it is america again. it will be china in a few more weeks. our son wants to change schools from a private school in our state to a boarding school in another country. in a way, i am ok to move again, finding the current place i am living (hawaii) a bit slow and more suitable for doing nothing then trying to pursue a career or go about doing nothing. we will have to go about applying to various schools, that process has begun, and then move.  then put our apartment up for rent, then move back to shanghai. i am a bit numb with the idea of it all. to do or not to do. either seem ok. i had been planning a project here but the funding has been a bit difficult, i have been involved in a few non-profits but mainly:
1) saving a beautiful ww1 memorial, an old swimming pool, from demolition. you can see and read about it here. there is a small group of people called friends of the natatorium that i really like working with, it will be sad to leave this group.
2) have become a hospice volunteer with st. francis group. i have enjoyed the work, and feel like i have helped some people at a time that is quite hard for people to get over. normally i am helping the families, but i tend to try to put a smile on the patient. i find there are similarities in most of the patients i have had (around six) and most of them wish to not bother their loved ones and want to avoid pain at all cost. i can empathise and feel i will be very much the same.
3) a recent group i have begun to get involved with is FLOW. it is an orphanage based in cambodia who are doing all the right things, although they are getting beaten down in a society that does not consider what is right or wrong. there is some real messed up things going on in the country of cambodia right now, the leader refuses to let go of power, and corruption and the people of the society simply act and mimic in that way. i hope to help out in this group more, they are doing really helpful things to the kids in need there (teaching them english, computer skills, housing them and getting them into good public schools) it is a good group of people and the kids need the help. i can probably continue on with this group even if we leave hawaii. 
4) was working with two other groups but have been going less and less. so it the two above that i will miss.

also have some friends on the island that i will miss, but i could visit them when i come back and vacation that i suppose will happen from time to time since we own two apartments on the island. i also have a new car we bought, but might keep that in a garage somewhere, probably not at our building, although it cost alot it is garaged and would be convenient when we come to the island. not sure how long the car can sit without being used, but would try to make it back to the island every six months or so.

and there it is. my own attempt at a balance between two states, in two countries at a mid-point in life. a bit sadness but a bit of anticipation of what is too come.

on another note, one not so self-focused, saw a great movie on the flight over. a bit uncomfortable, but all good things are uncomfortable. you can see the trailer here: