Learning to Say ‘Thank You’

I’ve only really been jobless for a month, well not even, but actually being on the hunt for a job makes you understand just how discouraging it can be. It’s not an easy time to find a job now either, what with an already slumbering world economy hit with a crazy couple weeks on Wall Street. Interesting, how so much of the world revolves around what goes on in just a couple blocks of New York City.

I don’t know what they’re called, but you know those sleeping eye patch thingamajigs? Those double pirate like black patches that you wear to block out the light when you want to go to bed? Not having a job is like wearing one of those. You wander around, hands outstretched like a zombie on Easter, aimlessly hoping to satisfy the one thing on your mind–grasp a job of some kind. 

And because of this reason, and that you can’t see, you forget what things you still have. Sure, the money in the bank isn’t increasing, but there still is money there. In fact you still have a bank account, which is more than a couple people can say these days. At least for me, I still have my health, which in a territory neighboring melamine-rich China is not exactly something to take lightly. I’ve got a nice laptop (though in dire need of a format), a free wireless account that’s not mine, a home with a solid relationship with my relatives, and a great network of local friends. And a good network of friends back home who keep in touch. 

Of course finding a job and figuring out my next couple steps in terms of career would be the wise thing to do. But in the mean time, I think it’s good for me to look around and see what I do have.

Revival, Rollercoasters, and Goodbye

Seven years and a dozen blogs later, I think I’ve finally decided to actually take this one seriously. WordPress seems to be the cool place to be for “serious, grown up” people, and since I’ve never been the cool guy to follow when it comes to things like this, I might as well join on the fun.

Life’s kind of like a rollercoaster that had loop-de-loops when you were a kid, and you couldn’t figure out why you didn’t fall off when upside down Forget the metaphor about having ups and downs, life has lefts, rights, corkscrews, tunnels, enemies you can shoot at if you desire, and yeah, loop-de-loops. Laws of physics be damned, I really do wonder how I manage to not fall off sometimes.

There was a farewell party for someone this past Sunday. I didn’t know the guy particularly well, actually I only met him once. But being myself and having no business bidding someone “farewell”, I went anyway in hopes of at least adding more friends to Facebook.

What I got instead was one of the most actually exhilarating nights I’ve had. A fun ferry ride, a great relaxing hour on the beach, a surprisingly fun grocery shopping experience, an amazing time barbequing, an on your toes ‘name that tune’, and an exciting bus ride I haven’t had since my last HK exchange experience. And yes, I got the Facebook friends.

If life were like a rollercoaster, then that night would have been a steep descent down, with a corkscrew and twenty loop-de-loops, and I wouldn’t wait a heartbeat to do it again. The joy of pure fun and adventure unearthed some realizations for why I believe the things I do. I crossed that invisible line that separates pseudo acquaintances from friends. And the guy I barely knew became someone I had a huge respect for. Sure, I didn’t have to wipe away the tears that everyone else had for his goodbye, but I did have to wish

On the ferry ride over to the party, I wrote on the guy’s card a joke in a painful attempt to be funny and unique. That and I really had nothing to say. Too bad then, because if I had written the card at the end of the night, I could have written the short story that’s been brewing on my computer. But on second thought, the short and lame joke may have been better.

The Hong Kong Blog

I just remembered, when I was last here in HK, I wrote here often. Maybe I’ll do it again. See if anyone notices.

Ha.

It’s been a couple weeks without work now. I’m a bit tired of trying here. I guess that would be a sensible signal to anyone that it’s time to come home and try to figure other options. I’m not sure I’m the sensible type. I’ve made lots of dumb decisions. But doesn’t everyone?

On the other hand, if I was to leave now, it’d be a bit of a pity. I’ve been making some new really strong friendships. Older strong friends are great too. But it never hurts to have more friends. Who knows.

I’m finally learning what qualities I admire the most, and I’m really trying to do my best to absorb those qualities.

I really wonder what’s in store for me. I just saw an ad for World Vision. The super poor of the poor.