This post kinda feels like a lame opening act for a great band. It’s here because the masses (I delude myself) expect something, so ta-da. You’re expecting Bruce Springsteen, but you’re getting some dude from the local college campus who writes love songs dedicated to his favorite anime character. Sorry. You get what you pay for, and this [mess] is free.

I have a full queue of drafts waiting to be polished and published. Some of them just need pictures. I’ve been places, done things, adopted a puppy, bathed my laptop in Sprite. Panic attacked, I took it to the Apple store, which sent it to Taipei to MacBook ICU, and I am now waiting to hear back to find out if it’s terminal or repairable. Until I have it back, no pictures. And what’s a blog post without pictures? Boring, most of the time. Like golf on TV. Or like standing in the sold-out arena, waiting for Bruce Springsteen, and there’s elevator music playing while the roadies set up.

There’s a filler post I’ve had finished for a while that’s waiting to be published on an occasion such as this. It’s not earth-shatteringly awesome like my normal posts are, but it’ll fill the void.

So yeah, I have a puppy, and a post (or two. or five.) will be dedicated to her existence as a Sprite-spilling, phone-cord-chewing, disgusting-things-eating, adorable addition to my life. She’s a handful, but she’s wonderful. No one wants to read about puppies without seeing pictures, so those posts will have to wait.

I’ll be making a trip to the States, primarily for my grandfather’s 90th birthday, in March. The epicenter of fun, Indiana, is where I plan on getting a haircut, making a pilgrimmage to Victoria’s Secret, and eating Taco Bell at least once. We’ll spend late nights catching up around the kitchen table while drinking beverages intended for over-21ers. At least, I will be. I don’t know what the rest of my family is planning on doing.

Until then, I get to battle a sinus infection bombarding the left side of my face and train Charlotte to quit eating other animals’ [stuff]. Whoever said expat life was glorious and sparkly never flicked dried excrement out of her dog’s mouth with a discarded straw found nearby. Oh yeah. Let that visual fester in your brain for a few minutes.

Overall, life is good. I’m blessed. This winter hasn’t been as harsh as last year’s, and no matter how cold the winter, there’s a springtime ahead. And this spring, and the following summer, are going to be fantastic.