Back in the US of A

The first thing i noticed was the sun. i got off the plane, gathered my stuff and waited for Sammy B to roll through and pick me up, its was 6pm. The sun in San Francisco was so bright and so strong i had to hide behind a pillar at first.

On the drive back to Oakland where we were to meet up with Big Scott and Co., the sun searched me out where ever we turned, wherever i looked. The sky was so blue and clean i didn't really know what to say for the first hour. Sammy was blabbin away anyway, so i just kept starin at the sky.

My first impression when i got to china was of countless people in action, selling, buying trading, interacting. My first impressions coming back to the US are of quiet expansive skies. political graffiti and good good food.

I been eating real good, hanging with my gemologist crew, learning about the inner workings and having visions of Portland.

Tomorrow my man Matt Rippey comes into San Fran ... the school he works for in Chengdu is putting together his working Z visa, and that requires Matt to leave China and re-apply here. usually we would go to Hong Kong or Thailand to do this, but in the wake of the Olympic Crackdown on Wayward Laowai, some schools are taking it very seriously. So Rippey will be here tomorrow then we head north to camp in the woods for a while

It feels really good to be back.