tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63776860402809127112024-02-19T14:59:30.454+08:00not quite homea china blog, sort of...d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-67547468976739251482010-08-07T20:25:00.002+08:002010-08-07T20:29:53.988+08:00circlingon hold for now. Real life overtakes virtual life. Too many events going, but in short, the MFA writing has taken the lead, as well as various life changing events.<br /><br />I'll be occasionally blogging on another blog, which, if you know us, should be easy to find.<br /><br />Anyway, Hong Kong for now is the psuedo-home, until nyc reclaims us.d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-66717526772021511732010-02-12T19:31:00.002+08:002010-02-12T23:04:51.233+08:00You say tomato, I say grapefruitI say potato, you say solanum tubersum.<br /><br />A more substantial, informative post with photos coming post-phuket vacation. But, three weeks of teaching down. Three weeks.d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-38790902988564073002010-02-06T23:13:00.002+08:002010-02-06T23:17:40.907+08:00a quick noteIt's been a little over a year since Anny died, and I just wanted to say to her, thank you for being a good student and a caring person. I still think of you all of the time, and I always will.d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-31514540431517250472010-02-03T20:55:00.007+08:002010-02-03T22:28:21.069+08:00Once more, with feeling<div><p>Well, a few weeks into teaching and I'm starting to remember what it was like last year. Yes, that confused, fuzzy look staring back at me from all angles. Grading and powerpointing late into the night (currently working on 'marketing mix--pricing methods' a must read for all A-level Business Studies students!...in my class). Teaching Shakespeare and Mary Shelley to Korean and Hong Kong kids? Er...No, no. Can't resort to Leo and Claire Danes version. How to explain "her chastity was well-armed?" or "I'll chop off their head, or their maidenheads."</p><p>I'll have more photo fun time w/ my school and kids but since half of them are native speakers, I might have to be a bit more discreet, lest they find this rarely read blog (hi, my five readers!).</p><p>Anyway, times are a' busy here. Still honing sharpening my completely inappropriate submission materials to the MFA. Is using "motherf'er" in a personal essay about writing craft a good idea? Wha? No?</p><p>Well, at least in a week I'll be returning to Thailand! This time with cole in tow for our Chinese New Year vacation. Gong hei fat choy folks. Happy year of le tigre.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQid2kM-T0vxHkLwS6Psqh_CXdK3GwdVicl5CNvx_pE1AGXFDWWJswESdD4TE5_nottQ5a1nt8C8iEq7Qr0awPfTJC2nfOaySm2CEQGxAcl2xvDX_zPadDxcTspARv5KWFe0PFiJBLP1RP/s1600-h/le+tigre.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 303px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434005704300331842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQid2kM-T0vxHkLwS6Psqh_CXdK3GwdVicl5CNvx_pE1AGXFDWWJswESdD4TE5_nottQ5a1nt8C8iEq7Qr0awPfTJC2nfOaySm2CEQGxAcl2xvDX_zPadDxcTspARv5KWFe0PFiJBLP1RP/s320/le+tigre.jpg" /></a></p><br /><br /><br /><p></p></div>d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-17100486902404925872010-01-18T20:27:00.002+08:002010-01-18T20:47:59.457+08:00cole, crocheting a scarf for me, on the flight from New York to Beijing<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwhwVtNkNtA8slXw0uf3M8Tm-uu3jalJVR1VjryRupqIMohkdcCTPwATRLixPCrAyUpYCge6fkrwQ-qOrU_YA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-11061382616337620902010-01-12T12:46:00.017+08:002010-02-12T23:49:06.530+08:00A race to catch up, and then lag behind again"I don't like Thai food," I told cole.<br />Let's start there; it's as good as place as any to catch up to the last 2-3 months.<br />"What am I going to eat?" I continued on. And that wasn't the only problem with going to Bangkok for a month.<br /><br />Actually hold on, before that let me quickly say that look here:<br /><br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425711491509481106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZv55NlTW4TMZPSrXxo1aqN1pkZnu99RQuRHQJgYu4nqtcF56mRY5SonnUYo31QrMlvroQ5mYNDUQk7NzSVKZeZ2-4buDQSAh2cDc08dDyqeNf7Pb7COmJjkBMy719m-0CvODj5XaplRx/s320/IMG_6943.jpg" />my dad visited us! That's him on the right. To his left is Aunt .... and Uncle ..... (I'm horrible, but the names don't really translate), then my grandmother on my mom's side, then Uncle Kenny (or Uncle #2), cole, and me--all out to dinner in Kowloon somewhere, though I remember the name of the restaurant was Sportful Garden. </p><p>Ok, back to where I was:</p><p>So after my dad's visit, I told cole:<br /><br />"...and not only that, but doesn't Bangkok have the potential to be really awful?" for all the reasons that you're probably aware of. But there wasn't any other choice really. To have a chance of teaching in Hong Kong, I needed a CELTA, and the closest cheapest option was Thailand. I applied to the program, got in, booked a serviced apartment (more on that later), got a flight, and off I went.</p><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRXm0lC2daGbrAphcraB2CwmmNk8R0l5zfmue1HugZZmYQhk4-fiT04YJYpRu3ro1cIz63KhSy22fg9rM3j0OHWctgp1eWGvmWMLio4fY8DrHn5KFtoJEszpJtZc8WF9IJwp8z38yyncB/s1600-h/IMG_6976.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425717127038230626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRXm0lC2daGbrAphcraB2CwmmNk8R0l5zfmue1HugZZmYQhk4-fiT04YJYpRu3ro1cIz63KhSy22fg9rM3j0OHWctgp1eWGvmWMLio4fY8DrHn5KFtoJEszpJtZc8WF9IJwp8z38yyncB/s320/IMG_6976.jpg" /></a>These are the types of places I remember most. On the street, sweltering at a humid 90 even during the night, chilis and lemongrass simmering in curry, the most tender hainan chicken rice, grilled meats, perfectly fried eggs. 30 baht or so for a meal, less than a dollar. Alright, so I like Thai food now, just not pad thai.<br /><br />This picture pretty much sums up my experience in Bangkok: Down-to-earth, friendly people (honestly, the friendliest of anywhere I've ever been), oppressive ridiculous heat, and in general much much more than I expected, in just about every way. But...<br /><br />Two blocks to the right on this street food?--Patpong: ladyboys, pingpong shows (need I elaborate?), smartly dressed men handing me cards while addressing me in Japanese (because in Thailand, I look Japanese). Wandering through--groups of scumbag expats, and yes, there are many, and it can all be so much of a soul-sucking, anger-inducing wasteland that you have to just remind yourself that this isn't it, not really, and next time, remember to take the long way around to the ramen shop, because this is just the 0.1% that ruins Bangkok, and it's not that hard to avoid it. Yeah, the gogo bars aren't going anywhere, but at least if I pretend they don't exist, then Bangkok can stay amazing in my mind.<br /><br />In the end though, 99% of my time was spent here:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOKiORFeoD4DR-CSCaYY6IqJd4k3h16SeULzz0hrSoYBiMiWzK38PJJNrbCFlAKEjLThg0-qljs8gIiuEkYnxXcN8lKWkmam_5LY88RdA5-N6N4pu7fM0QL1Esnsi7pADBK2QMBVFD3nnD/s1600-h/IMG_6975.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425714755302038226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOKiORFeoD4DR-CSCaYY6IqJd4k3h16SeULzz0hrSoYBiMiWzK38PJJNrbCFlAKEjLThg0-qljs8gIiuEkYnxXcN8lKWkmam_5LY88RdA5-N6N4pu7fM0QL1Esnsi7pADBK2QMBVFD3nnD/s320/IMG_6975.jpg" /></a>Doesn't look like much, and the same holds true for the inside, but this was the Celta training center. I would get up around seven every morning, shower, get dressed, take the sky train two stops, from Surasak to Sala Daeng, grab an egg sandwich from a guy on the street (20 baht), and then start my lessons at school. Our lessons lasted all morning, then we had lesson-planning, lunch, and the afternoon was spent on teaching practice.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBkkiTt5QWrA3fpF5vX3SRbk_s5F68oYk7IdEBmrd7a6vktB7vqHER6W8fJdT9V1tM1OGK61TDbg2jh5XS9OIYqhDAggE5bhRjPTryzlzTq7zAKf4bCaVmrITKYoYA1apihwe-nQTDDVr/s1600-h/IMG_7390.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425717119416156162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBkkiTt5QWrA3fpF5vX3SRbk_s5F68oYk7IdEBmrd7a6vktB7vqHER6W8fJdT9V1tM1OGK61TDbg2jh5XS9OIYqhDAggE5bhRjPTryzlzTq7zAKf4bCaVmrITKYoYA1apihwe-nQTDDVr/s320/IMG_7390.JPG" /></a> Here's me in action, teaching the different types of future tenses I think. Our students, a mix of refugees from Cambodia and Sri Lanka combined with Thai university students, were the best behaved bunch I've ever taught.</div><div><br /><div><div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 179px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425711502708258514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUgYlHRIKsfhsKZk4yly7UIdkOeZ4T5guDEnV7nFXRak5ZzHGsF1E16TquZi-fIjZMc9ZNA6-3ItJrXKLyFFssgCQDFX4MFf4B7kZQ-DXvI-QoTBj8_D83nmUyAmJHeaWXlIuii92kjQX/s320/IMG_6948.jpg" /></div><div>This block is where I lived, holed away from the traffic and noise of the city. You can't see here, but this path gets even narrower, and in the morning, an endless procession of moterbikes, cars, wild dogs, and pedestrians all fight for space.</div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425711507741387634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFr_fAo1gO1S3cO6kLvfwR4Gid9ziw9a-vLS_HCuDJ0IH7SruTdGgD1Yd7LrM5_tQx7lX0uPOgOYCAQpoVZ_oAP4B6yZMVebxI5uUUj54AQRN_mZ2JygsFc5VB_FwYIWOjEQO4gWH3v8W/s320/IMG_6951.jpg" /></div><div>This is where I stayed, not the best of rooms. Take a thin sheet and put in on the floor, then lie down on it, and you begin to get an idea of what this bed was like. Add in the run-down chic of the place, complete with its very own cockroach-in-the-fridge (hi little guy!), and well...I probably should have just spent another hundred bucks to live in relative luxury. Still, it was fine. I liked how it was hidden behind a maze of elusive corridors, which at night, you would almost have to navigate by feel. In the mornings the same three shirtless men drinking their morning beers would hang out in front of the only convenience store in the neighborhood and say hello to me. Every now and then, I would buy a grilled drumstick from the stand next to my apartment, and it would be better than any barbecued chicken I've ever had. So yeah, it could have been worse.</div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425711512180012898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWL6KxS6u2_aCvEUjlrjdLOrJ9kvLVqXTAx5fRihXCzDnnWBco43wUQVOQ7ZSpjukprX-Y6aOglg_yV4q-UfRpXZZOVvhiPUYH2Co5QiQNSsuJlwpnXWR-Byra9cLMm2GPecHd609CPHP/s320/Bangkok+week+2+005.jpg" /></div><div align="center">A drink stand near the ferry to the Royal Palace.</div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425711519782529586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRjlFL7Sfj6t6L2M8CTID1JRgttXaawpwKSNep4FfkiLWs5OSHxFJ0noqDwyPy0kv9ILdNLULFiNQOdX2e7qavc9ZrjkxC7b81IEL1_fSnwa5DxWTTpki615cVFqilsQ5SaNogmVUdr53/s320/Bangkok+week+2+003.jpg" /></div><div align="center">Grilled banana? Plantain? Nicely tart. 5 baht.</div><div></div><div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425712958082883970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9uDSDIYw5IL6KAfYHxooaa-j0EsSjczKrbs1_c6rIjU8wpySoUU4T00Kr_AXEpIFzFomKwBXkUnn1_q7QyfYDCqxfHPl1BeWiRBeLPqpbbxJsEq2vjjPRP3fFN1EoEAih0-2cnsx1JJt/s320/Bangkok+Chinatown+and+Grand+Palace+073.jpg" /> I only had time to see one site the entire time I stayed, and that was the Royal Palace.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YxTN2QENrzWXUdmj2P4316QqaijZJu7gDl8Km8wR6BCAzaFxSXTJa03MvE1ao4xhcDTkaBA-V637TkeDqlJnkTiOJMU8oPeUANys7T6Qgv8thAOb-j_4zcHaXC7jeQYrPprDYoXCQWAT/s1600-h/Bangkok+Chinatown+and+Grand+Palace+044.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425712950829381810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YxTN2QENrzWXUdmj2P4316QqaijZJu7gDl8Km8wR6BCAzaFxSXTJa03MvE1ao4xhcDTkaBA-V637TkeDqlJnkTiOJMU8oPeUANys7T6Qgv8thAOb-j_4zcHaXC7jeQYrPprDYoXCQWAT/s320/Bangkok+Chinatown+and+Grand+Palace+044.jpg" /></a></div><div>Sometimes, not often, a place so far surpasses my expectations that I become almost dumbfounded with how incredible it is. The Great Wall, Hiroshima, Meijima Island, the hike over the Tai Tam Reservoir in Hong Kong, a short walk from 3rd ave to A along 10th street in nyc. Add the Royal Palace to that list. The sheer opulence of the place is almost too much to take in at once; no really, the gold and jewels literally blind you.</div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3e73d40H4SxwbT4vbXHyzJ8rse5s48_cF7pH8mZjDby4SKgAgk-sKOEfh6oHehBCHEkxTFydOJJ2_A8arbaJaBfNK-NsYoO9dSAjrb9omcuIa74ubT15aXDSR4J-OjfCntuAn0BbwXSH/s1600-h/Bangkok+Chinatown+and+Grand+Palace+075.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425714742115975730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3e73d40H4SxwbT4vbXHyzJ8rse5s48_cF7pH8mZjDby4SKgAgk-sKOEfh6oHehBCHEkxTFydOJJ2_A8arbaJaBfNK-NsYoO9dSAjrb9omcuIa74ubT15aXDSR4J-OjfCntuAn0BbwXSH/s320/Bangkok+Chinatown+and+Grand+Palace+075.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFo-CNRFag_ht2xhpNoxA4C2Ou6PrfstAgBkOtlyE9zEb4C15Uzj6sIV2j8h26WV2Nqz6Y52lKKjtCZreZ_zJSKg_mMhN-XXrSq0uCvtvurQf2anV6ThpAyuUFo7DFP7lkziUxXiB7ALZ3/s1600-h/Bangkok+Chinatown+and+Grand+Palace+025.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425712945160287650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFo-CNRFag_ht2xhpNoxA4C2Ou6PrfstAgBkOtlyE9zEb4C15Uzj6sIV2j8h26WV2Nqz6Y52lKKjtCZreZ_zJSKg_mMhN-XXrSq0uCvtvurQf2anV6ThpAyuUFo7DFP7lkziUxXiB7ALZ3/s320/Bangkok+Chinatown+and+Grand+Palace+025.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Qxulx6r7UOKpPHfHyfhLe67yjJ81O4NlsvM6jRYMSoZ-VJNr331mvLGuzr4d0LDDfRn_Sn84_9HlkPIkIBLcUMr9wQuEo28Tm9TqN0qApw_FHZc48fZlFOo_UXD_Iz6J22NMgkM8kmmR/s1600-h/Bangkok+Chinatown+and+Grand+Palace+082.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425712933754835682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Qxulx6r7UOKpPHfHyfhLe67yjJ81O4NlsvM6jRYMSoZ-VJNr331mvLGuzr4d0LDDfRn_Sn84_9HlkPIkIBLcUMr9wQuEo28Tm9TqN0qApw_FHZc48fZlFOo_UXD_Iz6J22NMgkM8kmmR/s320/Bangkok+Chinatown+and+Grand+Palace+082.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVp1_aX2JXAtMCy-BsrM0yyR1NsL8CBD9U0j_ln2O59TCSlu4n2iMm5ti6MkW8ayE1u8iJQjIosvxpur9Pnt-fXG95-pieUcx-PUkOKqV94_T1zW_5gt0MtIybHtpVDt_Yf61u0bE8-PG1/s1600-h/Bangkok+Chinatown+and+Grand+Palace+085.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 179px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425714748272487474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVp1_aX2JXAtMCy-BsrM0yyR1NsL8CBD9U0j_ln2O59TCSlu4n2iMm5ti6MkW8ayE1u8iJQjIosvxpur9Pnt-fXG95-pieUcx-PUkOKqV94_T1zW_5gt0MtIybHtpVDt_Yf61u0bE8-PG1/s320/Bangkok+Chinatown+and+Grand+Palace+085.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5AIV8HSX3nePfvVjG1PzOgkx2ZOFAR8WHG5JrxOxw27f_IPp6lp8j1lDRI_JG_2NG493I9dLJuMYJVsk_NJvYQSvu5QGvcGH3u6VnyCNPLSXSgMZzdUCUB_XvrwELEKOtnYVZSs2q-6Z/s1600-h/Bangkok+Chinatown+and+Grand+Palace+007x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425712928959005106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5AIV8HSX3nePfvVjG1PzOgkx2ZOFAR8WHG5JrxOxw27f_IPp6lp8j1lDRI_JG_2NG493I9dLJuMYJVsk_NJvYQSvu5QGvcGH3u6VnyCNPLSXSgMZzdUCUB_XvrwELEKOtnYVZSs2q-6Z/s320/Bangkok+Chinatown+and+Grand+Palace+007x.jpg" /></a> In the end, I would say that Bangkok was worth going to. I met a nice bunch of people (the above seafood dinner was in Bangkok Chinatown, I didn't eat anything that day because I was too sick...tragic), actually learned quite a bit about teaching, and realized that Bangkok and Thailand isn't at all like what I thought it would be. The first thing I said to cole though, when I got back to Hong Kong was, "I will never leave you again for that long. Never."