#Blessed

I always thought I would pick up writing again when I had some downtime (that's a word I use so little that I just had to Google whether it's one word or spaced), but apparently, my writing talent(?) isn't going to be used much outside of work emails. Then, I thought about getting rid of this blog altogether, so I wouldn't feel obligated to keep a story going or feel bad when I see that it's been close to 2 years since my last post. In the end, I thought it would be a shame to delete all of the stories, time, and effort that I've put into this.

Do people even still blog? I don't think anyone really cares about other's words or thoughts anymore (or did they ever). I guess we can blame Facebook updates on the demise of that one. Now, I'm trying to decide if pictures are even that much better? Thank goodness for Instagram, so I can keep up with what people are eating or what their kids look like. Actually, it's wrong for me to make fun of Instagram and Facebook because if it wasn't for social media, we would be completely cut off from home; except for my daily gossip with Momma D that's always in the "Tell me something else I don't know" section of our phone calls.

Anyways, I've always told myself that this is a way to keep things documented and time-lined for my poor future family that I'll someday make read all of these posts. So I guess it's to them I am still writing and would like you to know: Your father/uncle/cousin was #Blessed during 2013-2015 when he didn't blog much (Google "hashtag" circa early '10's to understand that reference).

Anyways, I've tried to find some pictures to share from the past 2 years that I haven't already socially blasted on FB or Insta...

Greg and Lisa visited over Christmas 2013

Tra and I visited Margaret River in Australia for her birthday

Slic Nic finally wised up and married Emily (bless her)

We put on a pretty fantastic firework show over the 4th... (Hey Dave)

My buddies and I got pretty patriotic at the Ryder Cup in Scotland

Tra and I went with some friends to Bali for a golf tournament and beach time

We got to come back to the states for Jenna and Jared's wedding

The cousins were together alone, without any spouses or kids, for the first time in over 10 years. We stopped by to see our 90 year old great Aunt Bonnie, who is still amazingly witty and beautiful

Greg and Lisa gave birth to Anja (well, Lisa did all the work but Greg helped)

Mark celebrated his 60th birthday in Singapore with me, Tra, and the best looking girls in Singapore (not a bad way to turn 60)

  

Tra and I got to spend our 3rd anniversary in Paris

Skittles is still completely spoiled and runs our household

And Tara and I are still happy, a little crazy, and super #Blessed

Mr and Mrs Davis

I just realized that I haven't paid homage to one of the biggest stepping stones in Davis family history: Greg got married!!..back in November. I know, I know; I'm super late and everyone already knows, but it's still deserving of a write up. 

My brother and I generally try to talk a couple of times a month. However, I will occasionally be traveling or busy one month and fail to call. I'm the one that has to initiate the call being that I live in Singapore, and it would cost a lot for him to try to call me. In early April of last year, I was talking to my mother, and she asked if I had talked to my brother lately. This is a typical question from her, but this time her voice took on a different tone like she was saying it with a wry smile. I did the math and realized that I had dropped the ball on calling in the month of March, so I decided to give my brother a shout.

I called Greg up, and he explained that he had been dating this girl for a month and that she might be the coolest, hottest, funnest girl he'd ever met. Now, any of you that know Greg, can understand that to hear him describe a woman that way means that he is either drunk or he has a gun to his head. After confirming that he was in fact sober, and not being held at gun point, he told me the story of meeting Lisa on a flight back from a golf trip. I couldn't believe it; my brother was in love after 2 months of knowing a girl!

The first time I had a chance to meet Lisa was during the 4th of July, and after seeing the way that Greg was completely mesmerized by her every move, I knew that something big was going to happen soon. After a few more months of gushy filled Lisa-convos, I figured that they were on the fast track to get married (mostly because he sent me a picture of a New Mexico marriage license with a text that said "Don't tell mom.").

I immediately booked a flight home, and I was fortunate enough to attend the wedding festivities in beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico. I have to admit, the wedding was easily the best ceremony that I'd ever been to; all 7 minutes and 45 seconds of it! Literally.

Greg could not have found a better addition to our family than Lisa. She fits in so well and puts up with all of our shenanigans (read through the bottom). No one ever imagined that any woman in this world was capable of making Greg fall in love so fast and so hard, but I could not be any happier to welcome Lisa into our family. I cannot wait for the day that we get to start doing joint vacations and spending the holidays together. AND Tra and I are especially looking forward to their Asian-honeymoon!!! (No pressure)

The first time I met Lisa during the 4th of July holidays

The entire wedding party

The wedding party-ers(?): me, Greg, JBell (Lisa-besty), Lisa, Jase (Lisa-bro), Nicole (Lisa-cuz)

Sippin on a bottle of Cristal before the wedding

This would have been about minute mark 2

Minute mark 7

Gross.

