Class

Well I'm starting my 5th class at UCLA. The work seems to get more intense with every class. My goal is to maintain an A and to write something that is funny as well as thought provoking.

My Trip

I got back from Henan yesterday and had a good time. While there I got to spend the afternoon with some friends of mine. These kids live in Shen Qiu. We all had a great time. We also had the chance to eat lunch there. A fun time was had by all.

I had a wonderful day with the wife. We ate a nice lunch and walked in our old neighborhood. For me the old stomping grounds didn't really hold all that much sway for me anymore. I just don't need to be out there. The subway will open by our house in October and that will bust the city wide open. We will be able to get anywhere and not have to fight other people for cabs and stuff.

Save the Day

So I was having a minor melt down yesterday. The crowds and the people sometimes just get to you and you have to do something about it. For me that lintels staying in the house of 16 hours or so. Well yesterday I had to go out. That meant dealing with people and a minor culture clash. I was doing alright, I was holding my own when suddenly I saw it. A box of Krispy Kreme. This was impossible. I'm in Shanghai, China we don't have that. Then I found myself almost knocking the poor man down asking him where he got the doughnuts. After he recovered from the shock and two white people trapping him on the side walk he told us. We looked to no avail. I found myself next looking it up on line and setting a course to go to the store. I was there...along with everyone else. Other foreigners that knew how good Krispy Kreme was where there. They were coming out of the store with buckets of doughnuts. The red light was on and I got a fresh free doughnut. it was heaven. I woke up only a few hours ago from the shock. Somehow I made it home. My fingers are still sticky and there is an almost empty box of doughnuts in my kitchen.

One in three kids in America are overweight. Lately I have been feeling the pounds and a need to do something about it. Living in China makes it hard to be overweight. Most of the men here are under 100 kg and the women are around 50-60 kg. I now have to be proactive in my battle of the bulge. Being in America I looked like the skinny kid. I didn't feel the need to do anything extra. Now I'm Shamu the whale and feel like a puffy pink skin sack ready to burst. I will work on it. I have to. My knees can't take the weight any longer. Well, it's lunch time. Let's see what I can't eat.

Day 2 of Rain Day 1 of No Google

This storm has just caused a steady rain to fall for about 18 hours. Are clothes that we have drying are slowly going from wet to damp. The whole city is covered in a haze and people are walking around like they are half asleep. It is almost a fitting memorial to the death of Google.cn. The relationship was rough from the start but finally Google is leave because of "irreconcilable" differences. This is not something the government wanted to happen so close to the world Expo. they would of preferred that Google leave after the opening on May first, but alas Google found it's cause again and saw that China is not ready for an open internet. In fact, most of the local internet users here don't know that they do not have access to information. It is this tiny fact that causes confusion between Chinese and Westerners when we talk about this issue. They don't have anything to compare it too. They have been told that they are free and that they have rights and find it odd that outsiders keep telling them that they are not free. This begs us to ask what freedom is and how we realize it.

Where is Google

Google has now been completely shut off from internet users in Shanghai. Not even Google Hong Kong is accessible. The heated debate that has erupted on many news sites might have lent a hand in the decision by the government to block Google all together. So far world opinion is not in favor of China censoring it's internet searches, but local internet are following the party line in backing up the government. It has been China's history to buck at outside involvement in most aspects of social or political life. The internet might be the 21st century catalyst that shuts China off from the world again.

Google

The war has begun today. I like so many others in this country will be the casualties. Google looks to be pulling out of China and causing all sorts of issue for expats like myself. Right now it looks like the government is blocking most sight related to Google on Google Hong Kong. I'm only able to access Blogger and Facebook by internet slight of hand. Will try to keep you updated...however you are.

Rain

The sun was out but the rain has come again. One thing about living in this city is that it will rain on you all the time. it doesn't matter what time of year we just have to live with the rain. It also makes for the worse cold. I know some one out there is thinking about Mongolia or something (just a side note, I have been to Mongolia) and no, shanghai doesn't get that cold. Shanghai however has a unique ability to keep you chilled. going into stores or offices doesn't seem to help you warm up. You can go hours out side then all of the sudden realize that your toes are aching. It's strange.

Starting Again

It has been a long time. Blogging has not been as important to me lately because I know that no one reads my post. Most of the time that is alright. I'm able to "confess" in the open almost to no one. Still the disconnect is there. A whole world and no one knows me, but could with one click of a mouse button. Still I have hope. I have started writing again. This time more serious than ever before. I'm looking to sell my stories and maybe make some money of of them. After a time of being in the dark I now can see some light. In the light all things will be know that can be known.