Sorry, I have a lot of time on my hands to surf through various websites. I came across this forum posting and found it interesting and funny. Especially the last post (well the last one I'm sharing on my site.):
Posted: Aug 19, 2005 - 04:40 AM
Post subject: What is wrong with us?
I want to share with you guys about an article written by Mr. Cam MacMurchy, a Canadian journalist working in Beijing. See the link
http://cn.news.yahoo.com/050818/1350/2egpg.html
Sorry, it is translated into Chinese. I couldn¡¯t find the English Version. Take this chance to brush your Chinese skill.
In a nutshell, he says he doesn¡¯t understand Chinese motivation or attitude towards love. Based on his experience with Chinese girls, He found out most of Chinese are so craving for love. Chinese girls want the confirmation of love only after a few dates. Most of Chinese girls he knows never talk about their boyfriends. For him, Love is a gradually evolved process. You can¡¯t find love just after a few dates.
I couldn¡¯t agree with Cam MacMurchy more. I have been thinking this question for a while. What is the problem with us, the Chinese girls? Why we so craving for love? Why we don¡¯t know how to love?
For those young Chinese women between 25 and 35, we grew up in a culture that nobody talked about love. Not only the love for relationship, also about the simple love for another human being. We didn¡¯t prepare ourselves to face the harsh reality of relationship. There was no book/nobody guide us go through the turbulence early adulthood. The only thing we were taught in high school was studying to be competitive to get into the college. The only thing we were taught in college was studying to be competitive to get a good job. After we got out of college, some Chinese people pocket started to fill of money. They started to have mistresses. Many of young girls preferred to be somebody¡¯s mistress instead of having a job. Those smart and pretty ones all hitched on Mr. Money. I had the strong desire for the material things just like everyone else, but the first job out of college only paid 800rmb, not enough to buy a decent dress. I didn¡¯t know what to do. I was trapped in a dark tunnel. I felt I need the love to get me out.
Our parents couldn¡¯t help at all. They grew up during the Chairman Mao era. The only one they were allowed to love was Mr. Chairman Mao. If you loved somebody more than Chairman Mao, you were a bad person. My mother told they had to read the little Redbook during their wedding saying that Chairman Mao was her ultimate love. I don't blame them. They screwed up more then we do.
Cam MacMurchy is right. Somehow we just want to be in the mood of feeling love even we don¡¯t know we love or not. After many years struggling, I realized that I need a power to center myself, the power is not the love from somebody else, it is the power which resides inside myself.
Posted: Aug 19, 2005 - 10:39 AM
Maybe Chinese girls, raised under parents such as you describe, are just too intense. They need to relax, spread their wings, and enjoy the freedom that life now offers them .. instead of having one-track minds about love and marriage. The quickest way to scare off a (western) guy is too expect too much, too soon .. (commitment, that is).
Posted: Aug 19, 2005 - 11:32 AM
I'm not Chinese, but I can see how it can be a problem. I've dated a Chinese man, and he was so surprised at how a western woman (such as myself:) Can be so expressive. I didn't get it back then why he found it so intriguing, but I'm beginning to understand.
China has come out of thousands of years of trying to build itself up. Maybe there wasn't time for Romantic Love? Perhaps now is the time:) I know you all have those romantic songs on the radio, people are yearning for love and to be loved.
Posted: Aug 19, 2005 - 04:39 PM
half nonsense and half truth
Posted: Aug 19, 2005 - 06:37 PM
Gradually people are evolving, like 5 years ago never saw someone hugging in public, now see it all the time so, there's hope
Posted: Aug 19, 2005 - 11:58 PM
like apes
...and no, I didn't write that last post...
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Sing a Pore
I'm cutting and pasting this entire New York Times article because it's good, and you should read it. Not just ignore some link I put up:
September 14, 2005
Singapore and Katrina
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Singapore
There is something troublingly self-indulgent and slothful about America today - something that Katrina highlighted and that people who live in countries where the laws of gravity still apply really noticed. It has rattled them - like watching a parent melt down.
That is certainly the sense I got after observing the Katrina debacle from half a world away here in Singapore - a city-state that, if it believes in anything, believes in good governance. It may roll up the sidewalks pretty early here, and it may even fine you if you spit out your gum, but if you had to choose anywhere in Asia you would want to be caught in a typhoon, it would be Singapore. Trust me, the head of Civil Defense here is not simply someone's college roommate.
Indeed, Singapore believes so strongly that you have to get the best-qualified and least-corruptible people you can into senior positions in the government, judiciary and civil service that its pays its prime minister a salary of $1.1 million a year. It pays its cabinet ministers and Supreme Court justices just under $1 million a year, and pays judges and senior civil servants handsomely down the line.
From Singapore's early years, good governance mattered because the ruling party was in a struggle for the people's hearts and minds with the Communists, who were perceived to be both noncorrupt and caring - so the state had to be the same and more.
Even after the Communists faded, Singapore maintained a tradition of good governance because as a country of only four million people with no natural resources, it had to live by its wits. It needed to run its economy and schools in a way that would extract the maximum from each citizen, which is how four million people built reserves of $100 billion.
"In the areas that are critical to our survival, like Defense, Finance and the Ministry of Home Affairs, we look for the best talent," said Kishore Mahbubani, dean of the Lee Kwan Yew School of Public Policy. "You lose New Orleans, and you have 100 other cities just like it. But we're a city-state. We lose Singapore and there is nothing else. ... [So] the standards of discipline are very high. There is a very high degree of accountability in Singapore."
When a subway tunnel under construction collapsed here in April 2004 and four workers were killed, a government inquiry concluded that top executives of the contracting company should be either fined or jailed.
The discipline that the cold war imposed on America, by contrast, seems to have faded. Last year, we cut the National Science Foundation budget, while indulging absurd creationist theories in our schools and passing pork-laden energy and transportation bills in the middle of an energy crisis.
We let the families of the victims of 9/11 redesign our intelligence organizations, and our president and Congress held a midnight session about the health care of one woman, Terri Schiavo, while ignoring the health crisis of 40 million uninsured. Our economy seems to be fueled lately by either suing each other or selling each other houses. Our government launched a war in Iraq without any real plan for the morning after, and it cut taxes in the middle of that war, ensuring that future generations would get the bill.
Speaking of Katrina, Sumiko Tan, a columnist for the Sunday edition of The Straits Times in Singapore, wrote: "We were shocked at what we saw. Death and destruction from natural disaster is par for the course. But the pictures of dead people left uncollected on the streets, armed looters ransacking shops, survivors desperate to be rescued, racial divisions - these were truly out of sync with what we'd imagined the land of the free to be, even if we had encountered homelessness and violence on visits there. ... If America becomes so unglued when bad things happen in its own backyard, how can it fulfill its role as leader of the world?"
