Sailors Take Warning!

The tropical storm that originated in the Philippines has made its way north the Shanghai.

Today at about noon the sky turned very dark and it began to rain like nothing I'd ever seen.

What happened next was unbelievable.  Hadn't I got video of it (or some sort of documentation.....don't know if it qualifies as a video really) I doubt anyone would ever believe me.

I went out on our balcony to check out the madness....and decided to take video to see if I could capture some of the cool thunder/lightening storm.  What happened next, or how long I was out- I can't say for sure....not very long though.  Another, even larger crack of thunder brought me to.  My ears are still ringing.....

Chae To Shanghai/ The Big Move

Has a ring to it.

Next in line to me in terms of making willy-nilly, last minute, borderline irresponsible, on the fly decisions is Chae....and I appreciate it.  Can't keep a dude on lock down- and the harder you try, the more elusive he'll be.

Of all the people who have, will, or are maybe gonna come here- I think Chae is the best fit and I'm excited for it!  The reasons for this are, but are not limited to:

• She's Asian/Pacific Islander
• Black hair
• Incredibly short for her age
• Same age as the majority of the population in SH
• Travels well cause she doesn't need to brush her teeth consistently 
• Laughs at my dumb jokes, loudly

Her travel will begin mid November and she'll be headed home on November 24th.  We have about 10 days to cram it all in!  

Luckily I saved the spreadsheet I made for Dade's visit...which should give me a good starting point to ensure that we cover all the Shanghai stops- and then some!

Looks like we'll be meeting in Beijing to do a quick run to the Great Wall....then it's the fast train to Shanghai....same thing I did with Dade and will be doing in two weeks with our moms.  By the time she gets here- I'll be a registered Beijing tour guide- and I'll be charging her a fee.

Next up- we're moving tomorrow!  Want to know what I've done to get ready for our big move?  Well I'll tell ya- nothing.  Packed, planned, cleaned, organized?  Nah.  BUT- the cool news is that we can have a BBQ in our new place....and I saw a place selling them the other day.  The real question is- can we buy propane somewhere here?

You know- since the olympics you are not allowed to buy gas for anything other than a car/scooter.  In other words- you can't fill up a gas can.  That little fact makes me nervous about trying to find a place to load up a propane tank.

Ok- one last thing.  I know I have just kinda been writing blogs about whatever little things have been going on around here and they suck.  So- I'm committing now to throwing down some seriously good blogs.  The "Old Calee" kind that cleverly make fun of the blog subjects and readers at the same time....with double, triple, or quadruple meanings....that rhyme....stay tuned, as soon as this move is done I'm going rouge-hardcore-with an eye patch.  Not a pirate eye patch either....I'm talking old Russian KGB agent who spent some time in a Ukrainian prison eye patch.

Humidity, Humility, and Humanity

It is terribly hot and humid here today.  Worse than usual....which is bad.

I went for a run this morning and my shorts were falling off cause they we so heavily soaked in sweat.  That is no joke- I had to run holding my pants up.

By mid-morning I had build up the courage to go back outside....after freezing myself out in the AC.

I made it exactly one block from the gate into our complex and had to turn around- go back to our apartment- and change my shirt.  One block.  Had to call David to come pick me up.

Spent the night before last, and all day yesterday throwing up.  Today I busted Little Flower's chops because I thinks she'd been cooking with the regular tap water- not the bottled water....which makes a dude from the US sick.

Not all blog posts can be good blog posts.

Thailand...

Hello from Thailand!  Just kiddin.  Flight cancelled.

As quickly as I came up with the sweet idea of going to Thailand (and booked a flight), it was gone.

I knew something was wrong when I was in the check-in line.  Everything was moving along at a great speed.  Then, with about 3-4 people in front of me, everything came to a halt.  Every ticket agent looked scared, and every one of them was on the phone all of a sudden.  You could feel the anxiety.

Those 3 people in front of me took about 20 minutes each.....and then it was my turn.

"I'm sorry to inform you that your flight is delayed"....I asked for how long....."I don't know" is the answer I got.

Long story short, they tried to find me a direct flight, my previous flight connected through Hong Kong.  Nothing available.  Then they tried to coax me into some donkey of a route that would have pinned me in Hong Kong for like 10 hours....and put me in Phuket at around 11am the next day!

Ain't nobody got time for that.  Especially since I only had two days there.

So I threw a fit.  Next thing I know- security- some other people....plain clothed security (that was a first)....and I ended up walking away mad but not in jail.

Immediately, I emailed Sarah's assistant and asked her to see if she could help me get my money back since it was a Chinese airline and their customer service phone line is 98% Chinese language.....and she came through pretty well.....as usual.  I have to get that chick some sort of thank you gift, she's always helping me out.

Anyway, I emailed Pornsak Pornjaren, swear to god that's his name.....given and sir both begin with the word porn.....but don't judge cause he's a cool dude.  Anyway, I emailed him and told him no dice.  He's the manager of the little bungalow village I was going to camp at.  Since he doesn't require any money up front....he just said no prob.  Even if I had paid something- it was like $6 USD a night....wouldn't have killed me.

