East of Corliss

798 - Beijing Art District

2008-04-13T09:29:00.001-07:00

I'M BACK

2008-04-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

No I didn’t get deported….

The great disappearing act of 2008 has finally come to an end. After many inquires and request for me to update the blog I’m back at the laptop trying to think where the time has gone. No I didn’t get thrown in a Chinese prison or get ran over by the Beijing public transportation. I’ve just been…well…lazy. Busy as can be…but how hard is it to sit down and spill my guts on this clean sheet? So last time I updated the blog I was just coming back from the adventures of SE Asia. We’ll that time has come and gone and the sand and surf of Phuket and the cockroaches of Vietnam are no more than a distant memory. So what I have I been doing. As you might have seen I went to a MLB baseball game between the LA Dodgers and San Diego Padres…the first time MLB has staged an exhibition in Red China. It was cheap entertainment…about 4 US dollars for seats in the outfield. But I have to question the Chinese and if they’re going to be ready for the Olympics? The security line to get into the game was pretty much a joke. Sure it looked stringent from afar but the long masquerading line was just a typical Chinese façade of security. The boys looked sharp in there Uniform, but they missed the concept of “Security” in a big way. You could have driven two tanks through there and they would have smiled and waved you through ignoring the loud beeping noises coming from the metal detectors. Hey but they did stop me from bringing my water bottle in there…they must be taking lesson’s from the TSA or something. The concept of concession stands was also missed. Actually an Ex-Pat from Seguin, Tx…just outside San Antonio was granted the rights to set up his BBQ joint inside the stadium. The food is terrible and the service sucks…but it’s still the concept of BBQ that get me excited. Albeit spending 2 ½ innings in line to get a beer and a hotdog the atmosphere was exciting and I think every Ex-Pat must have gone to at least one game during the weekend. I almost forgot I was in China minus the fact the Chinese contingent decided to cheer for every single thing that took place. From a ground ball out to a foul ball it was a thrilling time for my Chinese brethren who knew nothing before attending and left knowing probably less!!!! Regardless, the beer was cheap and it was the boys of summer playing in my new back yard.
Let’s see…Personal update…looks like the Chief and his Saigon woman have had to take a leave of absence from each other. The distance of Beijing to Saigon makes it difficult and our busy schedules conflict to have a true meaningful relationship. But we’ll always have Phuket!!!! But as the world turns so does my love life. After meeting a few girls in China I hadn’t really figured any of them we’re worthy of such a stud like me. But recently I’ve been hanging out with a new friend. She just graduated from Peking University (supposedly the Harvard of China) and is pursuing her Masters in Health Sciences…she’s Pre-Med. Good thing she has a sense of humor because this small brained individual couldn’t carry a meaningful intelligent conversation with this girl if he wanted too. We’ll see how long things last…by next update I might be dating the one of the cleaning girls at my office building!!! But I guess God blessed us all in different ways…mine just happens to be the big white funny guy who lives in a place where they only understand about 75% of what you say and 30% of your jokes. If you ever come over here…check your sarcasm at the door…unless you have another American around its pretty much lost in translation. But I’m persistent and my crude behavior and comments haven’t been snuffed out by the lack of understanding.

As far as work…the pollution of Beijing isn’t improving and the Air Cleaning systems I’m selling are still flying off the shelf. We had our big trade show this past weekend and we found lots of leads and had a chance to share our products with the masses. The highlight of our booth was the massage girl we hired to give head and shoulder massages to the peeps who approached our booth. It was a highlight of the show and since I was in charge of putting the show together I feel that it was one of my better ideas. Don’t worry…I’ll save each and every one of you a pat on my back. It was a good weekend to say the least and I got to take advantage of the massage girl myself three or four times a day.

So life is still pretty good and I’m trying to enjoy it to the fullest. I’ll try and do a better job of keeping everyone up to date. So until next time.

Baseball Beijing Style

2008-03-24T09:38:00.001-07:00

Back in the Jing!!!

