back at home

Well, kind of at home. Back in Hatboro at least. The landlord is starting week 4 of having my bathroom torn out. It's coming together, but taken time waiting for the plumber (who ran hot water to the toilet and needs to come back) and the electricians (2 - one who never showed up, one who promised to show up, then didn't, then did).

I'm glad it's not my project. It is my problem, though, as I have no shower/tub, there was a huge amount of dust raised which settled on my stuff (including monitor, Maura's laptop, etc.) and the kitchen ceiling will have to be replaced.

Oh, yeah, the landlord stepped off the planking in the bathroom and through the kitchen ceiling. So, need to clean all of the dust/rubble off of shelves, out of stovetop, etc. At least he wasn't hurt and nothing was damaged.

Good news of the day: I figured out how to change my blogger username from "teameborne" to something else. Just keeping putting the past behind me. Got a Christmas card from the ex-mother-in-law and from the ex-brother-in-law's family. Nothing from the ex, which isn't surprising.

Someday I'll get the travel photos from China and Singapore posted. I bought a new laptop which I am still trying to set up and, since I'm not at home most of the time, I don't have internet access. Also, sleep schedule still fubar. A somewhat typical day: wake up at 5am, nap from 4pm to 7pm, stay up until 2am. Though that is changing constantly.

One planned day of work this week. Did my expense reports and talked to one of my bosses. Now to figure out what to do for New Year's. Any suggestions? We are thinking 1 or 2 nights in Philly (kind of lame) or NY (better, but hard to find what we want). Maybe just a 40 of malt liquor and watching the ball drop on TV. Nooooo!

I hope everyone had a Merry/Happy Christmannakuh. Enjoy your New Year responsibly - try to wake up with who you left the house with.

Wondering what it would be like to live in Asia

During these last few weeks visiting China and Singapore, I've thought quite a lot about what it would be like to live in either place. I'd wondered over the years, but now I am actually considering it.

The more likely (and perhaps less culture shocking) would be Singapore. If I could just get past the constant heat and humidity :p At least it has more to offer than Phoenix.

In fact, here are current high temps for those locations I monitor in My Yahoo:
Hatboro PA 34F
Waterloo NE 32F
London 54F
Singapore 89F (and humid)
Copenhagen 40F
Reykjavik 38F
Shanghai (Suzhou) 39F

Hmm, at least Suzhou has actual seasons. Who knows. Input appreciated (and, yes, everyone could visit if I expat overseas).

so many drugs, so many naps

I went to the hotel doc yesterday to get some antibiotics. Not only did I get antibiotics, I got a shot, some cough syrup, a decongestant and something else. I think #4 is an antihistamine because I have been Mr. Happy Napper the past two days. A crappy way to spend a weekend in Singapore, but it's either dopey and feeling ok or awake and feeling crappy.

Two acronyms were redefined for me in Suzhou (I kept forgetting to post it):
Ph.D. = permanent head damage Alyssa liked to tease me with this one
MBA = married but available

Now, to do some Sunday night work 'cuz that's how it is on the road.

off to explore

What to do today? Hmm, I think the IT Mall is a good start - a new cell phone to accessorize ya know. Maybe take the train to Orchard Rd and see what's on there. Hopefully a nap this afternoon and then maybe Night Safari at the SG zoo.

Perhaps I'll take the aerial lift over to Sentosa island. Wouldn't that be fun? :)

For your enjoyment, the Rumination of the day:
The reason we're called "nice guys" is
*because* we take so long to finish.

Ha cha cha cha!

Matt - now in Singapore!

I arrived in Singapore Wed night, got to the hotel about 8:30. Ran right out for cold medicine at the mall next door. Like the US, there's a nice mall with all the same stores (or similar) you'd see. Unlike the US, you need a pharmacist to give you the *good* cold medicine. I had to get the non-drowsy version and some Tiger Balm. That'll clear the sinuses!

Today (it's Thursday noon here as I write, 11pm Wed EST) I bought a used cell phone and got some prepaid minutes. I can call from Singpore to Singapore, US, China and many other places for $0.22S. That's about $0.13US, so it's a bargain. It's still expensive for the US to call me, so don't bother asking for the number :)

Time to work and then a nap and more cold medicine. Damned head cold :(

Photos below from my last night when two coworkers took me out for some tea.

More fun in China

I'm enjoying my stay in Suzhou, even though I'm away from home and am spending most of the weekend writing and trying not to be homesick. From what I hear, the bathroom construction may take extra time anyway. Something about part of the kitchen ceiling meeting the kitchen floor suddenly.

Work is going well, but who cares about that. A group of 7 from work went to a German brewery/restaurant Friday night. Very tasty, good doppelbock, kirschwasser, cigars. Eeek, that's 3 cigars so far this trip, typically more than I have in a year.

Saturday was work on the paper and sleep in. Saturday evening I went to a local restaurant (Szechuan food) with a coworker, Alyssa. She is an engineer at the plant here and originally from NW of Beijing. She's about five foot nuthin' and says "uh oh!" quite a lot. I let her order all the food which was good for my diet. I'm not sure what happens to the rest of the animals in China, but there were a lot of feet on the table.