</div><div></div><div>Because really.... </div><div>Never again.</div><div></div><div>Almost immediately after I returned, cole's dad came in for a visit, since he was on a whirlwind China tour for work anyway.<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkVcriSUR3Y_qtGxzCOxGYnzAJ2sGt1uGFMQpld9NBBmI5Uigd03ARiRIqQSySu7Kyn_WCgbrkUjZsZwTMTS7c2d6gMpeRbUtPwtU0FVtsVV9bBJIg18roLTFzX217Yga7hxMwS75T3_-/s1600-h/IMG_7229.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425717145866618594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkVcriSUR3Y_qtGxzCOxGYnzAJ2sGt1uGFMQpld9NBBmI5Uigd03ARiRIqQSySu7Kyn_WCgbrkUjZsZwTMTS7c2d6gMpeRbUtPwtU0FVtsVV9bBJIg18roLTFzX217Yga7hxMwS75T3_-/s320/IMG_7229.jpg" /></a> Standing on our balcony overlooking Aberdeen Harbor.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8nZ_5qCQYalasc3xk98lkShGjMke4hXCigJQeOGSIETSYm4nPdbx4JBJJOjOEJDvm0usLTT2gZtJz-168W5dDjYJL97kE-uKqRarwbJ2XWXKDXkBvLtFVHm5e16cf8f3nMxdAXny176Im/s1600-h/IMG_7230.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425717961765560338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8nZ_5qCQYalasc3xk98lkShGjMke4hXCigJQeOGSIETSYm4nPdbx4JBJJOjOEJDvm0usLTT2gZtJz-168W5dDjYJL97kE-uKqRarwbJ2XWXKDXkBvLtFVHm5e16cf8f3nMxdAXny176Im/s320/IMG_7230.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtgdBBJ5bk3fK6urmSdBh67xEUEH7rdYAqhPzkI1oGFmHpIQnS30YDoZxPsxdRDmFSQutB0ZmiIcV2BVpSt901ZbGh76mvDPOCgDr6VXsWdeJ3-LsS-QriOhNjWemQXfzNVukc1DMAFqC/s1600-h/IMG_7218.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425717143511709714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtgdBBJ5bk3fK6urmSdBh67xEUEH7rdYAqhPzkI1oGFmHpIQnS30YDoZxPsxdRDmFSQutB0ZmiIcV2BVpSt901ZbGh76mvDPOCgDr6VXsWdeJ3-LsS-QriOhNjWemQXfzNVukc1DMAFqC/s320/IMG_7218.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center">Cole's students were running a holiday fundraiser. Here's dad playing the game.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixoQ9o7GzKOSfTlNNqK4qNuYmbJ83AFXUqSd9XVAx4ct2R30jtYKve3ZBF18u5dpqgF1YS5r-Qq1i5jTCaP39PNB68zRT2j_rk7-TnUpl2YOOrXoiNNp93eHnWpVVYq1WZ3z-cv3bNsDSm/s1600-h/IMG_7195.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425717132839864530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixoQ9o7GzKOSfTlNNqK4qNuYmbJ83AFXUqSd9XVAx4ct2R30jtYKve3ZBF18u5dpqgF1YS5r-Qq1i5jTCaP39PNB68zRT2j_rk7-TnUpl2YOOrXoiNNp93eHnWpVVYq1WZ3z-cv3bNsDSm/s320/IMG_7195.jpg" /></a>Standing on the Kowloon side looking over to the Hong Kong Island side. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Pa39PE3BjZpFwyk2guFCC0xRrTs6zetZORNGYRaJnOZGOq2kKu1G0d-tLEG8B9FpcGWxN_z__QBWtWEqA6_1NHVFHoBMDsuePJKk44kEjwfj2LRtjD9qBvC2VZRNXjhUFkMf3RbC7OB6/s1600-h/IMG_7243.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425717975777853154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Pa39PE3BjZpFwyk2guFCC0xRrTs6zetZORNGYRaJnOZGOq2kKu1G0d-tLEG8B9FpcGWxN_z__QBWtWEqA6_1NHVFHoBMDsuePJKk44kEjwfj2LRtjD9qBvC2VZRNXjhUFkMf3RbC7OB6/s320/IMG_7243.jpg" /></a></div><div>Finally we went home for Christmas. On the day we arrived, New York had its first snow storm of the season. We landed just before it hit, but then my dad, who was picking us up, got stuck in traffic for over an hour. He eventually showed up, and we made a quick visit to my family in Queens.</div><div></div><div></div><div>By the time we were ready to leave, I hadn't slept for about 20 hours, and it was time for me to drive from Queens, NY to bergen county, NJ. In a snow storm. Oh, and did I mention that I hadn't driven for over half a year?</div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqaol6D-Ya1mmFu9oH_vPv1l5uxC0URnQMDm_kPYefR07mnL-qPndyKNmTIKqik6jrvOpDkYDvNtmL999xpuV3_1jofv9nUeaSgcINskU3J5gbk3wPZIXgQ36YIy8lnfeGRYoYUI36D2A/s1600-h/IMG_7248.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425717964790379442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqaol6D-Ya1mmFu9oH_vPv1l5uxC0URnQMDm_kPYefR07mnL-qPndyKNmTIKqik6jrvOpDkYDvNtmL999xpuV3_1jofv9nUeaSgcINskU3J5gbk3wPZIXgQ36YIy8lnfeGRYoYUI36D2A/s320/IMG_7248.jpg" /></a></div><div>We made it home safely. Christmas was wonderful. Being home, as usual, was strange but comforting and then strange again. Sometimes I wonder about when we come home for good, if we'll only feel right either in the city (meaning new york), or in Flushing, Queens--the closest facsimile to Hong Kong outside of Hong Kong.</div><div></div><div></div><div>But regardless of the odd sense of straddling two or three cultures (American? Minority not minority? Hong Konger? Ex-pat?), seeing our families eases away possible identity issues.</div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH32ITIgHJz3OwM94AJ6ogRvM640hzueJkZT3oT1_CkPrujQSSFDbBHODjk9sw26NcgU9ibJc16e7pFxUHLCm13wnQOTddJ4qEecQVUFLZ8m9_ASVV_MJcbyZ4Py0CVIQxBpaO9DmHnuZa/s1600-h/IMG_7257.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425717978084181970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH32ITIgHJz3OwM94AJ6ogRvM640hzueJkZT3oT1_CkPrujQSSFDbBHODjk9sw26NcgU9ibJc16e7pFxUHLCm13wnQOTddJ4qEecQVUFLZ8m9_ASVV_MJcbyZ4Py0CVIQxBpaO9DmHnuZa/s320/IMG_7257.jpg" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><p>And then, we're back in Hong Kong again, back to our little corner of Aberdeen. Thanks to cole's sister, Amy, and her parents, I now sport a kindle. Despite my old school publishing tendencies (real books will never die!!), I'm finding that I carry around the thing everywhere. Reading food and travel writing has never been so convenient. It'll take awhile though, for me to make that leap to reading fiction electronically.</p><p>So what else? Ah yes. The whole professional-life-you-mean-I'm-supposed-to-be-doing-something-with-my-life? thing has gotten a nice kick in the ass, in the form of a real teaching gig at an international school. That's right, teaching actual English classes, not esl. Who knew? They even gave me an A-level class (like AP in the US but not really)--Business Studies.</p><p>And soon I'll be a grad student at Hong Kong University to study for my education degree. (<em>oops, check that, didn't make the cut. Not native enough perhaps?? still waiting on the mfa --ed, aka d-ah, feb 12,2010).</em></p><p>And after that I'll maybe/probably start my MFA (masters in fine arts in creative writing) at the City University of Hong Kong, the inaugural class.</p><p>So much <em>stuff</em>, and <em>things</em>. Two words I remember my high school English teacher hating, ni hao Senor Dunn.</p><p>Ok, that's it. No promises on future posts. I'll try.</p>d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-45375964121349012902009-10-11T01:48:00.016+08:002009-10-28T15:34:15.996+08:00British Sea Power and er...um...those other guysOctober 10th, in Grappa's Cellar, an Italian restaurant of all places, we finally got to see our first show, meaning concert, in Hong Kong. It didn't start off so hot, since we were made to wait two and half hours before the um..."openers" took the stage. So yeah, these guys, who looked like they were sixteen years old and sounded like they've been playing guitar for maybe two weeks, and just learned how to program a crappy two-beat drum machine track, yes they get to open for British Sea Power. Alright, where's my guitar? Those chords, I still remember them. Can't be that hard to be a Hong Kong rock star right? 1, 4, 5 progression? check. power chords. yep. tight jeans/silly outfit?....hmmm alright, not quite there yet.<br /><br />Anyway, this duo was by far the worst act I have ever paid money to see. Words cannot express, so this video must do:<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx3Ci01Ay1pQp7KiRJcSmKd0ekvUQ2ABuv1S7VpIJZRmyFRaAaHUqXtOqHFSDu4RzlzUbvUj0nrMxV4RRaIbg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Luckily, we didn't have to wait long for British Sea Power. Honestly, before this, I wasn't their greatest admirer in the world, but I had all their albums, and liked most of their songs.<br /><br />As for band availability in Hong Kong (slim pickings in general), I knew this was about as good as it was going to get, so despite the ridiculous ticket price (really? almost $50? that's like going to see Billy Joel at MSG in 1997 or something [I'm looking at you cole], or what I imagine the ticket price for a reunion Pixies tour to be, or even a 90s era Dave Matthews [I'm looking at...me?the shame]).Anyway, the place was full of brits w/ a strange mix of locals and misc foreigners. Still, the vibe was decent, and by the end of the night, after multiple stage dives and encores by the band, I was a much bigger fan of British Sea Power.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />A short clip:<br /><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyaINC4K-7e3uBhf-uspnboMdxcizOkyr8jfyxtSyL4M0Tn8mHSdVCjmqPMk8VInEjASwOzRKbyrKdR_tkfMA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-64997051647205331452009-10-10T09:10:00.008+08:002009-10-10T10:35:49.193+08:00Conks visit<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5bwngecdOSIjMbYGgMO9sIbXbp3kWxwNNiV-77IC_dqn46dOLtQYC5AV3JqsGuTxLcS1NK8RFdD73JLMpWuoDugkPOViY-UfbQA2-xgn4oUxk3kumn0HQp_L0C3tR3tXfFKQfSUjMHiUQ/s1600-h/IMG_6457x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390791011965352706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5bwngecdOSIjMbYGgMO9sIbXbp3kWxwNNiV-77IC_dqn46dOLtQYC5AV3JqsGuTxLcS1NK8RFdD73JLMpWuoDugkPOViY-UfbQA2-xgn4oUxk3kumn0HQp_L0C3tR3tXfFKQfSUjMHiUQ/s320/IMG_6457x.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaA3nmcW-8pi8J74uIUjD79gakFmYkbT_SAkBiJFS0PUu26o_0uBACJGI1PXYngZKl5IKIKtcblsJNZEzxz9_hdirRsYp5CPq3WduKwSO72ezKSZRtXl7MJobOWnSS62QWLQGowBKm0w6g/s1600-h/IMG_6455x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390791005229800130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaA3nmcW-8pi8J74uIUjD79gakFmYkbT_SAkBiJFS0PUu26o_0uBACJGI1PXYngZKl5IKIKtcblsJNZEzxz9_hdirRsYp5CPq3WduKwSO72ezKSZRtXl7MJobOWnSS62QWLQGowBKm0w6g/s320/IMG_6455x.jpg" /></a> Friend conks visited us last weekend; our first visiter in Hong Kong! Here are some updated pics of our place, this time with furniture.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYybq3vVPzSPVVRmaeoYcO1Q_8UMAPePyvg-tgbOVA_wyRP_hAUAO8NfEu9ijfZG7m3IqtKnf6DJQ5mEw7fuF-ZULxwnGdkr1aEobh5dtGu3Mflh3sUbCQMHWmMdIJfVTnbOtKpZ2VLP3b/s1600-h/IMG_6459x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390790678814382658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYybq3vVPzSPVVRmaeoYcO1Q_8UMAPePyvg-tgbOVA_wyRP_hAUAO8NfEu9ijfZG7m3IqtKnf6DJQ5mEw7fuF-ZULxwnGdkr1aEobh5dtGu3Mflh3sUbCQMHWmMdIJfVTnbOtKpZ2VLP3b/s320/IMG_6459x.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivz9XEy4LgcIRRQVBQA3OALbyEO53Y3JvbFjVqPHxaBwMrEWBl1EUFjTKYC8x0GWc1LGLMwNxrZlF4tDTgW08ODoiUqWmkX0KGZH2JFlei07jiQWoHM22yUaWYbr9MkS0-4xozYMK6GHct/s1600-h/IMG_6465x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390790670586655394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivz9XEy4LgcIRRQVBQA3OALbyEO53Y3JvbFjVqPHxaBwMrEWBl1EUFjTKYC8x0GWc1LGLMwNxrZlF4tDTgW08ODoiUqWmkX0KGZH2JFlei07jiQWoHM22yUaWYbr9MkS0-4xozYMK6GHct/s320/IMG_6465x.jpg" /></a> It was National Day.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTGikXzWtZpCJKfvi8gRqDlda7RJitrIGBWtbzkbR5BpAJO86vXfepgFN6LU2sz9j8mJ_r5NqQO_SbNnLEPg16ztGvOMjuJiaoncY9V-2vITZZRefddAbf9oguT3-CRbQidStPuYQEDei/s1600-h/IMG_6466x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390790656320839922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTGikXzWtZpCJKfvi8gRqDlda7RJitrIGBWtbzkbR5BpAJO86vXfepgFN6LU2sz9j8mJ_r5NqQO_SbNnLEPg16ztGvOMjuJiaoncY9V-2vITZZRefddAbf9oguT3-CRbQidStPuYQEDei/s320/IMG_6466x.jpg" /></a> In Victoria Park.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIwxtvKK000sOVc7awLcmBhZcvlwrg1CNHgPWv3DlOwf5O9O-4HjSpkbKxLmqk1bP_sfrAGwCvSaU-vkuL2DtEisOeF4_btiZnaF_Crz1E5jBy-qub6Qo1FmH9Qq1HoW_cfTMNUPuS50W/s1600-h/IMG_6470x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390790647954174130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIwxtvKK000sOVc7awLcmBhZcvlwrg1CNHgPWv3DlOwf5O9O-4HjSpkbKxLmqk1bP_sfrAGwCvSaU-vkuL2DtEisOeF4_btiZnaF_Crz1E5jBy-qub6Qo1FmH9Qq1HoW_cfTMNUPuS50W/s320/IMG_6470x.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDYz3moyirbzUWBwsjQ4NbWUMwbNAFSulf2u_OVUVRX2_7PBsWAFXmOgnAP64ag8WhL4cIlpSOOHj_m4gDMECOi5eBBYLnX4Dk1xi_lUDdPxE6cuhk01Jl5FkE0x6yfr3GEPJ2ye75Str/s1600-h/IMG_6471x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390790634445049506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDYz3moyirbzUWBwsjQ4NbWUMwbNAFSulf2u_OVUVRX2_7PBsWAFXmOgnAP64ag8WhL4cIlpSOOHj_m4gDMECOi5eBBYLnX4Dk1xi_lUDdPxE6cuhk01Jl5FkE0x6yfr3GEPJ2ye75Str/s320/IMG_6471x.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96xFHXO1euvFDqHSSFbpXXJUvFxbUdSjMkJxTS9cjpA6akFF886RMy8uhWjYsDVBIfu-Vd_epdvIV0nJGMeGlgozLoqOEP44mczCE8hTqSFhiGhyphenhyphenp7-D3TI49Q-SKrHLewnqR3MPj2GRp/s1600-h/IMG_6474x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390789286698384786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96xFHXO1euvFDqHSSFbpXXJUvFxbUdSjMkJxTS9cjpA6akFF886RMy8uhWjYsDVBIfu-Vd_epdvIV0nJGMeGlgozLoqOEP44mczCE8hTqSFhiGhyphenhyphenp7-D3TI49Q-SKrHLewnqR3MPj2GRp/s320/IMG_6474x.jpg" /></a> Our convertatable bed for conks.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUL8Q9ghwesf1b1K7evC-3bGCh0GeHyWTgt0Tq7XNj6IciJ75qwMzR2rcVfymcvwiZJ8JaPG2UFIqPn2pQPnLDSBHiKqInll2PLSRgfhTgaw-fYffxMcWescaAJcSF4k4jHRBJYSnoc4Z/s1600-h/IMG_6478x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390789277368078770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUL8Q9ghwesf1b1K7evC-3bGCh0GeHyWTgt0Tq7XNj6IciJ75qwMzR2rcVfymcvwiZJ8JaPG2UFIqPn2pQPnLDSBHiKqInll2PLSRgfhTgaw-fYffxMcWescaAJcSF4k4jHRBJYSnoc4Z/s320/IMG_6478x.jpg" /></a>Contemplative on the cable ride up to the big buddha.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4aMcfaTHHlXsVNh1PkS7wdMfoMS5GM3s_CbkHpF42Ek7-qrjPYBO9FZVrKJDkoWaTdM8QzJAHQUuhCs3MF2qpox0uynbG7suxmTHxvkNhsJJ0Jhc1tVbqKn5bOJHqpppPv_zpv4IUCkF/s1600-h/IMG_6480x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390789264726215106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4aMcfaTHHlXsVNh1PkS7wdMfoMS5GM3s_CbkHpF42Ek7-qrjPYBO9FZVrKJDkoWaTdM8QzJAHQUuhCs3MF2qpox0uynbG7suxmTHxvkNhsJJ0Jhc1tVbqKn5bOJHqpppPv_zpv4IUCkF/s320/IMG_6480x.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOguVPJs3cq5ukvIOQlkti3rhcSRtz8NZXiTnGJb_f9U84per_uyimC3wfDWyV41cHkihoz2-1IeyuJgXxLdoo5qZdiL5oLCp_9jQcOK6R6KFwPBYVzvh4SHn_ZtDQtWX5ogFec_qTPAI/s1600-h/IMG_6481x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390789254221860690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOguVPJs3cq5ukvIOQlkti3rhcSRtz8NZXiTnGJb_f9U84per_uyimC3wfDWyV41cHkihoz2-1IeyuJgXxLdoo5qZdiL5oLCp_9jQcOK6R6KFwPBYVzvh4SHn_ZtDQtWX5ogFec_qTPAI/s320/IMG_6481x.jpg" /></a>Hi again, large buddha.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3y9HCo7EMLx-Svda2fbDzzZ33ttO_1tdfN8ixPsI2bMKc0i4I4ae67ysZ1dazYtCJQhbwtUgZSWi3OPKB4Kxb5k90T6s0j1qiuVkNbjIJKHd5gKSwc_sd-rBymyBn6Ett8Uyp1IboOYUL/s1600-h/IMG_6486x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390789242441425746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3y9HCo7EMLx-Svda2fbDzzZ33ttO_1tdfN8ixPsI2bMKc0i4I4ae67ysZ1dazYtCJQhbwtUgZSWi3OPKB4Kxb5k90T6s0j1qiuVkNbjIJKHd5gKSwc_sd-rBymyBn6Ett8Uyp1IboOYUL/s320/IMG_6486x.jpg" /></a>Next day it was off to Cheung Chau Island, about 30-40 minutes away via the fast ferry. On the beach. </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0tuaposnscOE07d-GTdm9W1u6alMmdZM7KqAzVlVEAMzhIwmaLn_iGTnk9uF3Jt5utDpYiLbtNYO-UFbnNnP5eBYuI2Y5jropPaWsBkJdjsjj8zlCCEGFmFBp0ZRCvQ0L3FGzRNauGZG/s1600-h/IMG_6489x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390788474832490018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0tuaposnscOE07d-GTdm9W1u6alMmdZM7KqAzVlVEAMzhIwmaLn_iGTnk9uF3Jt5utDpYiLbtNYO-UFbnNnP5eBYuI2Y5jropPaWsBkJdjsjj8zlCCEGFmFBp0ZRCvQ0L3FGzRNauGZG/s320/IMG_6489x.jpg" /></a> I decided to read on the beach instead of swim. Cole and conks on a floatie.