My mom's coming. Also, I can hit stuff real hard.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!

I hope Turkey Day finds all of you well. It's sad to think we won't get to join you guys, but we are doing the next best thing.

I'm doing an American Thanksgiving in a Canadian Bar in the middle of Seoul. Also, my mom is coming.

We've got Koreans, Americans, Canadians, South Africans, a few British, and I think a Dane or two, along with a smattering of others. All told we're talking about over 50 people from all over the world sitting down to a huge pot luck dinner.

Sounds pretty American to me.

My mom and Dart will be flying out on Thursday as well, and should arrive Friday night, for me. To say we're excited is an understatement. Seeing a face from home will be so amazing for us right now, I really don't think I can express it.

But enough about that, let's talk about hitting stuff.

Muay Thai is going amazing. I'm going as often as I can, usually 3-4 times a week. I've been going for a little less than a month, and I've learned some basic kicks and now I'm working on some punches. My first test will happen in a few weeks, I think. But most exciting of all:
I got my wraps today.

The wraps are about 2 yards of 2 inch black fabric, used to wrap up the knuckles and help brace the wrist. But to me they're a lot more. Ya see, I earned these. I am sore beyond belief, but I can pop out 100 sit ups after the most exhausting workout I could have imagined. I practiced and practiced and I finally progressed to the point where I have received something to mark my progress. It's pretty huge for me. It's, really and truly, the fulfillment of a life long dream. I'm learning a martial art, and a pretty hardcore one at that. Wow...

As long as I'm bragging (and really, when am I not?) here's what I spend my weekends with.


Now the one on the end should look pretty familiar. The other brunette is Claire, and the one in the middle is Angel. The past few weekends Hotel Sterling has been in full effect. The subways out here shut down a little after midnight, and the four of us are usually out a wee bit later than that. As a result, we all end up at my place.

As awesome as this sounds, I would like to take a moment and reiterate something I have said before: polygamy, from a man's point of view, is a horrible idea. Angel and Claire are sweethearts, don't get me wrong, but the novelty of this little experience wears off, and does so pretty quickly. Then you're just stuck listening to a ceaseless tirade of shopping escapades, makeup tips, and Gossip Girls on TV. Not to mention that instead of having half a vote, like I usually do in my marriage (I had a full vote, but Jen says I only get half until I can learn to make better decisions. She has a point.), I now get an eighth. (I won't share how long it took me to do the math.) I am lost amid a sea of estrogen, and the sharks smell blood in the water.

I really don't have much more to add here, folks. So you get off easy this week. I don't know that I'll get one out while my mom's in town, but this makes 7 for November, so I feel like I'm doing pretty well. If you get depressed, just go back and reread one of the old ones. You'll be ok...


Once more, much love and happy Thanksgiving. We miss you all.

-Al (& Jen!)