I can't believe it - in two days I'll be en route to the People's Republic of China!
While I am of course excited, I also dread the thought of 6 weeks away from Bizarro, my dearest friend and partner for life. sigh

This past week has been frenetic with getting lesson plans finished, visiting people and trying to spend quality time with Bizarro. I was able to go out for a drink with that friend who'd given me a hard time last week, and actually we had a good visit. Of course, Bizarro thinks it's just a lull in the storm, and as soon as I step one toenail over the line (whatever line she's drawn in her head), I'll be in the doghouse again. Maybe, maybe not. But for now I'm content and don't have to worry about it, as long as we remember to get my land-lady's paper while they're all on vacation.

Wednesday night our friends from school came over and we watched Barbershop 2. It was fun (the movie and hanging out), but also kind of sad 'cause they're moving to D.C. at the end of the summer, so they'll be gone when I get back from China. The woman, Kay, was my office mate this year and she was a good friend to me. Her husband, who is from Chile, got along with Bizarro very well. We will miss them.

On Thursday we went to a dinner hosted by my Japanese students from Spring quarter. They cooked up a wonderful meal and we had a good time. Sometimes it can be awkward since their English is limited as far as party conversation, and of course we speak no Japanese (except thank you and hello). But because they'd been my students it was relaxed and enjoyable. They liked meeting my fiance, too, I think.

After we left the dinner party, we headed over to Mr. Club and Catwoman's house for some Cranium (girls won, AGAIN). Mr. Club made me a mean strawberry rum drink, and he just about killed himself and Bizarro with those nasty-ass gin martinis. Bizarro was VERY hungover the next day, and I was a bit so myself, which sucked for my last day of tutoring. Anyway, after lunch on Friday, Bizarro and I spent a lovely afternoon in a paddle boat at the local state park (although, we had to escape the hunt of the Geesen). It's a beautiful area up there, I'm sure if I was going to be around this summer I'd be spending more time around the lake.

Friday night was... hm... what did we do? I think we just hung out at the apartment. mmm...why can't I remember? He must've slipped me some rufies in my ice water again, dammit.

Yesterday was all about finishing work for Wuhan, and then I picked Bizarro up just in time to watch the lame-o fireworks from the parking lot of the Diamond Factory. Bizarro had a running analogy of the fireworks and bad sex...where the fireworks are really lame (impotent) and then maybe at the half-way through there's a little burst (when the guy is thinking of someone else)... and then of course the 3 second finale.
So yeah, it was pretty sad, especially having grown up near Boston, where fireworks on the 4th of July are serious business. Not just IN Boston on the Charles River, but in the suburbs, like Abington where we used to go. Kick-ass fireworks shows with finales that last 4-5 minutes. Ah...those were the days. When we got home last night we started a game of Scrabble but I was too wiped to finish, so we hit the hay.

This morning I lolled around with my lil' cramps while Bizarro beat me at that Scrabble game, followed by a 2nd game which we haven't finished (but I'm ahead). He's working now and after I pick him up tonight we have to come to my office and record a movie review -- the last part of my Listening materials for Wuhan. Hopefully we'll finish the Scrabble game and I can try to stay up late, to get myself half-way to being on "China time" (13 hours ahead, same as Korea). That means I'll have to take a nap this afternoon, which believe me won't be hard!

My plan for tomorrow is to sleep late, stay home and relax all day. My friend S.E. will pick me up for T'ai Chi around 6:00, and then after that I'm going to try to get to sleep early. We have to get up around 3:00 a.m. to be on the road by 3:30, in order to be at the airport by 5:15 (2 hours before my flight leaves at 7:15). YIPES!!

I won't have internet access in China until we get to the University, which won't be for a couple days after landing in Beijing. We'll be staying in Beijing, seeing the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace, and then taking a train to Wuhan on Friday night. Maybe over next weekend I'll have the first chance to email and blog. phew! Perhaps I should get an international phone card so I can call Don and Mom after I arrive in Beijing... hmm.

I am really getting excited for this trip, and meeting all the new people over there. This has been a lifelong dream of mine - going to China. Many years ago I had a dream of being on a train and seeing the Chinese countryside going by. Looks like it will become a reality soon enough!

I expect that the teachers will bond tightly (I've already started on email) and that we'll be a good support for each other over there. As I've said before, I'm dreading the super-heated oven weather. But hey, I'll have Air Con in my room, whereas here we only have windows and fans at home now! So maybe I'll be more comfortable (though without my Bizarro to snuggle, I will be lonely at night). <:(

Next time, I'll be in China. Wow!