A Motorcycle Built for Two

Daisy, Daisy,
Give me your answer do!
I'm half crazy,
All for the love of you!
It won't be a stylish marriage,
I can't afford a carriage
But you'll look sweet upon the seat
Of a motorcycle made for two.



Okay commenters send me a caption for this picture!

Photo from moobol.com

Haiku

Umi ni dete
Kogarashi kaeru
Tokoro nashi

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Things to do in Guangzhou if you are bored - Go to the XinJiang Restaurant and watch the bellydancers

Yes, that is a real snake. This little slideshow is from my recent visit to the XinJiang restaurant in GuangZhou. The food is from XinJiang province and is Muslim food, no pork - mainly lamb. The Chinese people in Xinjiang are mainly Muslim and belong to the Uyghur minority group. They do not resemble the Han Chinese but closely resemble the people of Kazakstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Norvell Spearman, Jr.

Thirteen years ago today was the last time we spoke, the last time I heard your voice. You were in Hialeah, I was in Atlanta. We discussed plans about seeing each other during Christmas. Little did I know that this would be the last time that we would speak. I would have loved to have used a different picture but this is all I have left of you. This picture and precious memories.

During our time together, we had our disagreements - brothers always do. But you were much more than a brother. You were 15 years my senior. More of a father to me than a brother. You took me places with you and entertained me. You shared your life and knowledge with me. You gave me a great appreciation of reading, you taught me how to play chess, how to fish and when no one else could understand my problems, you were always there to lend an ear, to give suggestions.

I remember the summer I spent with you in Arkansas. Both of us so far away from home. Playing chess, reading my first Sherlock Holmes story - "A Study in Scarlet" - which you bought for me, getting up early and fishing at the lake (I cast your prized rod and reel into the lake and you dove in and got it), making instant pizza, eatin' raisins and baptizing me into Christ. Precious memories, how they linger.

You would be proud of your children. They are great, intelligent kids, they miss you deeply. You also have a wonderful granddaughter that was born the year after you died. You would love her. Intelligent, beautiful girl with your brown eyes.

I am sorry that we didn't have more time together. I miss you brother. How you ever flood my soul.

Things to do in Guangzhou if you are bored - Go to Hong Kong!

From Hong Kong Tri...

My trip last weekend to Hong Kong. This a view from Victoria Peak overlooking the skyscrapers of Hong Kong island. In the distance, across the bay, is Kowloon. Had baby-back ribs at Hard Rock Cafe and a great American style breakfast - a Denver omelet - at The Flying Pan in Wan Chai.

Below is a view of the Christmas decorations in Hong Kong at the shopping center near the Star Ferry terminal.

Things to do in Guangzhou if you are bored

Here is my list of things to do in Guangzhou if you are bored. I will expand on these in later posts.

1. Walk around outside and watch the people.
2. Screw with the minds of the cab drivers.
3. Get a massage at the blind people massage place.
4. Find new places to eat.
5. Buy a puppy.
6. Get a foot massage.
7. Try and read a Chinese newspaper.
8. Get a pedicure. (Okay I know this sounds gay but it's not. Bored people do strange things!)
9. Progressive subway stop exploring.
10. Leave town and go to Hong Kong or Macau.
11. Go to the XinJiang restaurant and watch the bellydancers.

Okay, as I said before, I will expand on each of these in later posts.

Thanksgiving in China

Another Thanksgiving. Last year I was home...home enjoying the food and the company of my family. This year, in China...a lot lonesome and a lot wishing for some good ham, turkey and potato salad.

So yesterday was Thursday here, still Wednesday in the states...but since it was Thursday I guess yesterday was Thanksgiving here for me. Nothing special! No turkey, no ham but DUCK.

I have an 阿姨 (a yi - literal interpretation "auntie" but more accurate translation is housekeeper). She is 65 years old and she buys the groceries for dinner every evening, does the laundry and cleans the apartment. She fixes dinner, cleans the pots and pans and then leaves. All this for 1,500 RMB per month including groceries - around $225 US dollars. I leave the food selection up to her - she can choose anything but fish, snake or dog and no chicken feet.

Last night's "Thanksgiving Meal" consisted of a small duck cooked in red peppers - chopped up in bite size pieces (bones and all), fried cabbage and of course, rice. The duck wasn't bad, a little spicy but delicious. I hate the Chinese way of chopping up chickens and ducks into the bite-sized pieces and having to eat around the bone. I am really not fond of poultry but if I must just give me a good ol' boneless chicken breast.

Anyway that was the meal. I washed it all down with a big 620 ML bottle of ZhuJiang beer. I then washed that down with a half a bottle of 白酒 baijiu (Chinese 'white lightning' - 56% alchohol). Needless to say, when I finished my Thanksgiving meal I was well snockered. I decided to go out for coffee which is something I rarely do. Two double shot expressos. My cousin Buddy always said that "drinking coffeee does not sober a drunk. All you have is a woke-up drunk." And thats what I was, a "woke-up drunk".

