the sauna and the unsaintly swarmers

well, it's good to be back in shanghai although it's much like walking around in your own thermal bathhouse. really, you can't get away from the sweat. and of course, along with this oppressively irriguous weather, come the millions of "mini bats" that some people kindly refer to as mosquitoes or, wenzi, in chinese.

which reminds me. the other night, we went out to eat at a new teppanyaki restaurant close to our apartment and were visited (or ambushed i should say) by more wenzi than we could want or handle. and as i was being attacked on all sides, i glanced at our chef; who looked from me to one of the diminutive predators beyond my grasp with a look that said, "if i wasn't, at this moment, making your garlic chicken i would hop over this grill and quash them all with my spatula!". and i was comforted.

home

like saturday reruns, mom's cooking, or hanging out with your brother after many years being apart...there really is no place like home.

hanging his feet over the edge of the house, they fell a bit closer to the ground. the oak didn't tower so high. the yard didn't spread out to the horizon. and the path up to the garage didn't go on for miles. but the smells, the sights, the sounds, and the old thoughts, were never sweeter. in those brief moments, his mind kept up with the sun and clung on to the good and his memories became days without nights.

it's good to be back.