Listening: I'm what I feel and what I'm feeling is surreal. I'm a massive spinnin' wheel, always digging in my heels. Now I got the faith to fall back again.
What's my problem? Native Asians have no concept of space.
Well, after two cancelled flights, six hours to Los Angeles and fourteen hours to Hong Kong, I'm nearly done with the first half of my air travel. I have about seven hours until my flight to Bangkok, a thousand Hong Kong dollars that I pulled from the ATM a few minutes ago, an empty belly, a achy body, and a sleepy head. Man I can't wait until I hit my hotel.
I do have an option, as I learned from my Hong Kong guide book. There is a lounge where I can pay 450HKD ($58) for a nap room, a shower, a massage, andI think internet. I'm gonna have to check it out.
Sleeping on my LAX to HKG leg was nearly impossible. The flight was 100% full, and in my little row of three, I was on the aisle. There was a tall moronic, impatient Nepali man in the middle. And, finally, there was the middle aged Chinese man who had to go to the bathroom a million times. To make it worse, he never asked us to move, he opted to try to climb over everyone. He also talked loudly to his wife who sat in the seat behind him.
For now, I have to decide what kind of airport food I'm going to partake in. I figure I should get something Chinese. There is, however, a caviar bar here. How peculiar.
But yeah, I'm still alive and in one piece. I am in desperate need of a food, shower, massage and nap. The question is whether the shower, massage, and nap can wait.
Already missing a bunch of you.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
T-5 Hours and Counting: What's In My Pack?
Listening: Take my hand. I'm a stranger in paradise, all lost in a wonderland, a stranger in paradise.
What's my problem? I NEED to blog!
Okay, with just a few hours before I go to the airport, I'm going to post for y'all what I'm bringing with me to Asia.
EMS Long Trail II Backpack, DaKine Element Daypack, EMS Backpack Duffle, Pacsafe, Harmony Drybag, Cocoon Coolmax Travel Sheet, Eagle Creek Silk Moneybelt
2 Space Saver Bags, 1 Eagle Creek Double Cube, 2 Eagle Creek Packing Cubes, 1 Eagle Creek Half Cube, 1 Eagle Creek Quarter Cube, 1 Eagle Creek Tube, Laundry Bag
All clothes detergent, 2 packets Woolite, 8 Shout wipes, Travel clothesline, sink stopper, card case with business cards, scissors, nail clippers, eyeglass repair kit, sewing kit, zip ties, extra shoe laces, money belt, spare glasses, sunglasses, chain wallet, money clip/card case, emergency docs, duct tape, glow stick, mini Sharpie, Swiss Army knife
2 bottles hand sanitizer, 4 packs Gatorade powder, 8 Airborne singles, Annu Hudration tabs, Crest Prohealth Toothpaste, Crest travel Toothpaste, Sea to Summit soap sheets, Q-Tips, 3 vials Po Chai Yuen Pills, 2 Charmin to Go, medical tape, Ultrathon 34% Deet insect repellent, shave gel, Neutrogenia rapid clear face wash, Aveeno face sunblock, Neutrogena sunblock with helioplex, Neosporin, cortisone, Advil, Gold Bond medicated powder, 2 diarrhea meds, malaria meds, toothbrush, razor, band aids, Benadryl, Claratin, Pepcid AC, burn gel, hair product, condoms
Canon SD890IS with spare battery, charger, & 3 SD cards, G-Shock watch, travel alarm, pedometer, cell phone case, airline headphone adapter, 160GB iPod Classic with USB charger, SD Card reader, Black Diamond Gizmo headlamp, Samsung t-329 phone with charger (unlocked), Samsung T309 with charger (to be unlocked), Samsonite plug adapter, votlage converter, Shure earbud headphones
Airline reservations, hotel reservations, travel insurance policy, copies of IDs and cards, Vietnamese food cheat sheet made by Linh, international certification of vaccination, passport pictures for visas, glasses prescription, Thai bank notes, passport, The Art of Happiness, Ultimate Experiences in Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos & the Greater Mekong, Southeast Asia on a Shoestring, Fodor's Hong Kong Macau, & South China Cities, Chefwear catalogue (to show custom tailors), journal, pocket pad
3 pairs EMS convert pants, 1 pair Quiksilver pants, 1 pair Oakley shorts, 1 pair board shorts, 1 pair doctor's scrubs, Adidas Climacool muscle shirt, Mammut short sleeved button down shirt, Kenneth Cole nylon polo, short sleeved polyester button down shirt, quarter zip long sleeved Adidas Climacool shirt, Regatta Sport Coolmax tee, Banana Republic polo, Hot Chili's long sleeved base layer, 5 pair Techwick boxers, 4 pairs Coolmax socks, 1 pair Smartwool socks, 1 pair EMS medium weight light hiking socks
North Face Summit Series jacket, EMS lightweight fleece vest
1 pair Keen Briggs shoes, 1 pair Keen Newport H2 Sandals, 1 pair Quiksilver flip flops
Well, that's my packing list. For as long as it is, it all fits rather effortlessly into my packs. It's all surprisingly lighter than the pack I took with me to Europe.
