A Krabi Birthday Weekend

I've been fortunate to have had very wonderful birthday celebrations in the past, but I have to admit, going to Krabi, Thailand for my 23rd birthday might take the cake.

On Thursday night, I got pretty nervous as the weather reports called for bad weather all weekend, including "torrential rain." I guess this is to be expected as it is apparently rainy season there at the moment (yeah, I hadn't looked that up before booking the trip).

So as Friday rolls around, I'm fully expecting a miserable weather weekend in what's supposed to be a gorgeous place. Luckily, when we got there on Friday, it was cloudy, but not really raining. I was amazed when we got to the hotel. For the amount we paid, there is NO way we could have stayed somewhere like that in the US.

We scampered out of the hotel and into a tuk tuk (motorbike taxis where the passenger seating is next to the bike and driver). To walk to the town is about fifteen minutes, by tuk tuk, it's two minutes and a dollar per person - so, well worth it. The Ao Nang beach town is relatively small, but perfect for what we wanted. Lots of restaurants, easy access to look at the water and plenty of tour companies to help out. After a nice late lunch of pineapple fried rice and spring rolls, we set out to book a trip for the next day.

After talking to our fifth tour company, we picked our Saturday activity - a full day boat trip to the Phi Phi Islands! I had heard how beautiful they were and the tour package made a lot of sense. The only thing to worry about was of course the weather.

Friday night, we had an awesome dinner at this place called Jeanette's. We had a pad thai (have to in Thailand right?) and chicken wrapped in banana leaves. The food was so goooood! Plus, it was white meat chicken-this may not seem like too much of a big deal, but the majority of chicken served in Singapore is all dark meat. So, this was a really pleasant surprise. The whole restaurant was great, beautiful atmosphere, nice staff and it was really inexpensive.

So, we woke up bright and early on Saturday morning to go on our day trip. The clouds were out, but I held out hope. As we start heading out toward the first island (about 40 minutes away), our tour guide tells us 28 passengers that it's high tide and the water would be very choppy. Boy was it! We were bouncing up and down, water splashing into the boat. I thought for sure Miss Amanda wouldn't be able to handle it, but she did really well. As we head further from Krabi, the weather got better and better. By the time we were at Bamboo island, it was all sunshine! The first island was pretty nice, but nothing spectacular, still the water was very nice.

The second stop was more of just something to see - the Viking Cave. I wasn't really paying attention to what the tour guide was saying, but it was still cool to look at.

The third stop was breathtaking and easily my favorite. After passing beautiful rock formations, the boat stops in the middle of a lagoon, surrounded by these gorgeous rocks. The water was as teal as it could possibly be. I took my birthday leap into the lagoon and the water was simply perfect. It was really paradise. The Lagoon was probably the highlight of the trip for me - it's just so beautiful and to be there with Amanda was exactly what I wanted for my birthday.

We tried to make it over to Maya Bay, the site where Leo Dicaprio's "The Beach" was filmed, but the water was waaaaaaaay to choppy. To be very honest, I was a little nervous the boat would tip over. After abandoning that plan, we headed for Phi Phi Don. The main tourist island of the Phi Phi Islands. There the tour group had lunch over looking the water. After, we explored the town a bit. Lots of shops, food stands, etc. After not really knowing what to do, we made it to the main beach. It really was very pretty, but really busy. It's hard to imagine what it would be like in the peak season.

The tour made one more stop to go snorkeling. The water was really clear and pretty. Saw a little bit of coral and some yellow and blue fish. That wrapped up a lovely tour day and then it was back to the hotel.

Saturday night, Amanda and I shared a pizza for dinner. The coolest part was that we were sat at table number 23 - how perfect was that? We didn't even realize it until halfway through the meal. For dessert we got fried banana with ice cream, not quite as good, but still nice.

Sunday was a bit tough to plan for. With a flight at four and not sure what it would be like at the airport, we decided not to do any more tours. We did have a very nice lunch in food heaven though. I mean seriously, all the food was so good, service was great and we never spent more than $15 US for any meal for the both of us.

To close out the trip, we went to this massage place where you put your feet into the water with a bunch of small fish. They bite at your feet to clean them off. It tickled so bad! I just could not stop laughing for about two minutes. After that though, it was kind of like having bubbles around your feet.

