Bubs is Back!

Hurray! After enduring another 24-hour journey from the US, Bubbey arrived home on Friday night. I met him at the airport (I took a bus and it only cost 20 yuan!). Some Chinese celebrity was on his flight because I was pushed and shoved by journalists and camera people vying for a better position at the gate exit. When we got home, I did a redeux of the meal I prepped several weeks ago with Wang Jian and Ya-Ya came over for dinner: salad, sauteed spinach, edamame, choc chip cookies (Alton Brown chewies). Though he had already eaten on the plane, he willingly crammed in some additional grub.

On Saturday, Bub insisted on getting up early. By 8:30 am, we had consumed egg pancakes and some grease sticks. We were having a blast touring around the city amidst the early morning bustle. However, once we got home, we fell into a coma. Didn't get up until the afternoon. For dinner, we went to our favorite Indian restaurant Punjabi. Stuffed our faces (I hadn't eaten like that in weeks) and then left feeling bloated and gross. We then headed down the street to Carrefour. Apparently, it had slipped our minds that it was Saturday. What a nightmare. After we arrived home, we realized we forgot to buy measuring cups. Damnit.

Sunday was another quasi-lethargic day. We got up at a decent hour in the morning and then went to Dynasty for lunch. My uncle had taken us to the Chinese restaurant before... so we went in armed with the old receipt, listing all the tasty dishes. We made some minor modifications with the ordering, but were pleased nonetheless. The thing about Dynasty is they have this lunchtime fruit/coffee/tea buffet. At 12:45, the staff sets up an entire table with all these goodies. The problem is, all the diners at that point storm the buffet table. No line, no order, no courtesies. The winning strategy seems to be someone gets to the table, grabs the tongs, and starts piling shit on the plate. Other family members then grab the loaded plate and give the person a new plate. So the key position is always held. Meanwhile, the rest of us are kept at bay. Fortunately, I am a little taller than the average Chinese kid/woman, so from the second row, I just grab over them. Screw the tongs, I just use my hands. In doing so, I got all this negative reaction from 1) servers 2) front row people, but I had my say back. I mean, after all what am I supposed to do when they stake out their positions and never leave until they've hoarded everything?! Originally, I had sent John to get the fruit. After all, he is a giant and I thought the Chinese would be less inclined to push and shove him. Well, he was immediately turned off by their behavior and refused to participate in the mob activity. So he actually returned to the table empty-handed. Hell, the Chinese don't have a Miss Manners handbook. I was not to be denied. I was determined to get in there and get my fruit. It wasn't easy, but I returned to the table triumphant-- two plates full of peaches, oranges, and pineapple.

Guzheng

Got my instrument today. According to my instructor, my guzheng (Chinese zither) was handmade using wood from Yangzhou (not sure where that is). It's a beautiful reddish wood, with shell carvings on the sides. The sound is so rich and resonating. Now I just have to get used to the picks. You essentially tape them to your fingertips with first aid tape. I used to play using Lee press-on nails, but they don't do that here. My lessons start next Thursday. And fortunately for me, my Thursday student canceled class tonight. Now I can attend the guzheng concert at the music conservatory.
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Just got back from the concert. A nice performance hall, and there were many more people than I was expecting. The performers included two women from Japan and a Chinese man and woman. For the most part, the Japanese played really avant-garde, cacophonous stuff. I mean they were like slapping the strings and making all kinds of weird sounds. I felt like they were doing background music for some horror flick. I guess I'm just used to hearing classical music on this instrument, which dates back about 2300 years. The male performer was especially stellar. Apparently, he is world reknown. He did several pieces accompanied by piano. The Chinese woman played accompanied by a drummer. Anyway, it was an enjoyable event (except for the elderly couple behind me who didn't know how to whisper).

Things are Golden

I had my first class for SABIC this evening. SABIC is the company that's hired me to teach its staff business English writing. I was stressing myself out, preparing for the first lesson. But it went wonderfully. My students are young professionals-- in their 20's and 30's. I suppose I was expecting a serious, quiet bunch, but they were great-- unabashed and lively. I taught the word "Ms." today. Like my parents, my students thought it meant a divorced woman. Sheesh. But I set them straight and said that I preferred Ms. over Mrs. Hee, hee. The indoctrination begins.... One student said he loved my company name-- "Move the Brain." I was so thrilled, because my mother gave me such grief over it. "Move the Brain" is translated literally from a Chinese Idiom which means to find a way, to think of a way (solution). Yay, a Chinese person got it!