To be honest, I should have left Boston about four hours ago, but I got a call at two in the morning saying that my flight had been canceled. I immediately rebooked and am now taking a flight out of Boston at a quarter to five, arriving in Los Angeles at ten past eight. I then have a four hour layover, in what I figured out is the same terminal in LAX. Hopefully I won't get delayed by this awful snow. Thankfully, I'm not worried too much because I have travel insurance.
Anyhow, this is my last blog from Boston for the next three months or so. I may try to blog from LAX or Hong Kong, but you never know. For those of you who want to know as much of my itinerary as I know, you can either check my Google Calendar, or, well, I'll just write it out for you.
AA Flight 145 BOS-->LAX Dep. 16:45 1/28, Arr. 20:10
Cathay Pacific Flight CX881 LAX-->HKG Dep. 00:05 1/29 Arr. 07:30 1/30
Cathay Pacific Flight CX751 HKG-->BKK Dep. 14:25 1/30 Arr. 16:20
Cathay Pacific Flight CX750 BKK-->HKG Dep. 11:30 4/1 Arr. 15:20
Cathay Pacific Flight CX882 HKG-->LAX Dep. 16:15 4/9 Arr. 14:15
AA Flight 264 LAX-->BOS Dep. 12:50 4/21, Arr. 21:20
And that's all of my flights.
Well, I hope to see you all when I get back, or hear from you while I'm out on the trail. Cheers.
What's my problem? I NEED to blog!
Okay, with just a few hours before I go to the airport, I'm going to post for y'all what I'm bringing with me to Asia.
EMS Long Trail II Backpack, DaKine Element Daypack, EMS Backpack Duffle, Pacsafe, Harmony Drybag, Cocoon Coolmax Travel Sheet, Eagle Creek Silk Moneybelt
2 Space Saver Bags, 1 Eagle Creek Double Cube, 2 Eagle Creek Packing Cubes, 1 Eagle Creek Half Cube, 1 Eagle Creek Quarter Cube, 1 Eagle Creek Tube, Laundry Bag
All clothes detergent, 2 packets Woolite, 8 Shout wipes, Travel clothesline, sink stopper, card case with business cards, scissors, nail clippers, eyeglass repair kit, sewing kit, zip ties, extra shoe laces, money belt, spare glasses, sunglasses, chain wallet, money clip/card case, emergency docs, duct tape, glow stick, mini Sharpie, Swiss Army knife
2 bottles hand sanitizer, 4 packs Gatorade powder, 8 Airborne singles, Annu Hudration tabs, Crest Prohealth Toothpaste, Crest travel Toothpaste, Sea to Summit soap sheets, Q-Tips, 3 vials Po Chai Yuen Pills, 2 Charmin to Go, medical tape, Ultrathon 34% Deet insect repellent, shave gel, Neutrogenia rapid clear face wash, Aveeno face sunblock, Neutrogena sunblock with helioplex, Neosporin, cortisone, Advil, Gold Bond medicated powder, 2 diarrhea meds, malaria meds, toothbrush, razor, band aids, Benadryl, Claratin, Pepcid AC, burn gel, hair product, condoms
Canon SD890IS with spare battery, charger, & 3 SD cards, G-Shock watch, travel alarm, pedometer, cell phone case, airline headphone adapter, 160GB iPod Classic with USB charger, SD Card reader, Black Diamond Gizmo headlamp, Samsung t-329 phone with charger (unlocked), Samsung T309 with charger (to be unlocked), Samsonite plug adapter, votlage converter, Shure earbud headphones
Airline reservations, hotel reservations, travel insurance policy, copies of IDs and cards, Vietnamese food cheat sheet made by Linh, international certification of vaccination, passport pictures for visas, glasses prescription, Thai bank notes, passport, The Art of Happiness, Ultimate Experiences in Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos & the Greater Mekong, Southeast Asia on a Shoestring, Fodor's Hong Kong Macau, & South China Cities, Chefwear catalogue (to show custom tailors), journal, pocket pad
3 pairs EMS convert pants, 1 pair Quiksilver pants, 1 pair Oakley shorts, 1 pair board shorts, 1 pair doctor's scrubs, Adidas Climacool muscle shirt, Mammut short sleeved button down shirt, Kenneth Cole nylon polo, short sleeved polyester button down shirt, quarter zip long sleeved Adidas Climacool shirt, Regatta Sport Coolmax tee, Banana Republic polo, Hot Chili's long sleeved base layer, 5 pair Techwick boxers, 4 pairs Coolmax socks, 1 pair Smartwool socks, 1 pair EMS medium weight light hiking socks
North Face Summit Series jacket, EMS lightweight fleece vest
1 pair Keen Briggs shoes, 1 pair Keen Newport H2 Sandals, 1 pair Quiksilver flip flops
Well, that's my packing list. For as long as it is, it all fits rather effortlessly into my packs. It's all surprisingly lighter than the pack I took with me to Europe.
To be honest, I should have left Boston about four hours ago, but I got a call at two in the morning saying that my flight had been canceled. I immediately rebooked and am now taking a flight out of Boston at a quarter to five, arriving in Los Angeles at ten past eight. I then have a four hour layover, in what I figured out is the same terminal in LAX. Hopefully I won't get delayed by this awful snow. Thankfully, I'm not worried too much because I have travel insurance.
Anyhow, this is my last blog from Boston for the next three months or so. I may try to blog from LAX or Hong Kong, but you never know. For those of you who want to know as much of my itinerary as I know, you can either check my Google Calendar, or, well, I'll just write it out for you.
AA Flight 145 BOS-->LAX Dep. 16:45 1/28, Arr. 20:10
Cathay Pacific Flight CX881 LAX-->HKG Dep. 00:05 1/29 Arr. 07:30 1/30
Cathay Pacific Flight CX751 HKG-->BKK Dep. 14:25 1/30 Arr. 16:20
Cathay Pacific Flight CX750 BKK-->HKG Dep. 11:30 4/1 Arr. 15:20
Cathay Pacific Flight CX882 HKG-->LAX Dep. 16:15 4/9 Arr. 14:15
AA Flight 264 LAX-->BOS Dep. 12:50 4/21, Arr. 21:20
And that's all of my flights.
Well, I hope to see you all when I get back, or hear from you while I'm out on the trail. Cheers.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
T-4: An Adventure on the Horizon
Listening: I remember me, and all the little things that make up a memory. Like she said, she loved to watch me sleep. Like she said, "It's the breathing. It's the breathing in and out and in and... Have you seen me lately?"
What's my problem? Nerves... and a cold.
When I was a child, I said that I never wanted to be a person with a job that required me to be behind a desk. I saw my father going in on weekends to do work in an empty office as I sat and played with model airplanes listening to the dot matrix printer hum and buzz. I saw the stacks of paper on his desk and I knew that I didn't want that for me. I saw all he was doing as intangibility.
It's not that I think or thought that his job and his profession is unimportant or unrewarding. It very much is/could be. I just know it is not for me.
When I was a child, I wanted to be a marine biologist, an astronaut, a writer, a DJ, and an advertising creative director. And then I woke up in the morning sometime in 2001 and found myself to be a corporate accountant. I found myself surrounded by stacks of paper, waiting for sheets of it to be spit out of laser printers. I found myself wearing khakis and being very unhappy.
Three years later, after some unfortunate events in the office and some other people's knives plunged firmly into my back, I turned to working in kitchens. For two years, I worked both jobs. And then I switched over to being a full time fine dining cook.
I no longer want to be a marine biologist, an astronaut, a DJ, an advertising creative director (sometimes I still want to be a writer, which is why this place exists). I am no longer wearing khakis or find myself surrounded by stacks of paper, waiting for more paper to be spit out of laser printers. I am a cook. I am a cook with a stretch of time to use as I please and the money saved to do such.
I am a free man.