2008-02-22T03:37:00.000-08:00

The ride is over…literally and figuratively as I’m now back in Beijing entrenched in my mediocre social life and working once again. The 11 day that turned into a 14 day vacation to Vietnam and Thailand is nothing but a distant memory. At least I have 400 photos to help me reminisce and reflect on the two weeks I just had. So most people are probably wondering how much I paid that girl to spend the two weeks with the Chief. I’d say free…but that’s all relative don’t you think? No Hanh…yes…all you Clubbers out there…that is enunciated the same way as Steve Miller and Chicken Wing used to give you shots out with HON Daddy-O. She’s left handed, shares the same Birthday as me (8/20) and her name means cool to a select few. She’s from Vietnam…I call her my Saigon women…but she always reminds me she’s really just a village girl. My friend Mark likes to give me a hard time for having Pen Pals around the world…we’ll Captain…this is what 8 months of Pen Palling gets you sometimes;-) In all honesty, Hanh is a very good friend and we had a wonderful time discovering Vietnam, Thailand, and each other (whoops…sorry Mom). We spent a few nights in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City if you are on the winning side of that war), than we traveled the scariest road in the World…Hwy 1…to a city called Can Tho. I’ve been there and still can’t pronounce it correctly. Its 200 Km south of Saigon…but getting there took 4 hours…returning took 7 ½. Loads of fun my friends…especially with a girl who has motion sickness. After she passes out an hour into the drive you’re on your own to watch the landscape…you don’t watch the road in front of you or you’ll have an anxiety attack. I tried to capture the true essence of the roads dangers but a still camera just doesn’t do the trick. Its two lanes of traffic that they make into eight. If you’re not about to run over a motor bike, or you can avoid the oncoming traffic barreling down your side of the road…there are wildlife and street vendors to navigate around. I would call it 3rd world living…but I’d also call it population control. If you’re a sick person and want to see a dead body…I’d suggest a trip along Hwy 1 and you’re bound to find a cadaver or two. But if you can look past all the mayhem…and have your ride be the biggest on the road…it really is quite nice!!! My biggest part of the trip was heading to Hanh’s village where her Mother lives and the spot she grew up. I was introduced to the family and I shared a beer with her uncle. Once I was escorted to the great Aunts home I knew something was up. I’m not sure at this point by Vietnamese law if I’m married or not…but when they started throwing rice at me from there bowls I was a little nervous. I’m going to have to Google that and find out what the marriage laws are in Vietnam. I might actually already be divorced again for all I know and owe alimony. But it was actually interesting to see the village life and see the place that Hanh actually was raised. A little bit different than Bellingham, Washington…but at least they didn’t have hippies!!! After a few days in Can Tho, we headed back to Saigon for a night on our way to Thailand. Back to Phuket, Thailand…my favorite city in SE Asia. The Thai people are always wearing a smile and the beaches and weather are second to none. Mr. Paul my taxi driver from last May was once again on call to help shuttle me around the island to all my favorite destinations. Mr. Paul has become part of my family at this point with the amount of time and money I’ve spent with him. He actually invited me to his home next time I go to Phuket to host a BBQ for me in my honor. I thought I was popular in the Vietnamese village!!! After spending 4 days we headed to the airport to fly back to Vietnam. As Chris Berman says…Not so fast my friend. Mr. Thinh my travel agent in Vietnam screwed up my dates and booked my airline ticket for the wrong day. With it being the heavy part of tourist season we were screwed. So I used some of my last Holiday Inn points and booked a room back in Phuket. Unfortunately I couldn’t enjoy it too much as I bugged my parents to help me rebook my ticket and worry about not being able to get back to Beijing. Free tickets are wonderful to have, but if you are in SE Asia they take 10 days to re-issue the ticket. Hence…the extra few days of vacation and a little lighter in the wallet as I had to purchase a whole new ticket on Vietnam Airlines to get back home. Yes…I said it…Beijing is home…feels funny to type…even funnier to say. So we returned back to Vietnam and I spent my time hanging out with Hanh during the day and Jeremy Brim’s girlfriend Trang at night. The hotel people always smiled at me when I would be walking around with Hanh during the day and than I would meet Trang at night. I wish I was that much of a stud…but its all perception!!!! We might not have won the war against Vietnam…but I took a little pride back for the USA this past week!!! I had a great time all in all and I’m happy to be back in the Jing. Yes…that is local jargon. So in a nut shell that is my trip…nothing too earth shattering, but a good time through and through. It’s almost golf season and my company is sponsoring all three golf leagues in town. So I must go hit up the range and see if I can improve on my 99 I shot in Phuket!!! Til' next time my friends....

