What Does It Mean?

 711 Run @ 3AM: What does it mean?

One aspect of Asia I will always hold near and dear to my heart is the convenience store culture. 

Upon entering, you're greeted by a welcome jingle in the country's native language. The smell of delicious in-house made food caresses your olfactories, shelves are lined with exotic and interesting snacks, drinks and prepackaged meals having your wallet all on a chokehold. You can print things like you can at a Staples, drop off and pick up packages, buy concert tickets at the kiosks, pay your bills, mail things, and buy household essentials when in a pinch. Best of all is that most of these convenience stores are open 24/7 for you know... your convenience.

It's something about that night feeling. It's something about the empty lit streets, buildings silhouetted by the darkness, the encounter of other night owl people, and the feeling of peace and quiet when you're cruising your way to 711 to get your drink and snack on at 3 AM. 

I'm nowhere making enough to be traveling to Japan and having night adventures after hitting up the 711, but that's the goal. It's so lame, but it's a part of what keeps me going every day. Because once I've gotten to that point, it feels like I can breathe easy now. No more financial instability, no more working more hours that my health can handle, no more missed time with family and friends, no more missed time for myself. 

So why name the blog the way it is?

In a way this blog is my retreat and little piece of comfort, just like going to 711 at 3am.

Actor Takeshi Kaneshiro sitting in a 711 in Wong Kar-wai's Chungking Express (Hong Kong, 1994). Wong kar-Wai is one of my favorite directors ever.