tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250919632011-12-14T11:53:09.978+08:00Just your average multiracial American stuck in Beijing. Media studies, culture(clash) and snark, all with a dash of MSG. Join me on my endless search for the best pork bun. Live from China, dubbed in my (very) poor version of Mandarin.JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.comBlogger671100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1157712667551975022006-09-08T18:43:00.000+08:002006-09-08T18:51:07.566+08:00

In my next lifetime, I want to be a meteorologist. It seems like there is some random science involved, but let's be honest: the majority of your time is spent trying to read a teleprompter while pointing to a white blob of air mass on the green screen.I had no idea you had to work your way around cockroaches though. That's tough; as in tapping your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1155478132955469662006-08-30T22:03:00.000+08:002006-08-30T20:39:42.136+08:00

[NOTE: Yeah it's been a while. China censors, I'm lazy, I've been working, yadda yadda yadda. No excuses, bring on the fun.]I've seen my fair share of gaudy and questionable exercise machines, but fat cell vibration is the laziest, and stupidest concept of all. The idea is that you stand (or sit) on a machine that shakes you like a can of paint (or a baby that won't stop crying) and the fat

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1155223070528291412006-08-10T22:57:00.000+08:002006-08-13T16:08:49.963+08:00

We decided to finally do something about our hideous apartment. As of last week, we still had 4 moving boxes and our landlord's ugly furniture in the living room. This weekend we drove to Beijing's Classical Furniture District: it's in the southeast corner of the city, with the neighborhood entrance right next to a smelting factory.We went to Lily's Antiques, a reputable location known for their

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1155042249616134432006-08-08T20:48:00.000+08:002006-08-08T21:04:09.716+08:00

I love politically incorrect products. I saw this in a mainstream drugstore and had to buy it. They're fake cigarettes. It's just chocolate wrapped in white paper though. Apparently, after kids consume one stick, they promise themselves it will be the last one. It was sitting right next to the M&M's too, so there's no novelty joke being told (I expect to find this alongside Jalapeno-flavored

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1154876668812318472006-08-06T22:32:00.000+08:002006-08-06T23:04:28.950+08:00

Beijing men are missing out on great progress when it comes to underarm protection.The past four months I have found zero decent deodorants available for men in the city. It seems that the only version available are roll-on deodorants. Girls may not know this, but there's a simple reason men and roll-ons don't mix: stuck hair leads to painful pinches.Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that there's only

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1154520642653507622006-08-02T19:57:00.000+08:002006-08-02T22:20:58.583+08:00

My trip to Shanghai felt like an odd mix of a history lesson and a quick dunk in a tub of Appletini. I can write a treatise on the mixed emotions stirred by Shanghai as a whole, but you already have Ambien to put you to sleep...The long Shanghai weekend was like eating an Atkins-style serving of mashed potatoes that was actually made with cauliflower: you can sense a glimmer of the cosmopolitan

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1154356610919584922006-07-31T22:19:00.000+08:002006-07-31T22:57:22.066+08:00

The face of J-Lo is plastered all over Beijing as of late...But no, it's not for this season's Louis Vuitton campaign. It's for Lux, a mass market beauty brand mainly popular in Asia.American actors usually have contract clauses preventing their commercials from making it to the mainland; however, thanks to YouTube, you can bask in the glory of Jennifer Lopez's lustruous hair. Check it out:Can

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1153837118690873562006-07-28T21:58:00.000+08:002006-07-31T17:34:28.096+08:00

http://chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-07/25/content_648749.htmA sticky side effect of China's rapid modernization is the equally fast rise in obesity rates. While it's not quite the "1-in-3 is obese!" epidemic of the United States (I didn't really see that in California though), there are telling signs that the KFCs and McDonald's are having their effect on the mainlanders. Which is why articles

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1153968950233243682006-07-27T10:45:00.000+08:002006-07-27T10:55:50.276+08:00

Borat, the glorious Kazakh reporter from Da Ali G Show, is premiering his new movie this fall.I don't know how he can possibly extend a 3-minute joke to a whole movie, but the movie title proves promising: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of KazakhstanCheck out the trailer here (Apple Trailers). *end*

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1153835876686346402006-07-25T21:23:00.000+08:002006-07-26T09:20:45.780+08:00

