Doesn’t that title (Bachelor Survivor) sound like the latest reality TV show/contest?  What if you just combined all of the them?   Here’s what mine would be called:

Big Brother’s Bachelor Apprentice Meets Survivor’s Amazing Race Mole in the Real World 7’s Fear Factor Road Rules American Idol.

Now I’m going to get all kinds of crazy hits on the blog!?!  That fact would drive me crazy IF I was going to be around to obsess over it.  But I’m not.

I’m heading to Beijing (again) tomorrow. This will be the second time this summer that I’ve flown there.  The good news is that I’m going there to meet Christa, Anna, Sarah, and the in-laws.

Yippee!  I survived my month of solitary bachelor-dom in Xining.  Some people didn’t think it was possible, but (with the help of instant noodles) I did it.  You remember the things I said I was going to do.  Well, I did some of them.

Here are the ones that I crossed off my list:

• Avoid unnecessary responsibility at any cost. I basically had no responsibilities this month and I stuck to my guns.  No agenda, no schedule, no real pressing need to do much of anything.  (This was the antithesis of my wife’s calendar this month.)  The days I actually left the apartment (for more than 5 minutes to feed the neighbors fish) were the days I patted myself on the back and said, "Good job, Mr. Motivation."  Most days were spent in front of this computer screen…
• Write a novel/story/collection of essays.  I can cross this one off–sort of.  I started my story and it’s coming along nicely.  I’d say I finished the first long chapter of it (20 pages or so).  Starting is the hardest part and staying motivated is even harder, so I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished.  I didn’t burn myself out and I didn’t let Herr Critic get the best of me.   I also did some revision of an older story which I feel really good about.  Kudos, to me!
• Refine my abilities in playing the air-guitar, lip synching, and posing in front of the bathroom mirror. I didn’t need much practice at this one.
• Take the new train route from (Shanghai to Xining) Xining to Lhasa.  I don’t think you can even buy tickets from Xining to Lhasa right now.  It’s booked out for the next month or so, I’m sure.  I had my train experience though.
• Fulfill a slightly insane fantasy I’ve had for some time now to watch Peter Jackson’s (uncut, extended scene version of) The Lord of the Rings straight through from beginning to end.  Nothing more impressive than that bachelor feat. I’m proud of my self.
• Cry a lot because I miss my family so much. (Well, I didn’t cry, but I did miss them a lot.  I was sad, but I don’t think I cried.)
• Read great books.  Watch a TON of movies.  I only read one or two books this month and I don’t think either of them were what I would call great.  I made up for it by watching a LOT of movies.  I don’t necessarily RECOMMEND all of these movies, but I watched all of them (about a movie a day considering I didn’t return home until the 8th or something):
  • The Lord of the Rings (again)
  • Cast Away (again)
  • Spider Man (again)
  • Spider Man 2 (again)
  • X-Men (again)
  • X-Men 2 (again)
  • Catwoman (I’m embarassed I watched this, but I like movies made from comic books.)
  • The Punisher
  • Ju Dou
  • Not One Less
  • The Road Home
  • Raise the Red Lantern
  • Kill Bill 1
  • Kill Bill 2
  • Lock, Stock, and 2 Smoking Barrels
  • Man on Fire
  • V is For Vendetta
  • Elizabethtown
  • Elling
  • Brazil (again)
  • Aeon Flux
  • 12 Monkeys (again)
  • Monster’s Ball
  • Hearts in Atlantis
• Blog  Faithfully, did this one.
• Massacre the Chinese language. So, the original goal was "Master Chinese language". So what!  Today I was asking our house helper for help with simple words I learned a year ago!  Oh well, at least I know how to ask for these words in Chinese now.
• Enjoy the silence. I definitely did enjoy it, but now I’m ready for some NOISE!

Bring back the Noise, family.  Just bring the NOISE!  (Thanks to everyone for keeping me company and for sending me mac n’ cheese and other goodies for sustenance…Couldn’t have done it without ya.)