When I was a child, my parents found out through what teachers told them that I was a child that needed structure to thrive. I have found that it's kind of true. I have found that I work much better with structure than with the free will to do as I please. I sometimes say to myself, "Holy fuck! What am I supposed to do?" The problem with that question is that it implies a specific destiny and goal. It implies a status quo that I should be aiming for. The word "supposed" I feel like means that it's what everyone else wants from me and what I should want for myself.
But I am a free man.
I want to see the world. I want to taste the tastes of other cultures. I want to see. I don't just want to do for the sake of a future or for the sake of the ending. I want to have constant moments of enlightenment, not just the nirvana at the end.
It's tough though. It's tough to not just focus on the end goal. It's tough to live in the now, but still keep yourself safe for the next two steps.
I always had a theory that most people are brought up thinking that either the next step will be the best, or that a time in their past is the best time in their lives. Just like kids in kindergarten think that the first graders are so cool because they get to have a whole day of school, and first graders look up to the sixth graders because they are almost out of grammar school. Sixth graders look up to seventh graders because they get to go to school dances and go to a new school, while the seventh graders look up to the eighth graders, because they're top dogs of junior high. The cycle goes on and on until you're an adult making your living, and even then, you're compelled to look forward to retirement. Most people have such strange lives filled with consistent want and envy.
What I want is for right now to be great, and I'm doing everything I can to insure that.
I'm on the edge of starting an incredible journey. Five countries in two and a half months. The flights are booked. I have no hotel booked as of yet, but I will have the first four nights booked before I leave. After that, my life is moment to moment. My life is what I feel right now. My life isn't about what happens when I get back to the States. It's not about how I want my career to go. It's not about opening up my own restaurant someday. It's not about buying a car, house, or anything. It's certainly not about retirement. It's about what am I seeing in front of me. It's about right now.
It's both exciting and nerve racking to not know what's around the bend. It's tough not knowing what's going to be happening in a week.
What I do know is that I'll see things that most Americans only dream of or think of as alien. I know that I'm not going to be one of those freedom fries Americans who is trapped in the bubble of American culture, thinking that our culture is the best and only way to be. I am one of those Americans who loves the possibilities of his own culture, but acknowledges that there are other ways of life that aren't better or worse, just different. I'll be seeing those differences and living those differences first hand. Maybe I'll incorporate some of the differences into my own, personal culture.
I know that all of this sounds preachy. It sounds selfish and ego-maniacal. But it is my life. Why shouldn't everyone be selfish about their own life? I don't pretend to tell people how to live their life. All I can do is tell people how I feel my life should be led, or how I would deal with things if I were in someone else's position.
But anyways, the bottom line is that all of this uncertainty is very scary. Life is very scary. But, really... would I really want it any other way? The stakes are what makes something valuable. I could have a very safe, secure life, but what would it be worth? It would have monetary value, that's for sure. I would have a net worth at least into six figures. With the way I'm living now, each day, to quote the cliche, is priceless. And as scared and nervous as I am, I wouldn't have it any other way.
What's my problem? Nerves... and a cold.
When I was a child, I said that I never wanted to be a person with a job that required me to be behind a desk. I saw my father going in on weekends to do work in an empty office as I sat and played with model airplanes listening to the dot matrix printer hum and buzz. I saw the stacks of paper on his desk and I knew that I didn't want that for me. I saw all he was doing as intangibility.
It's not that I think or thought that his job and his profession is unimportant or unrewarding. It very much is/could be. I just know it is not for me.
When I was a child, I wanted to be a marine biologist, an astronaut, a writer, a DJ, and an advertising creative director. And then I woke up in the morning sometime in 2001 and found myself to be a corporate accountant. I found myself surrounded by stacks of paper, waiting for sheets of it to be spit out of laser printers. I found myself wearing khakis and being very unhappy.
Three years later, after some unfortunate events in the office and some other people's knives plunged firmly into my back, I turned to working in kitchens. For two years, I worked both jobs. And then I switched over to being a full time fine dining cook.
I no longer want to be a marine biologist, an astronaut, a DJ, an advertising creative director (sometimes I still want to be a writer, which is why this place exists). I am no longer wearing khakis or find myself surrounded by stacks of paper, waiting for more paper to be spit out of laser printers. I am a cook. I am a cook with a stretch of time to use as I please and the money saved to do such.
I am a free man.
When I was a child, my parents found out through what teachers told them that I was a child that needed structure to thrive. I have found that it's kind of true. I have found that I work much better with structure than with the free will to do as I please. I sometimes say to myself, "Holy fuck! What am I supposed to do?" The problem with that question is that it implies a specific destiny and goal. It implies a status quo that I should be aiming for. The word "supposed" I feel like means that it's what everyone else wants from me and what I should want for myself.
