Sunday, November 21, 2010
What was that?
last Friday, Zhongshan had a small earthquake. Something like a 3.5 I hear. I missed it, being in Guangzhou for a softball game. A native told me that this was the first time he knew of an earthquake here, then another gwailo told me there was another small one 6 years ago. No damage noted anywhere.
The trip to Guangzhou was odd. Because of the Asian Games, the city banned half of the cars (even license plates one day, odd the next), planted flowers and trees everywhere, and has done a lot to make the place cleaner and less of an eyesore. It seemed almost livable. I mentioned this to someone visiting ZS from GZ, who assured me that locals don't expect that to last. Still, a clean and pleasant GZ seems unnatural
Movember
Growing a moustache to raise money to help fight cancer or some such thing. What do I know? Someone told me if I grew a moustache, the world would be better and I'd be slightly shaggier.
This is a cause I feel strongly about and I'm asking you to support my efforts by making a donation to me. To help, you can either:
- Click this link http://au.movember.com/mospace/1293262/ and donate online using your credit card or PayPal account
Right now, Zhongshan has three teams, and mine is dead last. yay moustache!
This is a cause I feel strongly about and I'm asking you to support my efforts by making a donation to me. To help, you can either:
- Click this link http://au.movember.com/mospace/1293262/ and donate online using your credit card or PayPal account
Right now, Zhongshan has three teams, and mine is dead last. yay moustache!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
holding pattern
Haven't had too much happen over the last month.
visited Thailand and Xiamen. Thailand is a weird place, particularly if you go on a Chinese tour. Some people go there for bizarre sex shows, some for the ancient culture. Chinese tours try to cater to both groups, which creates a schizo feeling. We skipped the naughtier events, but still found ourselves watching a lot of singing transexuals. The temples are more attractive to me, despite us normally arriving at 8:00. If you ever go to Thailand on a Chinese tour, I highly recommend making the effort to skip the endless Chinese buffets and find Thai food. Much better than lukewarm Cantonese cuisine.
Xiamen is near Taiwan, and was a pleasant place to visit. K really wanted to go, and I'm still not sure. Saw a few other places, including Hakka communal homes, which were more interesting. There's something funny about a Chinese girl being entranced by rice and tea farms. You'd think she'd have seen those two things before.
Beginning to work full time at the Friend's Bar. When I first moved here, it was the first place I went where people really worked to make me feel at home. I've never forgotten, and have tried to do the same for new people since. Now I get paid to do it, and free drinks. Of course, free drinks lose something when you have classes at 8:00 in the morning.
Still plan on leaving in February. My school is good to me, but the pay is pretty low. More importantly, I have a strong desire to see somewhere new. Not sure where, just want a change. Since I'm dating someone who shares that desire, seems a good time to explore. Most likely, we'll be movin to somewhere north and east of here in China, though it is possible we'll go the opposite direction and wind up in Singapore. So far, there is some interest from potential employers with jobs I'm interested in. Looking to see who makes the best offer.
visited Thailand and Xiamen. Thailand is a weird place, particularly if you go on a Chinese tour. Some people go there for bizarre sex shows, some for the ancient culture. Chinese tours try to cater to both groups, which creates a schizo feeling. We skipped the naughtier events, but still found ourselves watching a lot of singing transexuals. The temples are more attractive to me, despite us normally arriving at 8:00. If you ever go to Thailand on a Chinese tour, I highly recommend making the effort to skip the endless Chinese buffets and find Thai food. Much better than lukewarm Cantonese cuisine.
Xiamen is near Taiwan, and was a pleasant place to visit. K really wanted to go, and I'm still not sure. Saw a few other places, including Hakka communal homes, which were more interesting. There's something funny about a Chinese girl being entranced by rice and tea farms. You'd think she'd have seen those two things before.