Oh, on Monday I nailed another tutoring job. This time, my clients are these sisters-- one is 8 and the other is 14. At first, I was avoiding this job. I guess you could say I'm part of a childless couple and I want to keep it that way. But then my wise friend Em suggested I just meet the girls, just to see. The interview with them and their mother went great. The girls appear very well-behaved and their mother, though native Shanghainese, speaks English really well (as well as Mandarin and Japanese) and actually has a sarcastic sense of humor. She was totally cool, so now I'm really looking forward to starting that gig on Monday afternoon.

So things are going well. I'd almost venture to say that I'm happy. Feels a little weird saying that actually-- not because I've had a miserable existence or anything, but because for a while, I had resigned myself to a boring life. You know what I'm talking about-- life as this slow progression from human to robot. Life as an endless series of immutable tasks, repeated ad nauseum. In so many ways, John and I have snapped out of that cycle. I honestly feel a new liberation. It's just amazing. Life is good. My brain is churning again. Tomorrow I'm meeting with my guzhen (Chinese zither) teacher to buy an instrument. I can't wait to start taking lessons again. It's been years already.

In the evening, I have my tutoring session with Cissy. She's one year younger and just got an interview to the Fudan/Hong Kong University MBA program. The program application, interview, and curriculum is all in English. I'm helping her prep for the event next week--a group behavioral interview. I had private behavioral interviews when I was applying for engineering firms-- they were the new recruiting tool a couple years back. But I can't imagine having to go through all of that in a non-native tongue. Cissy is inspiring in that sense. She is motivated, confident, and undaunted.

In other news, John gets back in two days. He'll have been gone nearly three weeks, can you believe it? He's bringing back some goodies-- although I'm disappointed our wedding cake will not be among them. I'm having a real hankering for yellow cake with buttermilk frosting. I don't think my little oven can squeeze something like that in though. :( I can't wait for his return. I'll have a feeding buddy again. I'm gonna take him to La Seine to celebrate (his return, my new gigs, Duke's victory in the NCAA tourney :)).

New Apartment Pix

Had brunch yesterday with my friend Anqian. An amusing guy, to say the least. He told me, "I'm really a pretty liberal guy. I just have three tenets: I'm anti-choice, I'm anti-gay, and I'm pro-NRA." Well, leave it to Anqian to proclaim himself a liberal when his three beliefs essentially topple the cornerstones of leftist ideology. Ah well, we didn't get into it. But I have to say Anqian is a rare breed. He grew up in SH, yet he stays away from the locals. He thinks their hicks-- uncultured, unsophisticated, and unhygenic. Anqian is just on a totally different path. Every time I talk to him about teaching and finding more students, he says incredulously, "You're wasting your education. With a degree from Duke, you should be rolling in the dough, working for some multinational corporation or doing i-banking or SOMEthing." I explain that I've tried the consulting world, and it doesn't appeal to me. And that though I made peanuts at FMF, I never regretted leaving CDM. Consulting was so emotionally empty. "Who cares? It's prestigious and you get a lot more money--those are the only two things that are important to me." Well, at least he's honest. Talking to Anqian is always interesting.

My father called me the other day. Among other topics (my future, my "plan", "blood being thicker than water", etc.), he mentioned that the Gou family was becoming extinct. It was his ever-so-subtle comment on my decision not to have children. Oh well, he can get his legacy fix from Johnny. Anyway, Chinese tradition doesn't technically consider me a Gou anymore, now that I've married an Eshleman.

Sunday: another cold and dreary day. I stayed inside mostly and prepped for my first SABIC class this Wednesday. In the afternoon, I took a break and went to the market. Picked up another bag of edamame and spinach. Also figured I'd try the Japanese eggplant. Throw in some variety to spice up my soybean/spinach/smoothie diet. Next, I headed to my noodle shop. I gotta take pictures one day of the guy making noodles in his little stall. It's really neat to watch. Boy, on a day like today, with raindrops like icicles, a bowl of hot, curry soup and fresh noodles did wonders.