One scorching Saturday morning we decided to visit Lama Temple, Beijing's most popular Tibetan Buddhist temple. We picked up our awesome folding bikes and made the 7 km journey. Oh, did I mention it was a humid 105 degrees in the city? Enjoy the slideshow:This guy paid 10 kuai to hit the bell. I offered the same dude 20 kuai if I could hit him with the stick, because he was an actual gong show

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1153833380557244562006-07-25T21:04:00.000+08:002006-07-26T08:59:38.306+08:00

Bicycles are the preferred mode of transportation in Beijing. It's free (after the initial fixed cost), traffic is in one's favor, and it's good for the body.It seems like Beijingers try to carry everything with their bikes though. I've seen beds, cases of beer, washing machines, and a set of twins all in the back of a bike or a sidecar. For example, M found an awesome armoire in a street fair,

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1153230025160092792006-07-18T21:36:00.000+08:002006-07-18T22:02:10.040+08:00

People show more skin during the summer: it's a fact. Women bring out the skirts and the halter tops, while men wear wifebeaters and shorts. When the day hits 100F/40C, it's even considered socially acceptable for men to go shirtless. The men of Beijing have found a 'third way': half-shirt and half-bare. See the example below:I see at least a quarter of the neighborhood males do this routine.

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1153062462899859282006-07-16T23:03:00.000+08:002006-07-17T20:57:00.640+08:00

Before moving to Beijing, I owned a phatty Volvo S40 LSE. It sounds like a soccer mom ride, but that machine served me well. Sometimes M, friends and coworkers would take funny swipes at the ride (Examples: 'Aren't you late for your PTA meeting?' Or, 'The Vassar Professors Mixer is on tonight, right?'). However when it came to get-togethers, moving parties or Ikea runs, my Volvo was always at the

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1153055880593427682006-07-16T21:08:00.000+08:002006-07-17T23:53:16.776+08:00

After three months of patience, we finally got our freight from San Francisco. The past ninety days, we've been forced to live off of three cases worth of clothing.It's funny how I expected to have way more stuff than what actually arrived though: it seems like a quarter of our 500-lb. expat allocation went to packing tape and packing peanuts.I agonized over the idea of a weight limit: I knew

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1152668326813767672006-07-12T08:56:00.000+08:002006-07-17T20:59:10.833+08:00

Quoting a former colleague, "Kids are crazy, man... they crazy."[sic]Childhood takes on a unique spirit in Beijing, where most kids are products of one-child households. They are what's called the 'little emperors', a term meant to evoke both the doting they receive from parents and the spoiled attitude that results from being an only child.A new book has been published that apparently compiles

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1152455501643232012006-07-09T22:08:00.000+08:002006-07-17T20:59:52.480+08:00

The Asian version of HBO is still stuck in the 80s, pre-Sopranos and Entourage. Here's a movie that was on this weekend:Yes, the lead characters are corporate mascots. And yes, that is Mickey Rourke and Don Johnson, I'm assuming after their respective careers stalled. Oh yes, I had to watch at least 15 minutes. It's amazing what you have to do to stay awake before the World Cup final. Speaking of

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1152149609939886402006-07-06T09:08:00.000+08:002006-07-17T21:00:25.260+08:00

Beijing has muggy summers punctuated by scary thunderstorms. One night, we got caught in one of these mini-monsoons and ran to the nearest restaurant. It had wet floors and was hazy with cigarette smoke, but that's just what to expect with a small neighborhood restaurant with rain-stranded customers. We ordered three dishes, one of which was a hand-pulled chicken stew. I had no idea they meant

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1151990604415139762006-07-04T13:03:00.000+08:002006-07-17T21:01:03.296+08:00

Right around noon on July 4, a 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit Beijing. The epicenter was pinpointed about an hour south of the city, according to Chinese officials.I felt my table and office door shake, and quickly asked around if anyone felt it. It seems like no one is familiar with earthquakes around these here parts, as everyone laughed off my questions. Being a San Fran native (2 years count,

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1151942470066405422006-07-04T00:00:00.000+08:002006-07-04T09:38:12.683+08:00

MUZAK-Lauryn Hill/Why Am I So Old/Post #50It's funny how money changes situations... it's also funny how a simple task like recharging an iPod can lead to a 3-hour time warp via one's music history.Today I shuffled through my old "Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" CD. More specifically, the song 'Lost Ones'. It's amazing how current the song (and the whole album) sounds after 8 years.I uploaded it for

