Kansas

8 November 2012 - 28 January 2013

We buried my father and put my mother in a home.  I stayed for three months in the family home where I grew up.  I visited my mom most every day to assist with her adjustment to her new life.  I also took on two projects: one, to clean the basement, and two, to do the paperwork for a VA pension application.

During my time there, I gained some weight back, all of it around my belt.  Perhaps due to the cold weather. Or perhaps it's true what they say, that American food is so engineered there's no nutrition left in it, and the human body has no idea what to do with it.

I also took the opportunity to gear up.  I got a new phone, a Nexus 4, and a new computer, an Asus 11.4 Win 8 machine - something between a netbook and an ultrabook.  Also replaced my headphones with earbuds, bought a small universal powerstrip, an HDMI cable, and a battery charger.

Also bought some new Ex Officio travel clothes.  Most clothing is cheaper in Asia, but certain specialty items are hard to get.

When buying a phone for Asia, make certain it is unlocked GSM.  Verizon phones won't work.

The nice thing about shopping in America is you can return stuff you don't like.  In Indonesia I found generally once you pay for it, it's yours.  I bought some Dr Dre earbuds in Bali, hated the sound quality, but could not take them back, so I just threw them away.  

Favorite things about America: margaritas and chips and salsa.