You'd think pasta and soup would satify my hunger for at least a few hours. Not so. Excited by my fresh produce, I cooked up the edamame, spinach, AND eggplant. All cooked veggies in my house are prepped the same: add garlic, oil, and stir it around in the wok. Turned out pretty good though. I guess I'll have to return to the market again tomorrow.

I caught some updates for the NCAA tournament. I was surprised the Terps lost to Syracuse. Too bad. But I was happy to see my man JJ Redick is back on track. Awwww yeah! Duke is back with a vengeance. Unfortunately, Yahoo audio doesn't offer free audio for the Blue Devils... I may be forced to swing by a bar. :(

So the Taiwan elections are over. Kind of. Sketchy little "assassination" attempt a few days ago. Now there are calls for a recount. Welcome to a revival of the Bush-Gore election. What a mess.

I'm getting back into my radio listening over here. For you fellow libs, tune in to Democracy Now with Amy Goodman. Good stuff. Telling it like it is!

Oh, I finally took some pix of our new place. Yeah, not so new anymore, considering we've been here almost a month. Oh well, check out our digs on ImageStation. Yeah, our complex is called "Harvard Impression." Don't laugh.

Passing the Two-Week Mark

I marked John's two-week absence by going to dinner with my friend Em. I checked out her new digs along Taikang Lu and Sinan Lu (nice place!), and then we headed to the French restaurant La Seine for a fixed price meal. The food was phenomenal! So excellent, I'm taking John there as soon as he returns. For 98 yuan, we had hot French bread, creamy broccoli soup, salad with smoked salmon, sea bass, creme brulee, and hot tea. What a winner!

Afterwards, Em and I headed back to her place. Her roommate Paula had some ladies over, prepping for a night on the town. I observed a nearly two-hour long process, involving lots of green tea & whiskey (yewww!), plenty of cigs, fresh makeup, and skimpy outfits. Paula even squeezed into a pair of leather pants! God, looking hot takes too much damn effort and requires way too much physical suffering. I mean, those pants were tight enough to cut all circulation in her lower body. Top that with those now fashionable, feet-binding, pointy spike heels and it's a like a modern day torture chamber. I know I'm no style maven, and admittedly, my hubby has described my fashion sense as that of a "frumpy librarian." Still, can't women's fashion be just a tad more practical and comfortable? Must foot surgery be an inevitable part of every woman's future? In the end, I was happy to be heading home.

Cold, Rainy, Windy, and Wet

Well there was a reason I stayed indoors today. Already, I was suffering this week from a mild bout with insomnia. Then last night, as temperatures dipped from the glorious 70's to the chlling 40's and 50's, the winds roared so loudly, I was awoken by the noise of objects rattling outside. The rain pounded against the bay windows. Remy, of course, ran to the farthest corner. It was a forceful storm, but I felt too groggy to watch the turbulence. The two days before had been beautiful. I even shed my winter coat (you know that means it has to be very warm!). I spent the afternoons out on the porch with my laptop and the pups. Unfortunately, I think I got windblown, because last night I was freezing under the blankets and this morning, my nose was all stuffy. I took the pups out three times today... maybe the sound of rain makes them want to pee. They sloshed around in the mud and puddles. As for me, the rest of the day was quite miserable. My friend Em called to see if I wanted to go out to a bar for St. Patty's day. Normally, my answer would be no. But being alone, I feel particularly inclined to make outside contact. Still, my answer was no. My best friend today was a box of tissues. Oh well, at least I got some course planning done.

Project Management to the Max

I like running my own little show. By that, I'm not just talking about freelancing as an instructor. I'm also referring to all the other logistics in life-- it's like one big project that you have to manage. John hates handling details, and I'm not saying I love having OCD all the time, but on some occasions, I really feel a sense of accomplishment when items get crossed off the list.

So John's in the US on business. I admit, I emailed him a to do list. Come on, how often is one of us in the US? You gotta maximize, right? Certainly, I didn't want to bog him down with stupid errands here and there, so I just gave him the biggies-- like check on the townhouse, deposit checks. The rest I did behind the scenes. I ordered stuff on Ebay, purchased books from Amazon (things I can't get here), and sent him back with my broken CD/DVD drive. So basically, he just had to receive the stuff being shipped to his office. This whole operation is going pretty well. It also helps that he went back with an extra bag crammed inside his suitcase. He's gonna need it. But hey, it's not just for my stuff. Supposedly, our household will see a new set of speakers after this trip. He's also picking up some goodies for our friends: cosmetics, Levi's, Golden Grahams, Comet cleaner (I know, can you imagine the fanatic who wants that? And it isn't me!). The culture here is all about gifts.