Vietnam

2008-02-20T16:29:00.001-08:00

Thailand

2008-02-20T09:25:00.001-08:00

RETURN OF THE RAT

2008-02-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

Well, the Lunar New Year is upon us in the land of more than the McDonald's sign claims to have served is upon me. Yes...Chinese New Years!!! I didn't realize the magnitude such an event could have on a culture. Take Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, 4th of July and your 21st birthday and roll it into one giant Spring Roll. Deep fry it, light a sparkler, and pretend you just found Nirvana and you're almost there. The guys dressed in Drag...whoops that's Thailand, sorry...Dragon costumes, people playing instruments I can't identify and yes...the almighty Firework stands are everywhere. No I'm not talking about Bargain Betty's on the Lummi Reservation fireworks...not the Bubba Joe's fireworks from Tennessee either. I'm saying...everyone and there dog saves for three months to emplode as many man made pyrotechnics they can afford. As the Bai Jui flows and the Tsingtao bottles empty it makes for a spectacular site and a lot of trips to the emergency room. If you are a nurse and you have any burn unit experience...you could have a years work in one of the holyist of holy nights in Red China. Nothing like witnessing 4 and 5 year old children blowing up boxes bigger than they are. Whatever happened to M-80's and sparkler bombs???? I guess with the one child rule in affect they figure this might be there only way of having a second child. Cards were in the cards also. If you can play three card no look poker and enjoy a round of Mai Jong this is your type of party. Oh...yeah...Mom and Dad you are wrong. There are no starving kids in China...so that crap you pulled on me as a kid about finishing my plate is highly inaccurate...Like Santa Clause...I feel lied too!!! These people do not cheat themselves when it comes to food. When you think they are done bringing food to the table...we'll you're wrong...there is always more coming. For such a small figured country (Sorry Yao Ming) these people eat like James Cornell after a 40 day fast. I'm always impressed and always full when I leave the table. I sit here at well over 250 and I was just out eaten by a 90 pound soaking wet Chinese female. I'm still trying to investage where these dainty females put all that rice!!! Once I get to the bottom of it I'll make sure I inform you guys!!! My only real knock on the year of the Rat is that ever little logo or emblame or souvigner I see is a mouse. No not micky or minny...but a suprising resemlance to Speedy Gonzalez. That's not a rat China...that's a mouse. Go down to your sewer system and I'll guarantee you'll learn the difference.
How about that Superbowl...all you Eli Manning haters need to suck it up and admit that (David Tyree's catch aside) he was nails during the playoffs. I guess Cooper Manning is the only brother who has yet to live up to Daddy's expectations. Poor Cooper...but he's another after school special I don't have time to talk about. I was hoping the Pat's would pull off the undefeated season, but I can't say I wasn't hurt to see the northern eastern seaboard be silenced for once. With the RedSox Nation, The Pat's run, and the super hyped Celtics...it was good to see the ticker tape parade be sent elsewhere. If I could just figure out how to make Seattle somehow find a way to steal a title in any sport, I couldn't be happier.
The weather has been actually pretty amazing considering where I live and the sun seems to shine every single day. The bitter cold has subsided, but when the winds blow in from the Gobi desert you better find your parka. Gives a whole new meaning to shrinkage!!! It's strange...we've been having such wonderful weather that it makes it hard to sell air purifiers. You can actually go outside and not catch the Beijing cough. I need sick dying children!!! Sorry that is just wrong...but a heavy smog covering the city couldn't hurt business. But...business has closed for the New Year and I'm getting ready to disappear and forget about the cold and sales cycle for 10 days. It's on to warm climates and more beautiful Asian women. I leave tomorrow bound for Vietnam, and than I will make a side trip to Phuket, Thailand to visit one of my most favorite spots in the world. 10 days of relearning how to say hello and thank you while wearing my birkenstocks and bad Hawaiian shirts will be welcome. A round of golf will be in order and a boat cruise on the crystal clear Ademman Sea will give me great pleasure. Being in Beijing for 4 weeks, returning to the same apartment each night and the same desk each morning has sent my body into a tail spin. I'm a road warrior at heart and that will never change. So buckeling in on a flight in the morning will be more welcome than should be considered normal. I wouldn't care if I was flying to Sioux City, Monkton, Reading, or any other podunct North American city...as long as I can get back on the road I'll be a happy little camper. Although I'm being stimulated and challenged everyday being a Beijing Virgin...I still have the road in my blood.
So I'm off to see the Ho Chi Ming trail and cruise down the Makong Delta and go hang out with the king in Thailand. Until next time...keep your mind on your money, and your money on your mind fools!!!!

