As a note, "That's what she said" jokes never get old.
I think I'll write in Chinese for a moment, since I'm not actually studying right now.
我觉得我的痛恶是奶牛。
I just said "I think my roommate is a cow." It's amazing what all this schooling is enabling. If only I knew how to say "punkface" in Mandarin...
T
Sunday, October 21, 2007
My roommate ran the (it turned out to be) 10K today. I went to meet him at the finish, but I got in a Beijing taxi. I feel that was my real mistake. I pointed on a map, and the driver took me to the proper street, but not the place. I kept telling him that I wanted to go to the Olympic center, but he told me that the whole area was the Olympic center. Thus, I wandered about lost for over an hour until I found the route. Then I found that it dead ended for the spectators, so I had to get lost and find myself again to get anywhere. Roomie called me and told me he was finished, and I told him I was still walking to get there. About 20 minutes later I met up with him, and we proceeded to not get a taxi for a good 30 more minutes. Finally, we got a taxi and went home. Interestingly, I think I probably walked as much as he ran today, and I did it in nice shoes, so now I've got pretty pretty blisters, whereas he's just sore from running. It's poetic, right?
I suppose it could have been avoided if I'd just gone with him this morning and not been sleep greedy. Too bad.
Today, for whatever reason, I feel really strange. I feel worn down physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. I'm realizing how much I value touch, and that in this place you don't get much of that unless you're shoving your way on or off the subway. I'm also realizing that this place is (at least to me) really disjointed and spiritually inaccessible. At least, I mean, I can't communicate with anyone very well, and those who might be great as far as connection are in a way lease accessible because I've known them such a short time, and there is little trust yet. I don't mean this of my established friends, but of those at the international meetings. It seems awkward like a blind date. Perhaps I'm so afraid of awkwardness that I'm prevented from being dynamic.
I've been meaning to send a special hello to Ms. Jane. I thought I did the other day, but I'm told I didn't, and I can't really look. Well, I could, but I don't want to go through the channels. So, hello! I think about you a lot, and I look forward to having a Mexican Night when I get back, diet or no. Very much love.
This has been a rough week in many ways, and I really don't need to disclose that online. Just kind of rough and dirty. Sad, really. If life was all puppies and cottoncandy, though, I guess there'd be no need to ever do anything. No need to change or grow or learn. As a side note, puppies are cute, but their milk teeth are horribly pointy and sharp.
I watched The Pianist today. I didn't like it much. I actually started telling the computer to make the movie end, which it can't do because it's a computer and has no volition. The movie was kind of boring and violent at the same time. I also saw Perfume last night. It was odd. There was more nudity than there should have been, though it was about a guy killing women for their scent, which is kind of weird to begin with. It wasn't sexual, though. I don't know. I can't recommend the movie, but it was interesting. And not as long and boring as The Pianist. I would recommend Crash, though, except the language is (realistically) strong. It made my face leak a few times. It's good if you can get past the preachiness of the beginning couple scenes.
Time to go use a non-Western toilet. Fun!
T
I suppose it could have been avoided if I'd just gone with him this morning and not been sleep greedy. Too bad.
Today, for whatever reason, I feel really strange. I feel worn down physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. I'm realizing how much I value touch, and that in this place you don't get much of that unless you're shoving your way on or off the subway. I'm also realizing that this place is (at least to me) really disjointed and spiritually inaccessible. At least, I mean, I can't communicate with anyone very well, and those who might be great as far as connection are in a way lease accessible because I've known them such a short time, and there is little trust yet. I don't mean this of my established friends, but of those at the international meetings. It seems awkward like a blind date. Perhaps I'm so afraid of awkwardness that I'm prevented from being dynamic.
I've been meaning to send a special hello to Ms. Jane. I thought I did the other day, but I'm told I didn't, and I can't really look. Well, I could, but I don't want to go through the channels. So, hello! I think about you a lot, and I look forward to having a Mexican Night when I get back, diet or no. Very much love.
This has been a rough week in many ways, and I really don't need to disclose that online. Just kind of rough and dirty. Sad, really. If life was all puppies and cottoncandy, though, I guess there'd be no need to ever do anything. No need to change or grow or learn. As a side note, puppies are cute, but their milk teeth are horribly pointy and sharp.
I watched The Pianist today. I didn't like it much. I actually started telling the computer to make the movie end, which it can't do because it's a computer and has no volition. The movie was kind of boring and violent at the same time. I also saw Perfume last night. It was odd. There was more nudity than there should have been, though it was about a guy killing women for their scent, which is kind of weird to begin with. It wasn't sexual, though. I don't know. I can't recommend the movie, but it was interesting. And not as long and boring as The Pianist. I would recommend Crash, though, except the language is (realistically) strong. It made my face leak a few times. It's good if you can get past the preachiness of the beginning couple scenes.