Let's see, what else is getting checked off? Our taxes, our next batch of forwarded mail, software.... On this end, I've set up Chinese lessons for John. He starts soon after his return. He said he could understand bits and pieces of a conversation he overheard between two Chinese women on the plane. That made him excited to start learning again.

I'm counting the days till he gets back. This project management stuff's been fun and its nice not having to share the bed and blanket, but I miss my Bubs. Time for him to come home.

State of your Unions

I now spend hours every day reading articles on Salon. Honest, engaging, and provocative. This article just made me cry.

Fear and second chances

I'm giving my marriage a second try, and I'm scared beyond fear.

Actually, the number of times I've attempted to salvage my marriage has grown so numerous, I've literally lost count. That's been the pattern since my wife and I married little more than seven years ago. Survive and move on. Survive and move on.

Nothing about our marriage has been "normal," right up to her cheating on me last week. The details are ugly and unnecessary: Day-care provider's husband. Basement. Party. Day-care provider finds them together. Calls me screaming, yelling, crying, heartbroken, devastated, defeated. Things I've felt many times before.

Was I surprised at what happened? Not really. Our marriage has been spiraling downward for so long, I expected something devastating just around the corner, waiting to explode. Did the expectation make the pain any less? Hell, no. I never knew I could hurt like this. I didn't know it was possible to feel pain so intensely. And I never knew pain could last so long.

Throw kids into the picture and the scene becomes too ugly to look at. Throw family into the picture and your sides are drawn. Throw love into the picture and the most difficult decisions you could ever imagine become omnipresent. Give over your trust again or run and protect yourself? I pity any man or woman who ever has to make that decision.

So why try again? My wife is an alcoholic. It rules her life. It changes her personality. It distorts her decision-making abilities.

Why try again? My wife was mentally and physically abused and abandoned as a child. It has ruled her life. It has changed her personality. It has distorted her decision-making abilities.

Why try again? My wife has reached the bottom. There is nowhere lower to go. There is no comfort now in the booze. She stands to lose everything and she knows it. Children. Job. Me.

Why try again? I've seen her sweet side. I've seen nurture. I've seen her potential. I've seen her free of her past, even if just for very short periods of time. And I love those moments. There's a bond between us that I can't explain. It's beyond us. It's a gift from somewhere. I can't take that lightly.

She's left me completely empty. Tapped out and dry. Devoid of self-confidence or self-respect. She's left me unbearably lonely and without solace. And yet, that "something" pushes me on, fueling me to take the next step.

I'm giving my marriage another try, and I'm so scared it physically hurts, because I don't know if all the AA and counseling and therapy and hope and faith and trust and compassion in the world can undo what's been done. And I don't know if all the promises and sincerity and prayers in the universe can erase the horrific images inside my head. But I know that if I can survive, the many years to come can be opportunities for us to show our children that love is the strongest entity you can ever hope to grab hold of and let take you for a ride. I've felt it. I know it exists. I can't imagine anyone but her can give it to me. I hope I'm right.

Oops, Wrong Person!

I met up with an old college acquaintance tonight--Bill Yen, back from the freshman days of Duke. Bill's a creative genius. Had sculpture exhibitions in college and just earned his Masters in Architecture from Har-vard. He's in Shanghai doing some post-grad research and also working for an architectural firm. He's already designed some townhouses in Beijing and Guangzhou that are currently under construction. The next I.M. Pei, I tell you.

So we scheduled to meet at the Starbucks on Nanjing Xi Road. When I approached, there was a man standing outside with Bill's silhouette--casual and chill. I waved and said "Hello," but once I got closer, I realized it wasn't him. I guess the guy was having a blind date though, because he thought I was his date and said, "Let's go." Embarrassed, I explained that he had the wrong person. I apologized, saying I mistook him for my friend and then I sat down, laughing to myself. Such incidents (uncomfortable and embarrassing) only seem to happen to me. My good friends know exactly what I mean.