But I am a free man.
I want to see the world. I want to taste the tastes of other cultures. I want to see. I don't just want to do for the sake of a future or for the sake of the ending. I want to have constant moments of enlightenment, not just the nirvana at the end.
It's tough though. It's tough to not just focus on the end goal. It's tough to live in the now, but still keep yourself safe for the next two steps.
I always had a theory that most people are brought up thinking that either the next step will be the best, or that a time in their past is the best time in their lives. Just like kids in kindergarten think that the first graders are so cool because they get to have a whole day of school, and first graders look up to the sixth graders because they are almost out of grammar school. Sixth graders look up to seventh graders because they get to go to school dances and go to a new school, while the seventh graders look up to the eighth graders, because they're top dogs of junior high. The cycle goes on and on until you're an adult making your living, and even then, you're compelled to look forward to retirement. Most people have such strange lives filled with consistent want and envy.
What I want is for right now to be great, and I'm doing everything I can to insure that.
I'm on the edge of starting an incredible journey. Five countries in two and a half months. The flights are booked. I have no hotel booked as of yet, but I will have the first four nights booked before I leave. After that, my life is moment to moment. My life is what I feel right now. My life isn't about what happens when I get back to the States. It's not about how I want my career to go. It's not about opening up my own restaurant someday. It's not about buying a car, house, or anything. It's certainly not about retirement. It's about what am I seeing in front of me. It's about right now.
It's both exciting and nerve racking to not know what's around the bend. It's tough not knowing what's going to be happening in a week.
What I do know is that I'll see things that most Americans only dream of or think of as alien. I know that I'm not going to be one of those freedom fries Americans who is trapped in the bubble of American culture, thinking that our culture is the best and only way to be. I am one of those Americans who loves the possibilities of his own culture, but acknowledges that there are other ways of life that aren't better or worse, just different. I'll be seeing those differences and living those differences first hand. Maybe I'll incorporate some of the differences into my own, personal culture.
I know that all of this sounds preachy. It sounds selfish and ego-maniacal. But it is my life. Why shouldn't everyone be selfish about their own life? I don't pretend to tell people how to live their life. All I can do is tell people how I feel my life should be led, or how I would deal with things if I were in someone else's position.
But anyways, the bottom line is that all of this uncertainty is very scary. Life is very scary. But, really... would I really want it any other way? The stakes are what makes something valuable. I could have a very safe, secure life, but what would it be worth? It would have monetary value, that's for sure. I would have a net worth at least into six figures. With the way I'm living now, each day, to quote the cliche, is priceless. And as scared and nervous as I am, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Who Knows How To Travel?
Listening: There's so many times I've let you down, so many times I've played around. I tell you now, they don't mean a thing.
What's my problem? Seven hour layovers.
BOS-->LAX-->BKK-->HKG-->LAX-->BOS
All for $1294.03
What up, beeyatches? Who's your travel daddy?
More details to come.
What's my problem? Seven hour layovers.
BOS-->LAX-->BKK-->HKG-->LAX-->BOS
All for $1294.03
What up, beeyatches? Who's your travel daddy?
More details to come.
Friday, January 16, 2009
A Question of Philosophy
Listening: There has to be a change, I'm sure. Today was just a day fading into another and that can't be what a life is for. And anything she said, well, she feels a lot better. And that's all that really matters to me.
What's my problem? Philosophy of life.
In Buddhism, there are many different sects. There's Mahayana, or the "big vehicle," that believes that everyone can attain enlightenment and that those who are enlightened should help people onto the boat of enlightenment. There's Theraveda, or the "little vehicle," that believes that only a few can attain enlightenment. And there is Zen, or Ch'an, Buddhism, which has nothing to do with me, but everything to do with self cultivation in the effort to achieve enlightenment even for just a moment in the process of things.
Now my question is, if you get three individuals in a room, shouldn't the Mahayana practitioner try to help the Theraveda and Ch'an practitioners find enlightenment, or would he just shake his head and say, "You guys are just selfish." Would the Theraveda practitioner say, "I'm just trying to find enlightenment myself. I can't really worry too much about you and guiding you." or would he say, "This is what I'm doing to try to reach enlightenment." And finally would the Ch'an practitioner say to the other two, "enlightenment isn't in the extended nirvana that you're chasing, but in a simple moment of clarity." or would he just walk off and do his thing.