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRbRqZuTNjQKxKYUWMQ7S4tVCfvIN0YlezgRMssLvBZIZmq5UydvjLpkMdgUv4naZR7svtbc3xB7NvtaOZFiuRMPQs6oH6E82h8rYMSuaKtJchHax6AXxKycEap80JCnZA1Yz4KrrPSv-/s1600-h/IMG_6491x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390788460380475138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRbRqZuTNjQKxKYUWMQ7S4tVCfvIN0YlezgRMssLvBZIZmq5UydvjLpkMdgUv4naZR7svtbc3xB7NvtaOZFiuRMPQs6oH6E82h8rYMSuaKtJchHax6AXxKycEap80JCnZA1Yz4KrrPSv-/s320/IMG_6491x.jpg" /></a> Hiking around Cheung Chau<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWHSxcp_zgva5mOqsnSUcA7wd3NwA4BCt7LXqFySRQ01MbZfXai62jgRsi2ll_ilhAbcPEkgOBzo2UuisMEg0QRHP1gE2ULeE-DsriNB2YClMmDOgFZUG2_DOcZonAkY-VvHCk4irF9o-/s1600-h/IMG_6492x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390788449148683698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWHSxcp_zgva5mOqsnSUcA7wd3NwA4BCt7LXqFySRQ01MbZfXai62jgRsi2ll_ilhAbcPEkgOBzo2UuisMEg0QRHP1gE2ULeE-DsriNB2YClMmDOgFZUG2_DOcZonAkY-VvHCk4irF9o-/s320/IMG_6492x.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMhcDWUel0-8PTSerHyOih2ZlPXScpVlhNAbuMM3-QQ_t3R8mns-Uwvg8toL0Rsml09z5_r4trzWIpLzKPFJaDHE-6seI7EU8nsuSein4GWMANd-XgYDV3g4o_KM49wLs261VW1vSV700/s1600-h/IMG_6494x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390788440938957154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMhcDWUel0-8PTSerHyOih2ZlPXScpVlhNAbuMM3-QQ_t3R8mns-Uwvg8toL0Rsml09z5_r4trzWIpLzKPFJaDHE-6seI7EU8nsuSein4GWMANd-XgYDV3g4o_KM49wLs261VW1vSV700/s320/IMG_6494x.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6rZiWOens9B_mSeqw1VedILc9ogR_xF7Gu-5uuK0aGKHCldVyjrZvMLe_CCdhXWOjS_hd-8IEDQBRkMK1XtbRuIBapXs9aoIN0vk-lL0_BM_XwyLx5nyPJyygkvfw0Po62miqe5KWI4P/s1600-h/IMG_6495x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390788427489670946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6rZiWOens9B_mSeqw1VedILc9ogR_xF7Gu-5uuK0aGKHCldVyjrZvMLe_CCdhXWOjS_hd-8IEDQBRkMK1XtbRuIBapXs9aoIN0vk-lL0_BM_XwyLx5nyPJyygkvfw0Po62miqe5KWI4P/s320/IMG_6495x.jpg" /></a> Cheung Chau had a boardwalk type vibe, what with the beach and all the snack food. These were some of the best fishballs I've ever had. The first one has a curry sauce on it, the other one some kind of sweet sauce.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1NurPKRnnD8WTlI6tZrdIGjf6uYUuf3oCaIC5Pq4PNaDOFtS2ajWTSDGwdrgDPz9Rxz6xCdDjjM5iO-BwWuC1LOAy95Pxe7gwttW0st1DUzZfUSxJVluPoLHzwxTVBG1Pc1nNPkfJE03/s1600-h/IMG_6497x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390782842206143010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1NurPKRnnD8WTlI6tZrdIGjf6uYUuf3oCaIC5Pq4PNaDOFtS2ajWTSDGwdrgDPz9Rxz6xCdDjjM5iO-BwWuC1LOAy95Pxe7gwttW0st1DUzZfUSxJVluPoLHzwxTVBG1Pc1nNPkfJE03/s320/IMG_6497x.jpg" /></a>Hike near Quarry Bay.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGK5P9NET_YzaeXCPviz0L5GP2OjStkrQoEmlQrJU_VXvUJfj5WhyNbcmIKP1uNuFPjMriPNcPJM4Hif420uXnHMqPKcL5XYNHuIa3my7dSFkn-U3ia_D9v2t4z3b3RgXVd5Uj9EjzHbkV/s1600-h/IMG_6499x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390782826388008578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGK5P9NET_YzaeXCPviz0L5GP2OjStkrQoEmlQrJU_VXvUJfj5WhyNbcmIKP1uNuFPjMriPNcPJM4Hif420uXnHMqPKcL5XYNHuIa3my7dSFkn-U3ia_D9v2t4z3b3RgXVd5Uj9EjzHbkV/s320/IMG_6499x.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivly8k05UHJWBK8QvtNTeTi4qAXohvtgeSIgZT75BX9H3hyphenhyphenwdrTnVTbt_cspNBa-eMFbRLHTqz01HoezlsnZKhuoTOU617ZYECplWM7qEO2JIgEPVGnHkkE6Mf-EtglvLVrSDFIXx9fSkF/s1600-h/IMG_6500x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390782820941820162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivly8k05UHJWBK8QvtNTeTi4qAXohvtgeSIgZT75BX9H3hyphenhyphenwdrTnVTbt_cspNBa-eMFbRLHTqz01HoezlsnZKhuoTOU617ZYECplWM7qEO2JIgEPVGnHkkE6Mf-EtglvLVrSDFIXx9fSkF/s320/IMG_6500x.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoAZt-1yhvD27eFiKZAurQQYcJeVnGqbdT_uruhZXOZVHVMGLkrZnXx_Qf-P6d_vsU_a5AGave_qG9jizzry-62jXSxMSEQHNtfiU1bU1egmyziZ5tmqJDf8mt9WxfrqEA2W-w7jBoONIL/s1600-h/IMG_6502x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390782810239197458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoAZt-1yhvD27eFiKZAurQQYcJeVnGqbdT_uruhZXOZVHVMGLkrZnXx_Qf-P6d_vsU_a5AGave_qG9jizzry-62jXSxMSEQHNtfiU1bU1egmyziZ5tmqJDf8mt9WxfrqEA2W-w7jBoONIL/s320/IMG_6502x.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ij9Llx5wEOuOe3otNloEgjeJnw0jc3Ths6PpbTlgi3IiDbOX6gT_d5qf4UOMKK9GJkVdJjA3qt7uCN5M-zLn_pipM4jfdeeUoMsaokTVnUxTLhUr3xwf2aKpzGTNESx24EXAoYvpojvX/s1600-h/IMG_6505x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390782797544705298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ij9Llx5wEOuOe3otNloEgjeJnw0jc3Ths6PpbTlgi3IiDbOX6gT_d5qf4UOMKK9GJkVdJjA3qt7uCN5M-zLn_pipM4jfdeeUoMsaokTVnUxTLhUr3xwf2aKpzGTNESx24EXAoYvpojvX/s320/IMG_6505x.jpg" /></a> For the final night, we took conks to the Peak. There we were trying to figure out what to eat...um $300 for two pieces of sushi? no thanks. Burger King? maybe not. Bubba Gump Shrimp....hmmm.....really....ok why not. And there, I wish I took some pictures, because I had one of the best fish n' chips ever. Battered and fried mahi mahi, a bit denser than cod. Sooo good, but also made me feel kinda sick later because of all the oil. Worth it though.</div><div> </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br /><br /><br />Anyway, it was fun having a friend visit. Hopefully we'll get to show more people around HK in the future.</div><div> </div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-16670883713194849242009-09-23T20:41:00.009+08:002009-09-23T21:05:15.401+08:00missing, oh new york showsyes, there are many things I miss about new york, but this one is about the music, how every band passes through at some point or another.<br /><br />missing this one hurts. rural alberta advantage. catch them at bowery on oct 7th, or just buy their album.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ozZAVV1wev4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ozZAVV1wev4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />I recently found out that Handsome Furs (the side project of Dan Boeckner [of Wolf Parade fame]) was in Hong Kong a few weeks ago and I didn't know! oh the agony. Seeing British Sea Power later in October helps, but hk has a long way to go before indie can even begin to peek out from under the all-encompassing canto-pop.<br /><br />a neat clip of handsome furs:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/K0XJJBCX1O0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/K0XJJBCX1O0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-57650721441087368602009-09-20T08:30:00.011+08:002009-09-23T15:46:42.771+08:00Hong Kong so far...What can I say about living in Hong Kong these almost two months? Even though I'm not from here, I strangely feel more at home here than just about anywhere else, with a couple areas in New York City and Tokyo being the notable exceptions.<br /><br />Finding a job wasn't that hard; finding the <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">right </span>job has proven to be much harder, with many educational hoops to jump through, and my current rate of movement is closer to a kind of awkward forward tumble.<br /><br />But Hong Kong...I'll try to do the abbreviated version, because really, all we've been doing is furnishing our apartment the last month (for that, see cole's blog).<br /><br />So, here goes:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphen29mRP7hdVDAi9YeiuYToTIDj0WWdHIYy7l38u3LZJqQHszD8mI-8qkVzLTvi-HFrUkayUTvnJ3I0nvdGY3w1K3dZgOfvJaxDz5OQV8n92AW-_pa2lrN7ToApuOP3cQqiHhSadUs5rgw/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+003.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383348631780267698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphen29mRP7hdVDAi9YeiuYToTIDj0WWdHIYy7l38u3LZJqQHszD8mI-8qkVzLTvi-HFrUkayUTvnJ3I0nvdGY3w1K3dZgOfvJaxDz5OQV8n92AW-_pa2lrN7ToApuOP3cQqiHhSadUs5rgw/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+003.jpg" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO4Mse1sbEpKetANRcE2nKTDC5qgVEcC0n0KdWc_rZXJUTL0pk_JgE8eGuO2hSEgv29siqAhqW8L7NqxfbZmE43jzO4HNn0AqjcOsINBGjmLEZ4j1d9v3pNFQBRp4v98eZ9GNmkQM6bxA3/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+002x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383348623169920802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO4Mse1sbEpKetANRcE2nKTDC5qgVEcC0n0KdWc_rZXJUTL0pk_JgE8eGuO2hSEgv29siqAhqW8L7NqxfbZmE43jzO4HNn0AqjcOsINBGjmLEZ4j1d9v3pNFQBRp4v98eZ9GNmkQM6bxA3/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+002x.jpg" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0y8JxjdaX6GNgNazsLhIDMzZ5QHGGor7rKQKUyqCbv4LJvzIDhMs9lCZKIPa0ceuMsGsBNvDpQ4cUGH7kKU2Uz4OBvazuaoRIXKwY4ie0e6xG1D2_o2EouqJ30_xm58ero7Zoa3Vj9STI/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+004x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383348611647049026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0y8JxjdaX6GNgNazsLhIDMzZ5QHGGor7rKQKUyqCbv4LJvzIDhMs9lCZKIPa0ceuMsGsBNvDpQ4cUGH7kKU2Uz4OBvazuaoRIXKwY4ie0e6xG1D2_o2EouqJ30_xm58ero7Zoa3Vj9STI/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+004x.jpg" /></a>Actually this is a bit of a jump, since this is the building that we live in now, and will live in for at least the next two years. Not the largest or tallest, but it is newly renovated and located in the old school neighborhood of Aberdeen.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2Ru6DmbcYAvAF6_vjJdKW-FmJd15tx7CWO2cx2NZ2s0CgBA2JHqImb1ZmEcmxwdi-06La0dPX1Tv6mXgzqWkyMt5i5qupHtw07LnlLi2Qww5eeTdLE-slnSTZ1okHeSL-Qf0bDhjPp0k/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+005x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383348598612188946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2Ru6DmbcYAvAF6_vjJdKW-FmJd15tx7CWO2cx2NZ2s0CgBA2JHqImb1ZmEcmxwdi-06La0dPX1Tv6mXgzqWkyMt5i5qupHtw07LnlLi2Qww5eeTdLE-slnSTZ1okHeSL-Qf0bDhjPp0k/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+005x.jpg" /></a>The view of Aberdeen Harbour from our first apartment here, the serviced apt/hotel. Aberdeen used to be one of the largest communities in HK, especially before the Brits arrived. Even these days, there's still a fishing village of sorts.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7B9oeuqJ4GMoJIkQgYSN8NJCVfmd35FNKSlKVvc8JRNMOhIAvY379G6jZq2nPJ0Y5-ShmLp5rwfqBrsJbRGIOLqRPporm-ri6p5esdRe7qyUWop5A6pvYESsScUlkwblTx8on_lvc1aI6/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+006x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383348586653957938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7B9oeuqJ4GMoJIkQgYSN8NJCVfmd35FNKSlKVvc8JRNMOhIAvY379G6jZq2nPJ0Y5-ShmLp5rwfqBrsJbRGIOLqRPporm-ri6p5esdRe7qyUWop5A6pvYESsScUlkwblTx8on_lvc1aI6/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+006x.jpg" /></a><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZCjIU10EwhVcO1pBEZKNA2s5PXqRQcpiovaiaNH-vhofQPK5Z1wP5XVEMnA6UweJNuhnFaH5ZcfkrQBZxZjprNnF3bJWKBgDO1UGKj-0FYqmDS6qgNWfGvNcwvyoFm_qQseU2F4YuVzk/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+008x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383347527948155906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZCjIU10EwhVcO1pBEZKNA2s5PXqRQcpiovaiaNH-vhofQPK5Z1wP5XVEMnA6UweJNuhnFaH5ZcfkrQBZxZjprNnF3bJWKBgDO1UGKj-0FYqmDS6qgNWfGvNcwvyoFm_qQseU2F4YuVzk/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+008x.jpg" /></a>Taken during a scouting trip for cole.<br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZse9yrUQOGGhfmvm0qfYAw4qgWvm5YQVWgna7QRwjDfOgRBKlh7h8Lk5ne-O3gKNbQNGb_-gI7CPR_Z_y657AeCHIkFYBV7sXhk5c4AFYbr6n4os0dk83MfxVsgtSJXm_LjdxbJATauga/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+011x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383347518822701842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZse9yrUQOGGhfmvm0qfYAw4qgWvm5YQVWgna7QRwjDfOgRBKlh7h8Lk5ne-O3gKNbQNGb_-gI7CPR_Z_y657AeCHIkFYBV7sXhk5c4AFYbr6n4os0dk83MfxVsgtSJXm_LjdxbJATauga/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+011x.jpg" /></a>All of a sudden, my birthday crept up on me. Oh twenties, you're leaving so soon.<br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9qpkDyuzLGvvOuhqDCdU0fbrSE8Sqk5NRskGml_r3eG0ImJs6-tULKVO5q1DcsBqq5E03UMlULsbjGL5NLu3VMRTcgDwkXAFnppa9RKvKb0m0Ntvb6Wra8bPpsIzOA7FqU97MZjmGKu-/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+012x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383347507838924274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9qpkDyuzLGvvOuhqDCdU0fbrSE8Sqk5NRskGml_r3eG0ImJs6-tULKVO5q1DcsBqq5E03UMlULsbjGL5NLu3VMRTcgDwkXAFnppa9RKvKb0m0Ntvb6Wra8bPpsIzOA7FqU97MZjmGKu-/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+012x.jpg" /></a>Perhaps the best mango cake I have ever had. From Taipan Bakery, which has branches in New York, but the ones here don't resemble the ones back home that much. For one, they don't serve milk tea (oh the milk tea! probably the only reason I haven't become a gaunt, wasted away shell. I will devote at least a couple posts to HK milk tea) and their buns taste different. Still good, but different.<br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8CPqG4naCtvyunnSEYg2VkzBIrBMTvyjQhYRe_hWcZyaa76U36lTHVSfwT1ofrQNAZWC94kJxvcHdYCC08B16Q-yTqV9oYxI1AhCU_mabe2lbcNZE8l7fzC0OAaFFitMH2Z9ELQrL7loa/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+013x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383347500783693810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8CPqG4naCtvyunnSEYg2VkzBIrBMTvyjQhYRe_hWcZyaa76U36lTHVSfwT1ofrQNAZWC94kJxvcHdYCC08B16Q-yTqV9oYxI1AhCU_mabe2lbcNZE8l7fzC0OAaFFitMH2Z9ELQrL7loa/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+013x.jpg" /></a><br />Cole's first day of school<br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3lX548duBC3p1GlOqkBnUWc83IhwIWO_lvby8d3VgKPKYC5KPgy5wgUuoJRHFDqfgb4BLbFtGcy88K6SJPXMz2PfQKQWGeKqibITcozynf6BfEBGDfn3ZQOXbtdZRegbBNNDnKLeUuK2/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+016x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383347490835040802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3lX548duBC3p1GlOqkBnUWc83IhwIWO_lvby8d3VgKPKYC5KPgy5wgUuoJRHFDqfgb4BLbFtGcy88K6SJPXMz2PfQKQWGeKqibITcozynf6BfEBGDfn3ZQOXbtdZRegbBNNDnKLeUuK2/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+016x.jpg" /></a>A ferry ride...hmm...where. Maybe to Lamma Island.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pBOGispS5aNkNyeDFlKubIMx7Zt392fw0LcdXl6li-50UBwvorDEmSaa2loq0csHkYtLTgiChYFI_4LiDJagmyw8lgOZmP0bKLRpFT5P9nDV_bn97YOkDJmLhseYDUBo8qbjEUgEqDG-/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+024x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383346716399704114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pBOGispS5aNkNyeDFlKubIMx7Zt392fw0LcdXl6li-50UBwvorDEmSaa2loq0csHkYtLTgiChYFI_4LiDJagmyw8lgOZmP0bKLRpFT5P9nDV_bn97YOkDJmLhseYDUBo8qbjEUgEqDG-/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+024x.jpg" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7uaTqPzjMN-PPjoLcRvFSRiniA2a387d3I_nTVRH0kpkLQQbGBO2C5R-HkNuc-IzhcPz9nwZKa9_IES07eeyLzFSLMT4pEv7kH5csgHwDsFh2qiCCdZW0qNgxag5xoe5SX5WdEOyXloR/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+026x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383346699639317794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7uaTqPzjMN-PPjoLcRvFSRiniA2a387d3I_nTVRH0kpkLQQbGBO2C5R-HkNuc-IzhcPz9nwZKa9_IES07eeyLzFSLMT4pEv7kH5csgHwDsFh2qiCCdZW0qNgxag5xoe5SX5WdEOyXloR/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+026x.jpg" /></a><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ubvPiWhqg_kpE0Q7UFtyV6h-K5pa_-k76QhMzvySYFEm7XxkKwH8Nb-iRM6xZrlVpyb3H-bpBw4gyCCkBOeVcXxANJhWn6MGiV9lQYPDaK-if_VwBeWbaHxIjW9J8tJloQuu_JfYK-ig/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+028x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383346692106767106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ubvPiWhqg_kpE0Q7UFtyV6h-K5pa_-k76QhMzvySYFEm7XxkKwH8Nb-iRM6xZrlVpyb3H-bpBw4gyCCkBOeVcXxANJhWn6MGiV9lQYPDaK-if_VwBeWbaHxIjW9J8tJloQuu_JfYK-ig/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+028x.jpg" /></a>At this point I was still interviewing for jobs, and I had some free time so I borrowed the hotel's xbox 360 and played Tiger Woods Golf all day. Here is the electronic golfer version of me I made. Eerie.