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so little time After the hurried rush and almost non stop activity of both Sunday and Monday, today slowed down considerably and that was fine with me. I needed to get my house in order before I leave it vacant for a few weeks. Having the sun shining for the first time in days made it hard to stay inside and clean. ... My new DVD of The Last Emperor was won in an online auction and I was surprised to see it in my mailbox so quickly. It came from Singapore and I got it here sooner than mail that has come from other places inside the United States. I'm not complaining, it just makes me wonder what they do with the local mail when it takes so long to get here. I didn't pay any more for postage than I do here in the States either, so that can't be a factor. As geeky as it might sound, I love getting mail from other countries. Then again this probably ties into my love for travel. I honestly want to see as much of the world as I can before I die and whatever small connection that I can make means something to me. I can't remember if it was my parents idea or mine, but when I was ten years old or younger I had a map of the world hung on my wall next to my bed. That way I could scan the world on a daily basis. Then maybe later or at the same time I started to get into National Geographic magazine and that really made me want to see the world. One of the earliest articles that I remember reading from that time was about the terra cotta armies that the Chinese emperors had created and buried with them. To me that was amazing and seemed even more incredible than the pyramids. I also remember doing a report on Mongolia when I was in eighth grade and I have no idea why I chose that country. ... My new hero is Ian Wright and this time he was off to the heart of Central Asia to the former Soviet Republics of Uzbekistan and Kirghizstan. His laidback approach to his journeys is what appeals to me the most. With comments on the local cuisine being mostly mutton and a certain lake being radioactive, I can't help but laugh. Now I can't say that I'll be rushing off to either of these places, but at the same time I am glad that I know they exist.
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