It all needed to work like clockwork.  I needed to get there early enough today to settle in quick style and get a little time on the motorcycle.  Wake up early tomorrow morning and fish...kick it some...and crash so I could get up early again and fish.  Leave Thailand thursday morning so I could be back in time to get one or two things done, then move to the new place Friday.

Why even walk you through it....

All told, I feel a sense of relief.  This morning I woke up early, way early...so I decided  to go for a run.  No sooner did I get going and it started pouring rain.  Ran anyway figuring I'd burn off the beers I was going to drink on the beach....came back up to the house, key gone.  Gonzo.  Goner.

Not a good way to start the day since we only have one key to this place.  I think I lost the other key too.....but I secretly think Sarah lost her key- then took mine and faked like it never happened.  At any rate, only one key.  I retraced my run....but no luck.

I also heard mention at the ticket counter of some serious delays in Hong Kong.  I had visions of a Snowden-style airport marathon....and figured I'd cut bait.  Something was off today and with my travel luck I didn't want to push it.  Also, both Sarah and David said something to me, separately, about being safe....and it gave me a bad feeling that something bad was going to happen.  Remember this when tomorrow there is another horrible tsunami or something.  Or, maybe the bad thing happened right away.  Whatever the case- I feel like I got away with something today....and now I can't shake the feeling that I was supposed to be on that flight- and since I wasn't fate is going to try to catch up with me.  Just like the show Lost....OMG- I'm Frank Lapidus!

In closing, we all spend but a blink of an eye on this planet.  You win some, you lose some, but you gotta suit up for them all....and there are no shortcuts to any place worth going.  If you fall seven times, stand up eight.  Only he who can see the invisible can do the impossible, and a man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.

By Calee Cariaga
Boss of Little Flower
Shanghai, China
2013

Frank Lapidus?  Or Caleedus?

Foolery...

Sarah has a lot of meetings this week.  Big ones.....the kind where everyone is here and they all hammer out all the decisions for the next year, or the next few billion dollars.

Work early- dinners every night after work.....it's admirable and difficult (I imagine).  I'm proud of her and what she does.  I'd like to celebrate her career.

Therefore, I (again), pulled a completely irresponsible move, and booked a flight to Khao Lak, Thailand.  What the hell was I gonna do all week anyway if she's working all day and night?

I "rented" a camp site on the beach- which has a bar...?...with internet access.  Got a ride to and from the airport in Phuket, rented a motorcycle, and found a boat to drop me off on a nearby island to fish.....cost- about $100 total (without airfare).  Now that is cheap!  Yes, it's just a camp site....but the motorcycle and boat rental?  Killer deal!

The weather is going to be donkey....rain on and off....bout 86 degrees....but- I'm just going to fish so what do I care?

I'll have to check a bag since I have hooks and line and knives which they don't let you carry-on any more....but beyond that, should be easy as pie.

Sometimes you have to just say "phuket" and do what you got to do......

If I don't post in a day or two from Thailand, call in the calvary- cause I got arrested again....

The White Cat

Ran into this little tinker today....

Which is a great lead into this....

We are moving.

New apartment in a new building in a new neighborhood.  That is to say- a new white apartment.  With white fixtures.  I'll show you pictures later.  The important thing now is that I'm trying to hijack this cat....but I couldn't catch it this morning.

This is unfortunate because I've already decided that I want it.  So much so that I've emailed our agent to let her know that our rental contract will need to include us having a cat.  Then I made a vet appointment for this Saturday at Shanghai PAW Vet Clinic.

Meanwhile, I've got some of my people working on a cool name for it.

Just need to catch it.

So the plan is for Sarah, David, and I to corner it when Sarah is home from work.  But the problem is I'm not going to touch a cornered stray cat.....hence why David is going to be involved.  Native people are probably immune to whatever anyway.

That is the plan.  Once its all over- I'm gonna have a cool all white cat with sky blue eyes.....and he's gonna kick it in our new apartment and have a cool name.  That's as cool as ice cream with chocolate syrup and whip cream on top isn't it?

Anyway, I got a new computer.  The last time I bought a computer was 2001.  It was a simple time, and I was a simple guy.  Sarah and I decided to split the cost, as we had just moved in together in San Francisco.  She went to CompUSA on Market Street on a Saturday when I was at work and picked it out.  She had to take a cab home that day because the box was too big to trek home on the N line.  It was an iMac and we loved it dearly.

 


















It was really ahead of its time and was relevant until 2004.  It managed to make itself a fixture in our lives until late 2009 at which point it was recycled properly in accordance with state and federal regulations.

Well the new one is a piece of work.  It took me half a day to figure out how to scroll....no scroll bars on the new Macs!?  And this one is a laptop, not a desktop.  So there.

