I don’t know how I feel about “bagel dots”

unpopular opinion (probably because i prefer folk music to show dogs): a mighty wind > best in show

Put this on a t-shirt!

TIL about "down perms". i could use this for my cowlick!

No Default Receptionist 😔 (iykyk)

Saw a billboard driving up to Seattle (here for work) for a Christian radio station and it said “God’s just getting started” And I have questions: 1) was he too busy with other projects in the past? 2) *looking around at the world* is this a threat?

Met someone originally from the Dolomites region (but Portlander for decades) and she was complaining about overtourism there nowadays* and now I feel guilty about wanting to go 😅 *not just by Americans but she says a large influx of Europeans who now prefer driving places vs flying long distance

On a neighborhood walk in the West Hills and I thought of these lyrics “I will buy you that big house Way up in the West Hills” And I looked it up and Everclear is indeed from Portland. Who knew! Anyways, I totally get it — these houses, these views!

Alexander would be so proud of me: due to an employee meal deal the price difference between A) a large slice of pizza and a soda, and B) 2 large slices of pizza, a soda, and a bag of chips is like $3 — but tonight I stood firm and did not overindulge/get the better deal.

PDX connection to B is open! AS lounge up at the top and retail are still being built out. (POV: entrance to C looking at B)

Just got served some piping hot tea and it’s been a long time since I’ve had some and whoooo boy.

i need a job like this

Work switched health insurance companies and this new one does not reward me financially for working out or getting enough sleep so now idgaf. Wellness schmellness! Goodbye, underdesk walking pad! So long, 7 hours of sleep!

and an update (also public, i see), finally an end to the long walks is in sight! goodbye and good riddance to the north and south bypasses!

dying because i heard someone refer to the arborists/horticulturalists at the airport as "branch managers" lol (maybe that's a common term for them, but it's new to me!)

Does Seatte have a secret trumpet history I don’t know about?

The way Starlux goes all in on this space station theming 👍👍

I think this is my first A350 with dimmable windows?

BKK

New airline for me but also I’m dying from the cute!!! Snoopy is shooting for the stars!! 😭 😭😭🥰

I knew my 100th was coming up but wasn’t sure what it’d be (too lazy to calculate)

Phew. Not me crying at breakfast reading about the realities of sex work here in Thailand. (We’re staying near the hub of this trade, if you will, so it’s been kind of in my face)

I did art! (Warning, it’s loud)

At a museum that ONLY accepts online tickets so everyone is standing around in the lobby trying to purchase tickets and this poor older woman is having so much trouble and the staff are doing their best to help her but ugh this is not great.

TIL the empire carpet guy (everybody now, 🎶 800 588 2300 🎶) was not the founder or even an employee of the company?!??! but was just a character played the copywriter/ad exec for the ad agency and also wrote the jingle? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Ha...

Teaching Alexander about important Thai cultural concepts

I only found out about a lot of the places we went to on this trip thanks to the Instagram algorithm pushing content to me and you know, I’m kind of grateful. Definitely have never been to this part of town before.

Helped some visitors from England(?) find their way on the subway (just used Google Maps) and idk, braving a destination like Bangkok without mod cons like a phone with data, I commend you! (Or even a guide book?!) (My guesstimate is it was parents and their college-age kid.)

Confirmed physical cards work but Apple Pay does not

First Thai massage (or any massage) in a looonngg time. No pain no gain It hurts so good Etc etc

Visa (American or Georgian) doesn’t seem to work on MRT despite “all cards” 😡

It’s been like 7 years since I’ve been to Bangkok but I swear it used to be a lot cheaper. 🤷🏻‍♂️

This park is full of lizards and idk idk idk no thank you let’s go

Our ride to Bangkok is apparently the 1000th 787.

So TIL the Jewel waterfall doesn’t run 24 hours and only starts at 10 so we have to wait another 35 min. And it’s like a sauna in here. Does the air conditioning also start at 10?!?!

When you’re on the skywalk for the light show

Something they don’t say about the HKG Sky Garden is that it’s just an outdoor smoking area 🤮 *gag cough hack*

Tonight’s ride back to HK from Macau was… 🤢 Neither of us barfed (but were very close), though the poor guy behind us did, several times. Luckily relatively quietly.

Alexander, reading: “It has a very high Human Development Index of 0.934, as calculated by the Government of Macau” Alexander, reacting: “just like Turkish airlines!”

Did not realize old Macau is so lifestyle instagrammy. All about the vibes here I guess!

Alexander told me this morning he wanted to go to Macau (because a friend told him he should) so last minute change of plans. Our original plan was “bum around Hong Kong for our last day doing random shit” so I guess it’s an upgrade lol

It is my firm belief, and I don’t think I’m biased because my parents are from here (they left long before it got so fancy), that the nighttime view across the harbor towards Hong Kong Island cannot be beat.

Our ride back to HK

Automated announcement at Guangzhou metro stations: “beware of being clamped” (by the closing doors, I guess?)

I know I should be eating Chinese food here but Alexander needs a break lol Anyways always wanted to try a Saizeriya in Japan but never did so I’m trying one here. Omg so cheap!! Two full meals for $11! (Also, def need Alipay for this, very easy once we discovered the item number system)

So you can just tap a card or use Apple Pay (with an American card) to use the subway, no Alipay shenanigans required lol

Phew!!! Alipay works. Was able to buy two subway tickets by scanning the QR code displayed on the machine.

Was a little anxious with trying Chinese HSR given some horror stories I heard about the station (start the entrance process at LEAST an hour early; we gave ourselves 2) and entering using a visa in an old passport, but all is well! 👍 Just waiting for the train now.

After almost two hours of waiting…we’re off to see the Buddha!

Met my aunt for breakfast and the whole point of meeting for breakfast was to give her her Christmas presents so we didn’t have to lug them around all day, but surprise surprise she gave us some lol