WAR - Bob Knight...like Norman Dale...I've always loved you and think it's a sad day in the world of sports that you decided to hang up the whistle. The game will miss you, if not for your coaching prowess...but for you unbelievable post game interview sessions. Long live the Bobby Knight legacy and the dying breed he represents.

Chief

Another day

2008-01-26T04:56:00.000-08:00

We'll the time is flying by...I guess I must be having too much fun. It's almost Chinese New Year!!! Year of the Rat my friends. I guess I'm a year of the Snake guy. So I really don't have any love for this darn Rat business. I don't even know what it means...but neither does anyone else I ask. Some old guys a long time ago set a 12 year rotation and everyone seems sold on the concept. Today was an interesting day f0r me. I went to a Bizarre with Mr. Wong (one of our Chinese sales people). We set up a booth to present our product. Since I'm the new guy they leached the project off to me. I can't say it was a complete waste of time...but...it was a complete waste of time. We had 3 Chinese couples come up and speak Chinese to Mr. Wong. The conversations lasted 30 seconds and than they were on to the next booth. I would ask Mr. Wong what they said...and he would just smile at me and answer Yes. After trying to explain myself and what I really wanted to know I knew is wasn't getting me anywhere but frustrated. So I turned my attention to the 20 something girl selling rugs in the next booth over. She had me at Herrow!!! I almost dropped 400 bucks on a silk rug due to this little vixen...but I played my cards tight. No rug...but a phone number. She's only in town due to being on Summer vacation from her School in Adelie Australia. I guess it won't work out long term :-)
My new life in Beijing has taken on a new twist...I'm starting to attend Hot Yoga classes. I've always known that I might need to shed a few pounds, but motivation has always been lacking. But I found the Holy Grail of motivation. A hot Chinese Yoga teacher. She is friends with my boss's wife Tara who I met at the BBQ at there house last weekend. I have to say...I'm a sucka for some broad who can twist and stretch her way into a million different positions. She makes Inspector Gadget look stiff. If you want to check her out and understand my reasoning...go to her website. www.yh42.com It's in Chinese for the most part, but she's the gal in all the pictures. Her name is Cherry and her Engrish is amazing. Plus she's a sweet girl Mom!!! She owns 3 Yoga studios in town and has her own Villa Dad!!!! Let's just see now if she wants to whip an out of shape fat guy into a lean mean Yoga machine!!! I went with Tara and Gary (our graphic designer) to one class already. Both Tara and Gary dropped out half way through the class. The Chief grounded it out though and struggled all the way to the end. Although my form was sloppy and my stretches didn't quite match the rest of the squad...I have to get some points for my stick to it ness!!! This Ugly American might not understand what's being said during the class, but he sure loved the visuals!!! My plan right now is to start going 2 times a week. I'm mixing that in with language lessons twice a week...so I should be a Native China man by the spring. A quick update for all of you concerned about my fish. Both Mike and Holly joined Rick the fish in the Beijing sewer system. A few hail Mary's and a pull of the string and they were rejoined with there former fishbowl roommate. Bob the fish is still alive and kicking. He's a little bit freaky at times...he just stays in one spot (I always think he's dead) and stares at me. I'm starting to think he might have been planted by the Chinese Communist party to watch my every move. All in all my time is busy and I'm enjoying new experiences each day. I've learned to not ask what I am eating until after I've tried something. The worse thing I think I've digested were the Musk Ox rocky mountain Oysters I had the other day. Once again the new guy gets picked on by his elders. Such is life and the initiation challenges of being the bottom man on the totem pole. They actually tasted pretty good. But pride probably won't allow me to order them again. I'm having fun and that's the important thing....till next time.

