To Be a Kid Again.

I love kids. When I'm around kids, I get the feeling that I'm stiff and boring.  A kid tells you you're funny looking while picking his nose.  A kid jumps on your back like you're a horse to be mounted.  A kid cries foul when you take his candy away.  One kid consoles another kid by offering an eraser of all things.

There's something precious about being a kid (there's also something to be said for those who don't grow up :).  The other day I was hanging out with some kids I know when one little girl gave her now too-small pink outfit to another little boy I know.  Now the older kids, knowing that pink is for girls started snickering as the little boy clutched the pink outfit, eventually donning the pink jacket.  His expression told you that he couldn't believe that he could be the recipient of such an extraordinary gift (the giver didn't even seem to care either way).  

The adult world functions on us being emotional managers, that is, the answer to someone's idea isn't 'that sucks' but rather 'that's an interesting thought.'  We've gotten very clever at this.  Sometimes I wish I wasn't so clever, but then again we'd wreak havoc if we weren't socialized into this somehow.

Complicated creatures we are.

There and Back Again.

(L) Having fun with my dad.  We're imitating our hotel behind us.
(R) Find the elephant (hint, I'm not talking about myself or my mom).

(L) With my uncle, the crazy photographer man.
(R) The view looking forward on the bamboo raft.

(L) I lost track of how many boats we boarded this trip.  But I can't get enough of the water.
(R) Can you count how many elephants?

(L) To the shopping and eating madness of HK with my aunts.
(R) The (currently expanding) Wests in the East.  BTW, go Ags!

(L) In the Gambling City, with 'good' folks I first met some 8 summers ago.
(R) Now turned HK city girl but always best bud, DF and I share a love for FOOD.

(L) Spent a good chunk of time down south in T-land.  I'm wet after our 'adventure' package.
(R) Finally got on a real one of these.  They're really quite prickly.

Out of the Office.

Been gone, but back soon...

A Real Entry.

I miss posting.  It seems like it's been awhile.  I even managed to turn another year older inbetween.  Yep, it's been that long.

Where my thoughts at the moment are, I'm not quite sure.  All over the map, really.  Partially digesting the current happenings, anticipating the near future (my parents and uncle arrive in a few days and then I'm off...on vacation), and the slightly more far off future of when I return home. 

Perhaps my birthday the other day best exemplified my recent scatteredness; I had people from both sides of the globe celebrating with me (thank you, Skype, and thank you good friends!), allowing me to see that I've spread myself out, and possibly when I return to the States, yet another destination to call 'home' (more later on this?).

To speak on matters of the near future, here are some things I'm looking forward to in the next month:

I haven't seen my mom in over a year!  She, my dad, and uncle arrive this week! 

I'll be in the tropics of T-land after doing some traveling with my folks!  Flip-flops once more!

To go back a bit, here are some people that we miss who blessed us with their year-end visit:

 
Ke-la-Ke and MFong...good times, good times :)

And here are some recent skills I've aquired:

It's harder than it looks when you're used to 2 wheels, okay?

Could it Be...

that I can now possibly renew my online habits?  Have the boats succesfully maneuvered the winds and ferocious sharks to repair the undersea cables?  Just maybe.

Peers.

There's a part of me that forgets I really don't have too many peers here.  Peers being defined as people my same age.  It can be extended to include people my same age and same life experiences (like when I say NKOTB, there's no doubt as to what I'm talking about).  I never really notice it too much (the whole lack of peers thing), except when it comes to nights such as the one I just had--when I'm suddenly confronted with the realization that oh my goodness my family car is older than you. 

A group of us were playing a game tonight, a question-and-answer sort, with most of the questions landing predictably on feelings and relationships with the opposite gender. When you realize you're sharing things that even your own peers don't know, you have to kind of laugh.  You also laugh when it comes time to ask a person the classic question of who they 'like.'  Who knew that this kind of question can still make a person giddy even in their late twenties. 

Coming to Town.

Ke-la-ke and MFong...here to spend Christmas!

Messiah.

Handel's Messiah came to town, via a Korean chorus and orchestra (thus continuing my running tribute to the Koreans).  I actually had never heard it performed live before and never did I think that my first time would be in the motherland of all places.

Its coming didn't come without its ma fan, which could be said of the original coming (I speak of the one that happened some two thousand years ago).  The authorities again had something to say about this Messiah, but nevertheless the show went on, which I was glad for (especially for all the friends we had invited).  This proved pivotal in the original coming, as the whole course of mankind was redirected from that point forward.

I realize that the audience was lost without the lyrics, especially since it was sung in English (to tell the truth, I had trouble understanding the Konglish). So we tried our best at inserting a running commentary for our local friends.  This I thought ruined the music's effect, but then again He did choose the unlikely 'you' and 'me' to relay His message.  And interestingly, the Show goes on.

In Touch with Reality.

As a child I used to love inventing various realities.  One moment I'm a successful fashion designer, another moment I'm a dim sum waitress, and in still another moment I operate my own bank.  And I can't forget the various performances my sister and I schemed, all to entertain ourselves during our early years without a television.

Now that I'm grown I still like to live in the world of pretend.  This week I spent an entire afternoon nursing my cold back to health by engrossing myself in the Korean soap I mentioned an entry ago and reading Jane Austen's Emma.

It was an indulgence that left me feeling a bit guilty; when's the last time I've sat in front of the television for three hours, or settled down with a good book for a couple hours straight?  It's been awhile.  I get the idea that this somehow isn't allowed here, and in fact sometimes work and play get confused such that I agonize over what are my own lofty, impossible ideals.

So let me get back in touch with Reality here.  I like that this is Life as He reveals.  No need to invent or manipulate (Emma, take note ). 

Minor Annoyances.

There will never cease to be minor annoyances in life, whether it be life abroad or on the homefront.  Yesterday as I was on the bus performing my ritual last-minute cramming of han zi before going to class I observed out of my left eye a most disturbing behavior from my neighboring passenger--the persistent and swift churning of his two fingers aroused my suspicion.  To my chagrin he proceeded to shove his index into his nostril and repeat the same rapid motioning with his newfound discoveries, eventually discarding.

Now spitting is one thing.  A loud clearing of the throat followed by a discharge, and it's over.  But this man seemed to delight in his treasure hunting the whole forty minute bus ride over.  Disgusted I edged further over on my seat.  Makes you wonder what you actually sit on when you choose to rest your bottom in public places.  So that's why my mom instructs me to keep strict 'house pants' separate from my 'outside pants'...