑試免過留學考，但需要生活保證金美金兩千元，兩千美金是八萬新台幣，兄將我窘境轉述太公大人，蒙大人慨允撥款相助過關，得以開始辦理出境手續，待領到護照，準備購買機票，阿拉巴馬州奧本大學全額助教獎學金已到，兄要我將已結匯美金兩千，帶到美國，然後按指示，郵寄該款給他，這是我一生難忘之恩惠。

兄畢業後，曾來路易斯安娜州大一年，後來又返原威大攻讀環境科學，有一年專程來休市，要我帶他拜訪萊斯大學衛工系，和休大土木系衛工博士班，萊斯衛工系主任是峻嚴南卡克萊姆森指導教授，休大這位年輕助教授，是我選課不過之老師，我們在圖書館讀書小房間找到他，萊斯是在主任辦公室，兩教授均坦白曰無助學金，此事作罷，兄回米爾瓦基市就業，有一年出差來休市，我們均有見面，愛美尚憶得一年，兄攜梅馨嫂和小千金來寒舍過夜，準備上德州農工，參加親戚婚禮。

隨後兄遷居南加州爾灣市，我曾打擾一宿和一豐盛台餐，五柳枝魚，至今難忘，永源兄作陪，後來幾次拜訪爾灣市，也帶兄參加台美商會，拜望王貴榮會長，最近十年拜訪南加州，僅見得永源，原來兄嫂經常回台省親。

兄為一難覓之台灣紳士，其令尊大人和令堂大人，都是第一流好家庭好家長，兩位千金，一為教師，一為醫生，均是學業有成，最近悉得闔府三代旅行奧勒岡州，拜訪舊友，不想竟是永別，嗚乎哀哉。

Going to and coming back from two cruises/Carlos Pueblo

 Going to and coming back from two cruises/Carlos Pueblo

After almost 27 months for not going to cruises due to the Covic-19 pandemic, I finally got an opportunity to resume my hobby of the cruising. I asked my brother-in-law Mr. Yong to have a ten day trip to the Caribbean sea. Because he allowed me to stay at his apartment; therefore. I could adjust my flying schedule to save some money, an essential part of my traveling hobby. I have to take Covic-19 test for a negative proof two days before the embark at the New York City Manhattan pier. Amy did have a small procedure to take a sample from her breast on the day of my leave for NYC; however, the surgery created a non-stop breeding which made us very uncomfortable.

Mr. Yong came to La Quadia to take me his residence and I took the second test on the street and both negative result came back to me on the following days. I shall describe my first 10 days journey to the Caribbean later. During the return from the first cruise and waiting for my flight back to Houston, we took a tour at the Flushing Chinatown. I bought 6 pieces of large quava and broke a piece of my tooth. The nerve was exposed and I was uncomfortable. My way of dealing this tooth ache is drink hot mung bean tea, a remedy from my late mother.

The airline canceled my original flight back to Houston and arranged me to take a little bit later direct flight back; however, my luggage were checked in before the change. Two luggage were stuck in Dallas and didn't arrive till the next morning. I had had a schedule to dogs sit Michelle's house in Austin for 6 days while she was on vacation. I decided to leave the luggage at Hobby Airport and replace by one only when I returned to the airport for my second journey back to the La Quadia for my second cruise to across the Atlantic on the same ship. It was very hustled for everything. Arthur had a flat tire when we were in Austin. His i-phone battery was dead. I took him to a shop to replace two tires and made some arrangement for my second trip. While visiting a i-phone repair shop, I lost my bank envelope with $300 cash and realized it before my dental appointment. My blood pressure was boiled to 160 and the dental hygienist refused to clean my teeth and I didn't even to have an opportunity to consult with a dentist about my tooth ache. I was lucky that the store technician found my cash envelope and returned it to me.

Mr Yong couldn't accommodate my second stay with him; therefore, I decided to wait my embark outside NYC at New Haven, Connecticut to save some money. It was very interesting to re-visit Yale University.

I did have a very nice trip across the Atlantic from NYC to Rome, Italy. I disembark at a port north of Rome and took two trains first to Rome and then to the International Airport. On my way bak to Houston, I stopped over in Istanbul, Turkey and had a very nice Sushi-Sasimi dinner at the Airport.