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
Friday, October 1, 2010
Thailand
Thailand was great fun. We got back late last night and got a call this morning that the trip to Xiamen on the 4th was canclled, but two spots had been saved for us on the 2nd. So today consists of washing clothes and packing again. hopefully, karen will find time to post photos on zslenstuff.ning.com for the world to enjoy. If not, give it a few days, and one of us will do it when we return.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
the not so distant future
It seems I will not begin work until after the National Day holiday, so early next month. Before the holiday, K & I will head down to Thailnd for about a week. After it, we will probably head up to Xiamen for a few days. I know it's kind of near Taiwan, and that's about it. That, and she really wants to go. And for the first time, I will watch two friends get married via webcam in the US. Neat
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
flu 3
The treatment is to have someone take a glass ball with an opening, run a flame across it to heat it, and stick it on your back, where the heat creates some suction. Supposedly, negative energy will be drained. I'm unsure if it helped, but my back does seem to have pepperoni slices on it.
If someone had aksed me what I expected of my first week back, being sheared and covered in pepperoni was not high on my list of expectations.
If someone had aksed me what I expected of my first week back, being sheared and covered in pepperoni was not high on my list of expectations.
flu 2
Since my back hurt, Karen decided we should go to a massage parlor for the glass ball thing. We had tried it previously, but it didn't work because of my hairiness. So she informed me of her decision by plugging in a razor and beginning to shave my back. Of all the ways I've been woken up, that is perhaps the most disorienting.
flu
woke up really sick Friday, and pretty much stayed sick through Sunday. So my plans changed from "go out and see friends" and "go out and see Karen's friends" to "stay in bed and feel lousy." Karen's plans changed to "watch movie and take care of a gigantic baby."
My back was very sore from this, and that kept me from sleeping. The lack of sleep in turn made me sicker, which made the back hurt more, etc. Medicine eventually knocked me out and broke the fever.
My back was very sore from this, and that kept me from sleeping. The lack of sleep in turn made me sicker, which made the back hurt more, etc. Medicine eventually knocked me out and broke the fever.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
hmm
seems I can post short things. Also seems I can't post pictures, videos, etc, or embed links. Whatever criticisms I have of China, I will give their censors a hat tip. Kudos
home again 4
We also have a new plan for taking attendance and disciplining students who don't come. My students don't receive a grade, so now I will be forced to deal with 100 students in a class, many of whom don't wish to be there. Probably best i focus on bookkeeping and discipline, instead of wasting my time on students who want to learn to speak English.
On the other hand. it's nice to see Karen again. She's cool
On the other hand. it's nice to see Karen again. She's cool
home again 3
I'm also being hounded about writing a syllabus, with no idea what classes I'm teaching, what textbooks we're using, how many classes we have, or any other vital information.
home again 2
My school is off to a frustrating start. No one knows when we begin, what my schedule is, or whether I have anything to do on campus for the next three weeks. We have a holiday coming, but no one can tell me when it begins or ends. This is putting a crimp in my travel plans, though I suspect I'll just make the plans and then tell the school.
Monday, August 30, 2010
plans I make
I'll be inChicago for 2 more days. Wednesday I'll be out, meeting up with people and saying goodbye.
Thursday I'll be heading to New Jersey to see one of my favorite people get married.
Sunday I head back to China, arriving Tuesday afternoon (time difference and a long trip).
Wednesday Isee the girl who wants to make me forget that today I divorced someone I thought I'd be with until I died. I was wrong. I was fortunate to be with The Bear for 8 years, and I'm fortunate I'm with Karen now.
Thursday I'll be heading to New Jersey to see one of my favorite people get married.
Sunday I head back to China, arriving Tuesday afternoon (time difference and a long trip).
Wednesday Isee the girl who wants to make me forget that today I divorced someone I thought I'd be with until I died. I was wrong. I was fortunate to be with The Bear for 8 years, and I'm fortunate I'm with Karen now.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
FAQs
1. Are you and The Bear getting a divorce?
Yes
2. When did you decide that?
November
3. Is there any chance that will change?
no
4. Are you two still friends? Do you still love her?
yes. Yes
5. S0...you and Karen...?
yes
Yes
2. When did you decide that?
November
3. Is there any chance that will change?
no
4. Are you two still friends? Do you still love her?
yes. Yes
5. S0...you and Karen...?
yes
Lollapalooza-Sunday
Me "We have a lot of time to get there"
Bear "We are not missing the Cribs. I'll leave you if we do"
Ok, maybe too soon.
I had never heard of Mumford & Sons until I was flying home and heard them on the plane. I guess they have a hit (of sorts) but this is the song I heard, and it blew me away. Everything else was godo too. One of the best surprises of the weekend, and not just because it gave me an excuse to say "Mumford" a lot.
Always wanted to go to the dj part, and my nondancing spouse never wanted to. She made an exception for a few hours, in part because there was no one else she really wanted to see, and partially because she's a wonderful person. She seemed to really enjoy it.
Going to see MGMT, we had to make a choice; fight through the massive crowd to try to get somewhere that the 4'11 Bear could see, or head across the field where the sound was terrible but where we would be right in front for the National. We chose the latter, but tried to enjoy MGMT.
The National were way better than expected. We thought they'd be good, but they blew us away. Definitely the right decision about where to stand. The singer was right in front of us at the beginning, before climbing a wall and heading out into the crowd.
Finally, the arcade Fire. Simply put, one of the best concerts I have ever seen. Words fail me. The video doesn't quite capture how awesome it was, but you get the idea.
Bear "We are not missing the Cribs. I'll leave you if we do"
Ok, maybe too soon.
I had never heard of Mumford & Sons until I was flying home and heard them on the plane. I guess they have a hit (of sorts) but this is the song I heard, and it blew me away. Everything else was godo too. One of the best surprises of the weekend, and not just because it gave me an excuse to say "Mumford" a lot.
Always wanted to go to the dj part, and my nondancing spouse never wanted to. She made an exception for a few hours, in part because there was no one else she really wanted to see, and partially because she's a wonderful person. She seemed to really enjoy it.
Going to see MGMT, we had to make a choice; fight through the massive crowd to try to get somewhere that the 4'11 Bear could see, or head across the field where the sound was terrible but where we would be right in front for the National. We chose the latter, but tried to enjoy MGMT.
The National were way better than expected. We thought they'd be good, but they blew us away. Definitely the right decision about where to stand. The singer was right in front of us at the beginning, before climbing a wall and heading out into the crowd.
Finally, the arcade Fire. Simply put, one of the best concerts I have ever seen. Words fail me. The video doesn't quite capture how awesome it was, but you get the idea.
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