Took a moment at work today to look back at the blog here and realized that it's been quite some time since I posted anything.  Life has been so busy that it's been hard to find the time to long onto any of the social networking sites at all so everything I'm a part of was out of date. 

Since I last wrote my company has continued to cut the hours for most employees so that has been a bit stressfull.  However, with the way things have been going in America I must say that I'm grateful simply to have a job, let alone a job that I enjoy.  I registered for my GMAT Math Intensive test preperation last week so that was a big weight off my mind.  I will be starting that on the 2nd of June and continuing through the summer, hopefully taking the test at the beginning of fall.  I've continue to apply for grad school visits and information, I would like to have my decision made by the time that I take the exam.

On a happier note the weather in The Twin Cities has been warm enough for daily running outdoors.  I'm back up to around 7 miles a day and I've also been playing Ultimate Frisbee 3 days per week.  It's been great to get back outside and be so physically active again, I truly believe that half of the stress we feel is due to our somewhat lethargic natures in America and I will never be one of those people.

I hope that all of you are doing well and your lives are active, healthy, and happy now.  I also wanted to let anyone of you know that I am now on Twittter at http://twitter.com/Zanzibar41 if you are interested in following my daily events.  I was a bit sceptical of the site at first but it does grow pretty addicting and it has been useful for keeping up with the family.  I thought I would close with a quote this time around so here it is and I hope you have a great day!

"I remain just one thing, and one thing only, and that is a clown.  It places me on a far higher plane than any politician"               --Charlie Chaplin

It was a great Tuesday in America this week.  For anyone who has been living under a rock for the last year we as a nation bowed our heads and swore in President Obama.  For anyone lucky enough to witness this event in person or on the extensive news coverage it was a day that none of us will ever forget.  After eight years of darkness, xenophobia, and despair we have a voice of change and reason guiding our country.  I'm proud to call myself an American for the first time in a long, long time and it feels great.  I wish President Obama all the success and happiness in the future as he guides our country, it will be a challenge but those of us who understand the sacrifices we must make are ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work!!  Here's the the future!!!!

It's been an interesting couple of days since I last posted anything here.  Weather in Minnesota has been chilly and snowy...again but it has been warm enough to get out and run so I've been continuing to train for my half marathon this Saturday.  You really haven't lived until you've been outside running in shorts when it's 18 degrees and people driving by are honking and shounting, great feeling

My tickets for the Dave Matthews Band show in TN this April came in the mail so I'm one step closer to an awesome roadtrip, it's going to be legendary for sure.  I also just found out that the weekend of the concert is also the weekend of the Nashville full and half marathon so I've got another race to train for.  Right now I'm still holding steady and trying to run my six mile and ten mile routes on alternating days, it's been tough with the weather but you just have to do the best that you can.

On another positive note, I've had a couple of the members of this site contact me so it looks like I'll be adding some friends soon which is very cool.  I do miss living in China a lot, and having this connection is like keeping a little piece of the country with me, I appreciate it, and it also reminds me of why I miss the country and want to go back.

Hope everyone is having a great week, stay warm, stay busy, and have fun.

As always it's probably important to begin a blog with a post about myself.  My name is Jeff, I'm 25 years old and from Stillwater, MN land of -30 degree temperatures and hockey .  I went to the University of Wisconsin and studied History and Communications/Public Relations.  After I graduated I spent a year teaching English in Yuyao City China and traveling around Asia and Europe.  I have one brother who is currently studying to be a lawyer, both my parents are retired and a plethora of cousins, uncles, and aunts that live to make my life interesting.  I am totally addicted to Ultimate Frisbee and the Dave Matthews Band, I will make a promise right now that most of the posts I leave here while reference one or the other.  I'm studying beginning Mandarin now that I'm back in the U.S., I was too busy having fun in China to work on the language and I'm preparing for Graduate School.  My goal is to work in a field that will either allow me to travel back to China regularly, or move there long-term.  I miss green tea and dance clubs and going out to McDonalds as a special treat instead of as an everyday thing.  I miss bicylce taxis and karaoke rooms, I was the American champion among my Chinese friends.  Right now I'm working for Target Corporation in their Transportation department and soaking up all the knowledge I can about air, land, and sea transport.  I also play the cello, piano, guitar, harmonica, and am trying to learn the Chinese flute, it's been quite an experience.  I'm a dedicated long distance runner, looking forward to completing my first back-to-back marathon weekend this summer, it's not about the time you post, it's all about the race you run.

I guess that pretty much covers me in a nutshell, I'm easy to get along with, fun to hang out with, and most likely frustrating to understand .  There will be more but for right now that is it, outside we have two feet of snow and it's not that cold so time to bust out and head to Afton Alps for some snowboarding!!  Take care everyone and of course, Happy 2009!