Greetings from the United States. The weather is awesome here. It's 55 and sunny in the day, and 35 and moonlit at night, so it's cool enough to be refreshing and warm enough to go outside and play. I've played a little tennis -- the first tennis in more than a year -- and only fell once. It happens when you get my age. As my friend Andy said, the real winners in our tennis were the fans who witnessed the exhibition of athletic skill. No witnesses, so no winners.
I talk with Phuong, my beautiful, wonderful wife, on Skype most days. Some days I don't have internet, but if I do, I Skype with Phuong and Joanna. Joanna tries to put the computer in her mouth when she sees me and I talk with her on Skype. I try to put the computer in my mouth when I see Phuong and she talks with me on Skype. We're a happy family. Being away from my wife and newborn is very difficult, of course, but time is moving fast here. I've seen the lawyer, the eye doctor, family, my banker, and friends. I must do some shopping for my students in Vietnam if I still have a job when I return, and I have to get some clothes and toys for Joanna and me. I have another eye doctor visit and I bought new glasses for $1,082. Big money for bad eyes.
I saw all my children on Thanksgiving and took their photo, but one of my children said not to put the photo on the internet. Fair enough, so the photo is for my eyes only. Love my children (all five) and don't really care if people see their photo or not.
Driving is kind of a drag here. It's not as bad as the motorbikes in Vietnam, but cars and such travel much faster here, adding to the excitement and danger. In Vietnam, there are few traffic laws (that are obeyed) so there's something of anarchy on the roads. Here, there's order, but one chucklehead doing something stupid can kill lots of people because everyone travels so fast. My rental car has had some issues, but I'm still alive, so who cares.
I've been traveling and visiting constantly since I got here, but this week I'm going to chill out and shop. That means I'll spend money I don't really have. And have fun doing it.
Today, I drive from Washington, D.C., to Ohio ... about 7 hours in the car. Then the real vacation begins.
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