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After a grueling day of work (more preparation in general for the telecommuting from China, and then also just general stuff that I had to get done that… is actual work but it’s the type of thing that no one knows you do even though it saves everyone a lot of extra work if you do it) and then it was time for the Yelpy Office Hours Event @ Java Vino.

This event was run/submitted by the regional Yelp boss, Deanna J. and she rocks - because when it’s an official yelp event (or somewhat) you get free stuff, like free drinks and then of course… there’s always free yelp junk like um, yelp stick, stickers, buttons, and all this other stuff that I never really take. But it’s still cool cause again, we get to hangout with people that we can have great conversations with and who actually have lives and goals. It’s just so different from other online social groups - AND it doesn’t have that whole ‘networking’ feel that most ‘events’ have for people in our age group.

Deanna is the one in red wearing the I *heart* Yelp - of course.

Java Vino was a nice spot for this, especially since it was a small group of around 7 people and we had a good time talking to each other about stuff - even though as far as guys, it was just me and one other guy. But our friend Yuna was there and it was really great to get a chance to talk to her for a bit about Korea and just getting to know her in general. (She’s the one the first picture with the blurry hands.)

We also got to talk to Laura D. - the person there sitting on the table. Here’s the thing about Yelp events, you never really have to worry about not getting around to talking to people because eventually, you’ll get a chance to actually talk to them beyond the ‘hello I’m Mark T.’ introduction. You initially want to have some sort of conversation with these people who you’ve known ‘online’ but then if you’re awkward like me, you freak out when you actually have to meet them in person the first time… so usually I don’t actually talk to these people until at least the 2nd time I meet them at a yelp event.

I know. This may have been a totally boring entry. But still. I can’t keep talking about China - it’ll get better when we actually fly out on Tuesday morning.

Oh yeah. I got a haircut - by my favorite Cambodian lady who cuts my hair at the GreatClips on Windward Parkway.

Oh, and one more - This is Three-Four, I’ve been giving him reiki everyday since I got my chakras attuned. He’s really come around. Whereas when I first started, he really wouldn’t sit still for it, and he didn’t really absorb any at all. But now he totally relaxes and stretches out - more than he’s ever done before in his life - and these last few days he’s been absorbing A LOT of energy. It’s an interesting feeling and when I reiki either of our cats I feel them pulling much more energy than any of the actual humans I’ve given reiki to… anyways… it’s just cool.

I spent a semester in China in 2002.  August through December.  The first day of orientation, our program director looked us all in the eye and said, “Welcome to China.  You’ll be back.”  She went on to explain how no one can spend more than a few weeks in China and not be sufficiently fascinated, impressed, and…hooked.  She was right.  I’ll be interested to see how different China is now.  How differently I see it, looking through my current lens.

Forgive the atrocious quality of these photos- they were taken with a  35mm and scanned back when technology wasn’t quite so great.  2002 is already ancient history, people!   But here was China in 2002:

This is my fave eggplant dish, hongshao qiezi.  No two restaurants make it the same.  I remember this exact date because I was in Xi’an and it was James’ birthday, Sept. 27.  He was turning 20.  I wanted to celebrate somehow, but…I was in China.  So I ate eggplant and toasted James.  And yes, my tongue used to be pierced.  I was a wild child.

This is the professor.  He lives in Corn Town.

My memories of China 2002 are of visiting many places I didn’t know the name of and meeting many people whose names I could never fully understand or remember.  So I named them as best I could.  This picture was taken in a rural area west of Xi’an.  The town was filled with ears of corn.  Hanging from the roof of each building, corn husks littering the ground.  They even spread corn kernels out on the street and waited for cars to drive over them to grind them into corn meal.  I don’t think this guy was actually professor, but with his glasses, pipe, and intent gaze, he seems to fit the stereotype.

Ignore the date on this picture, my camera was messed up.  We visited a school in Apple Town.  (Guess what they did there.)  It was awesome.  The kids alternated between enthusiastic hyperactivity and cute bashfulness.

So, that was China then, for my 21-year-old study abroad self.  This trip is going to be totally different in a lot of ways.  But I’m sure it’ll be just as amazing, if not more so.