It's been almost two weeks since I've had the place to my own.
So what have I done with that time?
-Parties? Orgies? Nope. Nothing of the sort unfortunately.
I've been cleaning, fixing, and moving.
-Rearranged the living room a little
--This required that I fix the extension cord that is behind the couch.
-Moved most of my stuff into bigger bedroom.
--Of course, I had to clean out a bunch of crap that was left behind by the girls.
--And, I had to fix the wardrobe, and the bureau. Whoever put the stuff together orginally did a very bad job.
--Sweep and mop the new room, of course.
-Clean the old room.
--Gotta clean it. Its the rules. Move in, its clean. Move out, you clean it. Of course, China doesn't seem to know these rules.
-Bathroom
--I have spent the last week on my hands and knees with a copper-bristle brush scrubbing the bathroom. Still not satisfied.
-Kitchen
--Started this yesterday.
--Hands and knees scrubbing the corners where mops don't reach.
--Today, I was scrubbing underneath the stove (fancy hot-plate), when I finally said screw it, and took out the putty knife. You don't want to know how many inches of "gunk" I've scraped away. It's friggin gross. I have tons more work to do in there. But, I needed a rest. That's why I'm typing this now.
-In general
--I've thrown away a bunch of crap.
--The girls were in this place a day or two before I was. So, I was never exactly sure what was theirs, and what was crap. Now I know.
--So, now, the crap is gone.
---
Business Proposal...
If anyone that works for the makers of "Comet" scrubbing powder, or "Clorox" bleach, happens to read this, please contact me.
China doesn't have Comet or bleach, and China desparately needs these products.
I'm serious. I cannot find bleach or Comet in Beijing.
And, these aren't exactly the kinds of things you can ship to the PRC, or bring back on an airplane.
When I return to the US in November, there are a few things I intend to bring back with me when I return to Chia.
--Comet (or the generic version of)
--Paperback books (English language, of course)
--Deoderant/Anti-perspirant (They don't have it here. Luckily I knew this in advance, so I brought a year supply with me.)
--New underwear. Of course, they have underwear here, but... It's just not quite right.
--50 T-Shirts from the tourist traps of "wherever". The 5 for $10 kind. I think the kids / teachers will get a kick out of Alcatraz/ChinaTown/Etc t-shirts.
-------
Anyway... That is how I have spent the last two weeks. (And the last 3 days has been with a cold on top of everything.)
-------
So... There we go.... Magores, the (achoo) Happy (achoo) Homemaker (sniffle).
2006-05-30
2006-05-29
Magores goes random...
Random Comment #1 - I have a cold. It sucks.
Random Comment #2 - I have 12 mosquito bites. They suck.
Random Comment #3 - I saw the freakiest thing ever on TV last nite.
--China TV has alot of variety shows. More-or-less average people getting on stage and doing their thing.
--Last nite, some guy put a hook on each of his lower eyelids, then hooked the hooks to bowls of water, and then lifted the bowls of water while standing on one knee. As if that wasn't enough, he then stood up and twirled in circles with these bowls hooked to his eyelids. I stopped watching. It was too gross.
Random Comment #4 - On today's evening news they showed some cops putting the serious beat-down on some street vendors.
--From what I could tell, the vendors were resisting arrest, so I guess they deserved it. But, DAMN! It was a beat down.
Random Comment #5 - I'm finally sick and tired of not knowing Chinese. So I'm doing something about it.
--Seriously, I think I would have learned more if I had stayed in the US.
--I saw some article, where a US college student in China mentioned that she has learned 300 characters. She has be in the country the same amount of time as me. (6 months.) I don't know 300 characters. Granted, she is STUDYING Chinese, so it is to be expected that she would know more than I do. But, still...
--I don't know exactly how many I know. I guessing it's somewhere between 100-200. It kinda depends too, on what you mean by "know". I understand (in context) more than I can say. I can say more than I can read, I can read more than I can write. And, of the ones that I can say, I probably mess up on the "tone" 99% of the time.
--Chinese puts concepts (words) together in ways that don't always make sense to me.
--But, I'm determined to do this. Looking in my Oxford Chinese Dictionary, I see that words beginning with "e" are the least common in Chinese. So, I have made it my mission to learn all of the "e" words, and resulting concepts. So far, this includes, reading/writing/saying: Forehead, Goose, Goose egg, cobblestones (goose+ovum /NOT egg/+stone), "The lady in the moon", quota, over quota, maximum capacity, and a few others.
Random Comment #6 - I can also ask for "wood putty" in Chinese. Even if the Chinese don't understand it themselves. It's "mu tou nizi"
Please skip over these next three comments if you have sensitive ears/eyes.
Random Comment #7 - I taught two of the teachers the idea of "BFE".
--As in "the middle of nowhere", aka "Bum F*ck Egypt".
--It was in the context of a class that I teach to/for them, so it's not completely random.
--At first I wrote f_ck, and assumed they could guess from there. They couldn't. So, I filled in the blank.
--I didn't even try to explain the word. It has FAR too many uses.
Random comment #8 - China radio is weird. It seems like there is no oversight.
--I hear curse words in songs all the time.
--They play movie clips, with no bleeps.
--F_ck, Sh_t, G*ddamn, etc
Random Comment #9 - China TV on the other had seems very puritanical, but not.
--They show lots of fashion programs on TV here. So, when I see one, I stop and look. (They ARE models, after all.)
--I've seen more boobies (slippage) on Chinese TV in 6 months, than I did in the last 5 years in the US. Other the hand...
--Chinese TV doesn't show butts. EVER. Whereas a US cameraman would "linger", the Chinese cameraman cuts away. Always.
--This is expecially odd when you consider that Beijing women wear the tightest pants and shorts imaginable.
--Cause and effect?
Anyway... There you go. Random comments on a Monday night.
Random Comment #2 - I have 12 mosquito bites. They suck.
Random Comment #3 - I saw the freakiest thing ever on TV last nite.
--China TV has alot of variety shows. More-or-less average people getting on stage and doing their thing.
--Last nite, some guy put a hook on each of his lower eyelids, then hooked the hooks to bowls of water, and then lifted the bowls of water while standing on one knee. As if that wasn't enough, he then stood up and twirled in circles with these bowls hooked to his eyelids. I stopped watching. It was too gross.
Random Comment #4 - On today's evening news they showed some cops putting the serious beat-down on some street vendors.
--From what I could tell, the vendors were resisting arrest, so I guess they deserved it. But, DAMN! It was a beat down.
Random Comment #5 - I'm finally sick and tired of not knowing Chinese. So I'm doing something about it.
--Seriously, I think I would have learned more if I had stayed in the US.
--I saw some article, where a US college student in China mentioned that she has learned 300 characters. She has be in the country the same amount of time as me. (6 months.) I don't know 300 characters. Granted, she is STUDYING Chinese, so it is to be expected that she would know more than I do. But, still...
--I don't know exactly how many I know. I guessing it's somewhere between 100-200. It kinda depends too, on what you mean by "know". I understand (in context) more than I can say. I can say more than I can read, I can read more than I can write. And, of the ones that I can say, I probably mess up on the "tone" 99% of the time.
--Chinese puts concepts (words) together in ways that don't always make sense to me.
--But, I'm determined to do this. Looking in my Oxford Chinese Dictionary, I see that words beginning with "e" are the least common in Chinese. So, I have made it my mission to learn all of the "e" words, and resulting concepts. So far, this includes, reading/writing/saying: Forehead, Goose, Goose egg, cobblestones (goose+ovum /NOT egg/+stone), "The lady in the moon", quota, over quota, maximum capacity, and a few others.