Janadas Devan, a Straits Times columnist, tried to explain to his Asian readers how the U.S. is changing. "Today's conservatives," he wrote, "differ in one crucial aspect from yesterday's conservatives: the latter believed in small government, but believed, too, that a country ought to pay for all the government that it needed.
"The former believe in no government, and therefore conclude that there is no need for a country to pay for even the government that it does have. ... [But] it is not only government that doesn't show up when government is starved of resources and leached of all its meaning. Community doesn't show up either, sacrifice doesn't show up, pulling together doesn't show up, 'we're all in this together' doesn't show up."
September 14, 2005
Singapore and Katrina
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Singapore
There is something troublingly self-indulgent and slothful about America today - something that Katrina highlighted and that people who live in countries where the laws of gravity still apply really noticed. It has rattled them - like watching a parent melt down.
That is certainly the sense I got after observing the Katrina debacle from half a world away here in Singapore - a city-state that, if it believes in anything, believes in good governance. It may roll up the sidewalks pretty early here, and it may even fine you if you spit out your gum, but if you had to choose anywhere in Asia you would want to be caught in a typhoon, it would be Singapore. Trust me, the head of Civil Defense here is not simply someone's college roommate.
Indeed, Singapore believes so strongly that you have to get the best-qualified and least-corruptible people you can into senior positions in the government, judiciary and civil service that its pays its prime minister a salary of $1.1 million a year. It pays its cabinet ministers and Supreme Court justices just under $1 million a year, and pays judges and senior civil servants handsomely down the line.
From Singapore's early years, good governance mattered because the ruling party was in a struggle for the people's hearts and minds with the Communists, who were perceived to be both noncorrupt and caring - so the state had to be the same and more.
Even after the Communists faded, Singapore maintained a tradition of good governance because as a country of only four million people with no natural resources, it had to live by its wits. It needed to run its economy and schools in a way that would extract the maximum from each citizen, which is how four million people built reserves of $100 billion.
"In the areas that are critical to our survival, like Defense, Finance and the Ministry of Home Affairs, we look for the best talent," said Kishore Mahbubani, dean of the Lee Kwan Yew School of Public Policy. "You lose New Orleans, and you have 100 other cities just like it. But we're a city-state. We lose Singapore and there is nothing else. ... [So] the standards of discipline are very high. There is a very high degree of accountability in Singapore."
When a subway tunnel under construction collapsed here in April 2004 and four workers were killed, a government inquiry concluded that top executives of the contracting company should be either fined or jailed.
The discipline that the cold war imposed on America, by contrast, seems to have faded. Last year, we cut the National Science Foundation budget, while indulging absurd creationist theories in our schools and passing pork-laden energy and transportation bills in the middle of an energy crisis.
We let the families of the victims of 9/11 redesign our intelligence organizations, and our president and Congress held a midnight session about the health care of one woman, Terri Schiavo, while ignoring the health crisis of 40 million uninsured. Our economy seems to be fueled lately by either suing each other or selling each other houses. Our government launched a war in Iraq without any real plan for the morning after, and it cut taxes in the middle of that war, ensuring that future generations would get the bill.
Speaking of Katrina, Sumiko Tan, a columnist for the Sunday edition of The Straits Times in Singapore, wrote: "We were shocked at what we saw. Death and destruction from natural disaster is par for the course. But the pictures of dead people left uncollected on the streets, armed looters ransacking shops, survivors desperate to be rescued, racial divisions - these were truly out of sync with what we'd imagined the land of the free to be, even if we had encountered homelessness and violence on visits there. ... If America becomes so unglued when bad things happen in its own backyard, how can it fulfill its role as leader of the world?"
Janadas Devan, a Straits Times columnist, tried to explain to his Asian readers how the U.S. is changing. "Today's conservatives," he wrote, "differ in one crucial aspect from yesterday's conservatives: the latter believed in small government, but believed, too, that a country ought to pay for all the government that it needed.
"The former believe in no government, and therefore conclude that there is no need for a country to pay for even the government that it does have. ... [But] it is not only government that doesn't show up when government is starved of resources and leached of all its meaning. Community doesn't show up either, sacrifice doesn't show up, pulling together doesn't show up, 'we're all in this together' doesn't show up."
Monday, September 12, 2005
围观
So I have a Chinese tutor that comes by a couple times a week and attempts to teach me this God forsaken language. The book I'm studying from is translated to Speak Mandarin, Talk About Culture. I don't know why I've chosen this book to study from. I find Chinese culture a painful topic. Especially in Mandarin.
Anyway, a couple weeks ago we were reading about 管闲事 (guan xian shi) and 围观 (wei guan). 管闲事 translates as 'mind other's business' or 'make everyone's business one's own'. 围观 is to 'surround and watch' or 'encircle'. These are both common activities in China. At first I thought it was just because I was a foreigner that people always surrounded me when I bought food, for instance. However, a number of events have happened that have enlightened me to the fact that the Chinese butt in to every situation. Except maybe some of the important ones.
The other day I was on my bus going to work. I ride the double decker bus. Anyway, a bus in front of us pulled away from the stop and a car behind it ran into it. This was on one of the most crowded streets in Shanghai. The bus was pulled across the two lanes, with only a little space on the right to pull through. Both the bus driver and the car driver got out of their vehicles and started yelling at each other. Between my bus and the bus that had been hit was one other regular decker bus and about three other cars. A huge crowd gathered in the middle of the street to watch the fight between the bus driver and the car driver. Eventually a couple of cops arrived at the scene. The entire time the bus in front of mine was trying it's best to squeeze by the little space allowed on the right side of stopped bus. After about ten minutes it succeeded. The three cars behind that bus followed it. Other cars started to pull around my bus and get by. My bus couldn't squeeze through the space on the right of the street because the branches from the trees surrounding the street hang too low, and if attempted, my fellow passengers and I on the second floor of the bus would be taken out by the trees. So my bus pulled across the road to the left near a large stream of oncoming traffic. Of course, it couldn't pass on the left b/c of the large stream of oncoming traffic. So it just ended up blocking traffic on my side of the road further. We sat like that for another 5 minutes or so with people screaming and honking horns and 100 people in my bus pressed up against the windows watching the scene until a police officer realized what was going on and had the bus that had been hit move. I wasn't too late for work.