So, that's my Krabi weekend in paradise. I had a blast and can't wait to go back to Thailand soon!

Michael

My New Roommate

It's hard to believe Amanda has been here for almost three weeks already! At the risk of sounding completely cliche, it's like a new chapter of my Singapore adventure has opened up.

Seeing Singapore Part 2

With Amanda in town, I feel like it's my job to show her the city. So, in a way, I get to see all of my favorite parts all over again! Its been interesting to see how Amanda reacts to Chinatown, Little India, Arab Street, our neighborhood, etc. I definitely haven't seen all this city has to offer, so for me, it's another chance to explore. She seems to be dealing with the culture shock in her own way. I think it's funny what she notices versus what I had.

I have to admit, she already exceeded my expectations by landing a job in the first week she was here! It's crazy impressive, plus her office is right smack dab in the middle of the Central Business District - think downtown, big city. Unfortunately, our off days wont always match up, but that's the danger of working in tv.

NBA Cares Event

I got my first reporting event here late in June. Five NBA players came to Singapore for a Basketball Without Borders camp, and I loved covering it. As much as I love producing, sometimes I miss getting out of the office and trying to make a story. Well, this event gave me the opportunity. The players visited a children's home and also hosted a skills camp for high school aged kids. With all the talk about LeBron, Dwyane Wade and the other huge free agents and the big money out there, it was nice to see these NBA players taking time out to visit kids and help extend the game across the world.

4th of July

I had no idea what to expect for my first 4th here in the little red dot, but I was pleasantly surprised. On the 3rd, Amanda and I went to a big American Association event. We got there just in time for fireworks, then had dinner (burgers, beer, classic Americana). It was really nice. The next day we celebrated America's independence in classic fashion - visiting the Singapore National History Museum and then eating Mexican food at the taco bar nearby ;)

End of World Cup

So for the last month, I've been completely consumed by the World Cup, and I've loved every second of it. I watched in 2006, but this was very different. I know a lot of the players now, the background stories, the histories, all of that stuff that makes it more enjoyable. Plus, it's great at work considering that without it, we'd just have the dead of summer. The highlight for me has to be watching the USA's last game in group stage against Algeria while at work. With the Americans on the verge of elimination, Landon Donovan scored in extra time in a last gasp effort. I immediately got out of my seat and ran through the office as if I'd scored. I was so happy-it's easily one of the best sports moments of my life. I feel like it's something that will be in my memory bank forever.

To wrap up the WC, I went with two of my co-workers to Singapore's Dutch Club. I mean, it was the perfect place to watch Holland vs Spain. The only issue is that after working a 12 hour shift, staying up for a 2:30 AM kickoff is quite difficult. I ended up almost falling asleep at the end of the first half. So, I rushed home and got in front of my tv. While I hate to admit this, I ended up falling asleep around the 80th minute, only to wake up at the very end as the Spanish were celebrating. Still, I loved the WC and am now sorely disappointed that it will be 4 years till the next one. In 2006, I was in Columbia working at Hillel to try and get in state residency. I wonder how my life will be different in 4 years-we shall see.

Coolest Work Moment

Over the weekend, I had the coolest jaw dropping moment of any tv related thing. Friday night, they asked me to be on SC Week in Review to talk about the LeBron James signing, WC, tennis, etc. Two days later I get this post from a girl I went to elementary school with :

"Hey there old friend! Did I just see you on ESPN sport center talking about world cup awards?!?! I'm in Bangladesh right now and have no idea which country's espn gets broadcasted here, but I'm positive it was you that I saw. I'm glad to see you are doing so well after all these years!"

How crazy is that?!?!?! I really couldn't believe it. You all know how happy I am with this job and this just reaffirmed my appreciation for it. I mean, I didn't even realize the show went out there! Plus, this friend moved away before middle school. I don't think we'd talked for maybe 10 years. Plus, it's surprising she was able to recognize me after all this time. It really put a huge smile on my face.

Well, we're off to Thailand this weekend for my birthday! This will be my second big trip and I've been looking forward to it for quite some time. A full blog will follow.