Afterwards, we had a Santa Fe style wedding dinner (I recommend a combo of the red and green chili)

BROTHERS! (and sister)

Family - including the new addition; minus Tra. (Hahaha look at how excited Momma D is...)

Hold on! Before you go and start thinking that little Gregory Carl and Chad Michael are all grown up because we're both married, I may need to mention that this is a 2-part blog.

Greg was married on November 25, and Greg just so happened to be born on November 26; exactly 30 years ago. After Greg's wedding, I asked him what he wanted to do the next day for his 30th birthday, and he looked me square in the eye and said, "Drink... all day." Being the good brother that I am, I did not argue. So bright and early on Greg's birthday, we all went for a mimosa breakfast, a wardrobe change, and then we drank... all day.

The following pictures may keep us from ever holding a seat in office, but we aren't too big on politics anyways. Sorry Momma D...

The crew at breakfast getting warmed up for the day

Working on trying to find an appropriate Santa Fe-celebratory wardrobe

Found it.

Continuing the festivities by trying one of their local beverages. I think they called it Tequila? Not sure.

Greg just sitting around looking dapper (After a few of the local beverages)

$14. That's gangster.

The new Mr. and Mrs. Davis - she was so excited to be seen with us

Shadow.

I flew 10K miles and 30 hours from Singapore to New Mexico to eat Asian food with my brother on his birthday. This was before I taught him how to use chopsticks

Just trying to fit in with the locals - failing. (This was at the very end of the day right after we realized that we had been wearing our hats backwards ALL day - compare with above pics)

Santa Fe is not a giant town, but its bigger than most in New Mexico. The next day we were dropping off our car at the rental company about 15 miles outside of the city, and someone looks at Greg and me walking by and goes, "Hey, weren't you guys wearing sombreros yesterday?!" ...Success.

Why am I HERE?!

It's funny to look through this blog and see how it's transformed over the 3+ years that I've been writing. It started out as me standing on a soapbox, ranting about my life and the wonders of the universe, and it has transformed into a travelers blog. Ironically enough, "Why I'm Here..." is still a suitable name for the blog; although, some would argue that I should change it to "Why am I HERE?!".

I started this blog because I was staring at a computer screen all day with no one to talk to. Back then, I really had way too much time on my hands to think about the mysteries of life, and as I go back and read some of my old entries, there's no way that the married, Singaporean Chad today could/would say some of those things. My life and views have changed so much since Oklahoma that it's hard to empathize with the weirdo that once wrote an ode to his coffee. 

Don't get me wrong, I still love my God, my mother, and my coffee, I still cringe at the thought of babies, and I still have the reading (listening) level of an 8th grade girl. But it would be interesting to go back and take some of the same topics that I wrote about in 2009, and write about them in my present frame of mind. The posts wouldn't be near as long or in depth, that's for sure. These days, I never have time to sit and write, but I really have nothing interesting to say anyways, so I guess it doesn't matter.

Anyways, like I said, always moving and no time. 

Tra and I are doing great. She loves her job; Polo has been really good to her in Singapore. I am still always going somewhere new or extreme, and occasionally she will get to join me in my travels for a weekend. We have a melting-pot of friends ranging from Americans, Aussies, Europeans, Indians, and of course, plenty of Asians. This weekend we are going to an Indian/Chinese wedding in Cebu, Philippines, and we will be attired in full Indian formal wear; it's going to be awesome!

Here are a few photos from my recent travels...

You can write on the Great Wall, right?...

Earning brownie points at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing

Hanging out at the Emperor's Summer Palace in Beijing

At a customer dinner in Beijing. These little fellas are still alive and trying to get off their skewers. Bleh! 

In Shanghai with one of my salesman, Harry. He's a happy person.

At a medicine shop in Guangzhou, China - Penis Cervi and Deer Placenta Cream. All natural! 

The beautiful lights of Tokyo, Japan.

Japanese think of everything. A "Flushing Sound" in the public restrooms for the nervous pooh-er. 

Bay view of Vung Tau, Vietnam. A beautiful island off the coast of Ho Chi Minh City. 

In Vietnam, you close your eyes and cross the street. There are very few crosswalks and motorcycles will run you over 

The tallest building in the world; the Burj Khalifa in Dubai

About to do a little cave exploration in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with the Mrs. 

Monkeys just monkeying around at the caves. Tra wouldn't get close enough to take a pic with them. 

Hanging out on the roof tops of Hong Kong

Jello Needles in the alleys of Hong Kong with Karen and Danny. They're actually the happy couple getting married in Cebu this weekend!

I had to endure a golf tournament in Bali, Indonesia last week for work. Just hideous views. 

I had to listen to this one complain the whole trip as well. Look at that angry face; she has such a tough life. 

Lastly, the golf tournament required us to attend a lavish banquet one evening and get fancy, so we obliged.