Random Comment #6 - I can also ask for "wood putty" in Chinese. Even if the Chinese don't understand it themselves. It's "mu tou nizi"
Please skip over these next three comments if you have sensitive ears/eyes.
Random Comment #7 - I taught two of the teachers the idea of "BFE".
--As in "the middle of nowhere", aka "Bum F*ck Egypt".
--It was in the context of a class that I teach to/for them, so it's not completely random.
--At first I wrote f_ck, and assumed they could guess from there. They couldn't. So, I filled in the blank.
--I didn't even try to explain the word. It has FAR too many uses.
Random comment #8 - China radio is weird. It seems like there is no oversight.
--I hear curse words in songs all the time.
--They play movie clips, with no bleeps.
--F_ck, Sh_t, G*ddamn, etc
Random Comment #9 - China TV on the other had seems very puritanical, but not.
--They show lots of fashion programs on TV here. So, when I see one, I stop and look. (They ARE models, after all.)
--I've seen more boobies (slippage) on Chinese TV in 6 months, than I did in the last 5 years in the US. Other the hand...
--Chinese TV doesn't show butts. EVER. Whereas a US cameraman would "linger", the Chinese cameraman cuts away. Always.
--This is expecially odd when you consider that Beijing women wear the tightest pants and shorts imaginable.
--Cause and effect?
Anyway... There you go. Random comments on a Monday night.
Magores is Curious...
If I believe people, I know there are at least one or two people that read this blog.
I'm curious, though... How come no one ever comments?
You ARE allowed, you know.
I'm curious, though... How come no one ever comments?
You ARE allowed, you know.
2006-05-24
Magores has NO roommates
Big news, I guess.
Roommates moved out.
Essentially here's the deal:
--Bosses decided they like me. And, want me to stick around. So, they want me to be happy.
--They think/thought that because I never watch TV, that means I'm not happy. I tried explaining that I never watched TV in the US either. Didn't believe me. (Of course, I might have watched more TV here if it wasn't always being used by the 3 girls to watch soap operas that I don't understand.
--The lease on the apartment goes until November. I'm here until November. (And then extend that if we all agree.) Business is expanding. We've hired new teachers. The way it works in China, at least where I work, is that the company pays for your place to live. So... New teachers means new place they had to rent for a year. Can't move me to the new place, since it's still not guaranteed that I will be here past November. Best thing was to move my 3 girl roommates in with the new teacher. Come November, if I decide to stick around, they will "find a nicer place" for me.
(Aha!! Are we negotiating now? One bedroom, lvng room, kitchen, bath, TV, HOT water, all electrical outlets must work. No roommates. Preferably N of where I am now. NW would be great. Certain places E are okay. Not S though. I MUST have the day of the Superbowl off from work. And, I must have regular Chinese lessons. At least one day a week for 2 hours. (Reading, writing, speaking, homework, tests, field trips - the whole deal. And, I want "right of refusal" on any place they might be considering.)
The upshot is: For the moment, I have a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, apartment all to myself.
If you ever planned on visiting Beijing before the Olympics, now is a good time to start planning. From what I hear, Aumtumn is the best time of year. Not too hot, not too windy. (Right now is very hot. 80+ degrees with hellacious winds at times.)
Visit before November. You've got a free place to stay, and a guide (Me).
Roommates moved out.
Essentially here's the deal:
--Bosses decided they like me. And, want me to stick around. So, they want me to be happy.
--They think/thought that because I never watch TV, that means I'm not happy. I tried explaining that I never watched TV in the US either. Didn't believe me. (Of course, I might have watched more TV here if it wasn't always being used by the 3 girls to watch soap operas that I don't understand.
--The lease on the apartment goes until November. I'm here until November. (And then extend that if we all agree.) Business is expanding. We've hired new teachers. The way it works in China, at least where I work, is that the company pays for your place to live. So... New teachers means new place they had to rent for a year. Can't move me to the new place, since it's still not guaranteed that I will be here past November. Best thing was to move my 3 girl roommates in with the new teacher. Come November, if I decide to stick around, they will "find a nicer place" for me.
(Aha!! Are we negotiating now? One bedroom, lvng room, kitchen, bath, TV, HOT water, all electrical outlets must work. No roommates. Preferably N of where I am now. NW would be great. Certain places E are okay. Not S though. I MUST have the day of the Superbowl off from work. And, I must have regular Chinese lessons. At least one day a week for 2 hours. (Reading, writing, speaking, homework, tests, field trips - the whole deal. And, I want "right of refusal" on any place they might be considering.)
The upshot is: For the moment, I have a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, apartment all to myself.
If you ever planned on visiting Beijing before the Olympics, now is a good time to start planning. From what I hear, Aumtumn is the best time of year. Not too hot, not too windy. (Right now is very hot. 80+ degrees with hellacious winds at times.)
Visit before November. You've got a free place to stay, and a guide (Me).
2006-05-18
R.I.P. Bob
Life can suck sometimes. Right now is one of those times.
I received an email yesterday. A very good friend passed away.
At this moment, all I really know is that no violence appears to be involved. That's good. And, Bob's in a better place. That's good too. Those are about the only good things I can think of right now.
---
For the one or two people that read this that don't know, here is the background...
I've known Bob for 18 years or so. Bob is part of the group of people that I consider my closest friends. Bob was an unofficial roommate during the Saratoga Days.
Obviously, there is a lot more that could be said.
But, if you weren't there you wouldn't understand no matter how much I tried to explain. And, if you were there, no explanation is necessary.
---
Bob was Bob. Once again, if you were there, I think you will know what that means.
There was no ONE center person. There was/is a group of us, and I like to think that we all revolved around each other to one extent or another.
---
Not coincidentally, I put on a bootleg CD (Cal Expo, May 93) to listen to while I typed this.
Some of you might recognize the lyrics of the song that just finished.
I might be the only one, but I find the a couple of the lyrics oddly appropriate at this moment.
"I'm going home. Back where I belong."
---
Bob ... Enjoy the rest of the Show.
I received an email yesterday. A very good friend passed away.
At this moment, all I really know is that no violence appears to be involved. That's good. And, Bob's in a better place. That's good too. Those are about the only good things I can think of right now.
---
For the one or two people that read this that don't know, here is the background...
I've known Bob for 18 years or so. Bob is part of the group of people that I consider my closest friends. Bob was an unofficial roommate during the Saratoga Days.
Obviously, there is a lot more that could be said.
But, if you weren't there you wouldn't understand no matter how much I tried to explain. And, if you were there, no explanation is necessary.
---
Bob was Bob. Once again, if you were there, I think you will know what that means.
There was no ONE center person. There was/is a group of us, and I like to think that we all revolved around each other to one extent or another.
---
Not coincidentally, I put on a bootleg CD (Cal Expo, May 93) to listen to while I typed this.
Some of you might recognize the lyrics of the song that just finished.
I might be the only one, but I find the a couple of the lyrics oddly appropriate at this moment.
"I'm going home. Back where I belong."
---
Bob ... Enjoy the rest of the Show.
2006-05-14
Happy Mother's Day!
Just a quick message to my Mom...
Happy Mother's Day!
---
Mom,
In case you're curious...
Happy Mother's Day! in Chinese is "muqin jie kuai le"
(As usual, when I teach Chinese on here, I'm leaving out some important details about "tone". But, I think its okay.
