A Quick Hello

I know I've been a little distant lately, so I just wanted to pop in to say a quick hello! Just a few days after our friends left, new visitors arrived. We've been tromping around the city with Matt's sister Laura and her husband Greg. So I haven't been near a computer much lately. Furthermore, I got really busy, ended 1 job, took another, and then ended a different one. My life is sorting itself out a bit. As usual, this post is full of mystery and lots of excuses. I'll go more into detail when I feel like it.

Visitors from Near and Afar

These cool kids are in town right now! We're having a blast with our Singapore/New York buddies...more pictures to follow.

Laura, Kelly and I at the Big Buddha

Kevin and Laura--always seeking adventure...

Kelly and Malcolm sharing some Buddha love

The guys waiting endlessly for the ladies at the Ladies Market in Mong Kok

Yippity Skippity!

I'm highly caffeinated as I write this post, and since I'm already a generally excitable person, I'm feeling especially exuberant as I report to all you Kansas and Missouri folks that Matt and I are COMING HOME, Baby! Well, for 10 days anyway. Mark your calendars. The Asian-Kirkland-Caucasian-Invasion is coming to a state near you on April 6-16. I can't wait!!! I'm finally feeling really comfortable and at home in Hong Kong (so much so that I realize it's gonna be really hard to move away some day), but, man, it's gonna be great to be back on American soil for a few days. (Something I never thought I'd admit to missing---American soil, that is. Furthermore, I promise never to use the phrase "Asian-Kirkland-Caucasian-Invasion" ever again.)

So, I'll be sure to follow up with more details when I have them about when and where we'll be during our trip. We'll have a meet and greet in Lawrence at some point.

See you all VERY soon!

Let's Get Ready to Rumble!!!

I've got a shiny new bracket in my hot little hands and have recently come down with a serious case of MARCH MADNESS!!!! Rock Chalk, Jayhawks! Every year I have Kansas winning it all on my bracket, even if the odds are slim, because I just couldn't live with myself if I had them losing anywhere along the way. This year KU is a number one seed and as the names of their first few opponents don't begin with the letter "B", I think they're set up for a stellar series of games. I just hope I can find a way to watch of few of them. Root hard for me, Kansas folks, ok?!

Canucks (sp?)

I think I offended a guy from Toronto today when I tried to explain to him where Kansas was. He had this look on his face that seemed to scoff at the idea that he might not know the geography of the USA. I was just giving my usual spiel about where I'm from, as most people I talk to here have no clue where Kansas is. I forgot that this probably doesn't apply to Canadians. Oh well, he made a Dorothy/Wizard of Oz joke, so I guess he deserved it. Did I just reference the Wizard of Oz two posts in a row? I must be homesick again.

"I'm Molding..." (said like the wicked witch of the east from the wizard of oz as she's melting into oblivion)

Okay, this is getting ridiculous. I understand I live in a humid climate. I understand that on any given day there can be 99.9% humidty. I understand that I need to just deal with it. Perhaps my saving grace is that I have naturally curly hair that thrives in a humid environment. Call me blessed. Fine. But as my blog name suggests, do not expect me to be happy about it. Sometimes I can't just put on my happy-go-lucky face and deal with it. I adore rainy days, and am eagerly anticipating my first official "rainy season." But come on, if it's gonna be humid, it might as well rain already. It's like winters in Kansas when it's a gazillion degrees below zero and yet it refuses to snow. I think many people could handle the chill in the air alot more if there were a frosty blanket of glimmering snow to accompany the freezing temperatures. AmI right, folks? Somehow seeing snow makes cold weather seems worth the trouble. That's how I feel about humid days. They'd be much more delightful if they were accompanied by rain.

But that's not what I'm here to talk about today. I've got mold on the brain. What I meant to say above was that I undestand that living in a hot, humid climate has its perks and its downfalls. Obviously I'm focusing on it's downfalls to day. So let me get directly to the point:


EVERYTHING I OWN IS MOLDING!!!!!!


Oh! It's so gross. The walls, the window ledges, the kitchen sink, the shower curtains, the towels in the bathrooms, etc. All molding. Yech! Thankfully we bought a dehumidifier a few months ago. For the most part we just use it when trying to dry clothes, but as we're entering the rainy season in HK, we may have to start running it 24-7. It seems crazy to me that the next time we go back to visit Kansas, the air will probably feel dry to us. And Kansas has it's humid moments, that's for sure.

Perhaps the biggest kicker came a few weeks ago when I opened my shoe closet only to discover all my sandals and flip flops were ripe and fuzzy with mildew. Moldy shoes are the worst! (Lucky for me green is my favorite color.) The weird thing is that it's not even a proper closet, but rather a shelf in our bedroom that I put "doors" on. So there's quite a bit of air circulation occuring.



Our actual closet is another story, though. It has proper doors and sure holds that moisture in tight. It's so gross to feel fresh and clean after a shower, only to put on a damp, musty shirt. Put I don't have a choice. They don't take to kindly to nudity around here. This is a pretty modest society. Technically, anytime I'm wearing something from our closet (which is everything I own), you could say that I'M molding. Ewww...I don't like to think about that.

Anyway, I'm bound to get over it soon enough. But for now you've got to deal with my crabbiness. I take heart knowing that everyone else in HK has the same problem. (Does it reflect poorly on me knowing that I enjoy when others are suffering just as much as me?) I guess we're all in this together.

Matt and Cookies and Love

Matt finally came home today after his long business trip in the states AND HE BROUGHT ME 3 BOXES OF GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!!!! I truly have the best husband on this planet. It's good to have him home again.