If you rock an iPhone you got to gets you a Macintosh.  They pair up well and simply.  I didn't have to do anything....just turned it on and entered my email address and pow!  All my contacts, emails, notes, and calendars were ready to roll.

Hey being home for 3 months made me forget how bad international travel sucks.  Got used to the Oregon time zone....so woke up at 2:45am.  Out of bed by 3:00am.  Breakfast by 6:00am.  Lunch at 11:00am.  Starving for dinner by 4:00pm.  But....

I knocked out a cranker today!  While trying to organize some of our crap ahead of my meeting with the moving company I found a sweet wireless/bluetooth stereo.  Apparently Sarah won it at work.

It works great with our phones and computers from anywhere in the house.  So I mounted it in this:

Sweet huh?  It's made out of wood....was a marketing fixture in one of Sarah's stores.  Gonna look way cooler in the new place too- with a white cat next to it.  This is all coming together better than I hoped.

I made one of these before for Sarah's office, but this one dominates the first one.  You could actually go wireless with this one and carry it down to the park or something if you wanted....right now it's playing Glitch Mob....and doing it like it means it.  I can flip songs and adjust volume on my phone and there is no lag in it at all.....just works.

Last I'd like to send a shout out to Chae Cariaga.  She always likes my photos on Instagram.  Even the crap ones.  Thanks Chae- keep hopin' to grow, you won't always live low, as far as you know.  I have to go....

Craigslist Rants and Raves

Today we will be covering my favorite topic- me.

I'm changing my outlook on life.

For those of you who knew the old homeboy- say peace out.  Yes, I was a bum before.  No real job, lazy....well I'm taking this life to the next level.  No big deal.

From here on out, I'm going to take the following things seriously:

• Nothing

There you have it.  Capital N.  I don't care.  I, under no circumstance, am going to take anything seriously.

Enough about me though.  Let's talk about YOU.  Ok enough about you.

I'm all in a mood cause I be traveling.....so here you go- my usual airport rant/rave blog.....

Some guy keeps walking by and his shoes are all loud.  Shut your shoes up bro!  This ain't tap class, we're not in Catskills, and you ain't Fred Astaire.

Next up- to the people in Costco who stop in the middle of the isle to sample the junk food....move your basket, you're in everyone's way!  Even God is probably bothered by you right now.

To you who waits 15 minutes in the parking lot for someone to leave their parking spot- WALK.  Walking is good for you.  Sitting in your car all day is not.  This is what you win by getting a spot close to the door- nothing.  That is one item less than what you win if you shoot out the star at the carnival.

Dear Mr. In My Bubble- when I'm simply trying to occupy a single space- please don't try to occupy the same single space.  It's basic physics.  Go back to the 5th grade since you didn't learn it the first time.  

To the dude who passed me all summer on Murray Rd. when I was running- get a new car.  Cars don't make people cool.  That applies to you too.

To everyone who saw me in March- just tell me I look fat.  I'd rather know sooner than later.  Just call it like you see it.

Cirrus clouds- why are you so high in the sky?  Think you're all cool up there at or above 18,000 feet?  Well you are not.....come join the rest of us down here.

Do you have a pirate ship?  Cause if so, I've wanted one since before you have....and I don't like that you have one and I don't.  Sailors beware, I'll steal your little ship.

Last but not least- to the dude who works on his car- not because its a hobby car.....but because that is how you have to spend your Sunday so that you can get to work on Monday- I respect you.  You are my kind of dude.  Let's keep plugging away at this world and see where we end up.  Hopefully both in the same place!

MTV Summer Break 2013- Closing Ceremonies

Well our 2013 summer break  is coming to a close.  With that, the blog is getting some action.  

There are big things to come for this blog, expect to be blown away in the coming weeks.  China, travel, quirky relationship updates, and so much more.....

But before that, lets take some time to reflect on this year's MTV Summer Break:

• Fishing
• Fun
• Beer
• Camping
• Tennis
• Family 
• Friends
• Bikinis
• Sun
• Fresh Air
• Rafting
• Donkey
• Boating
• Shopping
• Singing
• Dancing
• Birthdays

....and much more.....as all good things must come to an end, I'll leave you with this:

Closing time
Open all the doors and let you out into the world
Closing time
Turn all of the lights on over every boy and every girl
Closing time
One last call for alcohol so finish your whiskey or beer
Closing time
You don't have to go home but you can't stay here 

I know who I want to take me home
I know who I want to take me home
I know who I want to take me home
Take me home 

Closing time
Time for you to go out to the places you will be from
Closing time
This room won't be open till your brothers or your sisters come
So gather up your jackets, move it to the exits
I hope you have found a friend
Closing time
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end

I know who I want to take me home
I know who I want to take me home
I know who I want to take me home
Take me home 

Closing time
Time for you to go out to the places you will be from

I know who I want to take me home 
I know who I want to take me home
I know who I want to take me home
Take me home 

Closing time
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end