Mu Qin = Mother. It's pronounced sorta like "Moo Chin"
Jie = Celebration. It's pronounced sorta like "gee-yeah?"
Kuai le = Happy. It's pronounced sorta like "kwai! luh!"
So..
MuQin Jie Kuai Le ... Happy Mother's Day!
Love Ya,
M...
Happy Mother's Day!
---
Mom,
In case you're curious...
Happy Mother's Day! in Chinese is "muqin jie kuai le"
(As usual, when I teach Chinese on here, I'm leaving out some important details about "tone". But, I think its okay.
Mu Qin = Mother. It's pronounced sorta like "Moo Chin"
Jie = Celebration. It's pronounced sorta like "gee-yeah?"
Kuai le = Happy. It's pronounced sorta like "kwai! luh!"
So..
MuQin Jie Kuai Le ... Happy Mother's Day!
Love Ya,
M...
2006-05-13
Magores is a Music Whore
As most people who know me will attest, I'm a "music whore".
I like music.
Can't create it. Can barely remember lyrics even after the 150th listening. But, the fact remains... I dig music.
So, here's... Magores' Views on Music in China:
It pretty much sucks.
----
But, it's not that bad.
----
The mass-produced music in China is:
1) Bad karaoke
2) Backstreet Boys - style
3) Bad R&B
4) Techno/Dance
And that's about it.
----
There ARE glimmers of hope though.
My watering hole has a Chinese Guy that sings the standard bar songs. Plus, a few that I don't remember hearing before. "Alice? Alice? Who the Fuck is the Alice?" - This is a crowd pleaser.
A restaraunt that I've been to a couple times does the New Orleans jazz and blues thing. Too expensive though.
My local DVD/CD store has some decent stuff. I've bought:
-A Rammstein DVD
-A Bruce Springsteen DVD
-A Dream Theater DVD (Lots of "Metal" fans seems to like them. Turns out, I'm one that doesn't.)
-A Kronos Quartet DVD
-Pink Floyd The Wall DVD (I think I mentioned this one about 4-5 months ago.)
-Tee Elvis '68 Special DVD
-An Abba (Double) CD, Elvis (Double) CD, Sex Pistols (Double) CD, AC/DC (Double), Scorpions (Double), Metallica (Double), the new Jet CD, a Jackson 5 (Double). The Chieftans (Double), Some Really Weird Thing That Had a Cool Cover (Double).
-And.. A few Chinese language CDs - 3 good, 1 so-so
---
It turns out that the Chinese Guy I mentioned a few posts ago is actually pretty well known.
Cui Jian is the "Father of Chinese Rock". At some festival or another, he plugged in, and rocked the crowd. I have that song on one of the CDs I bought. It's actually a good sounding song, even if I can't understand the lyrics. It SOUNDS good.
For what it's worth, (as far as I can tell,) Chinese Rock is 20 years old this year (2006).
---
One of the other Cds I bought was a compilation of 4 different Chinese Punk bands. It's cool
---
One thing I have missed very much since I've been here is "crunchy guitars and screaming". What can I say? I like "Punk". I like "Metal". I like "Noise". (Believe it or not, "noise" is a style of music. Do a google for "Merzbow" if you don't believe me)
Of course, I also like:
-blues-based rock like G Thorogood, and ZZ Top. (BTW, the Stones played in Shanghai less than a month ago. Not BJ yet though.)
-Jazz. I'm willing to bet that I literally have the largest collection of Miles Davis bootlegs in Mainland China. (Even if I lose the bet, so what? I just found another person with similar tastes.) (I KNOW I have more Mahavishnu Orchestra bootlegs that anyone else here. I'd stake my last RMB on it.)
-Funk. Parliament, The Commodores, EW&F, etc
-Hippie Stuff. THe Dead, Phish, and all that.
---
I haven't found a place to satisfy ALL of my musical tates, but I may have discovered an outlet or two for the "harder" side.
It turns out that Beijing has a decent "underground" scene. (At least, this is what I have read on a particular website. (Well-done, up-to-date. comprhensive))
As of earlier tonight, I now know where to go if I want to find the hard-core punk, metal, etc CDs. I now know the names of the clubs where this kind of stuff is played live. I have addresses and directions.
----
So, to summarize...
Bar tunes / Folk : CHECK
Jazz: CHECK
Bad Karaoke: CHECK, CHECK, CHECK, TOO MANY CHECKS
Techno/Dance: CHECK
Punk, Metal: (Tentative) CHECK
Blues: sorta CHECK (if you include the jazz place)
Funk: ?
Hippie: ?
----
Sorry for the long post, but I dig music, so I tend to ramble on this subject.
Anyway....
My name is Magores, and I'm a Music Whore, and these are my findings on Music in Beijing.
I like music.
Can't create it. Can barely remember lyrics even after the 150th listening. But, the fact remains... I dig music.
So, here's... Magores' Views on Music in China:
It pretty much sucks.
----
But, it's not that bad.
----
The mass-produced music in China is:
1) Bad karaoke
2) Backstreet Boys - style
3) Bad R&B
4) Techno/Dance
And that's about it.
----
There ARE glimmers of hope though.
My watering hole has a Chinese Guy that sings the standard bar songs. Plus, a few that I don't remember hearing before. "Alice? Alice? Who the Fuck is the Alice?" - This is a crowd pleaser.
A restaraunt that I've been to a couple times does the New Orleans jazz and blues thing. Too expensive though.
My local DVD/CD store has some decent stuff. I've bought:
-A Rammstein DVD
-A Bruce Springsteen DVD
-A Dream Theater DVD (Lots of "Metal" fans seems to like them. Turns out, I'm one that doesn't.)
-A Kronos Quartet DVD
-Pink Floyd The Wall DVD (I think I mentioned this one about 4-5 months ago.)
-Tee Elvis '68 Special DVD
-An Abba (Double) CD, Elvis (Double) CD, Sex Pistols (Double) CD, AC/DC (Double), Scorpions (Double), Metallica (Double), the new Jet CD, a Jackson 5 (Double). The Chieftans (Double), Some Really Weird Thing That Had a Cool Cover (Double).
-And.. A few Chinese language CDs - 3 good, 1 so-so
---
It turns out that the Chinese Guy I mentioned a few posts ago is actually pretty well known.
Cui Jian is the "Father of Chinese Rock". At some festival or another, he plugged in, and rocked the crowd. I have that song on one of the CDs I bought. It's actually a good sounding song, even if I can't understand the lyrics. It SOUNDS good.
For what it's worth, (as far as I can tell,) Chinese Rock is 20 years old this year (2006).
---
One of the other Cds I bought was a compilation of 4 different Chinese Punk bands. It's cool
---
One thing I have missed very much since I've been here is "crunchy guitars and screaming". What can I say? I like "Punk". I like "Metal". I like "Noise". (Believe it or not, "noise" is a style of music. Do a google for "Merzbow" if you don't believe me)
Of course, I also like:
-blues-based rock like G Thorogood, and ZZ Top. (BTW, the Stones played in Shanghai less than a month ago. Not BJ yet though.)
-Jazz. I'm willing to bet that I literally have the largest collection of Miles Davis bootlegs in Mainland China. (Even if I lose the bet, so what? I just found another person with similar tastes.) (I KNOW I have more Mahavishnu Orchestra bootlegs that anyone else here. I'd stake my last RMB on it.)
-Funk. Parliament, The Commodores, EW&F, etc
-Hippie Stuff. THe Dead, Phish, and all that.