This weekend I was walking down the street when a guy in front of me grabbed his girlfriend by the hair and threw her into a street advertisement where the characters for "Creating a More Civilized City Area" were written. People kind of slowed down to watch. She put up a fight for a bit and then became submissive. Not even the police officers standing by watching did anything.
Last night I watched a German film called "Stroszek". It's about a man who is released from prison and comes to the US with his girlfriend to start a new life in Wisconsin. They confiscate his pet bird at customs. His mobile home is sold in auction when he can't pay for it. His girlfriend begins prostituting herself to truck drivers and eventually runs off with a couple of them to Vancouver. He steels a tow truck and holds up a convenience store for only $32 and a frozen turkey. He ends up in an amusement area that has a dancing chicken, a rabbit that drives a toy fire engine, and a rooster that plays the piano. He rides the ski lift around once and then shoots himself at the realization of what has become of his American dream. I don't think I've ever been so homesick before.
Anyway, a couple weeks ago we were reading about 管闲事 (guan xian shi) and 围观 (wei guan). 管闲事 translates as 'mind other's business' or 'make everyone's business one's own'. 围观 is to 'surround and watch' or 'encircle'. These are both common activities in China. At first I thought it was just because I was a foreigner that people always surrounded me when I bought food, for instance. However, a number of events have happened that have enlightened me to the fact that the Chinese butt in to every situation. Except maybe some of the important ones.
The other day I was on my bus going to work. I ride the double decker bus. Anyway, a bus in front of us pulled away from the stop and a car behind it ran into it. This was on one of the most crowded streets in Shanghai. The bus was pulled across the two lanes, with only a little space on the right to pull through. Both the bus driver and the car driver got out of their vehicles and started yelling at each other. Between my bus and the bus that had been hit was one other regular decker bus and about three other cars. A huge crowd gathered in the middle of the street to watch the fight between the bus driver and the car driver. Eventually a couple of cops arrived at the scene. The entire time the bus in front of mine was trying it's best to squeeze by the little space allowed on the right side of stopped bus. After about ten minutes it succeeded. The three cars behind that bus followed it. Other cars started to pull around my bus and get by. My bus couldn't squeeze through the space on the right of the street because the branches from the trees surrounding the street hang too low, and if attempted, my fellow passengers and I on the second floor of the bus would be taken out by the trees. So my bus pulled across the road to the left near a large stream of oncoming traffic. Of course, it couldn't pass on the left b/c of the large stream of oncoming traffic. So it just ended up blocking traffic on my side of the road further. We sat like that for another 5 minutes or so with people screaming and honking horns and 100 people in my bus pressed up against the windows watching the scene until a police officer realized what was going on and had the bus that had been hit move. I wasn't too late for work.
This weekend I was walking down the street when a guy in front of me grabbed his girlfriend by the hair and threw her into a street advertisement where the characters for "Creating a More Civilized City Area" were written. People kind of slowed down to watch. She put up a fight for a bit and then became submissive. Not even the police officers standing by watching did anything.
Last night I watched a German film called "Stroszek". It's about a man who is released from prison and comes to the US with his girlfriend to start a new life in Wisconsin. They confiscate his pet bird at customs. His mobile home is sold in auction when he can't pay for it. His girlfriend begins prostituting herself to truck drivers and eventually runs off with a couple of them to Vancouver. He steels a tow truck and holds up a convenience store for only $32 and a frozen turkey. He ends up in an amusement area that has a dancing chicken, a rabbit that drives a toy fire engine, and a rooster that plays the piano. He rides the ski lift around once and then shoots himself at the realization of what has become of his American dream. I don't think I've ever been so homesick before.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
bill gates is a loser
Stupid microsoft. Did you really think you could work with China?
He testified that one of the lowest moments of his career with Microsoft was a conversation in which Gates yelled at him and said the company had been "f-----" by the Chinese people and its government.
I wake up and say the same thing every morning.
He testified that one of the lowest moments of his career with Microsoft was a conversation in which Gates yelled at him and said the company had been "f-----" by the Chinese people and its government.
I wake up and say the same thing every morning.
Josh in China
My photo's from when my friend Josh was here are up. You can check out the highlights from my flickr badge, or else visit his webpage for the full set.
Here are a couple of my faves:
Here are a couple of my faves:
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Tibet Freedom
Smiling faces were everywhere as people celebrated the 40th birthday of the Tibet Autonomous Region
I saw this on TV. They did look kind of happy. Maybe the Beastie Boys and the Tibet Freedom Concert have it all wrong...
In other news, I actually did end up leaving the house this weekend. It didn't take much. Just a bar invite. In case you were worried...
Also, news on how China is handling their "hurricane". It looks a little better than the other super power.
I saw this on TV. They did look kind of happy. Maybe the Beastie Boys and the Tibet Freedom Concert have it all wrong...
In other news, I actually did end up leaving the house this weekend. It didn't take much. Just a bar invite. In case you were worried...
Also, news on how China is handling their "hurricane". It looks a little better than the other super power.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
服饰与美容
It came to my attention the other day, that I have failed to mention the most important development in China this millennium - the release of Vogue China. Finally I can rip out pages from a quality magazine for my tailor to copy, rather than that crap Cosmopolitan and Elle that I've been using. You can imagine my shock and disgust when I realized I was grasping the hands of the Chinese representative and jumping up and down yelling "Vogue's in China! Vogue's in China!" at it's premier in the Jingan mall - where nothing is sold for less than 1000 USD. What an event. This happened about a month ago.
This brings me to the next groundbreaking event in China - a release of an "American Idol"-like TV show called "Super Girl". Guy's aren't invited to participate. I actually haven't been watching because Chinese music makes me sick. The number one hit here - that's been around since I arrived here in January - haunts my dreams. It's everywhere. I don't even know the words. I can sing it, but I have no idea what I'm saying, and I've seen the characters, which all seem too complex for me to look up. I think they're something along the lines of 'you lied and betrayed me but I still love you.' It doesn't matter, it's total crap. If they really wanted to fuck up the inmates at Guantanamo, they'd play that non-stop instead of the theme to Sesame Street. It's more or less played non-stop here and I'm barely holding on to my sanity.
Anyway, I think they announced the winner of "Super Girl". It was a tough competition full of scandal. Apparently there were rumors going around that the winner was a lesbian because she never wore skirts and had a short haircut and people said she had a wife. Well whatever, she emerged victorious. And life goes on.