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4B2ChoNMkhfQCR5mSkeYm9GjgtBC9adzyk4M181fFXLVjeNRYVboYstbP0qV0QTf7ULpV-jNEwsv4K5Y60kzwgh3mJkrhDDznsqiRnyKmKJyEP6HsAE4TPUcya_4QkLogmR78dJEXDlq/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+030x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383346682868318210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4B2ChoNMkhfQCR5mSkeYm9GjgtBC9adzyk4M181fFXLVjeNRYVboYstbP0qV0QTf7ULpV-jNEwsv4K5Y60kzwgh3mJkrhDDznsqiRnyKmKJyEP6HsAE4TPUcya_4QkLogmR78dJEXDlq/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+030x.jpg" /></a><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg934UOfVQ8FR-0eeXoGXLY1NqRhVOc1NSj_PIRn7gRbJL3xUVkOLKB_hvzhRaBjEsff2mSw7e4R2xQpH6zlKZ0OFteCKq-Cu5eM-YoeCw6nsU_xN-tXCh4uF9Iugx6Z8mWNFfL3bwq1HX9/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+031x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383346672079891506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg934UOfVQ8FR-0eeXoGXLY1NqRhVOc1NSj_PIRn7gRbJL3xUVkOLKB_hvzhRaBjEsff2mSw7e4R2xQpH6zlKZ0OFteCKq-Cu5eM-YoeCw6nsU_xN-tXCh4uF9Iugx6Z8mWNFfL3bwq1HX9/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+031x.jpg" /></a>The elevator door of a place where we like to get pho. Yum cigarhotdog.<br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFRuIJ4O1qd-t7GpCt36Rvckzqp9U9o2hL1UPb8YbrH_XgDWGYxcxG151YoJUSTV8NRncCNU43WNGyRklndmxQOplMMUjETw3ANhyphenhyphenrf1yjPnVfoL3_aeFyZ3GDuqV3H36IPG6FkJktU8x/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+033.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383345711503851410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFRuIJ4O1qd-t7GpCt36Rvckzqp9U9o2hL1UPb8YbrH_XgDWGYxcxG151YoJUSTV8NRncCNU43WNGyRklndmxQOplMMUjETw3ANhyphenhyphenrf1yjPnVfoL3_aeFyZ3GDuqV3H36IPG6FkJktU8x/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+033.jpg" /></a><br />Yangzhou fried rice at a cantina in Causeway Bay. They serve the one of the best chicken congees I've ever had.<br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAxZwcUni1PJdaxjwIjG7l9G9FF9dtl8v8a1Rs6Li0M8fxDEYFMKIQzyG5VGJDCJXUdf45OLfpWmNIM6H59OdkWBZKoxhYKKtPI9QxdYi4whKaP49kpfsy7bG9QsFipmWs-gdGyn9OnL-/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+039x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383345704696449954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAxZwcUni1PJdaxjwIjG7l9G9FF9dtl8v8a1Rs6Li0M8fxDEYFMKIQzyG5VGJDCJXUdf45OLfpWmNIM6H59OdkWBZKoxhYKKtPI9QxdYi4whKaP49kpfsy7bG9QsFipmWs-gdGyn9OnL-/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+039x.jpg" /></a><br />The view from our new apartment.<br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbZHnFh_CtdV8GuJ9mcTj8ij66HDG_sEMmZ8gYLtxn8fU03qq6Ajkfcz2R4YewdTMvVpbBwp-Uc7Ds0COY1vPDn0KPH5ptKAcWxr1QCFfep1tDkf7J5HLZhdbKLppxnLhExkJDAksMv9E/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+044x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383345697161152258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbZHnFh_CtdV8GuJ9mcTj8ij66HDG_sEMmZ8gYLtxn8fU03qq6Ajkfcz2R4YewdTMvVpbBwp-Uc7Ds0COY1vPDn0KPH5ptKAcWxr1QCFfep1tDkf7J5HLZhdbKLppxnLhExkJDAksMv9E/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+044x.jpg" /></a><br />One day, we decided that we needed to get out, and by out meaning out of the Hong Kong Island vicinity. Since the Hong Kong Culture Museum is located in Shatin, it provided us with the perfect opportunity to leave our little daily enclave.<br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqmLEPnyvBv7lu0jUSVcfz50pX1-SBydOD8e6z-Ki3OoM67dXZuhd1YhjnPWNtjC9D3ijh61qZ3Y3gbxCB8DPNlhTScm_-b04YJLrbiXpPMZGeDp4kw_tsUhagQ_yPcdziMKmQi3x7s1E/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+045x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383345683383416994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqmLEPnyvBv7lu0jUSVcfz50pX1-SBydOD8e6z-Ki3OoM67dXZuhd1YhjnPWNtjC9D3ijh61qZ3Y3gbxCB8DPNlhTScm_-b04YJLrbiXpPMZGeDp4kw_tsUhagQ_yPcdziMKmQi3x7s1E/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+045x.jpg" /></a><br />The history of the New Territories was actually pretty interesting. All of these giant planned communities, created either out of literally nothing (with reclaimed land) or total wilderness.<br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdg9ZxJY1PcsKnCmQife7zChHkSp-1Z5y4aeSl8kh_aF340j4WfcR03Q6cnM1QnV9pDR2SwC5U7SqBD4e1bkhCF4XmirbChFgz0kbMdU0wzhhaDWAnHMQ4LnnDQyqSWwl4_Sybs8YRveqS/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+051x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383345675244858882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdg9ZxJY1PcsKnCmQife7zChHkSp-1Z5y4aeSl8kh_aF340j4WfcR03Q6cnM1QnV9pDR2SwC5U7SqBD4e1bkhCF4XmirbChFgz0kbMdU0wzhhaDWAnHMQ4LnnDQyqSWwl4_Sybs8YRveqS/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+051x.jpg" /></a>Shatin was also where I used to spend my summers with my family when I was younger. Back then, there wasn't as much around, but now there are all sorts of malls and parks. Even so, the quiet and peacefulness of the suburb was striking in comparison to the usual activity we see on the main island and Kowloon.<br /><br />The clarity of the water, the blue surrounding us, above and below. Everything coincided, and I realized that there was a very real chance that we may never leave Hong Kong.<br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR51xBqZQjbqMZlLyEvEk3mJC01rjwOUXgI54aEqoqxSYQGNPRyWKtenF_58XS5yoODDiJJtlCIskD5fNWnNotpOGDoXUMz2yLba73VbpNjBZX73BzyMVJtSB17v-XpoBReBImB08yaYGm/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+055.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383344386981849570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR51xBqZQjbqMZlLyEvEk3mJC01rjwOUXgI54aEqoqxSYQGNPRyWKtenF_58XS5yoODDiJJtlCIskD5fNWnNotpOGDoXUMz2yLba73VbpNjBZX73BzyMVJtSB17v-XpoBReBImB08yaYGm/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+055.jpg" /></a>The serene scene was broken up by this outdoor karaoke party. People sitting, dancing spontaneously (the man pictured dancing with his little Pomeranian), all to popular Cantonese songs from the sixties and seventies.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-jy3AAI1ibBNt5HsZpwSAnEshA8HZAW5zjGkozjPx-gaakWOIpyHVSQZKduRbdAnLtTplCnwsjBwC7a98D0kUe-Ldqspg-HYpHnd2QZRkJjp-4BxMhTk1yq16ex4teC0MSGNwPPRd2QQ/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+057x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383344371719744002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-jy3AAI1ibBNt5HsZpwSAnEshA8HZAW5zjGkozjPx-gaakWOIpyHVSQZKduRbdAnLtTplCnwsjBwC7a98D0kUe-Ldqspg-HYpHnd2QZRkJjp-4BxMhTk1yq16ex4teC0MSGNwPPRd2QQ/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+057x.jpg" /></a><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdaezsbztODZCee73rDUtY6ZZp14S-7b9Q1m4nWSGbcjSsWqP1awNgTDt8SqBzozDNJAymbSU2XmBVOJSld74nincLYp5zC2Om-PcJEQtfihOH2yMkJ-7DhG5sisZcay5D9QRcYa3gtEY/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+060x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383344366278436034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdaezsbztODZCee73rDUtY6ZZp14S-7b9Q1m4nWSGbcjSsWqP1awNgTDt8SqBzozDNJAymbSU2XmBVOJSld74nincLYp5zC2Om-PcJEQtfihOH2yMkJ-7DhG5sisZcay5D9QRcYa3gtEY/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+060x.jpg" /></a>Sushi place in Shatin, near a bus terminus.<br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHfACjaG-xOnTrzDXCzuxSNgT0wzl33pJBWDt0LNOMAHYLTv94lUvUwirdYhngiUgILral9ZsiRKQ0JHDp36YQZNJzgAD6ykXTYqabMseFfGF3dbxKfs4BGX6QbUE6HyaTopyixI17c9k/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+066x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383344350095757682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHfACjaG-xOnTrzDXCzuxSNgT0wzl33pJBWDt0LNOMAHYLTv94lUvUwirdYhngiUgILral9ZsiRKQ0JHDp36YQZNJzgAD6ykXTYqabMseFfGF3dbxKfs4BGX6QbUE6HyaTopyixI17c9k/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+066x.jpg" /></a>That night I think, the sky turned violet. For ten minutes our apartment was pink hued from the strange light streaming in.<br /><br />Then, it rained, and lightening flashed near us, so near that cole, with a yelp, leaped from the balcony onto our coach, a distance of at least four feet. Perhaps the most impressive athletic feat I've ever witness from her.<br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhERERWe56hJ0EbxQaWVIaTntU2YQjXtY4mK-WvmWYoNyw6bJ2SndYy4D9BqndCX9l9SOf-EOPb9S_lN6Q9Lkk1EakWcgaej-A_3rXF7s5ExuMieKNKdBkaj1AokyaBNrPxk6ydf3JvNM/s1600-h/Hong+Kong+so+far+069x.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383344340367523682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhERERWe56hJ0EbxQaWVIaTntU2YQjXtY4mK-WvmWYoNyw6bJ2SndYy4D9BqndCX9l9SOf-EOPb9S_lN6Q9Lkk1EakWcgaej-A_3rXF7s5ExuMieKNKdBkaj1AokyaBNrPxk6ydf3JvNM/s320/Hong+Kong+so+far+069x.jpg" /></a><br />I'll finish this with our first "home-cooked" meal, meaning we bought dry soba and boiled it up, and I picked up some salmon and cucumber maki rolls from the local Park n' Shop. It wasn't much, but it was good, and it was the first meal that we had made and eaten together in our new apartment.<br /></div><br /><br />(sorry about the long delays between posts. "serious" writing is taking up more time, and work and going back to school [of all things]. i'll make sure to update at least once a month).d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-64688328862241270692009-08-04T07:58:00.013+08:002009-08-04T09:16:14.945+08:00Over already? To and from New York, New Jersey<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ppFKdVf5q7VFFZsKZFexjsvqv5z_uyXxv9LbSDEw6-JztHuGhEQ853-8-w1MwujlDivjlUix0RKeoJbcxVW-cqidjtQMSWgIrEsHHgm_voE5lyxm6Z2iEm3L3_9VUHsPjqMXjI3xZcw/s1600-h/IMG_6053.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ppFKdVf5q7VFFZsKZFexjsvqv5z_uyXxv9LbSDEw6-JztHuGhEQ853-8-w1MwujlDivjlUix0RKeoJbcxVW-cqidjtQMSWgIrEsHHgm_voE5lyxm6Z2iEm3L3_9VUHsPjqMXjI3xZcw/s320/IMG_6053.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365896630318693266" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSA3gvT_vEhIiYrpz7tcjkdRYZNu7QowoTVw466YSiKT0utFqW7BDcNllnVw-6TjnBs3-08If7NCWgwFyiCyapwr8YyJ7NQ4Cc5d2Q7-QiHBxwsWxALi5_WH6fEhShWwqbiLu4cl71Zeo/s1600-h/IMG_6047.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSA3gvT_vEhIiYrpz7tcjkdRYZNu7QowoTVw466YSiKT0utFqW7BDcNllnVw-6TjnBs3-08If7NCWgwFyiCyapwr8YyJ7NQ4Cc5d2Q7-QiHBxwsWxALi5_WH6fEhShWwqbiLu4cl71Zeo/s320/IMG_6047.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365896627314145042" border="0" /></a><br />Remember when I said I would have plenty of time to catch up on posts, finally get around to the second Tokyo trip (amazing), and maybe a few others that have been left to linger on the dusty back shelf?<br /><br />Well, I lied.<br /><br />The time is gone, and now all of sudden, we're back, but not really. I'm staring out onto a harbor dotted with islands. Next to our (temporary) apartment is a fish market, and from our modest 11th floor window in Aberdeen, I see small boats weaving around one another, workers lumbering among trucks, and an ever-changing sky. It's sticky, humid, and hot. Any second may bring a deluge of rain. Across from us is our probable future home, Ap Lei Chau (Duck Tongue Island), a tiny island almost completely covered by high rise buildings.<br /><br />That's right, we made it. We're in Hong Kong.<br /><br />I can feel my brain rewiring to the sounds of Cantonese. I imagine these as slight indentations located somewhere in the back of my brainstem, where the scraps on my 2nd language skills try to claw its way to occupy a useful place. All of a sudden, I'm back in the majority, barely worth a second glance (though that is true of home too).<br /><br />Before I get into Hong Kong (after all, this is our first day here as <span style="font-style: italic;">real</span> residents), I should talk about home first.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREONc270Jxfk9zXokeWTmuqqIBIdRmkARwhGxodPeUMNOR_6EYzpfbOxeL_S2w_rjMmEguyDT3p7fEd0HOxZvhHakl5f3FqB8R-TvSksuDYt77XK6UeO4jz7VsksSTGTJNJVp6VGfjbY/s1600-h/IMG_6092.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREONc270Jxfk9zXokeWTmuqqIBIdRmkARwhGxodPeUMNOR_6EYzpfbOxeL_S2w_rjMmEguyDT3p7fEd0HOxZvhHakl5f3FqB8R-TvSksuDYt77XK6UeO4jz7VsksSTGTJNJVp6VGfjbY/s320/IMG_6092.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365896635493189538" border="0" /></a>(A brief layover in Vancouver. Canada, we hardly knew ya).<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Allendale, New Jersey--Manhatten--Queens<br /></div>These were the places we split our three weeks. Our first week back was a haze of freakishly nice weather and a steady prescription of turkey sandwiches at our favorite deli (Lotitos in Ramsey, NJ) and naps (taken when needed, and often).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hTcDRRH2152F8W18r3ymzzlRHgjulIJULmuyI9BDpAWbDSxsZXd3aAuHA_sraFNnUfXYfwHRNh4XJEnip5Q1fHtPgrznH54fHkTyt-u58GR2UnZ4pOLtQSjytIsaRLMa9oa96tIV8zU/s1600-h/IMG_6102.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hTcDRRH2152F8W18r3ymzzlRHgjulIJULmuyI9BDpAWbDSxsZXd3aAuHA_sraFNnUfXYfwHRNh4XJEnip5Q1fHtPgrznH54fHkTyt-u58GR2UnZ4pOLtQSjytIsaRLMa9oa96tIV8zU/s320/IMG_6102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365896643150690402" border="0" /></a>I had honestly forgotten the beauty of a blue sky. Throughout our stay at home, I would be constantly amazed by the layers of white clouds.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLyUmuiPdRQyU9FheqZ9fUPQHoSmAmnljAf_knHI8N4RSMRKru8k-sszTIYs4ZIUG92C1Wq4fJ_StRo-_Bi3DpH6WpZ4KUDoJkpUy25NUhrjy4e11T5fqfJvNeBEuw538_2SLG99DQJg/s1600-h/IMG_6098.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLyUmuiPdRQyU9FheqZ9fUPQHoSmAmnljAf_knHI8N4RSMRKru8k-sszTIYs4ZIUG92C1Wq4fJ_StRo-_Bi3DpH6WpZ4KUDoJkpUy25NUhrjy4e11T5fqfJvNeBEuw538_2SLG99DQJg/s320/IMG_6098.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365896639957269506" border="0" /></a>Our welcome home barbeque. There's Uncle Bill.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWD3hOvA151pDwpefrnTUIvlrBqtmDfSaVJfgd7GsdKNGqdzP7xijwSEvrPDozTMYJzYeZragaEGg1e0AwRQQ4pJXA4VP_zeVfCFJZabej02GGLhL6arihXcaFf_VPIJIe2jSacNHdOI/s1600-h/IMG_6107.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWD3hOvA151pDwpefrnTUIvlrBqtmDfSaVJfgd7GsdKNGqdzP7xijwSEvrPDozTMYJzYeZragaEGg1e0AwRQQ4pJXA4VP_zeVfCFJZabej02GGLhL6arihXcaFf_VPIJIe2jSacNHdOI/s320/IMG_6107.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365898638007942066" border="0" /></a>Remember us, new york?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAycnqPpSHrYwpIsPW8uQFXuoHNB1O8TUXbvIa9MNnrfVmw5cOx2kxL-d7P_etXmn-1QIfzYHMdxCGb_MdF2wEqI7Ew66k6Hf37q1ub5Dxr5SbKQLFJm7PFSDhrpgH0FKFRf9yZK33rvE/s1600-h/IMG_6177.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAycnqPpSHrYwpIsPW8uQFXuoHNB1O8TUXbvIa9MNnrfVmw5cOx2kxL-d7P_etXmn-1QIfzYHMdxCGb_MdF2wEqI7Ew66k6Hf37q1ub5Dxr5SbKQLFJm7PFSDhrpgH0FKFRf9yZK33rvE/s320/IMG_6177.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365898658016767170" border="0" /></a>One of our most memorable trips was a visit to the Cloisters up by Washington Heights.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcmrljmWEVBTaEVoFny_2_oYQnD6AGOoCHrJG1J-YIiXnlQmNQCE621_E0fu0JjENzvj0hNYsPNl08emOK4tFAx-Oh6IBYpPU8DieNlqzzuWzwNmWjjhRHUETwbvD6LLueut9z6unTgo/s1600-h/IMG_6144.