A few minutes later, Bill showed up. We took a cab to Wagas, a brunch/sandwich/pasta joint. Pretty good food, actually. I had a sweet potato/feta lasagna. I haven't had lasagna in soooo long. We shot the breeze, reminiscing about the good ol' days. Hanging out late with friends. Livin' it up in the dorms. Thriving off that new-found independence, yet dealing with all that heartbreaking drama. Ah the teen angst. All so long ago.

I received an email the other day announcing my 10-year high school reunion this November. Ugh. So after depressing ourselves with talk of middle-age, we headed over to McD's for soft-serve cones. Bill also appreciates the goodness of these 25-cent goodies. He said KFC sells soft serve but it's different. How? Well I had to taste for myself. Our next stop was KFC. The cone was definitely different. Not as creamy and there was a weird cotton-candy-ish flavor. But I'm not that picky when it comes to ice cream. I scarfed that one down as well. These last few days, I've certainly been making the McD rounds. Fried apple pies, large fries, ice cream... it's a good thing I'm biking a lot.

Domestic Goddess in da House!

Well I was supposed to spend most of today working, but long story short, I went to bed around 3:30 am last night and ended up running around town all afternoon getting ingredients for a dinner I was hosting tonight. Wang Jian and his wife Ya-Ya were coming over to check out our new digs. They are Shanghainese and though there was no pressure for me to make dinner, I guess I felt a little ridiculous always suggesting that we dine out when we get together. So, I decided to make dinner. Once again, my handy dandy bike proved its worth. First, I rode to the open air market down the street. Picked up some fresh veggies and fruit (mangoes and bananas). Then headed to the local LianHua supermarket (where the produce was disgraceful) and got yogurt, milk, TP, misc. stuff. I headed home to do a quick trial run and eat lunch. Made a banana yogurt smoothie (I can really drink a ton of that stuff!), washed all my veggies, and sauted some spinach (so good). I was still missing some goods though, so a trip to Carrefour was in order. Biked over, picked up thousand island salad dressing (that's the only dressing they eat here), ice trays (I've had enough with that crappy IKEA flexi-tray!), and green raisins (couldn't find plain purple ones). On the way back, dropped into the Mediterranean Bakery and bought a pizza crust (more like a large pita bread). All set.

Most of you probably already know this, but my god, food prep is laborious! I mean, especially without the aid of a food processor, there're all these little steps: soaking, washing, rinsing, peeling, slicing, chopping, dicing, mixing, drying. Fifteen minutes till 7, armed with my 3-qt pot and a tupperware, I headed down the street to our favorite noodle shop. Soup and noodles to balance out the meal (or rather to serve as back up in case if my stuff backfired).

Back in the kitchen, the factory was in full production. Cookies in the oven, pizza waiting in queue, tossing the salad, filing the celery with peanut butter... Remy and Martin were probably wondering what all the commotion was about: never seen mommy in the kitchen for so long. Whatever, they were lovin' it, the little scavengers.

WJ and Ya-Ya actually arrived 45 minutes late. They got lost and couldn't get ahold of me because my cell reception here sucks. But the good news was they arrived hungry and every dish was a winner. Ya-Ya even said she was going to buy an oven tomorrow to recreate my pizza and cookies. And she also LOVED ants on a log. I was so pleased with myself, I had to document everything. You can see images of the feast I prepared on Imagestation. Yeah, let the mouth-watering begin!

The Rape of Nanking

I went to the Foreign Languages Bookstore again today... it's becoming a regular pitstop before my Tuesday/Thursday tutoring job. I was originally browsing the foreign books section for some light reading, maybe even an Oprah book. :) But then I came across The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang. I had heard of the book before, but after seeing the pictures inside, I was projected to an entirely different level. The images were so utterly horrifying. Photographs of decapitations, severed heads lined atop a log, a woman's naked dead body with her genitalia mutilated... atrocities so shocking, I just can't even fathom how human beings become trained to commit these crimes. As I thumbed through the book (and others about the Japanese invasion of Nanking), I grew so sick to my stomach. I felt saddened and angry and disgusted and ashamed. I started feeling light-headed and lost my balance a little. I heard the impassioned voice of my grandmother, describing the destruction she witnessed when Japanese soldiers blazed through Shanghai.