No, I haven't forgotten about the terrible hurricane. In fact, last night I was at my friend's apartment, which is much nicer than mine, so he has access to BBC news and CNN. CNN was crap as always, but BBC was doing good coverage. Likening the situation to that of the tsunami although less organized and more pathetic. "The richest nation in the world thrown into horrific, third-world standards because the money that could have been used to prevent this problem was diverted to a useless, fake war instead." At least the rest of the world holds the US with some respect. It actually was a bit embarrassing for me to watch how terrible the situation is being handled since I was the only American in the room. So I mostly just ended up shouting profanities at bushie all night.
I'm currently debating whether I should leave my house for the next couple days. I have to go to work at some point on Monday, but I may just have some food and alcohol delivered to my apartment and call it a weekend. I'm in that state of mind right now. I've got my vogue, about 1000 pirated dvds to choose from, and internet connection. I should be okay.
This brings me to the next groundbreaking event in China - a release of an "American Idol"-like TV show called "Super Girl". Guy's aren't invited to participate. I actually haven't been watching because Chinese music makes me sick. The number one hit here - that's been around since I arrived here in January - haunts my dreams. It's everywhere. I don't even know the words. I can sing it, but I have no idea what I'm saying, and I've seen the characters, which all seem too complex for me to look up. I think they're something along the lines of 'you lied and betrayed me but I still love you.' It doesn't matter, it's total crap. If they really wanted to fuck up the inmates at Guantanamo, they'd play that non-stop instead of the theme to Sesame Street. It's more or less played non-stop here and I'm barely holding on to my sanity.
Anyway, I think they announced the winner of "Super Girl". It was a tough competition full of scandal. Apparently there were rumors going around that the winner was a lesbian because she never wore skirts and had a short haircut and people said she had a wife. Well whatever, she emerged victorious. And life goes on.
No, I haven't forgotten about the terrible hurricane. In fact, last night I was at my friend's apartment, which is much nicer than mine, so he has access to BBC news and CNN. CNN was crap as always, but BBC was doing good coverage. Likening the situation to that of the tsunami although less organized and more pathetic. "The richest nation in the world thrown into horrific, third-world standards because the money that could have been used to prevent this problem was diverted to a useless, fake war instead." At least the rest of the world holds the US with some respect. It actually was a bit embarrassing for me to watch how terrible the situation is being handled since I was the only American in the room. So I mostly just ended up shouting profanities at bushie all night.
I'm currently debating whether I should leave my house for the next couple days. I have to go to work at some point on Monday, but I may just have some food and alcohol delivered to my apartment and call it a weekend. I'm in that state of mind right now. I've got my vogue, about 1000 pirated dvds to choose from, and internet connection. I should be okay.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
LA goes blue?
"Tensions over funding for the New Orleans levees emerged more than a year ago when a local official asserted money had been diverted to pay for the Iraq war."
So, now that he's lied to us, fucked up our economy, killed literally tens of thousands of civilians around the globe (including those in his own country), and drowned an entire city, will we impeach him?
No, of course not. We'll probably change the constitution so he can stay in another 4 years.
And all Clinton did was get a little lovin'.
We have only ourselves to blame.
So, now that he's lied to us, fucked up our economy, killed literally tens of thousands of civilians around the globe (including those in his own country), and drowned an entire city, will we impeach him?
No, of course not. We'll probably change the constitution so he can stay in another 4 years.
And all Clinton did was get a little lovin'.
We have only ourselves to blame.
sue america
I have to say, I am saddened by the amount of death that has occurred this week. Thousands dead due to a hurricane. Another thousand dead due to a stampede. It's all very traumatic.
I have to admit, I don't like seeing bad things happen to America. Although I realize the bubble of safety that I learned engulfs America when I was young doesn't actually exist, it's still kind of sad to see it actually penetrated. To someone who grew up watching the horrors of the rest of the world safely on TV from her suburban home, it seems a bit backwards to now be sitting in the People's Republic of China and looking at pictures of weeping wives next to their recently deceased husbands on a river bank in America. I've been saying this is going to be the case for the past ten years, but I never actually believed my words. If you get me on a rant about the state of the world, I always go off on the perceived safety of America, and how it's on a downward spiral, and we'll all be aware of this in ten years.
But it's a terrible thing that happened to New Orleans. I had a great time when I was there. Full of the best kind of sin. I can't believe the entire city is now underwater. Though with ancient levees and PBS programs predicting this, it really shouldn't be that unbelievable.
In Asia news, I think another Typhoon is headed our way. Fortunately I think Taiwan is going to take the brunt for the mainland. So Shanghai should be okay. Just a little more wind and rain for us.
I read an article today that a Chinese man is suing Deloitte Touche in China for treating Taiwan and China as separate countries on their website. He claims it has caused him years of mental anguish and shame as a Chinese citizen. Most lawmakers think the lawsuit will fall through.
When we heard about the stampede in China, it was like one of our worst China fears coming true. Everyone's waiting for something to spark mass chaos and copious amounts of death and destruction.
There is a flag raising in Tiananmen Square every morning. When I lived in Beijing four years ago, I went to the National Day ceremonies there. It was so crowded that I was actually lifted off my feet by the crowd. Through a series of pushing and screaming, my friends and I managed to get to the front of the crowd. There was a row of guards holding us back, making sure nobody got too close to the ceremony. I asked the guard if he liked his job. He said nothing.
I have to admit, I don't like seeing bad things happen to America. Although I realize the bubble of safety that I learned engulfs America when I was young doesn't actually exist, it's still kind of sad to see it actually penetrated. To someone who grew up watching the horrors of the rest of the world safely on TV from her suburban home, it seems a bit backwards to now be sitting in the People's Republic of China and looking at pictures of weeping wives next to their recently deceased husbands on a river bank in America. I've been saying this is going to be the case for the past ten years, but I never actually believed my words. If you get me on a rant about the state of the world, I always go off on the perceived safety of America, and how it's on a downward spiral, and we'll all be aware of this in ten years.
But it's a terrible thing that happened to New Orleans. I had a great time when I was there. Full of the best kind of sin. I can't believe the entire city is now underwater. Though with ancient levees and PBS programs predicting this, it really shouldn't be that unbelievable.
In Asia news, I think another Typhoon is headed our way. Fortunately I think Taiwan is going to take the brunt for the mainland. So Shanghai should be okay. Just a little more wind and rain for us.
I read an article today that a Chinese man is suing Deloitte Touche in China for treating Taiwan and China as separate countries on their website. He claims it has caused him years of mental anguish and shame as a Chinese citizen. Most lawmakers think the lawsuit will fall through.
When we heard about the stampede in China, it was like one of our worst China fears coming true. Everyone's waiting for something to spark mass chaos and copious amounts of death and destruction.
