Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.

Ok so for now the rest of the Thailand trip will have to wait to be posted. I know I am falling horribly behind, but...sorry.

For those that didn't know I visited home for a wedding. I left Busan, South Korea at 2:15 pm on Sept. 12th and got into Kansas City, MO at 6:30 pm on Sept. 12th (same day). I had two lay-overs that were 1.5 hours each, one in Tokyo and the other in Chicago. I am lacking (once again) all creativity in writing so here is the run down of my trip home A.K.A. "The Blur". ( I'm going to keep a running total of time awake to time there just so you can see why I was unable to form sentences when you saw me in the states or when I got back to ROK)

Woke up at 6:30 am on Friday the 11th and went to school. Came home, got the dog and the bags, got in a car-for-hire and headed to Jangsan (15 minutes by car 1 hour by bus away). This is where I stayed up all night except for a 1.5 hours nap around 5 am saturday.

22.5 awake-24 total hours (th)

Did some last minute shopping for some friends and finished the packing. 11 am got in a cab and headed to the airport shuttle bus. Made sure I was going to get to the airport in plenty of time to check in and get through immigration. Got to the airport around 12:15 and was checked in and through immigration by 12:30. Now what?? No internet (alien number wasn't working), girl sitting next to me talking as if she was in the club trying to make sure her friend could hear her (Americans, geez). Got on the plane and peace out ROK.

No napping on plane #1 and left for Chicago at 5 pm local time.

33-34.5

Watch a few of movies (The Proposal, Yes Man, Easy Virtue, and the Hangover), read some of the Alchemist, ate 1 of 2 meals(too turbulent for the second one), drank 3 pops, and took a couple 30 minute naps.

Landed at Chicago around 4pm (CST) 6am on Sunday for Korea time

44.5-47.5

Got into MCI in Kansas City at 6:30 pm CST and no napping on the plane. I was talking to a guy that is from KC but is living in London for work and was coming back for a work visit. He was maybe late 20s' and it was a nice conversation...the other flights I talked to no one (mostly bc they were asleep or didn't speak English)

47-50

A friend from my days at NCCC in Chanute, KS (TJ) picked me up at the airport, went to dinner, visited an old coach, tried some Soju, and Omegled (google Omegle) for a couple of hours before I finally went to bed at midnight.

52.5-55.5

I was wide awake 2 hours later and sayed awake

52.5-57.5

Had Sonic for breakfast and headed back to the airport to head to Dallas, Texas. No sleep on the plane and got in at 10:30am.

61- 66

Jane (friend from school in Texas that I played volleyball with) picked me up, we got some taquitos and met up with some other friends from school that I climbed with. Freebirds (google it)...enough said. Said by to Jane and left for Commerce, TX with Kat and Brian. Took a 30 minute nap before the dinner and sea shell drilling. Woke up at 6 pm ready to go.

68-73.5

We headed out to Cameron and Emily (a couple that is a bit older than us that have a house just outside of Commerce with a slackline, fire pit, and bouldering wall in their garage) where Kat, Brian, Cameron, Emily, Steven, John, Mike, Bradley, and I spent the evening eating hotdogs, cheese (me), drilling sea shells (we all slayed atleast one sea shell), drinking soju and black berry wine, and watching climbing videos. Headed home around10 or so.

72-77.5

We watched a movie and talked a bit before I fell asleep around midnight or so.

74-79.5

Woke up around 4:30am and stayed awake till 7:30am or so, saw Kat leave for school.

77-87

I then slept till about 1pm...finally some sleep.

82.5-92.5

10 hours of sleep in 3.85 days...crazy

Watched a crazy movie with Kat (Jesus Camp), went back to the Rec to visit Tony, ate lunch with John Hill, visited the training room at the college, visited my Education Instructor Jency, visited with the John Hill replacement(who gave me some Orikaso(google it)), climbed with Cameron and Emily at the wall and realized how weak I am on climbing overhangs, had chicken fried steak with mashed potatos and gravy and green beans, had Einstein Bagels with Kat, coffee at the library where I saw Grace, and got a ride back to the DFW airport from Steven on Tuesday afternoon. Left Dallas at 6:55 and got into Tulsa around 8.

No more sleep counting bc from here on out it was pretty steady on CST.

I was met at the gate by my Uncle Kent (dad's brother) and my cousin Tyler. My parents weren't too far behind them. It was so good to see Kent and Tyler, I was not expecting it and I hadn't seen Tyler for quite a while. Mom had packed me a bunch of food and we had a picnic in the airport parking lot. Great food...much needed!!!

Didn't do anything Tuesday night because I new that Wednesday was going to kick my butt. Woke up Wednesday to a call from Cody (friend from HS) who was leaving for music festival Wednesday afternoon. I asked if he would help me out. He was my driver to and from and back to the DMV (lack of sleep was lack of brain thinking that I needed ID to get my DL). Lacking a car he then took me to get my phone changed over to my mom's cell phone number so I would have a phone with all my friends numbers in it while I was home. Got to eat Mall Deli (thanks Cody).

