A Muse

I am sitting here staring at a blank screen wishing this post would just write itself.  I never know where to start after being absent for so long.  You should see my journal.  I think that one book has spanned about 5 years at this point and it's transitions are awkward and painful to read.  I'm always envious of those folks that write journal after journal of their thoughts and feelings and musings.

I think you're only allowed to have musings if you journal.  Or paint stuff.  I've honestly never heard of an engineer who had any musings.

So here goes....in no specific order......my musings.

1.  I had grandiose plans of doing another blog challenge (much like last year at this exact time) where I have to write a post every day as a way of forcing myself to chronicle this past year.  I was going to start at the 8 week mark prior to our heading home to Houston.  The 8 week mark came.....and then went.....and I had nothing.  I couldn't start at 7 weeks because who starts anything that is 7 weeks long?  I was all geared up as the 6 week mark approached....I mulled different themes around in my head and prepped myself for the challenge....and nothing.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the 5 weeks and 6 days blog challenge.  Yep! That's me.  Always living outside the box.  Not that this is a formal commitment or anything.......just making sure that's clear.

2.  I had the most amazing dinner planned for tonight.  One of the components was a big pot of black beans.  They were perfectly seasoned and even had diced green chile in it.  I went to turn on the light above my stove so you could actually see the black beans in the black pot and heard a loud POP as glass shattered all over my stove from the lightbulb blowing up.  I don't know if the stove light blowing up is normal or not, but those are the kinds of questions I stopped asking many, many months ago.  I honestly stood there and stared at those precious black beans and contemplated serving them to my men.  Chances were pretty good there wasn't glass in those black beans sitting in a black pot and if there was any glass, I was pretty sure it was small enough to not cause any damage.  Just in case you've missed it, I don't live in Texas anymore.  I don't get to choose from 82 different varieties of black beans for 90 cents a can.  And they had green chile in them!  Alas, Scot intervened as he clearly values the health of his family over green chile.

3.  I am almost giddy with the anticipation of going home this summer.  A year is a very long time to go without seeing your family.  Driving a car.  Drinking Sonic Diet Coke with lime.  Buying strawberries and gum and 82 varieties of black beans.  Riding a bike.  Watching TV without Chinese subtitles.  Being inundated with political propaganda during an election year.

Ok, so maybe there are some things I don't miss.

4.  I got to a point about 3 weeks ago where I had an epic meltdown over feeling like I was failing in every single aspect of my life.  Not the kind of fail like that time I was convinced that selling Creative Memories was going to make me my first million or the kind of fail like happens exactly 4 days into a new diet.  I'm talking the kind of fail where you feel like you are actually doing more damage than good.  It was not fun.  It's getting better.....lots of prayer and reordering of some priorities.....it's getting better.

5.  I am 5 weeks and 5 days away from no longer having a kid in Elementary School.  It's all puberty all the time in my house these days and boy is that a ton of fun!  (Insert dripping, stinky sarcasm here)

6.  I am saying good-bye to a lot of friends in the next 5 weeks and 6 days.  It's the ex-pat circle of life.  People come and go and the longer you are here, the more friends you make and the more likely you are to be saying good-bye.  A lot.  Conversations these days are all about when you're leaving for the summer, how long you'll be gone, and who is moving.  Calendars fill up with going away lunches and dinners as people wonder the appropriate mourning period before picking off available helpers and cars and potted plants and appliances from those leaving.

7.  Speaking of cars, in Singapore you have to buy a certificate that allows you to buy a car.  It's called a COE which I think means Certificate of Entitlement.  Right now, a COE will run you $90,000.00.  That's right......$90,000 will buy you the privilege of buying a car.  $90,000.00.  Yep, you get nada, nothing, zilch for that money except the option of going out and buying a $100,000 Hyundai.  I don't even have anything witty to say about that.......it's just plain 'ol crazy!

8.  Almost 2 years into our Asian lives and I can say that I have mastered the squatty potty.  They don't scare me or intimidate me anymore.  Me and a hole in the ground?  Bring. It. On.

9.  Did you know that I was tall?  I get told that on an almost daily basis here and I'm always thankful for the reminder.  You know, in case I forget one day.

10.  I am all out of musings.  Done.  I'm ready to curl up with some Chinese subtitles and an apple dipped in Nutella.  If you've never tried it, you must!  The apple and nutella part, not the Chinese subtitles.