On the Rig

Hi everyone wow my emotions are so crazy. I am back on the rig and the first few days were shitty. I was so homesick which is kind of funny since I don't have a home. I miss being with my family and friends and coming back to China is always hard. I did realize last month off that I need to get out of this situation and fast. I have set up this limbo zone where I don't have to move on at all really and that is just not healthy. I guess I was still hoping, subconsciously, that Marc would get over his psycho period and realize what a terrible mistake he has made. He has not realized and is so totally self absorbed that he never will. Whatever! I guess I am done with that however reluctantly.

I told my boss I was done too and will finish this contract soon. I am also organizing a trip to Thailand, where I have wanted to go for a while. The first 10 days will be at a Yoga retreat. I can't wait even though it is going to be terribly hot. It should be fun and then after, I am not totally sure. I am flying into Bangkok then directly to Ko Samui which is an island off the Southwest coast. I have not decided where to go after the yoga retreat. I am told and have been reading that the island is really fun with lots or rave like parties and fantastic beaches. So I might just stay there and then spend the last few days in Bangkok checking that out. I hear that the city is really cool and a must see. So I will do that at the end of the trip. I am really looking forward to it.

I had a total melt down in Seattle while I was there. I had to deal with a woman who might possibly be evil incarnate. So the Motorcycle trip got scrapped. I headed down to Las Vegas to hang with Terri and fam. It was good. I still feel like I am trying to find myself. I tried out a few yoga studios one was a Korean style yoga which was good but not really what I was looking for. I then found another place that was simply fantastic.

To me Las Vegas has always been a terribly depressing place. So many people go there with hopes and dreams that they will get rich, so many have terrible gambling and alcohol problems losing everything and living a very pathetic existence. However, this trip I was more of a local and not a tourist. So I did not even go to the Strip (I actually rarely go there anyway). I sought out another Yoga studio and actually found that there are a lot of genuine people in Las Vegas, and the Yoga was really genuine. I was afraid of a hollow practice where the instructors really didn't get the connection of the earth, universe and body through your exercise. Actually, in China that is how the Chinese teachers are. They don't understand the spirituality that goes along with yoga, the healing and cleansing power. They know the mechanics well but don't understand the process. That is why Marc and I always preferred the classes with the Indian teachers. Anyway, I felt that the teachers in Vegas were going to be the same. I was totally wrong. I took 5 different classes, all at varying levels, with 4 different teachers, I found a place where I felt comfortable and content. Even though I got teary after most of my classes as yoga, for me, forces one to look inside of yourself and evaluate, analyze and purify. The tears were actually cleansing.

I also made some connections with some of the people at the studio teachers and students alike. I found a place, if only for a short time. I was so sad to leave. That is why I am really considering moving there. It is in the same city as my best friend and we have never lived in the same city. It is near my family who I feel I need a lot right now even though I drive them crazy and they drive me crazy. I love them. I miss my sisters and I feel that I could be a great influence on their lives if I am nearer to them. I can also help my parents out a bit more with them. I will talk more of my plans for the future later as they are still changing. I at least know that I want to go back if only for a year or so. Marc has taken so much from we I need to refuel.

I then went to San Diego and had a great few days. It was not enough time. My dad took me to a baseball game, like old times except the Padres have a new stadium and they won. So it was a great night all around. Then I had the girls for a day because it was my parent's 45th wedding anniversary. I wanted them to have some alone time. They had fun and so did we. We made a bouquet of flowers out of cut out hand prints and pipe cleaners. It was really fun and they turned out really cute. I don't have a picture to post. I will have to get one from my dad and put it up later. Thanks to Terri it was her idea, the arts and crafts queen. Then the three of us walked to the park and played for a few hours. I realized that Hayley is fearless, which is frightening, she was all ready to slide down this really tall pole by herself. Scared the crap out of me. But I was able to get her to change her mind and stick to the lower parts of the jungle gym. Mak was great and wore herself out. We had a great day. It was funny because my dad had said the day before that he didn't think I could handle them. I told him he was underestimating me. I was fine and we had a great time.

Then we went to Disneyland and had a great day. I have not been there in a really long time and it was fun. Then my parents went home and I stayed in Anaheim because I was flying out from LAX on Monday night to come back to China. The tickets we bought enabled us to go to California Adventure Park, the second park in the Disney complex, the next day for free. So my brother, Darrell, drove up and we went together on Monday. I had never been to that park. They has some cool stuff. It focuses more on adults with a few kids things. The food was way better there and My brother and I had an awesome lunch at the "winery". A nice bottle of wine to accompany lunch. It was a good day.

There was one ride that is designed around Twilight Zone (the old Rod Serling hosted TV show). I had no idea what to expect. It is an elevator that takes you up and then drops you. Scared the shit out of me as the drop is in the dark and I had no idea they would drop us so violently because we only had small seat belts on. It was great. I think I must have bruised Darrell's leg because I couldn't find the Oh Shit handles and his leg was the only thing I could find in the dark. It was really funny.

It was Monday after spring break and the park was pretty empty so we finished and headed to Disney town for a drink and a bit of shopping before he took me to the Airport. It was fun. Our trip to the airport was difficult as I thought that it was on I-5 when in fact, it is on 405. OOOPs. SO we got a great tour of LA. I got on the plane with no trouble and back to China.

When I returned I packed up the remaining stuff I had a t Marc's apartment and I am out. It was kind of sad, actually really sad. It also didn't help that some bimbo girl came to the door looking for him. That was hard and hurtful but what else can I expect. Later I got a call from a very good friend that I had met in the south when i was doing my safety training for the rig. He was in Beijing for the night and wanted to hang out. It was a great night. I took him to Tienanmen Square and to Wang Fu Jing (a lively shopping street). He convinced me to do this bungie thing where you are strapped into a ball in the middle and the bungies are stretched out really far then the ball is let go and you fly really high into the air. That part didn't scare me it was when we cam back down because the ball shifts and you face the ground whild you are falling. I was so scared but it was totally worth it. We bought the video of us screaming and ha said he would make a copy for me. I will post it if I can in the future. It was insane. We then went to a really cool middle eastern food restaurant. He is Iraqi so he knew all the best food to order. I wasn't really hungry because I was totally jet lagged and I always lose my appetite. But we drank a bunch. We then headed to a dance club and got down. It has been so long since I have danced with a guy that actually has some rhythm. It was so much fun. I didn't actually get back to the hotel until nearly 3 and then was up at 6 again to go to work. Oh well, I can sleep when I am dead.

That brings me sort of up to date. See you soon.