Time to go use a non-Western toilet. Fun!
T
Thursday, October 18, 2007
I've become a man of few words on here lately. I guess monotony and the day to day grind will do that.
I feel that my confidence in speaking Chinese has bounded forward this week. This afternoon the maid came, (she was a new one) and I talked to her a little bit. I told her that I wasn't in class because I'd had class in the morning. I also told her that my roommate wasn't in his room. Then I went down to my local coffee spot and told the fuyuan that I wanted "teng ri kafei" which translates to "this very exact same day's coffee." Later I went up and asked if 12 kuai was the right price. She said "dui" which means "right" and I handed her the money. Hot dog!
The Beijing Marathon is this Sunday. Butterbean's dad is running it. My roomie is running the 8K, though his preparation has been scarily minimal. I hope he doesn't break something, because I'm not paid enough to be a nurse.
Today/Yesterday (depends on where you are) is/was my Dad's birthday. Zhu ni shengri kuai le! Happy birthday to you!
I made a friend at a dvd shop just up the street. It's a bootleg joint, of course, but this is China. And it's so close and so cheap. Anyway, I don't really know my new friend's name, but I have his phone number, and maybe we'll hang out. I taught him to to say, "You are welcome to come back!" to customers as they are leaving. When my roomie went back there yesterday, my friend was there, and he threw up his hands over his head and said, "You are welcome back!" Precious is all that is. He wasn't there when I went, but that's ok. A guy who sells movies is my best friend regardless. So much more so if he speaks Chinese and I speak English and we're each learning the other.
All that laid out, I've bought the first season of the British version of The Office. I've been watching it before I go to sleep at night. Let me just say it is stinking hilarious. I know that I disturb my neighbors at least once a night by laughing out loud at it. Note my lack of concern over the matter. It's not sitcom funny, though, it's lame-joke-that-no-one-laughs-at-but-the-teller funny. It takes a bit of getting used to.
That's all for this episode.
T
I feel that my confidence in speaking Chinese has bounded forward this week. This afternoon the maid came, (she was a new one) and I talked to her a little bit. I told her that I wasn't in class because I'd had class in the morning. I also told her that my roommate wasn't in his room. Then I went down to my local coffee spot and told the fuyuan that I wanted "teng ri kafei" which translates to "this very exact same day's coffee." Later I went up and asked if 12 kuai was the right price. She said "dui" which means "right" and I handed her the money. Hot dog!
The Beijing Marathon is this Sunday. Butterbean's dad is running it. My roomie is running the 8K, though his preparation has been scarily minimal. I hope he doesn't break something, because I'm not paid enough to be a nurse.
Today/Yesterday (depends on where you are) is/was my Dad's birthday. Zhu ni shengri kuai le! Happy birthday to you!
I made a friend at a dvd shop just up the street. It's a bootleg joint, of course, but this is China. And it's so close and so cheap. Anyway, I don't really know my new friend's name, but I have his phone number, and maybe we'll hang out. I taught him to to say, "You are welcome to come back!" to customers as they are leaving. When my roomie went back there yesterday, my friend was there, and he threw up his hands over his head and said, "You are welcome back!" Precious is all that is. He wasn't there when I went, but that's ok. A guy who sells movies is my best friend regardless. So much more so if he speaks Chinese and I speak English and we're each learning the other.
All that laid out, I've bought the first season of the British version of The Office. I've been watching it before I go to sleep at night. Let me just say it is stinking hilarious. I know that I disturb my neighbors at least once a night by laughing out loud at it. Note my lack of concern over the matter. It's not sitcom funny, though, it's lame-joke-that-no-one-laughs-at-but-the-teller funny. It takes a bit of getting used to.
That's all for this episode.
T
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Making up for my silence
If it weren't for that nagging, persistent knowledge that smoking causes cancer causes death, I would probably take it up here. Oh, also the thing about addiction being relinquishing a part of yourself to the control of a substance or behaviour. That keeps me, too. And that smoke makes me cough. Otherwise, though, I would take up smoking because to be Asian is to hate clean air. That's taking it perhaps too far, but you know what I mean. The one thing that I've come up with is this would be bumper-sticker:
Smoking: Because Beijing's air quality was just a little too good!