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcmrljmWEVBTaEVoFny_2_oYQnD6AGOoCHrJG1J-YIiXnlQmNQCE621_E0fu0JjENzvj0hNYsPNl08emOK4tFAx-Oh6IBYpPU8DieNlqzzuWzwNmWjjhRHUETwbvD6LLueut9z6unTgo/s320/IMG_6144.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365898655605941570" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyhmuon4oHi9g_1Tcbpao-0QWoQK8nG20PEyWZ_Aa8ivEI7YzqjrOpPNZtiQb8WY5WqIAHJm_Xm1ynx8m2uNfdFW5ywAkUL6Oj0x92gRR4aQ8-h02fNBqIxeet60mw7MxHlhucNyeGe4/s1600-h/IMG_6116.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyhmuon4oHi9g_1Tcbpao-0QWoQK8nG20PEyWZ_Aa8ivEI7YzqjrOpPNZtiQb8WY5WqIAHJm_Xm1ynx8m2uNfdFW5ywAkUL6Oj0x92gRR4aQ8-h02fNBqIxeet60mw7MxHlhucNyeGe4/s320/IMG_6116.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365898650674389090" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpoNho2UQSAT9q4s6YZjno8q9-9fph3vD0smkl1u_ywY7IPTyuJByDBfhYRBieGt8Und5ft_K9ocnqvucHOUhhTvLyUwJciY1YzoefnknmgKf9Mbq0LwyXvQerae2dm53FaR4aCbgE3U/s1600-h/IMG_6110.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpoNho2UQSAT9q4s6YZjno8q9-9fph3vD0smkl1u_ywY7IPTyuJByDBfhYRBieGt8Und5ft_K9ocnqvucHOUhhTvLyUwJciY1YzoefnknmgKf9Mbq0LwyXvQerae2dm53FaR4aCbgE3U/s320/IMG_6110.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365898644503076066" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZpc8ZiTtupdXkpXNitQWFOewiDf9S63UAEXUIxFranif3LbPD9rv45WnTtdLsITZPYV5_FtBq-p7fBSny1KN2cfjuAo8exis_NMlC5mZl4dEoNqNQVn4txwQwnD3CqzL4A33AIX5oAs/s1600-h/IMG_6203.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZpc8ZiTtupdXkpXNitQWFOewiDf9S63UAEXUIxFranif3LbPD9rv45WnTtdLsITZPYV5_FtBq-p7fBSny1KN2cfjuAo8exis_NMlC5mZl4dEoNqNQVn4txwQwnD3CqzL4A33AIX5oAs/s320/IMG_6203.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365902104872514290" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWedtaHZdsWNG_6lghf4Z_cAao2qJcMYlod0z9Qr_bNcIANLYkNdAqY9H94w4i35hwCkWO33fQSoMgwZV4fUtwPo_WEcdGYo6oQrgbaCuaG0Z40cZiJYEYN9k3KV8BukutI8m1cHNSzw/s1600-h/IMG_6190.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWedtaHZdsWNG_6lghf4Z_cAao2qJcMYlod0z9Qr_bNcIANLYkNdAqY9H94w4i35hwCkWO33fQSoMgwZV4fUtwPo_WEcdGYo6oQrgbaCuaG0Z40cZiJYEYN9k3KV8BukutI8m1cHNSzw/s320/IMG_6190.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365902097414868658" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkou9b5c7PqeSdswVikeVYsVa1ZkBtYIjx7s-Cj6JidZ406o8tmlogrOhfWGylshqhApRRJFtwHDd4n8kf5ICQ7k4BK2ZCAqDE28A91Da4lXYoJfhOU76yz0C7NVfhU7uHb_x59FjgI50/s1600-h/IMG_6189.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkou9b5c7PqeSdswVikeVYsVa1ZkBtYIjx7s-Cj6JidZ406o8tmlogrOhfWGylshqhApRRJFtwHDd4n8kf5ICQ7k4BK2ZCAqDE28A91Da4lXYoJfhOU76yz0C7NVfhU7uHb_x59FjgI50/s320/IMG_6189.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365902093021706594" border="0" /></a>We liked it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypiCGGVXHQJQcmzVo2LsGUU9VMX-H3YT1gOQTuUDgOdN7RT18fDEXErBuNMYvnUsK6oOWDUENg6LKCWlcMHXnSRoVbvZVr-59n9T7qR5xvI3FPtsWxDS3Jfq3MPrZHc5Le_dOBCRt3mk/s1600-h/IMG_6187.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypiCGGVXHQJQcmzVo2LsGUU9VMX-H3YT1gOQTuUDgOdN7RT18fDEXErBuNMYvnUsK6oOWDUENg6LKCWlcMHXnSRoVbvZVr-59n9T7qR5xvI3FPtsWxDS3Jfq3MPrZHc5Le_dOBCRt3mk/s320/IMG_6187.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365902090166316098" border="0" /></a>Herbs.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk61rZAHe6swBMBYyL0WU-r8QPqbmgdlPB3qZJB1cERFjBV-aELgguAY2uQwj8jiKOdHDnsr5TAL8MaC6WsOPhpPNH7u0I9Vfy6x8wfWNxOoS835OyOj0DXeJO9OSD8tqaFgVwGpfSgQ4/s1600-h/IMG_6183.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk61rZAHe6swBMBYyL0WU-r8QPqbmgdlPB3qZJB1cERFjBV-aELgguAY2uQwj8jiKOdHDnsr5TAL8MaC6WsOPhpPNH7u0I9Vfy6x8wfWNxOoS835OyOj0DXeJO9OSD8tqaFgVwGpfSgQ4/s320/IMG_6183.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365902085103159746" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pydLC1-pyuoMckQLKuX-nFTsDhifnhz23cDNeX_NqvBiFp7dqITwTCcyiE5ovSvaHjIMZudKaQIhd2tRDVOs4aKapmVznq1wnjc18AqA40YoFYPVKSViIf1SKZYsUoLHnKrlLqVfSC4/s1600-h/IMG_6170.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pydLC1-pyuoMckQLKuX-nFTsDhifnhz23cDNeX_NqvBiFp7dqITwTCcyiE5ovSvaHjIMZudKaQIhd2tRDVOs4aKapmVznq1wnjc18AqA40YoFYPVKSViIf1SKZYsUoLHnKrlLqVfSC4/s320/IMG_6170.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365901069451005490" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghV1L6iSHhGbnQ6HBQ_H2e4cROOuVwlquPoBUf4Sd_XlEFi2i8YS_wP4fxtEy-RCYF8XzZSj8VXeUcSYI-HYhkNkhQj9ZjNRdhFdwDFvJ5tOpQXiIBihEMMjnPDaET5dIo5sNJuy6e7jA/s1600-h/IMG_6160.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghV1L6iSHhGbnQ6HBQ_H2e4cROOuVwlquPoBUf4Sd_XlEFi2i8YS_wP4fxtEy-RCYF8XzZSj8VXeUcSYI-HYhkNkhQj9ZjNRdhFdwDFvJ5tOpQXiIBihEMMjnPDaET5dIo5sNJuy6e7jA/s320/IMG_6160.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365901065322900802" border="0" /></a>My other mom and dad. Thanks!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiAV4qdwMMGmdVkzXxNSgYTp7u48rB9LAyza0oZaWJrRHjxK3HLzsd_wbyiZ_XPQ7APKmV6TEnkiU_egbcKjaDW53h3j7jjuLwcrBUU2wdD3O_ERLxgOiejULFY24mCYXUJe22YQk2gXY/s1600-h/IMG_6157.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiAV4qdwMMGmdVkzXxNSgYTp7u48rB9LAyza0oZaWJrRHjxK3HLzsd_wbyiZ_XPQ7APKmV6TEnkiU_egbcKjaDW53h3j7jjuLwcrBUU2wdD3O_ERLxgOiejULFY24mCYXUJe22YQk2gXY/s320/IMG_6157.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365901059653146274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsU8hWQpkMRlZNHHRa46-dHIc5Shvf_8q63WTkSASgbqeHFN_u7po6iMxdL4ZEdkB0_-x8-7BDIeGRgeet6UW1PeJJOTBpR3ZKFMGlaGLxU9mmQ0l_5Aua9Fp5AKh7hduSOb0VFZqmkPE/s1600-h/IMG_6153.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsU8hWQpkMRlZNHHRa46-dHIc5Shvf_8q63WTkSASgbqeHFN_u7po6iMxdL4ZEdkB0_-x8-7BDIeGRgeet6UW1PeJJOTBpR3ZKFMGlaGLxU9mmQ0l_5Aua9Fp5AKh7hduSOb0VFZqmkPE/s320/IMG_6153.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365901054971845954" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElSD285ViLomeCkYkG549ervsoiEjYmrl-nLTLj-GjTkIce-quxJ5PsivLvkdBFv88KJHXdy-IqOoLQLwdt4_fejdmu95ONZ9Eul-pEfh_FkV6_vRTpupR5jsH3cwraq85vq4RGmibPg/s1600-h/IMG_6141.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElSD285ViLomeCkYkG549ervsoiEjYmrl-nLTLj-GjTkIce-quxJ5PsivLvkdBFv88KJHXdy-IqOoLQLwdt4_fejdmu95ONZ9Eul-pEfh_FkV6_vRTpupR5jsH3cwraq85vq4RGmibPg/s320/IMG_6141.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365901046107070066" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdBiXxGeGam59nnXDmH3gjEYzL4VOpRKMSXk76xBjEkB6-TpCNiphq5a5mm9lS0Rt5YexO12nvKX__PdBz9sokXQAFgBOemGt8DuetwP2tXXXVhKe1WgMCWI8vSqiQ1dTPYmXMvzggSg/s1600-h/IMG_6212.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdBiXxGeGam59nnXDmH3gjEYzL4VOpRKMSXk76xBjEkB6-TpCNiphq5a5mm9lS0Rt5YexO12nvKX__PdBz9sokXQAFgBOemGt8DuetwP2tXXXVhKe1WgMCWI8vSqiQ1dTPYmXMvzggSg/s320/IMG_6212.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365902872186002930" border="0" /></a>After the Cloisters, cole and I decided to go downtown to the High Line Park, which was still under construction last time we were home.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-P8DyMOMiXPmxl9wshnEvnGSg4BP5gZ2m0dhHdUJKFrffw1XgL5YQBdMk_RcIa840bUBdMvanM98ZD6SLAk8K8JtHoK5u5QQJ_Xe4LfbWXtCYhu80e-1HemNjbNC8uw2eIF2KDyG588Y/s1600-h/IMG_6211.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-P8DyMOMiXPmxl9wshnEvnGSg4BP5gZ2m0dhHdUJKFrffw1XgL5YQBdMk_RcIa840bUBdMvanM98ZD6SLAk8K8JtHoK5u5QQJ_Xe4LfbWXtCYhu80e-1HemNjbNC8uw2eIF2KDyG588Y/s320/IMG_6211.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365903338692642002" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLS7btCwZUXOABg2Tqw-lggSNR30EK551GXBY2BEozpNifKSojV9v91KEdOUZ-bo842wn3jGFwgljZZaejRU4Iizi6RztVo2fFBPAUnlNx6tT-7QjIEIuCqMDep82d_9uO8YQbAFivIw/s1600-h/IMG_6213.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLS7btCwZUXOABg2Tqw-lggSNR30EK551GXBY2BEozpNifKSojV9v91KEdOUZ-bo842wn3jGFwgljZZaejRU4Iizi6RztVo2fFBPAUnlNx6tT-7QjIEIuCqMDep82d_9uO8YQbAFivIw/s320/IMG_6213.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365904525567744098" border="0" /></a>The High Line Park at the moment runs from 20th to around 9th street along the west side, kinda around the West Village, Meatpacking District, and Chelsea.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5J3cRCBPxMOz9-mgD4RrtcFMqXOYsmKGeOgh2dww8n4fRj7Bz79llVhMP69fteDl65S975MxaU7O_KnsRuLv9yueIz4GcMTHcklohjpGmnHYfQWA8B9I3f8iaCJOsiCMOrm2c6kBmFs/s1600-h/IMG_6214.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5J3cRCBPxMOz9-mgD4RrtcFMqXOYsmKGeOgh2dww8n4fRj7Bz79llVhMP69fteDl65S975MxaU7O_KnsRuLv9yueIz4GcMTHcklohjpGmnHYfQWA8B9I3f8iaCJOsiCMOrm2c6kBmFs/s320/IMG_6214.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365902862392853138" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpxayriSkvoM3TwkwZOd6y3kd2Q6CyGsRG1kNyLwF5Sc8r6L_4eKs1eMD8CyaQN2bF7zevubGsYJrIWkVMmwZ-Xs-V9vpOGzzdwRY8QHnUAN6wo3Aqk19acoZM3VRHjKBGs97XEdsIwY/s1600-h/IMG_6217.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpxayriSkvoM3TwkwZOd6y3kd2Q6CyGsRG1kNyLwF5Sc8r6L_4eKs1eMD8CyaQN2bF7zevubGsYJrIWkVMmwZ-Xs-V9vpOGzzdwRY8QHnUAN6wo3Aqk19acoZM3VRHjKBGs97XEdsIwY/s320/IMG_6217.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365902863104195474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPNuO5zpwb7oTWWg1jSSVlkcZIdTKYqyglVpcPNmiE5ROYl7RGVv9qvN53yEQxrP7VSAnoFFnv78x3i6yABHcNEeDOxT8K-EUhOCzTN7wHow6xHnAVHfC-d66o3zew5IFNXcVSm_1XEI/s1600-h/IMG_6207.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPNuO5zpwb7oTWWg1jSSVlkcZIdTKYqyglVpcPNmiE5ROYl7RGVv9qvN53yEQxrP7VSAnoFFnv78x3i6yABHcNEeDOxT8K-EUhOCzTN7wHow6xHnAVHfC-d66o3zew5IFNXcVSm_1XEI/s320/IMG_6207.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365903351012966018" border="0" /></a>I'm not sure why I love the grit of New York, especially when I don't like the grit of say...Xi'an, but I do.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5gXqPRMjOZ_o9drfUCWHnVhHKuaO7AsM_LnD61-y4p02bWB0Ztr7cFEIaRo-klPMk_50GsGdTL7smhbJv-XwvyUjla2nWIf2SYKSat18accvHkIusT_R5TYd-DxAoQjmFdCBSBVwG6A/s1600-h/IMG_6208.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5gXqPRMjOZ_o9drfUCWHnVhHKuaO7AsM_LnD61-y4p02bWB0Ztr7cFEIaRo-klPMk_50GsGdTL7smhbJv-XwvyUjla2nWIf2SYKSat18accvHkIusT_R5TYd-DxAoQjmFdCBSBVwG6A/s320/IMG_6208.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365903347266626002" border="0" /></a>It was a bit strange seeing American flags. Part of the reverse culture shock we had upon arrival (so so many white people, can't figure out suburban town life) which only alleviated when we were in nyc.<br /><br />After the High Line, cole mentioned that she wanted an egg tart and milk tea. Ok Chinatown it was, except Chinatown was ten blocks down and maybe nine avenues over. Heck, we were in the city, we walked it.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOci7V6VqLD7LSH5iYLX4kOJdM4zXlwWvk6yew8-ol_BIruYtHcOohQnTS4eE7B6_-ewUjzYgZv_DQKnAHflKmn7LHbtmhyK-UQC3s6L7iwn1GcZZc9Wq1Y4_cBc1QXdKEPk4tDOQpvxU/s1600-h/IMG_6220.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOci7V6VqLD7LSH5iYLX4kOJdM4zXlwWvk6yew8-ol_BIruYtHcOohQnTS4eE7B6_-ewUjzYgZv_DQKnAHflKmn7LHbtmhyK-UQC3s6L7iwn1GcZZc9Wq1Y4_cBc1QXdKEPk4tDOQpvxU/s320/IMG_6220.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365902855689386402" border="0" /></a>We stopped at possibly our (new for us, not so much for everyone else) favorite bookstore, Jackson McNally on Mulberry and Prince.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1u6T53yhpbO656Hs1TuRYNZEu8xD1IG5SpjhlPX1O6Zi_LbFkX3jAYhrU6k2t7DRglFIFZvcMvEgJ2blKzMb9phZmSX9iiX04B94NlsRGtaE4s9ikmErdeAhgAKdVBTtfSP3_qyLE5ho/s1600-h/IMG_6221.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1u6T53yhpbO656Hs1TuRYNZEu8xD1IG5SpjhlPX1O6Zi_LbFkX3jAYhrU6k2t7DRglFIFZvcMvEgJ2blKzMb9phZmSX9iiX04B94NlsRGtaE4s9ikmErdeAhgAKdVBTtfSP3_qyLE5ho/s320/IMG_6221.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365902848941241858" border="0" /></a>Yes, I bought some books.<br /></div><br />Well, I'll end this here. For some reason, I didn't take that many photos while I was at home, and thus missed documenting some great meals, including a week where I hunted down all of the simple favorites I wouldn't be able to get soon. (pizza at grimaldis, cannolis, nathan's hot dog, carvel, baked ziti, cheesesteak, etc....nothing fancy here). The only thing I didn't get to was a good knish and matza ball soup. Oh well, I hear there's a Jewish deli somewhere in Hong Kong.<br /><br />Other things happened. The DMV, family gatherings, a short stay in Brooklyn, various Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese pig-outs, the All Points West Music Festival in Jersey City (rained on us all day, but the National and Yeah Yeah Yeahs were incredible. Vampire Weekend was ok. Jay-Z? Skipped out before he got on).<br /><br />But for now, I'm going to head down in search for my first pork bun since being back.<br /><br />See you later.d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-31343152490086619752009-06-17T23:23:00.000+08:002009-06-17T23:30:31.447+08:00One week leftJust wanted to come out and say hey. Just one week left! The kids have been strangely well-behaved, maybe it's because they know we only have a few days left together. Most of them have accepted that I'm leaving after this year, but a few still tell me everyday not to go, (by tell, I mean moan in a zombie-like way "noooooo, don't gooooooo." <br /><br />Anyway, this week has been mostly about reviewing for the final and signing yearbooks. Now, I'm not exaggerating by saying that our students have taken yearbook signing to a new level; it's basically an artform. Not only do they write messages, they form intricate shapes, draw amazingly fun pictures, and sometimes, even create entire new inserts when there isn't enough room left in the yearbook. I'll have a few kids sign mine and see what comes of it. I'm already feeling the pressure to make my messages to them meaningful yet visually interesting as well.<br /><br />Our apartment is half-packed, as are our clothes. Everything is slowly coming to a close. Then, it'll be time for Japan again, then home, then hong kong.<br /><br />Posting should be much easier soon, so the updates will come more frequently. Until then.<br /><br />-dd-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-15300370886880194382009-06-09T21:01:00.000+08:002009-06-09T21:20:48.075+08:00With two weeks left, peeking out from the firewallHi there, I know it's been awhile, but lately it's been pretty hard to do anything internet related. With only two weeks left of teaching though, I thought I should post a mini-retrospective...in list form (because laziness is catching up with me).<br /><br />Oh, did I mention that last Friday there was a hail storm? Yes, a hail storm in Shanghai in JUNE. I got one right on the noggin too, right in that soft spot of my skull that never closed, which might explain why most of my mental processes this year...have...um...what?<br /><br />Right, lists, or hailstorms. No, lists.<br /><br />5 Things I wish I knew before I came to Shanghai (also written in advice column format)<br /><br />1. That I should have brought much much much less stuff. Really, pack as light as possible.<br />2. That the restaurant with the green sign across from the school? the one with the glowing fish--is awful, and they charge foreigners extra.<br />3. That I would end up worrying about my kids so much. Seriously, some of the things that have been happening this second semester are crazy. Hmm, I would go into it, but not really my place to broadcast these events.<br />4. That living in Shanghai, although challenging, really does dull the senses. Keeping outside interests is key, (and by that I don't mean going out to every bar) otherwise you might literally feel your mind slipping away.<br />5. That living with and working with those very same people takes some getting used to (what is this "being social" thing you speak of?)