Catching up after tech troubles.

I’d written some things that I thought I would be able to post, but there was a tech problem.  I won’t get much into it, but the short of the long is this- Got new tech, transfer of info didn’t work and needed to scrabble to solve that.  Finally, after a week of efforting, that was completed.  However, due to the last three years being in Thailand, my 2-Factor authentication can’t work, as it is tied to the BKK mobile number.  I have it all unlocked, but it will take a few days until I can post vids.  

It’s been a whirlwind of a week and a half.  We’ve been approx 50 hours traveling and in airports.  We are in our third city, have traveled through 6 airports, and are 12 hours outside of the timezone we are used to being in.  

I’ll be posting a bunch of pics below, but I’m also wanted to catch up a little.

LA- Was great.  For a city I (generally speaking) don’t much care for, we had a blast and got a see a bunch.  The California Science Museum was the highlight for the family.  Seeing Branka and Miss Mabel was the visiting highlight.  Also, a big thanks to Mabel and Branka for coming to visit.  It meant the world to us all.

SF- Again, a city I generally do not care for much.  It was again a blast.  A part of the was BSchmittah.  It was beyond great to see him and just reconnect on the B and A level.  J had a few laughs with us, as when J and I were first dating, we lived with BSchmittah for a year.  He and I are like brothers and we can just fall right back into the vibe of us.  The moving about The City, the back and forth, the shorthand and slang we use.  We also, on the backend, got another day with B, as he caught up with us for a meal and then came back to the AirBnB to hang a bit and just spend a little more time.  Hey B…. Thanks, Homey!  It was really really great to see you.  We always have a spot in Shanghai for you.

Staying in SF, we also got to see constant reader Doc J.  Again, it was like falling in with my sister.  Doc J and I, again, just have that connection.  We had a lunch with her and then got to Yurba Buena Park and chatted with Kiddo ran about and played in the kids area at the park.  Again, a thanks to Doc J for making time and efforts to see us and spend the afternoon.  Hugs and love.

That same evening, we got to see the Au-Dawg and Big Daddy X.  I also, finally, got a chance to meet BDX wife, MK.  I can see why her and BDX are a good couple.  I can’t wait to meet their little one when he comes to the world in the next half year or so.  Again, it was like falling in with brothers.  A little different from B, but in the same vein, as we could just fall in.  

We are now in GB and seeing J’s sis, the Jester, hanging with her and her Hubs NPB, plus meeting her little one, HenHen the Mighty.  It’s nice to see them all, but also nice to finally settle a bit and not have to rush to meet up, catch up, be here at xyz, etc etc.  At the same time, I do miss CA and the vibe.  I also found that I missed my people more than I thought.  

Three years in BKK and it’s odd being back.  Some, I don’t like.  Some, I miss.  Mostly, I don’t fit.  We don’t fit.  Kiddo has a million questions about America- from revolving doors to why we have to drive everywhere.  That and the stimuli is hard.  In Thailand, unless I was in a market or using my Thai, I could turn it off and the words and chaos around me would kind of skip off the top.  Here, I can’t help but hear it and have my brain hook it and process it.  We’ve also struggled a bit with portion sizes.  In LA, at In N Out, J and I split a burger and it was more than enough for us.  Most places we go, J and I have been sharing and splitting or not finishing.  

It’s hard to put words to it, at least in the middle of it.  It’s fitting in, but not fitting in.  I can understand the words, but struggle with the meaning.  I think directions, as I navigated LA and SF, and now in GB, in Thai to myself.  Leo say, Leo qua, trng pai and all the rest.  I wai a lot more than I thought and Kiddo and J have had a laugh or two at me, either thanking someone for something or crossing a street and having a car wait.  Part of that is that I am closing in on 50 and it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks, but also the Broca’s Aphasia and the language center of my brain being slow to adapt or make the cross overs.  In a way, it’s like living in two worlds at once and I constantly find myself cross translating, sometimes in the wrong direction.

We also miss Asia.  The overall world there just made more sense to us all.  From the markets to the day to day walking or tuks to get around, we don’t get the spread out car culture.  Also, in SEA, we felt a sense of community and collective, where in the States, it feels very individual and self centered.  My best example just happened as I was sitting here.  An elder man walked up to me as I was typing this and spoke to me.  When I removed my earbud, he said, “NOW you’re being polite so an old guy can give you some wisdom.”  Ok, first, I was in my earbuds, typing.  I didn’t know I had to keep an ear open just in case  some old fart decided he wanted to speak to me.  Second, YOU approached me, polite starts with, EXCUSE ME.  Lastly, I never asked you for wisdom and you have NO IDEA what it is I am doing or working on, so how can you assume you have any wisdom to share.  He proceeded to try to sit, only to find my laptop bag and hoodie on the chair.  He then grabbed them.  “Sir.  Please put down my bag!”  He just looked at me, stunned.  “I was just going to sit and speak with you for a few moments.”  Again, you don’t know me.  And I’m writing.  That probably means I am engaged and working on something.  Would you like it if I interrupted you in the middle of something to “give you some wisdom”?  He then complained to the staff about me, so then I had to deal with the manager and explain that I was just working when he came up to me, interrupting me, and grabbing my things to move them.  Of course, old dude disagreed with it all - I was just passing a word to a young man and I didn’t KNOW that was his stuff.  Yeah, you didn’t KNOW my stuff was on the only other chair at the table.  JFC!!!!

It’s been.  Much.  We’ve learned a lot, but mostly, we learned that we can’t wait to get back to a place that makes sense to us.  America doers’t.  At least not now.  Maybe one day, but not now.  I’m glad we saw it, but our next big adventure will not include America.  We have more interesting things to do than deal with overgrown toddlers who think the world revolves around them or the workers who are so overworked and beaten down, most can hardly afford rent, let along a little time and space to breathe, grow, relax, raise a family, and have some free time- because of the overgrown toddlers who need to get their way.

Let’s go, Kiddo… the adventure is great and it will soon continue in Mexico.  We can’t wait to do more tacos with you. To put our feet in the ocean again.  To living with markets and walking distance to most things.  We can’t wait to see and explore Shanghai with you.  To explore more of the world with you.  To just be with you.  We are glad you enjoyed LA.  We are glad SF was fun and exciting.  We’re glad you are loving HenHen the Mighty.  We are glad that we get to love you.