---
I haven't found a place to satisfy ALL of my musical tates, but I may have discovered an outlet or two for the "harder" side.
It turns out that Beijing has a decent "underground" scene. (At least, this is what I have read on a particular website. (Well-done, up-to-date. comprhensive))
As of earlier tonight, I now know where to go if I want to find the hard-core punk, metal, etc CDs. I now know the names of the clubs where this kind of stuff is played live. I have addresses and directions.
----
So, to summarize...
Bar tunes / Folk : CHECK
Jazz: CHECK
Bad Karaoke: CHECK, CHECK, CHECK, TOO MANY CHECKS
Techno/Dance: CHECK
Punk, Metal: (Tentative) CHECK
Blues: sorta CHECK (if you include the jazz place)
Funk: ?
Hippie: ?
----
Sorry for the long post, but I dig music, so I tend to ramble on this subject.
Anyway....
My name is Magores, and I'm a Music Whore, and these are my findings on Music in Beijing.
2006-05-11
Magores and Sports in China
Just thought I would take a moment to comment on Sports in China...
-----
PingPong
aka... Table Tennis
Seems to be a big deal around here. It seems to be on TV quite a bit. Personally, I don't really understand the fascination.
Basketball
Basketball is HUGE in China. There is always a basketball game on one of the channels. The NBA, Chinese college ball, etc.
Too bad I don't like basketball.
Baseball
Baseball isn't a big thing here. Never see it on any of the regular channels. However, ESPN is available at "my chosen bar". I think the last 3 times I have been there, it just so happens that the Giants were playing. Must have something to do with Mr Barry "Nope, no steroids here" Bonds and the home run thing.
I love it. I think baseball is a great game. It's my spectator sport of choice. (Even more than football.) I like the chance to watch the games. I seem to be the only person that watches. Not many Americans around. LOTS of people that speak English, but they're aren't US. Baseball is primarily an American sport, so... People don't really seem to care.
Cricket
Cricket is an interesting game. I have pretty much no idea what is going on. I like watching it though.
As far as I can tell, you have one guy throwing a ball as hard as he can at the balls of another guy. He has to bounce the ball at least once before it hits the other guy. The other guy is protecting his manhood with a flat board.
I haven't noticed alot of baserunning, so if anything I think its very similar to OTL. (San Diegans should recognize the OTL reference.)
Cool game, I think.
Speaking of "balls"...
Football
I haven't had the chance to experience US football in China.
I know now when and where to go though. Next season I'll be prepared.
The OTHER football I see all the time.
Soccer is everywhere on TV... It's not bad. You can see the plays developing, and sometimes it's kind of exciting.
Oddly enough. I never see Chinese Soccer. Lot of Manchester United though.
Of course, there are other versions of football...
Rugby and Aussie Rules
Cool stuff. No denying it. Cool games.
I found a different pub the other day. Much closer to the tourist area than my normal wateriing hole. Apparently, their whole reason for being is to show Aussie Rules, Rugby, Soccer, and (I assume) American football. If i8t involves a ball and feet, they show it.
Good little pub.
Plus the head waitress girl was hot.
I also met a really cool guy there. Turns out he works for the US government Dept of Agriculture. Nice guy. He's been stationed in China, Thailand, Somalia, Nigeria, and God knows where else. Interesting person to talk to. Hung out with him and his friend, and his friends actor friends from LA. Was a good time.
Of course, not all sports involve a ball...
Boxing and the UFC
Once again, ESPN does me good.
Brutal sports? Yep. Cool? Yep.
---
Oh yeah... Volleyball. They show that on TV alot around here. I admit I don't care unless its the women playing :)
---
So there you go...
My take on "Sports in China".
-----
PingPong
aka... Table Tennis
Seems to be a big deal around here. It seems to be on TV quite a bit. Personally, I don't really understand the fascination.
Basketball
Basketball is HUGE in China. There is always a basketball game on one of the channels. The NBA, Chinese college ball, etc.
Too bad I don't like basketball.
Baseball
Baseball isn't a big thing here. Never see it on any of the regular channels. However, ESPN is available at "my chosen bar". I think the last 3 times I have been there, it just so happens that the Giants were playing. Must have something to do with Mr Barry "Nope, no steroids here" Bonds and the home run thing.
I love it. I think baseball is a great game. It's my spectator sport of choice. (Even more than football.) I like the chance to watch the games. I seem to be the only person that watches. Not many Americans around. LOTS of people that speak English, but they're aren't US. Baseball is primarily an American sport, so... People don't really seem to care.
Cricket
Cricket is an interesting game. I have pretty much no idea what is going on. I like watching it though.
As far as I can tell, you have one guy throwing a ball as hard as he can at the balls of another guy. He has to bounce the ball at least once before it hits the other guy. The other guy is protecting his manhood with a flat board.
I haven't noticed alot of baserunning, so if anything I think its very similar to OTL. (San Diegans should recognize the OTL reference.)
Cool game, I think.
Speaking of "balls"...
Football
I haven't had the chance to experience US football in China.
I know now when and where to go though. Next season I'll be prepared.
The OTHER football I see all the time.
Soccer is everywhere on TV... It's not bad. You can see the plays developing, and sometimes it's kind of exciting.
Oddly enough. I never see Chinese Soccer. Lot of Manchester United though.
Of course, there are other versions of football...
Rugby and Aussie Rules
Cool stuff. No denying it. Cool games.
I found a different pub the other day. Much closer to the tourist area than my normal wateriing hole. Apparently, their whole reason for being is to show Aussie Rules, Rugby, Soccer, and (I assume) American football. If i8t involves a ball and feet, they show it.
Good little pub.
Plus the head waitress girl was hot.
I also met a really cool guy there. Turns out he works for the US government Dept of Agriculture. Nice guy. He's been stationed in China, Thailand, Somalia, Nigeria, and God knows where else. Interesting person to talk to. Hung out with him and his friend, and his friends actor friends from LA. Was a good time.
Of course, not all sports involve a ball...
Boxing and the UFC
Once again, ESPN does me good.
Brutal sports? Yep. Cool? Yep.
---
Oh yeah... Volleyball. They show that on TV alot around here. I admit I don't care unless its the women playing :)
---
So there you go...
My take on "Sports in China".
2006-05-07
Magores has new roommates, and he hates them
Yep. New roommates.
And these are IN ADDITION to the ones I already have.
I'm sorry, but I hate these new ones. They pester me. If I'm in the living room, they pester me. In my room? They pester me.
Frankly, they bug the shit out of me. Bunch of bloodsuckers!
It wouldn't be so bad, except I've dealt with pests like this for as long as I can remember. For some reason, these parasites gravitate towards me.
The only consolation is that, from what I understand, is that they will be gone in a few months.
---
In case you didn't guess, I'm talking about mosquitoes.
I hate the little things. The problem is that they love me.
Put a mosquito within a mile of me, and they'll find me. Now that I'm in China, the only difference is that they can find me if they are within a kilometer or 3.
---
The little bastards suck. Literally, and figuratively.
And these are IN ADDITION to the ones I already have.
I'm sorry, but I hate these new ones. They pester me. If I'm in the living room, they pester me. In my room? They pester me.
Frankly, they bug the shit out of me. Bunch of bloodsuckers!
It wouldn't be so bad, except I've dealt with pests like this for as long as I can remember. For some reason, these parasites gravitate towards me.
The only consolation is that, from what I understand, is that they will be gone in a few months.
---
In case you didn't guess, I'm talking about mosquitoes.
I hate the little things. The problem is that they love me.
