Just Past the Horizon

I would apologize for the following ramble, but it really doesn't bother me at one in the morning.

It's Tuesday here in China. I've sat in my apartment all day and I've done absolutely nothing constructive. (That translates to playing video games all day, something I haven't regularly done for years.) It's been wonderful. I've just finished class; I handed all of the final grades in on Monday. I never thought that I'd be the man some day, but there I was, deciding people's fate from the tip of a ball point pen. At least so far as their fate can be decided by their grade in an Oral English class.

I hope the new year finds you doing well. I hope you've met your resolutions for last year and have laid down some new ones. Things are great here, and I'm in my more usual high spirits.I've been hanging out with friends, Henry, Dan, and Ben. Playing Chess, eating food, watching movies, playing video games. Chris, if you're reading this, we need to watch some more Battlestar. I'm going to text you.

I kid you guys not, I've watched more T.V. over here than I'd watched in the states in years. I've been watching a show called Dexter, a black, sometimes comedic show about a lovable serial killer. Sounds weird, but I mostly like it. I've also caught the beginning of a few other shows; the West Wing, and Battlestar Galactica. I'm eagerly anticipating the premier of HBO's new series A Game of Thrones.

I'm really not sure what to put on the blog next, but now I'll have gobs of time to post. I'm off until February 21st. I'll probably keep busy, but it won't be work busy. I have about a bigillion ideas. (Which is Derek speech for three or four.)Don't be surprised to see a few posts in the next week.

I've blown through Light finally, the last book I was reading. I just sat down one day and ate that thing. It was a weird book, but worth the read for all you sci-fi fans out there. I'm starting The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte next. I'm not sure that I'm in the mood for that either, but I think I'm just going to sit down soon and power into the beginning of it. Once I'm into a book I'm usually fine. I've got lots more books on the list to read, but I'm getting nervous. At my current pace, I'm going to run out of books long before I return to the states, even with the occasional books mailed by family members. If that happens, I'll probably start twitching and scratching myself like a recovering dope fiend who'd like to relapse but can't remember where he put the number for his old dealer.

Other tasks, besides starting on another Bronte book, include finding a way not to starve to death, (The campus cafiteria will close down at the beginning of the next week, as will the night market. There's no money to be made when the campus is empty.) washing my cloths, and getting a hair cut. The stuff is hanging down in my eyes.

I've also come up with a few new years resolutions.

The first is to keep going to the gym.

I know that seems strange, but I've been in the gym on and off for the last two years. I've been three times a week for the last month and I aim to keep going at least twice a week, preferably three times.

The second is to resume jogging.

I was jogging three times a week, but I messed up my ankles and that broke that habit. Le sigh.

The next is to get a short story published. I'm really not that far off from beginning my venture into the short story market. I've got four short stories that could be ready in a month if I'd get my lazy butt in gear. I also know they are better than some of the garbage I've seen published out there. It's go time.

My next goal is to sit down and do a serious review of grammar and punctuation. My grammar is fine, but my punctuation is horrible. Abysmally horrible. Catastrophically horrible. Projectile vomit all over the side of your head from a screaming sick child while on a fourteen hour airplane flight horrible. I really need to get my act together in this department.

The next goal is to fast forward through this boring section of a song I'm listening to.

The last goal is to get better at chess. I'm terrible and my friend Dan is killing me here.

All of these goals are a bit short term, I know, but I've never really been a long term plans kind of guy.

That about sums things up. I think I've also satisfied my desire to ramble. Catch you all later, I'm going to go to bed.

Derek