I know that not everyone is Buddhist. I'm not even really Buddhist. I know that if I were a Buddhist, I'd probably be a Theraveda or a Ch'an practitioner. However, I do see the same qualities in people, or the way people conduct their lives, that I see in the different sects of Buddhism. Who's to say which way is right or wrong really, though? I just hope that the Mahayana practitioners don't lambaste me for believing what I believe or living the way I live.
I honestly hope that I live up to my nickname/handle some day. I hope to find moments of clarity in the ongoing process to make myself better, both, as a person and in my craft. But, even then, when asked what I am, I know that the only answer to the question is "me."
What's my problem? Philosophy of life.
In Buddhism, there are many different sects. There's Mahayana, or the "big vehicle," that believes that everyone can attain enlightenment and that those who are enlightened should help people onto the boat of enlightenment. There's Theraveda, or the "little vehicle," that believes that only a few can attain enlightenment. And there is Zen, or Ch'an, Buddhism, which has nothing to do with me, but everything to do with self cultivation in the effort to achieve enlightenment even for just a moment in the process of things.
Now my question is, if you get three individuals in a room, shouldn't the Mahayana practitioner try to help the Theraveda and Ch'an practitioners find enlightenment, or would he just shake his head and say, "You guys are just selfish." Would the Theraveda practitioner say, "I'm just trying to find enlightenment myself. I can't really worry too much about you and guiding you." or would he say, "This is what I'm doing to try to reach enlightenment." And finally would the Ch'an practitioner say to the other two, "enlightenment isn't in the extended nirvana that you're chasing, but in a simple moment of clarity." or would he just walk off and do his thing.
I know that not everyone is Buddhist. I'm not even really Buddhist. I know that if I were a Buddhist, I'd probably be a Theraveda or a Ch'an practitioner. However, I do see the same qualities in people, or the way people conduct their lives, that I see in the different sects of Buddhism. Who's to say which way is right or wrong really, though? I just hope that the Mahayana practitioners don't lambaste me for believing what I believe or living the way I live.
I honestly hope that I live up to my nickname/handle some day. I hope to find moments of clarity in the ongoing process to make myself better, both, as a person and in my craft. But, even then, when asked what I am, I know that the only answer to the question is "me."
Friday, January 9, 2009
Going To The Well
Listening: Everybody! Needs somebody! Everybody! Needs somebody! Every! Needs some! Every! Needs some! Every! Needs some!
What's my problem? January is a bitch of a month to be looking for work in this industry.
In five days it'll be a whole month since I worked. I haven't been this unemployed since I graduated from college. Well, if you count the month long vacation/adventure around Europe a few years ago, maybe it's been only three years. Regardless, it's been a long time since I haven't had to worry about when to wake up and what exactly I have to do on that day. I haven't had to worry about asking myself where and when I would get my next paycheck.
I was supposed to work for Chez to cover a guy who would be away for a month over the three weeks I'm in Boston before heading off to Asia. When I went in to ask Marsoir about what shifts he wanted me to pick up, he said that it was so slow that he thinks that he has them all covered. That deflated me a little bit. Now I have to go and cast my net a little further than I had hoped. I don't really want to ask the Dizzle or CK if they have shifts they need filled. I'd rather just roll out of bed and walk the three blocks to the Chez.
Also, it's coming up on the two and a half week mark before I head out. This means that I would only be getting one paycheck anyways. So, I'm considering sucking it up, living really cheaply over the next seventeen days and heading to Asia as soon as possible.
All I have left to do to prepare for my Asia trip is to try to prepare my taxes (or get the info to the guy who does prepare my taxes), alert my credit card companies to the fact that I'll be abroad, get some traveler's cheques, buy my flight and insurance, buy adapters for my electronic devices, and get three pairs of pants hemmed. I think that's it.
The only reason I haven't bought my flights is that I'm waiting to hear back from the American Express travel agent over whether buying an Asia Pass through Cathay Pacific will give me the option to fly from city to city at least a few times for an insubstantial amount of extra cash. Who knows? I might want to fly from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh. I may want to fly from Siem Reap to Bangkok before I get my flight to Hong Kong.
Other than that everything else is peachy keen. I spent fifty bucks on prescription drugs for this trip, bought three new pairs of pants which Jack will have to hem, and have started digging out my gear for the trip. It's all sitting in a corner of the living room.