School is going well for me. I am probably in the bottom of my class (not the only one there, though) and I'm not at all worried about it. I'm sure that this is a character flaw picked up around senior year in high school, but I am learning my behind off. I have learned an immense amount of Chinese since I've been here. I told Dad that I've learned more here in a month and a half than I would have in a whole year in the States. I'm certain than my confidence in using the language is greater than it would be if I didn't live here and need it day-to-day. I don't study well, and I'm working on that bit by bit. It is difficult to be motivated to study when you could just... not. However, I have not skipped any of my homework, and I've only skipped one class because I was feeling ill. That's a good record, people! I am an achiever, even if the over- part is diminished with the reality of my brain's innate lack of linguistic genius. I learn, but I don't learn language that easily. I like it, though.
This is a video tour of my dorm! Note the "Western-style" bathroom.
At this moment I'm sitting in a Starbucks Coffee in Xidan, which is just west of Tian'anmen and straight south of Beishida. I rode my sweetaction little velocipede here, and it took about 30 minutes from my dorm. That was with me looking for the place, too. Note: It's hard to bike and look all around for a particular place simultaneously. I found it just when I decided to cross the street and head back. Thanks for that one, You, it made me laugh. Once I got into Starbucks and ordered my caramel macchiato and blueberry muffin, I met a couple of Australian women in their (I'm guessing) early- to mid-30's. They are here on holiday for 6 days. I pulled up a chair and told them how to take the subway. I told them which stop is Silk Street, and all that jazz. Then they asked where to buy immitation clothes. I was like, "Um... Silk Street. That's pretty much what they sell." They also asked me about restaurants and bars. I could handle the first, and I advised them against Korean food (it's just kind of weird) and tried my best about bars. I was honest, though, and told them I really don't know any good ones. I told them there is a place in Wudaokou called Propaganda, but that that area is mostly college students. I did say that there's a place in Chaoyang called Lucky Bar Street, but that I don't know anything about it. I'm not the best person to ask about nightlife, you see. I taught them how to ask someone's name and how to thank people. I also told them they might want to experience Oriental Plaza, because it is the biggest legitimate shopping area I know. They were really nice, and they offered to show me around Melbourne if ever I'm there. I told them I just might, though I don't know when that opportunity will arise. I gave them my Chinese cell number, taught them how to input the + to make international calls (you just hold down the 0) and gave them my email address. Poor babies.
As a note, the same woman has now mopped the same swath of floor twice since I've been here. Twice! I'm telling you, they mop like crazy around here.
This is like thirteen blog posts all in one. I hope it satiated your hunger for my life's tidbits.
T
Smoking: Because Beijing's air quality was just a little too good!
School is going well for me. I am probably in the bottom of my class (not the only one there, though) and I'm not at all worried about it. I'm sure that this is a character flaw picked up around senior year in high school, but I am learning my behind off. I have learned an immense amount of Chinese since I've been here. I told Dad that I've learned more here in a month and a half than I would have in a whole year in the States. I'm certain than my confidence in using the language is greater than it would be if I didn't live here and need it day-to-day. I don't study well, and I'm working on that bit by bit. It is difficult to be motivated to study when you could just... not. However, I have not skipped any of my homework, and I've only skipped one class because I was feeling ill. That's a good record, people! I am an achiever, even if the over- part is diminished with the reality of my brain's innate lack of linguistic genius. I learn, but I don't learn language that easily. I like it, though.
This is a video tour of my dorm! Note the "Western-style" bathroom.
At this moment I'm sitting in a Starbucks Coffee in Xidan, which is just west of Tian'anmen and straight south of Beishida. I rode my sweetaction little velocipede here, and it took about 30 minutes from my dorm. That was with me looking for the place, too. Note: It's hard to bike and look all around for a particular place simultaneously. I found it just when I decided to cross the street and head back. Thanks for that one, You, it made me laugh. Once I got into Starbucks and ordered my caramel macchiato and blueberry muffin, I met a couple of Australian women in their (I'm guessing) early- to mid-30's. They are here on holiday for 6 days. I pulled up a chair and told them how to take the subway. I told them which stop is Silk Street, and all that jazz. Then they asked where to buy immitation clothes. I was like, "Um... Silk Street. That's pretty much what they sell." They also asked me about restaurants and bars. I could handle the first, and I advised them against Korean food (it's just kind of weird) and tried my best about bars. I was honest, though, and told them I really don't know any good ones. I told them there is a place in Wudaokou called Propaganda, but that that area is mostly college students. I did say that there's a place in Chaoyang called Lucky Bar Street, but that I don't know anything about it. I'm not the best person to ask about nightlife, you see. I taught them how to ask someone's name and how to thank people. I also told them they might want to experience Oriental Plaza, because it is the biggest legitimate shopping area I know. They were really nice, and they offered to show me around Melbourne if ever I'm there. I told them I just might, though I don't know when that opportunity will arise. I gave them my Chinese cell number, taught them how to input the + to make international calls (you just hold down the 0) and gave them my email address. Poor babies.
