I was downtown this evening, and had one of those "what the…?" experiences as I was running across the street to hail a cab. The street I was on is known for it’s plethora of wedding studios…places where couples go to get dolled up in multiple costumes and pose for wedding photos. It’s a huge […]
November 15! Yay!
It’s November 15 in Beijing, and the reason I’m so happy is because this is the day that the heat in my building is turned on. In fact, this is the day that the central government has decreed that the heat can be turned on all over the city. That’s right, folks, the government decides […]
A Minnesota Night
I have just returned from a banquet at the Great Hall of the People, jointly hosted by the Minnesota State Government and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. As some of you may or may not know, the governor of Minnesota, Tim Pawlenty, is leading a MN Trade delegation to China this […]
Twinkling With Inheriting and Development Achievement
On Thursday night my landlady called and asked if she could come over to see me because she had some tranlation questions for me. Anyone who’s been in China for awhile knows the fear and dread that well up inside at the sound of someone asking for help with translation work. "Just read it over." […]
Slippery Slope
While visiting a Beijing city park recently, I saw this sign beside a marble staircase leading to a pagoda on top of a hill. For some reason, it made me chuckle! There’s something familiar about the phrasing, but it’s not quite right! Anyway, I liked it, because some days just feel like that!
The Curse of Kenny G!
A great mystery here in the Middle Kingdom is the Chinese love affair with Kenny G, the bushy-haired soprano sax player, who anchors the "smooth jazz" genre of music. Kenny G music blaring out of stores, or wafting through hotel lobbies is as ubiquitous here as chopsticks and dumplings (OK, so I exaggerate, but only […]