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1151938894459382032006-07-03T22:36:00.000+08:002006-07-03T23:01:34.540+08:00

News from the Hinterland: On-the-go Execution Machines(Picture source: USA Today)This van is Dr. Kevorkian resurrected as a Chinese vehicle. It's funny how articles like this completely escape my notice now that I'm in Beijing. Yep, it's from USA Today, best known for their inane cartoon stats and their role as airport timewasters. The article's a little old, but still fairly interesting. The

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1151725707859303972006-07-01T11:10:00.000+08:002006-07-01T11:48:27.966+08:00

Chinese AcrobatsAcrobats shows in China are crazy. First off, the ticket pricing is out of whack: the cheapest seats get you in front of the stage, as opposed to the nosebleed section. Next, the performers all look like sixteen-year-olds. (I guess I can blame this on my new fear of getting old). Some pictures courtesy of Bivian:I've decided to pursue spinning plates as my new "China hobby". If

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1151334367362926852006-06-27T00:58:00.000+08:002006-06-26T23:07:22.440+08:00

Taglish (or Tagalog-English) Gone WildI love a good Filipino variety show. There's no better source for cornball, poorly planned, and random hootenanny entertainment on G-d's green earth. The shows all follow the same routine: throw a couple of 80's-style dance numbers here, a couple of karaoke-style duets there, and one finale involving a bit of both. This video is from a popular Filipino

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1151317362574126492006-06-26T18:06:00.000+08:002006-06-26T18:22:42.626+08:00

Karaoke FeverAs part of the goodbye sendoff to Viv and Ben--who have now gone spelunking into the belly of China/Vietnam--we went to a karaoke palace called PartyWorld. The place looks like a retrofitted Hilton Hotel. Large reception areas greet you at every floor, man made waterfalls are in each corner, and of course let's not forget the private rooms that are as gaudy as they are awesome. A

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1151156960044193442006-06-24T21:43:00.000+08:002006-06-24T21:49:54.570+08:00

MEDIA STUDY: "Log Entry", part 2Looks like my old post on Beijing's poop patrol hit a nerve, so to speak. Asians love potty humor, and this video below shows toilet practical jokes at their finest.Thanks for the link, Carla! *fin*

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1150978837490631462006-06-22T19:31:00.000+08:002006-06-22T23:13:03.883+08:00

Who Will Justin Timberlake Copy Next?This morning I checked out a news article announcing that Justin Timberlake--that dude who got out of the boy band inferno and salvaged a successful solo career (along with some street cred...well, as much as a white Mickey Mouse Club alum can muster)--is coming out with a new album. Here's the link from Trent.I don't have a problem with Justin. His music's

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1150857481937835632006-06-21T10:32:00.000+08:002006-06-21T23:43:42.516+08:00

Field Trip: Great WallThis past weekend, the foursome (Ben, Vivvy, M, and me) made the trek up to the Great Wall. We started from the Simatai section and hiked up the unrestored path to Jinshangling. The uphill trek took 3+ hours, but the views made up for the wicked steep paths and crazy hot weather.Some pictures (Gracias Ben!)Before the hike (and the looming trail of death in the background):A

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1150210995794979182006-06-13T22:11:00.000+08:002006-06-13T23:44:43.663+08:00

Another "Log" Entry from BeijingIt's been a while since I did a proper China update. We moved to Beijing ten weeks ago, and I guess it's fair to say that things are going smoothly. The weird food and debilitating weather patterns are no longer suprising. It makes for an easier life, but a really poor storytelling pattern.So I thought real hard about things that still scared me about China and

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1149518362890587042006-06-05T22:32:00.000+08:002006-06-07T22:42:34.386+08:00

Next Week: Pat Robertson Cures Avian Flu using his Mama's Fried Chicken RecipeYou have to feel bad for today's gym rats. Pat Robertson, the Chosen One (for which team, I still don't know) has made the super announcement that he can squat 1000 pounds.Those are awesome legs of steel, I tell ya. Seriously, I complain about having to lift my Converse shoe with each step by day's end, and here we

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1149388876113529352006-06-04T10:29:00.000+08:002006-06-05T22:32:32.086+08:00

