Well worth the wait

Just over a month ago I wrote a blog on Thanksgiving night while I was sitting in a hotel room feeling sorry for myself.  I was in Bangkok and really wanted to eat a traditional Thanksgiving meal.  I thought I was going to get one but it didn't end up happening.  Alan promised to make me one while I was home...and boy...was it totally worth the wait!  We had turkey, stuffing (with mushrooms and bacon...everything is better with bacon), mashed potatoes, green bean casserole (I helped with this), cranberry sauce, and rolls.  Yummy goodness!

What was even better than the delicious meal was having a day at home with just Alan and the kitties.  We went out briefly this morning for coffee with some friends but we were back at home by about 11 am.  Alan was busy in the kitchen most of the day while I did some laundry, sorted through some files, washed the dishes, and cleaned out my closet.  It poured down rain here today which added to the enjoyment of being at home instead of out in the cold, wet weather.  It has been a wonderful Christmas with a wonderful meal and some wonderful time spent with my husband. 

I feel pretty silly for having that pity party in the hotel last month...

I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas...be it a quiet one at home or traveling to see family or friends or whatever it is that makes you happy...

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Stars

I'm keeping busy with seeing lots of local friends and family so haven't been blogging much...as if you didn't know this already.  I hope you don't mind and are still coming to visit the page.  I keep saying I'll do better and then just get wrapped up in my own activities...and the next thing I know it is time for bed...which for those of you who know me well know is not that late in the evening...

Anywho...

I've been dog-sitting the past couple of days.  This requires some time standing on the porch while said dog does her doggie business...I always feel a bit guilty watching animals doing their business...I mean, who wants to be watched during that...anyway...since it is dark out there isn't a whole heck of a lot to look at on street level so have instead been looking upward.  WOW!  All sorts of stars are out and look just amazing.  I guess I hadn't really noticed that I don't get to see stars in Singapore since the lights from the city are so bright.  Orion is extremely prominent right now and is just amazing to look at...I've always liked Orion...I think it was probably one of the first constellations that I learned about from either my dad or my brother Alan.

I also have always been very fond of stars...I don't know many of the constellations but just like looking at them.  They are something that are common to everyone...and often comfort me when I'm traveling...it is nice to know that when I look up in the sky while away from home...they are the same stars that somebody I love will be looking up at as well.  I'm also a child of the Space Age...I loved watching and reading about the latest NASA launches when I was a kid.  The Space Shuttle launches and landings were very popular at our house.  I have secretly always wanted to go to space camp...maybe someday I'll get to blog about that.  In the meantime, I'll just enjoy the view of the stars while I'm in NC.

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US differences

Most of this blog is about the differences I see in Singapore.  Now that I have been there for awhile I am noticing things here that are the norm but that seem sort of out of place to me by Singapore standards...

Beer - by no means is beer out of place in Singapore - there just aren't a lot of choices.  We were in the grocery store the other day and there was a long refrigerated section full of chilled beer...so many choices...so little time...

Toilet seat covers - I know this is a silly thing to notice but they don't have these in Asia. 

Napkins - Most hawker stalls and even fast food type restaurants do not provide napkins.  You always have to have a little packet of tissues with you just in case.

Sports on TV - By sports I mean anything besides badminton and table tennis...holy cow is it nice to watch all the hockey I want!

Sandwiches - We take for granted the opportunity to purchase a sandwich at just about everyplace they sell food...it is one of the staple foods in the US.  In Singapore you can get any sort of noodle dish you want but not sandwiches.  They do have Subway but one can only eat so many Subway sandwiches.

Weather reports - Holy cow...today was really noticeable since we got some winter weather here in NC.  I think I've mentioned before that the weather in Singapore is almost always the same so they don't have a need for local reports.  Doppler maps are kind of fun...do not take these for granted people!

Casual dress - In Singapore people don't like to wander out of their house unless they are put together.  I frequently leave the gym right after a workout and this appears to be very appalling to many of the locals.  Everybody looks nice but sometimes it just doesn't make sense to get so dressed up just to head out for some milk...

These are just a couple of things I have noticed over the past week being back in NC.  It is interesting to see how my perspective has changed.

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Running into people

When living abroad you very rarely run into people you know...let alone people that you know and have history with.  Today I was in the Quintiles office here and ran into a bunch of people  I know...many of which I haven't seen in quite some time.  It was great to see them and to catcth up with them.  A few of them are relatively new friends so we just chatted for a bit...a few of them are old friends...histories of 11+ years...so we spent a bit more time catching up.  These are all people that I used to work with on a regular basis and we have since drifted into different roles and departments within the organization.  Regardless, we all remember where we started and the paths we have taken to get where we are now.  It made for an unexpected evening of catching up with old friends.

