I had an exhausting day walking around Beijing with my parents. It was a lot of fun. We went to Tiananman Square and walked around the Forbidden City. The buildings in the Forbidden City were all closed because it’s Monday, which we didn’t know before getting there. It was still fun. We also have a few more days so we can go back and go through a building or two.

I ate a delicious steak for dinner. It was the first real steak I’ve had in China. I’ve got like 10 months worth of dinners to make up for and we started off strong tonight.

Tomorrow we are going to the great wall. I’m really looking forward to it. The great wall should be very interesting.

I also found out the workout room in the hotel has a rowing machine. I used it earlier. What amazing luck!

I weighed myself this morning. I have been feeling (and looking) really heavy lately. I’ve gained some weight and it’s time to rein that in. I don’t plan to go to crazy lengths to do it, but just remaining conscious of my desire to shed a few pounds will hopefully be a start. Thankfully I’ve started getting some regular exercise with the stairs in my apartment building. That will be a great help. I hate feeling fat and I cringe at the thought of having sex with someone the way I look right now. I’ve never been in love with my body (it’s super flabby even when I’m working out a lot), but where it is now is not even remotely acceptable. I’ve got over a month and a half to get in better shape before going to the Philippines. I can make that happen.

I’m super excited about Istanbul. I’m ready to leave China and dating would be something I could explore in Istanbul. I’m still tentatively thinking I’ll go to the Philippines for a month first, but it’s possible that will fall through. Those plans are not much more than tentative right now. I’d like for it to work (I think), but we’ll see. Regardless, Istanbul will be amazing.

I want to start writing more. I’d like to try to write a book or a series of short stories. I would love to get more serious with my writing and see where I can try to take that. It could turn out to be a pipe dream. Nothing is assured at this point, but I’ll certainly not getting anywhere if I don’t try. I want to at least be trying. Even if I fail, at least I will have taken a risk and shouldered some vulnerability. Let’s hope for some added energy in regards to it all soon. I feel myself headed in that direction.

Ok, time to bed. I’m certainly going to sleep well.