Y'all come back now ya here!

Michael

Catching Up

It's been more than a month since my last post, so now is as good of a time as any to catch up on the blog.

I've now been in Singapore for almost seven months! But let's stay with the last one for now.

Golf

My buddy Ari and I went golfing at this amazing course in Indonesia called Ria Bintan. The place was stellar. The weather turned out to be perfect and all in all, it was a great day.
I'm stil not so good at the whole get the small white ball into the hole, but it was well worth it. The course is stunning, with holes right along the beach. Majestic is the word that comes to mind.

Grouping Up

My good friend Tamar came back to Singapore for a visit early in June. Having her back was great, as the crew was together again. Shabbat dinner that week was really something with everyone there.

SportsCenter

Two weeks ago, I got my first on camera time here by helping out with our SportsCenter Week In Review program. For me, this is a dream come true. The show is a round table format where we talk about, as you might guess, the week that was in sports. As much fun as I had on the show, I had an even better time the next day. A group of friends came over to watch the show. We had pizza, chips and guacamole, fruit and it was topped off by champagne that Alex brought. The past two Fridays I've gotten to do the show, mostly talking about baseball and basketball, but I chip in on the other sports as well. I'm getting more and more comfortable with the show. Hopefully, they'll keep asking me to be a guest.

Setting Sail

My friend Angela had an amazing birthday party at the New Asia Bar...this club at the top of a huge skyscraper. It was boat themed and I had a really great time, met some new people, and all in all just had a blast.

The Month in Sports

Sports wise, this has been an amazing month. Baseball has been amazing - the "Imperfect Game," Ken Griffey Jr. retiring and Stephen Strasburg's debut. The NBA Finals were as good as they get. The classic Boston-LA rivalry went seven games and ended with a real classic to finish them. It was great.

However, I've easily been most excited about the World Cup. Felix and I ordered the viewing package here and it's been awesome. The Americans are giving me quite a scare, but hopefully they'll pull it out and advance to the knockout stages.

Last night, a group of us went to watch the games at a big touristy area called Sentosa. We had dinner at this Irish pub and then after, my friend Natalie got us VIP seats at this massive viewing party. It was so cool, plus, after the game they had a spot on Michael Jackson impersonator. It was really crazy how much he looked and moved like him. After we went to this big bar for Yosel's (one of the Chabad boys) 21st birthday. It was really a blast!

Well, that's about it for a great month. I haven't been eating much in the way of new foods, but I'm trying to eat healthier at home - lots of salad, fruit juice, all that good stuff.

Amanda is coming here on Thursday! The days can't come fast enough.

Alrighty, that's all for now, hopefully it wont be another month before my next post.

Happy Father's Day everyone!

Michael

A Year in the Life

Somehow, I still can't fathom that only a year ago, I was getting ready for graduation. I had zero idea what was next, and yet, I've had one of the most important years of my life. In 12 months, I've worked at three different television stations, lived in three different cities and made one giant decision. Honestly, I can say I wouldn't change any of it.

After graduating last year, I had an incredible summer in Columbia. My friend Kevin likes to call it our summer of fun-employment and that's exactly what it was. About four of my best friends and I just bro-ed out all summer. We played lots and lots of tennis, some golf here and there, watched tennis, golf, USA soccer and the NBA playoffs - of course all this while also working at KOMU and sending off job applications. That summer in Columbia will be one of those things I'm think about when I'm 45 and talking about the good ole days. One of the best highlights of that summer was of finishing a night of tennis and learning I had a niece! I drove home the next day.

I couldn't have asked for a better way to wrap up that summer - a cruise to Mexico with Amanda's family. It's so funny to think now that I almost didn't go on the cruise. What was I thinking?

Right after getting back from the vacation, like magic, I started getting some bites on job stuff. After a month or so of looking and a couple of interviews later, I started working as a freelance sports reporter and news producer for KTEN. While I only worked in Texoma for about two months, I think it really developed my understanding of local tv news. Not only did I make some good friends, but I was lucky enough to cover the first college football game at Cowboys Stadium and also the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl (both dreams of mine).