Beginning to work full time at the Friend's Bar. When I first moved here, it was the first place I went where people really worked to make me feel at home. I've never forgotten, and have tried to do the same for new people since. Now I get paid to do it, and free drinks. Of course, free drinks lose something when you have classes at 8:00 in the morning.
Still plan on leaving in February. My school is good to me, but the pay is pretty low. More importantly, I have a strong desire to see somewhere new. Not sure where, just want a change. Since I'm dating someone who shares that desire, seems a good time to explore. Most likely, we'll be movin to somewhere north and east of here in China, though it is possible we'll go the opposite direction and wind up in Singapore. So far, there is some interest from potential employers with jobs I'm interested in. Looking to see who makes the best offer.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Snooty
Someone sent me this to see if I'd do better than English or French people. Doubtful.
1. Can you talk about "Mad Men?" no
2. Can you talk about the "The Sopranos?" no
3. Do you know who replaced Bob Barker on "The Price Is Right?" yes, due to a n unfortunate resemblance to Drew Carey
4. Have you watched an Oprah show from beginning to end? no
5. Can you hold forth animatedly about yoga?Nope.
6. How about pilates? Nope.
7. How about skiing? Nope.
8. Mountain biking? Nope.
9. Do you know who Jimmie Johnson is? no clue
10. Does the acronym MMA mean nothing to you? Mixed Martial Arts. I don't enjoy it, but at least this rings a bell
11. Can you talk about books endlessly? there are a few people that will attest that it seems endless.
12. Have you ever read a "Left Behind" novel? read the first one and was appalled. I thought Christianity was based on loving God through embracing your fellow man, not this callous, hateful diatribe against humanity. Read the slacktivist for more detailed analysis.
13. How about a Harlequin romance? I immediately think of the Batman character everytime the word harlequin is used. I haven't read one
14. Do you take interesting vacations? interesting to me. My last few involved elephant rides, transexual conga lines to techno Christmas carols, watching my gf eat scorpions, Chinese minority fortresses and eating hot peppers to try to win a bet. So kind of dull
15. Do you know a great backpacking spot in the Sierra Nevada? nope
16. What about an exquisite B and B overlooking Boothbay Harbor? I'll have to admit I couldn't say where Boothbay harbor is.
17. Would you be caught dead in an RV? I don't see myself ever being in one, but I don't have any objection to them. I suppose if I'm dead, I don't have much say in the matter.
18. Would you be caught dead on a cruise ship? again, no real desire to go on one, but no real objection. I'm also only attrracted to girls with weak stomachs
19. Have you ever heard of of Branson, Mo? yes, but I'd prefer Bronson
20. Have you ever attended a meeting of a Kiwanis Club? no, but I'd go for the peanuts
21. How about the Rotary Club? Nope.
22. Have you lived for at least a year in a small town? By Chinese reckoning, yes, but I'd be in a large town or possibly small city by US standards. That I live outside the US seems to disqualify me from being a real American anyway. I don't hate foreigners; I am a foreigner
23. Have you lived for a year in an urban neighborhood in which most of your neighbors did not have college degrees? I believe son, though I never went around asking for diplomas.
