Yesterday, after an exciting trip to the Site of the First Meeting of the Communist Party of China (which had a really ballin' wax person display) we went to Qufu Lu, which is a place to buy knock off stuff. A man followed us for 45 minutes. It was awesome. He simply followed us saying "hello American friends, i find you very cheap! Follow me!" It was insane. He was like Jason. We split up in an effort to ditch him, and my friend Joe and I managed to lose him. And we looked around for an hour bargaining and looking at stuff. And then when we decided to go back home, guess who managed to find us again? It was ridiculous. Luckily he didn't follow us to the subway station, but I was seriously scared I was going to go home and find him sitting on my bed, or in the refrigerator, or under my bed. "Follow me American friend!"

In other news, Thanksgiving is the day after tommorrow. My class is making mashed potatoes. We are all very excited. Also, we are going to try and dress up like pilgrims and indians. I am going to miss the Turkey trot, which sucks because I've always enjoyed the pretentious central Fort Worth crowd, and the free yogurt. But it's all good. Also, my sister had a baby! So now I'm an uncle! This is going to be the most spoiled baby of all time, because everyone in my family has all wanted to have a baby to play with for like 4 years. And now we have one! So congratulations Kyle and Joey!

All in all, a good couple of days.

Chinese Pants

So I haven't updated in a while. It's all good. Let's see, what all is new. School is going well. We are about to move up and start using the level 2 book, which I am not excited about. I dropped down from the class which started with the level 2 book because of the insane amount of homework, so hopefully they won't try and force that trend on us. Or I guess I just won't do it (a likely scenario) and just do what's necessary to stay afloat until the end of the semester. I'm concerned that when I get back to Southwestern I will have a laziness instilled in me that I won't be able to fix. But then I remember that at Southwestern my classes will be in English, and won't expect 4 hours per day of workbook exercises. In other news, I am excited to return to America. I found out I won't be living in the house I lived in this summer, because nobody will be moving out. But it's okay because for now it would appear that I've found another place to live that is just as close to Southwestern, and with two dudes whom I don't know all that well, but who seem like they would be good roommates. Oddly, I think this may be the same house that T-Dickson lived in this summer (it's with Jeff Elliot and is in a neighborhood across the street from the golf course, ringing any bells Tricia?). Also, I will only be having classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and will be getting 3 Comm. classes out of the way. Since I will only have class two days a week, and since I will be out of money when I get back, this means I will need to find a job. Hopefully, I can get some serving experience, because this seems to be the most versatile and useful job for somebody my age. In other news, I am not excited to leave Shanghai. I can see reverse-culture shock looming in the months ahead. I am none too excited about getting back to the heartwrenching dramas of Southwestern University. And somehow, I'm forseeing that the excitement of Georgetown will probably pale in comparison to Shanghai, China. But I'm excited to see my friends and family, whom I miss dearly. Also, I just don't know what I'll do when I can't get up and have delicious fried Jaozi for breakfast. Or be able to get everywhere without a car. Or think that a $15 meal is outrageously expensive. But on the other hand, it will be sweet to drive. And to cross the street without thinking I'm going to die. And to eat Mexican food. But I feel like it will be eerily, eerily quiet, when I take my first nighttime winter stroll down my street. It's a strange feeling, to want to leave and to stay, and to not want to leave and not want to stay all at the same time.


p.s-Mom, for Christmas I want Age of Empires III for the PC (try to get the one with the expansion pack)

p.s.s- everyone else, don't make fun of me for being a nerd

Quantum of Solace

Well, we went to see "Quantum of Solace" tonight. It was released a week earlier in Asia than it was in the United States. All in all, I thought it was excellent. While those who are expecting it to live up to "Casino Royale" will likely be disappointed, this is only because "Casino Royale" was so excellent. It was such a departure from previous Bond films, and "Quantum" simply follows this departure. It was also more frenzied and hurried than the leisurely "Casino Royale," and with a much darker tone. Some of the action sequences were a bit hard to follow due to shaky camera work, and it is somewhat confusing in parts, but it was good. In conclusion, it's not as good as Casino Royale (which in my opinion is almost like saying "not as good as 'Fargo'" or "not as good as 'Taxi Driver'") but definitely in the top 7 Bond flicks. So Garrett, enjoy it next week.

In other news, America has elected it's first black president. I never thought I would see the day. Also, between this and the fact that I'll be returning home from China, I can't imagine all of the racist backwater ignorance I will hear upon my return to the U.S. But it's all good. Maybe now we'll have an administration and a congress who realize that development of alternative energy is most crucial for national security, not a needless and expensive occupation. My hope is that one day my children will be able to drive around in fuel cell powered hummers making a "suck it" sign to all of the crazies whom we don't buy oil from anymore. And perhaps we will restore some dignity for our country on the world stage. Because right now America is like that drunk friend who won't give up the car keys. And the French are just sittin' on the porch smokin' their cigarettes and scowling while we vomit in the yard.

And also, at least Sarah Palin has no chance of potentially becoming the leader of the world's most powerful nation. Oh J-Mac, if you had picked anybody else I might have voted for you.

Oh, and Chinese movies have some pretty ridiculous trailers. I really want to see this one called "Super Typhoon."

An Ode to the Republican Party

There is a dirt track behind my apartment building where I run everyday. Usually, I am the only white person there. Lately, I have acquired a new Chinese friend, who accompanies me on my jogs and we practice speaking Chinese and English. I'm somewhat wary because my running time is usually my alone time/relaxation time, but he's nice enough, and I feel like I could tell him that I just felt like running that day and he would understand. Today we talked about politics. It was staggering the amount of information he knew about the American political system and American politics in general. Ironically he claimed to know very little about the politics of his homeland (this is either true, or he is uncomfortable sharing his true feelings with a new friend, especially a foreign one). Either way, it helped me to appreciate the fact that regardless of how we feel about the current state of American politics, we still have a say. And at least we are informed about the goings on of government (if one wants to escape the "liberal" or "conservative" bias of the American media, it simply takes a little bit more effort and patience to review better, albeit more boring sources of news, CSPAN, for example). And at least we are able to say who we want to lead our country. Not wake up one day and discover that another person whom we know nothing about has been appointed into a position of authority for reasons we know nothing about. Which is the case in certain places. ahem ahem.

And for this I am grateful.

And for another thing I am also grateful. And that is that regardless of who wins in the next few days, at least we will have a new administration. Not a man who's administration somehow convinced America that he, a Yale-educated, Connecticut-Born, Skull-and-Bonesman, son-of-a-millionaire-President was somehow a political "outsider" in Washington. And I don't want to jump on the "Bush Hate Train", because really it's his administration. And he's just a man. And I was one of those who was convinced he was an "outsider". (In my defense I was in the 7th grade).

But maybe now we really can change things. Regardless of who sits in the oval office next year. Maybe constituents can start influencing legislation, rather than special interest groups and lobbyists. Maybe Americans will wake up and realize that rather than worrying about being the victim of a terrorist attack, the real danger is that both our earth and our democracy is being eroded before our eyes. Maybe people will realize that America needs less poverty, not more billionaires.

Maybe. Let's hope.

On the Road

"They rushed down the street together, digging everything in the early way they had, which later became so much sadder and perceptive and blank. But then they danced down the streets like dingledodies, and I shambled after as I've been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars..."

-Jack Kerouac