As a note, the same woman has now mopped the same swath of floor twice since I've been here. Twice! I'm telling you, they mop like crazy around here.
This is like thirteen blog posts all in one. I hope it satiated your hunger for my life's tidbits.
T
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Ok, after merely 13,500 RMB's worth of new harddriveage and labor, my baby is back! My computer is up and running at a Starbuck's nowhere near you. So in total, it cost $173 US. And it only took one day's wait.
I'm pretty ecstatic about this. Now I need to
1. Get the internet turned back on in my dorm room
2. Download Skype
3. Get on the subway and go where I'm really supposed to be right now
Hooray!
T
I'm pretty ecstatic about this. Now I need to
1. Get the internet turned back on in my dorm room
2. Download Skype
3. Get on the subway and go where I'm really supposed to be right now
Hooray!
T
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Ni men hao. That is basically, "Hey, y'all" in Chinese.
Here's what's shaking in my world.
-Celebrated National Day on Monday last by going to Tian'anmen square. I think we covered this before.
-Went to Silk Street with my American friend and we bought some bootleg dvd's from the shadiest backroom-through-a-mirror-in-a-clothing-store I've ever seen. Not to mention the only.
-Hung out with some more Americans. We got some candy from America, and basically it made me dance with glee. Almost.
-Found a service center for my computer. The man charged me 85 kuai to look at it, and he thinks the harddisk is messed up. (Bad news, people. Start passing a hat...) He will call me tomorrow to let me know, though he speaks Chinese and I don't, so I won't really know one way or another. I'll figure it out. Chinese is harder over the phone because you can't point.
-Went to class...
-Bought over-priced peanut butter and salsa from Jenny Lu's, which is an international grocery store.
Let me say that today I felt for the first time like a real Beijinger. No, I still don't speak good Chinese (thought I suspect that neither do they!). And I still get lost sometimes, but again, I don't think that makes me much different from the natives. What did it, I think, was the acquisition of a subway/bus card. Now I don't have to queue each time I want to get on the train. I can just press my card against the scanner and it beeps and charges me a pre-paid 2 kuai. I also rode all the way across town (including a train change) alone to take care of my computer and grocery shopping. I didn't know where I was going exactly, but I didn't for a single moment get lost. I used some form of landmark recognition and a clear sense of direction to steer me back and from the subway. I looked nonplused when the train shuddered and sighed at the different stops. I didn't even spend my whole half hour both ways staring at the subway map. I took the train like a pro. I walked, rode the train, and rode my bike like someone who has been here a hundred years but has only put 20 onto this body.
21 in a month, people. By the way, let me say in passing that I'm super-excited about the metric system. I understand the conversion, and even so, I've lost 25 pounds since I left the US so very long ago. Good for China making me walk around all the time. And ride a bike.
T
Here's what's shaking in my world.
-Celebrated National Day on Monday last by going to Tian'anmen square. I think we covered this before.
-Went to Silk Street with my American friend and we bought some bootleg dvd's from the shadiest backroom-through-a-mirror-in-a-clothing-store I've ever seen. Not to mention the only.
-Hung out with some more Americans. We got some candy from America, and basically it made me dance with glee. Almost.
-Found a service center for my computer. The man charged me 85 kuai to look at it, and he thinks the harddisk is messed up. (Bad news, people. Start passing a hat...) He will call me tomorrow to let me know, though he speaks Chinese and I don't, so I won't really know one way or another. I'll figure it out. Chinese is harder over the phone because you can't point.
-Went to class...
-Bought over-priced peanut butter and salsa from Jenny Lu's, which is an international grocery store.
Let me say that today I felt for the first time like a real Beijinger. No, I still don't speak good Chinese (thought I suspect that neither do they!). And I still get lost sometimes, but again, I don't think that makes me much different from the natives. What did it, I think, was the acquisition of a subway/bus card. Now I don't have to queue each time I want to get on the train. I can just press my card against the scanner and it beeps and charges me a pre-paid 2 kuai. I also rode all the way across town (including a train change) alone to take care of my computer and grocery shopping. I didn't know where I was going exactly, but I didn't for a single moment get lost. I used some form of landmark recognition and a clear sense of direction to steer me back and from the subway. I looked nonplused when the train shuddered and sighed at the different stops. I didn't even spend my whole half hour both ways staring at the subway map. I took the train like a pro. I walked, rode the train, and rode my bike like someone who has been here a hundred years but has only put 20 onto this body.