Beijing Weather Hits the Big TimeLooks like my fair city's games with rockets, silver iodides, and artificial storms are finally getting some decent press coverage. An excerpt from Newsweek:Today Chinese rainmakers are among the world’s busiest. Beijing's nationwide weather-modification budget exceeds $50 million a year. The communist regime’s 11th Five Year Plan, which kicked off this year,

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1148825715613642162006-05-28T21:51:00.000+08:002006-05-28T22:15:15.713+08:00

Lapses in Product MarketingWe have a private/illegal satellite that captures a feed from the Philippines. This means that in addition to normal channels like CNN and BBC, we get more than a dozen Filipino channels. Once in a while I'll check out what's up in Manila, and I always get sucked in by the awesome Filipino commercials. This one product pitch made me spit my juice though.This is

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1148224885858686412006-05-21T22:25:00.000+08:002006-05-21T23:21:25.976+08:00

Archie Through the YearsArchie comicbooks were a secret guilty pleasure way back in the day. The combination of Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica, and Reggie were my sanitized daydreams of high school life... obviously I was a dumb kid. I then started watching Saved by the Bell to get some pointers on how to be cool (again, I was dumb).So I was surprised by an article saying that Archie, Betty,

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1148051533072461072006-05-19T20:31:00.000+08:002006-05-20T17:28:59.916+08:00

Media Study: I want my JCTV!What's worse than having your cable or satellite out and have all channels go blank? How about having your satellite fritz out and have all your channels gone EXCEPT for one: JESUS TV!Actually it's worse than that. I'm a fan of 700 Club and Pat Robertson's quirky pontifications. One day he'll be hawking his 700 Club Pancakes ('Fresh flapjacks from our Savior!'); 24

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1148041030033912712006-05-18T19:49:00.000+08:002006-05-19T20:17:10.140+08:00

Ragamuffin Files 03: WINDOWSThe new apartment has lots of ledge space, which is a great treat for Spencer.Considering the fact that we can see into 100 other apartments and a huge park from our view, it must be all one big Hitchcock-Vertigo moment for him. He's like a whiskered Peeping Tom.The cat is also in *lurrrve* with the funky curtains I've been trying to replace. The curtains were made for

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1147786405837687002006-05-16T21:19:00.000+08:002006-05-16T21:34:19.156+08:00

Can't Dubya Get a Break?Yesterday, George W. Bush proposed a plan to send 5,000 troops to guard the desert--which begs the question: how did Cheney manage to miss sending that many soldiers to Iraq?!? The veep will be right pissed now.His speech was nothing special, but the best part was the faux pas before a 'My fellow Americans" was uttered. Networks ran the feed sooner than his scheduled start

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1147705623478095412006-05-15T22:36:00.000+08:002006-05-16T21:19:03.780+08:00

Word GamesBored, bored, bored. Gored, gored, gored... This is the reason bullfighting is still legal.And this afternoon, Beijing hit 90 degrees. Tonight, a real thunderstorm. Booyah. **fin**

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1147617011213594862006-05-14T21:53:00.000+08:002006-05-14T22:30:11.463+08:00

Field Trip: Hong Kong, conclusionMacau! We decided to go to Macau on a gray Hong Kong Saturday. The island is only an hour away via ferry; add the fact that I constantly hear people call it the gambling mecca of Asia (a big statement because us Asians know how to gamble), and it was too good a field trip idea to pass up.The intriguing part of Macau is its Portuguese heritage. Seeing Catholic,

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1147274071629657242006-05-10T22:52:00.000+08:002006-05-10T23:14:31.706+08:00

Don't Mess With Mother Nature I was chatting with a good friend from D.C. and I mentioned that the awesome Beijing scientists brought rain to our fair city yesterday (to clean up the nasty dust from the sandstorms, perhaps?). She didn't believe me... so here you go, Amy. This one's for ya. BEIJING (AP) -- Chinese weather specialists used chemicals to engineer Beijing's heaviest rainfall of the

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1147088418085692582006-05-08T19:11:00.000+08:002006-05-08T19:40:20.480+08:00

Field Trip, Hong Kong part 2Lantau Island Hong Kong has much more to offer than world-class shopping, great nightlife, and lovely people (source: Hong Kong tourism board). There's a significant amount of land reserved for parks and greenery, and beaches are a stone's throw from the city center. I decided to visit Po Lin monastery, famous for an 86-foot tall Buddha sculpture sitting on top of a