It's amazing how as a child, you read all these history texts about war. You hear bits and pieces from your relatives. Yet none of it sinks in. Somehow history is this sterile subject and these accounts are simply too dramatic to be believed. Today I was reminded of just how much this world has seen... my family alone has lived through so much. My grandmother has a perspective far deeper than I have ever given her credit for: the Japanese invasion, World War II, the Cultural Revolution (fortunately, she escaped to Taiwan)... these aren't just fictionalized events that turn into big Hollywood films. These are actual experiences. And the violence still continues today. Every time I read the news, it's all death, destruction, intolerance, violence. The violence is real and yet so many of us carry on in our daily lives, existing in some oblivious bubble. Why? Because caring takes too much effort. And the ills of this world are so great, it's simply too overwhelming. It's far easier to just accept that we have problems and then dismiss them. Life goes on. So what's the alternative solution? I don't know, but I have to believe that somewhere someone has the answer. And it will come, because however small the minority, there are people who care enough to try. There are people who feel conflicted by the juxtaposition of wealth and poverty, of freedom and intolerance, of stability and chaos, of peace and war. One reviewer of The Rape of Nanking advised, "Read it not as an end in itself but as a start of an investigation into the horrors of war and our constant need to justify it." May I find the courage to read Ms. Chang's book soon.

I'm the ayi!

Hmph! Some anonymous reader posted a comment on my blog the other day... the first comment ever! I ought to be quite pleased (SOMEone is reading this blog!), but this person suggested something so ludicrous. S/he said that John is my ayi and that I should just "fess up!" Can you believe the audacity? :) I mean sure, he does the grocery buying and cooking, but I do the cleaning and household errands (getting things fixed, negotiating deals, setting up utilities). You know, it's not like I'm sitting on my ass over here! Ah well, take it with a grain of salt. We make a pretty darn good match any way you cut it. I love my Bubbey.

So day 2 of Home Alone just wrapped. I spent the morning vacuuming (the dogs are starting to shed again) and doing laundry. Exciting. Fortunately, the day was sunny with a warm breeze so our clothes won't get quite so crunchy. In the afternoon, I got up to speed with US political news. I got so worked up about Bush, i.e. tyrannical asswipe, that I decided I had to get my absentee ballot today. I biked all through town to the US consulate, only to have the guards outside tell me voter info. is only available at the other office-- on Nanjing Xi Rd. And that office closes at 3:30. It was 3:15. What kind of slacker Americans work those banker hours (with a 90 minute lunch break)?

The bike ride wasn't a total waste. After all, it was 70+ degrees outside. On the way home, I stopped by the Shanghai Library-- purportedly the biggest in Asia. I got myself a library card (only 25 yuan for one year) and checked out the west wing. The place was packed with my fellow studious Chinese. I went through the English books section and was pleased to find Tchobangolous' Handbook on Municipal Solid Waste in the environmental section, as well as a huge selection of Lonely Planet travel guides. The newspaper area was pretty comprehensive too, with NY Times, Wash Post, Guardian, Christian Science Monitor, etc. The only drawback was that the most recent papers were dated Feb. 7. Only one month old, right? I'm better off scouring the newswires online.

According to the information map at the library's entrance, there is also an internet room, A/V room, and music room. I'll save that stuff for when John gets back in town.

Single Mom

Yup. That's what I am right now. With Bubs out of town or rather, out of the damn country, I'm left with the two awry pups. You think it's not that bad. Well try depriving Remy and Martin of dog parks, birds, squirrels, and practically all other creatures you once thought INedible, for three months and you see what happens when they discover rodents living in the bushes of their new playground. Yeah, getting home after dark and walking them in my heels (ahh, the demands of the business world) was only part of the problem. The other was locating their shit with a flashlight and scooping it into size way-too-small sandwich bags, all while trying to hold on. Silly fools. Martin saw a critter scatter across the parking lot and all hell almost broke loose. In a situation like that, there's a lotta room for error. I gotta watch where I step in the darkness plus it's been a real close call keeping my fingers clean, if you know what I mean. With these rascals, you gotta be a real hard-ass. A real disciplinarian, I tell you. And it's not easy, especially for a softie like me. :)

In other news, I had a meeting wtih a potential corporate client this afternoon. I got the job! I'll be training their staff of seven on business English writing. And the gig pays too! This marks the first deal for Move the Brain English Language Services. Woo hoo! Must be the business cards (designed by the ever-so-talented Bubs)! So after landing the SABIC (they're a petrochemical company, headquartered in Saudi Arabia) job, I treated myself to a banana smoothie and veggie sandwich at Zoe's Cafe (or as John calls it, "Zo's, because it should rhyme with Joe's.").