Wednesday afternoon I got in the car and headed up to Kansas City (not before stopping by and seeing my good buddy Daniel at work) for my now cousin's bachelorette party. I couldn't find her house and ended up at my aunt and uncle's house. Got a ride with my aunt to dinner. When I walked in I saw Lacey (girl from NCCC that I played volleyball with and hadn't seen since she left there). Dinner was at a Japanese Steak house where they cook in front of you. I caught 5 shrimp in a row in my mouth sitting about 6 or 7 feet back from the table.

(Activity deleted) :)

Off to the bars in the Power and Lights district in Downtown KC. We were pretty much the only people in the bars to start off. There were some dance offs, some game playing, and some dares (card game...so much fun). Then we went to the next bar and continued having fun. There were some guys that kept buying rounds of drinks for everyone ($90 a round).

Across the room I saw this guy that was incredibly tall. And I don't mean compared to Korean height...he was quite a bit taller than all the guys that were walking by him to go to the restroom. I had to see him up close. I walk around the room and stood next to him, almost breaking my neck to look up (jk), my head was right at his chest. I said, " I'm sure you get this alot...but excatly how tall are you?" he told me he was 6'11 bu that 7' sounds better!!!! He also said that no one ever asks ( i don't believe that). We talked for a bit but I need to get back to the party so I headed back over to the girls. Turns out he(Sean) is from Hays, KS (he said it's better than Pittsburg...don't think so). The thing that surprised me was that he was not only extremely tall, but was well built, coordinated, and pretty darn good lookin'. We danced for a while which pretty much made my nigth because we both dance Kansas Freestyle (idiots) and even were able to have a small dance off (he killed me). Sean helped me out of a sticky situation like it was nothing...on the long trip back to ROK I had tons of time to think and looking back at the time in that bar... he makes me laugh...good guy

Slept not so great sitting up in a chair and then on the floor before getting in a car and heading back to my aunts house (6:30 am). Got back to the car and headed back to Pittsburg to have lunch with a friend from Church (Shirley Hawkins). After lunch I took a 4 hour nap. After my nap I don't remember exactly what I did but I got to hang out with Bethany for a good time. It was really good to see her. Made it an early night.

Friday went to Wal-mart, saw the Smith family, saw Daniel again. Went to dinner with my parents...Del Rio has nothing on Senora Taco or Taco's Family, but the company was really good...miss dinner with my parents, the familiarity of dad lounged out across the booth across from mom and I where mom is telling dad to talk at me and not at her...his voice hurts her ears when he is talking in close areas...lol, gotta love 'em.

Friday night went out for Tamara's (friend from school/church) birthday. It was fun...a little drama, but what is Pittsburg bar night out without drama...it doesn't exsist. Saw Mel, Lauren, Jason, Cassie, Chris, Tamara, Matt, and I'm sure some others (sorry I didn't include you). Funny thing, got to use my passport to get into the bars bc most don't except the paper liscense without the old liscense.

WEDDING DAY

Saturday got up and headed to the lake to put up signs directing everyone to the wedding ceremony. Then mom took dad and I back down the the south end of the lake to get the boat. Dad and I drove the boat up to the north end of the lake while sipping on some beverages...nothing beats a day at the lake on a boat with a cold beer/margarita in hand, and even a little rain.

When we got there we were informed the wedding had been moved up and it was starting in 30 minutes and not in 1.5 hours. Lots of hussle and bussle but everyone got around and the ceremony started just as the sprinkles began falling (God's kisses/blessings). Beautiful ceremony with a BEAUTIFUL bride (Mal) and a good looking groom (Zach). Brown and pink, beautiful flowers and a great area. The only thing that would have made it better would have been no rain but everyone held up and the rain held back.

YOU MAY KISS THE BRIDE

The Zalarey wedding party left on the boat, in the rain, with umbrellas.

Great reception too, cake was amazing, and the best punch I have ever had.

Breakfast the next morning (sunday) and then goodbyes to all and a short boat ride with my cousin Matt and his wife Jill, his mom Christi, my cousin Quinlynn, Andrew and Christina. After dad and I dropped them back off on the dock we headed back to the south end of the lake for mom to pick us up.

Subway...yum, yum!!!

Once home, packing, packing and more packing. Daniel came by and hung out with me while I packed. Bethany came back by. Stopped by and saw the Brown family for short time before heading to see Megan and getting some Tropical Snow (the best ever). Then movie with Cody (Inglorious Bastards...good but very gorey). Almost made it all night again...3 am.

Watched the last Kansas sunrise I would see for a long time. Dad dropped me off at the airport and got a parking ticked for leaving his car in the loading only zone for 2 minutes.

Plane broke down in Chicago and left 3 hours later. Overnight layover in Tokyo and back to Busan Wednesday evening...first class from Tokyo to Busan...very nicea (korean for nice).

Had coffee with Nikki before getting Luna, getting a cab and heading home.

Great 2 days of nothing but resting...took Luna to the lake, got really muddy.

Great weekend with some Northern South Korean folk staying in my apartment.

Ready for the 4 day weekend of Cheusok and the roadtrip with Mack, William, Drew (?), and possibly Luna...I get to drive this weekend!!!! can't wait.

Whew...that was a lot, now my hands hurt...Thailand part II coming soon!!!