YOUR SUPPORT: I’d like to thank everyone for their support of TPP. I know that I shouldn’t let the TTLB numbers get me down, but I’ve been in the blogosphere for a while now and those numbers never seem to improve, and when they do seem to be getting better, TTLB does one of their periodic makeovers and I lose whatever ground I appear to have gained. This is a depressing experience, as I’m sure all of the bloggers here realize, and after a while, I start asking myself why I am bothering to do this at all. So thank you all again; I really appreciate the kind words and as soon as I dig myself out of the cesspit of statistical depression I seem to be mired in at the moment, I will stop feeling sorry for myself and think of something new. I will, however, have to clean the statistical mire off my already filthy sneakers first.

P.S. Thank you for the email, Jazzki. I am not sure what exactly Oriental obeisance is; Don German of German’s Happy Hair Cut & Hand Gun Emporium, the barbershop / gun store where I get my hair cut, is of the opinion that Oriental obeisance is something on the menu at the China Buffett two doors down from his establishment, but that hardly seems to work in the context you are using the phrase in. Webster’s Dictionary is my next stop. Also, just as a matter of curiosity, did you book that guilt trip online or did you use a travel agent? ;--)