I'm pretty lame at updating aren't I?

It's been awhile. I know. My mom has already read me the riot act, so there is no need for anyone else to do so.

So.... Why has it been so long? Well, a few reasons.....

1) Winter is always a bad time for me.... The brain synapses seem to misfire in winter
2) Winter is busy for me at work.... Kids don't have public school, so they come to my school
3) Another reason is buried is this story I will share. It's kinda personal, but I am sharing, so don't give me too much shit, okay?

Story time...

There's this girl. Beautiful, kind, etc, etc.

We hung out together. I knew I wasn't Mr Right for her, but thats cool. She didn't blow me off, so I chose not to worry/think about it.

Well, there comes a time where its time to "shit or get off the pot" as my Dad might say. End result was/is: We are still friends, and we still see each other all the time, but thats it.

Fast forward a little while....

Last night, I went to dinner with a couple good friends (engaged to each other) and my girlfriend. It was a great time. The girls talked about girl stuff (in Chinese). And, me and the other guy, in English, talked about the Tibet situation, Taiwan, the possibilities of war between the US and China, etc.

As it turns out....
-The other guy and I solved all the problems of the world. (Isn't that what all guys do when they have a beer and talk politics?)
-The girls talked about me. (It's not ego... They told me that they talked about me. Besides, I understand more Chinese than anyone thinks I do. Not much more, but a little more.) I've known the girl since the day I came to China. The girlfriend is a bit newer. We're approaching 2 months. This was the first time they had met. Girlfriend had met other friends who are girls, but this is a closer friend who is a girl.

I think I owe the girl who is my friend money. She told the girlfriend that I am an extremely Nice person (capital N). I'm Patient, Polite, and Kind.

I know all of you are doing a 3 Stooges "Spit-Take" right now, but thats okay. Girlfriend believes it.

As of last night, we are now in the "next stage" of our relationship.

I get to meet her friends. woohoo and shit. (um. I mean.... WOOOHOOOO!!!)

Girlfriend is a little bit traditional. According to another friend of mine, this is the pattern...
-I passed muster with her.
-My friends passed muster.
-Now, we see if I pass muster with her friends.

Not much different than in the US, but the timing seems to be more structured here.

So anyway... There's the story.

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Now that I've typed it I realize I wasn't very subtle. I gave away the theme, the plot, and the conclusion almost at the very start.

But, just in case you missed it, here is the point of the story.....

A Chinese guy and I solved the problems of the world while our girlfriends chatted about stuff.