There is a flag raising in Tiananmen Square every morning. When I lived in Beijing four years ago, I went to the National Day ceremonies there. It was so crowded that I was actually lifted off my feet by the crowd. Through a series of pushing and screaming, my friends and I managed to get to the front of the crowd. There was a row of guards holding us back, making sure nobody got too close to the ceremony. I asked the guard if he liked his job. He said nothing.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Shades of Gray
There is no racism in China because there are no black people. There is no homophobia in China, because there are no homosexuals.
These are the responses you get if you ask a Chinese person about racism, homophobia, or other types of social biases.
The communist party eradicated gender inequality. Tibet, Xinjiang, and Mongolia are all happy to be part of China, but you have to watch yourself around them. The Tibetans are known to be scandalous and thieving. That Dalai Llama... you know he's just about to stab you in the back.
When the Chinese see a black person they refer to them as 黑人 (Black Person). They yell this in the street, it's on T.V., and they address them as such in restaurants and other public places. Every other non-Chinese is just 外国人 or foreigner. A busload of tourists stops in a public area and everyone turns and starts pointing and yelling 'foreigners! foreigners!" On a number of occasions cab drivers have failed to pick me up because I'm a foreigner. But there's no racism in China, so I'll just have to get over it.
I'm going to refer back to "Farewell My Concubine". I'm not sure if you've seen the movie, but a large part of the plot is the relationship the female character opera singer has with his male benefactor and admirer. This movie is one of the pride and joys of Chinese film. How such a large part of the movie can revolve around a homosexual relationship in a country with no homosexuals is pretty impressive.
A lot of Chinese like to tell me they're Christian. When I respond that I am not, they're shocked. "But you're American! What religion are you?" "I'm not." They don't understand, although officially nobody in China has a religion. Communism and all. Most Chinese claim to be Christian and Buddhist and any other religion you happen to mention.
There just aren't the defining lines here that exist elsewhere in the world. Nothing is black and white. Policy, beliefs, ideology are all gray. That's why Communism has 'existed' here successfully for so long. Because it's not really here at all. It never has been. "Communism" is just a term that Western culture uses to define China since definition is a necessary part of our upbringings. There is actually very little definitive about China.
Even in the language. "Yes" and "No" don't exist. There is no word for "Yes" or "No". Everything either is, or isn't. For example, a simple question like, "Have you seen this movie?" The answer is either "seen" or "haven't seen".
Even if you take something that looks as definitive as the yin and the yang, they really aren't at all. Because everything has a little yin and a little yang. Take the symbol and mix it together and all you have is more gray.
These are the responses you get if you ask a Chinese person about racism, homophobia, or other types of social biases.
The communist party eradicated gender inequality. Tibet, Xinjiang, and Mongolia are all happy to be part of China, but you have to watch yourself around them. The Tibetans are known to be scandalous and thieving. That Dalai Llama... you know he's just about to stab you in the back.
When the Chinese see a black person they refer to them as 黑人 (Black Person). They yell this in the street, it's on T.V., and they address them as such in restaurants and other public places. Every other non-Chinese is just 外国人 or foreigner. A busload of tourists stops in a public area and everyone turns and starts pointing and yelling 'foreigners! foreigners!" On a number of occasions cab drivers have failed to pick me up because I'm a foreigner. But there's no racism in China, so I'll just have to get over it.
I'm going to refer back to "Farewell My Concubine". I'm not sure if you've seen the movie, but a large part of the plot is the relationship the female character opera singer has with his male benefactor and admirer. This movie is one of the pride and joys of Chinese film. How such a large part of the movie can revolve around a homosexual relationship in a country with no homosexuals is pretty impressive.
A lot of Chinese like to tell me they're Christian. When I respond that I am not, they're shocked. "But you're American! What religion are you?" "I'm not." They don't understand, although officially nobody in China has a religion. Communism and all. Most Chinese claim to be Christian and Buddhist and any other religion you happen to mention.
There just aren't the defining lines here that exist elsewhere in the world. Nothing is black and white. Policy, beliefs, ideology are all gray. That's why Communism has 'existed' here successfully for so long. Because it's not really here at all. It never has been. "Communism" is just a term that Western culture uses to define China since definition is a necessary part of our upbringings. There is actually very little definitive about China.
Even in the language. "Yes" and "No" don't exist. There is no word for "Yes" or "No". Everything either is, or isn't. For example, a simple question like, "Have you seen this movie?" The answer is either "seen" or "haven't seen".
Even if you take something that looks as definitive as the yin and the yang, they really aren't at all. Because everything has a little yin and a little yang. Take the symbol and mix it together and all you have is more gray.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
The World on Time
I was almost run over by a FedEx truck the other day. Every time I step foot on the streets here, someone is always trying to run me down, either by a car, bike, moped, or general inconsiderate walking. I only took note of the FedEx truck because I hope whatever packages were in it actually got there in time.
Walking on the streets here I'm always confronted with near death experiences. The other day I was walking on the street when a window fell from what looked like a perfectly stable building and smashed on the sidewalk in front of me. Other times crates, dangerously piled up, have decided to fall across my path and spill into the street. Today was a new one. I was walking by a construction zone (not unusual, my neighborhood has changed 3 times since I've been here. I'm waiting to wake up one day and be in a completely new building) and some people were welding something on a building. I reached my arm to scratch my back and about three sparks flew in between the 'V' my arm created. There's nothing I can do about this. Just keep walking.
When people are new in China, they're shocked at how close I walk to traffic. I head straight into oncoming cars with no fear. If you want to get anywhere, it's the only way to do it.
I only mention this in case I meet my death by being crushed by a Haier billboard or some other untimely accident. If this is the case I want both my eulogy and epitaph to be "She knew it was coming."
I was sitting on my balcony this evening, enjoying my limited, smog filled view of the bund. There were cars honking all over the city, about seven people yelling on their cell phones 17 floors below me, some guy ringing a bell for no apparent reason, 10 televisions turned up way beyond necessary, a couple jack hammers, and about 20 other noises that could be declared the most annoying in the world. I've become numb to all of them, but when my roommates alarm went off, I couldn't stand it. I think an alarm clock must be the most annoying noise in the world. I can't stand any of them. The one set on my phone drives me crazy. Once I was in Brookstone and one of their alarms went off. I ran around the store trying to find the source and shut it up.
It's the little things you have to worry about.