The chicken foot pickeled with vegetables is the specialty of this restaurant (I'm holding one).
Turns out pigs feet (on Alyssa's plate) - all skin and fat. Ewww. The fish cooked with hot peppers and oil was good, though a lot of little fish bones. The asparagus with garlic was just fine. And I ate a lot of it. I did try a piece of the black egg (perhaps 1000 year egg?) after encouragement from Alyssa and I almost gagged. Ewww. I had to chew a chicken foot to get the taste out of my mouth.

The tea was chrysantemums and other flowers and the guy came around periodically to top off the water with this amazing copper teakettle. The spout was about four feet long and he could hit your cup from that far away. Made me nervous, but no spills.

After dinner, I bought some cheap music and movies. One music CD, 2 music VCDs, and 5 movies for . . $13 US. We'll see what the movies are when I get home as my stupid laptop isn't playing DVDs anymore. Not even my new Family Guy disks I brought along!

Time to work on the paper some more (it's Sunday, 2:30pm). New, extended visit plan is now to fly to Singapore on Wednesday and leave for home the Wed after (21st). Or maybe the 23rd. People are saying Christmas in Suzhou is nice, but I think I'd rather come back for the spring festival and spend Christmas with my cutie and my kitty in snowy Pennsyltucky.

shaving with disposable razors - UPDATE!

Day 4: I left the US Saturday night. Now it's Wed morning in China and I'm putting on the same clothes. Again. Luggage still "on it's way to you. should be delivered in next few hours". Ha! I'm going to the store after breakfast for new clothes. Undoubtedly my bag will show up while I'm shopping.

I plan to complain until I get a free business class upgrade. No, not to you, gentle readers, to Singapore Airlines.

My socks are still damp from washing them last night, but my underwear are dry. Better than the other way around. The disposable razors are chewing up my face. Hope the hotel doesn't mind a blood-spotted towel this morning. It's hard to maintain "handsome foreigner" status when everyone sees you in the same clothes with a bad shave. I am even more recognizable now, however.

And, the limo service did find my cell phone. Why they didn't call after promising and why they didn't mail it to my house after promising I don't know. I'm starting to think I need to lower my expectations when it comes to the service industries. What I need now is a really bad haircut to cement that feeling.

The people are great at the office here and the weather is nice, though chilly (32F or so). I'm still glad to be here.

UPDATE! My luggage was really at the hotel when I got here after work! It was nice to not only put on clean clothes, but to put on my sweater. It was so nice, I hardly even minded the mediocre dinner we had tonight. Thanks for all of your good wishes and ribald comments.

I've still got my wallet and my sanity. Well, I've still got my wallet . . .

It's 4:30am in Suzhou, yes I'm back and, yes, I'm awake. Been up for 2 hours.

Normally I'd be up anyway, but this trip is special. I had a limo service take me to the Newark airport. When I got to the Singapore Air ticket desk I realize I didn't have my mobile phone. Hmm, last time it fell out of my jacket pocket in the taxi in Shanghai, but I noticed. If I'd driven myself, I would have noticed before I left my car. Hmmm, I'm an idiot.

Here's how dependent I've grown on my cell phone: I have an IDT calling card through work. Finally remembered how to use it and the damned call in numbers don't work. Both in Newark and at the hotel here in Suzhou. I don't know anyone's phone number (luckily had everything in my PDA) and now I'm carrying an envelope with everyone's phone number on it. BTW, all those 800 numbers are nice, but you can't call them from China!

The 18.5 hr flight to Singapore was good, aisle seat with no one next to me. Watched a couple of movies, slept, tried to work on a paper, but my laptop is too big. After 2 hrs, I put it away just as the guy in front of my moved his seat forward to work on *his* computer. Wanker.

Got to SIN and did a quick walk from one end of the F concourse to the opposite end of the E concourse. Did the security thing and walked right on the plane. My checked bag, however, didn't make it on the plane. Hmmm. And, as of 4:30 am Tuesday, it still hasn't shown up.

The limo people are looking for my cell phone and (hopefully) the airline is looking for my bag. Since the nice lady who filled out the PROPERTY IRREGULARITY REPORT misspelled my last name (DSBORNE?), it'll be interesting to see what happens.

So, in 2.5 hrs I'll put on my clothes I've worn for 36 hours and meet the rest of the gang for breakfast. Maybe I'll spill something on me, eh?

I'm actually pretty upbeat. I'm not hurt, I should have no problem with money, and I didn't lose my wallet or laptop. 'Course, I added up what I did lose and it was over $1000, so we'd best hope either the bag shows up or SingAir is generous.

last post before the travel

31 hours until I head out on the next trip. Received an e-mail from our Suzhou contact this morning : low of 32F tonight, dress accordingly.

So, it'll be 50s day, 30s night in Suzhou and 85F in Singapore. I guess I'll pack for Singapore and just wear two sets of clothes in Suzhou.

Catch ya on the flip side (of the Earth)