<br /><br />Top 5 things I will miss<br />1. The kids<br />2. Hypocritical I know, but, working five minutes from where I live (with free rent)<br />3. Everything being 1/4 to 1/2 the price of things at home<br />4. The French Concession<br />5. Being with cole all of the time<br /><br />Top 5 things I'm looking forward to during our one month stay back in ny/nj<br />1. Seeing friends and fam<br />2. Being understood when speaking/understanding when spoken to<br />3. People that don't look that similar to me<br />4. FOOD!<br />5. Being back in nyc/museums/concerts<br /><br />Eventually,once we get further away from this firewall. Pictures of Korea and Suzhou (China) will pop up, along with some I've took of the kids and various outings we've had over the last few months.<br /><br />Alright, sorry about typos, but at least I posted right?d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-83283071475573073272009-05-21T23:43:00.000+08:002009-05-21T23:45:14.276+08:00blogger deniedoh middle kingdom, why don't you like blogs? just wanted to let you all know that blogger/blogspot is blocked, making posting super convoluted and time-consuming.<br /><br />so it'll be a bit quieter than usual in these parts. hope to post more soon (I already uploaded half of the korea pics too!).d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-52842297416771455222009-05-15T14:00:00.008+08:002009-05-15T14:36:00.723+08:00wacky kids<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_S5kO7doLhuU2BQqbFJnZYKeXQggKw4ye3hZ_4pPM_46vxHmzPCaEg57dx-2j0bGhe9xB2mauqxSKeY8BE6Yr4gmg6LA58QZ9MEGgxoz0R14qmRlodc5x947QEYS7fSO-GdwUnju1rQ/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+253.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_S5kO7doLhuU2BQqbFJnZYKeXQggKw4ye3hZ_4pPM_46vxHmzPCaEg57dx-2j0bGhe9xB2mauqxSKeY8BE6Yr4gmg6LA58QZ9MEGgxoz0R14qmRlodc5x947QEYS7fSO-GdwUnju1rQ/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+253.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335931440984725698" border="0" /></a><br />Here are some pictures of my kids and their posters. Most of them are from an project I gave them where they had to create a new invention and then present it in TV commercial format. This is my new Japanese kids group: Yuna, Rin, Masaya, and Ikumi.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTU9xQD4OQwVPebfgpoJ5w3Fs2AZi6A-76zxs78JavM7rF1LtXAILpvxKrhh7700dEud_rd9m3DWmNn7GR9nPA1ltV1sqruMqnpAhYCXmlqGa2qfcuUSPANtwsXDwA3aqXBVsGv-dkQ8/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+256.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTU9xQD4OQwVPebfgpoJ5w3Fs2AZi6A-76zxs78JavM7rF1LtXAILpvxKrhh7700dEud_rd9m3DWmNn7GR9nPA1ltV1sqruMqnpAhYCXmlqGa2qfcuUSPANtwsXDwA3aqXBVsGv-dkQ8/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+256.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335931434253326754" border="0" /></a>This was their invention, a mask that enhances the natural senses of the wearer. For being my newest students, they did a great job; they even made a real mask.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vjML69fymHuDUBLW3UPbw8Yv5_fP4qdAsOcR5jz5JKeBsS9uWdLI0KzHJOyR5-gZPTWRedlZvzbpy4wxgpwLYB0EQU1oO-CsG69RwdJOxSiwwoNYyXBNd5XLPIVH04b6HU9ir6rGH-U/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+255.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vjML69fymHuDUBLW3UPbw8Yv5_fP4qdAsOcR5jz5JKeBsS9uWdLI0KzHJOyR5-gZPTWRedlZvzbpy4wxgpwLYB0EQU1oO-CsG69RwdJOxSiwwoNYyXBNd5XLPIVH04b6HU9ir6rGH-U/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+255.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335931434035363586" border="0" /></a>This one is from Helen, June, and Soohyun. They had a magic door that could take you anywhere in the world. Note the penguin interface. In a total coincidence, I saw Helen in a random bookstore when I was in Seoul. Then I visited her grandmother's museum. I'll give you the full details in the Korea post, but it was a kinda amazing experience.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCG-CbDSikCamk4MapXJDbS3dkN20fKdxsROApGINoAttE8XyZTbWlvAk1ttpp1HS3vQxiFZq8N60TDdjQD7UhularYSJtkXv4-tSvASJ3bNb68k4l8i1XGO_PupQo1AvwApNC4axXW1g/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+257.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCG-CbDSikCamk4MapXJDbS3dkN20fKdxsROApGINoAttE8XyZTbWlvAk1ttpp1HS3vQxiFZq8N60TDdjQD7UhularYSJtkXv4-tSvASJ3bNb68k4l8i1XGO_PupQo1AvwApNC4axXW1g/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+257.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335931430881505330" border="0" /></a><br />Battleship Yamato from Chie, Takashi, JH, and Rex. Who's going to buy this, I asked them. Anyone! they responded. What about terrorists? Sure! We'll sell it to anyone!<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDb9BHWFtGWFud2L2EfSbJbOwSCi3Sbv_D6CHiVmtrNFf7fmpvIYXdLWYLo1E2ef512l19tjvChrNzN5mCw5VI22t0NnTf-6hCh6Jyh3XjRg-w0N9Rr9SOXHF1SR3X7X66r5Gn4XM20OY/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+258.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDb9BHWFtGWFud2L2EfSbJbOwSCi3Sbv_D6CHiVmtrNFf7fmpvIYXdLWYLo1E2ef512l19tjvChrNzN5mCw5VI22t0NnTf-6hCh6Jyh3XjRg-w0N9Rr9SOXHF1SR3X7X66r5Gn4XM20OY/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+258.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335931425530744754" border="0" /></a>My blog is doing that annoying thing again where the pictures won't post correctly, but this is the Lazy Chair from Andrew, Leo, Joyce, and Jenny. It has a speaker, tv, arms to help you do homework--the works.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYh2H0zTJwE1kP29zhlp2zEeq3T0aMOEOaynC4LMAAu7d5sANr5-nEFBUtrp_igxXIEARIBsrjcyABS40gixtsqrxpSQzs0B8B4CLlFlg7i9Mp32GRpW3KStemxNeJtBYKQz3tIXYbwY8/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+259.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYh2H0zTJwE1kP29zhlp2zEeq3T0aMOEOaynC4LMAAu7d5sANr5-nEFBUtrp_igxXIEARIBsrjcyABS40gixtsqrxpSQzs0B8B4CLlFlg7i9Mp32GRpW3KStemxNeJtBYKQz3tIXYbwY8/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+259.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335929776135125986" border="0" /></a>A time travel clock (perhaps lifted from the Treehouse of Horror Simpsons episode I showed them a few days before).<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRVBJvKeJ-QlfEu991VTu85SkQlgb_OgI-OsB8i3wrsrScpUU_NpPaTXr-i8DMcOOiOIIUVuuWevmkNvbQdFNKIAE1CO7US3EvX1TUeM4oK0ZTdkgF0eAQPk-S1MhEPcxrEDSvVce8-0/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+260.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRVBJvKeJ-QlfEu991VTu85SkQlgb_OgI-OsB8i3wrsrScpUU_NpPaTXr-i8DMcOOiOIIUVuuWevmkNvbQdFNKIAE1CO7US3EvX1TUeM4oK0ZTdkgF0eAQPk-S1MhEPcxrEDSvVce8-0/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+260.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335929774424055122" border="0" /></a>This is from my Korean boys, and I still can't figure out what exactly it is. They tell me that it can turn into anything. "Anything?"<br />"Yes, it can turn into another Mr. Wong to teach us!"<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDMX_fqKJ578xsOmx5rRXzivcZQ-WaETdb2eCQEyQ5pqJxdtSTYOSmGWNjym-AuvVpc9CnGGwVIe75UcwTjDDQW9EmDKA4HpzLORdSRodfDYr_5o9oL1nBIdO-Ww1et1Nm27E9Qt4pLI/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+262.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDMX_fqKJ578xsOmx5rRXzivcZQ-WaETdb2eCQEyQ5pqJxdtSTYOSmGWNjym-AuvVpc9CnGGwVIe75UcwTjDDQW9EmDKA4HpzLORdSRodfDYr_5o9oL1nBIdO-Ww1et1Nm27E9Qt4pLI/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+262.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335929769538231714" border="0" /></a>Ah, the Nick Key. A key that will open any door.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKItRiAeXrUdLMjrETrJqPF8Lqf4cXecoVQWg9XWb3TbCyup97j7u2uZ_Pq1QBxGf_cJgHnEoVyffIvMTBb2E-PFSWHUUdECiBuDHKNofYDjRckooAbVjHQZBEVzKci1xzyFecJr0EQoQ/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+264.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKItRiAeXrUdLMjrETrJqPF8Lqf4cXecoVQWg9XWb3TbCyup97j7u2uZ_Pq1QBxGf_cJgHnEoVyffIvMTBb2E-PFSWHUUdECiBuDHKNofYDjRckooAbVjHQZBEVzKci1xzyFecJr0EQoQ/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+264.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335929766153901154" border="0" /></a>Hayabusha, a hovering bike that you should not ride unless "you want to suicide yourself"<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMo8ylxkGeH19IuWa-5Ttw_AI8oRCKFKCn9nN_82zLAWarfKsr4xwdCBsYKmaP7N6vO_yiIT07qkhdJSFX_cvhId3NK2XN6k3nHnobCMFrD2Q9-4oAmQAPUSP9Di-FvbPn3K0K37Ysio/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+265.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMo8ylxkGeH19IuWa-5Ttw_AI8oRCKFKCn9nN_82zLAWarfKsr4xwdCBsYKmaP7N6vO_yiIT07qkhdJSFX_cvhId3NK2XN6k3nHnobCMFrD2Q9-4oAmQAPUSP9Di-FvbPn3K0K37Ysio/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+265.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335929763449231394" border="0" /></a>The Help Driving Robot, from Korean girls Betty, YeSeul, and Stella<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYihhq5xR0wH9ZLuRvr_JV_poenSrCu6qvjtC-uLaHAu1xFPap7uwn7DoCoZy4xcc-OoduG2L7hMWJ2BgVgFI3U8DYXEwDi8GE_kU0x7O2UPdYy8ayWfIn8TwSzjvCe_624Obzt8DqiA/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+266.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYihhq5xR0wH9ZLuRvr_JV_poenSrCu6qvjtC-uLaHAu1xFPap7uwn7DoCoZy4xcc-OoduG2L7hMWJ2BgVgFI3U8DYXEwDi8GE_kU0x7O2UPdYy8ayWfIn8TwSzjvCe_624Obzt8DqiA/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+266.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335928163401513714" border="0" /></a>Hmm, a strange-looking pen from what's left of the Japanese Triangle: Maki, Rika, with hong kong girl Judy added on.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1ZUwz_IJAVBqsOcu0n6riUGuEHsJfP3jvbLOnwgGwynvUMsG3NYywO8MQt-KpIZA3G9tD4HeEIPsyFft3LXxCEOWeeImUUb3_HTnoPiDwTC4pjk8DR_SxIOiXLXlA-30T0je25WFUTk/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+268.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1ZUwz_IJAVBqsOcu0n6riUGuEHsJfP3jvbLOnwgGwynvUMsG3NYywO8MQt-KpIZA3G9tD4HeEIPsyFft3LXxCEOWeeImUUb3_HTnoPiDwTC4pjk8DR_SxIOiXLXlA-30T0je25WFUTk/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+268.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335928158457784258" border="0" /></a>This from another Jenny, a drawing bunny.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4BGlEQc1uEOb90X_DaaqbADsaqyT6BrNQknjFGcnPFHXp71cKFOSgW0BckRqYxO7Nds9UeexgJztcpTNnObt85Pl1vPFaXbKfhjV81YF-pja_y-aikO6VnL8wJQhXLnJCdOYwqthXQ4/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+121.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4BGlEQc1uEOb90X_DaaqbADsaqyT6BrNQknjFGcnPFHXp71cKFOSgW0BckRqYxO7Nds9UeexgJztcpTNnObt85Pl1vPFaXbKfhjV81YF-pja_y-aikO6VnL8wJQhXLnJCdOYwqthXQ4/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+121.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335928158547042274" border="0" /></a><br />Actually from my ecology & evolution class. A poster from four Japanese girls depicting Darwin's theory.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYiAREtz1lzzXHDokroRZpuxULzdD7cVDeiaiwIGtL-YPgO8S79gCyoKKdvQBMRduwM7Xle3dyf2OPyYYRA6YSqFOigmQCy4bABYu66BaQyU6NmSxBa7YbQdNm3uj75wMqFkZeXjtOw4/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+122.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYiAREtz1lzzXHDokroRZpuxULzdD7cVDeiaiwIGtL-YPgO8S79gCyoKKdvQBMRduwM7Xle3dyf2OPyYYRA6YSqFOigmQCy4bABYu66BaQyU6NmSxBa7YbQdNm3uj75wMqFkZeXjtOw4/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+122.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335928153827475426" border="0" /></a>JiYoon. He got a 96 despite bad handwriting.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbIg52KpLj-gqEku-HC2CPYkJ9acl3ywMaJyzDAR6ghKYZyDoanDLlIRxBi48fHqNs8ntP_aCwuFyD2KBmreLO3nbcyavEsv4Wb2KujvEt1XZoR26ahyphenhyphenHnLAsB-Ev4-klSc5v88y9MSg/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+123.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbIg52KpLj-gqEku-HC2CPYkJ9acl3ywMaJyzDAR6ghKYZyDoanDLlIRxBi48fHqNs8ntP_aCwuFyD2KBmreLO3nbcyavEsv4Wb2KujvEt1XZoR26ahyphenhyphenHnLAsB-Ev4-klSc5v88y9MSg/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+123.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335928153483455090" border="0" /></a>Shone (he of "emission" fame). He did manage a 91.<br /></div>d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-44793202032652915012009-05-11T13:37:00.008+08:002009-05-15T13:34:11.478+08:00School lunch and Joyce breadI get some questions now and then about what school lunch is like. Also, remember Joyce? I mentioned awhile back about how she's always eating some kind of bread in my class. Well, here then, is a week's worth of lunch and Joyce bread. Enjoy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5fI7sWolhiioYtQVybzgWG0u68pwGfLaOm8DzOyyFvvON9IR1X2VmfpzA_a7IwzpYikEJeZXTHVYo2XoUiXErhMjfrEL9fFVvfwLDMGtmByz-XNAx4O_IP12hUCis9a3lLHAFqeGYe4/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5fI7sWolhiioYtQVybzgWG0u68pwGfLaOm8DzOyyFvvON9IR1X2VmfpzA_a7IwzpYikEJeZXTHVYo2XoUiXErhMjfrEL9fFVvfwLDMGtmByz-XNAx4O_IP12hUCis9a3lLHAFqeGYe4/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334544282467620082" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The lunch line.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Monday<br />Sweet and sour (chicken?), random cooked vegetable, and eggplant. Doesn't look appetizing, but this is one of the better combinations. The sweet and sour chicken is usually heavily breaded and fried, but when compared to typical US takeout, it's actually solidly good. The eggplant is mushy MSG goodness. The greens? Pass.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIFT1QIpC-5Qq9YgDTXRlFV005TG8D3VRO0483lAjM7yJjC4s8VZrpC0jVLmkJlpsEs4wKozKzztBA7sk7yAIUuMJ8b78K_PCXCQrBn9uAQO7D-DuEFxOn6t0e9mbuM407OD_ufyXeyE/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIFT1QIpC-5Qq9YgDTXRlFV005TG8D3VRO0483lAjM7yJjC4s8VZrpC0jVLmkJlpsEs4wKozKzztBA7sk7yAIUuMJ8b78K_PCXCQrBn9uAQO7D-DuEFxOn6t0e9mbuM407OD_ufyXeyE/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334544283268655378" border="0" /></a><br />Joyce bread: some kind of pre-packaged ham and cheese sandwich.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6irA7z9P3_wakw3eIERdsDEfV0k0cLAN4dnM7drugdc9UYuY0okb0YVks7VhF2Uy67jD2HDu_j4-5S6Og5gf0lULYJHwDPVBsxRNVbpdqVCoTGEsQ8inCSZUjFMwuWWXFKoo1M2JK40/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+277.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6irA7z9P3_wakw3eIERdsDEfV0k0cLAN4dnM7drugdc9UYuY0okb0YVks7VhF2Uy67jD2HDu_j4-5S6Og5gf0lULYJHwDPVBsxRNVbpdqVCoTGEsQ8inCSZUjFMwuWWXFKoo1M2JK40/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+277.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334549455899840018" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Tuesday<br />Ah, random balls, taro perhaps? Hard to tell, even with one in your mouth (that's what she said). The brownish stuff is curry chicken (cole's staple lunch choice), which is next to a celery pork mix. Eh.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRmj-4rsANnW0KCTTBtD7Itn-s0mrJWL0XGequnRjEXuu4yjpbOlDQtYXusB6t63PjJHXQ8Cqh062EimKLn9UUw2evHbdMMRhHDdiir51nE0_Y2fSGV7QhulnpIO5HH6H40bcvu429Ak/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRmj-4rsANnW0KCTTBtD7Itn-s0mrJWL0XGequnRjEXuu4yjpbOlDQtYXusB6t63PjJHXQ8Cqh062EimKLn9UUw2evHbdMMRhHDdiir51nE0_Y2fSGV7QhulnpIO5HH6H40bcvu429Ak/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334544301376499762" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Joyce bread: two, <span style="font-style: italic;">two</span> tuna sandwhiches. tuna was a theme that week.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuFOn2e6-ymkA9lRzGsfVRJTIR4Cw_w_0L2Htv-JqOttE1m-BU1h3JqEeX9IRtfnp_lwA71t7ImhqEtxfyXv-LAhdLj7yHkWAbm2coEXm9HbY_Ch4_9XaUVUkhhiKa3QTrl5vNVSMs8w/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+022.