My Beijing Peep's

2008-01-22T08:13:00.001-08:00

Beijing - First Impression

2008-01-22T08:06:00.001-08:00

Go Dawgs

2008-01-18T08:13:00.000-08:00

My slingbox is trying to keep me informed with the Western world while stationed over in the Far East. Yes...my sports addiction is being spoon feed by the greatest invention known to man...Slingbox. What is Slingbox? We'll it's a God send. It's a box top receiver I've set up at my parents house in Bellingham that allows me to watch there tv over the internet any where in the world. I literally have control over the tv and I can watch any of the 5 HBO channels offered by directv along with any other channel. So Sportscenter and FoxSportsNW are easily accessed from Beijing. Oh...by the way. Did anyone else catch the Dawgs putting in work on those dastardly Ducks from Eugene? I'm not sure what it really is...but I truly do hate those guys. They are such a sorry excuse for being a team from the Northwest. I love the fact that they entered into the DawgDen and got there feathers plucked by the boys in Purple. We can lose the rest of our games....but as long as we beat Whoregon, I can keep a smile on my face. I hate those guys...yes...I really do hate those guys. So Go Dawgs...turn this ship around and try and take Lorenzo back to the Dance this March. It will take a serious winning streak for this to become reality...but, hell, I've got enough faith to cover this whole list. So F&*k the Ducks and there puke green uniforms. Did I mention I hate those guys???
Tonight I'm in charge of grilling for a BBQ at my boss's house. I brought over my own special rub...we'll see if I can wow em' American style. If not, I know at least I'll be getting a little taste of home. Hey Mom...I can't call you from my cell phone or my home phone. I just finally think I got an answer...I need to go buy a ID card from China mobile to dial the states. It's gonna have to wait until Monday so I can take one of the Chinese with me. Eventually I'll figure this thing out. I know you can call me, since Steve-o did a few times...but I'll get it worked out.

Go DAWGS!!!!!

WEEK DEUX

2008-01-17T08:53:00.001-08:00

It's a weird feeling being an immigrant in a foreign land. No, I'm not looking for manual labor jobs or trying to sneak my family onto the continent. But I really do have a new appreciation for "Dial 2" for English when utilizing an ATM machine. I'm not sure if it was the 30 minute taxi ride the other day to try and find my apartment...it should have taken 5 minutes...or if it's the blank stares I receive when I try to use my non-verbal communication. It is amazing how ignorant and helpless I feel at times over here. My co-workers have been great. All but two speak English so I do have a safe haven 8 hours a day. It's just the rest of the clock that seem to be kicking my Anglo ass each and every day. My vocabulary is growing slowly...but I can say thank you and hello like it's nobodies business at this point. My first goal is to try and figure out what they call "Taxi language". Turn Left, Turn Right, Go back, stop, straight ahead, and most importantly...I think we're lost. Even if the blood pressure rises at time, I can still find humor in everything I'm doing over here. I've learned that the people over here don't like to use there limited English unless they're talking about money. Something about the ole' Sawbuck seems to be the international language. No, I'm not talking about Ricky's mom from Better off Dead...and the language of love, but the language of Randy Moss...Straight cash Hommie!!! This is the land of cash. I was forced to pay my rent 6 months in advance....all in cash. And yes, the largest bill minted over here is the 100 dollar Mao. Yes, my boy Mao is on every single bill. They call there money Yuan...or RMB....or Quay. This country is great. Beer is cheaper than water though. And the fact that the water in non-potable it makes the Culligan man a very popular guy. I'm settling into my new place and really appreciating Lily the Aiye. She has cooked me a few meals and I've been able to host both my father and Bob and my new sister Holly for a couple of meals. My Aiye Lilly doesn't speak English, she is an amazingly hard worker, and she washes and cleans my place like my Mom is coming over each day. I'd marry her if I didn't think I already have a better deal keeping this strictly business!!!! Why ruin a good thing right????
I was given a house warming gift of a plant and four fish from Holly. Since I'm American I had to name my new pets. I asked Holly what she thought and she decided that since there were four fish, and the four of us (Rick, Holly, Bob, & myself) we'd name the fish after ourselves. After identifying which fish resembled each character of our posse it was easy to settle on. The first night was a good one for the school of fish. But the second day became a day of mourning. After arriving home late from work and dinner with some Communist party members (long story) I discovered that Lily had misunderstood the directions for caring for the the fish. A half of bag of fish food just didn't seem to sit well with the whole team in the fish bowl. I was able to get Mike, Holly, and Bob to safety without too many repercussions. But poor little Rick didn't seem to have his lucky rabbit foot with him that day. Being a Reverend, Rick was in good hands, as his Beijing burial flushed him on his way to the afterlife and the Beijing sewer system. I tried explaining to Lily what happened...but without a translator...I think she thought I might have ate the poor little fella for dessert. If any of the other's make it to February I'll be proud at this point. But now I do feel better about becoming a man of the Cloth!!!! We did get our first snow of my Chinese existence today, so the weather hasn't been ideal, but what can a guy do? As long as I don't have to ride shotgun in a Taxi, or try to navigate my way across a busy Beijing intersection I should last longer here than Rick the fish.