Walking on the streets here I'm always confronted with near death experiences. The other day I was walking on the street when a window fell from what looked like a perfectly stable building and smashed on the sidewalk in front of me. Other times crates, dangerously piled up, have decided to fall across my path and spill into the street. Today was a new one. I was walking by a construction zone (not unusual, my neighborhood has changed 3 times since I've been here. I'm waiting to wake up one day and be in a completely new building) and some people were welding something on a building. I reached my arm to scratch my back and about three sparks flew in between the 'V' my arm created. There's nothing I can do about this. Just keep walking.
When people are new in China, they're shocked at how close I walk to traffic. I head straight into oncoming cars with no fear. If you want to get anywhere, it's the only way to do it.
I only mention this in case I meet my death by being crushed by a Haier billboard or some other untimely accident. If this is the case I want both my eulogy and epitaph to be "She knew it was coming."
I was sitting on my balcony this evening, enjoying my limited, smog filled view of the bund. There were cars honking all over the city, about seven people yelling on their cell phones 17 floors below me, some guy ringing a bell for no apparent reason, 10 televisions turned up way beyond necessary, a couple jack hammers, and about 20 other noises that could be declared the most annoying in the world. I've become numb to all of them, but when my roommates alarm went off, I couldn't stand it. I think an alarm clock must be the most annoying noise in the world. I can't stand any of them. The one set on my phone drives me crazy. Once I was in Brookstone and one of their alarms went off. I ran around the store trying to find the source and shut it up.
It's the little things you have to worry about.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Friday, August 19, 2005
My New Job
I got this email this morning:
My real name is Kathryn btw. Nicole is just some alias I was given at birth.
Maybe I'll consider it. As long as I don't have to sacrifice my personal life to serve and my sessions will always be with the Naval Reserve closest to my home (is that Taiwan?), it could be okay. Ha.
 |
Dear Kathryn, Did you know that your particular skills and interest in a career with the government could serve you well in the U.S. Naval Reserve? As someone who works in the government sector, you know the pride that comes from serving your community, your state or your country. In the Naval Reserve, you can extend your service to include helping to safeguard your country's citizens and protect its shores. In exchange for your dedication and part-time commitment, you will gain unique, career-enhancing skills and leadership abilities and receive countless benefits and rewards One of the greatest benefits of joining our force is that you won't have to sacrifice your personal life to serve. Your training sessions will almost always be with the Naval Reserve unit located closest to your home. Click here to see some of the many opportunities available to you in the Naval Reserve. Or, if you would like a Naval Reserve representative to contact you directly, click here. |
My real name is Kathryn btw. Nicole is just some alias I was given at birth.
Maybe I'll consider it. As long as I don't have to sacrifice my personal life to serve and my sessions will always be with the Naval Reserve closest to my home (is that Taiwan?), it could be okay. Ha.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
nylon stockings
I know I've been MIA for the past week. No, I haven't dug a hole to America, but one of my oldest and dearest friends came to visit for a week. I was hoping we'd both end up in a different country, but alas, it appears as though I'm still in China and he's moved on back to the union.
It was his first time in China. He doesn't really do third world so we tried to avoid that as much as possible. It pretty much impossible to avoid bicycles and people spitting and peeing on the streets here, but we took as many cabs as possible. We went up to Beijing last weekend. According to my friend, they are not ready for the Olympic games and never will be. Sorry HJ. Beijing really is a shithole though. When we flew in we couldn't see the city until we were 10 feet above it because the pollution was so bad. Cab drivers wouldn't pick us up because we're white, or standing in the wrong place, or because they are fucking assholes. It was very, very hot and the BJ doesn't believe in AC. All the good bars have been ripped down and replaced with shopping centers and all the shopping centers suck. There's too much government and bureaucracy and the expats are all big China losers who think they're better than Shanghai expats.
The duck is good though. I do like my Peking duck. But I've been told I can get that in Shanghai, so hopefully I'll never have to leave this city again.
We also went up to the Great Wall. The most useless manmade piece of architecture in the history of the world. And it resembles Disney Land. But it's really old and exploitable and therefore interesting. I think I disillusioned a couple from the Philippines who had us take their picture.
"This is a once in a life time experience!"
"Actually, this is my seventh time here."
I've since realized that was a lie. It was only my sixth. But hey, everyone who comes to China wants to see the Wall. I wish it was similar to the experience Pink Floyd creates, but it's not. It's good, but it's not that good.
Anyway, the part of the wall we went to was a part I've never been to before. It was cool because it had a toboggan ride from the wall back to the parking lot. It was really unsafe and rickety and a lot of fun. I enjoyed my historic, Great Wall, toboggan experience.
Anyway, we got back to Shanghai as quickly as the night train could carry us with only a three-day stomachache to show for Beijing. Goddamn duck.
There's a magnetic levitation (maglev) train that runs from a subway stop to the airport in Shanghai. It's the fastest train in the world, and since I had never ridden it before I decided to escort my friend to the airport for the ride. It was fun. You kind of had a rush afterwards. 30k in 8 minutes. I think our top speed was 431 kph. Not bad. It's really fast and at times you’re on about a 55-degree angle with the ground. And the train isn't even on tracks, it floats the entire way. Too bad the Chinese still managed to fuck it up by connecting it to the most inconvenient subway station in the city and having it only run from 8-5:30 (not a time when most international flights arrive and take off from Shanghai.)
So anyway, as I was waiting to get on the Maglev for the airport I overheard a blond American chick ask if 'this one went to the airport?' (There are only two stops, the subway station and the airport.) This made me promptly not miss America at all and realize why I'm not there. However, on the way back to the subway station I watched a fat little Chinese kid wearing mid-calf nylon stockings run in circles and bang a half-empty plastic water bottle against his head while his mother took about a minute to gather all the phlegm and spit and mucus and saliva in her mouth before forcefully spitting it in the ashtray. My options of Yankee Doodle and Doodle Dipshits aren't the greatest choices I've had in life.
As I was helping my friend check in I made a comment that I was jealous he was leaving all this. His response was, "But you love it here." I found that extremely depressing for a number of reasons. I really am a masochist.
If I had more money I would have just jumped on any of the other flights leaving while I was there. Frankfurt, Manila, and Tokyo were just a credit card swipe away.
But I'm still here. In Shanghai, in the PRC, and someone bought the apartment next to ours and is renovating the entire inside. I wake up to saws and hammers every morning (7:20 this morning!), and on my way to the elevator I step over Chinese construction workers sleeping in the hallway.
