GZ Expat, Part II

Tired of Meetings...

I'm run out of energy...meetings the past two days, topped off with a 'team' dinner.  Time to unwind in the room with a little Weather Channel and some music ripping to the laptop. 

What am I ripping, you might ask?

• Cobra Starship - Viva La Cobra  Expat Daughter saw these guys on her recent trip to New Orleans and they are incredible.  I'm hooked.  Dance music...somewhat eighties sounding, but with incredibly irreverent lyrics.  Funny stuff.
• Along Way Home - Solace  Picked this one up on a whim...EMO tunes...fairly hard core, but decent enough to hang on to in my library.
• Say Anything - In Defense of The Genre  Haven't listened yet...saving it for the airplane.

This is sort of a long 'Tweet'...time to end my day...

Getting Packed

Heading out on a business trip...again.  Although I don't travel nearly as much as some do, it just seems this year, when I travel, its around the world.  So, in order to get ready for my travel...a few things to clean up and get packed:

• Podcasts.  RSS Feeds are blocked here in Chiner.  I usually use my Juice receiver in the office to grab all my favorite podcasts, as it is on a direct lease line with the head office in the USA.  No problem with blocked IP addresses there.  But, at home, I don't have the luxury...so, I am going downloading everything I want to take manually.  Website to website...clicking each episode and waiting. 
• Insomniaradio.net  Speaking of podcasts...the Insomnia Radio team is back up and rolling with a vengeance.  Check out the new website and sign up for their new IR Superfeed. 
• Lantern Festival.  They were blasting stuff until 2am on Thursday night...to celebrate lantern festival.  It was an incredibly beautiful night in GZ...especially with all the blasting going on <sigh>.  The next morning, the weather turned into a warm blue haze...I had to wonder if it was all the fireworks that were going off throughout the city.
• Tai-Tai headed out with the ladies last night for dinner and drinks, leaving expat son and I home alone watching movies and hockey games.  After dinner, he helped and continued to help clean up the dishes.  Thought maybe he hadn't gotten over his illness still...
• Watched last weeks match between New York Rangers and Montreal Canadians...one of the best games I have seen in years.  Down 5-0, the Habs stormed back to win in a shoot out.  The best part of it, though, was the fans.  Even down 5-0, they were encouraging, not booing.  It was clear, they could see how hard the team was working...and they rewarded them with a raucous ovation with each goal.  It gave me chills...and reminded me of how quiet GM Place was when I visited in October. 
• Expat son tried to watch Jurassic Park 2 on Cartoon Network last night...but, every 5 minutes he would come bounding down the stairs...'Commercials!'  The movie started at 8pm...and he tired of it at 10:15pm...and it still wasn't over.  Literally, 1/2 the time was spent with commercials.  And, the worst part, they weren't even commercials for stuff...they were just promos pumping Cartoon Network's shows.  He needs a Tivo.
• Tonight is the company new year party.  The theme is 'Chinese.'  Hmmm...go figure.  I thought it would have been much more fun if we could have had an Uzbek theme...but they insisted.  So, I need to figure out what to wear for that...plus, pack for my upcoming trip (leaving at O-dark Hundred in the morning).  I'm thinking, Chinese shirt with skinny pants...a great pair of new year AF1's that I have  had in the closet for ages...fedora...shades.  A fusion of east meets west.

That's it...that's all I got.  I need to get packing.

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via FoxyTunes   

It's been nearly 4 years this time

As we approach 4 years, we are thinking more and more about what we are going to do in the coming couple years.  It's company policy to only have expats out here for 3-5 years...we are getting close to the end, according to policy.  But then, there are people that have been out here 10 years or more too.  I am not sure I want to be out here another five, particularly if it is here in Chiner.  Yeah...after 9 years of our lives spent in GZ...I'm getting pretty sick of it and thoughts of the next stage are creeping into my mind more and more.

Our first choice has always been to move to another country...to experience a new culture all over again.  We did that 11 years ago when we first moved to China.  It was all so new and different and stressful and enlightening.  That experience was frustrating, but enriching...it drew us closer together because we needed each other to get through it all.  But, knowing my choice of job, that may not be all that likely...a move home is more likely.

Tai-Tai and I find ourselves discussing more and more about our house and what we would need to do to get back into it.  Cars; do we need a new one?  Should I start purchasing replacement parts for my Cougar?   What about school for expat son?  What about a future career for Tai-Tai who has been out of the job market for over 10 years.  And, the economy...is it going to tank to the point in which I become expendable (expats are the fastest and biggest line item budget cut for any company).   Pretty soon, people aren't going to have the dough to shell out for the products I am helping make.  Too many questions to answer...and it just adds to the confusion sometimes.