Then came the big break. A year ago, I never could have imagined this is where I would be. I mean, how could I? All my life, I've said reporting sports is what I'd love to do, and here it was, the chance of a lifetime. Saying all this now, doesn't quite tell the whole story though.
Of all the interviews, I was easily the most nervous during my one with ESS. Funny enough, I thought the opportunity was gone. Then, I got the phone call from Sharon and was ecstatic. Still, moving to the other side of the world? It wasn't the easiest decision, but it's been one of the best I've ever made.

Pretty much since day one here, I've had a hard time believing that this is actually my life. I'm getting to live my dream each and everyday, and I'm looking forward to it only getting better and better.

It's been a fairytale year from me, and I know none of it would be possible without the support I get from Amanda, my family and friends. Everyday, I think about the fortunate things that have happened for me, but also the kindness people have shown to make those things happen. Thank you to all of you for your love and support.

There's a year in the life, here's looking forward to the next one.

Michael

Busing Penang Bro-Style

FRIDAY MORNING (48 minutes before the flight)

6:12 AM - I call Alex, no answer. I'm pretty nervous.

6:13 AM - Alex calls, "Man, I'm so sorry, my alarm didn't go off. I'm getting ready right now, I'll be there."

6:18 AM - (Me)"It's okay, I've checked you in. You just have to be here by 6:45 latest.)

6:35 AM - Alex walks through terminal doors. It's time to book it to our plane. Oh boy, we get there right in time. Talk about starting a vacation on the clock haha.

Going to Penang, Malaysia with my buddy Alex was fantastic! He's traveled quite a bit, and it helped me quite a bit to go with him, seeing as this was my first real trip in SE Asia.

DAY 1

After our exciting start, the rest of the day was just about going with the flow. We started by hanging out on the beach. After, we went down to Georgetown, the more colonial section of Penang. There were lots of beautiful temples down here and cool colonial buildings as well. After a nice lunch in Little India, we hung out in a very cool shop house full of beautiful glass work. For dinner, we ate at a Lebanese restaurant with excellent hummus. We then walked around the night market for a bit. We wrapped up the night by getting massages (I'd never gone for anything like that).

DAY 2

Our first day was pretty tiring (5 AM wakeup, didn't go to bed til 1 AM), so we took it easy in the morning. Despite waking up pretty late, this was my favorite day. That's because we saw the one thing on top of my list, Kek Lok Si. This Buddhist temple in Penang is the biggest in southeast Asia. It was stunning. There's no other way to put it. I couldn't believe how much detail was in every structure, every piece of art. Plus, the temple is situated high on a hill, so that allowed for beautiful views of Penang. The Kuan Yin statue may have been the highlight for me. It was massive, but not only that, the columns around it were stellar. Each had such fine artistry on it.

After our trip to Kek Lok Si, we hopped on a bus and just decided to pick something out. We ended up going into a mall to look for something, and stayed there to eat dinner at a Chinese place in the mall. We then saw "Iron Man 2" for a whopping $3 US! I couldn't believe how cheap it was to see it. I know, it seems weird to go all the way to another country and then watch a movie, but Alex's point was correct - we're on holiday, if you want to do something, do it. I really enjoyed the movie and it was a great way to wrap up the day.

DAY 3

Well, with only one more day in Penang, we wanted to get in our three remaining sites - the Tropical Spice Garden, the Snake Temple and the Penang Bridge. We went three for three.

The spice garden was beautiful. Lots of beautiful flowers and nice paths, however, I didn't really smell too many spices. I guess I just thought it'd be easier to get the smell of the ginger, basil, etc.

The Snake Temple was the only disappointment for the trip. After a long bus ride (made worse by the fact that we missed our stop and had to walk all the way back on a heavy trafficked road) we finally got to the temple. I am very scared of snakes, have been since I was a kid. Turns out, there was nothing to be afraid of here though. The only snakes they had inside the temple were in this little tree basket thing, and they looked fake! The signs said they were real, but none of them moved. On the bright side, on the way there we drove by the Penang Bridge (very impressive).

