Cheers to the future!

I knew it was inevitable, but I didn't think it would happen this soon.  We're growing up.  Although, to me, we never grow up, we just have more responsibilities. 

My best friend, my roommate, my cousin is moving out and moving in with his fiancee.  I have mixed feelings.  So proud to see him with his happiness. So sad to be alone for awhile.  I don't mean to sound arrogant, but in a strange way, I helped him find his happiness.  It was my purpose to help him along the way.

I ran into this random guy at a random restaurant who knew a not so random guy who was looking for teachers.  Unfortunately, they only needed one.  I let him, my cousin, have the position because I knew he has obligations back home.  

I, maybe not so randomly, met this guy who knew this girl looking for a teacher who had a neighbor moving out.  We were looking for an apartment. Tada, we found a great apartment. 

Directly beneath that apartment, a training centre opened up.  I finally got the courage to go in and talk to the owner.  Soon she held an event where I met many people.  My cousin and I attended.  That there is where the magic happened.  Our future forever changed (or perhaps it was forever changed when we stepped foot on that jet plane).  The love of my life was there and the love of my cousin's life was there, but of course, we didn't know that at the time.

The train rolled on and a close gathering of friends started hanging out.  Things reminiscent of high school occurred and D and I are together as well as L and L.

Giddy to see him on the day of his proposal.  It felt great to be part of a life changing experience.

A little bit exasperated he has been with the culture difference, but in the end it has worked out just fine.

Only I worry about the financial difficulties that he will face.  Several times, I've offered to help with his budget since I was treasurer of my fraternity, but he neglected to respond.  Ist it my business to remind him of his duties. Or is it none of my business.

He follows his heart.

Logic will always break my heart.

Nevertheless, I digress to say, onward journey for the rest of your life.  To you, much I wish you two happiness! You deserve it for it has been long awaited.

Valentine's Days

Feb 14
I made shrimp scampi for Dorothy.  However, the fire alarm sounded so I had to abandon cooking for a moment.   I went outside with a few other tenants.  The guard spoke on the radio and some tenants from my building went back inside so I followed.  I guess it was an accident or malfunction.

I bought three gifts for Dorothy and gave them to her one at a time. First I sat the bunny basket on the table prior to her arrival.

The bunny, roses, and candle

We ate the shrimp scampi but I put much pasta in it. However, we ended up eating it all.

Then I gave her the chocolates. The kisses chocolate wtih almonds was the first candy I ever gave her.

almonds encased in a teardrop shape of chocolate

She washed the dishes, although I told her not to but she insisted.   I helped a little but before she was done I snuck off to get her third gift.   A necklace.  Two hearts, a large heart containing a smaller heart with a diamond cubic zirconia in the middle.

Shiny

She liked them all

March 14
In Asia, March 14 is a response to Valentine's Day. I'm not sure if it has a name, but this time the women give gifts to the men.

Waiting for the bus

I wanted to go to Cafe Flore, a somewhat romantically lit cafe. It has red walls, dim lighting, and really good food.  Including an unusual but delicious dish that is garlic bread topped with mashed potatoes and ham. Best. Thing. Ever.

After dinner, we ordered the ice cream for two. It was actually very sweet and very huge. It had four cookie straws, whip cream, chocolate ice cream, four Oreos (real Oreos not fake ones), more whip cream, six squares of chocolate wafers, and more chocolate ice cream. It will cure any sweet tooth as well as rot one.

Chocolate overload

She gave me a unique hybrid of the superman symbol and spider-man . I think it's pretty cool.

Super-Spider-Man-Symbiote

And then a duck.  You are probably wondering why she gave me a rubber ducky.  And no, I don't have a bath tub.

Our duck faces

Years ago, a random yellow rubber ducky showed up in the back of my dad's pickup truck.  We don't know where it came from nor who put it there, but it stayed there and traveled with him wherever he went.  So, this duck is for me, to go wherever I travel.

A note Dorothy wrote to me on the gift box

Other Gifts
I can't remember the exact day, but it was well after March 14. Dorothy showed up with a random gift. There's a picture from the Burnt Fortune Cookie blog of a gift that Dorothy gave me. Well, she slapped that picture on a shirt and gave it to me. My dad used to do that; pick pictures or phrases and put them on a t-shirt; it was fun.

So, this a picture of me wearing a shirt, that Dorothy gave to me, with a picture that I took of a gift that Dorothy gave me, Superbunny.  [confused]

More Musings

Chasing Bugs
Never chase a butterfly. It will fly away. When I'm not looking, or too tired, the butterfly will come to me. It will land in my hand. It will stay until I move. But I move so slow and gentle that it stays with me. She. She is. She is love. She is my love.

Hope
She spilled her heart out to me. Her hopes and dreams. Began with saying that she could be a model. Asking if she could make it alone. Truly a good guy my friend says of me to her. Two years wait and maybe a common language we will speak. Hope and dreams she said to me, to make a plan. When we go, when we go, when we go. For her, my friend translates, "I know you don't understand me, but just listen to the tone in my voice". When we go, when we go, when we go. When we go to America. I wish I could save her. I wish I could make her dreams come true. But I can't even save myself.

Glass Walls
She winked at me; but not at me. In the background, the other walks in. I know what she asked him because he told me what she asked. Lucky cover for the other two. But the other doesn't know. The other one leaves soon but the other will stay. Should I stay, or should I go. You should not judge a book by it's cover. Because in the end, you know what counts the most.

Superman
Too bad that she was all alone. I wanted to go but I was already committed. Torn between two, but one is not free. Not free to do what they want. The other, an eagle, that soars in the sky. I want to rescue both. But I can only rescue one. I can only rescue me.

Sailing Away
I knew it would come to this. I didn't want it to happen. But this is the way it is. Dependent on. But not so much anymore. Best friends formally, but just friends now. Used to do things together all the time. But now just occasionally. I always enjoy the time we have together.

Two Lions
Not a race to a finish line. Not a race but if it was, I'm ahead in the game. Try you, but blocked. Then a bird of prey bought me back to the starting line. But back, eventually, to where I was. Happy.

Cautious
She knows that I know that she knows. I know that she knows that I know. Told each other we have. Next to her I sit. I calculate. I process. I render. I chose to. Around her my arm envelopes. How endearing. Later do I place my mitt on her gam. Removes it, she does, still and all detaining my paw. Frolicsome she is as she caresses my hand. The first time in a long time to feel.

Jan 4, 2011

Cold and rainy day today. Stayed indoors as much as possible. Went with Ruben to pick up a package from the post office. Amber helped us locate the post office. Opened it up and shared some of the candy and snacks. Went to class tonight. Invited Dorothy, Lala, and Symon to try some of the American snacks. I bet Dorothy would eat it all if she could. Reuben and I talked to my our moms via Skype. It is always pleasant to talk to them and see a little bit of home.

January 3, 2011

Woke up early this morning. Went to class. Went back home. Cold, windy, and rainy today. Took a short nap. Ate spaghetti in the kitchen because it was the warmest place in this concrete fortress of solitude. Headed out back in the cold to hang out with a friend and teach her English. Picked up a tiramisu cheesecake and a walnut cheesecake. She ate them both. I actually wanted the walnut one, but I let her choose. She chose both. Baby sat two kids for a bit. They were so cute but I had to be stern when they pulled on my 围巾. They didn't believe I am American so they just called me an Extraterrestrial. Ate dinner, talked to more friends at the music shop via proxy Aya. Left the music shop and took an adventure back home in the cold wind and rain; I went a new route. Got home watched a movie and chatted with Dorothy via internet chat client. Off to bed and dreams of never never land.