Great Fire Wall of China

2008-01-10T01:18:00.000-08:00

Alright...outside of being extremely busy trying to organize my life and squeez in a message each night the great Chinese Fire Wall is rearing it's ugly head. I have no ability to access this blog. I guess in theory I can post to it, but I actually can't access it and see it. So it kind of takes the fun out of blogging if you can't appreciate it for yourself. I might have to find another site to do this on. I'll be investigating it this weekend and trying to figure something out.

A quick update to say the least....I've got a brand new apartment...we'll brand new to me anyway. It's not the Taj Mahal let alone a Hilton hotel room, but it will be enough for me to get my feet wet. I was thinking today about my living situation and I started realizing that this will be the first time in my life (@ 30 years old) that I actually live by myself. Growing up in a big family and than always having roommates I've always lived with at least one other person. I guess the fact I've hired an Aiye (IE) will always guarantee that I'll have at least someone around. An Aiye is like a personal assistant who will come to my house three times a week and cook, clean, laundry, and pay my bills for me. It only cost me $100 dollars a month, so after living in a hotel for 10 years, I will once again be encouraging my laziness around the house. But I'll sacrafice and accept that Shao Ping (I'm calling her Lilly) will pick up after me. I've also started work and I'm very busy trying to learn a new job. I really need to start learning the language, so I'm not sure a fool when dealing with Taxi's and waiters. I'm enjoying my time thus far and I really enjoy the Chinese people. They are a happy people who are very welcoming and warm. I'll keep everyone posted on weather or not I change sites with this blog...but it 's like the 10 years in a hotel...I might just accept it for what it is worth at this point. The air pollution is real crappy here, but with my new job that means sales. I hope everyone is doing well.

Chief

Tick....Tick...Tick...

2007-12-19T21:01:00.000-08:00

48 hours left of this here job...wow...is it reality? I'm not 100% sure what to think. I look at the road as my best friend and worse enemy. Sitting in London, ON and wondering when is the next time I'll visit this area? Will it snow tomorrow? Something tells me I'll be back. The world is shrinking day by day. With the Internet, cell phones, youtube.com, and whatever else form of medium you can be secure. I still have to look back at this point. Why look forward? I have to thank from the bottom of my heart my old man and his best friend in the world Bob for allowing me to grow and live these last 10 years. No, it's not visiting DIS, building forts and mazes out of the empty boxes from the last move with the Brim kids. It's more than that. It's easy to dismiss them as I've had to earn my own keep. But as a child and an adult I've learned to love them and appreciate them more than they would know. I might be turning tricks for them on the road, but they've given me the opportunity to show a little leg these last few years of my life. Sure it's -6 degree Celsius, sure it's another hotel and crappy road food. But they both know as I do, the love for travel and the secrets of the road will always keep you warm. I'm moving to China...yes...China. Sure my Mom is pissed off that her baby is leaving the nest. Sure I will miss my family and my friends more than they will know. But it is a higher calling that wants me to go East young man. I'm not religious (sorry Mom again), but I am spiritual. It is funny that I sit here and my only real concern about China is nothing. Yeah...nothing. I thought I'd be worried sick about leaving, I thought I'd be a wreck about giving up everything I've got. But in all reality...I'm not worried about a thing. Outside of friends and family, everything I'm giving up is just a piece of furniture, or some materialistic thing that I can live without. When I got divorced I spilt up the knives and forks, the tv's and furniture, the wedding China, the books, and all the other crap my ex-bride and I had collected over the years. Sure, some of the stuff was worth keeping around. Most of it not. When I departed from my wife I felt definite Melancholy...but as I depart from Uncle Sam I feel none of those emotions. Maybe it's because in my mind I've found an area of the world where mortgage payments and jewelry don't mean a thing. Where the superficial is Yao Ming and his 7 foot frame. Last time I was in China they were trying to sell the "next" generation as being the next Yao. Good luck China...I hope you grow to be 7'4" so you can be the next Yao. Sure China can be as unrealistic as America...who can't? But what I look forward to the most, is the Innocent and pageantry that will be presented to me. Who wants to go to the great wall? Who wants to visit the Ming tombs? Who wants to go to the Olympics? I just raised my hand after all of those things. But deep down I know those and these things are just places and events. You'd be crazy to ignore them, but you'd be an even bigger fool to not understand them. If you're reading this...you are one of my people. Big or small, close or far, you are my people. I appreciate that fully...but tick, tick, tick, my fiends. The DIS career is coming to an end, but life itself is just starting. Tick.....tick...tick...tick...tick!!!!!

