Here in China, they ban blogspot but they don't ban blogger. Which basically means I can post blog entries but won't be able to view them in my webpage environment. Well, what the heck.
It has been a challenging week for me. Coming back from my Christmas + New Year vacation in the Philippines, I thought I was going to be ok for quite a long period of time. But work kicked in and I was doing overtime for a couple of hours for almost five days straight (including a Saturday spent in the office) so I guess that kind of took the steam off my happy momentum.
That stressful week was followed by sleepless nights when I would only fall asleep when I physically had to -- and not a minute before that. And that is usually around 2-3am, and then my sleep would be laden with dreams. Not necessarily disturbing, but then dreams still tend to tire you out. You don't feel like your mind has rested. I would wake up the next day half-dragging myself to work and feeling like a zombie -- and perhaps looking like one as well.
I have always been on the lookout for things that will "uplift" my quality of life here in Beijing. So I have bitten the bullet and taken the plunge -- I enrolled in a (wee bit expensive) photography class - something I have wanted to explore since... forever. Anyway. Point is, I'm trying to find a hobby, a distraction if you may, to fill those hours which I would otherwise spend pining about home and thinking sad thoughts.
I've also found a cable service provider that can provide me with all the (English) channels I want -- and also throw in some Pinoy channels! Apparently it's a (rip-off?) from Dream cable which is why I would get channels like ETC, 2nd Ave, Studio 23 and GMA. Thing is... well actually there are two things: first, I might move apartments (long story) and second, I might not have a job soon (even longer story). But in a few weeks' time I will have much more clarity on both matters, at which point I may be ready to purchase that cable service.
I do feel that things are picking up in Beijing, and when I think about the fact that I have only a little over a year left in this city, it almost makes me not want to leave. I have pegged so much on this expat, and I really am afraid that I might have spent too huge a chunk of my expat stint pining for home or actually going home (magic number for 2007 is... *drumroll* 6 times! Plus 4 visits from family and friends.) so perhaps now is the right time to "accelerate" the experience?
What can I say. Tomorrow's another day.