Put a mosquito within a mile of me, and they'll find me. Now that I'm in China, the only difference is that they can find me if they are within a kilometer or 3.
---
The little bastards suck. Literally, and figuratively.
2006-05-04
Magores teaches YOU Chinese
Here's another relatively short post...
---
Wanna learn Chinese? Okay.. Here's a little bit for you...
I am hot.
I am cold.
I am tired.
First... "I"
-Official numerical pinyin is "Wo3".
-My unoffical pronunication guide is "Whu-uh". Say it fast... No pause where the dash is.
Next ... "am"
--Don't say anything.
--Chinese doesn't use any form of "be" in this situation.
--"Be" = Is, Am, Are, etc
The adjective...
Hot
--Official numerical pinyin is "re4"
--This is actually hard to say, in my opinion.
--Try saying "run" without the "n" sound. Now, try to say it as if you are angry. Now, convert the "r" sound into a sound that English doesn't have. It's sorta like the "sure" in "leisure", but not really.
Cold
--Offical numerical pinyin is "leng3"
--Cold is much easier than hot
--try this: luh-ung. Say it without a pause where the dash is. luhung
Tired
--Offical numerical pinyin is "lei4"
--This is the easiest of the three I give here.
--Say: "Lay". Now, say it as if you are positive about it. Not, "Lay?" Say, "Lay!"
So...
What we have is this:
I am hot = whu-uh ruh!
I am cold = whu-uh luhung
I am tired = whu-uh lay!
---
There you go. A little Chinese that you can use in everyday situations.
---
Wanna learn Chinese? Okay.. Here's a little bit for you...
I am hot.
I am cold.
I am tired.
First... "I"
-Official numerical pinyin is "Wo3".
-My unoffical pronunication guide is "Whu-uh". Say it fast... No pause where the dash is.
Next ... "am"
--Don't say anything.
--Chinese doesn't use any form of "be" in this situation.
--"Be" = Is, Am, Are, etc
The adjective...
Hot
--Official numerical pinyin is "re4"
--This is actually hard to say, in my opinion.
--Try saying "run" without the "n" sound. Now, try to say it as if you are angry. Now, convert the "r" sound into a sound that English doesn't have. It's sorta like the "sure" in "leisure", but not really.
Cold
--Offical numerical pinyin is "leng3"
--Cold is much easier than hot
--try this: luh-ung. Say it without a pause where the dash is. luhung
Tired
--Offical numerical pinyin is "lei4"
--This is the easiest of the three I give here.
--Say: "Lay". Now, say it as if you are positive about it. Not, "Lay?" Say, "Lay!"
So...
What we have is this:
I am hot = whu-uh ruh!
I am cold = whu-uh luhung
I am tired = whu-uh lay!
---
There you go. A little Chinese that you can use in everyday situations.
Magores out how China and the US are different: Parks
I thought I'd take a break from the huge posts that take hours to write, and almost as long to read.
Here's a short one for you...
As you probably know, and have gathered, if you have been reading along: China is different than the US.
One difference is Public Parks.
Take for example, Golden Gate Park, Wapato Lake, Crissy Field, or any other park in the US that you can think of. (National Parks like Yosemite are different. I'm talking about the local stuff.)
In the US, the way it works is that you cross the street, and you are now in the park. It's as simple as that. You aren't in the park, and then you are.
Beijing is different. It costs money to get into public parks. This seems odd to me. Granted it's as little as 1 RMB, but it still feels weird. It IS a public park isn't it?
(In case you forgot, 1 RMB is 1 Chinese dollar. The offical way to say it is "Yi Yuan". Most people say "Yi kuai". 1 Chinese dollar is 1/8 of a US dollar.)
I was explaining to James (the big boss's husband) how it's different in the US. So, how does the US pay for the parks? Generally, income tax and/or sales tax and/or bond measures.
Aha.... China doesn't have this. We didn't get into the details of taxes in China, but I gathered this much... No income tax. Any sales tax is added before the consumer sees the price. Bond measures are a different beast all together. We didn't go there.
So... The parks pay for themselves by the entrance fees they collect from the people that visit the park. (I'm sure they are subsidized somewhat, but we didn't dive into that much detail about the topic.)
--
The Chinese system seems to encourage a "Self Sustaining" outlook. Go to X park, so you pay to make it better/keep it up. You don't go to Y Park, so why should you pay for it?
The arguement from the US would be that... Parks are a public resource, so the entire public should pay for the entire Park system.
--
It's kinda funny...
Which description sounds more like capitalism, and which sounds like socialism?
Here's a short one for you...
As you probably know, and have gathered, if you have been reading along: China is different than the US.
One difference is Public Parks.
Take for example, Golden Gate Park, Wapato Lake, Crissy Field, or any other park in the US that you can think of. (National Parks like Yosemite are different. I'm talking about the local stuff.)
In the US, the way it works is that you cross the street, and you are now in the park. It's as simple as that. You aren't in the park, and then you are.
Beijing is different. It costs money to get into public parks. This seems odd to me. Granted it's as little as 1 RMB, but it still feels weird. It IS a public park isn't it?
(In case you forgot, 1 RMB is 1 Chinese dollar. The offical way to say it is "Yi Yuan". Most people say "Yi kuai". 1 Chinese dollar is 1/8 of a US dollar.)
I was explaining to James (the big boss's husband) how it's different in the US. So, how does the US pay for the parks? Generally, income tax and/or sales tax and/or bond measures.
Aha.... China doesn't have this. We didn't get into the details of taxes in China, but I gathered this much... No income tax. Any sales tax is added before the consumer sees the price. Bond measures are a different beast all together. We didn't go there.
So... The parks pay for themselves by the entrance fees they collect from the people that visit the park. (I'm sure they are subsidized somewhat, but we didn't dive into that much detail about the topic.)
--
The Chinese system seems to encourage a "Self Sustaining" outlook. Go to X park, so you pay to make it better/keep it up. You don't go to Y Park, so why should you pay for it?
The arguement from the US would be that... Parks are a public resource, so the entire public should pay for the entire Park system.
--
It's kinda funny...
Which description sounds more like capitalism, and which sounds like socialism?
2006-05-03
Magores makes a random comment: Music
I discovered a cool Chinese musician.
As far as I can tell, his name is Cui Jian.
Kind of like a combination of The Reverend Horton Heat + Phish + Bruce Springsteen + a little Floyd.
Good stuff.
Probably isn't widely popular in China. China seems to like the Backstreet Boys style of crap. But, I dig it. Can't understand most of it. But, the music and the sound of the vocals sounds good to me.
Chinese Reverend Horton Heat? How surreal is that?
As far as I can tell, his name is Cui Jian.
Kind of like a combination of The Reverend Horton Heat + Phish + Bruce Springsteen + a little Floyd.
Good stuff.
Probably isn't widely popular in China. China seems to like the Backstreet Boys style of crap. But, I dig it. Can't understand most of it. But, the music and the sound of the vocals sounds good to me.
Chinese Reverend Horton Heat? How surreal is that?
2006-05-02
Magores is a Party Animal
I'm going to hell for last night.
The day/evening started out innocently enough. But, once it went downhill, it went downhill fast.
First... A little background. May 1st is International Labor Day. China takes a week off of work to celebrate this. So,
in addition to my normal Monday and Tuesday days off, I also have W, TH, and F.
Monday has become my regular "Nite Out". I go to the expat bar. Have a beer or 3. Play a game or two of pool. Pretty
standard stuff.
Last night was not standard.