I have to decide whether I want to buy a new pair of Keens. The pair I have now are in pretty good condition. The only problem is that the heel has worn a little bit and it has exposed a couple of the air pockets that reside in the soles. What do y'all think? Do I need to spend the extra hundred dollars to replace them before I go on this trip, or should I just suck it up and deal with them? I guess I could replace them with a crappy pair of shoes over there should they crap out on me. However they will be my primary pair of shoes.
Anyhow, that's all I have to say for now. I don't even know what I'm going to be up to today. All I know is that it's coffee time.
What's my problem? January is a bitch of a month to be looking for work in this industry.
In five days it'll be a whole month since I worked. I haven't been this unemployed since I graduated from college. Well, if you count the month long vacation/adventure around Europe a few years ago, maybe it's been only three years. Regardless, it's been a long time since I haven't had to worry about when to wake up and what exactly I have to do on that day. I haven't had to worry about asking myself where and when I would get my next paycheck.
I was supposed to work for Chez to cover a guy who would be away for a month over the three weeks I'm in Boston before heading off to Asia. When I went in to ask Marsoir about what shifts he wanted me to pick up, he said that it was so slow that he thinks that he has them all covered. That deflated me a little bit. Now I have to go and cast my net a little further than I had hoped. I don't really want to ask the Dizzle or CK if they have shifts they need filled. I'd rather just roll out of bed and walk the three blocks to the Chez.
Also, it's coming up on the two and a half week mark before I head out. This means that I would only be getting one paycheck anyways. So, I'm considering sucking it up, living really cheaply over the next seventeen days and heading to Asia as soon as possible.
All I have left to do to prepare for my Asia trip is to try to prepare my taxes (or get the info to the guy who does prepare my taxes), alert my credit card companies to the fact that I'll be abroad, get some traveler's cheques, buy my flight and insurance, buy adapters for my electronic devices, and get three pairs of pants hemmed. I think that's it.
The only reason I haven't bought my flights is that I'm waiting to hear back from the American Express travel agent over whether buying an Asia Pass through Cathay Pacific will give me the option to fly from city to city at least a few times for an insubstantial amount of extra cash. Who knows? I might want to fly from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh. I may want to fly from Siem Reap to Bangkok before I get my flight to Hong Kong.
Other than that everything else is peachy keen. I spent fifty bucks on prescription drugs for this trip, bought three new pairs of pants which Jack will have to hem, and have started digging out my gear for the trip. It's all sitting in a corner of the living room.
I have to decide whether I want to buy a new pair of Keens. The pair I have now are in pretty good condition. The only problem is that the heel has worn a little bit and it has exposed a couple of the air pockets that reside in the soles. What do y'all think? Do I need to spend the extra hundred dollars to replace them before I go on this trip, or should I just suck it up and deal with them? I guess I could replace them with a crappy pair of shoes over there should they crap out on me. However they will be my primary pair of shoes.
Anyhow, that's all I have to say for now. I don't even know what I'm going to be up to today. All I know is that it's coffee time.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Some Images
Listening: *The theme to Epcot's "Illuminaions."
What's my problem? I should have taken more video.
Mr. Potato Head at the Toy Story Midway Mania attraction line.
The Epcot Ball at night.
The Illuminations firework display at Epcot.
The Illuminations firework display at Epcot.
The Illuminations firework display at Epcot.
Cinderella's Castle at the Magic Kingdom.
The dragon above the dance floor at the China Pavilion in Epcot on New Year's Eve.
Zebras outside my hotel, The Animal Kingdom Lodge.
A giraffe outside The Animal Kingdom Lodge.
The ingredients.
The finished product.
The China Pavilion on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve Illuminations at Epcot
New Year's Eve Illuminations at Epcot
What's my problem? I should have taken more video.
Mr. Potato Head at the Toy Story Midway Mania attraction line.
The Epcot Ball at night.
The Illuminations firework display at Epcot.
The Illuminations firework display at Epcot.
The Illuminations firework display at Epcot.
Cinderella's Castle at the Magic Kingdom.
The dragon above the dance floor at the China Pavilion in Epcot on New Year's Eve.
Zebras outside my hotel, The Animal Kingdom Lodge.
A giraffe outside The Animal Kingdom Lodge.
The ingredients.
The finished product.
The China Pavilion on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve Illuminations at Epcot
New Year's Eve Illuminations at Epcot
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