The Wandering Monkey

Final Blog Entry

The Chinese New Year has come and gone. This past year, amazingly enough, as been the Year of the Mokey. I kid you not. This present year is the Year of the Rooster. My birthday falls between Western New Year and Eastern New Year. And my Chinese Zodiac sign is the Rooster. So this is my year, apparently.

I have kept this blog because I needed it. I really did! So many times my head was spinning and I needed some way to keep it straightened out. In a sense some times I had no choice in the matter; I had to keep writing. Now it has been over one year. I would say that I arrived in Fall 2003. This is now Winter 2005. Almost one and a half years. I have to say that it has been time well spent.

All of the time while I have been in China, I have never gone back and read this blog. I imagine I will find it very amusing some day. I have loved the messages people send on occasion though.

But the time has come now for me to stop holding on to old things. I need to stop complaining about things in the past and focus on the present. But only after this last blog entry! So, first, a short look back at the people I've met.
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My original dance partner, K, is going back to America. She is engaged to be married, to her boyfriend who's home I stayed at when I first came to China. During the time that I spent here, K was my most important person in the first three or four months. Swing dance in Shanghai would not be the same without her. Of the original swing dancing crew, she brought in as many people as I did. She has a certain energy and liveliness which can be contagious.

We are on good terms and see each other just about every week at the social dance. This weekend she is traveling to Singapore to represent Shanghai at the Swing Dance Convention being held over there.
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My 'Ex' is doing very well with her business. We have been amicably exchanging emails over the last month.
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"M", who was my dance partner and girlfriend back in San Francisco is also doing very well at her job. Last I saw her was in Shanghai with her new boyfriend.
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I have not been in too much contact with my cousin back in Phoenix, AZ, but we have sent a few amusing emails back and forth. Just last week I felt his influence in my life, when I met a jujitsu instructor who taught a martial arts style my cousin had told me about.
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My brother is living in his apartment in the Chicago area. We've kept in intermittent touch over email and phone as well. He's considering going into a line of education work with special needs kids. That's tough work.
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My uncle in Boston is doing well. He sends me messages every now and then encouraging my efforts, and praises me that I am doing something interesting with my life. And his daughter (my cousin), has had a child while I have been in China. Mother and child doing well.
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My sister and my brother-in-law are expecting a baby any time now. Within the next few weeks.
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NEW GIRL and I are still dating.
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My high school friends are all doing rather well. One is a famous and incredible illustrator. One is a computer engineer. Another has returned from Iraq safe and sound. And one has a wonderful daughter who looks the image of her mom.
And so many more people here in China and the States but most of all...

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My mom has been a big supporter of my ideas ever since I left for China. Helped keep me going this long.
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But I think it's time to give it the blog a rest. It's time for a completely new chapter, of life.

So, thank you for reading, and Xin Nien Kuai Le!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!