Let The Obnoxious Commence
I'm sure you all know that Poly is scheduled to go to China and Japan in March. I was very happy for him when he told me that he'd been invited to go with our previous CO and wife. But I have to admit that a tiny fraction of me was a teensy weensy minutest bit jealous. There was just no way to get myself invited on the trip. And it was fairly expensive.
But this is a story about how getting laid off helps you achieve your dreams. As you all know, I was laid off. I got a generous severance package. I started working again just three weeks after being laid off. For a certain period of time (it would be tacky to reveal how long) I was collecting two pay checks. What should I do with the extra money? Well, my property taxes seem to be a tad bit higher this year. Can't imagine why a townhouse in Fulton County would be so much more expensive than a double wide in Clayton...
Yesterday morning I was texted the most beautiful message I've ever received. From Poly: "if u and a friend wanna go to china and japan lemme know. There's two free spots as of last nite."
Friend? Well, the money involved and the amount of time we'd be gone seriously narrowed my list of candidates. But there were about 5 or 6 who I thought could possibly swing it. I figured the only fair way to pick between them was to text message and let them fight it out by whoever responded the quickest. (I did leave one dear friend off the text because I knew she wouldn't be able to join me. Sorry about that sweetie.) Anyway, Sporty Nice won the fastest decision maker contest. What cracks me up is that she's leaving for Mexico today. If this message had come 3 days later, she would have lost out.
This morning I logged on to the tour operator's website to see where we're staying: Kyoto, Tokyo, Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin and Hong Kong. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that I'm going to Japan, but I'm much more excited about China. So I am glad to see that the majority of the trip will be spent in China. I went to our favorite site, Wikipedia, to learn about the two cities I didn't recognize: Xi'an and Guilin. ...I never made it to the Guilin page.
I started to cry when I got to the Xi'an wiki page. Seriously. I cried. For several years now the number one thing on my "list of things I'm dying to see" has been "the Terracotta Army in that emperor's tomb in China." I don't talk about it much because I figured that I'd never see it. I won't even allow myself to read up on it (to get details like the emperor's name) because I thought I'd never see it. Why become obsessed with something I'll never see?
So, where is the Terracotta Army? 40 Km from Xi'an. That's 25 miles to you and me. 25 miles! Now I don't know for certain that we're going to see it. But it's the most famous thing near that city. Here's hoping that we will.
Well, back to the title of this post. From here on out, I expect you'll get very tired of reading about my trip. I will try to keep control over it, but be forewarned that The Obnoxious is commencing. (Jules has been through this before with my Ireland trips. She'll help you all through it.)
* It has been confirmed. We ARE going to see the Terracotta Army!!
** I'm really confused about how mortgages and escrow work. I just called Fulton County because I forgot the due date on my tax bill. My mortgage company paid it. Is that normal? I don't get it.
But this is a story about how getting laid off helps you achieve your dreams. As you all know, I was laid off. I got a generous severance package. I started working again just three weeks after being laid off. For a certain period of time (it would be tacky to reveal how long) I was collecting two pay checks. What should I do with the extra money? Well, my property taxes seem to be a tad bit higher this year. Can't imagine why a townhouse in Fulton County would be so much more expensive than a double wide in Clayton...
Yesterday morning I was texted the most beautiful message I've ever received. From Poly: "if u and a friend wanna go to china and japan lemme know. There's two free spots as of last nite."
Friend? Well, the money involved and the amount of time we'd be gone seriously narrowed my list of candidates. But there were about 5 or 6 who I thought could possibly swing it. I figured the only fair way to pick between them was to text message and let them fight it out by whoever responded the quickest. (I did leave one dear friend off the text because I knew she wouldn't be able to join me. Sorry about that sweetie.) Anyway, Sporty Nice won the fastest decision maker contest. What cracks me up is that she's leaving for Mexico today. If this message had come 3 days later, she would have lost out.
This morning I logged on to the tour operator's website to see where we're staying: Kyoto, Tokyo, Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin and Hong Kong. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that I'm going to Japan, but I'm much more excited about China. So I am glad to see that the majority of the trip will be spent in China. I went to our favorite site, Wikipedia, to learn about the two cities I didn't recognize: Xi'an and Guilin. ...I never made it to the Guilin page.
I started to cry when I got to the Xi'an wiki page. Seriously. I cried. For several years now the number one thing on my "list of things I'm dying to see" has been "the Terracotta Army in that emperor's tomb in China." I don't talk about it much because I figured that I'd never see it. I won't even allow myself to read up on it (to get details like the emperor's name) because I thought I'd never see it. Why become obsessed with something I'll never see?
So, where is the Terracotta Army? 40 Km from Xi'an. That's 25 miles to you and me. 25 miles! Now I don't know for certain that we're going to see it. But it's the most famous thing near that city. Here's hoping that we will.
Well, back to the title of this post. From here on out, I expect you'll get very tired of reading about my trip. I will try to keep control over it, but be forewarned that The Obnoxious is commencing. (Jules has been through this before with my Ireland trips. She'll help you all through it.)
* It has been confirmed. We ARE going to see the Terracotta Army!!
** I'm really confused about how mortgages and escrow work. I just called Fulton County because I forgot the due date on my tax bill. My mortgage company paid it. Is that normal? I don't get it.
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posted by Horse N. Buggy
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