So, again we took the bus, not really knowing where we were headed. As we were passing Georgetown, I saw a restaurant someone had suggested to us called QE-II, and what a suggestion it was! This was the best place to really just relax. As you might know, I fashion myself as a pizza aficionado.
I love to try pizza wherever I go. On the way in, we saw them making a pizza in a wood-fire grill and it looked so good. Decision made. We first ordered a pizza with buffalo mozzarella and cherry tomatoes-a bit more fancy pants than normal for me, but well worth it. I loved it more and more with each delicious bite. It was definitely the best pizza I've had in SE Asia (to be fair though, haven't had too many in Singapore). After mauling the first one, we got a second, but this time we ordered the four cheese one. I think I liked the first one a bit more, but Alex preferred the second. It really doesn't matter, both were great.

To top it all off though, Alex ordered a dessert called profiteroles. All I can say is that after the first bite, I literally almost fell off the chair. I've never had anything like that! It was easily one of the best desserts I've ever had.

We finished the night off by going to the night market once again. I picked up two soccer jerseys that I thought were cool (World Cup is almost here!). The next morning, we headed back to Singapore.

It was truly a great bro-cation. The only problem, I'm already wondering, what's next?

Michael

Back Where I Come From

I’m going to try and pack a lot of great stuff in this blog. Hopefully, it’ll all make sense.

Flights to the US

Coming back to the US was such a different experience. I decided to stay up the night before I left, in hopes that would switch my schedule. (In fact the weekend before could have been a whole blog in itself- great nights out, wakeboarding and finding the only place in Singapore to get gum stuck on your shoe-those will have to be for another time though).

Well, it seemed to work. I had a bit of reverse culture shock when I got into Chicago’s airport though. It was weird hearing so many American accents, plus realizing I had no US money in my pocket, and on top of that, I was no longer the distinct minority. It felt so odd-I’d never even thought of culture shock on the return. Side note- the hallway at the Chicago Airport is so cool (made me feel like Kevin in the Home Alone movie).

Missouri

Getting to see Amanda made the loads of traveling worth it. Even though we only had roughly four days together, it was really great.

Highlights: Great nature walk on Tuesday with Amanda through a trail by her apartment, spending some great time with my buddy Max and his girlfriend Kelley, my friend Lauren coming in for St. Louis, catching up with everyone from AEPi, my trips to KOMU and of course the FOOD (American diet at its finest- Shakespeare’s Pizza , chokes ‘n cheese, beer and pretzel at Flatbranch, breakfast at Ernie’s with the shooter, two home cooked meals by Amanda, massive Chipotle burrito, man was it all awesome).

On a whole different level, was Thursday night in Columbia. Amanda and I met up with a whole group of friends at Harpo’s (my favorite college bar). Let’s just say the night reminded me of a traditional college night. After plenty of fun, Max, Kelley, our buddy Zach, Amanda and I all headed to “The Diner.” The food was perfect for that time of night- I got something called a flat top- hash browns, scrambled eggs, veggies and cheese with a side of wheat toast-sooooooo good. The night was just a perfect end to the Columbia trip. I saw so many old friends, but more importantly, spent quality time with the girfie.




Dallas

Coming back home was phenomenal. I really tried to make the most of my week there. Easily crammed two weeks worth of visiting into a week.

Highlights: Being home for Friday night dinner, spending lots of time with my adorable niece and nephew, watching “4 Christmases” with David and Melissa ;), my two rounds of golf (of course counting the Sunday brunch in there), all the great conversations with my grandparents, having the “best pizza in Dallas” with Zack (it was very good, a bit too fancy for me, but still really good), big family fajita dinner, again all the food (not even going to start to detail how much I ate), seeing my friend Jordan’s one man play, catching up with Frances and Tracy, but most of all, just seeing all of my family and spending time with everyone as much as I could.

Best Quote : My nephew Aaron saying, “I want you to sing to me on da computer” (nowadays he’s used to seeing me on skype haha)

Best Story: My buddy Mike came in from Austin for a day and we did quite a bit- casino, Bone Daddy’s, golf and Pei Wei. The highlight (or down point depending on how you see it haha) was going to the Choctaw Casino on Monday night. They’ve opened up a brand new hotel equipped with a whole extra casino floor. After quite a trip to find the blackjack tables, we sat down for what can only be described as a pure beating. I’m not a great gamble. I admit my moves are never very good, but this was just a bad night. I don’t know how many hands we played, but in total I got three 20s, and won only once. I must have been dealt a hand of 12-15 at least 10 times (all seemingly very close together). I mean, I tried to be smart, sat out a couple hands after continuously losing, didn’t over bet- well, none of it worked. We’ll just say I made a nice contribution to the casino’s new amenities.