In the evening, I was off to my Tuesday/Thursday tutoring job (thanks Emily!). I tutor this young lady who works for Carrier Corp (the A/C company). She's a total workaholic: she puts in like 12 hours a day, plus training and other studious activities on the weekends. Anyway, she's all about China's growing economy-- even at the expense of the environment, worker's rights, human rights, etc. Yeah, so needless to say, she's a little on the conservative side. But that's one of the greatest challenges with teaching: you have to figure out how to mold the minds of your pupils. Ha, ha, ha, ha. Okay, so I'm not that cunning. Teaching is great. I'm glad to be back into it.

Oh, I forgot to mention my other small victories. Yesterday, I picked up some pants I dropped off at a nearby tailor's. I'm definitely very clueless about fabrics and clothing (in terms of how they are made), but the stuff I got back fit beautifully. Yes, leave it to me to purchase very inexpensive pants that don't exactly (or even closely) fit. Yeah well I get the last laugh because thanks to my magical tailor, now my cheap pants look more expensive. :)

For some reason, my bike is always getting knocked over. John says someone has a grudge against me. His bike (parked right next to mine) is NEVER knocked over. After John left on Monday, I went to ride to re-orient myself (now that my navigator has left). My front brakes wouldn't release. Riding my bike became ten times as difficult with the friction from the brake! I went to a roadside bike repairperson who suggested that I got into an accident and got the brakes all out of whack. There's been no accident, I told him. I've simply been the victim of bike abuse. It took the guy about 25 minutes to finally fix the problem. And it's only a temporary fix. The brake is damaged. It's only a matter of time before a replacement will be needed. Goddamn cheap bike. He pumped my tires up (they need air every few days!) and off I went. Happy as a clam, speeding through the crowds and ringing that wussy bell. I even discovered a shortcut to the light rail station. John will be proud.

The Doughnut Necklace

There's a Chinese story about a couple where the husband did all the cooking. One day, he was scheduled to leave town for a few weeks on business. Worried that his wife would not make food for herself, he baked a large doughnut to place around her neck. He made sure it was large enough to last his entire time away. When he returned, he discovered his wife dead. The doughnut had been eaten, but only on one side. She never thought to twist the doughnut around to get the other half.

John's heading back to the US to work for a few weeks. He keeps bringing up the Doughnut story (as if I can't fend for myself!). Yes, I'm a terrible cook, but that's no reason to fear that I'll starve being home alone! Just in case, John ordered a ton of groceries--mac & cheese, pasta, spagetti sauce, bread, PB, etc. So now I have my own doughnut. I'll remember to twist it around after I devour the front.

Ayi Dinner Night

My friend Emily invited John and me to her friend Rebecca's house for dinner Friday night. Apparently, Rebecca has a really kick-ass ayi (cook/maid) who makes outrageously delicious meals. I had to see what all the fuss was about. Unfortunately, John baled out last minute to work. Boy did he miss a meal to remember! Mashed potatoes (clearly not a Chinese dish), lo mein, lotus patties, white bean soup, green veggies (some kind of sprout), tofu with tomatoes... every dish phenomenal. And the rate for such a luxury? 10 yuan per hour. That's about $1.20 USD per HOUR. My friends here say there's no reason to ever do housework again. As tempting as that sounds, I'm still a little reluctant to give in. Not sure what my hangup is... I guess I just feel like you should clean up your own mess. Plus, I kind of have this obsession with vacuuming. There's just something very fulfilling about hearing the dirt rattle through the vacuum hose and seeing the before and after. Yes, I'm a little crazy. I'm sure all of you heard the story (from John) about how I opted for a new vacuum instead of a new tv when I moved to Florida for grad school.

I saw an ad the other day for an ayi cooking class. I suggested that John go and check it out. :) Obviously, I don't consider him my ayi. It's just that he said he wanted to learn Chinese cooking so this seemed like a new opportunity. They said the class was taught in both Chinese and English. I think instead, John and I will consider finding an ayi to show us how to cook Chinese food. There are plenty of lessons to learn with picking out fresh ingredients and throwing them together to make something wonderful. We'll see. My friends say good ayis are tough to come by.