MY 2ND FAMILY

2007-12-13T01:41:00.001-08:00

TUNNEL 7...DAWG DAY AFTERNOON

2007-12-13T01:21:00.001-08:00

FAMILY

2007-12-13T00:34:00.001-08:00

Asian Adventures

2007-12-13T00:22:00.001-08:00

Last Hooray

2007-12-12T13:46:00.000-08:00

As I stare out the window of my hotel room in Prince George, BC, the snow drifts calmly settle outside my room. As the temperature drops well below the freezing point, it's easy to sit here and not miss this stuff already. My wonderful company has sent me up to the great white north to complete my second to last install. Why am I blogging instead of working? Great question!!! Since my company is based out of Bellingham, WA and I'm working in Canada. All my equipment must pass through the great world of customs. Even though we have NAFTA and all those other wonderful...World without boarders elements, the Canadian government decided that they would hold up the paperwork and not release my goods. I was in theory supposed to start this installation on Tuesday. Looks like it will be Thursday now!!! I wouldn't call this a common occurrence, but the inevitable shock of not having my equipment wore off about 8 years ago. The dull thud, that is reality, leaves me wanting to begin my new adventure in China even more so today.
What ever possessed me to continue to travel the last 10 years sacrificing normalcy for chaos? Some people would say I'm an action junky, other people would say I'm crazy, while others would want to trade places with me. Sure the road is SEXY. It has its unparalleled itch. Leaving a road warrior like myself constantly looking for a place to scratch that traveling psoriasis. The truth of the matter is, I wouldn't trade a minute of my time spent on the road for any other exalted life experience. But now it seems to be the end of this road!!!
Ten years of Priority points, rental car stations, eating in restaurants three times a day, HBO or Showtime, Rural Routes, multi-state journeys, climate changes, people watching, Platinum status, Airline strikes, 9-11, dropped laptops, dial up to high speed, ATM fees, adult beverages, adult encounters, Madison Square Garden, Goodland Kansas High School Gym, European vacations, Domestic adventures, Per Diems, crowded planes, overgrown children, fifty states, not enough Provinces, Marriage, Divorce, Reverend Chief, Friends, Family, driving tractors, bootless errands, sky caps, thunderstruck, truck stops, budget hotels, calling cards, cell phones, hotel comforter to the floor, space shuttle launches, The Green Monster, air shows, car shows, toy shows, Mennonites, Mormons, Catholics, Southern People, Corn feed beef, Tennessee firework stands, Panhandlers and hustlers, straight and crooked people, caffeine free, burnt out weekends, burnt up weekends, coin laundry, Douglas, Lenexa, Ferndale, Corliss, I-5 corridor, BLI, SEA, MCI, long days, long nights, security gates, unlock able gates, hog farmers, contractors, Parts pads, FedEx, UPS, pretzels, peanuts, G&T's, Captain & 7, micro brews, Miller Park, Arrowhead Stadium, Phog Allen Field house, the Rose Bowl, Iron Bowl, historic sites, ground zero, Washington monuments, California beaches, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee River, Kudzu, red clay, Michigan DOT, Ohio State patrol, tolls, recycling deposits, thermostats, alarm clocks, missed flights, cancelled flights, pissed off patrons, happy campers, truckers, parts people, the Mississippi Delta, Tunica, Las Vegas, Jersey Shore, sadness, happiness, and finally Maine!!!! These things aren't the only things that make up the past 10 years of my life but they have definitely been my Enlightenment!!!!

Reverend Chief