At home in HK

I am arrived!!! And I'm living in Times Square, I think. I actually lugged my bags on the train all the way from the airport (mostly because the train signs were easier to find than the taxi signs).
My apt is a little frightening, although I'm living with Stephanie, another classmate, so that's some reassurance. The apt itself is fine (pics attached), although the floor of the shower is just a cement block that doesn't touch the walls so the water can drain off the sides. I don't want to think what might be coming the other direction, I'm going to pretend those gaping holes don't exist. My bedroom is quite fine and clean-seeming, although the bed is a size I have never seen. It's somewhere between a twin and a full - a fwin? a twull?
The apt itself is in one of the busiest areas of Hong Kong (with tons of cheap shoe stores, which means I'm in trouble), but we are off on this side street that is dark and grimy. And the entrance to our building is just an open door way, no door, that leads to a flight of dirty, dusty cement steps. You go up until you can't breathe anymore and there is our door - the only thing between me and a potential insane murderer is a thin wooden door with a flimsy push lock.

Mile-high club

I love Cathay Pacific so much I want to take it behind the high school gym and get it pregnant.
• The stewardesses are nice and smiling,
• I have the equivalent of business class legroom in coach,
• the plane is totally empty so I have ALL THREE SEATS (I may not even need Ambien to sleep!, see pic),
• I got very salty peanuts instead of cardboard pretzels (who would serve pretzels without peanut butter??),
• I got a pouch with a toothbrush and socks,
• there is a cupholder in the seat in front of me,
• there is a POWER OUTLET(!!!!) in the seat in front of me for my computer,
• and I can watch 30 Rock and Ab Fab.
My tv remote also doubles as a video game handset, but that is less exciting.
The annoying bits: there is no pouch in the seat in front of me, just these straps to hold the emergency procedure pamphlet in (see pic), so I cannot accumulate my trash in there. Also, the woman across the aisle from me keeps eyeing my empty seats – she better not ask me for one, because she looks like my Asian aunts and I’ll have to say yes.
I did just read an article in People about the crash landing in the Hudson, which was a bad travel choice. Now I’m suddenly a little petrified of flying.

Also watched Mama Mia, my new favorite song is ABBA’s Winner Takes All.

As good as a baby

Yesterday my new pride and joy arrived in the mail, and it is just as I imagined! Tiny, sleek, a beautiful chocolate brown... I spent at least 10 seconds just now trying to figure out how to show off my package of happiness on this blog - because think about it: how do you take a picture of your camera? Luckily 10 seconds later I thought of my Mac's photo booth... then one second later I thought of the website that I bought it from - which obvi included a pic. So here is my beauty.

Compartment

Bye bye compartment on Chicago & Rush - you were my first ever apartment with no roomies! Although I only lived with you for a month, it was just as annoying to move out as if I had a year's worth of stuff.

Arkansas Ice Storm??

Obviously I'm a little hesitant to move to the South, but one of the main consolations when I made my decision was that it would be warm. So what the hell is going on?!?!?!?!?!?
This is a picture from the Associated Press of a tree in Arkansas, weighted down by the ice.
Apparently power is out all over the south because of this storm and it is below 20 degrees - see article below:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28873371/

Countdown - 2 days left

Time is crawling forward, it's like Fri will never come. Many things to be sad about when leaving Chicago - David, Linda, the kids, Teresa, Maxbar's $1 drink Fridays - but I feel like I'm in limbo right now and just want to get out, wherever that might be. It'll be worse tomorrow after I've packed my bags and moved out of my apartment and have to wait out Thursday twiddling my thumbs. Hopefully my new camera will have arrived by then so I can play with it.
Went to the The Bar at the Peninsula Hotel last night: very handsome, very cozy. If I still have my Chicago & Rush apartment when I come back from HK, I'm going to make that where everybody knows my name.
Good news: I may have an apartment in HK with Stephanie, a girl from the GSB.
Bad news: I still don't officially have an apartment and I leave in 2 days.

New York

Just to vent a little - why is it so hard to find a photo of NYC that doesn't include cabs or skyscrapers? A google search uncovers only photos of a city I barely know. The picture that is temporarily gracing my blog was found on Adam Szymkowicz's blog - thank you Adam. I'm not really a downtown girl (although I always wanted to be), but this SoHo shot hits closer to home emotionally.

Departure Anxiety

Tying up loose ends before leaving this Fri crack-of-dawn. I still need to apply for my class credits to transfer, pack my bags, move the rest of my stuff into storage, and FIND AN APT I HONG KONG. What?? This process is so slow and scary and because it is the Chinese New Year NO ONE is answering their emails. Beware all who travel to China in the end of January - New Year's is a week-long hoopla and although some professionals will tell you they will accessible, THEY WILL NOT.
Also anxious because the camera I ordered so I can post HK pics may not arrive before I leave. As if I needed another thing to worry about.
Good news is I am doing a focus group today for $100 (2 hours, in my hood), so that is nice. That should cover the cost of my boxes to move out of this apt.