Breakin' up is hard to do...

To say that we are overdue for an update is an understatement, we know. In our defense, Kiki has been busy moving the past two years of her life back home and preparing for the move to San Diego, and Mac had been refusing to publicly acknowledge Kiki's absence and has been delegated the role of tour guide/translator/culture shock counselor for the new wave of teachers who arrived at the beginning of the new semester. So, what pray tell, has happened since November? Here are the highlights:

Mac, reporting from Sriracha, Thailand

• Any worries about being bored without Keeks around have been officially dubbed ridiculous, as never in my life have I had such a long-running series of dramas that, although have kept things interesting, have also been extremely exhausting. Friends have taken it upon themselves to find my soul mate in the hopes of keeping me in Thailand forever. In an effort to not disappoint them, I've begun dating, and after two teachers, a lecherous oaf who had been Prince Charming but turned out to be married, a comedian/actor, a mafioso studying to be a pilot, and an air host, I figured I've given it adequate effort and am handing in the towel. These matchmaking demons who disguise themselves as my friends have not gotten this memo, however, but I'm becoming quite adept at dodging blind dates and awkward set-ups that involve lines like, "So, you know, Mac is looking for a Thai boyfriend (*not true, Mom and Dad, I promise!) and since you don't have a girlfriend..." I appreciate their effort, but I'm doing just fine on my own. As if my personal life weren't enough, the school has graciously bestowed upon me a load of responsibilities to fill my time at the school that used to be devoted to reading and watching ANTM. Fortunately, I've found solace in a few new teachers who have joined the school. I've made so many memories with them these past four months. Sadly, two of the three are leaving, and their presence will be sorely missed. So, what did I do to counter the stress and exhaustion I've immersed myself in? Took up boxing and Muay Thai, of course. Now, I get up at 5am for training before school, and split my evening between a second Muay Thai session or Yoga with one of my new teacher-friends. I've only suffered one split lip and mildly shattered shin bones, so I considered myself lucky. I just hope my arms stop getting so big. (Don't worry, Say, yours are still far bigger.)
  

Kiki, live in San Diego:

• After weeks spent on the Coronado Old Lady Tennis Circuit (doubles, anyone?), I realized there had to be more to my new life than just looking forward to Thursday's happy hour at the clubhouse. Sure it was nice- sleeping in until ten most mornings before heading out to the oceanside courts at The Cays, driving our new Element with the windows down and the coastal breeze in my hair and waiting for my hubby to get home from work. Basically, I had to find something productive to apply myself to before I went insane. So I opened a local paper and called the first listing in the help wanted section, under "Activist." After an interview and some phone calls to cancel my upcoming tennis dates, I became the newest canvasser for The Fund, a state-wide non-profit that works to get contributions for campaigns ranging from cleaner beaches to high-speed rail in California. Now my days are spent standing outside of health food stores and on college campuses, looking out for Toyota Prius drivers and kids wearing peace sign accessories and asking them to donate money to a great cause. I'm certainly getting some life experience, becoming passionate about saving the world and working on a pretty fierce t-shirt tan. I'm thinking of inventing a reverse swimsuit so that I will be ready for the beach, even though I know 1.5 million people get sick every year just from swimming in southern California's beaches and have no intention of actually going into the water. That's disgusting.

They say that breaking up is hard to do. Now we know that it's true, but survivable. While we no longer have the comfort of running down the hall to rescue each other from giant spiders and must now rely entirely on our own selection of clothes to complete our wardrobe, we look forward to the next adventure- wherever it takes us, we'll always be together (even if we temporarily aren't.)

It's all part of the Rough Life...