Ever notice the golden columns on the Jing'an Temple subway station platform? As the number of Shanghai subway stations shot up over the past few years, station engineers strived to include unique features in each station's (re-)design. Next time you pass through the station, take a second to appreciate Jing'an Temple's unique, gold-colored columns and temple-themed exits.

This is not well thought out but have you ever wondered what most people would actually be driving or whether they would be if auto financing did not exist back home? After living in Shanghai for many years, it occurred to me, as i have just come back to the US, that the US and its inhabitants may actually be a lot healthier financially if we all just bought cars we could afford NOW, not later. SO many people would no longer snicker at the Aveo 4 or the Yaris or even the Smart car because... well, they are practical and afforable.

Look at China, those who can afford a car, buy what they can afford, period. Lost of cheap little Santanas on the road...yes, I know they are overpriced old tech cars, but relatively speaking, they are what people afford. Sure we see the Ferraris, Jaguars, Mazeratis Benzs and BMWs but really its mostly affordable cars.

In fact, just think about how many people back home actually buy cars in cash and how many people don't... then ask yourself, if you had to pay cash for your car purchase, what would it be? Would you have bought your current car had it been a cash purchase? This isn't meant to be a snub at people who make less or have more financial obligations, just wanted to think about how financing makes us all think we can afford more than we should.

Read news of vigil for two jailed reporters for Current TV, who were arrested and convicted for an illegal border crossing and an unspecified "grave crime" in North Korea earlier this year, to be held in San Francisco tonight. The two American journalists were captured in North Korea and sentenced to 12 years hard labor.

As sympathetic as i am for what the families of these journalist must be going through, I do have to wonder about whether reporters, consider these things before trying to break their next story. It seems that they knew what they did was wrong as one of the reporters admits what they did was illegal in a plea for diplomacy to help them out. The US Government has been pleading clemency but with the worst relations in decades happening now, I suspect they will become a pawn in PyonYangs dangerous game of politicking.

more info on vigil: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12678956?nclick_check=1

I got a few notes telling me that they felt bad that I was so sad from reading my notes. Am I sounding sad??? I am actually extremely happy to be able to come back to the US and be here with my family. I am trying to make my family work and my son certainly makes me feel loved and appreciated. I have yet to be affected by the fact that I will need to find work in a very serious recession, but with a bit of a safety net, I am being allowed this luxury of time with my son...kind of the point of my previous note I think. But yes, I am very happy to be home.
If only the world were this simple again...

But given the happenings around the world, I am also sad. My current status says a lot about what I am thinking... "Riots, racial inequity, ignorant masses, govt restricting information, hundreds of deaths and most people can only talk about the Pop King?" I mean come on... one death versus hundreds, and under such tragic circumstances. Sure sure, MJ was the king of Pop and he will forever be immortalized by his music. Ah the power of the media as another Michael said to me...

Riots, race riots, in China, and possibly, and in my mind, probably, incited by actions of politically motivated parties outside of China who do not need to bear the price of their actions. Sad, really sad

Happy Independence Day!

The whole family stopped by the local park for the community's annual 4th of July events at the park. There was the whole family activities section, colouring, bouncing castles, egg tosses, local police display booth, dunkin booth and a variety of snacks and such. Devon has a taste of going solo in the bouncing castle ad decided maybe sub 3 years old is a bit young when in with a bunch of rambuncious 5-10 year olds...but he survived fine.

On the way back we stopped off on the way home for his snack...2 huge chicken tenders, about a 1/3rd of a pound if my math serves me right. Then we headed home where finally we really enjoyed ourselves playing catch in the living room where he is finally starting to get the hang of playing toss and catch.

I think of this and remember the one time i recall playing basketball with dad when i was really young and wondering why we didnt get more chances to do that. In fact mentioning this fact much later in life to friends still brought a tear to my eye as really, my own dad was and is not that athletic and yet i still wish there were more such occasions. Some of my other most enjoyable childhood memories are of playing frisbee in the street in front of our house with dad.

It is these memories that I remember most and hope i will get more chances to play catch with Devon and an important reason why coming back was so important.