I have had a very busy social week...I planned it to be so busy so that I could make the most of my time here in Durham.  I have no issues with my schedule and with meeting with those that I have seen...both arranged and those that have been unexpected.  Friends are the family that you choose so these are all very important people to me.

A huge part of me has really been enjoying these visits...how couldn't I?  Another part of me...maybe the more reserved part of me is really a bit sad about these visits...I miss my friends...it is really hard at times to be half a world away...I am blessed with the people I have in my life but it would be dishonest of me to not say that I do not get sad and lonely without all of you.  I think it just becomes more obvious to me when I'm in the thick of things and so physically close to everybody.

Ugh...enough of my complaining...just know that I appreciate you all and am going to enjoy our time together until the 27th.

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Blogfree days

Hello!  No, I have not gotten lost in Durham...I've just been really busy.  I've had quite a few social gatherings and meetings for work and evening teleconferences and running around going on.  None of it is really that blog-worthy unless you want to hear me go on and on about my super fabulous friends???  Which I'm happy to do.

It has been really nice being back home.  It is very comforting to be able to come home everyday to Alan, the kitties, and the home we've established.  It is also great to be able to drive myself around at whatever time of day I want to.  Don't get me wrong, I love the public transportation in Singapore but it is really being able to operate fully on my schedule instead of on a bus schedule.  It is also fun listening to the radio...which I don't ever do when I'm in Singers.  I don't have one in my office or home and obviously since I don't drive don't have the option of having one in the car.  I have no idea what all of the new popular songs are so it has been fun catching up on those.

I'm off for an appointment this morning but will try to be better about blogging in the coming days...

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Durham

Am back at home in NC...and loving it...just in case you wondered.  I flew in yesterday from Detroit despite some high winds, a cargo snafu, and a missed connection in Atlanta.  I only ended up being about two hours late so it wasn't too disruptive. 

Last night Alan made me a yummy home-cooked meal.  Is the first meal that he's been able to cook for me since June...far too long to be without his delicious cooking.

Tonight I am sharing the couch with Alan...kitties meandering about...while we watch hockey.  It is the first Carolina Hurricanes game of the season that I've been able to watch.  I've listened to many of them thanks to the internet...but it is so different to watch.  We have a handful of new players and I don't recognize their numbers...have a lot to learn before my first home game on Wednesday.  I love hockey because it is such a fast paced game.  The guys are true athletes and are in incredible shape because it is not easy to skate up and down the ice as fast or as often as they do in the 60 minutes of a hockey game.  As I've mentioned before...the top sports in Singapore are badminton and table tennis...not quite the same...

So, the Canes just scored so am going to pay more attention to the game...

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Cookie creations

I said in my 200+ post that I took requests...I've had one for pictures of the cookies so here they are:

Clockwise from the top:

• German ginger cookies
• Lime shortbread cookies
• Linzer cookies
• Chocolate macaroons (blech)

FYI Alan - (husband, not brother) you will be getting some of the lime shortbreads and the German ginger cookies when I get home tomorrow.

On a separate note, we got some snow last night.  The west site of MI is getting blizzard-like conditions but we had less than an inch here last night and it is no longer snowing.  For those of you outside of a snow area I thought you might like to see this:

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Baking with big brother & dinner w/ an old friend

Tonight my older brother Alan and I took a cookie baking class at Zingermans Bakeshop in Ann Arbor, MI.  We baked linzer cookies, chocolate macaroons, German ginger cookies, and lime shortbread cookies.  It was a fun class and we learned some good information and tried four new recipes. We were the rebels of the class because we were the only ones who used different cookie cutters for our lime shortbread cookies...we made stars, wreaths, candy canes, bells, and holly while the rest of the class only made stars...they said we could ask for other cookie cutters...so we did...and we would have shared but nobody seemed at all interested in them.  We were festive and creative and the others just followed the rules...oh well for them.

The picture above is me in front of the sign.  I didn't get any pictures during the class because my hands were messy most of the time and I didn't want to ruin the camera.  And yes...those specs in the picture are indeed snow...yipee!

In case you are curious, we ranked the cookies and both agreed on the order (I think - Alan please let me know if you disagree).

• 4th place - chocolate macaroons (coconut is neither of our favorites and they really just tasted like brownies)

• 3rd place - linzer cookies (these are hazelnut cookie sandwiches with raspberry preserves in the middle)
  

• 2nd place - lime shortbread cookies

• 1st place - German ginger cookies (interestingly enough these got the biggest reaction when they came out of the oven and also were the class favorite)

If you are interested in any of the recipes just let me know...am happy to share.