24. Have you spent at least a year with a family income less than twice the poverty line? i guess so
25. Do you have a close friend who is an evangelical Christian? maybe not real clos, but a few who sort of count
26. Have you ever visited a factory floor? yes, often when I was younger.
27. Have you worked on one? no
28. Did you go to public school? no
29. Did you go to public university? yes
30. Did you go to public graduate school. didn't go to grad school yet
31. Do you follow college football? no
32. Do you follow association football (soccer)? no
33. Do you eat at fast food restaurants? very rarely here, unless we're leaving a club and I'm outvoted.
34. Do you eat fried chicken? no
35. Do you eat meat? no
36. Have you ever visited Europe? Yes. Wow, is this really make me un-American?
37. Do you own a gun? No. Maybe it should be noted that it is impossible where I live, as private gun ownership is outlawed. It's generally held I owe my life to that fact. I suppose I should be in fear all the time, as I can't shoot intruders, but instead feel far safer than I ever did in my home town
1. Can you talk about "Mad Men?" no
2. Can you talk about the "The Sopranos?" no
3. Do you know who replaced Bob Barker on "The Price Is Right?" yes, due to a n unfortunate resemblance to Drew Carey
4. Have you watched an Oprah show from beginning to end? no
5. Can you hold forth animatedly about yoga?Nope.
6. How about pilates? Nope.
7. How about skiing? Nope.
8. Mountain biking? Nope.
9. Do you know who Jimmie Johnson is? no clue
10. Does the acronym MMA mean nothing to you? Mixed Martial Arts. I don't enjoy it, but at least this rings a bell
11. Can you talk about books endlessly? there are a few people that will attest that it seems endless.
12. Have you ever read a "Left Behind" novel? read the first one and was appalled. I thought Christianity was based on loving God through embracing your fellow man, not this callous, hateful diatribe against humanity. Read the slacktivist for more detailed analysis.
13. How about a Harlequin romance? I immediately think of the Batman character everytime the word harlequin is used. I haven't read one
14. Do you take interesting vacations? interesting to me. My last few involved elephant rides, transexual conga lines to techno Christmas carols, watching my gf eat scorpions, Chinese minority fortresses and eating hot peppers to try to win a bet. So kind of dull
15. Do you know a great backpacking spot in the Sierra Nevada? nope
16. What about an exquisite B and B overlooking Boothbay Harbor? I'll have to admit I couldn't say where Boothbay harbor is.
17. Would you be caught dead in an RV? I don't see myself ever being in one, but I don't have any objection to them. I suppose if I'm dead, I don't have much say in the matter.
18. Would you be caught dead on a cruise ship? again, no real desire to go on one, but no real objection. I'm also only attrracted to girls with weak stomachs
19. Have you ever heard of of Branson, Mo? yes, but I'd prefer Bronson
20. Have you ever attended a meeting of a Kiwanis Club? no, but I'd go for the peanuts
21. How about the Rotary Club? Nope.
22. Have you lived for at least a year in a small town? By Chinese reckoning, yes, but I'd be in a large town or possibly small city by US standards. That I live outside the US seems to disqualify me from being a real American anyway. I don't hate foreigners; I am a foreigner
23. Have you lived for a year in an urban neighborhood in which most of your neighbors did not have college degrees? I believe son, though I never went around asking for diplomas.
24. Have you spent at least a year with a family income less than twice the poverty line? i guess so
25. Do you have a close friend who is an evangelical Christian? maybe not real clos, but a few who sort of count
26. Have you ever visited a factory floor? yes, often when I was younger.
27. Have you worked on one? no
28. Did you go to public school? no
29. Did you go to public university? yes
30. Did you go to public graduate school. didn't go to grad school yet
31. Do you follow college football? no
32. Do you follow association football (soccer)? no
33. Do you eat at fast food restaurants? very rarely here, unless we're leaving a club and I'm outvoted.
34. Do you eat fried chicken? no
35. Do you eat meat? no
36. Have you ever visited Europe? Yes. Wow, is this really make me un-American?
37. Do you own a gun? No. Maybe it should be noted that it is impossible where I live, as private gun ownership is outlawed. It's generally held I owe my life to that fact. I suppose I should be in fear all the time, as I can't shoot intruders, but instead feel far safer than I ever did in my home town
Thursday, October 28, 2010
photos
photos are still being posted at zsrenn.com (or zslenstuff.ning.com if you feel like typing more). Click on me and then go see the photos. Thailand, Xiamen/Meizhou and a friend's wedding are there. It may change soon toa site you need to register to use, but at the moment it should be visible to all
woo hoo
I seemed to finally have access again. Shame I need to walk out the door in a minute or two instead of posting more about classes, my new gig at the bar, upcoming Halloween events, various farewells, and other goings on
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