13

So, my oldest stepson, N, is thirteen. I am absolutely loving watching him go through what he is going through. Except for one thing. The boys actually style their hair these days with flatirons and hairspray, etc. That seems a little much. So, N, wants to grow his hair out. His mom and dad agreed on a sort of compromise. For the summer, he got to keep the bangs long, but had the back shaved into a summer cut more appropriate to his activities (Did I mention he inherited his tendency to sweat after 30 seconds in the sun from his father. Long hair is not great in the summer for people like this) And of course, then there is my rule. No hair in the eyes. Drives me crazy. So, now it's all growing out and swept to the side and is looking rather Flock of Seagullsish.

And, he's loving black. Gone are the must have Abercrombie Ts from last year, replaced by the lone black T shirt he has at our house. An ACDC concert T purchased from WalMarts hip throwback T-shirt line. All this makes me want to hug him more, not less. He is entering the teenage phase, the get away from me phase. And I just want to hold his hand.

High Heels or No High Heels

Okay, so I'm a little style challenged. I love pretty clothes, but my life calls for mainly casual, whether at work or at play. In fact, sometimes my life calls for not just casual, but the kind of clothes you save for doing housework. The holy jeans. The stained T-shirt. So, when I go on a customer visit or potential customer visit I try my best. I put on one of my power suits and high heels as you do when you are dressing to impress.

See the picture above? This is usually what happens when I wear the heels. Let's take a tour of the foundry someone says or they ask "Would you like to see the foundry?" What am I going to say? No? It's the whole reason I'm there. In South Korea in this case.

So, we go and I curse every step that I didn't wear at least my flats, but in reality, my steel toe boots. Have you ever packed those things? If I did every time, I would be able to fit maybe one pair of pants, one shirt and a pair of underwear along side. Not enough for the rough and tumble of Asian travel, where you spend long hours in the car. But, I wish I had my steel toe boots because I am the equivalent of a flight attendent who is afraid to fly. Foundries scare the crap out of me. Truthfully. I can handle the dirt, the mountains of dirt and darkness. It's the cranes whizzing past and in truth the metal being melted and poured that makes me want to turn and run. But I don't mostly. After all, it's hard to run in heels.

I know there are other ladies in similar jobs that have probably solved the heel or no heel question but I'm not there yet.

Dalian, China

I was in China a couple of weeks ago and it was pretty awesome. Beijing actually had really blue, clear skies. The sun was out, the air was cool. Being outside there was like a gift. Last time I was there was in Spring 2006 and the desert dust was blowing down from the north (?) and you couldn't walk without your hand over your face. So, it was a lovely change.

I traveled to Dalian this time, a coastal city I'd never been to before. It is truly the loveliest Chinese city I have visited so far. Green and clean and hilly with a mix of European style architecture and the signature Chinese neon pizzaz. It was such a great day. Evidently centuries ago, foregners came to China and cities like Dalian that were on the water and colonized them. When I hear these stories I just try to imagine what it would be like to go to Asia if you had not only never been before but in many cases hadn't heard anything about it. Its an awe I can't fathom but try to imagine. I think it might be like that if I were to travel to the upper EuroAsian countries of Bangladesh or Kazhakstan.

It felt so different to be in a coastal city in China. When I travel inland to places like Qiqhar or Xingtai for work I feel so insulated from the world. These cities feel like villages that might as well be surrounded by walls. I know they are aware of the outside, current world, or I wouldn't be there, but the feeling is like you could be on the edge of the world.