At home

Playing with my dog. Driving my car. Drinking my beer. It is soooo so good to be back in Oregon. The air is fresh and clean, the beach and the trees are beautiful, now if only I could get a clear day to get out in the kayak on the lake.

I slept in my brother's room on Christmas Eve. I was still in the thick of my jet lag so I didn't do much sleeping, it was like laying in a bed in the dark at noon. That gave me loads of time to worry about how I'm eventually going to get back home: I'm afraid the longer I stay in Shanghai, the more opportunities will come up there. In contrast, the other day we drove down a lakeside subdivision where the development has stalled - a whole cul-de-sac of empty lots. It seemed like a pretty apt visualization of what seems to be going on here. My dad has cable news on half the day and a few days ago they were talking about the "money apocalypse." Oh Lord.

Just before I came home someone well-connected proposed I co-author a book with her. I don't want to get too excited, I'm not sure how serious she is, or what could come of it - but I do think it evidences that things are happening over there.

Well, now it's hailing. I guess that means I wont make it to the hot tub this morning. In the next couple days I'm going to post a few photo blogs to catch up on all the Christmas shenanigans I didn't have time to post about while I was in Shanghai.

Belated Merry Christmas everybody and happy new year!