-I had a beer before I left my house.
-About 8:30pm, I went to the bar and put my name on the list for pool. About two hours later, I finally got to play.
-The time between 8:30 and 10:30 was somewhat interesting.
--I'm a generally quiet guy, and I can also be exceedingly polite. The waitresses have noticed that I'm not the typical
expat. ("expat" = "Ex-Pat" = "Ex-Patriate" = "Citizen of one country, that lives in a different country".) Most expats,
no matter where they are from, are very nice. But, many of them can be quite loud and boisterous..
--One waitress, Linda, and I have developed a little flirting situation. Nothing crazy, just a little fun. Remember, I'm
the the quiet guy that says nice things. I ask about how the past week has been. I ask about family. I ask about this,
that, and the other thing.
--Last night, a different waitress was a little more friendly than usual. This is good. She's very cute. She looks VERY
much like a shorter version of Tina. (SF readers will know Tina.) For those that don't know Tina... She was the main
reason for my original decision to learn Chinese, and by extension, for moving to Beijing.
--The expat bar has a certain "dynamic". The South Americans group together. The Irish hang out together, the Brits,
Arabs, etc. There are VERY few US people. (I almost said Americans. But, Canadians, US, Mexico, Bolvia, Argentina, etc
are ALL Americans. In common speech, though, "Americans" refers to "US citizens", so forgive me if I'm US-centric on
occasion..)
--I haven't figured out why I see so few Americans. Lots of Russians and Germans. A large contigent from the UK (and
connected countries, AU, NZ,, etc). Are the Americans somewhere else? Or, are there just not that many of them?
--One nice thing about the expat dynamic is that that even though you start out hanging with people that speak your native
language (Spanish, German, British, etc.), it is very easy to cross over into another group. EVERYONE speaks English.
And, all expats are, by definition, in a foreign country, so there is the beginning of a "bond" by the simple fact that you
exist.
-Sorry if all of the above comments seemed like something from a Sociology textbook, but, I call it as I see it.
10:30ish - Finally my turn at the table. I needed a partner, so I asked a gentleman that was sitting near. He looked
reasonable, he hadn't played yet, and we were going to play against some Brazilians that had owned the table since before I
arrived--I want someone that might actually be able to play the game.
As it turned out, we lost quick. My partner sank the eight on accident.
No big deal. At this point, I was ready to take off. 11pm, 3 beers, played pool, I was content. My partner had other
ideas, however.
His name was coming up for pool soon. And, I was the obvious choice for a partner. So, we hung out, shot the shit, drank
beer, and eventually lost at pool. (The Brazilians were actually VERY good pool players.)
--
I really must say more about my partner at this point. I'll call him "R" from here on out. R is from the Cook Islands.
He is in China on a cultural exchange type of thing. We shot the shit about everything under the sun... US politics,
racism, medicine, rain, wind, and snow. R is about 30 and a crazy man. I mean "crazy" in a generally good way.
--
After we lost the second time at pool, R had the idea to go to the Sanlitun District. Okay. I'm up for that.
--
Sanlitun is "beer street". ALL tourists go here. Tourist bars, thats all they are. And, "girlie bars". Lots of them.
I'll explain more in a bit.
If the expat bar is "my bar" then one of the bars in the tourist area is "his" bar. (By the way, "my bar" is the Goose &
Duck. Called the "GND" from now on.)
His bar had 3 girls singing, and one guy on keyboards. Think bad karaoke. That what this is. Okay. I'm open for
anything. Who am I to question a persons choice in bars?
After one beer, R had the idea to go to a different bar. Okay, I'm up for that.
Same situation, different place. After one, we were on the move again.
This time we went somewhere very different.
----
Kai Club
VERY LOUD DANCE MUSIC. Essentially, it was a rave club. It's a place for expat students. Good bar actually, but... I'm
twice the age of most people in the place. If they are students, then I'm the Professor.
I use the word "Professor" on purpose.
We actually hung out at the place for a goodly amount of time. I had time to go outside and chat with one of the doormen.
We talked about alot of things. But, a couple of things he said struck, and stuck with, me.
We traded names, and the usual chitchat. He's a student, and I'm a teacher. "Ah", he says, "A professor." I explained,
that "No", I am not a professor. I teach little kids. I'm aware of the difference between a professor and a teacher.
And, I'm barely qualified to call myself a teacher. I hope I do a good job, but I am not a professor. Contrary to what I
intended, he said... "Yes. You are a Professor." I still bet he would NOT have said that if I didn't have white hair.
(BTW...
In Mandarin Chinese, "white" is "bai se".
--bai = white
--se = color
You need to say both words if you want to say "white".
In Mandarin, hair is "tou fa".
So... Wo you bai se tou fa. = I have white hair. (It might be, "Wo you bai se de tou fa". Dang grammar!)
)
Another thing that struck me is what his schedule is like. Student five days a week, bouncer 7 days. He does it to keep occupied.
This kind of schedule is not odd for people in China. The people here work constantly. 6 day work weeks is common. 7 day work weeks is not uncommon.
__
Editorial Comment Time (aka. It's my blog, so I get to give "My Humble Opinion" on occasion):
If the US is ever going to lose its dominance in the world, it is going to be for 2 reasons.
1) Everyone speaks English, but how many Americans can speak something other than English? Ordering "2 mas cervezas, por favor" doesn't count. If everyone speaks English AND another language, why hire the American that only speaks English?
Since I've been here I've met Russians, Jordanians, Libyans, Nigerians, Chinese, Brazilians, French, Germans, and many other people. Everyone speaks English.
Oddly enough, everyone speaks English better than the Aussies/NZanders/Brits. (But thats a different issue.)
I heard a scientist guy on the radio saying that its rapidly coming to the point where English skills isn't enough. People are learning their native language, plus English (as a matter of course), and another language just to get an edge.
It's a global economy. If people want to compete, they need to prefer to deal with the globe. Currently, that means English, Japanese, Chinese, German. Spanish, French, and Latin are great/beautiful languages, but from an economic standpoint they aren't smart choices. Schools in the US need to update their curriculum.
2) The other reason the US might lose is due to the simple amount of work done. Don't get me wrong, I know people in the US work hard. I'm not suggesting that the US should move to a 6 or 7 day work week. But, people in the US should keep in mind that the people in China (at least) DO work that many days. AND, they find the time to learn English.
A five day work week, plus an hour or two of language learning on the weekend, would not be a bad idea.
(Maybe next time, I'll talk about what it's time to go shopping in Beijing, or go to a restaraunt, or something similar. It's a very different experience than in the US.)
Editorial comment over...
__
Oh yeah.. The cops showed up. The music was LOUD at this place. Cop came in looked around, told the bartenders to close the windows. This was funny. Even with the windows closed you could hear the music 2 blocks away.
Eventually, R had the idea to go back to the tourist strip. Okay. I'm up for that.
1 beer in one spot, another in another spot. And, then foosball.
Someone had set up a foosball table on the sidewalk. Somehow or another, I ended up playing. Me and some 14 year old kid on one side vs a couple of guys on the other. Basically, I stomped all over all comers. After 3 games against 3 different teams (and another beer), I stepped away from the table. It had gotten to the point where we had 20 people watching. Every time I made a point, there were lots of "Oohs" and "Aahs". It was kinda silly actually. Everyone other than me simply spinned the foosball guys constantly. I actually tried to slow it down a bit and take aim. Apparently, this was impressive. I had 10 people patting me on the back saying, "You're good." Chalk one up for America :)
While R took a turn at the table (spinning the guys the whole time), I took a breath of fresh air.