It was his first time in China. He doesn't really do third world so we tried to avoid that as much as possible. It pretty much impossible to avoid bicycles and people spitting and peeing on the streets here, but we took as many cabs as possible. We went up to Beijing last weekend. According to my friend, they are not ready for the Olympic games and never will be. Sorry HJ. Beijing really is a shithole though. When we flew in we couldn't see the city until we were 10 feet above it because the pollution was so bad. Cab drivers wouldn't pick us up because we're white, or standing in the wrong place, or because they are fucking assholes. It was very, very hot and the BJ doesn't believe in AC. All the good bars have been ripped down and replaced with shopping centers and all the shopping centers suck. There's too much government and bureaucracy and the expats are all big China losers who think they're better than Shanghai expats.
The duck is good though. I do like my Peking duck. But I've been told I can get that in Shanghai, so hopefully I'll never have to leave this city again.
We also went up to the Great Wall. The most useless manmade piece of architecture in the history of the world. And it resembles Disney Land. But it's really old and exploitable and therefore interesting. I think I disillusioned a couple from the Philippines who had us take their picture.
"This is a once in a life time experience!"
"Actually, this is my seventh time here."
I've since realized that was a lie. It was only my sixth. But hey, everyone who comes to China wants to see the Wall. I wish it was similar to the experience Pink Floyd creates, but it's not. It's good, but it's not that good.
Anyway, the part of the wall we went to was a part I've never been to before. It was cool because it had a toboggan ride from the wall back to the parking lot. It was really unsafe and rickety and a lot of fun. I enjoyed my historic, Great Wall, toboggan experience.
Anyway, we got back to Shanghai as quickly as the night train could carry us with only a three-day stomachache to show for Beijing. Goddamn duck.
There's a magnetic levitation (maglev) train that runs from a subway stop to the airport in Shanghai. It's the fastest train in the world, and since I had never ridden it before I decided to escort my friend to the airport for the ride. It was fun. You kind of had a rush afterwards. 30k in 8 minutes. I think our top speed was 431 kph. Not bad. It's really fast and at times you’re on about a 55-degree angle with the ground. And the train isn't even on tracks, it floats the entire way. Too bad the Chinese still managed to fuck it up by connecting it to the most inconvenient subway station in the city and having it only run from 8-5:30 (not a time when most international flights arrive and take off from Shanghai.)
So anyway, as I was waiting to get on the Maglev for the airport I overheard a blond American chick ask if 'this one went to the airport?' (There are only two stops, the subway station and the airport.) This made me promptly not miss America at all and realize why I'm not there. However, on the way back to the subway station I watched a fat little Chinese kid wearing mid-calf nylon stockings run in circles and bang a half-empty plastic water bottle against his head while his mother took about a minute to gather all the phlegm and spit and mucus and saliva in her mouth before forcefully spitting it in the ashtray. My options of Yankee Doodle and Doodle Dipshits aren't the greatest choices I've had in life.
As I was helping my friend check in I made a comment that I was jealous he was leaving all this. His response was, "But you love it here." I found that extremely depressing for a number of reasons. I really am a masochist.
If I had more money I would have just jumped on any of the other flights leaving while I was there. Frankfurt, Manila, and Tokyo were just a credit card swipe away.
But I'm still here. In Shanghai, in the PRC, and someone bought the apartment next to ours and is renovating the entire inside. I wake up to saws and hammers every morning (7:20 this morning!), and on my way to the elevator I step over Chinese construction workers sleeping in the hallway.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
friendster message
Hi, I am a chinese who is working in Shenzhen,
Message:
Hi, I am a chinese who is working in Shenzhen,
China. I work for an internet company as marketing
and operating director. I like to make more friends
from all over the world. I like playing football and
tennis ball and Karaokay. Communicating with
friends is a great joy to me. Would you like to be
my friend? We can exchange opnions on
marketing and cooperation management, we also
can talk about economic and chinese tarde. To
me, it is also a good way to practice my english.
Larry Liu's Blog
Saturday, August 06, 2005
social light
I have now reached the pinnacle of society. Yes, yes, that's right. My smiling face has appeared in the Shanghai social pages. Pages normally reserved for head's of state, celebrities, royalty, and now me. As far as I can tell, I no longer have to go on living because my life can't get any better than it is right now. I might as well retire my socialite position, move to the suburbs, consider the galleria a cultural event, and start contributing to the overpopulation of the world.
No, it's alright though. I bumped into a friend of mine who told me about it last night. Yes I did decide to go out. Sure driving was a little dangerous, and we were hydroplaning the entire way, but if you're not willing to take risks in life, why bother living? Also, I was thirsty. So for the past couple days I've been published and I didn't even realize it. Amazing. It's a good picture too, I'm wearing a cute top and everything.
Anyway, I must depart for brunch now. I can't keep my fans waiting.
No, it's alright though. I bumped into a friend of mine who told me about it last night. Yes I did decide to go out. Sure driving was a little dangerous, and we were hydroplaning the entire way, but if you're not willing to take risks in life, why bother living? Also, I was thirsty. So for the past couple days I've been published and I didn't even realize it. Amazing. It's a good picture too, I'm wearing a cute top and everything.
Anyway, I must depart for brunch now. I can't keep my fans waiting.
Friday, August 05, 2005
台风
I am actually sitting in the middle of a typhoon as I write this. Typhoon Matsa is sweeping across Shanghai as I type. It's pretty exciting. I've never been in a typhoon before. I was out celebrating a friend's birthday last night on a rooftop restaurant when it hit. The restaurant is under glass, so it was really neat to see the rain slamming into the sides and all around. Until it started coming in and getting us wet. Then we had to move, and eventually leave and go to the secret entrance bar again. But that closed early because there was a wedding there today, which I really think takes away the whole secret aspect. Don't worry though, I got my fill of typhoon cocktails to steady my nerves.
Typhoon in chinese is 台风 (taifeng), which literally means 'platform wind'. You got to love the Chinese. I originally thought that was just a phonetic translation from a Japanese word but apparently I'm wrong:
The history of typhoon presents a perfect example of the long journey that many words made in coming to English. It traveled from Greece to Arabia to India, and also arose independently in China, before assuming its current form in our language. The Greek word tuphōn, used both as the name of the father of the winds and a common noun meaning “whirlwind, typhoon,” was borrowed into Arabic during the Middle Ages, when Arabic learning both preserved and expanded the classical heritage and passed it on to Europe and other parts of the world. Ṭūfān, the Arabic version of the Greek word, passed into languages spoken in India, where Arabic-speaking Muslim invaders had settled in the 11th century. Thus the descendant of the Arabic word, passing into English (first recorded in 1588) through an Indian language and appearing in English in forms such as touffon and tufan, originally referred specifically to a severe storm in India. The modern form of typhoon was influenced by a borrowing from the Cantonese variety of Chinese, namely the word taaîfung, and respelled to make it look more like Greek. Taaîfung, meaning literally “great wind,” was coincidentally similar to the Arabic borrowing and is first recorded in English guise as tuffoon in 1699. The various forms coalesced and finally became typhoon, a spelling that first appeared in 1819 in Shelley's Prometheus Unbound.
