Yawnbook

Re: Facebook

What a nightmare ...

After being given an ultimatum, I gave in and created an account. A few complications during registration caused a few problems, but I finally managed to configure it to my liking. There are some advantages to using facebook. For instance, I can store my digital photos. The greatest feature I've found is that it helped me make contact with my extended family on my father's side.

Wasylyniuks’ of the world, UNITE!

What facebook isn't, is a place where the sun always shines, and my friends from Canada frolic. It might have been at one time, active. Now, it's just a desolate place where others had been, as if I had arrived at a party long finished. (yawn)

Re: English Corner

I forgot, "Never attempt to travel on the day before a holiday."
I apologize to anyone who was expecting me at the English Corner last night.

Photo: Near my current address, a statue of an adult with an infant's body, or an infant with an adults head. When the pool fills, the frog is then violated by the statue. Such cruelty!

So, We Meet Again ... Facebook

A student at last night’s English Corner had asked me if I used Facebook. I quickly followed with a series of attacks against Facebook’s usefulness.

From my understanding, Facebook can do all of what I can already do on my blog. So, why would I abandon my blog to use something that provides many of the same functions?

Can anyone give me a convincing arguement as to why Facebook would be worth the time and energy when I already have a blog?

Image: Snippit from my MSN list. Kevin's message the same as it's been for a long time.

Nature's Way Of Telling Us To Eat Cake.

Happy Birthday mom!

Yes, it is my mother's birthday :)

My mom is amazing. She can hemm 3 pairs of jeans, bake 6 cakes, and can send the whole neighbourhood's children to school, all during a single commercial break of East Enders.

I've got a special gift for my mother. It's almost ready.

Image: explosm.net web comic.

Wrong Home To Go Home To

Sheralee and I went to sign the contract for my apartment yesterday.

We met the landlady downstairs at the apartment community office, and from there she walked us up to see the finished apartment that I had been waiting oh so patiently for. However, I noticed that she wasn't leading us toward the apartment.

The landlady attempted to dismiss our concerns and added that she had made the same mistake several times. She insisted that we follow her, and we did.

In an unfamiliar building, we went up an elevator to the 16th floor. She unlocked the door, and tadaa! We saw a finished apartment. The good news was, she did a great job getting the place ready. The bad news was, it was the first time that either of us had ever been in this apartment. How could this be?

The community staff had shown us a single 3 bedroom apartment three times, but had called a different apartment owner of the same floor, but of a different building altogether. Huge mistake.

The community staff tried to deny having made the error, and insisted that we were mistaken.

I spent some time considering taking the surprise apartment. She did do a great job on the floors and bathroom. The kitchen counter was a caulked jigsaw puzzle though, but that's normal for kitchen counters here. The biggest issue for me was the lack of view from the windows. It wasn't impressive at all, and that was key in my decision on getting the first apartment we saw. After considering that I was spending twice as much on this next apartment than before, this apartment simply would not do.

Later, the community staff managed to contact the owner of the actual apartment I wanted in the first place. It turns out, he doesn't want to rent it out ...

It's apartment hunting time again!

Photo: Silly scallions!

"I want my giggle back"

I need to be more of a "go and do" person, rather than a "think and wait, and wait, and think ..." person. Those past two trips I took did wonders for me. Aside from taking another trip, this summer I’d like to "do" more of the things I had set out to do long ago.

I can't help it, though. It always seems that I can’t enjoy myself while I still have tasks left unfinished. For instance, I've turned down invitations to "go and do" many times here, in a place that was very much the first major go-and-do of my life. I mean, come on, without the “do” it’s just “go” and let me tell you, “go” just isn’t enough, never is. Just ask Chris! He's pretty much given up on inviting me anywhere, because I've turned down too many invitations from him to go and do stuff.

I wonder if it is how I was raised. Always, work before play was the dominant mindset I grew up with.

Perhaps, I'm just lazy.

Photo: Oobie Doob Scooby Dooby Banoobie and Loke Groundrunner giggling their way onto Han's Hand. Thumb Wars: The Phantom Cuticle (1999)

Web Grooves

My new apartment is ready!

I'm listening to music, and making some modifications to the layout of my blog. Blood Money is a track title from the Hitman movie soundtrack (don't confuse it with any song from the video game). I always play it when I’m online, making blog posts, or when I'm deep in thought while pacing around. You could say I’ve adopted it as my personal theme song.

I've been feeling great lately. Short trips, new places, meeting strange new people. A great summer is coming!

Bali, Bali, Baligou?

I wasn't sure what to expect, being kept in the dark about it. Still, I was content with knowing only that others were quite certain that I would enjoy it. It turned out to be great!

