What I like about you

One week to go. At this time a week from today, I will be on an Air China jet somewhere over the Pacific, so I got to thinking about what I’ll miss and not miss about this place that’s been my home for just over twenty years.

Things I will miss about Seattle (not exactly in order):

• My wife
• Our cats
• Seeing Puget Sound from my living room window
• Being able to hop in the car and drive myself somewhere
• The relatively clean air and mild climate
• The sight of Mt Rainier off in the distance
• My wife’s cooking
• Being a day’s drive from my parents
• Playing soccer on Tuesdays with the mighty Kick Arsenal
• Having 3000+ CDs at my fingertips to suit my musical mood
• Having a couple hundred DVDs around if I feel like watching them
• Having lots of books around, etc.
• Various favorite restaurants, pubs and bars
• Netflix
• Watching Lost on Wednesday nights
• Cheese, and probably some other food items

Things I will not miss about Seattle:

• The Alaskan Way Viaduct
• Scooping the litter box
• Having to drive myself places in ugly traffic
• A city government that can’t seem to do much of anything, including a mayor who looks like a sausage
• The never-ending construction next door to our house
• Credit card offers in the mail
• Annoying political advertisements

Feel free to leave comments suggesting other things I should miss or not miss. I’m sure I’m forgetting lots.

It's my party

Starting music: Adrian Belew - Side Three

Last Friday was my last day in the office where I've worked for the last 17 years, and it was a pretty low-key ending. I mostly spent the day sorting things into piles: box up for shipping to China, recycling, and trash. I'll admit to a small bit of disappointment that after all those years spent there, I didn't get so much as a good-luck card. No lunch, no drinks after work, nothing. Oh, well. I know that true happiness lies in not having expectations, and therefore not being vulnerable to disappointment. I'm a generous person and like to look at things in the best light, so I'll put it down to a simple lack of organization in the office: the person who used to plan these things is no longer there, and no one else has taken the initiative.

This week I've been splitting my time between packing and other preparations, and finishing up the projects from my old position.

Last night my wife planned an informal get-together for friends and family at an area brewpub. Lots of people showed up, and (no surprise) I didn't get to really spend enough time with any one person. Thanks to all who showed up, and to everyone else: you shoulda been there — it was a great time! For those who didn't get invited, my apologies. We used pretty much every email in our combined address books. Many of them turned out to be old and defunct.

One thing that kind of amazes me is how many of my friends have been to China. There were at least three at the party who shared personal experiences and offered suggestions. I guess I hang around with a worldly bunch. Both of the guys (aside from me, and if you don't know which one is me, why are you reading this blog?) in this picture are China vets. Those who were there will notice something odd about this picture. I do not have a martini in my hand. Someone was slacking!

One guest was even thoughtful enough to bring a gift. Not that I was asking for anything, mind you, but it's always nice to gather the warm fuzzies when you can. It's a travel book, and the giver was smart enough to figure that I already have travel guides to China, so she got The Rough Guide: First-Time Asia which looks to have a good overview of many nations that I could have the chance to visit. Like all the Rough Guide books I've seen, it's very down-to-earth and direct, full of practical tips and observations. Though I noticed it does not have a chapter on North Korea... I wonder what's up with that.

Middle music: KBB - Live 2004

This time, these two weeks before departure, are a bit frustrating. In some ways I wish I was already in Beijing, because the tasks to be taken care of before leaving are tedious. But on the other hand, I'm trying to make the most of these days, connect with people I know, do fun things, and so on. That being said, I probably should finish this post up and get back to some of those tedious things...

But I have one more picture, and feel the compulsive need to write some text to fit next to it. This one features some of my teammates from Co-Rec Soccer (standing, not eating). My last game with the team will be on Tuesday, and with my departure, the last founding member of Kick Arsenal will be gone. They may be a bunch of newcomers, but they're good people, and maybe I'll get a chance to catch a game on the occasions when I visit Seattle. It's a team with many world travelers. I can remember times when people have missed games from being in England, Kosovo, Uganda, and Yakima.

OK, enough bloggifying for one day. Back to work...

Ending music: Koenji Hyakkei - Hundred Sights of Koenji

Meditations on a one-way ticket

I now have a one-way ticket to Beijing sitting on my desk. The symbolism of this object is pretty obvious: I am going somewhere and staying there. This is not a short trip, I will not be a tourist, I am relocating.

This is the first time in my life that I have purchased a one-way ticket, and I wonder how many people ever do in their lives. I suppose most Americans, who do tend to move from one place to another within the country, drive to their new homes and so never buy a one-way ticket.

The process of purchasing this ticket was anything but straightforward. It seems many people are planning to fly to Beijing the same weekend I am. When I first investigated flights a few weeks ago (before it was practical to buy), there were lots of options at convenient times, but by last Friday, things were getting thin. I clicked on "book now" and got an error message. The message said to try again later or try calling on the phone to book. I waited till the next morning, tried the website one more time, then called an agent. The only flights left available were on Air China, and Air China's web connection was having problems. The agent tried all sorts of different possibilities on three different days, and reported that the flight I had originally picked was completely booked up, as were most of the others. I ended up with my third choice of departure dates.

Anyway, I'm booked now, and the end result is the same as if I had got the day I wanted. I'll be in Beijing. And some day, a couple years from now, I'll buy a one-way ticket back home.

Ending music: None (just finished watching the season premiere of Lost).