Went to the apartment, tried to sleep. Too much coffee and too many things on my mind. Finally fell asleep around 3 this morning.

This morning, not feeling too well. A little turkey, a lot of ham, a lot of potato salad would definitely have been better and a wiser choice. And thats what its all about isn't it? Making wise choices, something I always fail to do.

Anyway, enough of my rambling and post-drunken depression. I wish to all my family and friends a Happy Thanksgiving. Please eat a little for me.

我想

远永远永。。。人个这爱。。。静静安安。。。平平
和和活生我让。。。骗不，言谎不。。。题问的我都。。。密秘的我都，事故的我诉告都我人个一有

Awesome

Well it's been a while since I have posted. Not much going on...but had to write about this. I am sitting in my hotel room in the new Wynn Casino in Macau --- AWESOME! Huge room overlooking the water in Macau and just finished a great American style breakfast here in the room. Been a long time since scrambled eggs, bacon and toast with real strawberry jam.

Not gambling, no Texas Hold'em but what a fun city! A meeting here today, then on to Dongguan, Shanghai, Yangzhou, Ningbo and then back to Guangzhou. Been a busy week last week, Hong Kong and the Canton Fair, and will be a busy week this week.

19-2606

Taxi Talk

Sometimes revelations come from strange places and the angels that deliver them are often disguised as pretty common folk. Such was the case today as my cab driver said some things to me that I have often thought, but never verbalized. Today's conversation was one of the most interesting experiences I have had in my life...I hated to get out of the cab. I see things a little more clearer now, I understand things a lot better. Today's taxi ride was a call to action...

6 Months

I recently received news from the states that a former co-worker of mine has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The doctors have told him that it is terminal and he has 6 months to live. This has been in my thoughts constantly since I have heard the news. We worked together for almost 5 years, during this time we had a lot of fun, we also had our share of disagreements. Hearing this news makes the memory of the good times seem so important and the disagreements seem so trivial. My heart and prayers go out to him and his family and I can only hope and pray that the doctors are wrong. He is a man of strong determination, if anyone can prove the doctors wrong, it will be him.

Back in June I came across the following entry from a fellow blogger. For some unknown reason I chose to save it on my computer and I discovered it again today.

"What if you learned tomorrow that you had but six short months to live?

This is the perspective the psalmist prayed God would give him. He said, “Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath” (Psalm 39:4-5).

Thus, contemplating life’s numbered days can and should be a positive experience. If you are so inclined, perhaps the following questions will be of some assistance. If you knew you only had six months to live…

How would you start each day?

What would be your first priority in each day?

What relationships would matter most to you?

What would you do just for fun?

What would you look for in others?

What fences would you mend?

With whom would you make peace?

Would you have apologies to offer?

To whom would you apologize?

For what would you apologize?

What bridges would you build?

Whom would you forgive?

What grudges would you release?

What books would you read?

What books would you read again?

Would you want to write anything?

What would you write?

Whom would you write?

How would you spend your time?

With whom would you spend your time?

How would you spend your money?

What unfinished business would you tend to?

What would you be more willing to give?

To whom would you give it?

To whom would you show a special measure of love?

Would you walk away from an argument?

Would you take time to walk hand-in-hand with loved ones?

What burdens would you no longer carry?

What words would you eliminate from your vocabulary?

What thoughts would you refuse to dwell on?

How would you end each day?"

Hot, hot, hot

I grew up in south Georgia and I always believed it was the hottest place on earth, but now I know that Guangzhou has got Hahira and south Georgia beat in the hot department. It is hot here and the humidity, along with the pollution, is stifling. Today finally we got rain - compliments of Typhoon Kaemi over in Jiangxi province so things have cooled down a bit.

And for those of you that read the blog on a regular basis - friends, family and enemies - just a few news updates for you.

I moved to Guangzhou about 3 weeks ago and started a new job. I am finally once again working for an American company and living in a city that actually has Starbucks, McDonalds and Pizza Huts. I am living in a high rise in the central business district and it is convenient to the subway, restaurants and shopping.

Went to Shenzhen on Monday to met with our sales rep who handles Asia for our company. Took the express train from Guangzhou to Shenzhen. Normally this trip would have taken a couple of hours by car but the train is 1 hour and 15 minutes. I am convinced that public transport in China is some of the best in the world. The train and bus system in this country is amazing.

The guy I went to meet is a little older than me and an ex-pat like me. He has been living in Asia for over 20 years, so it was really interesting to hear him talk about some of his experiences over here. But one thing, real important thing, that he told me about was a store named "Metro" in Shenzhen. When we ended our meeting he helped me get a cab to Metro. Wow - this place is a membership retail store (only needed my passport to join) a lot like a Sam's Club, only smaller. The store had imported American canned foods, REAL coffee (not the powdered, instant kind that is in the Chinese groceries), cheese, butter, salad dressings, mustard, Häagen-Dazs ice cream and...and...ground beef patties. I did not want to buy any meat or ice cream and haul it back to Guangzhou but I did find out that there is a Metro store here in Guangzhou. Guess where I am going grocery shopping this weekend?

