I can’t believe I forgot to write about a couple of major things yesterday:
1. I have a friend name Ali who has been a sometimes-close friend for well over 15 years. She and I have been work colleagues and running buddies forever, though our tightness tends to ebb and flow. I know a lot about her life and she knows a lot about mine. She even got married two months ago in the chapel where I attend church (after she’d come with me a few times). I thought I knew her pretty well…knew many stories about her family and the goings on. So imagine my surprise when Ali and her husband showed up in church (a rarity)and her new husband announced during the prayer request for all to pray for peace. Ali’s sister had been missing for several months and her body was just found in a lake. I knew she had one sister, but this is another sister I didn’t even know about! This sister obviously didn’t attend Ali’s wedding. This sister seemed to not exist until Sunday. Turns out, this was Ali’s very troubled, menatlly-ill sister who was a major source of turmoil for her family. She’d disappear for months on end and then show up when she needed something. I guess this sister really did a number on her parents. And obviously, Ali never wanted to bring this up to friends. Still, so heartbreaking. We talked after church. She and her husband had to leave right away to get on a plane to where her parents live. Just so…ugh. So much tragedy going on lately. I feel for her and worry about the mentally ill. It hits very close to home now. I’m so sorry for her family. And I hope her sister rests in peace. Finally.
2. Speaking of family…and after all my rants about China, did I even tell you that my brother is living in China? He’s been there since February. I mean, how could I never even mention it? I guess there are a lot of things I failed to mention in this lovely diary, eh? Anyway. My bro lives in Qingdao and teaches at a university there. He has fallen in love and wants to marry a Chinese national. I’m thrilled for him. I mean, he seems to have found his calling there, and I think that’s great! I hope that he does do well and prospers and lives happily ever after with Chinese bab(ies) and everything!! However, there are protests going on right now that are getting ugly. China and Japan are fighting over an island that they both seem to think they own. I worry a bit for my brother and also for all of my colleagues who are traveling in China. My good friend here at the office is leaving in a week and I hope that things settle down. The protesters are mainly blocking Japanese companies (department stores, factories, etc.), however it could get uglier. Why don’t we hear much about these things over here? I guess because it is on the other side of the world? Funny how things change when the other side of the world suddenly becomes your own side of the world. Right?
Anyway. Those things. I guess I should write more.
My old, old, old boyfriend LDL (anyone remember THAT one?) has a birthday today. I don’t know how old he is anymore. I think he was 2 years older than me or something. Anyway. It was weird becuase I got a reminder on my phone, something like 4 times! Why?! Probably the same reason I have three Apple IDs. Annoying. But it got me thinking about him. And so I looked him up on Facebook and it was strange. I can’t get into his FB because we’re not friends, but I could see some photos. His girlfriend is/was an olympic athlete, but I was not impressed. He looked exactly the same. I got the creeps when I saw his photo. I think that’s a good thing. He was a dick the last time we communicated–one of the biggest dicks ever. He kicked me when I was down about EXMS. He told me I deserved to be left like I was. What a giant douche. God! I just got really mad for a second!
*breath*
I’m leaving tomorrow on a quick trip. I am looking forward to three days away. I don’t know why. Guess I’m just happy to get a change of scenery. I need to get on the ball about this work thing. If I can angle it correctly, I will get to get out of the country again and it will mean less travel to super-polluted China and more travel to other areas of the world (namely, UK/Europe). Must continue to work on this!
For now, I better go and get some other things done.
And also, my thoughts still go out to those who’ve lost family members and friends lately. And also to those who are joining and creating new families. Circle of life…hellos and goodbyes with many, many surprises in between.
Love.
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