LeahAndMark.com

It’s tricky. Balancing everything and not getting run down or losing your head. The first half of today was quite easy and generally okay, no real problems and I since things at work weren’t working (the internet) I went home to work from there. Unfortunately, the VPN to my desktop still doesn’t work and I’ll try a last ditch effort and allow the IT people to log into my home computer, snoop around in the settings, and then also snoop around in my router just to make sure it’s nothing on my side (I already hooked directly up to the cable modem and still no go). So we’ll see.

On the reiki front, I feel it. It’s interesting. It’s much stronger when I’m giving reiki to another person (or the cats) than to myself right now. I feel it in the bones of my hands, and closer to the wrists. But I do feel general warmth and tingling from the surface of my palms. I’m going to keep it up for at least 21 days straight (as instructed) and try to notice any differences in me, and… really everything around me. Mostly opportunities that present themself, no matter what they are… things that I can truly attribute to this experience, which I’m hoping will only aid in my general goal of living life deliberately.

Okay. So these aren’t my pictures. Yet. But I can’t wait. Ok. Promise. No more pictures of China until we’re actually there taking our own. Got it? Got it. Promise.

My latest thing (this week) is listening to Pandora.com - their music genome project is pretty cool - introducing me to other music similar to the mood that I’m in. Right now my ’station’ is other artists/songs sounding like Imogen Heap. So I get Regina Spector, Jem, and som Sarah Mac - all good stuff - and then I can switch moods and throw in Our Lady Peace and again, other bands with the same sound or technique come up… it’s perfect for discovering new music similar to what you already like or are in the mood for.

It’s getting late. We’re flying out soon and I’ve still got some other writing to do. Goodnight!

I’ll admit it to you folks and you folks alone. I never really wanted to travel that much until I met Leah. Actually, I had resigned myself to never leaving the United States. See, I wasn’t a US citizen until last… April (had to remember there). I moved to the US from the Philippiines in 1983 and just never got around to filing for citizen ship. Then when I met Leah, the ultimatum came down that if I wanted to be with her I would need to get my citizenship so that I could accompany her on her journeys and travels.

So after some haggling and pushing from her, I eventually filed the apps and paperwork in August of ‘06 and then I got sworn in as a US citizen in April of ‘07. I know, super fast - probably because I’m not on the list of stereotypes that they worry about - plus I’ve paid taxes for 15 years with no criminal record so… why not let me join your country eh?

So now we’re a week away and it’s gonna be crazy. I know I keep talking about it, but we’ve just been planning this trip for SO LONG and now that it’s almost here, I can feel it. Leah will tell you that I don’t really get too excited about things until their happening or at least not until the last minute - up until then all I can think about is the list of things I need to do in order to make it possible. Like this China trip, I didn’t really get too excited until about a month ago - there was just so many things that I had to do to prepare. Writing articles for extra money, setting things up with work to make it possible (and so I wouldn’t just lose my job) and then other factors.

Leah’s great and while I know it’s only a short month that we’ll be gone, I’m hoping, and deep down I know, that when I come back, I won’t fall into any daily sort of grind-rut. Because I’m not in one now, so I shouldn’t be in one when I get back. I actually really like my job quite a bit. MY job is awesome - I’m not sure about everyone else’s, but mine is great. Honest. Really.