Now it was time to get offered "girlie bar".
At this time of night, every Chinese person on the sidewalk was either: A guy tempting the tourists to go to a "girlie bar", or it was a girl tempting the tourists the go to a "girlie bar".
I surprised them...
"I am not a tourist"
I actually know how to say "No" in Chinese. There are different ways of saying it, depending on the situation. Apparently, this is something that most tourists haven't learned before they arrive.
Soon enough R walked up. And we were both inundated with offers of "girlie bar".
-His response: "Mei you." This appears to be what many tourists DO learn. And, of course, it's completely the wrong response. (The odd part is that R has been in Beijing a week or two longer than I have.) The barkers and babes recognize this as "tourist speak". So, it just encourages them more.
-My response: "Bu yao, xiexie."
Chinese lesson...
-Mei you = "Don't have" -- Pronounced "May Yo!"
-Bu yao = "Don't want/need" -- Pronounced "Boo! Yow!"
Of course, "bu yao" isn't difficult, so that didn't get rid of the barkers. What DID get rid of them was... "Bu yao. Wo bu shi you ke. Wo zhu zhe." ... "Don't need. I'm not a tourist. I live here."
I guess I'm actually learning a little of the language after all.
Back to the expat bar
I got us out of the tourist area, and found us a cab. R does his version of giving a location. Taxi driver gets a blank stare. So I say, "ChaoYang GongYuan XiMen". The look of relief on the taxi drivers face was obvious. I speak badly, but I do know some of the words. As we got close, I told the driver "ting zhe hao". (stop here good.) R is "blah, blah". Driver just looks at me. Repeat.. "Ting zhe hen hao" (Stop here very good.)
So, we end up back in the bar we started at.
Another couple of beers. Played a little pool. Made friends with a drunk Irishman. I helped into the cab when he left. I was designated a "Good Man".
And I met the coolest girl since I've been here.
She's very cool, but...
She's a lesbian. Oh well. She actually is very cool. Another Irishperson. She's a director of a school that I might think of going to in the future. Teach adults for more money than I make now. We'll see.
Drank him under the table..
Eventually I realized that R had disappeared. I guess he wandered home to pass out. Chalk up another victory for America! I had drank a New Zealander under the table! And, I escorted a drunk Irishman to a cab.
I guess its time to go home..
Got a kiss from a Mongolian girl before I left. Whoo hoo and all that. (BTW... Mongolian sounds very similar to Russian.)
Cab ride home was uneventful. I just watched the city go by.
It was easy to watch the city. It was light. I had left my house a little after 8pm. Arrived home at 6:30am.
For one night, I was a party animal.
To summarize...
-Flirted with the usual waitress, plus another one
-Made friends with a NZealander, an Irish lesbian, and an Irish guy
-Played pool
-Did the tourist area
-Went to a rave bar
-Kicked everyone's ass at foosball
-Drank everyone under the table
-Got a kiss from a Mongolian girl
Pretty successful night over all.
Of course, Tuesday was hell. Slept from 7am-12 noon, and from 1:30pm to 4pm, and 6pm to 9pm, and 11pm until Wednesday 7am.
I've been here for six months. I think I was due for a night like that, even if I didn't plan on it.
And... It gets even more interesting...
Tomorrow (Thursday), "the boss I'm not hitting on" has invited me to meet her for a picnic lunch at some park. She has warned me that I will be rowing the boat when we are on the lake.
I don't see a waterfall, so rowing WITH the tide seems to be the best thing at this point.
Go with the flow.
The day/evening started out innocently enough. But, once it went downhill, it went downhill fast.
First... A little background. May 1st is International Labor Day. China takes a week off of work to celebrate this. So,
in addition to my normal Monday and Tuesday days off, I also have W, TH, and F.
Monday has become my regular "Nite Out". I go to the expat bar. Have a beer or 3. Play a game or two of pool. Pretty
standard stuff.
Last night was not standard.
-I had a beer before I left my house.
-About 8:30pm, I went to the bar and put my name on the list for pool. About two hours later, I finally got to play.
-The time between 8:30 and 10:30 was somewhat interesting.
--I'm a generally quiet guy, and I can also be exceedingly polite. The waitresses have noticed that I'm not the typical
expat. ("expat" = "Ex-Pat" = "Ex-Patriate" = "Citizen of one country, that lives in a different country".) Most expats,
no matter where they are from, are very nice. But, many of them can be quite loud and boisterous..
--One waitress, Linda, and I have developed a little flirting situation. Nothing crazy, just a little fun. Remember, I'm
the the quiet guy that says nice things. I ask about how the past week has been. I ask about family. I ask about this,
that, and the other thing.
--Last night, a different waitress was a little more friendly than usual. This is good. She's very cute. She looks VERY
much like a shorter version of Tina. (SF readers will know Tina.) For those that don't know Tina... She was the main
reason for my original decision to learn Chinese, and by extension, for moving to Beijing.
--The expat bar has a certain "dynamic". The South Americans group together. The Irish hang out together, the Brits,
Arabs, etc. There are VERY few US people. (I almost said Americans. But, Canadians, US, Mexico, Bolvia, Argentina, etc
are ALL Americans. In common speech, though, "Americans" refers to "US citizens", so forgive me if I'm US-centric on
occasion..)
--I haven't figured out why I see so few Americans. Lots of Russians and Germans. A large contigent from the UK (and
connected countries, AU, NZ,, etc). Are the Americans somewhere else? Or, are there just not that many of them?
--One nice thing about the expat dynamic is that that even though you start out hanging with people that speak your native
language (Spanish, German, British, etc.), it is very easy to cross over into another group. EVERYONE speaks English.
And, all expats are, by definition, in a foreign country, so there is the beginning of a "bond" by the simple fact that you
exist.
-Sorry if all of the above comments seemed like something from a Sociology textbook, but, I call it as I see it.
10:30ish - Finally my turn at the table. I needed a partner, so I asked a gentleman that was sitting near. He looked
reasonable, he hadn't played yet, and we were going to play against some Brazilians that had owned the table since before I
arrived--I want someone that might actually be able to play the game.
As it turned out, we lost quick. My partner sank the eight on accident.
No big deal. At this point, I was ready to take off. 11pm, 3 beers, played pool, I was content. My partner had other
ideas, however.
His name was coming up for pool soon. And, I was the obvious choice for a partner. So, we hung out, shot the shit, drank
beer, and eventually lost at pool. (The Brazilians were actually VERY good pool players.)
--
I really must say more about my partner at this point. I'll call him "R" from here on out. R is from the Cook Islands.
He is in China on a cultural exchange type of thing. We shot the shit about everything under the sun... US politics,
racism, medicine, rain, wind, and snow. R is about 30 and a crazy man. I mean "crazy" in a generally good way.
--
After we lost the second time at pool, R had the idea to go to the Sanlitun District. Okay. I'm up for that.
--
Sanlitun is "beer street". ALL tourists go here. Tourist bars, thats all they are. And, "girlie bars". Lots of them.
I'll explain more in a bit.
If the expat bar is "my bar" then one of the bars in the tourist area is "his" bar. (By the way, "my bar" is the Goose &
Duck. Called the "GND" from now on.)
His bar had 3 girls singing, and one guy on keyboards. Think bad karaoke. That what this is. Okay. I'm open for
anything. Who am I to question a persons choice in bars?
After one beer, R had the idea to go to a different bar. Okay, I'm up for that.