This tour of duty has been so much better than the first one.  I am in a position in which I am thriving...I was meant for this job.  Not too many people can say that in their careers.  Previously, I was just trying to figure out what the heck I was doing...now I know what needs to be done and I go out and try to make a difference.  With some recently added responsibilities on my plate, it seems as though I am needed for at least another year...but then what?

So...its time to start saving...and its time to start spending and planning.  We still need a bit of furniture to round out our home.  We still want to visit and see places around the world we haven't had a chance to visit and see.  We haven't planned on going 'home' for holidays, simply because we want to take advantage of our opportunities to travel and see the world.  It's getting close to the point of taking out a checklist and ensuring we have ticked off all the things we have wanted to do/buy/experience.

It hasn't really come up yet...but we are thinking about it more and more.  When will it be time to go?  The last time we were here, we didn't think about it...and when the time came, we were not ready.  We were pushed on to the plane...we had unfinished business to complete.  From the moment I moved back to Oregon, I was on the prowl to move back to Asia...I just had to.  This time around, we want to be sure we do it on our terms...because we know that when we do move back, it will probably be for good.  And we will leave behind nearly 10 years of our lives.

Home is where your hat is...well, this has become our home.  As dirty, crowded and confusing as it may be...it is our home. 

Happy Fourth!

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

hen in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

What Was Once a Park...

What was once a park is now a...parking lot...with swing sets.   

I put a lot of mileage on those swings, slide and roundabout (merry go round) through the years.  I'd hike my cars and toys over and my buddies and I would create cities in the dirt beneath the trees, between the exposed roots.  The trees hung so low, we used to be able to climb up the slide, grab a tree branch and 'Tarzan' our way back to the ground...giving the trademark scream, of course.  We'd play 'snow' football in the grassy area as soon as the flakes began to fall. 

Age had finally caught up to the mighty giants.  Root rot doomed them to the ground.  Instead of shade and a cool escape on a hot day...kids now get the pleasure of playing under direct sunlight and the gaze of the countless neighbors homes. 

Even Expat Son has his memories of this park...'we used to ride our bikes over there and play...and then go to gramma's for a water or apple.' 

The more you are away, the more things change.

Thanks to my seeester for the pics.  Although, they were a little devastating when initially received.

Morons in the Snow

Reason number 1, why snow sucks in Portland...

People don't know how to f*ing drive in it!!!

I (heart) My Property Manager

It's not very advantageous for us to leave our house in Oregon empty, while we live here.  So, we hired a property manager to take care of leasing the house and taking care of it, in case the need arises.  Well, the need arose in late October. 

Let's just say it involves sewage...and the job was incredibly yucky.  With my property manager stepping up and making the necessary calls, appointments, arrangments and negotiations.  I just sit here and watch the bills pile up.  Let's just say...I'm glad I'm not trying to deal with this with a pick and shovel in the cold and the rain of November and December. 

If you are in need of any real estate help in Oregon...give Yvonne a call...she rocks.  Period. 

EV: One Day They’ll Come For You

I just had to link up with Kate's post on the recent court ruling on HOA's.  Yes, if your HOA says you cannot smoke in your own house, for which you paid money for, you cannot do it. 

I've had my experiences with and HOA that has been well documented here.  The group and the neighbors essentially forced me out...I sold and moved.  My new home is bigger, closer to work and in a quiet, established neighborhood which does not have an HOA and recognizes everyones individual rights as Americans to live their lives. 

When we first moved to Chiner in 1996, our hometown was quaint and respectful.  We moved back 5 years later and things had changed.  People had become prodding and invasive...disrespectful of others.  For all the talk of 'diversity' in the workplace, you certainly don't see it in some neighborhoods.

I couldn't imagine popping into the backyard for a BBQ, beer and stogie, only to be served with papers and fines for breaking the 'rules.'

So, I say...'Smoke 'em if ya got 'em!'

Quake!!

I wake up to this news...

PORTLAND - An earthquake rattled downtown Portland Sunday evening at 9:34 p.m.

The quake was initially reported as a 2.6 magnitude event centered at SW 5th Ave. and SW Madison, less than one block from Portland City Hall.

OK...can we get things straight?  A 2.6 quake does not rattle anything, except the seismograph.  For comparison sake...try this.

Another slow news day in the city of roses...

Tag!

Do you need any more evidence as to how f*ed up our schools/society have become??

Tag, you're out! Officials at an elementary school south of Boston have banned kids from playing tag, touch football and any other unsupervised chase game during recess for fear they'll get hurt and hold the school liable.

Recess is "a time when accidents can happen," said Willett Elementary School Principal Gaylene Heppe, who approved the ban.

<sigh>