Crystal Butterfly Morphs into Fax

John turned the big 2-8 today. An old man, though I must admit, we became an old married couple years before he became an old man. :)

We had a busy day. With the recent purchase of a new blender/juicer, John was on a mission to purchase fruits/veggies "from their source." It wasn't enough that we lived right down the street from an open-air produce market. He claimed those vendors were middle-people, who unnecessarily came between him and his produce. So what, he wanted to buy direct from the farmers, some of whom lived in the Phillipines or the US or whereever the goods were grown? I dunno--it was all rather unclear. He just knew he wanted to slice through the layers, so fine. We walked about 20 minutes south to a big warehouse, filled with vendors and their endless cases of fruit: oranges, apples, mangoes, pears, pummelos, strawberries, dates, tangerines, cherry tomatoes... It was weird. I felt like we should have been entrepreneurs running a restaurant or juice joint. Many of the vendors said the goods sold only by the case. Of course when it came down to the sale, they were more than willing to calculate by weight. We went home with a case of Sunkist navel oranges, mangoes, and Phillipino pears. Cheaper than the open market and so sweet and delicious! John and I are psyched about this latest find--the fruit and veggies are comparable to even those of California! Come visit and we'll take you on the fruit safari.

For his birthday, John got to satisfy his hamburger craving-- twice. Once at brunch and then again at dinner, where we shamefully went to TGI Friday's. I know, we hated that place in the US, but someone (she'll remain nameless) told us they had the best burgers. Well, big disappointment. The entire meal was expensive and just disgusting. I don't know what we were thinking. Afterwards, we walked to the ritzy Xintiandi where this band called Crystal Butterfly was going to play covers of U2, the Cure, and Radiohead at the ARK (one of the restaurants). One horrendous Bloody Mary (I never learn) and Long Island Iced Tea later, the band got started... with some boy-band tune. Ok, so an odd beginning for an alternative rock band, but surely the good stuff would come later. Wrong. Next, we were subjected to a Japanese boyband song and then "Celebration." Clearly, this was NOT Crystal Butterfly. According to my waiter, this band was Fax. My sources were all wrong. Crystal Butterfly hasn't played there every Tuesday night (as my mag suggested) for a long time. ARGH!! We left. Hoping to find consolation in ice cream, we dropped in a sweets shop. Bombed again. Mediocre ice cream and a flavorless, gross ice cream/coffee drink. We decided to plug the money pit immediately. Caught a cab and headed home. Next time, I'll call to confirm that Crystal Butterfly is playing. Of course, I'll drop the expectations. After all, what kind of band would be dumb enough to perform covers of songs from such greats as U2 and the Cure?

Return of the Cold

We thought we were outta the woods. We thought wrong. Big time. These last several days, we've seen nothing but wind, rain, and cold. So even though the dogs want to stay outside forever in their new playground, John and I cut their freedom short. It's that damn cold. And I lost my hat again. The second one I've lost. I think I need one with strings to tie to my body. Otherwise, they just disappear. The last thing I remember is taking it off and holding it in my hand. I tried to search for another at the store, but they've already shifted their merchandise to spring stuff (baseball caps and such).

My uncle took us out to lunch yesterday at the swanky Dynasty restaurant. Of course anytime we eat out Chinese with people who know what to order, the meal turns out to be a real winner. We had several hot veggie appetizers followed by fish, shrimp, crab, noodles and a buffet of fresh fruit and coffee (but you had to elbow your way to the table). Excellent meal. I kept the receipt itemizing each dish for future visits. We're in on the secret now...

In the evening, John and I went to Carrefour to buy the place out--again. This new apartment didn't offer the luxury of an equipped kitchen (as the previous apartment did), so we were forced to purchase a rice cooker, pots/pans, bowls, etc. But no worries. No elaborate sets (like we had in the US). Just exactly two bowls, two plates... you get the picture. Well okay, we did get that blender/juicer combo (for only $30 USD)... we just couldn't pass up on the idea of drinking fruit smoothies every day, especially with the fruit/veggie open-air market down the street. It's John's birthday tomorrow... just give in, ok?