HeyChristine.com

Friday, December 29th

'Twas an incredibly neurotic day...

Let me just say here that when I am on travel, a ton of things happen each day that I only wished I had the time to document. One MAJOR topic which I haven't really touched on is how INSANE it was of me not to have brought my own laptop from Taiwan.

I guess in the frenzy of it all, I did not realize that I would have to draft and publish not one, not two, but THREE Email Bulletins for ORIENTED while on the road (or should I say in the air), which in and of itself is not a problem... IF I HAD MY OWN COMPUTER. One on Christmas DAY, one on New Year's EVE, and one on the day I'm scheduled to LEAVE!

The website, service, or product displayed here is used and/or endorsed by Yours Truly.

What was I thinking?!?

Let's just say that what should be a "cinch" to do has become a TOTAL NIGHTMARE that entailed a 24-hour delay in the 12/25 publication, Gus going nuts in Taipei and not being able to get a hold of me, and me fighting with Mom's VIRUS INFECTED computer at home and with the public library computers which wouldn't even allow me to open more than one browser at a time NOT TO MENTION repeat visits to Best Buy and Circuit City with every intention of purchasing a laptop ON DEMAND, only to discover that NO ONE CARRIES LIGHTWEIGHT NOTEBOOKS in the area!! Of course not!! Why WOULD they?! What you want me to order one and wait two days for delivery?? I'm not going to be in one place for two days before I get back to Taiwan!! And Taiwan is NOT TIAWANA!!

Thank GOODNESS Tommy was gracious enough to let me go over to his place to use his computer, which is what I did as soon as I got up this morning. The picture above was taken with his web cam. We also went to several stores to check out laptops, and by lunch time I had transformed into a VERY difficult person. Here I am, ready and willing to purchase a high-end, lightweight laptop and NO ONE HAS ONE TO SELL ME?! GIVE ME A BREAK.

I'm surprised Tommy didn't stop the car and throw me out the window. Even EYE was getting sick of myself. I was finally resigned to the fact that perhaps GOD is trying to tell me to slow down and take a break, but that doesn't change the fact that I still have to publish Monday's EB and that it happens to fall on NEW YEAR'S EVE at which time I'll be having dinner in New York City! I must be totally insane!!

The website, service, or product displayed here is used and/or endorsed by Yours Truly.

Can one still be friends with ex-boyfriends?

But of course. Tommy is my old, old boyfriend from high school, which without dating myself here, was AGES AND AGES AGO. Since then we've managed to keep in touch, and we always get together to play pool whenever I'm in town.

All these years I have never seen his apartment, but since I invited myself over to use his computer today, I finally got to see where he lived. Now I know why he is such a happy-go-lucky guy. His home is absolutely CHARMING. A classic Southern-style, "Better Homes and Garden" abode. I was both impressed and awed by how very different it is from my own homes both in the States and in Taipei. Click on the Christmas ornaments for more pictures.

Later we also stopped by his mom's place to use HER computer because Tommy didn't have 98 and BOY was she surprised to see me. I was in HIGH SCHOOL when she saw me last and man I was scary-looking back then - big, BIG hair, dark black eye makeup, rebel yell attire, very large and obnoxious earrings, the works. We exchanged holiday greetings while she pretty much stared at me and finally said, "Are you... Christine?!" And the whole time I thought she knew who I was. LOL.

Tommy's mother is such an elegant woman. She won the state beauty pageant in her youth and is still as attractive as ever. She wouldn't let me take a picture of her and told me to take one of Tommy instead (see photo album). Her computer was the FIRST one I found to have both a USB port and Windows 98 and why? Because she's an EBAY FANATIC!! Finally I can download photos from my digital camera. Finally, I no longer have to keep reusing the same darn cam photos in my journal entries.

The website, service, or product displayed here is used and/or endorsed by Yours Truly.

Afternoon delights...

ANYWAY. Despite my LARGE NEUROTIC PROBLEMO I had a great time today. Tommy also took me to visit one of his customers, Larry, who happens to run a MUSIC STORE near my house. He had mentioned to Larry that I will be in town and that I play the piano, so Larry in turn told him that if he brought me by the store, he'd let me play their 9-foot Yamaha grand. THAT was totally awesome. Tommy, by the way, is one guy who never stresses out about ANYTHING. He even said so himself. In the ## years I've known him, I have never seen him stress out about anything, a quality I greatly admire.

Checking out the grand was a nice way to round off the afternoon because by then, I was exhausted. I'm suppose to be on VACATION. Can't I just BE? Ugh. I went home after that and spent the rest of the evening hanging out with the family. I need a vaca... wait.

What am I SAYING.

YESTERDAY | THE NEXT DAY