jet-lag, shmet-shmag

Four states, five cities, seven towns. Fourteen nights only. Sold out tour.
Then 7,000 miles back around the globe.

I can pretend we were part of a grand performance tour these last couple of weeks. I sang duets on Glee Wii. I danced The Experience a-la Michael Jackson.  I performed shtick and voice over routines. I was chauffeured around, drank champagne and partied 'til four in the morning. I even wore sequins at one point during our East coast tour.  I got paid in QT (that's quality time for those not in the know) with friends and family and four legged fur balls.

ahh, the life of a temporary ex-pat.

Who had time to check blogs or write posts when there was so much else going on?!

Christmas celebrations, New Years Eve, and everything in between was fabulous. We were spoiled with love and gifts and all the special foods that we missed. A big thank you for friends and family remembering us with Christmas cards that were sent to our parents' houses. Also, another big thank you for the special annual Christmas-time CD with hand-selected tunes that kept us rockin' while we were home. Up and down the NJ parkway can be a long ride without good music. Time with family and friends was all too short. Plane rides were all too long.

And now, here I am again. Home sweet Beijing in 2011. In our tricked out apartment - aka, an apartment with a brandy-new toaster oven and (AND!) an air purifier. So, now we can breath easy. (how could i resist that line?) We did a little shopping today to say the least. Something had to keep us awake when our bodies are telling us, "sleep, sleep my precious."

Despite jet-lag induced wake up calls at 3:00 AM, and the hunger pangs that follow, life in Beijing is back to normal. Which means, more specifically, that life in Beijing is back to the unexpected,  roller-coaster, what does that mean, oh, I understand that, er, no I don't, but I am still happy, wait, someone from my school recognized me on the street-isn't that great? want to try that new, weird, tasty thing? kind of life.

Did I mention we got a toaster oven? And it does more than just make toast! I could make a whole chicken right now.
And an air purifier?! **

A few other new exciting happenings worth mentioning today:
(1) There is a new bus stop waiting area on our street, but no buses actually stop at that specific point. However, if I wish to stay dry, out of inclement weather, or people watch, it is nice to know I have a place to stand with strangers and a superb vantage point. Perhaps there I can discuss the weather with others and talk to neighborhood dogs.

(2) The scaffolding that surrounded one of the nightclubs on our street has finally been removed. Thank goodness! I wouldn't dare make an appearance there with that eye-sore of a front door. Girl's got to get her groove on. Now I will go straight away to change into my clubbing clothes (all black of course), and stuff a wad of money in my pockets to spend on a good night out.

(3) The Holiday Inn Express down the street from us is complete. It was under construction with practically just the foundation poured when we moved here four months ago. We toured the lobby of the hotel today, and I am mighty impressed. Migh-ty. Never in my life did I think I could be impressed with a Holiday Inn Express. There is even a very feng, very shui, garden in the hotel's backyard, modern furnishings in the lobby, and no-smoking signs that seem to be heeded thus far. Good job HI. Kudos to you.

(4) More completed construction -- we now have access to another little park area around the block. I am certain long, interesting, life-altering thoughts will be contemplated there and moments of brilliance and wit will be discovered there come warm weather.

(5) Not really that exciting, but perhaps worth mentioning. Our corner store guy did not greet us with a "Long time, no see!" or "Welcome back, where've you been?" But, I know he missed us, nonetheless.

(6) Food can be Fun and tasty! We discovered a Sushi Express restaurant today in the Ginza Mall named "I <3 Sushi" (there is literally a picture of a heart in the title). As you sit at a counter lined up in a row, individual sushi or sashimi portions roll along on a conveyor belt. You can watch the fish go by again and again before you decide which morsel to consume, or you can pick up every plate one by one if you are feeling famished. It's built in entertainment and an indecisive eater's dream or nightmare depending on how you look at it. The chef at one end keeps the plates refreshed and the variety interesting. Each plate costs the same RMB amount - six kuai. Lunch today was a whopping $7 for both of us!

(7) Spring Festival is just around the corner. In preparation, we - meaning I - am stocking up on all things red. We already have our sign on the front door (even though there is still a Christmas tree in the lobby), lanterns in the living room, and a plush red bunny in preparation of the celebration(s). After all, 2011 is the year of the hare, which I discovered only after asking Z, "Why are there rabbits everywhere?! Rabbit posters, rabbit cartoons, red rabbit plush, rabbit lanterns, rabbit coasters, rabbit hats, rabbit mugs?"

(8) Ding! Toast is done!



** for those looking, we bought ours at Wal-Mart - Yadu brand, model no. KJ130-TGS for just under 1000RMB. There's the cadillac model out there that costs 11,000 RMB, but, despite our lungs' pleas, we don't have that kind of mula to spend.