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1147085953395866442006-05-08T18:32:00.000+08:002006-05-08T18:59:13.976+08:00

On the Maid Rebound Our maid quit on us after two visits. She complained that we required too much ironing, and that she 'don't play that game.' I don't want to complain, but there were 5 shirts total... The sad part is that our apartment is really easy to clean: we have no furniture and our stuff hasn't even arrived from California. It's like being dumped by a good first-date: you had dreams of

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1146825892497123532006-05-05T18:25:00.000+08:002006-05-05T18:44:52.663+08:00

CHINGLISH! #1My Mandarin speaking level is without a doubt worse than a 2-year-old's. But I don't let this little detail stop me from enjoying the garish English which passes for marketing copy around here. If I have to endure the wisecracks of locals because I mispronounced the Mandarin term for bathroom, then I have an equal right to feel superior with my 10th-grade English reading level. [But

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1146666260078656782006-05-03T21:54:00.000+08:002006-05-03T22:24:20.090+08:00

Field Trip-- Hong Kong, part 1You step off the airport, and the humidity hits you like a wave of greasy goodness. Ahh yes, I haven't been this close to the Equator since 2001... Hong Kong is awesome, but the best part is the city's professed love for shopping. Even in the stifling air, the peeps were keeping it real with clothes that actually matched. On the other hand, my month in Beijing

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1146584561135104122006-05-01T23:42:00.000+08:002006-05-03T00:09:54.963+08:00

I Love Air ChinaAir China rocks the house. As the flagship carrier of the People's Republic, they get prime access to all the Chinese cities; add the fact that they codeshare with United (I get UAL Mileage Points for flying the A.C.) and they are okay in my book. The following items put them over the edge though:1) Best...safety video...ever. There's no available YouTube link for this one, but

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1146581590726878302006-05-01T22:45:00.000+08:002006-05-02T23:41:35.956+08:00

RAGAMUFFIN FILES 02: Home AloneUh-oh, somebody's got a new toy...When you leave your pet orphaned for a week while you whoop it up in Hong Kong, you have to buy them a new toy. It works just like a Catholic indulgence, a deposit for the guilt associated with leaving them alone.Thankfully, Beijing has tons of cheap labor ready to fill the gap of fake parenting. The day before our flight to H.K.,

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1146582949919481112006-04-30T22:53:00.000+08:002006-05-02T23:15:49.990+08:00

Little StoriesSorry for the late update. Two things happened:1) We went to Hong Kong to get our visas renewed last week. The city (or Special Administrative Region, as termed by the Chinese government) is a model metropolis. You have orderly lines for cabs everywhere you turn, a subway with car floors so clean you could eat off them, zero taxes on already cheap shopping, and a population that is

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1146066805439776622006-04-26T23:28:00.000+08:002006-04-26T23:53:25.523+08:00

Palais de Fortune!I'm currently in Hong Kong getting reacquainted with the English language, proper shopping, clear air, and a new Chinese visa, so I'll keep this short and sweet.In Beijing, there are a couple thousand new housing compounds opening, but this one is my favorite. I always compared gaudy Chinese nouveau-riche interior design to that of a reincarnated Louis XIV-Liberace hybrid. This

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1145931652833006042006-04-24T10:12:00.000+08:002006-04-25T10:20:52.856+08:00

Prez Hu and CNN China, and why Malaysia is Truly AsiaLast week made for a fun time watching CNN. The Chinese president was making the rounds in my homeland, and that meant lots of button pushing from the China censors.50% of the news reports about the visit were blacked out. It's a fairly innocuous process: one second you're watching a newscaster begin talking about China, and then the screen

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1145890936112888032006-04-23T22:45:00.000+08:002006-04-25T08:07:04.216+08:00

Theater Fever This weekend, I finally came across my first movie theater. It was exciting: there's no easier way to beat homesickness than to watch Basic Instinct 2, maybe this time with an audience that doesn't snicker whenever Sharon Stone spreads her legs. [On a side note, Sharon Stone has a super large billboard in the center of the city for Dior Skincare. She's pretty big outside the U.S.,

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1145530961799752622006-04-20T18:50:00.000+08:002006-04-20T19:05:45.173+08:00