It was great to spend some time with Alan...we don't see each other nearly enough.  We were both a bit tired tonight but it was a nice change of pace.

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Last night I met up with a childhood friend for dinner.  Tina and I became friends when we were young because we both tap danced together.  You may recall a blog post from a couple of months ago where I told you about Tina...she had broken a bowl and was making necklaces out of it and sending you one if you donated money to a local Michigan foodbank. 

We were friends up into high school and then sort of drifted apart.  We were never not friends but just took different paths.  We went on to college and haven't really been in contact since.  Funny enough, last night we were both trying to remember if we saw each other at our 10 year high school reunion and neither of us could remember seeing each other...although we were both there.  Anyway, we caught up with each other this past year via Facebook.  I have a bunch of people that I have reconnected with via Facebook but not to the same extent as Tina.  We've chatted a bit and realized we have a lot in common despite the many years of not being in contact and the now the many miles that separate us. 

So last night we took advantage of the fact that we were within about 30 miles of each other.  We met in Ann Arbor for dinner.  We chatted a lot...about where we are now...about friends from high school...about places we've visited...about places we want to visit...about random topics...all of those sorts of things that make 20 years of very little contact seem like nothing.  It was great and it makes me very thankful for Facebook...I'm not sure I would have reconnected with Tina without it.

She is a great person...she is an art teacher...one of a kind.  I asked her last night if she enjoyed teaching and she said she couldn't imagine doing anything else...she is the type of person all of you with kids want to teach your kids.  On top of that she is an amazing artist herself...I'm not sure she fully realizes her own talent and potential...if I could find a way to become her business manager and get her art more widely recognized I definitely would.  (In case you want to see her take a look at her website: www.artsyt.com)

Anyway, we had a great night and I look forward to keeping in better touch with her over the next 20 years.

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New look

So, I got bored with the darkness that the blog used to be.  I also wanted to customize it a bit more.  I'm still learning how to do this but am happy...for the moment...with the revised look.  I'm sure it will continue to evolve...let me what you think.

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Christmas Celebration

Yesterday I celebrated Christmas with my side of the family.  We had the family together for the first time in a couple of years which was by far the best part of the day.  We had good food and exchanged gifts and talked and laughed and did all of the things you do when you get the family together.  My mom got a picture of all of us together which is not an easy task. 

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My seatmate

I rarely pay attention to who sits next to me on planes.  I'm sure that I've been on flights with a lot of famous people and never even taken note.  I always figure they are glad that you don't...flying is not a lot of fun and to be stuck on a place with a bunch of giddy fans would totally annoy me to no end.

Yesterday, from Tokyo to Detroit I sat next to Carlos Rogers who played in the NBA.  I googled him to find this out.  He was an incredibly nice guy...we had the normal airplane seatmate chitchat...he asked me to help him make sure he was able to buy duty free stuff since he wanted to sleep most of the flight...we had a funny conversation about people having the 'dropsies' (his word, not mine) after the champagne and orange juice incident.

He didn't have a stellar NBA career but I always think it is cool to get to meet professional athletes.  The cool thing about him is that he retired in the middle of his basketball career to donate a kidney to his sister...pretty selfless...here is an article about it:  http://www.yaleherald.com/archive/xxiii/2.21.97/sports/eli.html

Like I said, I don't normally pay attention but after reading that article I'm glad I did.

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A progressive country...wait...grocery store...

This is actually how a conversation last night started.  I cannot tell you much else about it other than we laughed....and laughed some more...until all four of us were crying.  This was one of many conversations last night that caused a lot of laughter.  You know how it is...the conversation that is like a runaway train or the getaway car...we were all just willing passengers...maybe some of us unwilling passengers at times...and the route the car took was all over the place...down winding roads and around corners and off cliffs and sometimes...rarely...back down the same route we'd been on before.

I won't get into details of the conversations that we had...they were hilarious...sometimes serious...mostly random (how in the world did we get to discussing blood types)....but they were ours...one of those nights where with a lot of 'you had to be there' moments...the kind you get when you are with family and/or close friends...the kind you don't have a lot of when you live by yourself in a new country...

It was a great way to spend my first night back in the US.  With family...eating amazing pizza and salad (thanks Karie - if you ever have the opportunity to eat her homemade pizza be sure to do so - it rocks!)...drinking good wine...buckled in...enjoying the ride...laughing a lot when the conversation begins..."I read this email about a progressive country...wait...grocery store..."

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Your Today is actually My Today...

...at least until the 27th of December.

I landed in Detroit at around 12pm this afternoon.  My mom was waiting for me outside of immigration and customs to pick me up. 