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuFOn2e6-ymkA9lRzGsfVRJTIR4Cw_w_0L2Htv-JqOttE1m-BU1h3JqEeX9IRtfnp_lwA71t7ImhqEtxfyXv-LAhdLj7yHkWAbm2coEXm9HbY_Ch4_9XaUVUkhhiKa3QTrl5vNVSMs8w/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+022.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334549448597525298" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Wednesday<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">no lunch? Actually, I'm pretty sure that we got fed up that Wednesday and went to the nearby Shanghai South Station for lunch instead. If you are reading this and will be living on Baise Lu someday (first, really? are you sure? secondly, think it over...hard), the South Station will be your closest haven of edible food.<br /><br />Joyce bread: different roll, but still the same tuna/corn/carrot filling.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7lI4h6jiMwhrb5vSl7QQZDvDPmmF9pOI0NZX59OFC2VpuCEq9Tsk830y4pfkBdP9j81yua1opU8q69z_-pR0fQsdT-y-4e0uHkRLgf02jHhBbJkfbapx8QBUakig62QmRkkc2J7qcnw/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7lI4h6jiMwhrb5vSl7QQZDvDPmmF9pOI0NZX59OFC2VpuCEq9Tsk830y4pfkBdP9j81yua1opU8q69z_-pR0fQsdT-y-4e0uHkRLgf02jHhBbJkfbapx8QBUakig62QmRkkc2J7qcnw/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334549191223744738" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsONZyuwzkZfJcnK3CqGqIczLeAZIpNB1RtKMBIdI3JHquiM1oEwAvC8n9m0OVL0NcLaPIoY4FPluToTycyQHOpthPbPwSfQSoDgnmoCcHV1m87Zpw0QqIZ-kxyMzITZob0DVs0N9q0M/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsONZyuwzkZfJcnK3CqGqIczLeAZIpNB1RtKMBIdI3JHquiM1oEwAvC8n9m0OVL0NcLaPIoY4FPluToTycyQHOpthPbPwSfQSoDgnmoCcHV1m87Zpw0QqIZ-kxyMzITZob0DVs0N9q0M/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334549185029222114" border="0" /></a>now remember, Joyce is sneaking bites of this during class!<br /><br />Thursday<br />Oh, finals chicken, why are you so good? A bit of history; during our finals last semester, we received actual chicken breasts (what no bits? no. bones? yes, this be china). and they were tender, and tasty, and amazing. From then on we dreamed of finals chicken. Occasionally we would be teased by finals chicken; we would see a few people with it, but by then it would be all gone, or they would bring it out after we had finished lunch (it would be for the next lunch period). Yet, on the rare rare lunch day, we would have finals chicken. This was such a day, and it was good. Try to ignore the clear tasteless soup and mushroom fiesta combo.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitwjIeUJwD3s-2u6pEgu6lr0y9ldRkX339nhPRGFru_GJVj_O8AG4dOO26BoNGZNUzNa7NL_9ISvMUUwtGSAx8r_lS7Me7HxY0Z_u_-QwjDogXXE5NOiO7epHa0ZhyphenhyphenEVaIjZyurj6_-o/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitwjIeUJwD3s-2u6pEgu6lr0y9ldRkX339nhPRGFru_GJVj_O8AG4dOO26BoNGZNUzNa7NL_9ISvMUUwtGSAx8r_lS7Me7HxY0Z_u_-QwjDogXXE5NOiO7epHa0ZhyphenhyphenEVaIjZyurj6_-o/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334544293758489826" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Joyce bread: more tuna, but on a different roll. the drink is chocolate soy milk. you would think that with all this bread that joyce would be a bit big, but she is a little Hong Kong girl.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoLQs8xu1kiY6k0zVX8f4RoBhPi1DgKb94hX0S5FpLLB3W8ckpXggpPrbp1FQ3rQBEeazxvCP5oO9b7AeCRfK8Lv9R9k8PkGrb7QMpZHzONnsjZd-3mmFJ1rth0IRSZr3akvOJvDa4dFs/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoLQs8xu1kiY6k0zVX8f4RoBhPi1DgKb94hX0S5FpLLB3W8ckpXggpPrbp1FQ3rQBEeazxvCP5oO9b7AeCRfK8Lv9R9k8PkGrb7QMpZHzONnsjZd-3mmFJ1rth0IRSZr3akvOJvDa4dFs/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334549180711800162" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Friday<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">One of the only things worth looking forward to. Cole is not a fan, but Friday soup is a bit hit with us foreign teachers. Like a sweet campbells tomato soup, with cabbage thrown in, Friday soup has a tangy zing with a ketchup bouquet. I like mine with a dollop of rice steeped within it. Next to that is the famous Shanghai pork dish that consists mostly of a thick layer of pure pork fat. Not bad, but I'm a bad Chinese person--I rip off the fat with my chopsticks. And, immediately adjacent to the pork is my favorite tofu dish. Basically spicy tofu. Oh, and some balls, what's a lunch without balls?<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4gdhD32bi28E2YuGnzL3VM7iHlwRW039Aar9ltOQFv2urRy0HUKZrYpTBoLx5iHs0fohxKrzmr-r6TyLQ-pyAUf8NGDCeDzP6VgHPB6vtqoEt6eOsTNs4mdqavJKQTcFpndMjOCdxXw/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+023.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4gdhD32bi28E2YuGnzL3VM7iHlwRW039Aar9ltOQFv2urRy0HUKZrYpTBoLx5iHs0fohxKrzmr-r6TyLQ-pyAUf8NGDCeDzP6VgHPB6vtqoEt6eOsTNs4mdqavJKQTcFpndMjOCdxXw/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+023.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334544297546575826" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Joyce bread: not positive, but this is either filled with banana or pork. next to that is regular soy milk<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FMbX1_pwVt0PTl6Niu5-oVR3YpPFGTLK1kB4Q-ygzvopYik81XkUtSld2n7MGaE6aYawNxPxSNQQsS-9-kkvQI7psgAPv6NDWvVrblErca4dysVmraSZ22eOyFcpoz7I9JwpCu3HPK4/s1600-h/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+013.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FMbX1_pwVt0PTl6Niu5-oVR3YpPFGTLK1kB4Q-ygzvopYik81XkUtSld2n7MGaE6aYawNxPxSNQQsS-9-kkvQI7psgAPv6NDWvVrblErca4dysVmraSZ22eOyFcpoz7I9JwpCu3HPK4/s320/Lunch,+joyce+bread,+sports+meet,+korea,+brian+conks+bdays+013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334549194822799666" border="0" /></a><br />And that's it for this post. Anyone up for a tuna sandwhich?d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-12120009045143186122009-05-09T21:02:00.005+08:002009-05-09T21:37:41.427+08:00Less than two months leftIt's May. The last three days have been hot; in the 80s scraping 90, clear skies. It reminds me of when we arrived, not that long ago, but long enough. We were clueless and lost. I couldn't keep food down. Two slurps of noodles and that would be it. And it was hot.<br /><br />Pretty soon it'll be over, and it'll be time to move on to our next (perhaps better [ok probably better]) city. Now I have a small inkling of what a teacher does, and a very good inkling of what a SHSID foreign teacher does (hmm, I won't go into it).<br /><br />So, today I meant to write. I wanted to write about things (lessons?) learned, growing up, our changing bodies, etc., etc..., but really do I understand Shanghai or the people who come to Shanghai? Maybe, maybe not. There's a hardened China shell now, a protective layer against the common zaniness of your average day, but actual understanding is still hiding around a corner, asleep and ruffled.<br /><br />So I meant to write, but instead I just went for a run in the dark. At 9:00pm on a Saturday night, the only other person on the track is a groundskeeper watering the hedges and smoking a cigerette. His eyes followed me around, and I avoided stepping on the length of the hose. It was too dark to see his features, but the glowing end of his cigerette occasionally grew brighter and dimmer. It was odd, and hard to tell if I was sleeping or not. When I finished, I passed him without waving or looking in his direction.<br /><br />Here is a good point for an inappropriate anecdote. Two weeks ago (before Korea, oh I have to tell you about Seoul and the wonderfullness of it, but I'll save it when for when I post the pictures), I was going over vocabulary on a Monday in my English class. Typical vocab Monday. The kids are bored and still waking up, because I see this class first period. They're too tired to even try to sneak some iPod listening or PSP playing during class. So, they're dead. Then I get to the vocab word "emission." Yes, you see where this headed. One boy looks it up on his electronic dictionary, giggles, and passes it to some other boys in a row.<br /><br />"Oh, this is very good word Mr. Wong," Shone says. Shone, half Isreali and half Taiwanese, who is the loudest kid by far, spikey hair, skinny jeans.<br /><br />I ignore him and move on. "Can anyone use this word in a sentence? Anyone?"<br /><br />Shone's hand shoots up. "Oh, oh. Mr. Wong, I have sentence."<br /><br />I hesitate, but everyone else is still dead, so I give in. "Ok Shone."<br /><br />"I cum. C-U-M," he spells out.<br /><br />I freeze for a bit. "Um..." Finally I say, "That would be a better sentence if you used the word emit."<br /><br />ok, inappropriate anecdote done.<br /><br />I'm still trying to figure out when to tell the kids I'm leaving. One knows already, June, but she hasn't told the others yet. I don't know why I'm dragging my feet. These kids are used to their teachers leaving them, but I want to wait a little longer, if just to pretend that I'll be around to see them grow up, and help them when Shanghai and life in general are too much.<br /><br />Ok, that's enough of dear diary. Next will be Hangzhou or Korea, or maybe I'll move on to a Joyce post I've been meaning to get to.d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-36311388499275038012009-04-26T21:38:00.003+08:002009-04-26T22:00:37.111+08:00NanjingCole just uploaded all of our Nanjing photos, so I won't duplicate them here. Instead, I'll leave you with this video. A slice of Nanjing morning:<br /><br />note, that is a sacred statue.<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dySG04jqsrm_CfzOFXnnOLDtu_P4BmiySqlfC07_SiG9laLid4xgca-XYLcZZfAQ31DZ3aKe87J_a8hWQnhUw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-12907595585750643292009-04-24T22:27:00.001+08:002009-04-24T22:28:43.719+08:00HitotokiIt's not much I know, but at least it's something right?<br /><br /><a href="http://hitotoki.org/shanghai/">http://hitotoki.org/shanghai/</a>d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-69676600244481505562009-04-22T09:55:00.004+08:002009-04-22T10:44:29.514+08:00Fourth Anniversary<div>March 20th was our four year anniversary. We didn't do much since we were going to Nanjing soon, but we did have the best sushi since we've been in Japan.</div><div></div><div> </div><div>In general, sushi in Shanghai is...disappointing. Maybe even more than disappointing, often it's horrible. The fish has clearly been frozen, as far as fresh as possible. Both taste and texture are rubbery. To be honest, after trying four or five different places, we were ready to give up.</div><div></div><div> </div><div>But then we found Haiku. Nestled in a renovated block (go gentrification!) of Hengshan Lu, Haiku is a modern Japanese restaurant known for its rolls. Stephenie suggested it, and we went, and it was good. Very good.</div><div> </div><div>Yep, happy four years.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXd_cDPEaB7dRoCXrZe2A9G5nLNhEH4t0AwNWgtatYEbUkWv8t6y3Ufuf6BfSwwRCUBaFccjugQ2fumBryx8_aIqJVM8Wjtl28Smeb08QtLS4AKFAKKYsbBl26gJdBf7lHaKSI8AFe7o/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+038.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327339884131285026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXd_cDPEaB7dRoCXrZe2A9G5nLNhEH4t0AwNWgtatYEbUkWv8t6y3Ufuf6BfSwwRCUBaFccjugQ2fumBryx8_aIqJVM8Wjtl28Smeb08QtLS4AKFAKKYsbBl26gJdBf7lHaKSI8AFe7o/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+038.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEZc1bkpypTwpQhT9U4H1iU7qcMWY1zQyAbAmZljJSJvmxgaKU50zvJ68e7RAUo3iY4wFopqHLtvnQQUsH8Ju__r3At4kdW6AqSmKiHm6ENmOx5mal4kVY56Rg5EfPPrOgknovOnnQoE/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+037.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327339883113755474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEZc1bkpypTwpQhT9U4H1iU7qcMWY1zQyAbAmZljJSJvmxgaKU50zvJ68e7RAUo3iY4wFopqHLtvnQQUsH8Ju__r3At4kdW6AqSmKiHm6ENmOx5mal4kVY56Rg5EfPPrOgknovOnnQoE/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+037.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc84_QviQCessL3zmOAB0t061ZcUc9LsHbjjbu0h6-vn4BJbzVPWsiradNIb3PzT0WW8nKXe4XdcjQuMAO-jerPhuYigDjW6tQvUdkRBG7yonr6E7OGduddYcwjEJEzcNL_3yjUzbj_60/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+036.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327339876316673906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc84_QviQCessL3zmOAB0t061ZcUc9LsHbjjbu0h6-vn4BJbzVPWsiradNIb3PzT0WW8nKXe4XdcjQuMAO-jerPhuYigDjW6tQvUdkRBG7yonr6E7OGduddYcwjEJEzcNL_3yjUzbj_60/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+036.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFhiPH0tuzLHwKU_cwYS5YLUBGwvSOXtTKVgB41ZdOEXNcsZEdy4nT9k0_h1615MTGhgYNHBYb-Gf81t5Jb2PnEX3NYSPR4ytw_0ezGYuEWtE8eFmZ796lkU-YTmULmquo6YdZ4bOWpQ/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+035.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327339877555509506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFhiPH0tuzLHwKU_cwYS5YLUBGwvSOXtTKVgB41ZdOEXNcsZEdy4nT9k0_h1615MTGhgYNHBYb-Gf81t5Jb2PnEX3NYSPR4ytw_0ezGYuEWtE8eFmZ796lkU-YTmULmquo6YdZ4bOWpQ/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+035.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15trx4bEyjJaaX4rQzzHEfrC2Rpu2ooe8Je0x_Nm35dxIjMkUIzNlH527K1GbYlFqDTTOfiBZfgyLWvx2rBy0g50ur1KzlqNMV3bNxlp1GuqCEiEqN3kTjUESOBi6vaeHlxcmR1q7eF4/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+033.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327339872459162370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15trx4bEyjJaaX4rQzzHEfrC2Rpu2ooe8Je0x_Nm35dxIjMkUIzNlH527K1GbYlFqDTTOfiBZfgyLWvx2rBy0g50ur1KzlqNMV3bNxlp1GuqCEiEqN3kTjUESOBi6vaeHlxcmR1q7eF4/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+033.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_RhkI_ZfwuQPXl7tgRjk2CcbUTJ2Z6-cxPMwnnfceeuPN03RRKdLtrk69DbzfB0jq5oNZd_qTfIf51mq_GdPvXWeUQ4F6JVDyqOp_Z0uRwzn09WUqzKSpLKAqBT8D53rUKN3jeTAkZs/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+034.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327331249022439602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_RhkI_ZfwuQPXl7tgRjk2CcbUTJ2Z6-cxPMwnnfceeuPN03RRKdLtrk69DbzfB0jq5oNZd_qTfIf51mq_GdPvXWeUQ4F6JVDyqOp_Z0uRwzn09WUqzKSpLKAqBT8D53rUKN3jeTAkZs/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+034.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynYSwgW_H3TOvzEYYKZS5PrjEJ6A6ZxzFEl3nLKIe8lUeoy0V05YgRqDXbcg0ibKZ6V5q5A4lTtwYaAp1kOXkg2I7Ni3Gau1PtBLrnlaVjiMSzkH85RJWs_hsA00S-wL5AHYVcDFDHZo/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+029.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327331239955761954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynYSwgW_H3TOvzEYYKZS5PrjEJ6A6ZxzFEl3nLKIe8lUeoy0V05YgRqDXbcg0ibKZ6V5q5A4lTtwYaAp1kOXkg2I7Ni3Gau1PtBLrnlaVjiMSzkH85RJWs_hsA00S-wL5AHYVcDFDHZo/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+029.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5A5UIWzkroo2ce05KKM_Ii-M9raHM7jPhrIfQqMzdLAyNr5Me6nnYeyl2AH2dzbMvpXQPU6ysTFYDcE-eG6dYNc4DA3c7ehIJMnGRYsmPJMdNGhDOrd01mwtQMyNYfoPnbqSePtblB8/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+032.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327331243935985794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5A5UIWzkroo2ce05KKM_Ii-M9raHM7jPhrIfQqMzdLAyNr5Me6nnYeyl2AH2dzbMvpXQPU6ysTFYDcE-eG6dYNc4DA3c7ehIJMnGRYsmPJMdNGhDOrd01mwtQMyNYfoPnbqSePtblB8/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+032.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_f33V4zfpa3viPmaifCI_udBxfn0GK51TVblX_QoYbVMy0OuAn7VsInARP6jL_kBeQexPfS17a10I5QdLTF7jzGyagYwprOyFeNkoVL4dLbRgNk312jIRSDmfJgP6Elh1UbEs7Tv18ow/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+030.