It was a trip with our students and staff. With me trailing the rear, it was peaceful and without pressure or obligation to perform. Sometimes, I felt like a sheep dog, corralling the herd onward and keeping them together. It felt natural, and I managed to snap a slew of great photos of the kids, school staff, and landscapes.

At the end of the trail of rocks, paths, bridges, and small outdoor snack shops, we finally reached our destination. A majestic waterfall.

In all, we managed to take some 450 pictures of students, the waterfall, and surrounding landscape.

Filename: baligou2009_04_18.rar - 7 (10MB each) parts.
Selected photos consist of landscape, and myself.

Photo 1: The face of a large coin shaped statue at the start of the trip at Baligou.
Photo 2: The waterfall.

A Long Way Down

Chris and I took a bus to climb a mountain in Deng Feng this morning. Something I had wanted to do again for a long time.

The first time I went there was with my colleagues from the first school I worked at. It was great, except for the misleading conversion from a fun activity, to a teamwork training exercise at the peak of the mountain, and of exhaustion.

This time, we intended on taking the path less treaded again, but without the previous group. If only I could remember the way. After some guesswork, we managed to progress, keeping our aim on locating the original path. Why do things the easy way, right? Right!

We never found it. We had climbed for several hours. It didn't matter, our searching had been extra generous in difficulty. We now know the location of the path, however, for when we go back in May.

Send a request by email for all 55 photos of this trip.
Filename: dengfeng2009_04_17.rar - 4 (10MB each) parts.

Photo 1: destination "too far"
Photo 2: valley return path

Con ... Artistry?

With my new apartment nearing completion, and my need for personal space growing, I am dying from anticipation.

This next apartment will restore my senses.

Originally, the landlord of my previous apartment was going to refund our final (changed to March) month’s rent, and we had given him notice many months in advance. Without warning, he changed his mind and left me without an apartment for March altogether, and refused to refund the money. I’ve returned to my original apartment where my friend Chris W. Still resides.

Someone knew it was going to happen. Others I knew had regular contact with him for months, and everyone knew what was expected to happen.

Nobody said anything.

My circle of trust shrank a little, and after careful consideration, I forced it to shrink even more.

Unknown Caller

It's not hard to explain.

In China, the exchange of contact information (i.e. cell phone numbers) is quite common. In my 2.5 years time here, I've relinquished my number, less and less. Maybe it’s that I just don't like talking on cell phones. So, why do I even have a cell phone?

From experience being without a cell phone in a foreign country, I've found that it brings a nice level of security. I send text messages a lot, what can I say, I spam! However, I rarely make any calls unless it’s really necessary. Having my work numbers on my phone helps if I'm having difficulty communicating.

I had trouble with people sharing my number, at first. Later troubled by people who refused to identify themselves, or confess to who it was that gave them my number. One young female caller made numerous offers. I threatened to call the police if she called me again.

Spring Spring Spring

I haven't been able to post in a while due to limited hot-seat internet, and usually blogspot access was, I thought, denied in this world location. It was yesterday that Helen asked for my blog address. I gave it to her, and explained that it wouldn’t work. On a whim, I checked it.

So, I’ve moved ... again! I'm back at my original apartment where my friend Chris still lives. This time, I'm trying to find an apartment with a great view.

Sheralee and I visited some nice apartments yesterday. One landlord wanted to rent an 80 square meter apartment for 700RMB/month. Another apartment of identical size in the same area, owned by a greedy witch expected 3000RMB/month.

After refusing the offer, she voluntarily dropped it to 1500RMB...
The event was comical, the landlord's daughter had difficulty containing herself. We couldn't hear what she jolt-whispered, but I'm sure it was something like, "3000!!! Are you insane?"

My needs are simple.
- Finished floors
- Painted walls
- Kitchen and bathroom sinks
- Shower, toilet, water heater
- View of the city
- Unfurnished

The Lane Change

February already?

Despite feeling under the weather, I accompanied Kevin, Chris, and Maggie ... bowling. I’m sure however that my bring ill will be omitted when anyone recalls the days Kevin was in China visiting. If I recall correctly, the last time I went bowling was with my family in 1994, in Newmarket. I do recall being in a bowling alley when I was 19-20, but not for bowling. Anyways, even though I didn’t want to take part, I still had to pay just to get in.

After the 1^st set had finished, I joined in for the sake of killing boredom.

15 pin bowling, and looked like the real deal. Even the monitors above the lanes said “Brunswick” on them. Around 12:45, we left and feeling no better than I did earlier that day, I would still have to work the next morning.

Up at 6:45, at work by 7:55, and expected to teach at 8:30. Around 10:30, I went home. Since no one else had arrived.

Hours later, I realized that today was not the 2^nd , it was the 1^st. So, I spent the rest of the day resting in bed, and started to feel a heck of a lot better than I had over the past few days.