Cash Culture: Why I won't earn Amex Points in BeijingChina is just beginning to get used to credit cards. There's no getting around that point. Each time we pull out a card in a restaurant is like a fun game of Balderdash; we hear a funny excuse as to why we can't use our Visa or Amex... Here's a sampling of excuses:>> "Oh we only take Visa cards." "But this a Visa card." (Pause) "We don't

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1145441503840726762006-04-19T17:21:00.000+08:002006-04-19T22:09:35.353+08:00

Treasure Hunt #3: ApartmentsYou can tell a lot about a person by their choice of furniture. People with La-Z-Boys have relaxed personalities, those with Ikea chairs love a good deal, etc...What I learned from my potential landlords is that they have a distinctly funny perception of Western standards of luxury. Combine the ostentatious Louis XIV with a dash of shiny Liberace and you end up with a

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1145359197652858782006-04-18T17:50:00.000+08:002006-04-18T21:08:10.993+08:00

Media Study 02: Star Jones, Little Britain I turned on CNN today to find Star Jones taking over as host for Larry King tonight (17 April). What a trip: Star has her serious eyelashes and Hillary powersuit on.She is working it: the hair is pulled back, and not once does she remind the audience that Payless shoes are the biz-omb. She does slap the viewer with the well-known fact that she is

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1145260239146457652006-04-17T15:41:00.000+08:002006-04-17T15:50:39.366+08:00

Beijing Sandstorms From Reuters today: (article here)"A sand storm struck the Chinese capital on Monday, covering homes, streets and cars in brown dust and leaving the skies a murky yellow as it suffers its worst pollution in years ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics." The actual storm took place early this morning, so I didn't get to check out the flying sand action. The aftermath is scary

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1145014164597519782006-04-15T19:27:00.000+08:002006-04-15T19:56:31.206+08:00

Ragamuffin Files: Meowing Pains [This is for the folks who've asked for cat updates. If you hate cute kittens and/or are one of those physics freaks into using cats as examples for solving momentum problems, then move on... I won't be offended, promise] My cat has gone rotten ever since his arrival.What used to be a calm, playful Spencer is turning into a whiny, needy kitty.Each morning at five

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1145037814299879872006-04-15T01:52:00.000+08:002006-04-15T02:07:41.630+08:00

Media Study 1: Pop Tart Cyndi WangWithout the magic of Top Model to keep me company, I've been forced to hunt around the slim pickings of Beijing television. I saw this video on the MTV channel rival and immediately fell in love.1) Cyndi Wang is a Taiwanese pop star slash soap star slash actress. Apparently she does it all. She's very pretty, I must admit. I almost imagine the two of us going to

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1144942823455693902006-04-13T23:03:00.000+08:002006-04-14T19:27:14.300+08:00

Weird Food Chronicles #1: Huo GUO! [Hot Pot]Chinese Hot pots are the culinary equivalent of getting a coffee enema. To the unfamiliar, hot pot is the food style where you dip thin slices of meat and veggies (mutton is the most popular meat cut in Beijing...followed by chicken feet) into a boiling vat of really spicy chili oil broth. Familiar relatives of this cuisine include the Japanese

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1144854405965553012006-04-12T22:46:00.000+08:002006-04-12T23:06:46.026+08:00

Dreamland: Free ATMs and Lotto Tickets It's a given that the cost of living is a bit cheaper in China, so I'll reserve a lesson on the Big Mac Price index for another day. The most rewarding part of the trip so far is getting to discover little gems that you never get to enjoy in America (again, besides things being cheaper). I discovered that Chinese banks do not charge ATM fees for using

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1144763580109365382006-04-11T21:38:00.000+08:002006-04-11T21:53:00.170+08:00

Dusty Spring-fieldsAsian cities are notorious for being a little, uh, polluted. The Chinese government has a website that publishes a daily pollution index for the country's major cities. I'd like to think it's to help the public determine the proper garb to wear for the outdoors ("A gray tunic to match the gray smog, eh Comrade Williams?"), The Chinese index actually follows the U.S. EPA Index

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1145258807535894862006-04-10T15:13:00.000+08:002006-04-17T15:26:47.543+08:00

What is Flipblack? Millions have asked for a definition. So here it is: flipblack is a slang term for a multiracial person whose heritage is half Filipino, half African-American. Jay-Z is an example.Carry on, peeps. **完成**

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1144663406668519012006-04-09T17:50:00.000+08:002006-04-10T18:03:26.770+08:00

The Barbers of Beijing I got a haircut today. It's not too hot. I can't blame the stylist: I just wanted him to clean up the back and take a little off the top, but Matt only gave me one Mandarin phrase to work with...yidiandian (which translates to "A little little bit!"). Saying it over and over again does not make it any clearer.The barber was obviously working on his first head of curls.