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327331245760345410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_f33V4zfpa3viPmaifCI_udBxfn0GK51TVblX_QoYbVMy0OuAn7VsInARP6jL_kBeQexPfS17a10I5QdLTF7jzGyagYwprOyFeNkoVL4dLbRgNk312jIRSDmfJgP6Elh1UbEs7Tv18ow/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+030.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgreJaTCZ6w7qL0nwQ35M9eMAiEtqyIH4ArNFtXuAo3QCNn572fC5xH5liO9gBgYZSaL8E6gSwLPS_O_dn2TuYgypoNGKmhGP0cv_ZeBo2UYyU5crOlEMgXJ6gw7gMUs8cpZjQJu6XZVTg/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+028.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327331235323368706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgreJaTCZ6w7qL0nwQ35M9eMAiEtqyIH4ArNFtXuAo3QCNn572fC5xH5liO9gBgYZSaL8E6gSwLPS_O_dn2TuYgypoNGKmhGP0cv_ZeBo2UYyU5crOlEMgXJ6gw7gMUs8cpZjQJu6XZVTg/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+028.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-64285132522782855542009-04-20T15:56:00.005+08:002009-04-20T22:07:45.929+08:00Trustmart<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-rtO1aCf5-SMQDgRlQ16cyxZ5asRcN4xFntaqrMNPlRXheBk9o3V7Ek4T9FwNdy1TwqkI5gvvxn_JXmH4HpzWqC3SE_39MSWFuyPUfSLkALICmSHXuTb_Kiv68RNg-AxhiqkI3usWIs/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326679922956755794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-rtO1aCf5-SMQDgRlQ16cyxZ5asRcN4xFntaqrMNPlRXheBk9o3V7Ek4T9FwNdy1TwqkI5gvvxn_JXmH4HpzWqC3SE_39MSWFuyPUfSLkALICmSHXuTb_Kiv68RNg-AxhiqkI3usWIs/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK73e2Wjxao3111pPVY88rlADahbD3Y9TawbThFYIwXnnWV-Z3okU9A2a5-ivdtnGNVEE5FK1PbVAvEqSNmngurQusYmGSdnneBUA7wOoW7Oqexxv9jBRCiH2g0A6wk5I-bl-nk2MH1Q/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326679929914765218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK73e2Wjxao3111pPVY88rlADahbD3Y9TawbThFYIwXnnWV-Z3okU9A2a5-ivdtnGNVEE5FK1PbVAvEqSNmngurQusYmGSdnneBUA7wOoW7Oqexxv9jBRCiH2g0A6wk5I-bl-nk2MH1Q/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The closest supermarket to school is this Chinese version of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Wal</span>-Mart, aka, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Trustmart</span>. Nicole decided to take a couple covert shaky videos while shopping. Note the extensive seafood selection. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Mmm</span>, fish floating belly up. They also favor the repeating message on loudspeaker method of announcement here.<br /></div><div></div></div></div><br /><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx-DY9PqFV8d7m5ynacuHoqZjt7RAXiszoBtr5D0pk3B_a-Dlafv9eRXtut6PNHpiGrOjxG8i9htHY7i-Yzpg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p></p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzwmG8piURR0moAmfP5Ulkz-r26INU8_izqIQK3Tfu32_GOG7tyGqEDZ-0EfyfEF9eZQIAKNJNbgSjCyvS3uw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwQQPKPH-mlI22zQPokiFH6sB3JyoKMkvYRYPxijINJlm8FLotolgz9GttML7NEgeJr47-bGFsWBBXQGg5D5g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-58981471811246548672009-04-20T15:12:00.011+08:002009-04-20T15:47:23.960+08:00Shanghai Sharks<div align="center">About a month ago, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">cole</span>, conks, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">brian</span>, and I went to the final home game of the Shanghai Sharks, the local Chinese Basketball Association team.<br /><br />Now the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">CBA</span> isn't exactly the best basketball league in the world...in fact it's pretty horrible. And to top it off, the Shanghai Sharks are the worst team in the league.<br /><br />So, after being accosted outside by scalpers (really, if you've never been crushed on all sides by sketchy Chinese men waving tickets in your face, you should try it, it's an experience) we sat back in our cheap seats, and watched the comedy unfold.<br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAHVx4NVGAh1059_xHKNmWnqjZQfKjV-V1cUsRH8dAYEBDhP5haRpsN64dNOTm7ZYBCanAyWaLYhE3FsUxKc6H4Xg4M6Qmm5xyG2croTn4wB80r_jvKKwDr3va-03__K4WHH6AH9bLEc/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+026.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326670914002839650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAHVx4NVGAh1059_xHKNmWnqjZQfKjV-V1cUsRH8dAYEBDhP5haRpsN64dNOTm7ZYBCanAyWaLYhE3FsUxKc6H4Xg4M6Qmm5xyG2croTn4wB80r_jvKKwDr3va-03__K4WHH6AH9bLEc/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+026.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a> The mascot<br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKUsI07sIPRxUtvhVP4YSE2K8udmtkB9lUss8as4zB5UiZeg3lhsGndOORondvUeTOHt5gvROxxVPWdvZ6sdkh3GW1YADyBp_KYsSaRbtkFxaTjB8TYpl8MybZp5uHUB0ao3eQqv4q-3Q/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+025.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326670911364305794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKUsI07sIPRxUtvhVP4YSE2K8udmtkB9lUss8as4zB5UiZeg3lhsGndOORondvUeTOHt5gvROxxVPWdvZ6sdkh3GW1YADyBp_KYsSaRbtkFxaTjB8TYpl8MybZp5uHUB0ao3eQqv4q-3Q/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+025.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwLbKKitPhohqPDZHB6wRxyisv-g6E4Jd3GIdlxLEWrGwJ9GNxf3Oh-oIiHfVK5muoS03_lUZM0-XD00GNStXi5FHQJ5HttvOqp8ohUgq4BDkPTyT-xlX3Y-Nb1o03w0-W19HE76ohrY/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+019.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326670276187132082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwLbKKitPhohqPDZHB6wRxyisv-g6E4Jd3GIdlxLEWrGwJ9GNxf3Oh-oIiHfVK5muoS03_lUZM0-XD00GNStXi5FHQJ5HttvOqp8ohUgq4BDkPTyT-xlX3Y-Nb1o03w0-W19HE76ohrY/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+019.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtcAEVU3ERMYXdbIyqe562chjxqQvAtK7eD3ncVmM-qq6qPlUpaA8LS8neyCJwP2_r0TNOaaIsgeUx_T7CLOE2dhbFwhof5RoodllcRxHSqh7ZdkRZl8tVDwUcFKYlBMt0BFTdKzIuno/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+017.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326670269286522546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtcAEVU3ERMYXdbIyqe562chjxqQvAtK7eD3ncVmM-qq6qPlUpaA8LS8neyCJwP2_r0TNOaaIsgeUx_T7CLOE2dhbFwhof5RoodllcRxHSqh7ZdkRZl8tVDwUcFKYlBMt0BFTdKzIuno/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+017.jpg" border="0" /></a> One of the opposing players (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Shanxi</span>??). Ball hog and a bit of a crybaby<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykbKmtIW4zP2UZUNDS8C6Fcf6W8tUL1VgORtydomAJ6SbMoqGjcBvS2LUBfD4y5NtodNFf0Qb1iI9TluGgblALnr2axBj6PvB0JiHgJylMUCU5FfBmUTnKGQMVfsuSwJdbSTc6RX1h1s/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+023.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326670282204561218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykbKmtIW4zP2UZUNDS8C6Fcf6W8tUL1VgORtydomAJ6SbMoqGjcBvS2LUBfD4y5NtodNFf0Qb1iI9TluGgblALnr2axBj6PvB0JiHgJylMUCU5FfBmUTnKGQMVfsuSwJdbSTc6RX1h1s/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+023.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">cole</span> and conks<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326671762115199506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wBpqeBHmEnvEPiOIczl7jOqQRB5pjpEdspngKlSHflo0cUG40esVf6qyJWgN8-P3jkWXa10VBnwAR1EZjIYNQet7HdGYywnrfQ9KLoodoJfxlgTsn_DFs61uxYSkASYcQ4wW_RFhay4/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+024.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd21SitRQYJzBa7Fjimqd-r8we2ABDL-_6gpYsXY9NupDXXCUWLV-XQKwTzSyfxMTZbX45rRYthQQXtOc8ObScwEXgqSqupCfYh0rD-KbtzVhaC3V4ZmKhaP5LAH0M1llKPVFLO3o5lX4/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+022.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326670278379649538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd21SitRQYJzBa7Fjimqd-r8we2ABDL-_6gpYsXY9NupDXXCUWLV-XQKwTzSyfxMTZbX45rRYthQQXtOc8ObScwEXgqSqupCfYh0rD-KbtzVhaC3V4ZmKhaP5LAH0M1llKPVFLO3o5lX4/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+022.jpg" border="0" /></a> a little too close up<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJbPxTKC5YlIb7TGEsqf10fzTz1JryeWgVjpCFasaU_wmQdxo5XAufucpfKDeidmyirTNC4IchmiMdD7JCCJM9PogQXFDosriJ7Kxl-0M6dlRnMh2HurlOG8ESCicQVblqTZNXFs7NPI0/s1600-h/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+016.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326670271472911250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJbPxTKC5YlIb7TGEsqf10fzTz1JryeWgVjpCFasaU_wmQdxo5XAufucpfKDeidmyirTNC4IchmiMdD7JCCJM9PogQXFDosriJ7Kxl-0M6dlRnMh2HurlOG8ESCicQVblqTZNXFs7NPI0/s320/Trustmart,+shanghai+sharks,+piano,+nanjing,+student+fun,+hangzho+016.jpg" border="0" /></a>oh, I can't describe it all. The missed shots, lack of defence, the inexplicable calls from the refs. And the cheerleader and mascot dances. That, you'll just have to see for yourself.</div><div></div><div></div><div> </div></div><br /></div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwvIrccYqAvfdYZkcbfvK_szTym_dW6mWSBQPjy5UeayNnV-wSjGgRmPAXLZoavEKzbxIrd7Rv0lv3NKAK4' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-8524572300205769292009-04-17T09:10:00.003+08:002009-04-17T09:41:31.872+08:00April so far, words from makiSo, it's been awhile since I've last posted. Here's a quick update:<br />We told Helen (our boss) about leaving for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">HK</span> a few weeks ago and she took it rather well. She was a little taken aback, but really, after about 5 seconds, she was ready to move on. I guess the whole nature of English teacher here is pretty transient, and she's used to people disappearing every year.<br /><br />What else has happened? Nanjing pictures will be up soon (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">cole</span> might have them up already, and conks put them up quite awhile ago). This weekend, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">nicole</span> and I are going for a weekend trip t<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">o</span> Hangzhou, a scenic lake resort area an hour or two <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">outside</span> of Shanghai.<br /><br />After that will be South Korea! where we'll meet up with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">DK</span>, former Tor intern <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">extraordinaire, and now soon-to-be law student extraordinaire. Can't wait for the food either...bi...bim...bap.</span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"></span><br />oh, and a group of us ran in a 10K race in Pudong last week. I know it's been awhile since the marathon, but I was still pretty surprised that the five miles weren't that bad. Usually, I only run about two or three times a week, and only three miles each time, so I didn't really know what to expect. Well, it turns out that I finished the 5 miles at about 42-45 minutes (not that bad). Because I missed all the distance markers (and didn't have a watch on), I left way too much for the end, and had to all-out sprint the last K to make up for it.<br /><br />I was at least able to pass most of the old ladies, girls running in tight sparkly jeans, run-down expats, and smoking migrant workers. The prevailing strategy of the Chinese runners seemed to be, go go go as fast as you can for...the first mile. And then hack hack your way through the next couple miles. Then sprint! Then die. Then shuffle.<br /><br />We forgot our camera, so no pics from us, but conks (as she always does) posted some, including one horrific shot of our post-race eating.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Well, that's about it for me. Instead, I'll let Maki speak for me, since it's been awhile since I've talked about her (she talks much more now, but is still much more interested in reading comic books in class than studying or listening...oh maki combo).</span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"></span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected">From the midterm: What would you do if you found a time machine?</span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected">(Maki)</span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected">If I found a time machine, I will use it. I want to go future very much. I want to go about 1000 year later, so it will be 3009.<br />I want to go future because I want to watch more developped world!! I want to know the exist of “flying car.” This mean, I want to know if there are any flying object except airplane, bird or other things that exist today. In movie or TV program, if they show about future, there are almost always any flying object. Isn’t it? So I want to make sure it very much!!<br />Next, I also want to watch about human. I learned that “All living things changes their state or something to adapt to their environment” so I want to watch the “evolved human” in the future. My mother said “Human will have shorter leg. Because they (maybe include me) don’t walk or move more (except sports human who play sports) compare to past!”<br />And I want to know about their boom. It is popular music, fashion, animation and so on. And I want to read comic book in future. I think story, their speaking or picture will be very different from now. I am very interesting to it.<br /><br />I also interesting in more useful or unique machine in future that I unable to image, so I will go to future if I found a time machine.</span>d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-70800477312086182892009-03-26T23:11:00.004+08:002009-03-26T23:25:44.786+08:00Lonely singer/the newsEvery Thursday night, I hear a student singing outside of our dorm. He belts out Chinese pop ballads, literally screaming until his voice cracks. Sometimes the voice fades away, only to get stronger again. Who is this boy? Why does he sing every Thursday??<br /><br />--<br /><br />During the last two weeks, one of my English classes has been getting out of hand. The kids talked, they played PSPs in class (in class!) and generally didn't care about anything. I was surprised because this class was my close-knit group, with Andrew, Joyce, Jenny, Leo and others (Anny too, last semester). Sure, half the class had changed from last semester (seven new kids in a month!), but my core group was still there. What was going on?<br /><br />Finally, this Tuesday, I had had enough. I took away all iPods and PSPs I saw in my class, promised to fail them if they played games in my class again, and switched all their seats. All the most problematic students I took aside privately to chat with. They listened. They nodded. They knew I was disappointed.<br /><br />And it worked. Since then, they've been perfect again. We have fun, but it's not crazy. Maybe I was getting too friendly with the kids. Maybe seeing me yell was a bit of a surprise. Either way, I'm glad that teaching is good again for all of my classes.<br /><br />--<br /><br />And, to finally end the suspense (of the not so suspenseful situation), Nicole and I are moving to Hong Kong next year!<br /><br />Details will follow.d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377686040280912711.post-53056118300467489572009-03-22T21:45:00.004+08:002009-03-22T21:51:03.549+08:00Another update...from conksBig news on our front, along with our 4th year anniversary, and developments with implications for our jobs...<br /><br />you'll just have to wait for now. But, if you want to know what cole and I have been up to the last couple of days, click on the link over to the right on our good friend conks' blog.<br /><br />she has been much more diligent in keeping up to date.<br /><br />I'll spill the beans soon, for all those people that don't already know (and no, there's no baby). I'll also get around to posting about our first and only Shanghai Sharks basketball outing.d-ahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03393675090224748940noreply@blogger.com0