The best part of our time at the table, and maybe what made it all worth it was this guy that sat down with us. I could say lots of mean things about his appearance, but let’s just say he looked a bit disheveled. After a few hands, he just starts ripping on their 50 cent ante system. Mike seeing an opportunity, enjoyed pushing this guy’s buttons, and the man was happy to oblige. At one point, the guy started telling us how he hated the casino, everyone in it and he’s only here because of his girlfriend (if that’s true, why was he betting so much?). This is not even close to the highlight though. After a bit more prodding from Mike, the guy just goes on a rant (loosely quoted), “I hate this casino and everyone who works here (at which point a worker kind of defends herself, he doesn’t buy in, basically tells her he hates her). I mean honestly, I’d love to burn this place down. Just wait til Rick Perry’s gone and we’ll have a casino and Texas and this’ll be a ghost town. I mean that ante, really? I wish I could burn this place down.” It was so funny, Mike kept laughing, I’m just sitting there, stunned at this guy. Boy oh boy, I forgot how much I missed America’s finest.


All in all, I had a fantastic trip home. I had about 11 days to work with, and I was busy from sun up until sun down. I could easily have written about all of the awesome food (the pictures will have to do), or expanded on all the adventures, however, the point seems to get across. As much as I enjoyed home, it also gave me even more confidence I made the right decision by coming to Singapore. I feel very fortunate to be doing a job I love, plus having the opportunity to see a different side of the world.

Still, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Thanks to everyone for making it such a great trip home,

Michael

Is that Charoset or Honey?

It's official-I survived Passover in Singapore. This was a completely new experience for me, but a good one.

For Seders, I went both nights to the synagogue, where they put on big community Seders each night. The reading of the Haggadah was definitely different, especially the part where on of the Chabad boys came out in a bright green from speed skating like suit. It was a lot of fun and the food was very nice. I will say though, Sefardi charoset to me seems like honey with tiny little bits of apple.

Now to the food, of course the most important part, I decided to eat rice this year. They served it at the synagogue, so I figured, if the big guy upstairs is okay with these religious people eating it, I bet he's okay with me eating it.

I also didn't keep super strict restrictions this year as the Kosher options here are limited. My big goal was not too eat bread. It's harder than you think even though most Asian foods don't have bready items. The problem is that I often make peanut butter sandwiches for lunch or dinner-not an option for that week.

I did make myself matzah pizza pretty often, and I really enjoyed it. Cooking wise, I tried my hand at Matzah brie. My first attempt was not so good, far too much egg. The next try was much better as my matzah to egg proportion was much better. The other thing I realized this Pesach - I love chocolate milk. I drank at least a glass or two everyday.

All in all, Passover was very good. However, this was also one of the hardest I've ever had. For the first time in my life, I was away from family for Seders. I wrote a big long sappy email to my parents about that- let's just sum it up by saying I missed my family, the amazing food they'd be having and simply, how easy it's been for me to keep Passover thanks to my mishpachah. Being on my own is good though. It's a chance to grow and figure out what the holiday means to me. In the end, I figured out that the Pesach is a combination of two things for me. First, it's a test for me to show my commitment to my beliefs. Second, Passover is about who you are surrounded with. Hopefully, the answer is people you love and/or those you want to share memories with.

Pesach 2010 is in the books, with a check mark.

Sports wise- this is one of the best times of year. The Masters is getting underway, we had an AMAZING finish to the college basketball season, soccer is wonderful at the moment (Champions league {Lionel Messi is absolutely magical}, BPL title race), NBA is getting closer to the playoffs and we also had baseball opening day. I love it all.

Next week, I'll be in Missouri! I'm very excited to see the girfie (I know how much she loves that nickname), plus lots of other friends. Then, it's off to Texas to visit all the family.

I think for the moment, Dayenu!

Michael