I woke up this morning, if you can call 5 AM morning with an extremely sore throat, a stuffed nose and body aches. I guess I caught a flu somewhere between there and here. Most likely on the metal tube in the sky, but I was also told that it is very typical for travelers to get sick right after extreme travel, and changes in climate, sleep patterns and food. Trifecta.

As I am a fan of lists, and am using them to try and manage all the moving parts of my life right now, here is a list including some of the past few days observations:

I miss my family, and the almost daily interactions with them. But I dont miss my friends. I mean yeah, i miss em, but not in the way I expected. Since we didnt always see each other, we keep in touch sort of the same way we always have, only from farther away and at more odd times. I have called a few using Facetime, and some texting, and some email, and the obvious Twitter and FB updates, so it is sort of the same rhythm of reaching out and touching someone. Figuratively. But I also know that my friends are in my corner on this and that is so encouraging. They have always wanted the best outcome, whatever that may be.

I have not worn flip flops in years, so that spot between the big toe and the other one next to it. yeah, that hurts.

Singapore is an interesting mix of both the ultra modern and the Colonial. I walked across town toward the Orchard Road, past some old building, cemeteries, and houses, and intermixed was an extremely modern looking university, and even more dynamic was the architecture of the shopping malls. Rows and rows of malls, some blocks long and multi-storied. I had heard of Orchard Road, but to experience if first hand is pretty crazy. Pretty much every luxury good is represented, interspersed with cheap electronic shops, custom tailors, and a McDonald’s or seven. Starbucks also seems to have a huge footprint here, but i expected that. I am also learning that breakfast is a very different concept here, and I am now making either an espresso in the morning to jolt the gray matter, or when I am out, I order a Kopi O Po, which is a long black coffee with some sugar and extra hot water. Starbucks would call it an Americano. It would also cost you 3x more.

As my friend Chris H. reminded me. – “linens”. I am a jeans and tshirt kind of guy right now. And of course I wear the occasional button down and a suit or two. But I own no shorts, and bought my flip flops yesterday. I have mostly been wearing jeans, V neck t’s and either my steel toed Doc Martins or my black Chuck lows. #WWHMD. Went short shopping yesterday but just couldn’t let loose of 89 bones for a pair of shorts at the Levi store. But I dont want to buy anything anyway, as there still looms the possibility of packing up and heading back to the good ol’ US of A and set up shop at Nike, where is I needed shorts, I can get em on the employee discount.

Speaking of which, still no news.

Monday night Football is seen live here on Tuesday morning at 9:30 AM. Which makes me feel a little like Marty McFly. Call me before you call your bookie.

Last night I went to a dinner party with Smitty, which is how my brother Michael is known across Asia. He has many good friends, and I was welcomed instantly. It was a Thanksgiving dinner, with a roasted turkey, a deep fried turkey and all the trimmings. I helped carve the birds, and made some pretty decent gravy from the drippings. I was also very encouraged by the stories of others who decided to also pack up and head to Singapore to either augment their careers with international experience, or to change gigs all together. Even more exciting was hearing about how the sort of week over week experience of living here is. Almost all said that they work hard, long hours at their respective jobs, but then do a half day Friday, catch the first plane to Bali or some other neighboring island and sit on the beach, surf, eat, and recharge. And it seems to be cheaper and faster than taking a weekender from SF to Fresno and back.

Each person I have spoken with about this move, and my need to locate a gig has been able to provide a name, some advice and lots of encouragement about the booming infrastructure of Singapore. I feel confident about getting a role.

I have been staying in one of the housemate’s room this past week, and he returns tomorrow. Smitty flies to the States to work on some stuff with the Yahooligans! I am going to move into his room for a few weeks while he is gone, so I will be able to continue to at least have the luxury of a launching pad for my interviews and explorations, as well as office space to continue to work on a UI/UX project I picked up before I left.

I am an American living in Singapore working on a project for a client in Toronto while searching for an employment pass and eventually my PR.

I may just fit right in.