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!

A Nice Autumn Day.

File size: 6MB Format: .wmv

It really is a nice day out. The leaves are mostly turned, although some seem a faded green throughout the year (trees without vacation from city life).

In regards to my recent posts, it seems to be the popular notion that these talks MUST end in a bad way, while that may be, I would like to see it for myself. Well, I've found someone - Jason B. (Christian) who says he enjoys discussing and debating the existence of gods in deitic religions. He has agreed to join me in some discussions.

I'm trying to percieve it like a designed prophecy. That is to say, if it is feared enough - it will happen. Well I don't fear that a conversation about religion between two mature people will end poorly. There is nothing destructive about learning what specifics people use as a benchmark, a trigger, a reason for believing. That's my goal.

I bet its all snowy back in Canada.

Video: A few shots taken today, and one shot taken last year. File size: 6MB Format: .wmv Audio: Elemental Gearbolt

To be loaded when the controls to upload video are useable. At present, I am blogging via secure tunnel. As a regular occurance, it used to turn me off from blogging at all. Now, it simply forces me to return to my posts to complete them. Video or photos may be uploaded anywhere up to 5 days from now, usually.

Hungry Hungry Hippos!

File size: 529kb Format: .MP4

Another old video I found. They grow up so fast. The only difference now is, they eat more, poop more, meow more, and fall off things less. Except Sugar, she still falls off things.

Video: Low settings on my previous Amoi cell phone. Sugar and Pepper at 2 months old.

Totally sharky...complete!

File size: 3mb Format: .3gp (Quicktime)

Yes, I have returned.

I haven't started studying at university yet, work got in the way I could say. The trouble was that I had to switch employers and negotiations took longer than expected. Doing business here has it's ... interesting quirks.

In February, myself and my friend/roomate/colleague are investing in a new consultant firm. This plan started early summer. The company will offer many services but all related to foreign language learning. I'm quite excited, but will not divulge my unique business plan publicly, ... yet ;)

I'm looking forward to it, as well as being free to travel back to Canada each year. In my life, China has become as much of a home to me as Canada, and I expect to spend time in both. Once everything is securely underway, I will continue studying Chinese, but in Zhengzhou University. This time, work will not interfere. This should allow for us to work less, study more, and visit our homelands more.

Happy Thanksgiving to my friends and family! Eat lots of turkey stuffing!

Video: Sugar and Pepper. I feed them every three days, spared them the agony of all those vaccinations, and this is how they repay me, by acting crazy.