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1144425068016517422006-04-07T23:42:00.000+08:002006-04-07T23:51:08.083+08:00

My First Kid With Pant SlitOn my way to an interview this morning, I saw my first kid wearing pants with a back slit. I've been told about these pants before, but never saw them firsthand till today.Apparently they are a popular potty-training tool for the little tykes. The boy I saw squatted, but no tooting took place.{This wasn't my photo obviously. That would have been weird, me snatching a

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1144229709322137352006-04-05T17:19:00.000+08:002006-05-06T17:02:44.143+08:00

BananaHammock MascotsOr, the Simmering Homoeroticism in Asian Product MarketingThis week we've been tossed around from building to building, looking at open apartments. It's an arduous process for three reasons:1) Beijing is huge. It's not a matter of choosing Upper West versus Upper East... Each building complex is like a small city unto itself. Each one has completely different selling

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1144161437116847152006-04-04T21:44:00.000+08:002006-04-04T22:37:17.166+08:00

The Final CountdownIt seems as though the book is definitely closed for the Bluth family and Arrested Development, as the show's creator decided to back out of any future productions. It's hard to pick out any one best episode or character from the show, so here's a good compilation of the good times from the show. Check out the three seasons on Netflix and some choice highlights below. You can

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1144036750941063882006-04-03T11:22:00.000+08:002006-04-03T16:44:08.536+08:00

Treasure Hunt # 2: Phone NumberThe Chinese have discovered a great way of turning phone activation into a nice little treasure hunt.I went in the shop with a GSM phone in tow, so all I really needed was a SIM card."I'd like to get a SIM card for this phone please." The guy turns around and drops two thick notebooks on the counter. He mumbled something that M had to translate."He said pick a

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1143939176500540202006-04-02T08:44:00.000+08:002006-04-02T17:39:14.243+08:00

What is Love?Kids have some profound answers to life's hardest questions. A clip from Wonder Showzen, a wickedly inspired spoof of daytime children's schlock. **完成**

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1143794221226826992006-03-31T16:35:00.000+08:002006-04-02T18:56:34.693+08:00

Treasure Hunt #1: Toilet PaperDay 4, AM: This morning M had his first work appointment, so I was left to explore Beijing on my own. After a subpar breakfast of rice soup and dumplings, I walked down our home turf--Jianguomenwai--to a grocery store to pick up some toilet paper, and perhaps some thousand-year egg or whatever fun thing I can show off to friends later. I arrived to find that the

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1143794116133811702006-03-30T16:25:00.000+08:002006-04-02T18:57:20.723+08:00

QUARANTINEOr, How My Pet Forgave MeMarch 30, AM: I woke up at 5am with my right arm still asleep, and my cat, Spencer, looking up half-awake from his usual curled-up napping position. It's only my third full day in Beijing, but a routine already seems to be building, not unlike life in CA.Spencer was picked up in the fall of '04 from a Bay Area pound. I went there with the intention of getting

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1143797133495383402006-03-29T16:44:00.000+08:002006-04-02T18:57:48.900+08:00

Happy EndingsAdventures in Massage TherapyDay 2 in Beijing, PM: We woke up from a jetlag induced four-hour nap hungry and a little bored. Our cat was still in quarantine hell and we needed a good diversion. M suggested going for a massage before taking in a late meal. I winced at the idea, and just in time a flashback--a la Wayne and Garth--took place.I hate the idea of massages. I take that back

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25091963.post-1143800020752338942006-03-28T17:56:00.000+08:002006-04-02T17:35:39.510+08:00

FelicitationsOr, How I Flew to China Based on an Overwrought WB ShowOn March 27th, I took a flight from California, USA to Beijing, China to take on a new life. I never gave a complete enough answer to friends and family who asked why; it just felt right, personally and professionally.It reminds me of the first episode of Felicity, the first (and best) show by Lost/Alias creator J.J. Abrams.

JDWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01743898575217906767noreply@blogger.com0