After arriving back in the US, I am really feeling m age. I know I am old when:

1) I need to stop 3-4 times justto ride up the hill after taking Devon to day car on bike. Never mind that its a steep 0-72 m elevation change in the last km or so... I used to train for racing in these Berkeley hills dammit... but my body is just NOT happy... anyone have Advil

2) Light Blue cars... We had them back in the late 70's and well, they are back AND... I find my self kinda liking these as I shop for a new car... ACK! (photos links below)

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2b) Related to this, 4-door cars are looking very appealing AND I find myself considering turning down a good friend's offer to take her SuperCharged S2000 for a few weeks later this Summer... I actually do not need the speed thing nearly as much and keep thinking that it would be no fun if Devon can't enjoy it too...airbag OFF switch anyone? ;)

3) The sun is still out around 8pm and I am actually tired enough to consider going to sleep at the same time as Devon...AND I have actually slept thru the night several times starting around this time! Must be that I need a drink...

OMG, SO much that I can write about. Packing up six years of life in Shanghai. Shipping only seven boxes plus suitcases. Leaving an amazing circle of friends in Shanghai. Walking away from stable employment into record high unemployment back home...but wait, there is that word..."home". Somehow that makes it all worthwhile.

First off I gotta thank many many people for all their support as I made this move, as as excited and certain that this move was the right thing to do, it was still a hard decision. Conversations with many of you basically came down to comments like " For selfish reasons I hope you come back but for to choose family over all of this here, I hope you don't come back. anytime soon."

Some special thanks though to a few who went out of their way, Jai for tolerating the fact that one more long term expat had to leave, and for helping out with banking issues and the like as it made things go much smoother, thanks loads! And Elly who gave me a suggestion of a shipping company who despite some issues I will add in a bit, did get my stuff to me soundly and mostly in one piece. Sandra and Rick for the amazing gatherings they have held, Rachel for being a great friend and supportive to not just me but many on this group, Vinh for putting up with the coffee meet organizing again despite having done it previously with the "young expat" crowd so many years ago; my core group of buddies, Dale, Neil, David, Daman, Scott, Shang, James and i am sure I am still missing several someone’s (sorry in advance) , for sticking up for me, putting up for me, and even shutting me down when necessary... you all are the best.

As for this move thing, I realise that leaving with just a few suitcases was gonna be impossible so started to look at sending my stuff back when Elly so kindly introduced me to Super parcel Express, a door to door shipping service that took my stuff from my house and delivered it to me in the US within a week. I knew there would be limits on what I could ship, but the list was a bit mind boggling as I couldn't ship liquids (bye bye extra shampoo, conditioners, shaving creams, lotions, gels etc,,.,) and no batteries so couldn't ship laptop batteries etc,,, but didn't realise my old mobile phone would get yanked from within the box; nor all my digtal media on disc (CD and DVD) and then there was my kitchen knives... henkel set had to be hand checked,,, and did I mention no medications or even vitamins or nutritional supplements? Anyhow, despite having 8.5 kilos of stuff pulled the night before i flew out and being charged a bit more for oversized boxes, I am still happy with the shippers as they got my stuff thru both China air security and US customs. Boxes arrived on this end bloated and messily packed as they had been unpacked and checked so many times... but everything was safe, less one plastic food box and one picture frame glass.

Arriving on this end essentially homeless, car-less and jobless was quite a shock to the system but given my primary focus is Devon and Jenny, it was clear that I would need to shake off this uneasiness and just dive right into being dad again, and how satisfying it is. :) Its gonna take us some time to make all things better, but for now Devon is enjoying a full time dad being present and if I can make things right, he always will have that.

Overall the feeling of being back in the beautiful bay area where i was born and raised, and coming to live at my in-laws home to help Jenny take care of my mother-in-law, who is recouperating from a recent minor stroke, as well as sharing responsibility of taking care of my son again is fantastic. i am thankful for this opportunity and this make my repatriation process so far, so much more worthwhile. i am certain i will hit rough patches, but for now, its all worthwhile.

Arriving back to high unemployment is really sad actually,. Hearing the nightmares of people looking for work, realising my own CV is probably not very eye catching… makes me think of so much i need to do. But I need to find time to network again...

For now, I just want to thank all my friends for being so supportive during this major change. I very much appreciate it and will do my best to keep my head above water so as I can continue making positive contributions to my family and friends.