Wow, gun powder, paper, noodles, and now typhoons. What can't the Chinese do?
I was actually supposed to be in America for my cousin's wedding this weekend, but then I would have missed the typhoon. But congratulations Ben and Natalie, hope you had an amazing, typhoon-free ceremony. Wish I were there.
I was actually totally in the dark that a typhoon was headed my way. I was walking around on Friday thinking that it was a pretty windy day and then a friend of mine clued me in. Also, the Koreans were on top of it. Typhoon sounds the same in Korean as well. So anyway, I'm stuck in my house today because I don't like the wind, and I don't want to get wet, and you know, there’s a typhoon out there. They aren't kidding when they say torrential rains. Water is streaming down my windows right now, and I live on the 17th floor. I may study, or just stare at the wall for the rest of the day. I haven't really decided.
So anyway, that's where I'm at. Wish me luck.
Typhoon in chinese is 台风 (taifeng), which literally means 'platform wind'. You got to love the Chinese. I originally thought that was just a phonetic translation from a Japanese word but apparently I'm wrong:
The history of typhoon presents a perfect example of the long journey that many words made in coming to English. It traveled from Greece to Arabia to India, and also arose independently in China, before assuming its current form in our language. The Greek word tuphōn, used both as the name of the father of the winds and a common noun meaning “whirlwind, typhoon,” was borrowed into Arabic during the Middle Ages, when Arabic learning both preserved and expanded the classical heritage and passed it on to Europe and other parts of the world. Ṭūfān, the Arabic version of the Greek word, passed into languages spoken in India, where Arabic-speaking Muslim invaders had settled in the 11th century. Thus the descendant of the Arabic word, passing into English (first recorded in 1588) through an Indian language and appearing in English in forms such as touffon and tufan, originally referred specifically to a severe storm in India. The modern form of typhoon was influenced by a borrowing from the Cantonese variety of Chinese, namely the word taaîfung, and respelled to make it look more like Greek. Taaîfung, meaning literally “great wind,” was coincidentally similar to the Arabic borrowing and is first recorded in English guise as tuffoon in 1699. The various forms coalesced and finally became typhoon, a spelling that first appeared in 1819 in Shelley's Prometheus Unbound.
Wow, gun powder, paper, noodles, and now typhoons. What can't the Chinese do?
I was actually supposed to be in America for my cousin's wedding this weekend, but then I would have missed the typhoon. But congratulations Ben and Natalie, hope you had an amazing, typhoon-free ceremony. Wish I were there.
I was actually totally in the dark that a typhoon was headed my way. I was walking around on Friday thinking that it was a pretty windy day and then a friend of mine clued me in. Also, the Koreans were on top of it. Typhoon sounds the same in Korean as well. So anyway, I'm stuck in my house today because I don't like the wind, and I don't want to get wet, and you know, there’s a typhoon out there. They aren't kidding when they say torrential rains. Water is streaming down my windows right now, and I live on the 17th floor. I may study, or just stare at the wall for the rest of the day. I haven't really decided.
So anyway, that's where I'm at. Wish me luck.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
toolings
I used to have a thing against the French. I remember realizing one day that I had visited France more than any other country and being completely horrified. I no longer have a huge problem with France, but I did get a similar appalling feeling the other day when it occurred to me that I have now lived in China longer than any other country. Except America of course.
A couple years ago I had a family holiday in upstate New York. It was at one of those resort-type places where there is a set schedule of activities, like in Dirty Dancing. Anyway, it was as exciting as family vacations can be. All I really remember from it was some game involving a racquet and net that wasn't ping-pong or tennis and I didn't play it anyway b/c I had too much of an attitude, some misunderstanding concerning a massage, expensive phone calls, and a lot of scrabble. Oh, and apparently toolings is a word.
Anyway, I relive that vacation every day. I play a version of scrabble with my Korean kids. We wrote a bunch of letters on pieces of paper. Only they get to choose 20 letters each, and everyone can see each other's pieces, and you can swap letters with other people. Which should make this the easiest game in the world, but some problems still arise. I try to keep it challenging by only taking 10 letters for myself and not swapping. So I end up with a lot of Zs, Qs, and Xes. Also I have to pick specific letters to make a word from to keep the game spreading and prevent it from bunching in one corner. And the word has to be long and easy enough (so toolings is out of the question.) But it's all right. They seem to like it. I'm personally never going to play scrabble again, but that's just what I got out of it.
I went to this really cool bar last night. You need to know a secret combination to get in the door, and once inside it's fucking amazing. I was drinking from test tubes all night. I woke up this morning a bit hung over, which isn't unusual. If I didn't work with children I'd be drunk all the time. Anyway, I put on my sunglasses and headphones as I do every day. I walked outside and felt a bit off only to realize it was raining. When you live in your own little world you forget about the outside.
A couple years ago I had a family holiday in upstate New York. It was at one of those resort-type places where there is a set schedule of activities, like in Dirty Dancing. Anyway, it was as exciting as family vacations can be. All I really remember from it was some game involving a racquet and net that wasn't ping-pong or tennis and I didn't play it anyway b/c I had too much of an attitude, some misunderstanding concerning a massage, expensive phone calls, and a lot of scrabble. Oh, and apparently toolings is a word.
Anyway, I relive that vacation every day. I play a version of scrabble with my Korean kids. We wrote a bunch of letters on pieces of paper. Only they get to choose 20 letters each, and everyone can see each other's pieces, and you can swap letters with other people. Which should make this the easiest game in the world, but some problems still arise. I try to keep it challenging by only taking 10 letters for myself and not swapping. So I end up with a lot of Zs, Qs, and Xes. Also I have to pick specific letters to make a word from to keep the game spreading and prevent it from bunching in one corner. And the word has to be long and easy enough (so toolings is out of the question.) But it's all right. They seem to like it. I'm personally never going to play scrabble again, but that's just what I got out of it.
I went to this really cool bar last night. You need to know a secret combination to get in the door, and once inside it's fucking amazing. I was drinking from test tubes all night. I woke up this morning a bit hung over, which isn't unusual. If I didn't work with children I'd be drunk all the time. Anyway, I put on my sunglasses and headphones as I do every day. I walked outside and felt a bit off only to realize it was raining. When you live in your own little world you forget about the outside.
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