The flights were relatively uneventful.  While I have gotten accustomed to flying long haul flights in economy class I have to admit that the business class upgrades were worth the frequent flyer miles.  I was able to lie almost flat and got a good bit of sleep on both flights.  It was generally just nice to have the space to stretch out.  I did get a tray of orange juice and champagne spilled on me just prior to departing Tokyo.  It was a total accident and the two flight attendants that collided and caused the spill were mortified.  It dried quickly and I was thankful it was not coffee or hot tea...they apologized throughout the flight which was appreciated.  I think they were expecting a different reaction from me...I believe it having seen some of the people who fly...in business class...and...I'm sure I've had my annoying passenger moments over the years...just not today.

It is nice to be back in the US.  My mom and I enjoyed a relaxed afternoon running some errands.  I'm enjoying the shift from 30 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Fahrenheit.  I'm just a cold weather gal.

Tonight we're heading over to my brother and sister-in-laws house for a home cooked dinner.  And tomorrow Alan will be flying up so that we can celebrate our Christmas with my side of the family...I am SOOOOOOOOO excited!

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Three is the magic number

Actually, 3 am is the magic time...for which my alarm has been set...so that I can be awake and ready for my 4 am pick-up...so I can be at the airport for my 6 am flight to Tokyo.  Now 3 am is neither early nor late.  I think it is smack in the middle.  Do I sleep?  Do I stay awake and just sleep on the plane?  It is a hard one to figure out.  I'm currently waiting on the last load of laundry to finish in the dryer.  Then I can complete my packing and that'll mean I am ready for some relaxation.  But how much can one actually relax knowing that there is an alarm lurking to startle me awake?  I guess I'll let you know tomorrow which option I went for...sleep...or no sleep.

P.S. Have I told you how EXCITED I am to be heading back to the US?
P.S.S.  If you are a child in the 70s then you will likely get the reference of the title.  Any guesses?

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Special delivery

Nope, not another one of those Kate is obsessed with mail related posts.  This was actually a special delivery from me to a friend.  I got a text from my friend this morning that she injured herself playing footie (soccer to us Americans) last night.  She is in quite a bit of pain (this is a tough gal so for her to admit that I know that it must be bad) so I asked if she needed anything.  This evening she sent me another text and asked for me to drop by some pain meds for her.  So off I went...I even took her some sloppy joes, buns, and cheese so that she would have proper meals during her recovery.

This doesn't seem like much but this is the first time a friend here in Singapore has asked me for help.  I have met a number of people here but have only made friends with a couple.  I think it gets harder to make new friends the older you get.  It is especially hard when you travel as much as I do.  So while I feel really bad for the injury of my friend it made me smile that she felt comfortable enough asking me for help. 

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200+

A couple of days ago I hit my 200th blog posting.  I feel like I should have built it up a bit more...sort of like they do for the 100th or 200th episode of a television show.  And then maybe I should have done something special...maybe a theme or a musical episode...not sure.  Although, I don't have my own marketing department or a team of writers...it is just me.  I'm impressed with myself for writing on this most days...for finding topics to share with each of you...hopefully making it slightly entertaining...

Since I missed the 200th special blog posting I'll give you some interesting (at least I think they are) tidbits:

Cue perky yet slightly nostalgic music now...

• I usually blog at night (currently I'm relaxing on my sofa and multi-tasking while watching TV - Fringe in case you are curious what show).
• The current version of blogger does not have spell check so if you see misspellings in my blog I sincerely apologize.
• If I am not traveling I usually think of a blog topic on my ride home on the bus.  I have no idea why but it is just the usual time that they pop into my head.
• I came up with the title with the help of my brother Alan.  We were instant messaging and brainstorming names.  I can't recall who actually came up with it but I like it.
  
• I have yet to really figure out what capabilities there are with the blog outside of posting words and pictures.  I hope to figure out more during my trip back to the States.
• I can set up the blog so that it automatically emails you each time there is a new post.  Just let me know and I'll add you to the list.
• I often wonder if anybody is reading my blog.
• I often wonder if the people who are reading my blog think it is interesting.
• I like to use three dots ... to emphasize a pause like you would have during a conversation.  I know it is not proper but this is my blog so I get to make the rules.
• Since this is my blog...I...get...to make...the rules.
• The hardest part of blogging for me is coming up with the title.  I feel like it should be something witty and catchy and I sometimes...often times just don't capture either.
• Blogging makes me feel connected to my family and friends.  Sounds silly but by sharing my day or travels or wacky situations with you I feel like I'm maintaining a connection despite being so far away.
• I take special requests...sort of like a Casey Kasem long distance dedication.  I'm often curious if there is anything that anybody wants to know about.   

Perky yet slightly nostalgic music fades away.


Well...this concludes the special 200+ edition of Your Today is My Yesterday.

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