2 posts tagged “things to be happy about”
Back on the other side of the Great Firewall tomorrow, so no Vox for a few weeks. I will probably still send posts if I can, but won't be able to access it until the middle of July.
Wow, it's going to be a busy few weeks: meetings, discussions, observing, editing, writing, arguing...and that's just ONE job! I still have two other gigs I have to manage to keep up with after going into the office all day every day. But it's OK. I'm in a nice hotel in a great city...
But I hate leaving home for so long. I guess it's a good sign that after 5 years, I still miss Masa terribly when we're apart. A week is fine. Actually, a week might even be good. But three weeks sucks! We do end up talking on Skype at least once a day (usually twice) which is borderline pathetic (or maybe fully pathetic, I don't know).
But this time I feel that I have so MUCH to get back for: Masa (of course), closing on our house, getting ready to start renovating for several weeks, moving, Mags and Marie (I wonder if she'll remember me after being away for three weeks, I guess she probably will), plus all our friends who have fun stuff planned for later this summer.
It's good to have a little break from the routine, to be honest. And put in my face there to guarantee another 8-12 months of work on a new project (which means 8-12 months of INCOME). And hang out in Shanghai, a city I love (though it'd be so much better if Masa could come with me!).
I feel like getting slightly poetic here, to write about how lucky I feel at this time in my life: to be surrounded by close friends who give me so much, to have a job which though a bit dull at times, provides me with a good living and allows us to have our own place, travel, be productive. To be such an important part of Magdali's life, to feel invested here in Montreal. Leaving my life for three weeks is so good: it makes me reflect on how GREAT my life is and how very lucky I am.
1) masa is back tomorrow! yay! i have to say that i have kind of enjoyed this time on my own, in many ways. i've read a lot more, worked hard, met a few new people and saw some friends i haven't seen in a while. it's been on the quiet side, but it's been OK. but i am SO GLAD that he's back tomorrow!
2) it was so lovely and warm today...i sat out on the balcony for two hours, blew off the examination i was supposed to be writing (as in creating, not taking!) and read instead. people passed, smiling, the sun shone down like a long lost friend that you've not seen in years. i just felt happy and warm and content. i love how happy everyone seems when that corner is turned from winter to REAL spring.
3) call from publishing company about contract dates and, gulp, the pay. it's excellent, better than excellent, in fact. while trying sounding all nonchalant about it, i made her repeat the figure three times just to make sure i'd heard her correctly. oh, yeah. enough to where i can quit all my other jobs and still be making a lot more than i am now! the perk of working for a big well-known company, i guess. i feel like i have "real" job now! i'm sure going to be busy, especially for the next month while i wrap up the winter term for teaching gig, do hong kong stuff and take on this huge project for publishing co. but busy is fine with me!
4) for dinner i made chicken with rice pilaf, chivey potatoes and roasted broccoli & onion. baked it all in the roaster and had a delicious meal while i listened to marie tell me about her mother's work drama. it's actually the first day i've cooked, really, since masa left (over three weeks ago)! yummmmmmmmm.
some pics that m. took in tokyo last week...