Next week - headed to Hong Kong and then to Macau for business. In Hong Kong I am meeting with a gentleman that owns a lock factory there. Before moving to Hong Kong many years ago he had a kid's afternoon cartoon TV program in the states. He was personal friends and was in a movie with Curly Joe DeRita, Larry Fine and Moe Howard, three guys that I spent a lot of time watching as a kid - aka, The Three Stooges. Should be a fun meeting.

Last but most important - Happy 22nd Birthday to Simeon on the 29th! I wish I could be there to celebrate. I miss you and I love you.

Well other than that things here are about the same...nothing exciting to report.

Chinese Haircut

One of the pleasures in living here is a monthly visit to get a haircut. It consists of shampoo, haircut and blowdry for the low, low price of 40 RMB (about $4.80 in US dollars). The haircut is cheap, by comparison to the US prices, but also involves so much more than the same services in the US.

First, the shampoo. The Chinese refer to this as "washing head" and not "washing hair". The whole head washing process takes about 20 minutes and involves a pretty thorough scalp and hair scrubbing -and also includes a very nice and relaxing face and scalp massage.

After the shampoo you are whisked away to the barber chair to wait for the next available hair stylist to come and start the hair cutting. While waiting for the hair stylist you are given a neck and back massage by the shampoo person. The hair stylist arrives and starts with the scissors and comb. Generally, haircuts for men are not too bad here but the Chinese barbers have a tendency to leave the hair a little long on the top - at least longer than my liking. Maybe they are trying to help me cover up my bald spot, who knows?

Hair cutting finished, back to the shampoo area for another 10 minutes of shampooing and then back to the barber chair for the blowdry. Not a bad waste of an hour on a Sunday afternoon.

Little Friskies

As further proof of the rare culinary habits of the Guangdong people, I offer the following article from Xinhua:

Activists protest against cat eating in Shenzhen

www.chinaview.cn 2006-06-18 13:35:09

GUANGZHOU, June 18 (Xinhua) -- A restaurant specializing cat meat in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, was forced to close Saturday after the protest of some 40 activists that drew a large crowd including children.

Isobel, founder of a cat-protection website based in Shenzhen and organizer of the protest, and other activists started the protest at 4 p.m. with a white rose on the chest in memory of the slaughtered cats, holding banners and handing out handbills to denounce eating cats and dogs.

Isobel, in her 30s, told Xinhua over telephone on Sunday that they chose the restaurant Fangji Cat Meatball because it slaughtered cats in the street and "it is very bad for the students from nearby schools".

One of the banners read "cats and dogs are friends of human being. Have respect for lives by stopping eating them please!"

In many parts of China especially the southern regions, people take cat meat as their favorite diet. Previous reports said that in Guangzhou alone the citizens ate 10,000 cats every day in the winter season.

The activists, mostly women, poured into the restaurant demanding its owner to set free the cats. They burst into tears upon finding a skinned one in a fridge.

There were no live cats in the restaurant as the owner, according to an eyewitness, relocated them to other places on Friday night.

"I cannot go on with my business, and I will not sell cat meat any more," the restaurant owner said after removing his shop sign from the wall. However, he persisted in Guangdong there is a tradition in eating cats.

"We will continue to protest if this restaurant still sells cat meat," Isobel said.

To her satisfaction, many students on the spot told Isobel that they would keep a close watch on the restaurant and report to her if anything happens to cats.

Eating cats and dogs is often seen in Guangdong, but "you cannot keep eating only because it is a tradition," Isobel argued.

Miss Shenzhen for the year of 2005 Gao Haiyun also went to the restaurant to protest, calling passengers to "stop eating cats and dogs and become civilized".

Thank you for the soap, BUT...

One thing I have come to expect here is that you never know what to expect.

I went to the bathroom here at work today, "did my business" and proceeded to the basin to wash my hands. I saw that for once there was soap in the soap dispenser. I thought I was lucky, extremely lucky. This was going to be a GREAT day. I was actually going to wash my hands at work with SOAP. I dispensed more than a generation portion of the thick, gooey, smelly soap into my hands and prepared to "scrub up" like a surgeon.

True to Chinese style the unexpected happened...someone had turned the water off to the wash basin leaving me with a double handful of soap and no way to get rid of it. I ended up using the water from the drinking water dispenser to rinse my hands. Chinese boss, thank you for the soap, but if you can't give me water to wash my hands then I'll just use your expensive bottled water from the drinking water dispenser. Maybe next time I'll check and make sure there is water coming from the tap first.

Tags: China, china humor