21 in a month, people. By the way, let me say in passing that I'm super-excited about the metric system. I understand the conversion, and even so, I've lost 25 pounds since I left the US so very long ago. Good for China making me walk around all the time. And ride a bike.
T
Friday, October 5, 2007
Say "Yi Zhang Zhaopianr!"
Every time I sit down to write in this very blog, I feel I should appologize to it or you or myself. "I'm really not dead," I want to say. "I've just been busy," which would be a lie, or "I'm without a computer," not a lie. Sadly, though, I just am not too sure what to tell you, dear readers. I'm mildly frightened that I've become desensitized to China, and therefore I'm missing something.
Here are some weird things to remind myself about, though they don't much faze me anymore.
1. Smog
2. People spit all over the ground or floor. They don't care when/where/who the situation involves. And it isn't a polite little spit. It's a full, double-barrel hocker. Even old ladies who ought to know better.
3. Babies wear crotchless pants. (I've heard about a grown man wearing them, too. I didn't see this, and I'm thankful. I wonder how he spins the potty-training excuse.)
4. No handicap ramps.
5. Pushing the close door button rapidly and without question to the emptiness of the elevator door. Close, door! Also, the pushing of the open door button when the car reaches the floor but before it has stopped. I don't know why they feel this makes the door open faster, but they do it nonetheless.
6. Taxis refuse to take you places because it's
--A. Too far
--B. Too near
--C. The other direction from the way the car is facing at the moment
7. TV is crap. So are any other appliances provided by the school/landlord/building.
8. There are cleaning people constantly mopping. Always mopping with a dirty, nasty mop. I don't think it makes the floor anything other than wet. This happens in the dorm, the school buildings, businesses, restaurants, malls, the subway, basically anywhere people walk. (Side note: You're supposed to take your shoes off when you enter someone's house. But with the mopping, I'm afraid I'll get my socks wet without shoes on.)
In reality, I'm not mad at China about these things. In fact, I don't care one way or the other about them. It's just the little things I've noticed and don't think I'll remember to talk about after much longer.
Tian'anmen Square was amazingly decorated for National Day. I saw all the flowers and such. A Chinese man took my picture with his wife. She was very dressed up, and she somehow reminded me of Lucille Ball, though Chinese and not funny. Maybe it was her hairstyle and makeup. Anyway, it was my first photo-op for just being a big white guy with curly hair in China. Score one for me.
I guess that'll do for now.
T
Here are some weird things to remind myself about, though they don't much faze me anymore.
1. Smog
2. People spit all over the ground or floor. They don't care when/where/who the situation involves. And it isn't a polite little spit. It's a full, double-barrel hocker. Even old ladies who ought to know better.
3. Babies wear crotchless pants. (I've heard about a grown man wearing them, too. I didn't see this, and I'm thankful. I wonder how he spins the potty-training excuse.)
4. No handicap ramps.
5. Pushing the close door button rapidly and without question to the emptiness of the elevator door. Close, door! Also, the pushing of the open door button when the car reaches the floor but before it has stopped. I don't know why they feel this makes the door open faster, but they do it nonetheless.
6. Taxis refuse to take you places because it's
--A. Too far
--B. Too near
--C. The other direction from the way the car is facing at the moment
7. TV is crap. So are any other appliances provided by the school/landlord/building.
8. There are cleaning people constantly mopping. Always mopping with a dirty, nasty mop. I don't think it makes the floor anything other than wet. This happens in the dorm, the school buildings, businesses, restaurants, malls, the subway, basically anywhere people walk. (Side note: You're supposed to take your shoes off when you enter someone's house. But with the mopping, I'm afraid I'll get my socks wet without shoes on.)
In reality, I'm not mad at China about these things. In fact, I don't care one way or the other about them. It's just the little things I've noticed and don't think I'll remember to talk about after much longer.
Tian'anmen Square was amazingly decorated for National Day. I saw all the flowers and such. A Chinese man took my picture with his wife. She was very dressed up, and she somehow reminded me of Lucille Ball, though Chinese and not funny. Maybe it was her hairstyle and makeup. Anyway, it was my first photo-op for just being a big white guy with curly hair in China. Score one for me.
I guess that'll do for now.
T
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