Currently my family is in Florida. My mother sent me a few photos, and I look forward to hearing about their experience.

According to my parents in a video skype call, I've been to the U.S. “ONCE” when I was around 10 years old. Maine, Michigan, Detroit, etc. I don't recall the trip at all.

Photo: Picture from a balcony. Florida, U.S.A. Photo by Wasylyniuk

Enter: The Tragic Claw

I returned home from Christina's after the official new years’ eve celebration. Her home was filled with thick smoke and heavy smell of sulphur several times, from the fireworks we lit in the stairwell of her 5^th floor apartment. Her mother cooked several dishes. I couldn’t bring myself to try the shrimp or 1000 year old egg (an egg covered in leaves and clay, left to blacken over several weeks)

The taxi driver tried to con me, a 10 RMB trip to Christina's home, cost 17 RMB to return. I paid the driver 10, and refused to give him more. He scoffed, but accepted it. I really shouldn't have paid him anything. Home at last, I watched movies on my computer, then, I “tried” to sleep.

Pepper was still frantic. Ever since the fireworks the previous day, she’s been freaky. She’s a bi suck regardless, standing on my lap when I’m at my computer, resting on my chest with her head on my shoulder. Sometimes she’d fall asleep.

This time however, it was not so precious. I got up to prep a snack. So, I tried lifting her off me. Bad news for me, by my neglect at grooming her well enough, her claws were like wicked fishhooks. I let go, and tried to quickly pull her off when I thought she wasn't prepared. I failed over and over. Turning to more drastic measures, I leaned back on my computer chair, and tried pushing her over the back, forcing her into jumping off the back. It worked many times before, but not this time. The fireworks were still around, and she refused to separate.

She moved around behind my neck. I tried shifting and tilting to force her off. Inch by inch, it seemed to be working. I leaned further to my left, giving her no choice but to jump off, or fall off. Instead, she caught my right ear with one of her wicked hooked claws. Forcing me to tilt further, and closer to the floor. I pulled her claw out from my ear, and ran to the mirror. The gash was deep.

I'm getting ready for dinner. I'm absolutely starving. Kevin arrived and is at Chris' place. I hope Maggie is making extra. Did I mention I was starving?

Photo 1: I thought it was hilarious!
Photo 2: I bled for nearly an hour. >:[ BAD KITTY!

Prelude To Even More Confusion

National Holiday/Vacation time has begun.

Many people are scrambling around today, the last day of work before the mass migration to visit family during the holidays. Traffic is heavy, honking horns everywhere, cars driving on sidewalks, forcing electric bikes, motorists, vendors and even pedestrians aside.

My flatmate Paul is taking a trip with another foreigner down south, and may end up in Macau. They'll be gone for almost a week, leaving myself and my kittens. Around the time of Paul's expected return, Kevin will be visiting from Canada. Much like Santa, he is bringing gifts for all the good girls and boys. A Fossil brand watch I'm paying him for, and catnip toys for my kittens. Kev's a sucker for kitteh!

Laundry day, and downloading a few of my current favourite TV series, and studying a bit of Chinese. Mostly, the rules for writing Chinese characters.

Recalling one of my older posts (http://northkin.blogspot.com/2008/04/i-dont-understand.html) I'm making the same complaint today. Contemplating shaving my head.

Photo: Stree scene. Exact location unknown. Found in google image searching "China street". Double the volume, in the evening, a more accurate example here during this pre holiday season.

Brewing Skies: Before the Aftermath ... :P

China's spring festival is around the corner, but we already have fireworks. Although the festival is just a week long, the fireworks last for weeks. Fireworks are less frequent after the first 7 days, but maintain their "at any hour" trait every day after. Typical of cats, Sugar and Pepper bolt through the apartment, and hide under my bed covers at the sound ...

Currently practicing the rules of writing in Chinese, and a hair cut to follow. I wonder how short.

Photo: Visual wonders, angry sleepless nights.

Under A Rock

A classic scenario: I didn't realize how much I needed a cell phone until it went missing.

I never thought of it as being a big deal. Being that I’m in a foreign country, a cell phone creates a solid sense of security. If something goes wrong, being able to call for help is key.

Aside from emergencies, I relied on my phone for its calendar, alarm clock, reminders, time of day, address information, and ability to transport files from home to work. I also used it to share my English music. It was an assistant, and although I could get on without it, I don’t want to.

I don’t have a home phone.

For now, anyone hoping to contact me must send me an email, or catch me on MSN or QQ.

An old phone I used to have was recently returned to me. Its condition is, less than pretty, and missing the stylus pen. After I obtain a new SIM card and put money on it, I'll be back in action. Though having lost all my numbers and data, it’s gonna suck!

Photo: Thirsty. And, if you didn’t bust out laughing at it, you suck!