Same situation, different place. After one, we were on the move again.
This time we went somewhere very different.
----
Kai Club
VERY LOUD DANCE MUSIC. Essentially, it was a rave club. It's a place for expat students. Good bar actually, but... I'm
twice the age of most people in the place. If they are students, then I'm the Professor.
I use the word "Professor" on purpose.
We actually hung out at the place for a goodly amount of time. I had time to go outside and chat with one of the doormen.
We talked about alot of things. But, a couple of things he said struck, and stuck with, me.
We traded names, and the usual chitchat. He's a student, and I'm a teacher. "Ah", he says, "A professor." I explained,
that "No", I am not a professor. I teach little kids. I'm aware of the difference between a professor and a teacher.
And, I'm barely qualified to call myself a teacher. I hope I do a good job, but I am not a professor. Contrary to what I
intended, he said... "Yes. You are a Professor." I still bet he would NOT have said that if I didn't have white hair.
(BTW...
In Mandarin Chinese, "white" is "bai se".
--bai = white
--se = color
You need to say both words if you want to say "white".
In Mandarin, hair is "tou fa".
So... Wo you bai se tou fa. = I have white hair. (It might be, "Wo you bai se de tou fa". Dang grammar!)
)
Another thing that struck me is what his schedule is like. Student five days a week, bouncer 7 days. He does it to keep occupied.
This kind of schedule is not odd for people in China. The people here work constantly. 6 day work weeks is common. 7 day work weeks is not uncommon.
__
Editorial Comment Time (aka. It's my blog, so I get to give "My Humble Opinion" on occasion):
If the US is ever going to lose its dominance in the world, it is going to be for 2 reasons.
1) Everyone speaks English, but how many Americans can speak something other than English? Ordering "2 mas cervezas, por favor" doesn't count. If everyone speaks English AND another language, why hire the American that only speaks English?
Since I've been here I've met Russians, Jordanians, Libyans, Nigerians, Chinese, Brazilians, French, Germans, and many other people. Everyone speaks English.
Oddly enough, everyone speaks English better than the Aussies/NZanders/Brits. (But thats a different issue.)
I heard a scientist guy on the radio saying that its rapidly coming to the point where English skills isn't enough. People are learning their native language, plus English (as a matter of course), and another language just to get an edge.
It's a global economy. If people want to compete, they need to prefer to deal with the globe. Currently, that means English, Japanese, Chinese, German. Spanish, French, and Latin are great/beautiful languages, but from an economic standpoint they aren't smart choices. Schools in the US need to update their curriculum.
2) The other reason the US might lose is due to the simple amount of work done. Don't get me wrong, I know people in the US work hard. I'm not suggesting that the US should move to a 6 or 7 day work week. But, people in the US should keep in mind that the people in China (at least) DO work that many days. AND, they find the time to learn English.
A five day work week, plus an hour or two of language learning on the weekend, would not be a bad idea.
(Maybe next time, I'll talk about what it's time to go shopping in Beijing, or go to a restaraunt, or something similar. It's a very different experience than in the US.)
Editorial comment over...
__
Oh yeah.. The cops showed up. The music was LOUD at this place. Cop came in looked around, told the bartenders to close the windows. This was funny. Even with the windows closed you could hear the music 2 blocks away.
Eventually, R had the idea to go back to the tourist strip. Okay. I'm up for that.
1 beer in one spot, another in another spot. And, then foosball.
Someone had set up a foosball table on the sidewalk. Somehow or another, I ended up playing. Me and some 14 year old kid on one side vs a couple of guys on the other. Basically, I stomped all over all comers. After 3 games against 3 different teams (and another beer), I stepped away from the table. It had gotten to the point where we had 20 people watching. Every time I made a point, there were lots of "Oohs" and "Aahs". It was kinda silly actually. Everyone other than me simply spinned the foosball guys constantly. I actually tried to slow it down a bit and take aim. Apparently, this was impressive. I had 10 people patting me on the back saying, "You're good." Chalk one up for America :)
While R took a turn at the table (spinning the guys the whole time), I took a breath of fresh air.
Now it was time to get offered "girlie bar".
At this time of night, every Chinese person on the sidewalk was either: A guy tempting the tourists to go to a "girlie bar", or it was a girl tempting the tourists the go to a "girlie bar".
I surprised them...
"I am not a tourist"
I actually know how to say "No" in Chinese. There are different ways of saying it, depending on the situation. Apparently, this is something that most tourists haven't learned before they arrive.
Soon enough R walked up. And we were both inundated with offers of "girlie bar".
-His response: "Mei you." This appears to be what many tourists DO learn. And, of course, it's completely the wrong response. (The odd part is that R has been in Beijing a week or two longer than I have.) The barkers and babes recognize this as "tourist speak". So, it just encourages them more.
-My response: "Bu yao, xiexie."
Chinese lesson...
-Mei you = "Don't have" -- Pronounced "May Yo!"
-Bu yao = "Don't want/need" -- Pronounced "Boo! Yow!"
Of course, "bu yao" isn't difficult, so that didn't get rid of the barkers. What DID get rid of them was... "Bu yao. Wo bu shi you ke. Wo zhu zhe." ... "Don't need. I'm not a tourist. I live here."
I guess I'm actually learning a little of the language after all.
Back to the expat bar
I got us out of the tourist area, and found us a cab. R does his version of giving a location. Taxi driver gets a blank stare. So I say, "ChaoYang GongYuan XiMen". The look of relief on the taxi drivers face was obvious. I speak badly, but I do know some of the words. As we got close, I told the driver "ting zhe hao". (stop here good.) R is "blah, blah". Driver just looks at me. Repeat.. "Ting zhe hen hao" (Stop here very good.)
So, we end up back in the bar we started at.
Another couple of beers. Played a little pool. Made friends with a drunk Irishman. I helped into the cab when he left. I was designated a "Good Man".
And I met the coolest girl since I've been here.
She's very cool, but...
She's a lesbian. Oh well. She actually is very cool. Another Irishperson. She's a director of a school that I might think of going to in the future. Teach adults for more money than I make now. We'll see.
Drank him under the table..
Eventually I realized that R had disappeared. I guess he wandered home to pass out. Chalk up another victory for America! I had drank a New Zealander under the table! And, I escorted a drunk Irishman to a cab.
I guess its time to go home..
Got a kiss from a Mongolian girl before I left. Whoo hoo and all that. (BTW... Mongolian sounds very similar to Russian.)
Cab ride home was uneventful. I just watched the city go by.
It was easy to watch the city. It was light. I had left my house a little after 8pm. Arrived home at 6:30am.
For one night, I was a party animal.
To summarize...
-Flirted with the usual waitress, plus another one
-Made friends with a NZealander, an Irish lesbian, and an Irish guy
-Played pool
-Did the tourist area
-Went to a rave bar
-Kicked everyone's ass at foosball
-Drank everyone under the table
-Got a kiss from a Mongolian girl
Pretty successful night over all.
Of course, Tuesday was hell. Slept from 7am-12 noon, and from 1:30pm to 4pm, and 6pm to 9pm, and 11pm until Wednesday 7am.
I've been here for six months. I think I was due for a night like that, even if I didn't plan on it.
And... It gets even more interesting...
Tomorrow (Thursday), "the boss I'm not hitting on" has invited me to meet her for a picnic lunch at some park. She has warned me that I will be rowing the boat when we are on the lake.
I don't see a waterfall, so rowing WITH the tide seems to be the best thing at this point.
Go with the flow.
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