Musings of a (Formerly) Displaced Chinese RooBoy

Just found out the Bluebaggers staged one of the best comebacks of all time against the hated Bombers. The young guys in the team showed spirit to come back from 48 points down. With all the young talent already at the club, I think we're just a few players away (CHF/CHB) from returning to the finals. Our new midfield looks good with Walker, Murphy and Gibbs sure to improve. Bentick has a chance to become the new Ratten as the in-and-under, hard ball winner. We also have Stevens and Scotland manning the middle. With Bradley and Ratten coaching the midfield, we could have the best midfield in the AFL. Go Blues!

Wendy and I headed to Palm Springs this past weekend for some unfinished sightseeing, carried over from February. It was also to celebrate Wendy's birthday. I flew in from Chicago on Friday night, quickly packed then made the 1+ hour drive. The time we stayed at Hyatt Palm Springs and Hyatt Indian Wells Resort . On Saturday morning we set off to a spot we found in Feb. for $25 helicopter ride over the desert, but it must have closed. Dammit! Next we did some hiking through the Indian Canyons to look at desert flora and fauna. It's amazing that clusters of huge palm trees grow in the middle of the desert. I kinda thought the concept of an oasis was fictional. After the hike we went back to the hotel and and chilled out. Wendy standing in front of an oasis of native California palm trees. Interesting rock formation that resembles the head of a turtle, at Indian Canyons Aaron with some cactus...big huh? Close up of a cactus flower Next Trip: sunny San Diego in 2 weeks for some yu...

The standout memory of my first week in Chicago was the bitterly cold weather. It was windy and snowed so heavily that my rental car was covered and flights into/out of O'Hare were canceled/delayed. My Chicago co-workers tells me this is unusual for April. In nearby Cleveland, the baseball game was "snowed out". Wendy and I spent the weekend in Huntington Beach, CA (popularly referred to as "Surf City USA"). It was overcast but warm enough for t-shirt - definitely a good change from Chicago. The hotel is beautiful, built in Spanish architecture. It has a calming vibe with themed water fountains and koi ponds surrounding a wonderful spa center. Overlooking the koi pond and spa center Water Fountain Next Week - Palm Springs 2.0!

Got confirmation from a project manager out in Chicago to start work there beginning next week, probably until end of the year. The client is in telecom, so my Telstra experience should be useful. If work schedule permits, I plan to catching a Bulls playoff game in April!