Merry Christmas To All!

Above, a "White Christmas" scene at Mt. Aso in Kyushu, Japan (even though it was April at the time the picture was taken).

Merry Christmas To All!

by Armand Vaquer

This year, I have to pass on sending out Christmas cards, so this will be my "card" for this year.

Another year has come and is almost over and we're now on the eve of Christmas Day. I hope all had a prosperous year. For me, it has been a mix of highs and lows.

Thankfully, I didn't have to attend any funerals this year. I hope that holds true next year. There's been too many of them over the past several years and it seemed like I was attending an average of two a year.

The year started out well with me holding two jobs. One, a "parachute" job working as a field supervisor for Securitas. Years ago, I had to work security as the insurance claims job market was in the doldrums. However, once I was able to land steady employment in the claims field, I still maintained all my security-related permits "just in case." My last insurance supervisor laughed when I had to do my bi-annual gun requalification shoots. He asked, "Why bother?" I told him that they are hard to get and you never know when you might need them. It turned out that I did need them as the insurance claims job market tanked due to the recession. The work I do is to drive around and supervise our guards and weapons-screeners at different L.A. County facilities. One nice benefit is the many friends I have gained through this job.

At the end of last year, I landed a job working for an independent adjusting company. The amount of work wasn't enough to quit the Securitas job, so I arranged my work schedule to work claims in the morning hours and on weekends. Work has slowed during the last few months. Hopefully, once insurers get their 2010 budgets worked out, we'll see more assignments coming in.

I managed to do a couple of interviews this year: one with actor David Hedison for G-FAN and one with actress Christine Nguyen for Monster Island News. Hedison was one of my favorites in such films as The Lost World, The Fly and the television series Voyage To The Bottom of the Sea. Nguyen is a rising star who seems to be getting busier and busier. She will appear in the upcoming Green Hornet Movie. She and I share the same birth date, February 4. Maybe a joint lunch is in order to celebrate?

The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan, which I started in early 2008, while I was on unemployment, is finished and scheduled to be available at Comixpress January 4. I learned a lot about getting things written and published. I had a lot of help from G-FAN's boss, J. D. Lees, who did the interior layouts and from Archie Waugh, a 20-year graphics designer, who did the cover. I was referred to Comixpress by Mad Scientist magazine's editor and publisher, Martin Arlt. My deepest gratitude to each for their valuable assistance!

I also learned, unfortunately, that someone I considered a friend (who shall remain nameless) wasn't. One night, a misunderstanding arose in relation to the aforementioned travel guide and I was seething mad. This individual (not related to the misunderstanding) happened to call me that night and I vented. Fortunately, the matter (funny, I don't remember what it was) that ticked me off was resolved within days. Unfortunately, this so-called "friend" stuck his nose into something I was doing earlier this year and an argument ensued. He then threatened me with what I had vented about a year earlier with what could only be described as, by definition and legally, "blackmail." With that, I severed our friendship.

There's a lesson that can be drawn in this: don't take phone calls from people while in anger and, also, choose very carefully what you say, even if you're just thinking aloud, to people who have character flaws and have their own agendas. Such is life.

As things were going good financially during the spring and summer months, I was able to go to G-FEST XVI in Chicago and meet actor Kenji Sahara. I had a great time and got many photographs.

For the first time in my life, I am now a union member. Co-workers at Securitas, dissatisfied with the benefits (or lack of them) we are receiving, began a campaign to sign up everybody for union representation with SEIU (Service Employees International Union). Ironically, this is the same union who is the biggest backer of President Obama, who regular readers of this blog know I have no use for. The first contract negotiations with our new union, Securitas and L.A. County are set to begin next month.

Family-wise, my daughter just graduated from Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California with a B.S. in Biology. We're all proud of her. My mom has some medical issues that need to be taken care of, but she's hanging in there. Her digestive system seems to be out of whack. But she responds well to Japanese food! Go figure!

Unfortunately, due to finances (stemming from having to deal with two car accidents, one by my daughter and one from a hit & run driver, and the related deductibles that needed to be paid for the repairs) and scheduling, I had to miss this year's Platrix clamp-outs. I hope I can go to them next year. The cars are now in top shape (including mechanically).

This month marked the tenth anniversary of my dad's passing. In many respects it seems like only yesterday that he passed away. He is still missed. Thankfully, I have many video tapes of the good times.

Health-wise for me, I managed to shed a few pounds. During the time I had to tighten my financial belt and brown-bag my lunch to work instead of hitting fast-food joints, I trimmed up. Sometimes "poverty" has its benefits. I've no physical ailments, so I am counting my blessings.

What's in store for next year? I will be kept busy with the travel guide for a while. I am considering making it an evolving travel guide with updates and revisions as the years go on. We'll see how the first edition goes before making any decisions. G-FEST XVII will be held in Chicago in July. That'll be another highlight to look forward to.

If the job and financial pictures greatly improves, I hope to return to Japan and gather more material for G-FAN and, maybe, later editions of the travel guide.

Will 2010 be better? As an optimistic person in general, I think so. This year wasn't bad, it wasn't great either. But I've endured worse.

Have a safe Merry Christmas and New Year!